Favorite AWI Blog's 2014

VolleyFireVSFwargames

New for 2013 new adventures 1895 and Beyond
http://volleyfirevsfgames.blogspot.com/

Henry has introduced me to a new set of rules look here for new tales of these adventures.
IHNM - In Her Majesty's Name by Osprey

Volleyfiresupplydepot

My newly updated blog for supplies and painting tips gleaned from the web and my general surplus miniature selling page click on the link to take you to the new blog.
http://volleyfiresupplydepot.blogspot.com/

I now have joined the electronic age and have paypal and EBay auctions.

VolleyFireOverseas

This is a blog I set up to chronicle my adventures in wargaming overseas in Scotland in 2011 and to continue following particular games overseas that I enjoyed with my new friends in Edinburgh. I look forward to finally updating this with more pics soon.

http://volleyfireoverseas.blogspot.com/

Napoleonic Campaigning in Italy

Napoleonic Campaigning in Italy
Les Grognards Blog "The sabre that Napoleon used at Marengo"

Napoleon's Drum and his Marshals

Napoleon's Drum and his Marshals
Napoleon Mulling over his battle plan

Napoleon reflecting by Iron Mitton

Napoleon reflecting by Iron Mitton
Quiet before the battle

Napoleon the morning of waterloo

More Iron Mitton Cartoons

More Iron Mitton Cartoons
Knock - Knock

Iron Mitton Cartoons

Iron Mitton Cartoons

Civility in wargaming

Civility in wargaming

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Cimarron Springs Blackwater Gulch playtest

Today
 Henry and I did our first 28mm playtest of a new skirmish game called Blackwater Gulch- similar to LOTHS in "structure" BWG is a rather simple game for Old West Skirmish. Without using the extra skills Henry and I ran a simple game to test movement, shooting and melee. Henry had a "Bordello Gang"  While My gang consisted of Union dismounted Cavalry with a couple of hired Mercenaries,
the mission was simple capture this western town from Southern Sympathizers and establish the rule of law. the Bordello Gang were affiliated with a loosely run band of Confederate Marauders displaced by the events of the recent Civil War. Ongoing conflict will include raiding Idian parties
as Union interests spread out of Texas into Arizona - New Mexico Territories.

Pics of the simple battle follow -


I traded for an Out house for Henry so he would have the first official "building" for his town -
Henry has the more appropriate out house - I really should paint my red one a more appropriate color
even if I leave the "snow on its roof.



not pictured is the Indian Agent building I traded for that will cause much concern for the towns folk as Reservation indians from different tribes come to collect their "government rations and supplies"
Cowboys vs Aliens will feature the new Yellow Hawk tribe not pictured
 but looked awesome repainted with the vallejo brown wash.



Course of this skirmish saw excellent shooting of Captain Falkirk and his unit of Union troopers with the help of a couple of hired guides and mercenaries, putting the hurt on the Durand Gang as they tried to loot the town of supplies and mine payroll.
 
Watching lots of old westerns lately has given me lots of ideas for names, etc of future gaming characters for this interesting Wild West Gane. Also not pictured is the rail line spur recently established by the CN & N Fargo Mining Company over disputed Indian lands surely to put the tribes on the warpath

One rule - in order to have special skills a figure must be fully painted and shaded.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas 2012

Napoleon transcendant crossing the Alps after Xmas 1799






Napoleon at the end - May we all get what we want in our stockings (even if we have to buy it ourselves!)


 
Obviously Napoleon did not get the Kingdom he wanted for Xmas!
Happy New Year Every one!

Friday, December 21, 2012

Part 3 Battle of Maylo continued....

In the continuation of the Left flank of the Battle of Maylo - Luke and I reverted to Black Powder at his request. Apparently he did not take a liking to straggler concept in Wellington's rules.
He shifted the Russian Grenadier brigade to the left flank after part of his line brigade was driven off
and broken by excessive casualties. The French have stormed across the river to reinforce the right flank as a Russian Grenadier battalion occupied part of the village. So far the Russian left flank is in the hands of the Russians while the French / Polish infantry show a stiff determiniation to hold the Church and grounds to the the Russian Right.

