Sicily '43 by James Holland

 

I borrowed this from our local library, and it's a fascinating account of the Sicily Campaign of 1943 - the Allies' first assault on Europe - told from original records from both Allies and Axis. Holland doesn't spare any details: Some of the accounts are horrifying. 

I'm about halfway through, and it's a real page-turner. There are a number of accounts of engagements which would work well with Chain of Command. It's almost tempting me to begin a new period...

Last Hope Island

I picked this up at a local Dollar Tree for, yes, $1. 

Last Hope Island's a fascinating read about Britain and Europe during WW2, with several snippets I wasn't aware of. The author is rightly caustic about the sheer amount of amateurism, incompetence and infighting that afflicted organisations like SOE and MI6 in the early years. There's a chapter on the infamous Englanderspeil saga where the incompetence really cost the lives of dozens of brave agents. Thankfully, as we all know, it came good in the end.

Now showing...

It's been an annoying week in some ways due to computer problems. Last summer Windows 10 performed a MASSIVE update, my machine hasn't worked properly since and it's getting worse. Measures are in hand to rectify this, so on to other things.

I just finished this book - After Hitler: The Last Ten Days of World War 2 in Europe. It's a fascinating and well-researched work on the spluttering final kick of the Nazis. It has a lot of alternate ways to use late war figures and gear. Fancy deploying the German-equipped anti-Bolshevik 'Russian Liberation Army' against die-hard SS divisions in Czechoslovakia? Or play out a number of what if scenarios where the Western Allies - particularly Patton's army - decide to push as far as they can into Occupied Europe before the Russians arrive?

The Lion Rampant project moves on at a steady pace. I have the crossbowmen on the painting block now. I aim to turn out one batch which can pass for English in the employ of the Earl of Chester and the Bishop of Winchester (who had a talent for tactical deployment of such troops). Another will be French/Flemish.

Normandy '44: D-Day and the Battle for France, by James Holland.

I've just finished this book, which I borrowed from our local library when I saw it on the shelf. Holland states from the get-go that it's not a comprehensive review of the campaign, since it would take far too large a number of volumes to cover. Even so, he's done a pretty good job of covering the campaign in considerable detail. Some of the detail is graphic, since the Normandy campaign saw bitter fighting, so caution is advised if letting younger readers have access to the book.

It includes accounts of several episodes I didn't know about, or in scant detail. A number of the actions would translate very well for WW2 rules such as Chain of Command or I Ain't Been Shot, Mum. There are a couple of small errors in the text, which is down to an American not having quite the grasp of British culture. Two of the photographs are mislabeled. One of a British 5.5 inch howitzer is described as a 155mm gun, and King Tigers are incorrectly identified as Panthers. Working in the writing/publishing industry as I do, it's quite possible the fault for these latter mislabeling isn't down to the author but rather the publisher's research staff.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/normandy-44/james-holland/9781787631274

Gaming-wise, I'm in something of a lull. I find my interest in wargaming has waned lately, although I still like to read books and visit the various hobby blogs and websites. Nowadays I feel more involved in setting up my model railroad layout than getting figures on the table. I might play the next Dux Britanniarum game sometime over Xmas. We'll see.

Book Booty

Our local library is holding one of its periodic book sales, with hardback books going for as little as $1. I found and grabbed these this morning. 

Citadel was the last big operation the German army mounted on the Eastern Front in an attempt to roll back the Red tide. The 2nd SS fought in most major campaigns in WW2 including Normandy and NW Europe. The only quibble I've found so far in the Citadel book is the photo caption mislabeling of a Pz IV H as a Tiger I. On the whole, they look like good reads. 

D-Day Game

My club in Britain is currently putting on a massive D-Day game. Here are a few pictures from the superb table set-up, a labour of love spanning 35 years for its creator.

You can see why I'm green with jealousy at not being there to play! ;) For those who have Facebook, check them out here.

Adding to my scenery

I made some more terrain for my 10mm/N-scale gaming. I'd had telegraph poles in mind for a while since they're a ubiquitous feature of the modern world. The poles are wooden mini-dowels with wire crossbars passed through holes drilled in the dowel. The insulator caps are fashioned from 'puffy' paint, and the bases are card built up with Miliput for grass effect and to add weight.

These are very easy and cheap to make. I plan to make another set of telegraph posts as roadside features, since lines usually run alongside roads and lanes for ease of maintenance and repair. My idea is to build them into short sections of pavement, hedgerow and bank to blend in with my current scenery. After that, I'll make a red telephone box or two. Those phone lines have to run to something!   

In the foreground is a quartet of Pendraken Miniatures 10mm tanks which rolled in yesterday for my VBCW collection. Top L-R, Vickers Light Tank Mk VIb, Soviet T-26 (I think it's one of the 'tankiest' looking tanks ever produced). Front, Italian C33/35 tankettes. The Vickers will be painted in British Army early war camouflage pattern. That way it'll be of use in VBCW gaming and as part of a future BEF 1940 collection. The T-26 will go to the Socialist faction (a prezzy from Uncle Joe Stalin), and the C33/35s to the BUF (a prezzy from Il Duce). I'm in two minds about the camo scheme for these. On the one hand, black would make them look nice and sinister for a nasty and sinister organization, yet black limits their use elsewhere. I might just paint them up in Italian camo colours and leave it at that. 

I also got some SCW Republican infantry, officers and standard bearers in winter dress. The infantry will complete my BUF faction forces. Taking a tip from the VBCW forum I'll paint the officers and standard bearers in various factional outfits and give them flags to match. That way I can swap out a flag at the head of a nondescript unit and have them change factions instantly.

