Stay in Warren w/o CoVid 19

As many locally in the Greater Los Angeles area WR has remained in the warren and, if required to travel about, practicing his social distance with neighbors and friends. Doing his part; personal hygiene, keeping up morale with friends via electronic medium, cancelling games scheduled weeks before the virus invasion, practicing new dance steps. The “Remain at Home” downtime is being put to use by WR with several gaming projects being completed in short order, new gaming projects started, and relaxing opportunity to read up on future scenarios. In fact, the project pool has rapidly increased, and completed in near record WR time, as shown in a quick list presented below:

WR’s 25/28mm ancient Sumerians in their storage box. A good mix of units for some Bronze age battles. WR‘s loves his wild arse driven chariots.

Four storage boxes of ancients movement trays or sabots. Ttwo, three, or four rank formation trays for infantry, cavalry linear trays, wedge shape trays, and some extension sub trays. The tube holds the measurement sticks sized in inches and centimeters lengths.

1).  Based my ancient Sumerian 28mm army for some Bronze age scenarios. Several massed infantry spear or short bow archer blocks, skirmishers, and their famous “near wild arse driven” chariots pictured above.

2).  Created more movement trays (sabots) for Clash of Empires (shorthand COE – a WAB offshoot rules set) games. More cavalry 10 or 12 miniature linear trays, converted surplus 5-8 miniature cavalry trays into two-rank infantry trays (needed for Roman armies), added texture to the entire tray collection, and organized four boxes for storage and transport as pictured above.

3).  Based more 25mm/28mm Sassanids, Macedonian, Saracens, Late era Romans for COE units. The painted miniatures have been lying around for several years, found in odd storage boxes as WR moved towards his new residence. Mostly for the cancelled Sassanids vs. Late Roman scenario warren game scheduled for last weekend (3/21) but postponed when State of CA ordered all to “Remain at Home” during the current crisis.

4). Pulled out some early 28mm 1805-08 era Russians to completed several regimental sized units. Now fully painted and basic based, awaiting their regiment standards, and final base texture work. Three musketeer regiments 3x (2×6 miniatures), three Caspian region musketeer regiments in white caps 3x (2×6), Georgia Grenadier regiment in white caps (2×6), the 44th Jaeger regiment (2×6), the Caspian Marine regiment (2×6), the Caspian Grenadier regiment (4×6), Two Jaeger regiments (2x (3×6), and several local militia battalions (3×6) for color. Add in several independent Eastern Orthodox priest miniatures, local commanders with their Russian wolfhound, to add scenic effect on the tabletop.

Russians for 1807 battles alongside WR’s Prussians when battling the Grande Armee in Poland. Just need to apply the base texture and replace the stand in regimental  flags.

The WWII Italian armor ready to roll once they get their formation markings applied. WR’s recent modeling effort was added to this growing collection. Models are 20mm or 1/72 scale.

5).  Finally, the no love 20mm Italian WWII miniature collection. Pulled their storage boxes and inventoried the Italian tank requirements to complete Flames of War organization platoons. Dug into the unpainted miniatures, the unbuilt model kits pile, or ordered outline my requirements. With plastic model glue in hand, or epoxy for metal models, WR built, painted, and based several dozen models then cut down several apple boxes for storage. A rough completed tank count: Ten M13/40, one L6/40, ten CV L3 33/35, two Semovente assault guns, and a SPG AT37 armor car. On the Italian artillery front: Four 90/53 flak cannon, two autocannone 3 RO 90/53, eight 149/40 heavy guns (san crews for the moment), four artillery tow trucks plus a large Fiat truck for the collection. Now WR needs to paint or place formation marking decals on the vehicles then start paint the crews for all the artillery pieces.

Example of banners hanging in game room. Sassanid on left, Late Roman on right. The helicopter is not part of the Sassanid arsenal.