Pics will follow we got a lot done in 3 quick hours - lots of heavy fire but no melees (having learned the lesson the hard way that to empty BUA's of troops firepower is key!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Hobby Town USA Year end gaming 2012 New Horizons

No actual game pics but new potential gaming Adventures - Checked out X Wings - Kissel Run tournament - looks like a great simple games using easy game mechanics I can see why its gotten so popular - With a small Investment of maybe a $100 to $125.00 dollars you can easily get enough models to compete in
store run  tournaments. however did not realize today until late in the day that (prepurchase) of the miniatures was required.   So Got to watch a couple of Games, might trade off some stuff in the future to get into it at some point. Game Mechanics seem very similar to Wings of War but lacks any three dimensional action that a space battle game should probably have. Which could easily be added
with a set of house rules if it was so desired.

X wing and 2 Tie Fighters
 
Y wing fighter
 
Darth Vader's Tie Fighter
 
Now onto the FOW War Game  Falaise GAP  - interesting set - up about a 4 x 12 table  Lots of restrictive terrain scattered woods and two centralized road networks essentially a curved plus sign in the middle of the table. Americans and British enter from opposite ends of the table while Germans defending a narrow frontage and attempting to escape or utilizee passing troops for additional defense - this did not work well  for the Germans -
Gamemaster and Helpful American player David MacElhannon
Novice FOW American - David C
Experienced British - Patti

Germans - Peter and Chris (Both excellent players in a difficult game design and situation)

While I was a novice in the game the more experience British player Patti proved an excellent shot at taking out German forces with her air power and blocking the Greman retreat access on the first attampt to retreat - A partial jeep convoy carried high HE rounds was caught by a stray rocket intended for Finnish Artillery and exploded taking out the artillery and blocking access down the road. two turns later a set of german Panzer treks approached but were slowed by the road obstuction. German MPs were operating in the center of town in an attempt to slow and draw Germans retreating into the German defensive battle line.

American off board artillery support succeeded in neutralizing several key German battle tanks which ultimately led to a hard won American victory though pinned down by numerous types of German fire - The American veterans were able to elude the Germans and set up a trap that lured German tanks int the forest in an attempt to massacre US forces with heavy German Armor.. Althogh lucky with most of his die rolls for much of the battle. The German commander young stormtrooper officer Peter von Goring was unable to extract his panzers after they bogged down near American infantry forces. Who close assaulted the german tanks capturing or eliminating them in quick succession.

On the right flank Americn light Armor baited a trp using built up areas and ruins for cover which allowed US heavy artillery support to force the German armor into an ill timed attack. By the end of the day both flanks of German armor had been eliminated or forced to retire and the actual storm troopers were strafed by Patti's British air support but missed getting severely mauled when a lucky set of anti aircraft shots by the german's clipped The Air wing forcing them to withdraw.

Even so - Not til the last turn of close assaults were the Americans making any headway in the battle. The last key to victory was the attempt by the German commander to rescue one of his King Tigers in trying to prevent its capture by the Americans. (the crew had bailed due afetr getting hit by American 105howitzer fire. The German commander barely succeeded but only after taking heavy losses. The next round of combats  could well have sealed the German infantry's fate.

While not the actual battle (sorry forgot my camera) here is a Utube link of Company of Heroes that can serve as an illustration of today's action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d729lXiNnsU
Company Of Heroes 1 Tales of Valor - Falaise Pocket - Mission 1
Also while not "David MacElhannon's actual set up" below is a pic that is basically representative of the overall game set up and intentions that I found on the web. I want to thank dave and everyone else for a most enjoyable game and I look forward to participating in more as time allows.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Napoleonic Polish defending the Village of Maloystarvets

Used Wellington's Rules again last night - Luke wanted a study break so we broke in these old set of rules. With a battalion of Polish defending the Village of Maloystarvets barricade. The Russians under Luke advanced with a regiment strength brigade against the Poles in full tilt columns of attack with one battalion going into line. The Poles defended gallantly unloading devastating volleys
into the attacking Russians. As Lukes luck would have it he rolled a 4 twice and a 3 for his roll to advance into close combat. Luckily for him the Polish commander was killed by a stray musket round and this forced a morale check on the Polish infantry who fell back a move abandoning the barricade they had defended so well moments before.

the straggler system in these rules is interesting - short range musket fire is devastating.

 
Pics to follow