Chain of Command

So, I finally bought the Chain of Command and At the Sharp End .pdf versions. Now I can see what WW2 gamers are raving about! 

They're a clean, intuitive set of rules that cover just about every warring nation and circumstance. The Sharp End supplement is a neat, easy-to-use set of campaign rules which add a distinctive flavour to the main rules, and makes the gamer think beyond the casual one-off game. I'm going to try them both out using my 10mm VBCW figures sometime during the holidays to see how they play on the table top. 
   

Poplar trees 2 - finished

The poplar trees are finished, and I think they look rather good.

Northern France, September 1914. 

RFA 18 pdrs take up a position astride the highway, ready to challenge the pursuing Germans.

They'll work for early World War One, World War Two, and AVBCW as a poplar-lined driveway to some posh house or institution.

Wargames Factory 15mm World War Two

I still intend to buy the Too Fat Lardies' Chain of Command rules one of these days. In the meantime I'm mulling over figure options. Does anyone have any experience of Wargames Factory's hard plastic 15mm range?

http://www.wargamesfactory.com/webstore/world-war-2

I have some of their Zulu figures and, although being multi-part they were a bit of a pain to assemble, once done they're pretty good and easy to paint.

WW2 Thoughts

Oh, I blame the Too Fat Lardies for this. Discussion of their Chain of Command rules for WW2 skirmish games has filled the hobby pages these last few months since their release. I watched the rules demonstrations on Youtube, and was impressed by the clean flow of the games. Now I find myself looking at Peter Pig's 15mm WW2 range.

I admit, the only choice I really have now is which theater to opt for, Western Desert, Italy, or NW Europe? Decisions, decisions...      

* * *

EDIT: Can anyone tell me how compatible Peter Pig figures are to Old Glory 15mm's? 

Fun at Fort Meigs - Muster on the Maumee

We had a great afternoon out Saturday at Fort Meigs up near Toledo. A host of re-enactors from Roman times up to Vietnam were there, strutting their stuff with a mass of interesting stories and facts about their periods. Thanks to all we spoke to. 

I also met up with a group from the Great Lakes Gamers who were putting on a display of wargames in the information center. A nice bunch of guys, they were happy to meet a fellow gamer and talk games and gaming.  Plenty of Too Fat Lardies rules were in evidence; the chaps are big fans of their rules systems.

 French-Indian War in 28mm. 

 Frank Demana discusses the period with my better half.

 Romans in Germania Libera - Can they avoid the Varus Disaster?

Italy, WW2

US Artillery, War of 1812

Small-craft action on the Great Lakes

Roman legionary in Dacian-fighting armor

Grunts in 'Nam

   

Gebirgsjager - WW2 German mountain troops

 

WW2 Russians

British WW2 - ATS (Auxiliary Transport Service) and Somerset Light Infantry

In the photo are my favourite rifle - the Lee-Enfield - and pistol - the Webley (or in this case a clone). It might or might not stop a charging enemy at fifty paces, but it'll certainly make his eyes water. 

A sniper in ghillie suit takes his ease

US Marines at rest

 WW2 US Army HQ tent with staff and 50mm mortar

 A Wyandot warrior from both FIW and 1812 - in the latter period the British gorget signifies personal wealth rather than allegiance

Rider on her way to the mounted medieval warfare demonstration

 Camp of the ACW Ohio Volunteer Infantry

L-R, Canadian Essex Regt. Arquebusier, Ronin, US Army War of 1812, British Foot, another Canadian Essex Regt.

Tomorrow I'll post a video of the ACW live cannon firing demo. Who doesn't like a loud bang and cloud of nasty-smelling smoke? ;)

Never look a gift house in the mouth.

A friend gave me this nice little resin piece whilst my wife and I were in England.  

 

Socialist militia investigate a cottage.

 

It's hollow resin, manufacturer unknown. It was already painted but lacked depth, so I gave it a wash of sepia ink then dry brushed off-white to bring out the stonework. The scale is on or around 1/150th, so it's going in with my AVBCW collection.

A tour of neighborhood garage sales this weekend turned up this unexpected gem... 

One of the classic works by one of the experts on tank warfare, I'm surprised it turned up in a small town in Northwest Ohio. We got there at the time when the sellers were offering books at half-price, in this case $2.50, so it's something of a bargain. Now all I need is a bookcase to put this and my other books in. Maybe we'll find one at the next round of garage sales!
 

Friday club night.

My family and I went to our club for the regular Friday night gaming. This particular evening was spent getting to grips with the ACW Rally Round the Flag rules. I last played these four years ago, but never had a chance to actually run them as umpire. We did get some nice photos, including this one of the 2nd South Carolina wading through a wheat field. 

Over on the other table a WW2 North African encounter was fought between a mixed German-Italian force vs. British, using some superb desert terrain.

The British deploy. In the distance, Valentine tanks move out against Italian M13 and Semovente SPGs.

* * *

I plan to put my 1st edition copy of The Seleucid Army 168-145BC Vol. 1 up for sale soon. This is an excellent reference work, full of history, clear organization charts and the late Angus McBride's superb illustrations throughout. If anyone would like to buy this from me directly, please drop me a line.

* * *

Thanks to Jeff, I have an idea how to paint the early ACW figures I unearthed a few days ago. His suggestion of German colonial/WW1 era colours is a good one. I've decided on a name for them - The Ukraziland Provisional Volunteer Constabulary (UPVC). A lot of gamers in the UK will be familiar with the term "Plastic Plods..." These could be their ancestors.