Long time no see & a battle report (Tigers at Minsk)

Apart from a couple of random posts, the last post here was from 2014. If it were a forum post it's the kind of thing you wouldn't revive, though times are strange with a global pandemic and suddenly a lot of free time on my hands. After spending some time sick and getting burnt out/tired of running games of Dungeons & Dragons and other role playing games for my friends, I was feeling the urge for some solo play. I'd tried some solo d&d before, though the idea of making characters and such didn't appeal to me at the time. Eventually, I found my way to the reading list.

It's nice to see many of the blogs I followed and read are still going, and strong! I'm not sure if inspired is a good way to refer to how I feel about potentially getting back into wargaming and figure collecting/painting and such. I was tempted at various points to buy some warhammer figures to glue together and paint during tough periods of university, though money and space were lacking. Now having left uni and being, for the time being at least, without work until the UK lock down is lifted, perhaps I shall use this time to dip in the proverbial toe.

I have ideas, and I could ramble, but I decided instead to simply print out a hex sheet, cut up some cardboard, and grab a pen and a copy of Tigers at Minsk, a simple ruleset for WWII gaming. I have very little space, but managed to fit the 6x8 hexes on a sheet of A4 paper. I could have made the tokens pretty, with custom art and such, but I knew if I dallied too long I would lose momentum. So, with some tokens and the starter scenario in hand, I jumped in.

The scenario is simple enough. 6 German sections and HMG support must reach the Russians' base line before the time runs out. The Russians have a couple of infantry sections and a couple of HMGs, as well as good cover in a pair of villages/BUA and open lines of fire that the Germans have to cross.
Closest to the camera are the Germans, across the board are the Russians.

Camera quality is somewhat lacking, and the tokens are very... functional

Initial deployment. The Russians place HMGs in the villages, while the Germans form a line in the forests with a couple of sections on the right ready to make the dash across the open.

The first couple of rounds begin with both sides opening fire, with the Germans taking the worst of it. They lose two squads in the forest to a HMG and another in pinned. However, the HMG malfunctions on the second turn! The "assault" group moves up and lays down smoke, attracting some fire but no damage is dealt.

Behind smoke cover and knowing the HMG is down, the infantry press on, hoping to cross the gap while the other HMG is pinned.

On the German left, more luck as the other HMG is knocked out. While the left spent most of the fight out of command, they performed pretty well.

The infantry squad on the Russian left try their best to pin and/or destroy the attackers, but there are just too many. Along with the random event Inflitration that gives both side a single unit one move, the Germans are rushing on.

The second squad is locked in the village by the German HMG, while the German right pours fire into the other squad. The section closest to the Russian base line (top right) is pinned, but no more.

A German victory! A rough beginning and nearly out of time, a lot of luck pulled them through on this one.

I'm pretty sure I misplayed parts, like not using opportunity fire enough for the Russians. Most play throughs I've read of the scenario the Russians win, as crossing the open under two HMG fire is horrendously dangerous. Though the HMG malfunctioning early really helped I think and, once out of sight of the troops in the other village, the lone Russian squad just didn't have the firepower to contest.

Overall I really enjoyed it. Quick, easy to grasp, just need to print a reference sheet rather than flick through the pdf all the time. I think I shall play the other scenarios in the book, and from then, we shall see.

I hope you are all doing well in these strange times

Charging back into the action

The last time we saw these guys was in a post, long ago, the 'last post from here' which turned out to be the last time that a painted medieval-esque figure graced this blog for a long time. Since then, the Runissians, Kaliads and Kindrarrians have quietly sat in a box, moved flat twice and never used in action.

Oh it feels good to paint 28mm figures again!

Instead of blabbering about how long it's been since i posted, here is a picture of a Runissian noble i made a while ago and never painted until today.

I was afraid after over a year of not painted 28mm figures i would be a bit rusty, but he turned out OK. Took a while, but that's 28mm for you! I sure do like the modelling and detail on the bigger figures.

Here's an OK-ish  picture of him with some infantry i did at the same time.

Yeah; the chap on the left has a black feather on his helmet, can't decide what colour to do it yet!

So hello again bloggers! I've had a lot of false starts recently, and i hope this won't be another one. I've been out of motivation to do anything with my figures, but i had a tiring week so i had a quiet evening painting and i rediscovered the pleasure in sitting down with the paints and plastic.

A LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time...

Far, far too long.

Damn, it's been an age since i have wanted to do anything wargames or blog related! My last post was in march, and since then i have done practically nothing with my figures. They just sat in a corner, gathering dust. Between playing other games and trying to pass my first year at uni, i haven't been able to summon up the motivation to do anything.

Alain approves

Until today at least! Uni's over, holidays have begun, so i cracked out the figures and paints and got to work.

I've done more in a couple of hours than i have in the last few months!

These are for Normedra, my 'Fallout on ice' setting. It felt good to push some miliput around.

Just a little post today, but hopefully the first of many! Stay tuned.

Some WIP chaps in gas masks

I made these with the idea to use them as Adepts for my Normedra setting. The Adepts are highly advanced but mysterious group who practically worship technology. They have the best gear and are powerful friends, and deadly enemies.

To give them a menacing and mysterious look i gave some figures gas masks. The original idea was to make this group a small band that spend their time looking for old technology decimated ruins, but a rethink of how i wanted them to work might change that. Instead i might use modern or near future figures to represent them (so they have body armour) and instead spread these figures into other groups, perhaps some outlaws or bandits to give them a ragtag look when mixed with figures not wearing gas masks.

For the moment they're just chaps in masks!

The one in the middle below is some sort of leader. Wearing a hood and greatcoat, he holds a map, ideal for a scavenger. 

Normedra - Tundra paramilitary

Following from the City State troops in the last post are some of their enemies (or allies in some cases); paramilitary/mercenary troops. These men either raid or defend the smaller settlements not under control of the larger City States, and lead attacks onto City State held lands. They are more numerous than the City States troops, but have less support.

This is the first squad i have painted up, with another half done and the third still in construction. For the first squad i decided not to convert any of the figures so all are as they came in the box. They are German Volksgrenadier from Battlefront.

The greatcoats are a bit of a mix as i was experimenting with them.

The unit symbol is a large black eagle painted on the front of the helmet (or arm for men with caps, but none like that in this squad).

LMG team. I tried doing some winter 'pea dot' camouflage on some of the figures. I will eventually do a small platoon of merchant guards entirely in this camo, so evidently these men have had some success against them!

Another view of the camouflage greatcoat.

Need to add some grass to these too.

And a WIP on an up-gunned Sherman i've been working on. I'm happy with the turret, but not sure about the side skirts. They're too big, but i might take them off completly and add stowage instead.

Reboot - City state soldiers

Time to restart some blogging! Now i have a camera, i hope to get some more posts written then the miserable 2 since the beginning of the year.

So let's begin, first off with with the City State soldiers.

"Onward to Victory!"

These men represent troops of the City States, the settlements that managed to survive the Reclaiming of Normedra and are beginning to rebuild themselves. They are well armed and uniformed, but their units are generally smaller than their enemies. Their tactics are focused around their squad machine guns and long range rifle fire.

I didn't want a monotonous force in all white, so decided to go for a variety of camouflage styles. There are 3 squads of 8 men each, plus a HQ section of 2 officers and an anti-tank team.

1st squad

Most of the figures are Battlefront Americans from the Vietnam range, with a few WWII Americans and Soviets, some with head-swaps or some milliput here and there.

2nd squad

I changed every grenade launcher armed figure in the platoon, as there are only 2 in the Vietnam range. This one below uses legs from a firing rifleman.

I might go back and add some grass or rubble to the bases, but they'll do for now.

3rd squad

Firing from the hip, i thought of Rambo when i made this. The loader on the left has an ammunition belt around his neck.

Officers and lone scout. The platoon sergeant on the right is a Soviet with an American head. The scout also has a new hat.

Rocket launcher team. The firer uses a grenade launcher legs.

In my Normedra background, the City soldiers defend their own cities as well as smaller settlements such as farms or oil rigs from various enemies. They are well armed with light machine guns and assault rifles, making them tough at long and close range. They also have lots of support options thanks to the City industries. Their main weakness is their lack of numbers, as a few casualties can hurt them.

I've also done a tank for them. I wanted a battered look, as post-apocalyptic environments aren't kind on vehicles! So i added plenty of scratches and some rolls and oil tanks on the deck, ideal for long drives through the Normedran tundra.

I did a sort of swan symbol on the side of the hull and turret in black as a unit symbol.

The stowage is all milliput, and the turret is from a Panzer IV.