Chain of Command Support Units

The Peter Pig Germans in Zeltbahn have arrived today, along with some additional support units figures, guns and vehicles, so I'm pretty much kitted out to begin the Chain of Command project this summer. 

I also had a rummage in the loft and found this PSC box set of Sdkfz 250 Neu half tracks, a couple of which I can use as support units, one for recce and another as an assault half track. I'll use Peter Pig figures for the crew so that they match the infantry.

Unfortunately, I'm really busy at the moment, so all this will have to wait a few weeks longer. In the meantime, I think I might pre-order the new edition of the rules, which I think are now available on the TFL webshop thingy?

The Duellist - Aircraft Record Sheets

The aircraft record sheets for The Duellist scenario are now sorted, in both the original rules version and the expanded list version, as a belt and braces approach to ensure that players can use both. The only real difference of note is the increased SPD and SIZ factors in the expanded list sheets, which would potentially speed up the action and make it easier to hit the target when firing, so quite a significant impact on the game outcome if one side or the other takes advantage of the uplift. In fact, it will be really interesting to see what happens when I get round to playing out the scenario with both versions. All the sheets, the scenario and the card deck can be downloaded from the Algernon Pulls It Off! Facebook group.

The Duellist - Colour Card Deck

The Duellist - A Sprog Scenario for Algernon Pulls It Off!

I had some time this afternoon to sit down and bash out what I think will be a good introductory, beginners scenario for Algernon Pulls It Off!. 

The idea was to keep the model count low, the card deck minimalist and the rules streamlined enough to enable a 'sprog' to get a good grip on the game. I've also tried to build in a bit of a 'roleplaying' narrative element, for want of a better term, to give players a bit of fun. 

I'm not going to put it on the Facebook group just yet, as I think I need to test it out first, but I think it's not too bad for a couple of hours bashing away at a keyboard. It helps that I've devised lots of scenarios for Bag the Hun and have played Algy a few times, so it should be fairly fool proof, although the puny armament and weak fire factors might cause a few issues.

...just have to take it up for a spin?

The Duellist - An Introduction to Algy

I have a cunning plan to get some games played by the Algernon Pulls It Off! FB group members, a lot of whom are new to the rules and starting out as Sprogs. There are no scenarios included in the rules, so I'm going to write one aimed at beginners to help them find their way into the rules mechanics in a user friendly way. 

To push this along, I've set up a poll to see what would be of interest, assuming a simple dawn patrol style set up. Thus far, the front runner is a 1916 DH2 vs Eindecker game, which actually makes a lot of sense for various reasons including availability of models, a lower level of performance to keep things easy to manage and an absence of formation based tactics, which allows for a bit of narrative role-playing.

I'm now thinking about a duel between a small number of individual pilots, without any formation cards to complicate things and a random pilot skill level mechanism. This will be aimed at learning how to manoeuvre and fire, with a set of objectives to balance the game, given the inferior performance of the Fokker EIII compared to the Airco DH2.

.....watch this space.

1916 Plane Painting Progress

I made a start on the 1/600th Tumbling Dice aircraft for late 1916 yesterday by blocking in the fuselage and wing colours. Today, however, I'm away for the day up in Hertfordshire, where the boy is playing rugby for Hampshire, so no painting is going to be done until later in the week. The next thing to do will be the camouflage on the Albatros DII and Roland CII models, followed by the under surfaces on all of the aircraft. I have a long weekend up ahead, so will hopefully be able bo finish them all by this time next week, ready for a game. 

British Battleships

This was only £5.99 in the local Oxfam charity bookshop today. It's absolutely brilliant and packed full of line drawings, diagrams and photos, as well as an invaluable explanatory text. I'm extremely pleased to have this one added to my ironclad and pre-dreadnought reference library, as it is outstanding, especially as a source of scale drawings for scratch building. Excellent!