As the reader can read, WR has been trashing his paint brushes to complete projects while draining the small paint bottles. Time to order more replacement basing wood, paints, brushes, and glue from his favorite modeling supplier as the growing supply list attests.

Another project was to inventory his flag or banner collection, mainly to locate his Sassanid and Late Roman banners to hang from the game room raffers, and see what missing major power flags / banners are still needed for the collection. Napoleonic Prussia needs a flag, some smaller Germanic states it seems too. Then selected ancient or medieval era banners for WR’s ancient armies. Most flags are 3′ x 5′ size, some are 3′ square. WR constructed a simple pole hanging rod with dark grey hooks to hang his banners and exchange out for the upcoming future scenarios. Just a warren game room background touch.

Cheers from the warren. Be safe all.

WR

 

 

 

The Game room

First item of WR business for Year 2020. As many have noted WR has been amiss from writing his wargaming activities for the last two quarters.  Since June, WR’s world has been a bit upended since June 2019 with the passing of Valerie Verity, my mom. Her Parkinson’s disease finally caught up with her, her passing went quietly, and with all our family members gathered at the family residence.

Since then the family business and estate needed settlement under the guidance of WR’s sister Alicia. With the assistance of the trust attorney, a group of financial managers and accountants, and the smooth assistance of all family members, the estate has been settled out. WR has found himself with a new residence, and more importantly, a permanent room for his tabletop gaming, open wall space for accessible bookcases for WR’s book library and display cabinets for vintage uniforms, adjacent room storage space for the miniature / terrain collections, and within easy reach. No more extra apartment bedroom requirement, evening storage center visits, or digging deep (in piles) for the book title needed for the latest wargame construction or miniature painting project, or scenario design. But, the inherited house is vintage 1970 update….. yes, that year fifty years ago, when Nixon was president. So the first order of business, for a gamer with a large table space need, is the game room, then the storage capacity improvements, then the rest of the house starting with the bedrooms I guess. Otherwise the kitchen is functional but dated, the bathrooms work, and the garden yard has been maintained over the years but in need of serious heavy pruning, so in total the initial construction projects are manageable. This WR post will deal mainly with the game room improvement project, with brief mention of the garage project dealing with miniature and terrain storage.

The former artist project room of my deceased father (died in 2014). Basically untouched till my mom’s passing June 2019 except for organizing the artwork for estate determination.

 

 

Another view of the bar room cleaned up and artwork . artist materials removed. Plenty of wine to drink….. may well need in the future as the projects progress.

Sizing up the two initial projects with little serious thought, the garage storage segment starts the ball rolling. The complete upgrading for the two car garage for cars and major storage of miniatures, bulk terrain, and old wargame magazines, some dating back to the 1960’s. Striping the walls down to the wood studs then new drywall, mud and taping drywall joints, change out lighting to LED, new exterior steel door installed, insulation (roof and walls), roof venting, and reinforcement of walls to support the lead pile on sturdy shelves. Finish off with two coats of paint. That’s the garage zone plan compartmented down in WR’s brain.

The barren garage walls need some work. This wall will become the miniature storage wall at back of garage. Some the 2×4 studs need reinforcement and shelving.

2nd Quarter Warren Games

The 2nd quarter for 2019 has been a period of active gaming for WR, from ancients with Late Romans vs. Franks, forward in time to horse and musket era napoleonics set in Italy 1809, then on to WWII with several Flames of War scenarios in Italy, Russia, Normandy, and even airborne landing on Crete. Some of the mentioned scenarios will have full AAR treatment posted to WR in near future; the Clash of Empires Late Rome vs. Franks ancients scenario, the Flames of War Russia 1941 Drive on Smolensk scenario, and finally the napoleonic Battle of Almonacid 1809 (fought on tabletop late February), which WR has finally collected some background material for that Franco-Spanish peninsular battle.

