Projects Progress

With no games to report on and little of my own figures painted up to show I thought I would post the customary review of the year.
Where did I get to project wise, here we go, last years words in bold .......................

First Carlist War 
Up next is another 8 figure cavalry unit for each side, target for completion by the end of February, this will leave two more Isabellino battalions and a cavalry unit to do plus one more Carlist battalion and a mountain gun for each side.
I have 2 figures done for each towards the eight, so not much progress on this one.

The Great War 
Support weapon wise I have a field gun for the Germans and a 3" Stokes mortar for the British, I have just finished a Minenwerfer for the Germans and I have signallers for both sides in progress at the moment which I plan to complete by the end of January. I also have half a dozen British cavalry to do at some point.
The above were done apart from the Stokes mortar and the cavalry, I have actually added some dismounted cavalry, these are the early war ones, I have bought some Woodbine Designs heads and will add Green Stuff gas masks to them, as its most unlikely that Great War Miniatures will make any. I got these via Colonel Bills together with some more British infantry, there was a figure Dave was after amongst them and it gives me another section. Earlier in the year you may remember I picked up some Renegade Germans at the Penkridge tabletop sale, at Derby Worlds I also got some Brigade ones, all these at 50p figure, you have to get them don't you? As well as adding a MkIV to the German force I have also completed various terrain items, so all in all a good year on this one, now on to the early war.
That covers the late war, for the early war project with Dave I am working on the battalion command to finish the third one, we decided to add another battalion so I also have that and another gun to do in the new year.
The above is done, however I realised that I have only done one HMG for the jaeger battalion, I have one already, Renegade figures again from Colonel Bills. I will await the release of a Mutton Chop one for the third and I really need some hussars, but flatly refuse to get any until there are dismounted ones available.

Arthurian ( for want of a better word ) 

Although I only need to paint another 18 figures now, so 2016 is a possible to complete. Although I did buy extra figures to double up the size of the units for Lion Rampant.
I think I have done about four figures towards the eighteen.

Wars Of The Roses 

A bit of a saga this one, but I have decided to keep the figures and eventually paint enough for Lion Rampant games, this is still on the back burner at present though.
No change, these figures will probably be sold off in the new year.

Third Century Rome

My retirement project which I have started on the basis that it is doubtful I will ever fully retire, again I will pop paint on these over the year. To date I have three Roman foot units and two cavalry units for the Goths I have two infantry units and I have started a cavalry unit.
Made great strides with this one, seven units of Romans completed and six units of Goths, together with a general for each, I fully intend to make them up to seven for game of To The Strongest in the new year as early as I can.

Spanish Civil War 

Again a project on the back burner.
Having said that I did add half a dozen figures and a couple of Grand Manner buildings to the collection
.

World War Two

Probably my first love and a period that can never be really completed the odd one or two vehicles can change a game. I have bought several more vehicles, aircraft  and figures since the purchase of the excellent Battlegroup rules. I always have something for this period on the stocks and 2016 will be no exception.
Yup did add various pieces, tanks, planes, terrain items and I am well on with a volksturm platoon, this will be completed soon as I need them for the Battlegroup Campaign weekend at the end of January

On reflection despite being very busy with the commission work, a very productive year, now what project to start next ;~)

 Merry Christmas

Joyeux Noël

Fröhliche Weihnachten

Buon Natale

Feliz Navidad

счастливого Рождества

Laid Low

A crap year end on the gaming front, the winter V bug as struck the folk at OHQ, so no game this week or next, I am now behind with work so chances of putting paint on my own stuff is not likely until the new year now.
Before this however I was able to finish off a German Great War flame thrower team and five 20mm volksturm for the Battlegroup campaign weekend next month, these require basing though.
I have also finished this Perry Miniatures bren carrier, I have been working on this for a while on and off, not the start of a new project (flutter, flutter) but an iconic vehicle I fancied owning. I also picked up a 20mm Britannia one for my WWII Soviet forces at Warfare.

TTFN

Fields Of Gold

When we play our WWII Eastern Front games I usually plonk down some sprayed and cut up doormat and disguise some of the edge with walls, fences etc. in an endeavour to make it look more than a sprayed doormat, which works pretty well. Until that is you have a tank or figures balanced on top, now I know its only a game of toy soldiers, but I thought it would look better if sections could be removed. So to this end I have based a piece up, added a cut in two strip of wall from the Last Valley and made a balsa fence.