Chain of Command 15mm Reinforcements

My boys gave me £50 of Peter Pig vouchers for my birthday a few months ago so, with the imminent price rise on the horizon, I thought I better spend them. I have ordered a selection of the Late War Germans in Zeltbahn to fill some gaps in the ranks, especially NCO's and ammo carriers, then topped it off with an infantry gun and a slightly extravagant Jagdpanzer IV/L70. The latter is a bit too late for Normandy but will be good for Holland and the Rhineland  I'm really looking forward to starting this project but it will have to wait until the summer holidays.

Airco DH2 Scenario Research

I've been doing a bit of reading up about DH2 actions in mid-late 1916. This one looks really interesting and has potential as a scenario (extract from the excellent AirWar1914-1918 website).

20th July 1916

Between 8pm and 9pm an offensive patrol of four DH2s from 24 Squadron encountered 5 LVG.s, 3 Rolands and 3 Fokkers over Flers. 

Captain Robert Edward Aylmer Weige Hughes-Chamberlain, who led the patrol, first dived at an LVG. which made off east, and he then attacked and drove down a Fokker.. Captain Hughes-Chamberlain was then attacked by a Roland, but he out-manoeuvred it and drove it down. 

Meanwhile Lieutenant Henry Cope Evans had closed with another Roland which he also drove down out of control. Two Fokkers which attacked Lt Evans nearly collided, and Lt Evans fired his remaining half-drum at an LVG.

Lieutenant Alfred Edwin McKay at a lower altitude, shot down a Roland which fell in a spinning nose-div and was then attacked by a Fokker. His engine was hit and he was forced to dive in a steep spiral. 

Lieutenant Charles Meredith Bouverie Chapman observing this, dived to the rescue, and engaged the Fokker at 1,000 feet over High Wood. The hostile machine fell to the ground and burst into flames.

Eventually all the hostile machines were either driven down or driven off east – except one Fokker which tried to manouevre on to Captain Hughes-Chamberlain’s tail. He climbed in a spiral to attack, and the last of the hostile formation was driven off. 

This fight was witnessed by Lieutenant Bernard Tarrant Coller and 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Earle Gordon Scaife of 9 Squadron, who confirmed the destruction of three machines. They also claim to have shot down a Fokker in flames over Bazentin-le Petit.

...stirring stuff and with lots of potential to be written up as an Algy scenario, once I've tracked down some more details of the various pilots.

Optional Pilot Characteristics for Algernon Pulls It Off!

 

I've started to work up an optional set of special characteristics for pilots and observers in Algernon Pulls It Off!, based on the optional rules in Bag the Hun but with a much wider range of outcomes. The idea is to roll a 2D6 for each pilot and observer at the start of the game. On a roll of 11 or 12, a pilot or observer may be allocated a characteristic from a table of twenty possible traits, with a 3D6 roll modified by the luck rating determining the outcome. 

These are all positive apart from any roll of 4 or less, which indicates that the individual in question actually isn't anything particularly special. I still have three slots to fill on the table but have enough ideas to complete these and possibly even expand the table to twenty four plus outcomes, bearing in mind the possibility of using a 4D6 roll and the luck modifiers for Top Aces. 

The table will be tarted up and a brief set of notes added before I finally submit it to the Lard Mag for possible publication, assuming it's something that Nick Skinner approves of? It's been fun devising these add-on aspects to the game and, in particular, giving them silly names or contemporary references using phrases and terminology from the time. 

Algy Aircraft Record Sheets 1916

 

Here are three more record sheets for Algernon Pulls It Off! that I've worked up this evening, using the expanded aircraft data tables but punching up the Fire Factor for the Albatros D.II from 3 to 4, in line with the original rule book system. I already had the Airco DH2 sheet sorted but thought I'd add it to the collection as it's obviously relevant and because it's interesting to compare the relative performance of the rival machines. I think the DH2 pilots will have to really make the most of its superior robustness rating, as everything else is decidedly inferior to the opposition! I'm surprised that the Roland C.II Walfisch hasn't got a better robustness rating itself, as they had a reputation as pretty tough and reliable flying machines?