First up is the napoleonic 1809 battle set in Northern Italy, between the advancing French encountering the arrayed Austrians. The scenario background has the French successful in their early morning river crossing, deploying half their forces across the river in battle formations. The remaining Franco-Italian commands will cross via bridge or discovered river ford behind their front lines to reinforce the pressed Franco-Italian front. For the Austrians, they start fully deployed in a semi-circle containment, preventing further Franco-Italian advance and, at the given signal, charge forward to repulse the Franco-Italian bridgehead.

Starting position for the Franco-Italian vs. Austrians 25/28mm napoleonic river crossing scenario set in Italy 1809. Austrians start on left, Franco-Italians on right, and shown deployment zones.

From sunny Northern Italy, the next WR dice rolling 2nd quarter game was GM’d by WR’s gaming friends Bruce & Gary. Still fought under clear skies and hot Mediterranean sun, the German Fallschirmjagers descended from the sky via assault gliders or their chutes. Greeting the airborne warriors without tea cups, the determined New Zealander company holds the bombed and battered Suva port while a Greek company covered the inland open fields, dotted with stone walls and olive groves. WR played the glider assault, landing directly adjacent to the buildings of Suva. Surprised for the moment, the New Zealanders fought back, keeping the scenario in balance for turn after turn. In the inland fields, the Greeks hunted down the scattered Fallschirmjagers sticks, leading to sudden close range firefights, “picking olives with bullets” it seemed. Scenario win for the Allied defenders this time, till next chance with another Crete FOW game at the nearby aerodrome.

WR’s assault gliders almost poke their noses into the center of Suva, catching the NZ defenders for the moment surprised.

Larger view of the Flames of War Suva port battle. In background the Fallschirmjagers battle the Greeks amidst the Olive groves and rocky hill locks.

Military Trains, Trollys, Rubble, and Ruins

WR’s Festung Breslau April 1945 scenarios required lots of building ruins and their rubble for the 20mm Flames of War (FOW) miniatures to transit, give cover to, and charge across. Adding some rubble to all the Volkssturm platoon team bases creates additional demand for linoleum discarded scrap pieces, Breslau has several trolley lines branching out from the city center plus railroads heading to the train station and rail yard…. so rail tracks, some abandon train freight cars, city station, and trolley infrastructure to complete the tabletop. So, here is how WR fulfilled the rubble requirement and tabletop trolley trams. Later in this blog posting, WR will cover his FOW military and supply train construction for future rear area battles between the German security forces and Russian and Balkans partisans. Lastly, a quick detail on his heavy Flak Train construction for those interested readers since this blog posting is train themed.

Rubble: Over the years WR has saved the FOW linoleum base corner trimmings just for this purpose. The question quickly arose how to reduce the “standardized corner clipping” of several years to a more ragged and blasted look. Thinking on the project task over several days, WR one morning was pounding nails…. then thought about the impacting process…. pound the debris pieces with same hammerhead. Process worked… but quickly scattered the pieces in all direction with each impact. Hence the old wash cloth covering. WR pounds the pile covered by the worn wash cloth, which holds the pounded debris material under the worn fabric. Linoleum title makes great rubble since it has a flat surface like most concrete walls, using cat litter doesn’t give the same look and texture since it is more rounded in general ragged shape.

Rubble materials. Floor tile (Linonulm scrap pieces) used with FOW basing, old hand cloth to cover the rubble during hammer pounding, and piliers to break into into rough / ragged pieces. Bagged or container for holding the scrap pieces.

Staining the wood cut boards. Basically thinned Tamiya paint (XF-10 Brown). Dip into thinned brown wash, then dried on wax paper. Remember to separate the stained boards while drying.

Gluing pounded rubble mix to former Zvezda bases saved from 1/72 sets. Typically takes two or three gluing stages to mound up rubble for height. Then add several finger pressure broken wood scale boards. I use the fingers to break the small boards for the broken end look.

