This weekend, 7/31

July 29th, 2010 Sapper Joe Posted in General | Comments Off

Hello,

Well this weekend I plan to run a trial run game of "Force on Force" rules at a local gaming shop on Sat. The scenario will be based loosely on 'The Troubles' in N. Ireland. I had plans to get everything painted and done before than, but alas...that was not to be. Due to work and several bad things happening there, I have not had much free time in the evenings or in any kind of mood to paint. But the game will still happen (minus any disasters). It is going to be a small game in size with less than three dozen figures total. I plan to take my camera, but I have been known to forget it and take pictures of unpainted (sigh...) figures in action (Yeah!)

The scenario, I hope, will be an interesting one. There will be some interesting scenario "rules" for the lack of better terms. I will post up an AAR or two, as I am hoping that it will go fast enough to get in two or maybe even three games in with switching up the players. The main goal is for me to get use to running these rules and try a couple of scenario "rules". If all goes well, I will out line some of my ideas for various scenarios in the future.

As I have been reading the two of the other blogs on the alternate UK 2nd Civil War (England Prevails..., and Winter of '79) has been fueling some ideas.

I have recently sent money to became a Platinum Member (sounds exciting, yes?) to the Oxford Diecast Collectors Club to get some more 1/76 scale UK vehicles a bit cheaper (doesn't sound as exciting as before, does it?) I figure that it will be cheaper to go ahead and do that...plus I get a special limited edition car for Christmas! Cool Beans!

Anyway, I know that I should be painting tonight, but I have to go to bed earlier and it is already about 90 minutes to bed time...so no painting tonight. But keep an eye out for some time Sunday or next week for an AAR of Saturday's game(s).

Be seeing you...


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July 29th, 2010 Sapper Joe Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

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20mm unpainted plastic Napoleonics

July 29th, 2010 Phil Posted in Game report | Comments Off

Shock and Horror! We staged a Napoleonics game using unpainted 20mm plastic figures. Before you choke on your single-malt whisky and let your fine Havana drop to the ground, let me assure you we have not lowered our standards. After all, the moto of our gaming society still is ‘Visual Appeal is everything!’.

However, there are times where ‘perfect is the enemy of good’. One of our illustrous gentlemen members is busy collecting and painting Napoleonic figures at an alarming rate. In the mean time, we already want to try out some battles - hence the stand-ins in the form of the old faithful 20mm plastics.

Now, I don’t have a strong objection against using unpainted plastics. They provide a sort of childish pleasure, almost a throwback to times when wargaming was much simpler and cheaper. I still remember my first wargaming experiments, using plastic romans as substitutes for Orcs and Elves, and using chalk to draw the battlefield on top of my study table. Fun was had by all, and I still have loads of cheap plastic figures lying around. The visitors to my wargaming garage can testify this.

About our Napoleonic battle then. The rules we use are based on the divisional level wargame found in ‘Napoleonic Wargaming for Fun’ by the late Paddy Griffith. As is usual in our gaming group, we amend and iterate over any ruleset till we have found a workable set of rules that fancies all players in the group. Moreover, I actually did some decent research on this one, reading up on Napoleonic battle tactics and translating my findings into the rules proper. Although is some work, it has produced a very nice result.

The pictures show our game, played on a 8 by 6 feet gaming table. Such a large table definitely adds appeal to the game, and lets you move and manouvre your troops as you see fit.

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Making and Basing 1/285 Scale Trees

July 29th, 2010 The Editor Posted in Terrain Outdoor | Comments Off

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Oh Dear…. Part Two… The Sequel…

July 28th, 2010 Tim Posted in Painting Update, WW2 | Comments Off


So, West Wind is having a 40% off sale on their Berlin or Bust line- including the WW2 tanks and vehicles...