1916 1/600th Scale Aircraft for Algy

I spent some of my day off today gluing together some Tumbling Dice aircraft for late 1916, although had to cut things short due to a limited supply of tiddly magnets. I have assembled five DH2 pushers and a BE2c two seater for the RFC, together with seven Albatros DII scouts and four Roland CII two seaters for the Luftstreitkrafte. I was going to do a second flight of DH2's and some Nieuport 16's for the RFC but ran out of the bits. I'll start painting these at the weekend if all goes according to plan.

15mm Chain of Command Summer Holiday Project

I have had a change of mind, for a number of reasons, and have finally decided that I will do a Chain of Command project in 15mm for the Summer holidays in three months time. I have tried to get Chain of Command projects off the ground in 28mm in the past but both of these ended up going about half way before my dislike of painting lots of 28mm figures switched them off. 

Instead, based on some previous thinking that I've done and influenced Alex Sotheran's excellent Storm of Steel Youtube channel and his use of 15mm figures for Chain of Command, I'm now going to revive my 5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry project in my favourite scale. I have all the figures and kit I need for this from Peter Pig for both the British and the Germans, so it's a bit of an obvious way to go, especially as the new edition will be out soon. 

I'm not going to abandon my plans for I Ain't Been Shot Mum, however, but will come back to that once I've gone down the Chain of Command rabbit hole. This will probably kick off at the start of the Summer Holidays in July, when I can start basing up my figures for the 5th DCLI platoon. As you can see from the photo, I have got the basics covered, as well as having a decent selection of armour to put together, so I have plenty to be working on!

Algernon Pulls It Off! in 1916

It's not quite the end of the month yet, so rather than start the IABSM project just yet, I thought I'd wrap up my Algy project, bar the scenario play testing, with some more 1/600th scale aircraft. I've got enough stuff for 1917 and 1918, give or take, so I'm going to build and paint a small selection of aircraft for late 1916, using the Tumbling Dice range once again. These will include a flight of Airco DH2 pushers, a kette of Albatros DII scouts and possibly a few Roland CII and Be2c two seaters. 

It's just a small addition to my collection of WW1 models but it will be interesting to see how they perform in Algernon Pulls It Off! compared to the high powered, manoeuvrable and well armed aircraft of the late war period. Incidentally, I did think about painting some of the 1/300th scale 3D printed models that I've acquired but, as I only have a week or so, the 1/600th aircraft will be quicker to complete. I'll save the 3D printed stuff for later in the year.

I Ain't Been Shot Mum Plan B

My original plan to paint a British company and support units, based on the 5th DCLI for Normandy, has back fired. I am using the Plastic Soldier Company figures and a mix of PSC and Battlefront plastic vehicles, but didn't realise that PSC boxed sets are now very difficult to get hold of. I need a Lloyd carrier and six pounder box and a box of M4A4 Sherman tanks, but haven't been able to find either. I could go ahead and paint what I've got already, which I still may do, but I'm also looking at a Plan B.

This is a Fallschirmjager Company and support units, again using the PSC box sets for the infantry, which I already have and a mix of PSC and Battlefront kit. Looking at the lists in Battle for Liberation (above) I have enough figures, vehicles and AT guns to cover most of the options apart from the flak units, as well as the core company. I can use the Fallschirmjager for Normandy and Brittany against the US stuff that I have plenty of, as well as against the British in Holland when I eventually get them sorted. 

...sounds like a plan, unless I decide to do 15mm Chain of Command instead? 

New Tumbling Dice 1/600th WW1 Observation Balloons

Paul Sulley of Tumbling Dice very kindly sent me some samples of his new 1/600th scale WW1 observation balloon models, which he has sculpted to replace the over scale resin cast original models. The new models include the Caquot and Parseval types, as before, together with a brand new model of the Italian Avorio-Prassone balloon, which is very nice indeed. It was the principal Italian observation balloon but also used as a barrage balloon, so very versatile for wargaming purposes. 