Ruins: Over the years WR found he was collecting the old Matchbox 1/76 scale kit display bases. Many of these display bases had one wall from a ruined building for model display background. So, playing around with the single wall building displays, WR hit upon the concept of gluing three or four of these walls to form a defined ruin building perimeter. Apply some linoleum created rubble in the interior and just outside the wall ruins. Glue to a shaped linoleum floor tile and terrain flocking as needed. End result is a ruins zone, excellent for FOW 20mm gaming. Also these ruin zones could be used for WR’s future Blood and Plunder gaming, a new side project started last Christmas. Examples in photos below.

Two Linoleum 12′ square tiles from Lowes (84 cents each), ruins with rubble project from old 1/76 Matchbox kits mounted on linoleum tile base, Lastly, Volkssturm platoon based with rubble.,

Trolleys and trams. These are old San Francisco trolley car tourist trade models painted in Breslau tram deep red or green colors taken from old cityscape photos. N scale train / tram clip together tracks. Sample Zvezda bases for rubble markers and street barricade rubble linear piles.

FOW Festung Breslau 1945

As WR works on his long overdue Almonacid 1809 scenario AAR write-up, a growing backlog of subject material to type mounds up, noted by his lack of WR posts during the 1st quarter of 2019. WR should mention the lack of posts for the readership also is due to his “overdrive for painting” 1st quarter effort (really February into April) towards dozen+ platoons of Flames of War 20mm miniatures, including their basing. When the miniature painting bug bites…roll with the urge says WR since painting tends to come in waves of sustained effort. Lastly, the tabletop gaming in the Winnetka warren continues; several FOW games, two pick up napoleonic scenarios, one HMGS-PSW convention and preparation for same, and some enjoyable vacation trips about California, all since the Mexican Riviera cruise last January. So, to fill some of the WR posting backlog, here is the Festung Breslau April 1945 Flames of War scenario GM hosted at the recent HMGS-PSW “Victory Day” convention held March 23rd in Van Nuys CA National Guard armory. Full scenario design, sources for scenario, maps, and German / Soviet 1945 platoon forces covered at end of ARR. cc

As WR was GM and playing in the Festung Breslau April 1945 scenario, the play by-play action report is limited to the photos taken during live action. Hopefully the reader can follow the images for scenario timeline. To set the pregame stage….. The Soviets have broken though the German Eastern Front Vistula river defenses back in January and surrounded the city of Breslau by February. The ordeal of the fleeing German civilians from Breslau before the final Soviet encirclement close is just tales of winter horror, tens of thousands just died frozen. Fleeing German shattered formations retired from the city, leaving an “ordered few” regiments / battalions/ companies of German panzer grenadiers, Volksgrenadiers, SS formations, Luftwaffe, Hitlerjugend, and raised volkssturm to hold the Festung city and surrounding countryside,  Successive Soviet divisional and corps level assaults during the February and March months have reduced the perimeter held by the German garrison to the city’s outlying built up area. The sole airport and aerial supply route was taken last month, leaving the German garrison with just their improvised and cleared “Kaiserstrasse” roadway for light planes to fly in. Even at this late date in the war, the Germans still tried to drop nighttime parachute supplies into Breslau, with the massed Soviet AA batteries shooting up the night sky. Still, being a depot supply hub during the late war period, the city was well stocked with food, some fuel, and small arms ammunition, except for the needed A/T rounds, larger artillery shells, and medical supplies.

General view of the Breslau tabletop scenario. Table 12×6′, most of WR’s building collection is seen in play. Soviets set up at right, the German hold the center towards the left in photo.

Left end table from German view. Most of the German teams are hidden in the building off-table on the specific building underlay mats. Visible is the StuG IV platoon. Soviets upper left corner.

Center view from German side. Seen are the two 8.8cm cannon entrenched with Volkssturm platoons in support. With little open space…. Soviet planes used open ground pending their use.

German right flank view. Volkssturm Pioneer platoon at left. Two Tiger I tanks, Another Volkssturm platoon with Pak 40 platoon support in ruins. Large buildings hold entire platoons.

