Looking forward

As another year draws to a close I'm already planning my hobby direction for the year ahead. Since discovering WW2 wargaming I have probably played more games in the last few months than I had done in the previous few years, and what's more my enthusiasm remains very high.

A game of toy soldiers!
The delights of 'skirmish' style gaming has also renewed my passion for individually based figures in the larger scale 28mm. I can't help smiling every time I set up the Bolt Action table, because the big tank models really do look and feel like toys, as one of daughters remarked the other day "Ah, look at the car going down the road" in a slightly mocking tone of voice. I told her it was actually an armoured half track, and her expression in reply was a picture.

I know it's not right for every period, but moving individual figures feels right for this period, and I'm increasingly aware that it would work well for the AWI too! It's still probably my favourite historical period and I have done it many times before, never quite feeling that I was getting it right, and certainly the Commands & Colors experiments did not produce the sort of game I was looking for so I sold it all off. However, I'm drawn to 'Sharpe Practice' as a second project to run beside my WW2 stuff, as it has loads of excellent AWI scenarios available, and the concept of 'big Men' (characters) and small companies of troops.

Another decision I have made is to box up all of my Flames of War stuff for a short while and to focus on Bolt Action. While I enjoy FoW tank battles, the infantry rules, especially the assault rules, are a bit more challenging, plus I'm duplicating in two scales, both figures and terrain. The Russian front beckons and I plan to start with 28mm, prefer metals of course BUT the Siberian Veterans box set looks so tempting.

Anyway, more BA shots, new test game, first moves all complete, order dice back in the bag ready for turn two.  Armour on the table for the first time so running through some new bits but all reads straightforward enough and easy to follow. I plan to expand the armour for both sides and have a second Sherman on order. German armour does need a repaint later to soften the camo pattern and to this end I have been doing a bit more research.

US Airborne defend unpainted obstacle!

'Bolt Action' down the table this time.

US infantry with MG and mortar teams in support.

German Grenadiers enter on a 'Run' order, the sniper team takes up a position in the (as yet unpainted) building.

The StuG rolls forward supporting the infantry as was it's historical roll. With it's heavy anti tank gun it has a range of no less than 72" and anarmour penetration value of 6  which also makes it an ideal tank killer. Even it's machine gun has a 36 " range!

The completed 8 figure 'inexperienced' recruits squad featuring those 'youth' castings. As usual red blossom denotes NCO.

Lots of blonde hair to be seen.

First time in action, supported by a Regular squad on their right plus a Panzershrek team.

A musical interlude and more Bolt action.

I have been spending a fair bit of time upstairs in what I have decided to christen 'The Escape Hatch', both painting and playing through more rule learning games. A lot of music gets played up there too as another side project I have going on at the moment is to rebuild my old 'Classic Rock' collection. Back in the day I dumped over a hundred vinyl albums believing that CD's was the way to go. I won't try to get it back on vinyl as much as I loved the cover artwork, Been playing a lot of Wishbone Ash recently, another of my old favourite bands, must have dumped over 20 of their albums. Currently enjoying 'Live in Chicago'. Hawkwind probably get a play most days, I have a large collection of Hawkwind albums. Also played this week, 'Physical Graffiti (Led Zep of course), Elmore James & a lot of Levellers.

But back to wargames, I'm at the stage now with Bolt Action where I can start to flesh out the infantry squads, so I'm taking them all up to 8 figures to begin with. I have a scenario in mind that requires some US Airborne to fight an advanced holding action so have added a light mortar team and a bazooka team. In BA each of the small teams gets it's own command dice. I also painted an airborne medic (paramedic?), as again under BA rules having a medic within 6" of a casualty gives a save roll to small arms fire, with a six to save. he can have assistants such as stretcher bearers etc.

Having got over my unease over the 'Hitler Youth' group, we after all only playing a game here, I decided to use them to represent an 'Inexperienced' squad. I did enjoy painting them, although they got a fairly quick job. I then built up four more figures using the most 'youthful' looking heads and faces that will complete the squad. The commander will be the guy in greatcoat as he also carries a SMG. One image that has stuck with me from the many hours of newsreels and propaganda films I have been watching recently is that of a very young looking SS soldier swaggering past the camera with an MG42 on his shoulder. His smile as he passes amid the horrors of war (this was 1945), has sort of haunted me since and I have found myself wondering what happened to him, did he survive the last months of war? Anyway, I tried to recreate him for the squad, so he has the MG42 on his shoulder and the field cap as worn in the film, his face is quite broad and strong. All together they should make an interesting unit and one of the attractions of BA for me the ability to paint characters.

Coming up is a German command group, again lovely castings. As I was cleaning them up I thought I spotted a cast line down the side of the face and was about to file it off when I realised that it was actually a very fine monocle cord!

