Stocking Fillers

Here's the other stocking filler for Xmas this year, a very cool 15mm resin sci-fi moon base type thing from the Ion Age range. This is not going to be deployed with the GZG / Brigade Models / Antenociti's Workshop near future armies but is destined instead for my long overdue but very old school Imperial Commander project. 

This is something I've wanted to re-do for a long time, mainly for nostalgic reasons, so I thought this habitiation base would be perfect as a terrain feature, perhaps an Imperial desert outpost not unlike Bunker 17? It certainly has a very retro, 1980's space opera look about it and I think it will look fantastic painted up, based and suitably weathered.

TFL Xmas Special 2014

This is now out and has a Bag The Hun scenario in it titled Catch the Pidgeon, set on the Russian Front in the summer of 1944. It's only one page and has a bit missing due to the DTP editing (oops) but it is worth a try if you want some low level seat of your pants flying.

Anyway, I'm hoping to submit something a bit more substantial for Bag The Hun for the Summer Special next year, probably involving a series of mid-war linked scenarios based on Westland Whirlwind operations over the Channel.

My bit aside, this special has some really good stuff in it for various Too Fat Lardie rules including Chain of Command, IABSM and Through the Mud and Blood amongst others, so well worth the very reasonable asking price.

On top of that, I am now officially a 'Winchester based Ace', at least according to the blurb in the contents page if not the wife and kids. Whatever next? Tally Ho!

Stocking Fillers

The lady wife has come up trumps again and has offered to fill my stockings with wargaming goodies, the first of which is a full on armoured company of M577 series APC's from Antenocitis Workshop. These will be added to the handful I picked up at Warfare to give me a pretty impressive task force for the 15mm near future project that I'm planning for 2015. These really are lovely models. Woo hoo!

US Marine v Japanese Infantryman

The Chain of Command project has hit the buffers of late but, in the meantime and when I can grab a bit of a lie in (?), I've been doing some more reading around the subject. This is the latest digital addition to the bookshelf and it's really not bad at all, which is a recurring feature of the series in my experience, despite initial misgivings about the slightly cheesy 'man to man' concept. This one is particularly good and features some excellent annotated artwork alongside a detailed and well-researched text. The colour plates will definately be useful as a guide to shades and washes, when I get round to painting the Japanese platoon in the new year.

Up in the Loft

As you may have noticed, things have slowed down a lot recently, primarily as a result of work and the run up to the end of term. However, I was up the loft yesterday in search of decorations for the tree, so thought I'd have a rummage in the rules archive for some stockpiled sci-fi rules. 

This resulted in a second hand but pristine copy of Stargrunt II, a freebie stripped down copy of Hammers Slammers and a copy of Future War Commander, which I decided to leave where it was, as I'm not a massive fan of the BKC rules system. I also found my old copy of Imperial Commander but that's going in another direction.

I've also downloaded a pdf of Victory Decision: Future Combat, which looks like an interesting option, although the current front runner is still FUBAR, followed closely by Tomorrows War and Gruntz. It's all good reading material for the holidays and a signpost for the focus of next year.

Brigade Models Sohei Heavy Tanks

The platoon pack of these arrived today in the post, which is a pretty fast turnaround and a very pleasant surprise, as I was expecting them to turn up next week sometime.

They're pretty impressive in terms of size and heft, with an ingenious two part metal turret and three options for gun barrels. There's also a turret mounted missile launcher unit which is designed to be glued to the left hand side.

There are a couple of air bubbles on the engine grills and covers but nothing that can't be sorted out with some filler. The hull casting is otherwise very clean and surprisingly detailed for such a large vehicle. think they look great and will definately find a place alongside the Antenociti's Workshop APC's. Very cool!

The Imperial Japanese Army

I'm reading this at the moment as part of my background inspiration for the 28mm Chain of Command Japanese project, which is getting close to the all important painting stage. This weekend, I'll be finishing off the command elememts of a platoon commander, a standard bearer and a medic, with a couple of resin Chi Ha tanks to round off the armour support. If I can find the time.

Brigade Models 15% off Xmas Sale

 

I need some cheering up today so have splashed out on yet more 15mm sci-fi good things from Brigade Models. These three heavy hover tanks will provide the armoured punch for the GZG NAC /  USCM platoon, with some serious firepower and the ability to roll over the opposition, whatever that will turn out to be. I really like the retro look of the Sohei, which reminds me a bit of the Vietnam era M60 series, so I'm looking forward to getting them through the post sometime before Xmas.

Brigade Models Rhino Tanks...!

Well, the proof is in the pudding as they used to say, so here's the superb Brigade Models SAC Rhino heavy tank up against an equally cool Antenociti's Workshop M577 APC. I reckon that's a pretty good match, with very similar dimensions in terms of angular, functional styling and near future design.

I'm very happy with the combined effect, so will be putting some more M577's on the Xmas list, along with some even heavier armour support from the Brigade Models catalogue, especially as they have a generous 15% off special offer on at the moment.

Catch the Turkey?

I've neglected my usual attempts to get an article written for the Toofatlardies Xmas Special this year, mainly due to the on-going management meltdown at work, so I decided to submit the Catch the Pigeon scenario that I wrote and playtested at the club earlier in the year. I think I've left it a bit late but it might make it into the Xmas Special if Nick and Richard think it's OK? I may even suggest a re-working of the title to give it a festive theme?

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/bag-hun-catch-pigeon-game.html