Soviet left flank at start. Hero Strekovy platoons, Hero mixed Assault guns and t-34/85 companies roam the open roadway. Note the 203mm howitzer attached to Storm Group company at right.

Soviet center table. T-34 (OT-34) flame tanks, more Stretkovy companies, and “temporary” Soviet aerodrome to hold the Soviet plane models. Appears no photo of the Soviet right flank taken…..

 

Plans and set up: Soviet player team set up on a broad frontage to pin down the German front lines. As scenario progress made, the Soviets had two axis of advance. Down their left flank with HQ group, two Hero Stretkovy companies, a Hero SMG company, Hero Tankovy company (T-34/85), and Assault Tank mixed company. In the table center Soviets field a Hero Shturmovye Group (Shock) with 203mm howitzer attached, two Stretkovy companies, and Flame tank company. Their job is to destroy the 88mm position and support either flank advance with detached companies. The right flank advance as the second major push, with the other HQ group, two Hero Stretkovy companies, a Hero SMG company, the other Hero Shturmovye Group (Shock) with 203mm howitzer attached, a Hero Su-76M Assault gun company, and the final Hero Tankovy company. Attached to the two Shock groups are the Soviet FT teams (two each). On call, with their observer teams deployed, the two off-board artillery batteries prepare bombardments and the ever-present Soviet air force buzzing overhead. Overall, the Soviets has the edge in total points…. 5000 vs. 4200 for the Germans.

Landcruiser P.1000 Ratte

As WR finishes up more painted Flames of War 20mm platoons, both Russian and German, for his Festung Breslau April 1945 scenario and future 1943-1944 Italian boot battles, WR can now disclose the “huge” secret project slowly taking material form, even recognizable form, besides his painting table. The soiled painting cloth can be pulled away. So big is this project WR cannot handle or paint the plastic beast under his painting table lamp, requiring special low table height arrangement to handle the construction and painting process. What is this project you ask?…… it’s a Landcrusier P.1000 Ratte, in 1/72 scale from ModelCollect. Why have this kit, this non-historical vehicle from the over-inflated brains of German WWII industry, ordered from Hitler’s own hand mid war? WR even found and located the secondary “weapons set” kit in Japan, just to provide additional armament options for his Landcruiser model upper deck. So why purchased the kit someone will surely ask? Well, WR can say his is the only one on his neighborhood block, maybe even within the local city boundary, at this scale size. There is a 1/144th scale model out in the free world WR should make note of, but WR games in 1/72 or 20mm. Another reason….Just thinking of scenarios for this “land ship” of German industry will task WR’s brain. Everything on the kit is big, large, huge, thick, dense, massive, out of normal proportion, when compared to his standard 1/72 (20mm) WWII vehicles. Most tank models barely clear the bogie height on the Landcruiser, as shown with a picture of Tiger and one wheel leaning against it. Place this painted monster at the tabletop, besides the scenario in play, at local gaming conventions, should surely attract some passerby attention…. which is what, deep lobe in the rabbit brain, is contemplated, at least from the warren PR department. Otherwise, it will become a fully stocked bar, ice bucket maybe, with cheese tray option.

Boxtop artwork for the ModelCollect kit.

 

 

 

The kit parts laid out. Some basic hull assembly has been completed.

Another view of the parts. Main turret built, the kit minor weapon cannon turrets made (if a 12.8cm cannon could be called “minor”), the bag of track links.

The upper hull assembly is basically completed, the lower hull form glued together, and only the hundred or so bogies, to create twelve large bogie “structures”, each with twelve large steel wheels and twelve smaller upper track support wheels, need assembly after basic German yellow painting (spray). Took three Testor spray cans so far to cover the model.

Beginning bogie assembly. Actual 1/72 Tiger in photo for size comparison.

Closer view of wheel vs. Tiger.

