Holiday Reading List

A bit of a mixed bag but interesting stuff, which I hope to work my way through by the end of the Xmas holidays, although I suspect I'll only scratch the surface!

Naval Gazing

I finally finished work today after fourteen weeks of teaching, which has to be the longest term in the history of our ever over-stretched educational system. So, to celebrate the end of the beginning, I thought I'd pop into town and visit the Oxfam bookshop, as you do. The haul for today is a second hand copy of Jane's Warships at Sea 1897-1997, which will give you some idea of my intended direction for 2013, if you hadn't worked it out already.

We're off to sunny Brittany tomorrow via Plymouth, which is famous for many naval things and also featured as the birthplace of muggins, more than a few years ago. This means that normal service will be interupted for a while but will be resumed once we have have reached the other side of La Manche. In the meantime, I hope you have a very enjoyable wind down to the holidays, especially as I no longer have some of your delightful children to educate for the immediate future.

;O)

Ragnarok 59

A few weeks ago I decided to sign up to a couple of long established old school wargaming societies, the Naval Wargames Society and the Society of Science Fiction and Fantasy Wargamers.

The idea was both to support independent wargaming and to give me some inspiration for projects next year, which I've decided will focus on 'things' rather than figures in an attempt to get some stuff shifted that I've always wanted to do. Anyway, the SFSFW magazine, Ragnarok, popped through the door today and, after a quick flick through, I'm really very impressed.

The production values are top notch and the content varied enough to interest anyone with only a passing interest in Sci Fi and Fantasy gaming, which describes me pretty well. It's already got me thinking about dusting off the Aeronef fleets for a game or two. I'm also thinking of moving the Full Thrust and Iron Cow projects one step closer to the top of the 'hit list' for 2013.

In the editorial, Steve Blease, has sent out an appeal for articles for future issues, which reminded me of the Aeronef multiplayer Scramble for Africa campaign system that I devised and ran at the club a few years ago. I'll have to dig out the files and have a look. If they're any good I'll shoot them off to Steve to see what he could do with them, if anything?

What do you think Steve?

Too Fat Lardies Xmas Special 2012

I've been looking forward to the Xmas Special, as it's always excellent value and full of interesting, varied articles. This issue is no exception and includes articles for Dux Brittaniarium, Charlie Don't Surf and Through the Mud and Blood, all of which are on my 'to do' list of potential projects. There are also a couple of decent scenarios for Bag The Hun 2, which I can actually use for a project that exists!

Good stuff!

Bag the Hun Malta Game Two [1]

I've come down with a really nasty cold, so feel like crap. However, I have been doing some research for the Bag the Hun 2 re-match game in January. This will be a follow-on from the last scenario set, once again, in the skies over Malta in 1941. The front runner is this slightly one sided but furious dogfight, involving No185 Squadron but with opposition from two different Italian formations:

At 07:15 on 21 November 1941, five MC.200s of 54o Stormo and ten 9o Gruppo MC.202s strafed Hal Far, presumably attracted by the presence of 242 and 605 Squadron’s Hurricanes based there. Seven Hurricanes from 185 Squadron led by Squadron Leader Pike were scrambled to intercept. They attacked five Macchis initially (probably the MC.200s), five more then jumping the British fighters (probably some of the MC.202s). No firm claims were made by the Hurricane pilots, but it was believed that three of the Italian fighters had been damaged. Sergeant Bill Nurse’s Hurricane was badly hit in return.

The Italians reported fighting twelve Hurricanes and ‘Spitfires’, and claimed two ‘Spitfires’ shot down, one by Sottotenente Jacopo Frigerio, Sergente Raffaello Novelli and Sergente Angelo Golino, and one by Sottotenente Giovanni Barcaro and Sergente Massimo Salvatore (all of them from the 97a Squadriglia), while two more were claimed as probables. Four were claimed destroyed on the ground plus a Blenheim, damage to the latter being credited to Maresciallo Damiani. Two Macchis returned damaged.

I need to work out the details for this but it looks like it has some potential, especially as I have all the aircraft I need, assuming I keep it down to the intial bounce on the Mc200's by the Hurricanes and the subsequent ambush by the Mc202's. I think I'll leave any ground strafing to a later game, when we've had a good crack at the basic rules mechanics and mastered the art of the bogey!

The Hobbit

Oh dear.

Went to see this with the boys yesterday and thought it was...average.

I liked Gollum, the trolls, the eagles and the wargs but there were several bits that spoiled the whole thing as far as I'm concerned, top of which has to be Sylvester McCoy and his rabbits, followed by the posh goblin king and his floodlit cave made of coffee stirrers, the moose riding elf and, last but not least, the Vidal Sassoon dwarves.

A marginal 4/10.

I just hope he does a far better job with Dambusters!

Bag the Hun Operation Bodenplatte [10]

With only three days left before we head off for France, I've decided not to start painting the Luftwaffe aircraft for Operation Bodenplatte but to leave them for 2013. I might have some time when we get back from France but I don't think they'll be ready for the game in January either way. So, a plan B is needed for the club multiplayer game...

This means that I'll go back to the original plan for the game which was to write up another historical scenario for Malta, making use of the Blenheim IV's that I painted up last month. I'll carry on with the Operation Bodenplatte project at some point in early 2013 and it will definately feature in my 'list of things to do' next year, including a selection of USAAF fighters and perhaps some more RAF aircraft too.

In the meantime, it's back to the book shelf for some more scenario research...

Workbench Fourth Birthday

It's four years since I started blogging and, looking back, I think I've achieved quite a bit in the last one thousand four hundred and sixty days. It's a tiny fraction of what I should have done but, nonetheless, the blog has achieved at least part of it's goal, namely to get some of my indecently expansive leadpile ticked off the 'to do' list.

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/welcome-to-my-wargames-blog.html

The parameters might have shifted somewhat and the virtual reality mission statement has definately lost the virtual bit, but it's still deserving of an understated 'Happy Birthday!'

AK47 Superpower Backed Bits and Bobs

I really enjoyed the AK47 game the other day, even though I was just umpiring on the sidelines. I actually prefer umpiring  to be honest, as it gives you time to scribble down notes, check the rules and take photos, rather than shoving bits of lead and plastic round the table. It also means you can't lose!

Anyway, the game reminded me why I retired my Colonial Settlers army a few years ago, as it almost always fought it's way into the ground in the face of superior numbers. This was why I put together my current Dictatorship force including all the whistles and bells. It's also why I assembled and based up the bulk of a third army over the Summer.

This is a 'Superpower' backed set up, representing the Kingdom of Bagombo, as outlined in some of my earlier posts:

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/a-rough-guide-to-kingdom-of-bagombo.html

I got quite a long way with the preparation of this force but ran out of a few bits and bobs that I needed to finish it off. As a result, I thought I'd top up with the various odds and ends that I need to complete the army ready for painting up next year at some point. These include some casualty markers for the regulars and the militia, as well as some crew figures for the armour.

I also sent off for some 79th Armoured Division 15mm insignia from Doms Decals, which I'm going to use as national markings for the Bagomban army, which should make them stand out from the crowd. If I can , I may do some AK47 related stuff over the weekend but, as I'm not very well, it may have to wait until the New Year.

AK47 Game Photos

 

I was hoping to have the time to write up the AK47 game but I just haven't had a chance to sit down and get it done . To make up for this, I thought I'd post some photos of the game instead, so you'll have to use a bit of imagination and suspend your dis-belief a little longer.

As you can see, I really need to get some decent terrain sorted for AK47 including some decent roads, a proper bridge, some realistic jungle and a few shanty town buildings, otherwise every game will look the same as the last one!