Damn reds!

Lord Otterford is vexed. Very vexed. Despite all of his efforts to form the polyglot anti-fascist groups into a coherent fighting force, he is resisted at every turn...even in his own family! His sister "Red Kate", has gathered some Bolshevists under her socialist banner. These independent minded radicals have set up camp south of the Taunton Hills despite Lord Otterford's specific instructions. Determined to teach them a lesson, the good Lord has sent a platoon to rouse the buggers out and reestablish some semblance of order in the River Otter Valley. A sympathetic servant in the Lord's household has alerted the Reds and they move to meet the  Lord's enforcers.

This is a Chain of Command (from Too Fat Lardies) test game using my Very British Civil War figures. One of my most enjoyable games ever. I need to re-read the rules to check for my mistakes in play. 

Although it looked like things might go sour early, Lord Otterton's pal, Rhys Witherspoon, led the River Otter Valley Local Defense Brigade (ROVLDB) force to victory. The Reds suffered heavy losses including their Comrade Leader, all 3 squad leaders, a heavy machine gun, and their pride. 

ROVLDB Losses: 9

KIA- 1

H WIA- 3

L WIA- 1 Squad Leader, 4 Soldiers

Red Losses: 15

KIA- Senior Leader, Squad Leader, 1 Soldier= 3

H WIA- 2 Squad Leaders, 3 Soldiers= 5

L WIA- 4 Soldiers= 4

POW- 3 Soldiers=3

Things looked much closer for most of the game, and after the first few phases, I thought the ROVLDB was going to get shot up by the Reds in the hard cover of the building. 

A great flank attack led by Sergeant Major Willie Crumpet supported by the Lewis gun team on the hill won the day despite a disastrous last second charge into hand to hand combat that cost five casualties (doubling losses).

I called the game with the force morale at 8 to 2 (from 10 to 9 at the start). 

Reds advance from the hedge line as the LDB comes in the back corner.

Witherspoon and a squad get caught in the open as the Reds take the house.

Reds get a machinegun set on the small rise, pouring fire into the adjacent field.

Crumpet directs the Lewis Gun.

Two Red squads start to make a flank move...this proves to be a mistake in hindsight.

The machine gun gets suppressed.

LDB begins their own flank attack headed for a jump off point and the suppressed machine gun. 

Charge! the gun is overrun, three prisoners march to the rear.

Red flankers now find they are needed on the OTHER flank.

Witherspoon pulled back out of the exposed field, leaving four casualties. 

LDB wins the firefight against the Red Lewis team...killing their platoon leader in the process!

Couple of Reds head for home. 

Second squad joins the flank attack, led up by Crumpet.

We will be at Regiment.

Close range firefight goes the to the LDB...they had Witherspoon nearby to help and the Red squad leader was hit early...dying of his wounds.

Leader less, the Reds keep up the fight.

Crumpet consolidates the flank position. 

But one squad foolishly rushes the Reds and pays the price. 

Five of the seven attackers are casualties. 

Despite repulsing the LDB squad, the remaining Reds are leaderless and quit the field during a brief pause in the fighting. 

February 2024

Could not make the club game this month. 

I made two of my planned purchases for the year....the release of the 28mm plastic Quar sci-fi figures, and the next Burrows and Badgers kickstarter.

Finished the third of my four primed groups of figures...the sci-fi figures. Next up are the last B&B kickstarter...then the Quar that are on the way.

I have a VBCW game set on on the table for a test run of Chain of Command.

Generic 28mm sci fi figures

PAINTING

21 x 28mm Sci-fi

Total: 21

YTD: 75

GAMING

0 :(

YTD: 2

BUDGET

$357, Quar sci fi and next Burrows and Badgers kickstarter

YTD: $357

(Sold: $440) +$83 for the year

First Landing

This is a re-boot of my attempts at a generic low-fantasy gritty skirmish and exploration game. I have still not found exactly what I am looking for in this project. I think I have to go for a more narrative style instead of looking for a "kingdom building" rule set. 

I played this first game with the Feudal Patrol card driven rules. After some initial errors (that proved deadly), it played well with 20+ figures a side. 

---------------------------------------------

Sir Miroslav and his band of loyal followers have arrived in the Old Lands to reclaim his family birthright. He brings the ship into a small cove near some ruins, spotting a group of tribesmen in the distance.

Coming ashore

Archers take up position

Heavy casualties in an initial scrum

The pressure is on

Several men fall back wounded

A skirmish breaks out around the ruins

A very bloody skirmish

Crossbow vs bow on the flank

This is very messy

The tribesmen break, but it comes at a cost.

Sir Miroslav's men win the day. The healer, Mistress Demelza has shown her value. The group will set up camp and explore inland the next day.

The butchers bill of the 18 men:

2 killed

2 severely wounded (out 3 turns)

6 heavily wounded (out 2 turns)

1 lightly wounded (out 1 turn)

January 2024

Played two games of Memior'44 at the club. Fast paced games of the D-Day big battle scenarios. Germans won both games.

Finished two batches of generic 28mm fantasy warriors. I then have a group of sci fi figures and some Burrows and Badgers animals in the queue. 

I'm waiting for the release of the plastic Quar figures and the next B&B kickstarter. 

I also got in a solo game of my generic fantasy exploration game. 

PAINTING

54 x 28mm Generic warriors

Total: 54

YTD: 54

GAMING

1 x Club game of Memior '44 (two rounds, I am counting as one game)

1 x Solo fantasy game

YTD: 2

BUDGET

$0

YTD: $0

(Sold: $440)

Yule Time Peace Treaty

The Unionist forces near Tenterfeld find themselves almost surrounded by superior Associates brigades. The Associates have an opportunity to destroy the Unionist main body in the final game of my Slaughterloo solo campaign. 