Light Footfall

Heavier Footfall

More Than Just Footfall

 I am quite pleased with the result so may do another, but not until I have done a bit more to the bad boy below that I started last year

The Ruins Of Rawnstadt

TTFN

Somewhere In Eastern Germany, 1945

Dave came over today for our planned WWII game using Battlegroup  Fall Of The Reich supplement, it was to prove yet another gargantuan struggle between the two ideologies.

Somewhere East

We used a scenario from the supplement, the Russians have been advancing unopposed so far, but have now been halted by a German blocking force, the Germans have their backs to the wall and have received hold till the last man or bullet orders. This has given them a BR of 31, whilst the advancing Russians have a BR of 25, both sides have around 520 points in this platoon sized action.

The Volksgrenadiers Await Ivan

 Both sides began the action with roughly the same amount of units on the table, the Germans began in their defences around a road block in the road, while the Russians began in column of march on the road to the right in the above picture. The Russians would roll a D6 on their first and subsequent turns to see how many more units would enter that turn, the Germans would have to wait until turn three to dice to bring on reinforcements.

Here He Comes

Hetzers Advance

 Despite the disparity in the BR scores it turned out to be a very close game, both sides off table artillery being most ineffective, especially when it mattered, I am sure each sides battery was commanded by Von Mulligan and Mulliganski respectively. The game may have been over a lot sooner, Dave drew an "Endkampf" counter this compels the Germans to draw three counters, what luck? No, I drew two Air Attack and one German "Out Of Ammo" a 0 counter to me, phew! Of course neither plane appeared as usual.

The Scout T70 Is Brewed Up

While The Baiters Burn

 Things were getting tight for the Russians, they had been drawing appalling high value counters for most of the game and despite now only facing what was basically one man and his dog they could have been on the cusp of withdrawing, have I mentioned previously the Battlegroup system does well in removing the gamers all seeing eye?
 The Germans turn with only their artillery that could deliver the killer blow, it all hinged on Von Mulligans battery, contact yes! On target? Bloody miles off! Dave was only 2 BR points away from exceeding is total too.

Well that was it, next turn Dave's T34 claimed one of the objectives and the resulting counter took the Germans over their BR. The Germans had put up a magnificent fight, though it would had been a travesty if the Russians had been forced to withdraw, all in all a splendid game, tense but fun all the way.

The Russians Claim An Objective Ending The Game

I should note that in this game we did not use the rules ammo supply rule, but one from a fellow Guild member who kindly gave me the info to use, with this if you fire twice in a turn, you roll two D6, dependent on how  much ammo you have determines the score that is required for you to run out. Both of us will admit that in the heat of battle we both invariably fail to mark off, this system negates any oversight, and the reasoning for using the dice instead sits with me fine.

We are off to Warfare on Sunday, I am off to make a list :~)

TTFN

Three Softies And A Tough Nut

Recent additions to my German WWII forces, some much needed transport and some possible air support.

Ready To Roll - Opel Blitz

Ready To Roll - Stoewer Personnel Car

Ready To Roll - Horch Personnel Carrier

Frog - Junkers Ju.87G

Ready To Roll (clicky) vehicles are not every ones cup of tea, but are good value and robust wargame pieces. 

Next game will be here at OHQ on Monday, a Battlegroup Rules, Fall Of The Reich supplement game.

Check out yesterdays French Revolutionary Wars game over on Dave's Blog (clicky)

TTFN

Action At The Byklov Collective, Somewhere In Russia 1943

A game using Battlegroup Rules, around 500 points a piece, the Germans had a BR of 28 and the Russians a BR of 25. The scenario is a meeting engagement from the Battlegroup Kursk book.
Things started off a little slowly with the Russians not getting many orders and the Germans unable to get their reinforcements on, so a slow build up to the action, the Germans came through a Katyushka stonk pretty lightly and got first blood knocking out a T34 but were unable to get in contact with their off table artillery until well into the action, but it was this this that helped save them causing several pins and forcing the crew of the KV1 to abandon it. Meanwhile the Russians were steadily advancing, with the Maxim MG and the T34's pinning the Germans and then assaulting them with the infantry, the German BR rating was slowly getting to breaking point. A bit of a reprieve by pulling an aircraft chit, one didn't turn up though, this might have sealed the game, the Russians balanced this up by pulling a mine strike chit, KABOOM! the Germans were minus a Stug. Things were getting pretty tight now the Germans were nearing their break threshold and from the look on Dave's face the Russians were likewise, I really needed to inflict some serious damage, so I took the chance of pulling and chit and rallying, another aircraft chit, again this might come in handy next turn should I survive, this was also the turn when the belated off table artillery came in inflicting more pins and forcing Dave to rally so that he could press his advantage in his turn and push the Germans over the edge, alas it was not to be the chit took him one over his BR, goodnight Moscow.
A very tight game with the Germans also needing only a one to push them over.

