Casualties of War

 

Why is it that you can be perfectly happy ambling along with your projects, working getting towards the top of Mt Shame, and thinking all is good........then you suddenly get a twitch about something utterly random.

1. You begin by looking at battle pictures on google.

2. Then, you think "well, I'll get a book on it"

3. Then, you start looking at mini producers and mentally sussing out what you'd like to do,

4. Next, you think "well, a small purchase won't hurt",

5. Then, you end up with wanting to get the other side too,

6. Suddenly you've boxes piled up ready to go, you've been reading avidly and are now looking at how to paint all this.

7. Then, you're lost. You start looking at hats and kit. "You know, I'd look pretty good in a Tricorn". You won't. You'll look a right prat, and will never wear it

Why is that?

Two weeks ago, I had ZERO interest in the American War of Independence. Gods help me, I'm in stage 2. 

But you know, getting to act a sneering British general is so much fun.

Why is that?

Battle Report - WW2 Coastal Town Assault

Quick write up and pictures for a recent game, played in our usual location (Old Sergeant pub, Wandsworth).


The scenario and details are found here: Scenario


Spot of bad luck pre game, as one of the group fell ill on the day and we had to substitute a set of Germans for British models. These things happen.


Initial set up and deployments

British tanks and forces began the game inactive and could only properly begin if the alarm was given from the sentries. This led to lots of darts, tea swilling and sitting on deckchairs.

Disguised Germans arrive on the beach and for some bizarre reason, known only to themselves and in spite of having kitted up as Americans to attack the fuel depot..............decide that their very first action - before even moving - is to open up with the mortar on a group of Berbers milling about in the far distance.

 

This missed, obviously, and had the effect of :


- Making every single British unit aware of enemy in the midst.
- Uncovering the other hidden German units on the Eastern edge of the town.
- Making the tank crews run to their vehicles and start them up.
- Effectively making the mission utterly impossible to win for the Axis.
- Royally pissing off the GM.


On the first choice of the game. With command like that, no wonder they lost the fuckin' war..........






So, the rapidly uncovered flanking Axis wondering what the bloody hell was going on so early, quickly opened up a firefight with a couple of units in respectable range

British tanks begin to roll out and anticipate threats.

The Faux Americans try to establish a solid point of entry to the town, but end up being shot to pieces, split up and having to go around the long way. A well placed machine gun nest kept things very tidy around that end of the town.

The firefight at the other end of town continues, with the SAS Berbers holing up in a building, two units of regulars getting demolished and breaking.

This allows the majority of the force to launch an attack along on side. Plenty of furious building to building firefighting going on here - great stuff!

The Faux Americans continue to be pinned down and taken apart in pieces.

This results in a predictable massacre over on that side of proceedings.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, the Germans are steadily moving through town, both sides trading shots and building occupation.

Eventually, the British form up around the tanks and lead a sustained assault on the remaining Axis, with the resulting victory swig of tea that results.

Final German dregs being cut down like dogs/valiantly laying down thier lives for Das Fatherland (delete as appropriate)

All over. British well deserved victory.

Wars of the Roses - First Household

A quick weeks work to build and paint the appropriate household for my Wars of the Roses project, so that the King has his personal troops.


I'm a "table ready" painter, having done my years of applying multiple coats of layer variants and miniscule highlights that "yes, I know you can't see them, but they are there and I know that they are there and thats whats important DAMN YOUR HIDE!" long ago.


Now, I just work it up to a quality I'm happy with, give it a good washing of shade to make the 3dness of the painting pop a bit, then base it and stick it on the table. Thats it, its done, its quick - thats my current approach. Means I can fire out a lot of models fairly quickly too, which is always a plus.


Of course, then I spend my time whingeing about how the photos don't do the models justice and are flattened out.


I suppose the overall concept is that you can always go back and work up the models to a higher standard if wanting to, but getting the table ready level is the first step in that. Not that I'm probably ever gonna go back and redo stuff when theres always something else needs doing.


Also - I don't play with unpainted models any more. Nope, a game is a rare thing now, so it needs to be worthy of the time and output involved in the games creation.


After all that - painted household

This is the curent standing for the WOTR project. Not far off finishing the first divison!