Unionist commander says "NUTS!"

Strong position on the river line, but both flanks are under pressure. 

Early clashes cause losses to both forces. 

The river will be hard to breach. 

Joccian cavalry are routed by opposing militia!

Holding the flank. 

Pressure increases. 

The Manicotti Line are routed in their first engagement (but rally later to hold the center!)

Associate cavalry move to cut off the Unionist line of retreat. 

An opportunity to cross the river is fleeting. 

Militia are routed.

Albion cavalry charge the Al-Gharvey defenders. 

The defense is holding but the line of retreat is blocked. 

Could this be disaster?

Holding out.

Unionist cavalry start to counter attack. 

They defeat the Associate cavalry on both flanks. 

Heroes are made this day. 

The road west is reopened!

Todoroni hold at the river, causing heavy casualties. 

The Goblins of Al-Gharvey do the same, but one regiment is forced to surrender. 

Todoroni militia hold the line. 

Supported by the Guard on the flank.

Flanks are holding.

The sun is setting. 

A parley on the bridge, almost surrounded Unionist force will be allowed to withdraw with all honors of war. Peace breaks out on Christmas day. 

December 2023, end of year wrap up, and a look into 2024

A close out of another year. My painting and gaming output dropped, but finances held steady since I sold more than I bought. 

With the huge Slaughterloo project complete, I am going to focus on adding smaller additions to existing projects...and starting one new one! I am enamored with the 28mm sci fi Quar from Zombiesmith Miniatures...they are Anthropomorphic ant eaters with  WW1 era technology locked in a perpetual war. Very strange...grimsical as the webpage says. 

After painting the first batch, I am now selling my Albedo sci fi project. It is a great concept, very nice figures, but I have been frustrated building the figures. I am not sure any more will be produced in the range, and I don't want them to just sit on the shelf, I have to want to work on each project in my list. 

Manicotti Line Regiment—-routed in their first engagement!

Princess Julianna Line Regiment

Generic fantasy warriors.

PAINTING

36 x 28mm Slaughterloo Figures

25 x 28mm Generic warriors

Total: 61

YTD: 501

GAMING

1 x pulp Christmas game at the club

1 x Slaughterloo with FOB3 solo campaign

YTD: 12

BUDGET

$46, bases, TMP

YTD: $2466

(Sold: $2750) +$284 for the year

STATUS OF PLANS FOR 2023

1- Finish the Slaughterloo project by end of June- DONE

2- Start the year with the 30 Pulp figures I received for Christmas-DONE

3- Finish the B&B figures by end of the year.- NOT STARTED

4- Maybe start the Albedo figures in 2023, or this becomes 2024 main goal. - STARTED...now selling

5- Attend Historicon.- FAILED

6- >15 games for the year.---FAILED

7- Spending <$1000 plus Historicon costs -Sold enough to break even

8- Work on the 28mm fantasy figures if I need a break.- STARTED

9- Sell some more 15mm stuff.- DONE

PLANS FOR 2024

1- Attend Historicon:

2- Spend <$2000:

3- >12 games:

4- Work on projects: (focusing on adding to some smaller projects instead of a large figure count)

---a. Quar: start when released:

---b. Burrows and Badgers (paint the last kickstarter, and order next!)- 26 figures:

---c. Paint two batches of fantasy figures-49:

---d. Paint one batch of sci fi figures- 21:

---e. Paint a AVBCW BUF platoon- 30?:

5-Put together the rest of the Battlesystem card terrain

Purchase plans:

1) Quar when released...soon!

2) Next Burrows and Badgers kickstarter in Feb.

3) BUF platoon, need to decide on figures. look at historicon or order with Quar from Wargames Atlantic if BEF are released.

4) Several 28mm plastic Stargrave/Wargames Atlantic boxes (5).--- look at historicon, WA order

5) Some paints, brushes, bases.

6) Maybe upgrade my trees, rivers, and roads

Project Update: 9 projects, in order of last painted or gamed

Quar:

---Last Painted:

---Last Gamed:

Slaughterloo:

---Last Painted: Dec, 2023

---Last Gamed: Dec, 2023

28mm Fantasy:

---Last Painted: Dec, 2023

---Last Gamed:

Burrows and Badgers: whole range on hand (next kickstarter in Feb)

---Last Painted: Dec, 2021

---Last Gamed: Jan, 2023

Pulp:

---Last Painted: Jan, 2023

---Last Gamed: Jun, 2020

28mm Sci Fi:

---Last Painted: Jul, 2022

---Last Gamed: Jan, 2022

Fantasy 15mm: Large number of figures on hand to be painted.

---Last Painted: Jul, 2019

---Last Gamed: Jul, 2021

A Very British Civil War: Continue to add figures occasionally---could use a BUF platoon

---Last Painted: Jul, 2019

---Last Gamed: Jun, 2021

Kingdom of Katzenstein: My 15mm "Napoleonic" imagi-nation.

---Last Painted: Dec, 2018

---Last Gamed: Dec, 2011

November 2023

 I have now been in the hobby as an adult for 15 years. Figure I have another 30 good years in me :)

Alost done the two additional units for my Slaughterloo project...just have to base this weekend, so they will count in December. 

I also have 25 generic dark age warriors for the fantasy 28mm project ready for over Christmas.

Sold off the 6mm sci fi project...again. I could not muster the motivation and my concept was just not coming together. Never again. 

Had a Star Wars space game at the club with a guest game master. Thanks to Dave/Hawk for hosting us. 

I also have the what may be the final game of my current Slaughterloo campaign on the table at home. 

PAINTING

0 completed

YTD:440

GAMES

1 x club game of Star Wars.

YTD: 10

BUDGET

$10 primer

Sold $170

YTD: $2420

(Sold: $2750)