Firing Arcs in Algernon Pulls It Off!

 

 

I've been thinking about errata and optional rules to include in the Lard Mag Algy's Aeronautical Almanac article lately. One thing that has bugged me for ages is the defensive firing arc diagram, which was lifted unchanged from the original Bag the Hun rules, despite being designed for aircraft with tail and waist gunners. As a result, it makes no sense when applied to First World War aircraft, so I've worked up an alternative. This amalgamated the rear and waist gunner firing arcs, while removing the tail gunner position, replacing it with a 'dead zone' blocked by the tail. I did consider narrowing this down to the hexes immediately to the rear of the aircraft, giving the observer a wider field of fire to the rear, but I am wary that this makes tracing a clear line of hexes to the target a bit tricky. I'm waiting for some feedback from other players first before I make up my mind. 

Winchester Shieldwall

I'm very pleased to have booked myself a ticket for this wargaming event in November, which is taking place in my home town and an easy walk from my house to the venue, which makes a welcome change. The local club is running a game but I'm not involved in that, which frees me up to grab a slot on something else, my first choice being Chivalry and Honour, a spin off set of medieval rules based on Strength and Honour. I expect that will be a popular choice, so I had better get in there as soon as the options are made available! 

Solo Napoleonic Naval Campaigning

This campaign system for Age of Sail games, specifically for use with Firm Line of Battle but also other rules, is now available from Long Face Games via Wargame Vault. I've wanted to do some more solo naval campaigning after really enjoying my What If? South American pre-dreadnought campaign a couple of years ago, so this looks like just the ticket. 

A while back Nick Jones was working on a Napoleonic campaign set up based on the Caribbean, which I thought sounded really good fun, so I may well take a leaf out of his book and run a small solo campaign myself. This would involve a limited number of ships but could expand to include full squadrons, should things escalate. 

The rules would probably be Far Distant Ships as I'm sure these will be compatible with Gales, Guns and Glory, as the author has written both. David also has a set of rules for frigate actions in the works, so that might also be an option for some of the games in the solo campaign. I just need to download a copy of the campaign system and work out how to set things up! 

INWarD 2026 Today

Napoleonic Naval Royal Navy Sixty Fours

Continuing the expansion of my 1/2400th scale Napoleonic Royal Navy fleet, I've added two more fourth rate two decker 64's to the existing complement of one, namely HMS Diadem. The two new models represent HMS Africa and HMS Polyphemus, both of which had long and successful service in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. I was going to include the equally famous HMS Agamemnon but discovered that I didn't have an mdf base in the correct size, so she will have to be launched at a later date. The models are ASN6 from the Tumbling Dice range and very nice too! 

INWarD 2026 Napoleonic Naval Game

A few photos of my Napoleonic Naval game for INWarD 2026 this year, using Grand Fleet Actions in the Age of Sail. This is a great set of rules and I'd forgotten how much fun it is to play, even for small solo games like this one. In the end it was a convincing, if not decisive victory for the Royal Navy, with the French sent packing and the 74 gun third rate Pluton battered into a wreck. In return, the British suffered minimal damage, while the French had some repairs to carry out back in Toulon. Admiral Lord Wensleydale is pleased to inform his lordships that duty has been done in the highest traditions of the senior service - Huzzah! - but Contre Admiral Roblochon will have a few questions to answer on his return...Zut Alors! 

Algernon Pulls It Off! Lard Mag Almanac

I had a good idea today, probably, but I need to give it some more thought before cracking on. Over the last year or so I've written quite a lot of additional material for Algernon Pulls It Off! and it would be a shame not to make use of it for the Lard Mag. There's a variety of stuff to bung in, including pilot characteristics, dogfight generators and alternative rules for strafing and wing mounted guns amongst other things, and I can also add some extras including a page of errata to help players navigate the rules. All this would be bundled together as a single article with an introductory blurb to explain what's what. The working title is Algy's Aviator Almanac, which I think sums it up very well. Tally Ho! 

INWarD X Game Plan

It's International Naval Wargaming Day Ten on Thursday and I'm planning ahead to do a Napoleonic Naval game in 1/2400th. This was going to be a frigate game but I'm going back to my original idea of using Grand Fleet Actions in the Age of Sail for a small ship of the line clash. There will only be half a dozen ships per side, to keep things manageable as I'll be playing solo, but I don't think that will matter too much. The game is scheduled for Wednesday as I will have the place to myself, so jumping the gun a bit, but plenty of time to enjoy some naval wargaming without interruptions. 

Pointe de Espagnols

A nice day out to visit the defences of the Pointe de Espagnols opposite Brest today, which I last explored about ten years ago before the site had been restored. It's an impressive site, made eveb more do by the addition of a massive 32cm coastal artillery piece, recovered from a test range and positioned in an original emlacement, albeit on a different gun mounting. It's much more accessible than before and we'll worth a visit if you are in the locale. 

Sopwith Pup Scenarios for Algernon Pulls It Off!

 

A while back I went on a hunt for historical material involving the Sopwith Pup, with the aim of writing up a few scenarios for Algernon Pulls It Off! I did pin point some potential dogfights but then moved on to other things, specifically the Jasta 18 project, leaving the ideas unrealised. As things are now a bit less frenetic here, I've got a bit of a window in which to revisit my notes and actually get some scenarios up and running, or at least written out properly rather than scribbled down in draft. Tally Ho!