All Quiet At The Byklov Collective

The German Reinforcements Advance At Last

The Russian Steamroller

First Blood

Stug Platoon Commander

The Engagement Intensifies

The Russians Push The German Infantry Back

Minen!

The Abandoned KV

The Russian CO Decides To Withdraw

    The Russians really had the advantage when they called off the attack, but this is were the brilliance of the Battlegroup chit and BR rating comes into its own, negating the war gamers all seeing eye.

The core rulebook is about to be reprinted if you fancy giving BG a try.

TTFN

Lend Lease

Inspired by a fellow members superb aircraft on the Guild forum I have completed a Revell P39 Airacobra for my 20mm Soviets.
I would like to see it appear in our game next Monday, but then again as I will be the Germans perhaps not :-)

Be sure to tune in next week for a report on the game.

TTFN

Someone Blundered

Me in fact, five times yesterday in a splendid ACW set to using Black Powder rules and suggested amendments from the Glory Hallelujah! supplement. One can read all the detail over on Dave's GHQ blog, click the link on Topping Blogs sidebar.

Hurrah! Boys! Hurrah!

T34

Yes another one, you may recall that I started this Fabri die-cast way back in March. I thought that it really should be finished off, so set to just prior to going away. I finished the base last night when when I got back.

I also put paint on three Ready To Roll German soft skin vehicles which I hope to complete soon.

TTFN

Espana And Great War Additions

A few bits that I have squeezed into my workload recently.
For the Great War, a 77mm field gun and crew From Great War Miniatures, I have also done the early war version but forgot to photograph it.

Whilst at the Derby Worlds last weekend I got some more pieces from Coriatani to fill up no-man's land, a bargain at £7.50 total, I have added some barbed wire and a corrugated iron sheet to make the multiple crater piece a little different to the same piece I already have .

I also got one of the new trench pieces from John at Ironclad Miniatures, a shell damaged section, I really like this one and I am looking forward to the other pieces he has in the pipeline.

For the Spanish Civil War I have painted some miliciano's and miliciana's, I also picked up from Empress Miniatures the recent Republican support weapons pack so my SCW lead pile has not diminished.

For an excellent report and pics of this weeks Indian Mutiny game pop over to GHQ (clicky)

That's all from OHQ for the time being, back in a couple of weeks or so, take care.

TTFN 

Bolt Action Great War

After last week's return to the Spanish Civil War using Bolt Action Second Edition, this week it was the turn of the Great War.
Following on from the success at Petitte Rawnslie, Allied command wanted to push on, however on the outskirts of the village was Church Hill with a concrete observation bunker, which had a commanding view of any troop movement from the village.
This had to be neutralised before any advance could be contemplated, the task fell to Major "We Can't Win This" Bicclesworth's, Pendeforde Pals battalion. Leading the assault would, rather fittingly, be Lt. "Reggie" Rawnsley's platoon.

Because of the terrain it would be slow going for the British attack, the normal six turn of the Bolt Action scenarios would not suffice, so the game would go for three turns up until lunch, then on resuming the game a D6 would be rolled, a 1 would mean starting again at turn two, any other result would mean the game started at turn one again, this result would also determine when the German reinforcement section would arrive. The usual roll for another turn would also be used after turn six.

The attacking force consisted of -

2 Lewis Gun Sections

1 Rifle Grenadier Section

1 Bomber Section

1 Whippet Tank

Fire support would be provided by a MMG in a sustained fire role (not in BA a house rule for this game)

and a "Toffee Apple" Heavy Mortar.

The attack would be proceeded by a Preparatory Bombardment.

Defending would be -

1 section with a captured Lewis Gun

1 section of riflemen

1 MMG

1 Sniper

And an off table SOS artillery bombardment, directed by observers in the bunker on Church Hill.

Reinforcements would be, dependant on the dice throw after lunch for the extra turns, a Storm Battalion section or a normal rifle section.

The British attack proceeded slowly across the churned up wastes of No -Mans Land, meanwhile the Germans took the opportunity to Rally off the pins received from the rather effective bombardment, this is a hell of a lot easier in V2, as you ignore pins and just roll against your Morale value.

The sniper and  MMG potted away at the advancing British but did no high impact casualties, meanwhile the British were mounting pins up on the section in the trench, the other German section remained in the church crypt ready to counter any British infiltration. 

