I Have Mostly Been Painting.....

Things have stepped up a gear as is customary now the warmer weather has finally arrived, the nights are getting lighter and OML3 draws ever closer.

With the upcoming 6th game in mine & Bob's fight through of Kampfgruppe von Luck requiring a church as it's main feature I had decided to source some much overdue gravestones and to revamp the church I owned.


A fairly cluttered table held 3 projects running concurrently (I get bored easily).

 The church I already had was the one from my old Landmark range (now owned and being heavily discounted to clear by Timecast). As fantastic a model as it is, I always thought that some of the buildings in the range had a touch too much green in them for a Normandy look, the church being the most obvious case. So I took the opportunity while painting the gravestones to give it a total repaint. I decided that I would mount the graves on some spare FoW small & medium bases so they could be removed for troop placement during play. Along with the church project, the embarrassment of not having enough walling to do the whole layout in the "Corridor of Death" scenario had prompted the completion of another 11 & 1/2 feet of new walling. This would take my total of free standing wall to a whopping 23 & 1/2 feet. If that wasn't enough now it never would be!


View from the front of the newly painted church with it's completed graveyard

I was really pleased with the outcome. I also decided to repaint the surrounding wall (also too "green") and grass around the base to match in with my other buildings.

I'm looking forward to getting this on the table for the Flank at Ranville scenario

As you'll also be able to make out in the top photo, more work has taken place on the Sari Bair Gallipoli game for this year's OML3 event. My order from Warbases had arrived!

Undercoated casualty figures to use as shock markers were mounted on 40mm discs and terrain added. Again the dice & frames to track shock were from Minibits.

 

I'd sourced some fantastic "clutter" items from Grand Manner's WW1/Colonial range to eventually mount on 30mm discs to create Jump Off Points. All of my senior and junior leaders were going to be mounted on 25mm a/f hex bases to ease recognition on the battlefield.

To bring the infantry into line with modern times, I'm rebasing them onto 25mm discs too. This would be my first widespread use of MDF bases for normal troops, having always previously made best use of coins of the realm....ahem. In the background you'll also notice the new patrol markers. Some internet clip art, laminated and mounted on 50mm discs are just the job.

Hopefully in the next few days I'll have an update showing completed versions of all the above. Mike Hobbs also visited yesterday to deliver all of the trenches, wire, craters and Anzacs for the project so there will no doubt also be some "mock up" shots as I tinker about. 

2015 Sooo Many Anniversaries!

With this year's OML3 event fast approaching my thoughts had turned to which game I planned to put on this time. Being on June 6th the obvious choice would be a D-Day battle - I'd definitely have most of the kit I needed (and could easily add bits from the garage full of stock if needed). As I've been having enormous fun fighting through "Kampfgruppe von Luck" the latest Pint-Sized offering for CoC (more of that later) I'd been reading up a lot on the battles in the Ranville, Breville area and decided that I'd finally paint the Horsa glider I'd had in the garage for 3 years and do something involving a landing zone.



Pleased with how it turned out, I hatched a plan to add two more.
 

The model is a 15mm  Lil' Flying Fokker available from http://www.oldgloryuk.com/wwii-allies/44/157/412/420 with decals from I-94 which I picked up from here http://www.minibits.net/BR-122-p672/ but have since found out are also available at Old Glory.

However........ (I'll try to keep this short)

I had, for a good while been weakening over these http://empressminiatures.com/userimages/procart84.htm and had decided that to commit to that as a project I MUST sell off something first. I decided that my hurriedly (horridly) painted WW1 Battle Honours Turks done for a tournament I held when I had my old shop would be sacrificed to Ebay.

Then I read the TFL Christmas Special on CoCing up WW1 in which Rich Clarke comments that the early war, with predominantly rifles, would play a little vanilla. The idea went a bit cold. But by that time I'd already found the Turks out of the garage. I decided on a whim that if I tarted them up a bit they'd be OK. I may keep them (you know how that is...right?)

After a few highlights & some tufts I thought they were "keepers"

The it went really weird. I tweeted the above photo, Mike Hobbs offered to lend me all his substantial collection of Woodbine Designs Turks & Anzacs to try out WW1CoC and before you knew it this year's OML3 game was decided as "A Ridge Too Far" Sari Bair Ridge - Gallipoli 1915.

Which brings me on to the subject of anniversaries.

In 2015 we have (among others):
Evesham (Barons War 1265) 750 years AND local to me!
Agincourt (Hundred Years War 1415) 600 years
Waterloo (Napoleonic War 1815) 200 years
Gallipoli (WW1 1915) 100 years
Battle of Britain (WW2 1940) 75 years
Gulf War 25 years

There's a lot to choose from all playable with TooFatLardies rules!


