UPDATE.

 I thought it about time I gave an update on progress with my armies rather than yet more information about my head long decent into a gun obsessed  second boyhood !!!!!!!

I have just completed the 15th of the original 46 upgrades, a batch of Cavalry corporals.

As mentioned some time ago, I identified an opportunity to increase the foot soldier elements in my Cavalry and Horse Artillery regiments. I have now quantified those changes in the sum of 270 new soldiers. That has added another 2 upgrades so there are now 48 upgrades.  The changes involve additional medical, signals and staff troops together with an increase in the Horse Artillery gun teams to bring them into line with the Field and Heavy Artillery battalion compliment of six men per gun. Overall this will bring the strength of each army to 20,128. 

Readers may recall I mentioned some time ago that I had bought a fresh supply of screws after a long search for the out of production items I use. For the past few years I have been working through a box of about 25,000 loose, old and slightly rusty screws that a contact in the trade had secured for me just before he retired. That box is now empty and it is time to start using the new stock.

These came from a business specialising in the supply of old imperial sized woodworking hardware like screws, bolts and suchlike.  (Yes there is a market for such things !!!! )  I am pretty sure I have got most of the UK's remaining stock of these screws having bought 36,000. Although I had to pay double what I used to pay it was worthwhile to ensure my hobby can continue for the foreseeable future. 

About half the new stock, all of which are boxed and in brand new perfect condition, are "self coloured" that is raw steel. The rest are zinc plated. As related in old posts, (see posts under "screws" label )  zinc plated screws cannot be painted without removing the zinc plating. This I do by soaking the screws in pickling vinegar for a couple of hours. I have decided to use the zinc plated screws first so today bought a couple of bottles of vinegar to start the process.

Those who follow my Imagi-Nations posts may realise that when I started to publish these articles I said the current year in TIAN was 1891 eg 130 years ago. That being so the latest posting related  events in 1888 so it is clear that the "present" day will soon be reached. At this time I think I will be revisiting previous posts to add extra detail to battles etc rather than just stopping the posts altogether when I run out of history to relate. This idea came from Archduke Piccolo, thanks Ion.

Well that's my update for now.......time to go shoot some targets !!!!!!!!