Remember that list of tanks I said I'd have to get NEXT YEAR for the Canadian Campaign in North West Europe...?

um... well...
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Lances and Labyrinths RPG

July 28th, 2010 The Editor Posted in Free RPGs | Comments Off

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In praise of Limited Edition Miniatures

July 28th, 2010 Tony Posted in Flintloque, Painting miniatures | Comments Off

Regular followers of this Blog will be well aware of my collection of Flintloque figures, a collection that I have been adding to for many, many years. In addition to the Box Set and Blisters I also have quite a few of the Limited Edition releases (either 500 or 1000 castings) and even a couple of the Very Limited Edition (250 castings). I believe that they add 'colour' and character to my collection and where ever possible, I base and paint them, rather than keeping them as investments - some of the early LE blisters fetch huge amounts on e-bay.

I was therefore surprised to read adverse comments relating to companies who release LE editions or special sets and this got me thinking. I know that Games Workshop, Alternative Armies and Privateer Press produce limited edition miniatures, as do many more. The numbers range from hundreds to thousands of castings per release so there MUST BE a market for these figures.

As stated above, not only do I regularly purchase these miniatures, I base and paint them (and when ever possible play with them - it is rare nowadays!)

I posted a query on the Yahoo Notables board asking for comments and one member stated that he found it a shame that ANY mould/mold was destroyed. This is a statement that I found myself agreeing with and now I'm confused. I know that I enjoy collecting LE's but also agree that the destroying of any miniature mold is such a shame!

In summary, I believe that the release of LE's is a good thing and I will continue to collect them to add it my collection, but would like to hear other views.

Tony
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Capitania General de Florida, Battle #1

July 27th, 2010 ColCampbell50 Posted in 'Murican, Andalusia, Brittania, Capitania General de Florida | Comments Off

Here are some of the pictures I took during the game I ran several Saturdays ago.  It pitted a punitive expedition of two Britannian battalions and some rangers and militia against a regular Andalusian (imagi-Spanish) force of regular battalions, militia, and Indians.  All of the regular battalions on both sides and the Andalusian gun and crew are owned by Doc Ord who has generously granted me a long-term loan of them.  The militia, rangers, and Indians are owned and painted by me, as was all the terrain.  Please click on the pictures for a larger image.  [Added note:  Additional pictures can be found at the Jackson Gamers blog.]

The battle area with a clearing for the Andalusian fort in the left foreground and the allied Indian stockaded village in the right background.

A closer look at the fort clearing showing the temporary breastworks manned by a company of Andalusian militia.

The stockaded Indian village.  This stockade was originally built as a Zulu kraal for a Victorian colonial game three years ago.  It is manned by Old Glory Indians.

A mixed bag of Britannian rangers, light infantry, and Indians advance toward the fort clearing.  These figures are Redoubt, Foundry, Conquest, and one unknown manufacturer.

The stockade is being assaulted by a battalion of Britannian infantry and two companies of Georgiana militia.

One of three battalions of Andalusian reinforcements marches toward the fighting.  This battalion is from the Regiment Ibernia.

Two more Andalusian battalions marching forward.  You might recognize the mounted officer in the foreground as Feldmarshall Leutnant Freiherr Bernard von Alderheim of the Imperium.  He was pressed into service as the Andalusian senior commander, Baron de la Plata (played by my friend, Lord Sterling).

The Britannian rangers and light infantry assault the Andalusian militia behind their temporary breastworks.  The Andalusians probably wisely decided not the stand and began to withdraw upon their regular supports (the Battalion Ibernia).

Meanwhile the center Andalusian battalion begins to deploy against some of the rangers and light infantry.

But they are quickly reinforced by the second of the Britannian battalions and a fire fight results.

The Andalusian militia continue to fall back on their supports who now line the reverse of the breastworks at the rear of the clearing.

The Andalusian gun, cheered on by de la Plata, comes into action.  The two gunners are borrowed Imperium figures who are assisted by infantrymen from two different Andalusian battalions.

Even though the battalion commander has been slain, the left flank Andalusian battalion holds its own against both the Britannian regulars to the left of the fort and some of the Georgiana militia (out of the picture to the right).

The final tally saw the Britannian and 'Muricans withdrawing from their attack after suffering severe casualties from the Andalusian and Indian fire.  Another battle is in the offing -- probably an Andalusian assault against the southern most Britannian outpost which now shelters the survivors of this battle.

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