OML3 The Lardest Day Under Way

And they're Off!

For those who don't know, each year I organise the Operation Market Larden (or Great Tractor Rally as Rich Clarke likes to call it) event here in the heart of rural Borsetshire.

This year's will be the third and it's already is shaping up to be another cracker. Having sold out the 34 spaces in record time (just over a week) to folks from Devon to Lincolnshire and it seems everywhere between, work is well under way with the planning of games, players for those games & the now customary TFL cakes. Mmmmm cake. Not long now until June 6th!

These have literally gone down very well in previous years!

There will be 10 games this time. Rich Clarke will be showcasing his soon-to-be-released "Fighting Season" rules set for the modern setting (think Afghanistan, Gulf War, ISIS), there'll be Sharpe Practice variants from the War of the Roses, Sudan and Napoleonic Peninsular. Nick Overland is bringing his as yet un-published IABNM variant, Mike Whitaker's Normandy IABSM, Mud & Blood from the Russo-Japanese War, Dux Brit and finally two games of the hugely popular Chin of Command, both of which are not quite the norm. The Custard Guzzlers are putting on a Big CoC variant set in France 1940 and I'll be trying out a WW1 variant.

The format usually follows a morning and afternoon game at the home of Wyvern Wargamers, then off for an evening of curry sandwiched between pub visits. I'm sure there will be plenty to report on after the event.

"Ding!" And I'm back in the room!

Forgive me Blogosphere for it has been an almighty SEVEN weeks(!) since my last submission.

As it was my first Christmas since entering the world of blogging, I must admit to having been caught completely unprepared for the disruption bought about by the festivities. All in a good way. I've spent so much time having fun with family and friends that I'd just lost track and haver struggled to muster up the required effort while gorged on mince pies, nuts and cold turkey with pickles. Even this far into the New Year I've been hammering the gaming hard enough that I've not really conjured up any blog time.

So, this catch up will just be a few photographs of the a selection of the fun that's been had, with next post being my (first draught) plans for the year ahead. With a few curve balls thrown in for sure!

Here a just a few shots from the games where I remembered to take any (doh!)

First up was a very fun CoC "training mission" against my 16 year old lad Connor. I played a British Infantry platoon supported by a Sherman, attacking his hastily defending German Grenadiers with a PaK 40. Suffice to say no plan survives contact with the enemy and I was duly handed a good beating! Well done son, we'll make a "proper" wargamer of you yet.

Somewhere in that raging inferno is the remains of my big cat. More Coc this time against Bob. My gallant Grenadier defenders with all their support lumped into that Tiger 1. Again hastily defending this time trying to thwart Para's with lots of support choices including a FLAMETHROWER(!). All I can say is NASTY! Having had Bob languishing on 3-4 force morale for what seemed like ages, while mine remained a healthy 7, the sudden ambush grilling the Tiger bought about my rapid demise.

A trip into the loft to put away the decorations turned up a VERY old favourite game from my teenage years. With both sons and even the wife keen to play, the good times came rolling back. There were some truly hilarious moments culminating in Liam being instated as the "New Arnold Rimmer" of the modern age. Somehow though, Googling "How to win at Risk" just has a nasty ring to it. I bet that doesn't make his Risk Campaign Book!

Next up Garry came up for an eagerly awaited taster of the Fantasy adaptation of Sword & Spear. Having rather a lot of fantasy figures (with my old shop stock, two 16 year old lads and a looong mis-spent history of dabbling myself) it seemed rather a shame to have them languishing in the ignominy of the garage for the want of a decent set of rules. We had resolved last year to embarking on the "Grail Quest" for a replacement for Warhammer with these and lately, an adapted Lion Rampant coming into focus. Garry rocked up with his usual. 300 points of some or other flavour of "Poncey Elves", while I elected for all things green in the same amount. A very surprising game unravelled. The command & control were simple but elegant, there were all-manner of little subtleties and no shortage of strategy and prioritisation to boot. In the end I smashed seven bells out of him, so we'll definitely be exploring that again!*

And finally (for now at least) more CoC at Bob's. This time a cracking little France '40 game. Me as the French (all my supports lumped into a Char B) while Bob attacked with German Infantry supported by a mortar barrage and Stug 111D. Suffice to say me wounding his FOO helped immeasurably and my Tremblon VB grenade launchers performed a sterling role. In the end Bob's attack on the crossroads was truly blunted......at least for now.

