Lombards!

 Allied heavy cavalry for my early Byzantine army, figures from Aventine Miniatures, LBMS shield transfers on a base from Warbases.

There will be some action in 1940 France here in OHQ next week, meanwhile check out this weeks game over on Dave’s blog, https://talesfromghq.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-fury-of-northmen.html

Until next time……..KBO

Testing

 A short post to test how posting on my new IPad goes. A new addition to the 1940 Germans for a game next week.

The gun is a plastic Zveda kit and the crew are metal from Simon’s Soldiers and the base is from Warbases.

I am just finishing off a unit of Lombard heavy cavalry for the sixth century Romans.

Until next time, KBO.

¿Pólvora negra, en serio?

Readers may recall I mentioned tweaking the RCW amendments used at the recent game at WMMS to use in a Spanish Civil War setting. After making only slight changes we set too yesterday. I fielded three battalions of three or four companies each, some of which had attached LMG or 50mm mortars. They had additional support of either anti-tank or field guns and a tank, armoured car or truck.

I can't make a coherent blow by blow account of the action in pictures but below are some shots  followed by our thoughts.

The peace of the Hermitage is about to be shattered.

The Republican Brigade commander, the flag bearer is a runner who could be sent to a battalion commander and allow a failed order roll.

Air support could arrive if the enemy rolled a blunder followed by a roll of four.

The Nationalist brigade command with runner.

The Anarchist battalion "rushes" towards the Hermitage.

The other battalions of Internationals converge on the farm complex.

The battalion of Regulares also "rush" towards the Hermitage.

The Anarchists "rushed" a little quicker.

A company of La Legion head to take cover in the station building.

The Republicans deploy a French 75 to make sure the Nationalists do not get too comfortable in the station.

The Hermitage becomes the key focus of the action.

Meanwhile the Internationals hunker down and trade shots with La Legion taking cover on the slight railway embankment.

A blunder ( a FUBAR in our game) by the Nationalists brings a staffing run from a "Chato"

The Nationalists get no further than the railway coming under heavy Republican fire from the farm constantly disordering (pinning) them.

By turn ten of twelve the Republicans were holding onto the Hermitage and getting the better of the Regulares and with the Legion pinned at the railway we decided that the Nationalists would withdraw, if we had used the Black Powder broken brigade rule they would have been doing so anyway.

We thought the rules worked pretty well a little more fine tuning is in order but our next SCW outing will be another go with Rapid Fire Reload, last used in May 2022! Tempus Fugit.

Until next time.

KBO

Finally!

Way back in 2023 I swung by Devizes on the way back from holiday to visit the Attack show where I picked up a pantile ruin building off Colin AKA Charlie Foxtrot Models. Having picked up a NWE farm building at the recent WMMS show I thought I ought to get it done before commencing on the farm house.

Hopefully it will get it's table debut on Tuesday.

Next up on the bench something in 1/72nd scale.

TTFN & KBO

RCW At WMMS 2025

At the WMMS show last month Leamington and District Wargamers put on this splendid Russian Civil War game.

German Freikorps Command Group.

White Russian Command Group.

Red Russian Command Group

The game was being played with Black Powder rules with home brew rule amendments. We have done similar for our 1914 games in the past, suitably inspired I have used the RCW amendments to form the basis of using Black Powder for next week's Spanish Civil War game.

Until then.........KBO

Finding A Gap

This week saw the turn of the 28mm World War II toys on the table.

It is early 1945, Lt. Justin Thyme's platoon has been tasked with finding a gap in the German outpost line which is being tenaciously held by a platoon of Volksgrenadiers. 

To win the game the British must get a squad to the German base line, although I stole the Patrol Phase from Chain of Command the British only got one jump off point out of three further in from the base line. This made the task in hand mighty difficult to put it mildly, nonetheless the British stiffed their upper lip and set too.

The Germans who have made their way through the British barrage (needing to pass an order test to deploy on table) await their adversary.

The British advance cautiously.

A German squad armed with Stg44's deploy forward to slow the British advance.

The British bring up their armour to support the infantry advance.

The German PAK40 hopes to stop the British armour in their tracks.

The British pour fire into the wood to clear out the Volksgrenadiers.

A Sherman Firefly is deployed on the other flank to support the advance there.

A random event brings a stray artillery round that does no damage to either side.

After a long dual between it and the British Sherman's the German PzIV is knocked out.

Meanwhile the British close in.

On turn five of six the second PzIV finally arrived.

The British are getting closer but time runs out.

A Pyrrhic victory for the Volksgrenadiers which will cost them dearly in future games.

Until next time KBO.