I have started adding stowage to my Sherman and will add more. The stowage came from 'Debris of War' and I can highly recommend it. I know the boxes are too bright, but it was crying out for a touch of colour!

More FoW and an attack of conscience.

Inspired by an enjoyable read through a Flames of War battle report on Dai's blog ('Firestorm Caen'), I decided to set up a small game for the weekend in order to get some down time following the funeral on Friday. I feel I'm getting a real grip on these rules now, the basics are covered and I'm now starting to add in some of the special rules relating to Warrior and independent teams, stormtrooper moves etc. I played through several moves on Saturday using just the enlarged wall chart QRF that Tony kindly did for me. It's enlarged to double size and really is very useful, being stuck on the wall at the end of the table. The only other thing I did was to print off a couple of lists from the FoW listbuilder site, one each for Germans and Allies, these give all of the stats and info I need to play each force and are excellent. I actually left the main rulebook downstairs, but only needed to note a few things down to double check later. I got the 'Gun Tank' rule wrong, I thought you only made one roll to pick out an individual tank that is different to the rest of the platoon, but it's one roll per hit. 5 or 6 allows the firing platoon to pick out for example the up gunned Sherman 'Firefly', otherwise target allocates the hits as usual.

Once again I put a pair of Tigers on the table, and once again it left me feeling that I really must get some heavier Allied armour because the Shermans are hopelessly inadequate against the Panther's and Tigers! I have a full platoon of 4 Tiger I's, but I'm going to repaint two of them for the Russian front, as this will be a project for the New Year. I'll finish the game off later, and next weekend will be more Bolt Action.

On the subject of Bolt Action I ordered a small team of German tank hunters, the subject matter is
 'Hitler Youth'. I have felt strangely uncomfortable with these castings given that they essentially represent children in uniform. They are wonderful crisp castings, and a couple wear a clearly oversized helmet and all have youthful faces. All carry a panzerfaust. I will paint them, after all BA is just a game, but at least I'm aware of the reality behind these figures. The four castings cost me almost £9.00 over £2.00 per figure is a record for me, but soon as I saw them I knew I had to paint some.

Usual load of photos, from the game and a shot of the 'Youth' castings that does not do them justice, I'll get more pics once finished this week.

28mm US airborne, first six figures finished, as usual the touch of red blossom indicated the squad commander.

Latest reinforcements, 15mm Panthers, Battlefront models.

German MG squads, I need to rebase them on standard FoW bases.

The useful enlarged QRF.

Sherman platoons rolling forward.

The bailed StuG caused a traffic jam preventing the assault guns from getting into position.

A Firefly on fire.

The Tigers brewing up the Shermans on the Allied left. Two shots from the M10's both failed to hit, very frustrating.

The bases on the sheet of notepaper represent teams in the building by the crossroads rather than messing a round removing roof and floors etc.

The 28mm Hitler Youth castings.

More 'Bolt Action' Bits ..... the StuG rolls onto the table.

Been doing a fair bit painting this last week, I think in order take my mind off the funeral arranged for this Friday for my Mum in Law. I have noticed that my wife has been endlessly cleaning the house in order to do the same thing, and what with my middle daughter Jess moving back in with her partner, things have been hectic. It's going well, both are easy to live with and work full time, only one minor gripe so far, we wish the lad would put his top on occasionally around the house, I did suggest that I start doing the same walking about bare chested, but not a popular idea. I must turn the central heating down a bit!

Anyway, here is the results of my latest efforts, more BA bits. Above all the StuG is about painted sufficiently for the table top, I'm certainly no camo expert but overall it's pleasing to my eyes, and like like everything else I intend to return to them later for additional touch ups and detailing etc. It needs a little weathering I think too. Commander in assault gun Grey uniform is not the most detailed of models so I may replace him with metal later, but he will suffice for now. Also added a German sniper team and the US mortar team, all based and finished. A six figure US airborne are also about finished and will be followed with another six.

StuG first coat stage.

US airborne underway.

I like a bit of order and tidiness!

US light mortar.

I decided to add my command figure to the half track, but I do have a substitute figure should he dismount. In Bolt Action command figures give moral throw bonus to squads within six inches, dependent upon rank.

Sniper and panzershreck teams all finished.

The assault gun visible above the hedgerows.

Germans coming together now.

Bag of 28mm stowage, great product that will really enhance my tank models.

I have also been tarting up my 15mm Panzer Grenadiers for Flames of war, expanding them up to three platoons of six rifle/mg teams each plus support weapons.

In the New Year I have a feeling that the AWI is calling me back again, having discovered just how much fun 'skirmish' style games can be I am very tempted to give 'Sharpe Practice' a shot. This scenario looks so playable!

Hook, line and sinker!