So there you have it. A brief catch up on where I've been. There have of course been a great many more games (too many to mention) over what has undoubtedly been my busiest Christmas for many years. Here's to an active wargaming year ahead & a belated Happy New Year to you one and all.

Next up, another Muskets & Tomahawks after my last (un-photographed) unmitigated disaster where my Indians and Coureur de Bois received rough handling at the hands of Bob's British.

*It actually inspired the first painting of the year! With some gretchy Night Goblins getting some well overdue love in preparation for another run-out - shots to follow.

Barrages - A Mixed Month......

So, it's been a busy few weeks.

I had a great trip down to Rivermead, Reading for Warfare with Bob, Paul & my son Connor. Purchases were obviously made including the start of my Empress Miniatures Nationalist force for the club CoC Espana project, casualties (shock markers) for my 15mm Russians and Americans from Peter Pig, a 28mm Minairons Chevrolet Truck and some lovely terrain for Spain. All of which will feature in upcoming blogs.

Jon's Churchills move off their start line in support if the attack.

Then I travelled the short distance up to Studley to meet up with an old gaming mate I'd not seen in a long while Jon Sword (ex of Britannia Miniatures). He's now back in circulation for wargaming after real life had intervened and has pulled his beautiful collection of 20mm WW2 out of storage, setting up a fantastic bespoke gaming room at his new home. Invited via Facebook I went up for an enjoyable game of Jon's own WW2 rules "Hit the Dirt". I played the Germans defending in a scenario based on Hill 112 with Jon as the attacking British. The rules are set at "company plus" level (somewhat of a change from what I'm used to) and use varying dice depending on troop quality. As I said, I really enjoyed it, with my nebelwerfer battery in the end taking too much toll on the advancing infantry and blunting the assault. Not missing an opportunity to #Spreadthelard, we've arranged to game again next week when I'll be introducing Jon & another old buddy Spike to their first experience of Chain of Command. I look forward to seeing what they make of the rules and running a game with some top quality kit.


A Panzer IVH lies in wait.



Immobilised, This tank crew bailed and went "into the bag".

Next up came another game of CoC, this time on a Wyvern Wargamers club night. I had decided to run a BigCoC scenario based on the battle near Rauray, Normandy at the end of June '44. Maximum Bob and Phil would take the role of the attacking British troops, an infantry platoon (Phil) & a Sherman platoon (Bob) supported by an extra Firefly, FOO + 3" mortar battery and a pre-game barrage. Up against them would be Ian and Matt with two weakened platoons of SS panzergrenadiers supported by a Panther representing part of Kampfgruppe Wiedinger.

 

The Germans would be defending this key crossroads against an attack from the top of the picture.

 All began well, with both sides orchestrating their strategies, rolling up Force Morale and playing out a cagey Patrol Phase ending with the Germans with the option to deploy in strong advanced positions.

Phil's infantry deployed from a flanking Jump-Off Point in the cornfield on the right.
 

While Bob's armour advanced up the road, with the 75mm armed pushing on to assault while both Fireflies covered their advance.

Meanwhile the Germans played their trump card at the first opportunity placing the Panther on overwatch on the first three rolled. 

While the Panther moved through the shattered village

infantry deployed into the left most ruins to counter the flanking British.

Drawing to a halt, the Panther awaited the opposing amour's appearance.

It was at this point things began to unravel for the defenders. A missed shot from the Panther, followed swiftly by successive lucky strikes by both Fireflies which first immobilised and then killed the gunner in the turret of the Big Cat.

It got worse. With neither side particularly racking up many CoC dice, the British (Bob mostly) began a sequence of rolling multiple sixes, maintaining the phase to push on and close from all directions with combined arms. But the killer punch was......

 



Seizing their opportunity, the British called down fire from the supporting battery of mortars.

 

 Having decided to "fire for effect" and only deviating by 3", the full weight of the mortars landed on the centre of the village. Pinning the panzergrenadiers in the ruins and already-suffering Panther also denying the Germans deploying from all but one of their Jump-Off points. The double sixes continued, with an inordinate amount of kills and shock being registered on the defending force, while they could only look on incredulous at their poor luck.

Eventually the Germans, concluding that any further resistance was futile on this occasion, called time on proceedings and the evening ended a little prematurely.

Definitely a case of Friction deciding matters. (Grimace) I blame Bob. 

 

 

Finally, not put off by the slightly disastrous events of the club night, Bob and I were back in the saddle with Bob hosting another different look at the game mechanics with a play-test of the modern version of the rules.