They are smaller than the old models but much lighter, being molded in plastic resin. They also come complete as one piece castings, rather than in two halves like the previous versions, but do need to have the fins attached, which are cast in metal along with the basket. They actually look very good alongside Picoarmor aircraft, which are slightly smaller than Tumbling Dice models. I think they are excellent!

Dogfight

I have a long ferry journey back to Portsmouth today so will be re-reading this excellent book by Norman Franks, which I originally read years ago. Along with Billy Bishop's autobiography, Winged Warfare, this is one of my favourite books on First World War aerial combat. At the moment, I'm devising some rules for special characteristics for pilots and observers, so I'm hoping to get some more ideas.

Magasin de Presse

We're about to head back home so, as usual, I've been to the local newsagent to pick up some French military magazines. This time there was only one that I thought worth buying, the current edition of Los!, which has some good articles on the Kanalkampf phase of the Battle of Britain and French pre-dreadnought armoured cruisers, amongst other things. The latter has got me thinking about the French pre-dreadnought fleet I have ready for painting but also the WW1 French models from Tumbling Dice for the Get the Goeben! project, which I didn't get round to assembling during the holidays. I'm definitely doing something naval next and either of these would be good fun to focus on next month.

Summer Naval Project Options

I've now wrapped up the Jasta 18 Algernon Pulls It Off! project, apart from play testing and some background blurb, so will be moving on to something new when I get back home at the weekend. I haven't decided what this will be but it will either be naval or land based as a change from aerial wargaming. At the moment, it's possibly going to be my Napoleonic Spanish fleet in 1/2400th scale, which I have wanted to assemble and paint this year, or possibly something naval for the First World War, for which I have several options.

Jasta 18 Scenario Play Test Wrap Up

I finished playtesting 'Run the Gauntlet' this afternoon. This lasted another two turns, which was a bit of a surprise. One DH9 got away early, escaping on the MOVE card as it was out of formation, the tailing Fokker DVII deciding to break off.

The rest of the DH9 formation was hammered by successive close range attacks as it tried to fly the last few hexes off the table. One DH9 crew were forced out of formation then pounced upon by two Jasta 18 fighters. 

The observer was killed and pilot wounded, then the bomber suffered a total loss of control and went into a spin. Luckily recovering at the first attempt, the unfortunate pilot was then shot dead by one of the Jasta 18 stragglers, who just happened to arrive at the right time to take the bomber head on. 

Meanwhile, the formation left the table with four DH9 bombers largely unscathed, with only minor or light structural damage. The Jasta 18 Kette headed for home to some unhappy ground crew, who had to do quite a lot of patching and rigging, thanks to the damage caused by the RAF rear gunners.

No.104 Squadron - 4 VP 

Jasta 18 - 2 VP

Good game...I won't be making any changes but will have another play test using the optional deployment rules, which allow the Germans to enter on a blind or as individual aircraft from randomly generated directions.

Incidentally, in the historical action the outcome was exactly the same, although the crew that was shot down was different.

That's it for play testing at the moment, as I only have a couple of days of holiday time left before we head back home. I have five more scenarios to test run for the Jasta 18 - Raben's Ravens - project but those will have to wait a few weeks until half term, when I'm going to give them a go. 

Run the Gauntlet Scenario Play Test

I play tested the 'Run the Gauntlet' scenario yesterday but didn't quite finish it, as the table was needed for dinner. It ran pretty much to the end and there's probably only one more turn to complete the game. So far, it's gone really well and close to the historical outcome, with one DH9 separated from the formation and being tailed, while the rest of the bomber flight are being chased by the Jasta 18 scouts. There have been a lot of gun jams, a spin and some critical damage, but it's looking like No.104 Squadron will make a getaway. Good fun and I'll aim to play out the last turn or two later today.

As I don't have any DH9 models I've used DH4's instead. I haven't been able to find any DH9's in either 1/600th or 1/300th scale, so I may have a crack at converting the Tumbling Dice DH4 into something that looks not too far off. In the meantime, I'm waiting for Paul to add the additional models to the WW1 range...might be a while?