   The pins had mounted up on the section in the trench, it was now time to rally them off, but to late! the British dice came out first and the Whippet had found a gap in the wire from the bombardment and was advancing headlong towards them, would their nerve hold?

Would it hell as like, they scattered to the four winds. This now left the Whippet in a commanding position on the trench line, covering the exit from Church Hill and lending fire to the sections keeping the German MMG and sniper under fire in Shrapnel Villa.

With the final turns approaching it was now do or die, Lt. Rawnsley sent his first section down the trench and into the tunnel to the crypt, where a furious and bloody melee continued until just two Tommies remained, these were then unceremoniously evicted by Lt. Weiss and his assistants, who too were seriously wounded. 

By then the second British section appeared, the bombers! these were veteran trench fighters, the Leutnant stood little chance, it is not certain whether he escaped or was bundled down the tunnel a prisoner, either way he has disappeared. Just then reinforcements arrived but not alas Stormtroopers, although they fought bravely for the Fatherland the rifle section was no match for the seasoned British troops.

Despite the negative waves at GHQ another resounding victory for the British, the Big Push can continue.

The fearsome Toffee Apple Mortar failed to get on target, much to the Germans relief.

The brave men of the MMG section hold off the British even when reduced to one man, little did they know the attack was just a feint, such is war.

Another enjoyable game with second edition, the changes are good for the most part, OK, BA is still far from perfect, what game is, and still has its quirks but there is no denying it gives an exciting "game" overall, I think so anyway and that's what matters to me. 

TTFN   

Bolt Action Espana

Looking back over the blog it was March when we last played a Spanish Civil War game, time to have another run out I thought. We would be using Bolt Action again but with the new edition plus the modifications for small squads from the last outing and again anarchist units would have to take an order test to change move orders.

The objective of the game is have possession of the crossroads at the end of the game, turn 6 or 7 if an additional turn is rolled, to have possession means that you have to have a unit within three inches of it and no enemy within three inches of it, the buildings have been positioned so that they are more than three inches away.

The Republican forces will based on a die roll enter the table at one of the two roads on the left, on a 1 to 3 the top one and 4 to 6 the centre one. 

The Republican forces consisted of -

2 10 man Anarchist squads all with rifles, inexperienced

2 10 man International Brigade squads, both with a LMG, regular

1 HQ 2nd Lt. and two assistants, regular

1 T26B, regular

1 Armoured truck with a turret mounted LMG, regular. It could not move off road.

The Nationalist forces must enter on the right hand middle road, their force consisted of -

3 6 man Foreign Legion squads, one with a LMG, veteran

3 6 man Carlist Militia squads, one with a LMG, regular

1 10 man Falange Militia squad, inexperienced

1 Foreign Legion 50mm mortar team, veteran

1 Foreign Legion37mm Anti-tank gun, veteran

1 HQ 2nd Lt. and two assistants

Both sides start off table, the Anarchists would need an order test to enter, the Nationalists could leave squads off table to enter on turn two, but if they did so the unit would then have to take an order test to enter.

The Republicans would have a tough time achieving the objective given the Nationalists flexibility with their squads, this however would be alleviated a little with having the only armour on the table.

  

 Despite the disparity it was to be a very close fought game, although in the first turn the Nationalist dice came out one after the other, they had no enemy to react to and a bottle neck at the entrance point ensued, forcing the Nationalist to leave the Carlist militia off table till turn two. The Republicans were also hampered by having to dice which road to enter on, which left the truck and a Anarchist squad on the high road.

The Nationalist really needed to knock out the T26, a task in which it failed miserably, leaving it in possession of the crossroads, the flanks were side shows really, with the Falange playing cat and mouse with the truck and the Carlists and International Brigade jockeying for position on the other flank. A last gasp attempt by a Legion squad to assault the tank failed, no turn 7 was rolled which left honours even at the crossroads and both sides having lost two units,

An honourable draw.

We thought the new version of the rules worked well in the game, the officer actually having a command role is a big plus in our opinion and the templates were not as bad has I thought they would be.

With regard to forces I just threw everything except the Nationalist Panzer 1 and the Republican Anti-tank gun on the table that I have painted, just out of interest I again worked out the points after the game, the Nationalists coming in at around 740 and the Republicans 550.

Not balanced? Well neither was the last weeks game and the Russians with less points won, this week, were it not for some dire dice rolls by Dave so could the Republicans I think, Dave may disagree of course.

So a question - Equal points games, balanced or bollocks? ;-)

TTFN