I would be commanding a well supported Russian platoon ordered to assault an enemy village, where known insurgents were believed to have hidden an arms cache in the local mosque.

 

A few phases in, still only a sniper and FOO had deployed to overlook the impending assault & hoping to keep the locals off the roofs.

 

Knowing that Bob would opt to keep his defensive options open by not deploying until he had to, I had decided to wait until I rolled the right hand of dice to be able to mount a quick push on one point & if possible capture his left-most Jump-Off Point.

A sound plan.....in principle. The problem being that by the time I eventually managed to roll a double six, Bob had already accumulated TWO whole CoC dice to my solitary, single roll of a five!

 

 

Undaunted, I raced a squad down the table in the relative safety of a BTR60 knowing that I had the next phase.

My APC raced into cover (the look on BoB's face!) & de-bussed a squad with the intention of "kicking in the front door". My plan by this point was to quickly move a Jump-Off Point up to close behind this squad and be in a position to shoot the first squad in. My lack of CoC dice scuppered that idea, so I'd moved a second squad up on foot through the high crops which was in a position to support the lead element.

Threatened by ambush with a RPG, the BTR moved to safety on the flank. Unfortunately by this point the infantry in the high crop had decided to move only 3"!

Bob had been no slouch. Setting up a "welcoming committee" covering any emergence from the alley on overwatch from both sides.

I desperately wanted to call in mortar support now, but knew Bob would end it (& the turn) with a CoC dice while I STILL hadn't managed to get anywhere near having one of my own to continue the barrage. A brief lull in activity while I waited to roll fives, was swiftly followed by an impatient Bob lunching TWO ambushes on my exposed forward squad.

Appearing between the containers, Bob poured lead into my flank. Two dead Russians later I managed a phase of my own and luckily wiped his entire team out in one go!



Although I was tactical, a hail of LMG fire killed one man and wounded my Junior Leader. I would lose him until the end of turn. Curses!

With Bob now out of CoC dice I decide the time was right for those mortars. I desperately needed to cause a distraction as much as anything to allow a regrouping of my failed first probe. As it turned out, firing for effect immediately paid off with the barrage landing directly on target, hitting the Afghans on my left hard.

 

The mortars rained death on the squad an a half of remaining defenders.

With the luck briefly but definitely turning towards me, I rolled a couple of double sixes. Combined with the ability on 1's to "walk" the barrage up & down Bob's exposed troops causing irreparable damage his Force Morale plummeted. After only one true exchange of actual gunfire the game was up. With only one functional element remaining and his Force Moral teetering on three, Bob's insurgents hit the trail.

Another excellent game! Interesting to see how well (adapted) CoC coped with a forty year jump forward from it's intended period. Looking forward to more Modern CoC for certain. Cheers Bob!

Footnote:

Much has been said on both the TFL Forum & Yahoo Group about the efficacy of mortar barrages. When you stop to consider however that such a HUGE percentage of casualties in modern warfare are attributed to either them or artillery, my opinion is that they're represented very well indeed in CoC.

I readily accept that the use of mortars, if accurate, will produce a game likely to cause ENORMOUS frustration to one player. That could be me, my opponent or someone in a game I'm umpiring. To try to represent 20th-21st century warfare without them would be ridiculous. They cause FRICTION.

If that's not for you fine. Other games are available.





Huzzah for Warfare!

I can't wait 'til Saturday.

I'm in a bit of a "Wargamers Funk" at the moment. It happens to us all from time to time. Enthusiasm for a project wanes, time & circumstances conspire against plans, life in general intervenes. These things are sent to try us.

Despite a substantial improvement in my health, the publication of my favourite EVER set of rules  and having without doubt the best fun in this hobby over the last 18 months, I find myself in need of a "bump up".

I know where the problem lies. I know what needs to be done. I know that in a short space of time normal service will resume.

I've managed very little in the way of actual gaming at home (the last miniatures game here was shamefully the 1st of AUGUST! I have managed a few very enjoyable bashes at of all things X-wing, Marvel Dice Masters, Settlers of Catan and the Stalingrad Card Game from DVV. But the lack of miniatures gaming is definitely at the root of the problem. Efforts have been (and continue to be) made to rectify that issue with varying results. Regular visits to Maximum Bob's have yielded games of Muskets & Tomahawks and I've managed a good outing at CoC on a club night against Phil (who's AAR is available here: http://infrequentwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/aar-chain-of-command-at-wyvern.html and a first go at Through the Mud & Blood with Bob at the club too.