I recently wrote here regarding the clever marketing campaign mounted by Warlord Games to promote and sell 'Bolt Action' and the high cost of related products. Now, I may be somewhat out of touch on the current average price of 28mm plastic and metal figures but I'm sure that £3.25 for a single metal command figure must be right up there! The metal Warlord figures come in handy 'squad' sets of 10 men, but average £16.00 for the set, so £1.60 per figure. The plastic 'multi part' figures also come in at around £1.00 per figure, and for that you do of course need to stick them together.

All in all I know I could have done this far cheaper with metal 20mm figures and AFV's etc and seriously considered starting again at one point, but even I have to admit that I have now fallen for this game and it's related merchandise to the point of no return. The more figures I paint ( and I'm expanding both armies with metal figures from Warlord now), the more I want to keep going in this scale.

So this weeks progress has been to work up the Sherman  to a more convincing shade of green, add another six man German infantry squad and a two man Panzershreck team. The anti tank team are both Warlord castings (and I still have a sniper team and a flamethrower team to paint), and the squad commander is a lovely casting picked up on ebay for £1.00. All of the figures, both plastic and metal have very realistic characterful faces that I really enjoy painting. Like the Bazooka, the Panzershreck can punch through a tanks side armour with little problem, and in Bolt Action a 6" move with a 24" range means tanks have to be extremely aware of where on the field they are.

I have a US mortar team to do next, again Warlord metals, followed by some US Airborne squads. I could only find more plastic US infantry so went with the metal option and I have to say they are amazing castings, and should be at £1.60 per figure. The StuG is now assembled and waiting for it's job.

I'm happy for now with the terrain slightly underscale but looking very acceptable to me even with the large tank model on the table. Doubling up the main roads does seem to look better too, with single narrow track running off. Still adding more terrain features.

Panzershreck team will be looking to make a hole in the Sherman.

28mm Warlord plastic Sherman, still much to do, add stowage and sand bags etc but I'm pleased so far. Like the StuG this was an £18.00 kit and contained an awful lot of very tiny parts!

The doubled up road sections look slightly better to my eyes, 

The Sherman on a test drive, the main gun has a range of no less than 60"!

A question of scale.

Having spent several months and a fair bit of cash building up my terrain for 15mm Flames of War, I am reluctant to do it all again for 28mm Bolt Action. If I am honest with myself, I have struggled with the BA project from the start, but having finally got everything glued together and painted and had a few run throughs of the deceptively simple rules I have to say I'm hooked.

I did buy a few plastic 'Warlord' BA buildings, but I just don't like them and have no interest in painting them. So next I bought a tester MDF building in the bigger scale, lovely kit, amazing detail, but it's bloody HUGE and dwarfs everything else! What to do? After much thought I decided to simply play a game of Bolt Action on my Flames of War terrain layout. It struck me that when you stand back the 28mm figures don't look too bad at all, the buildings look a little small, but if I play around them rather than through them (and the rules allow this), things are acceptable. To my eyes, as a wargame, the discrepancy in scale is acceptable and saves me having to do it all again. I know that BA is usually seen played on fully scaled up terrain, but for the time being I'm happy with this set up and I intend to enjoy myself with it. I have set my Son in Law a BA Xmas challenge.

Numerous pics as usual showing general progress on the BA front. The Sherman has been built and painting is underway, it's had a bit of weathering but still a lot to do including finding 28mm stowage to dress it up a little. The StuG is only part built and the halftrack is about done, save weathering and decals etc.

This game saw just five squads per side starting off table and as each order dice was drawn I rolled for entry point across the long table edges, this worked well for solo play I found. I placed an objective ammo dump roughly centre table in order to give some focus to the game. Squads can only enter on a 'run' or 'advance' order.

German.

• 3 squads of Veteran Grenadiers, each of an NCO and five men. (NCO's are marked with a little red blossom on bases to help identify them, they also carry SMG's).
• 1 x  MG42 with loader, Veterans.(small team)
• Command team, 2 figures.

American.

• 3 squads of Trained infantry, as above.
• 1 LMG with 2 crew. Trained.(small team)
• Command team 3 figures (small team)

An enjoyable game ensued as squads moved cautiously closer to the objective. The order dice are drawn from a bag so you never who who will get the next order and the situation can change constantly as initiative swings back and forth. The Yanks lot the MG team in only the second turn, I thought they were well deployed, but when a PanzerGrenadier squad suddenly jumped out in front of them and opened fire with assault rifles there was nothing they could do about it as they had already completed their 'fire' order. An 'ambush' order would have put the MG team on hold, awaiting a target of opportunity. It's very much fast and furious, and great fun. I'll play through the rest of the game today, but already I have a good feel for these rules and look forward to introducing a bit of tank action next game.

Anyone interested can find the Bolt Action 'Rules Summary' PDF here.