Next Tuesday, I've lined up a visit to an old opponent I've not gamed against for nearly 15 years! I'm off to game against John 'Dagger' Sword (ex of Brittannia Miniatures) up at his purpose-built wargames annex up the road in Studley. John's an ex-tankee and has a hugely impressive collection of WW2 kit - albeit in the wrong scale of 20mm. He's also had a hand at writing his own rules but I'm secretly hoping to #spreadthelard and give him an introduction to Chain of Command. If nothing else, I'd be extremely interested to hear his opinion on them! I'll be sure to take plenty of photos of that one and write up what went on. There's the chance (circumstances permitting) that I may even attempt a little "live tweeting" of any game too. That will be on my Twitter feed at @AdeDeacon

The following Sunday at the club, we're hoping to roll out a "Big CoC" game with four players. I have a scenario in mind allowing for a 2 on 2 British vs. Germans battle set in Normandy. I'll run that past the participants.......

Also not helping is the fact that a lack of miniatures gaming has led to a "bitty" approach to my painting. After spending the last 18 months painting almost exclusively 15mm WW2 figures, scenery and vehicles (with fantastic results in terms of output-for me), I've been lacking focus. The result has seen everything from Woodland Indians to Space Orks (the latter in encouragement of my sons - honest!) meandering across the paint table. With little of substance to show for it.

Thank goodness that seems to be slowly rectifying as a fresh new platoon of 15mm Peter Pig & Battlefront British Infantry plus supports is forming up before the brushes as I write, with one eye on that club game in 10 days.

I'm hoping that this weekend's pilgrimage to Reading will provide me with that nudge to give some planned projects fresh impetus to see me through the winter.

I've done the obvious thing and made a shopping list. I'll be hoping to pick up Russian and American casualties for my CoC forces, some more trees from Last Valley and my 28mm Nationalist platoon (plus limited supports) from Empress for next year's club project of CoC Espana. We'll see how much I stick to that list eh?

Well, that's enough waffle for now. Apologies for the lack of photos. Stay tuned for a more colourful post in the next few days!

Injun Interlude

See! It's NOT all WW2 and not even all Lard (that's a technicality - more of which later).

 

After a recent visit to Maximum Bob's for an intro/educational game of the excellent Muskets & Tomahawks against Martin, I was inspired enough to forage in the garage on my return to seek out the box with my French & Indian Wars stuff in it. This was another subject which I has rushed head-long into when M&T was first published. Having always enjoyed the film Last of the Mohicans and spent hours viewing all the blogs which were suddenly festooned with beautiful pictures of Indians, colonials and the armies of Wolfe & Montcalme, I promptly marched out of my stockade and "went large" on yet another new period.

Savage & godless. Heading to a settlement near you soon?

Back then Warlord Games had just negotiated a deal to supply the exquisite line of Conquest Miniatures, thus making their comprehensive range easily and readily available over here for the first time. Another very comprehensive range was available from Redoubt, but the figures were quickly discovered to be quite large and therefore incompatible with any other lines whereas I found that the civilian types and Woodland Indians offered by Foundry & Perry's would combine very nicely.

I was unsure at first on painting war paint. In the end I just dived in and was pleasantly surprised I didn't ruin the test batch of figures.

Within no time at all I had done my usual trick of accumulating an appropriate lead-mountain, visited Amazon for some histories, snapped up the relevant Ospreys (including a rare copy of Montcalme's Army) and used up some credit at Grand Manner for some log cabins. Then the project fell flat on it's face until recently.

I'd acquired some autumn leaves too

Realising I'd racked up quite a large number of figures for a skirmish game I decided I'd experiment with the painting to try to speed up my glacial turnover of 28mm sculpts. I decided that I'd settle for a look that "did the job" rather than being overly fussy. There would be opportunity to jazz things up with the basing and the war paint. As there was such a prevalence of browns and earth tones I decided I'd give the figures a coat of Army Painter Strong Tone and matt it down after.

"Here among the undergwothe"

Using Foundry's triads and Citadel reds & yellows for their vividness, I managed to paint all 20 of my first Indians from quite a limited palette. Fortunately it's left me with enough enthusiasm to tackle the next batch almost immediately without the anticipated immediate  return to WW2.

Using the points system in M&T this still leaves me with some way to go.

I've really enjoyed the change and combined with the knowledge that there's a Sharpe Practice adaptation for this too I know this little project will run and run.

Between compiling Americans for the recently released "29 Let's Go!" CoC supplement, preparing everything for the Winter Storm project and now a renewed vigour for this, I predict a busy winter ahead.........

I blame Bob.