 

 

 

 

Most blog updates and pictures to post here after the bogie assemblies completed. Then the golden (German Yellow) question….How to finish the final paint scheme is taxing WR mind. First thought was a “naval look” in gray tones…. but this is late in the war and German camo look is all the rage in the German military. So that’s the reason for the basic German Yellow base color. WR will add to this article how the final look and paint job… maybe go to Earl Scheib for the $299 car paint special, as this model is consuming German yellow spray cans (three so far) with abandon. At least the red, brown, and green colors, of advance German camouflage patterns, can be sprayed with WR’s air gun. How painting camouflage patterns, on a vehicle the size of a small wood, prevents detection is open to thought…. maybe plant real trees atop the hull is the answer. Still, would it ever move, in reality, across open ground comes to mind. Two U-boat complete diesel engine systems should turn the tracks, slowly at first, as they are powerful engines for the era. Anything in the way would simply be crushed.

Lots of internet commentary on the Landcruiser P.1000 Ratte. WR suggests searching with the model kit title to start the research, leading to the several “variants of fantasy” this project created on the German industry drawing tables.

Stocking up on lots of cheese. This “Ratte” will be hungry. It is of sufficient size to become a cheese serving tray in the lower hull, in its own right.

WR

FOW Stoumont 1944 AAR

As WR finishes his Almonacid 1809 Peninsular war battle AAR, his Battle of the Bulge Stoumont Flames of War 3.0MRB game, played over the recent President’s Day weekend at Strategicon – OrcCon LAX, is presented for the readership. This article follows on the recent Stoumont Dec 1944 post which details the former Rapid Fire scenario and conversion to FOW 3.0MRB format. If interested, WR refers the reader for additional notes on the scenario via the provided blue link.

Americans start on the tabletop with all platoons on tabletop except for one platoon chosen for ambush deployment. Player team USA choose the Towed Tank Destroyer 3″ A/T platoon to lie in ambush, thinking their lurking threat to the German panzers will make their movement guarded. One rifle infantry platoon outpost positioned near Rouat hilltop village to satisfy the deployment restriction, otherwise the balance of the American platoons and command groups, including the ambush towed A/T platoon, start in the Stoumont half of the scenario tabletop. Germans all enter at Point A table edge marked on the map, with initial platoons and their following reserve platoons. It’s winter, so the muddy / snowy ground slows off-road team movement to rough going, basically 8″ for tanks, worse for wheeled vehicles. Germans have first movement and weather is foggy (like smoke) for the first turns then random dice roll lifting.

 

 

The scenario AAR: Quick coverage on the American chosen Stoumont deployment. There is no specific deployment positions, just a zone given per scenario notes. The 90mm heavy AA gun is sited to cover the entrance road to Stoumont (historically near the church), along with a rifle platoon in woods leading to Stoumont and the initial buildings. Second rifle platoon positioned in rear half (up road) of Stoumont with Co. HQ CinC team. Weapons platoon detaches the .50cal and LMG teams to each rifle platoon’s forward platoons in Stoumont to increase their firepower. The wepon platoon remaining M2 60mm mortars plus 57mm A/T gun joined by the single 60mm from company HQ, positioned behind hedge on road to Rouat. M4 Sherman platoon hidden in Stoumont center and behind the buildings. Lastly, a single minefield section placed across road at village entrance.

The tabletop and American deployment as mentioned in written text. Germans will enter at lower left table edge. Stoumont at top of photo and Rouat at lower right up on hill.

Center of Stoumont showing the two rifle platoons plus the M4 sherman platoon hidden behind the building. Company HQ team in foreground building.

Another view of Stoumont before the German arrival. Note the sole heavy 90mm AA gun in woods lower right. Rifle platoon in woods and first building of Stoumont covering road minefield.

COE Mercenary War AAR

Time to finish up several After Action reports (AAR) on recent New Year scenarios at the warren, David’s garage, and the Strategicon-OrcCon 2019 LAX convention. First AAR is an unusual Clash of Empires 28mm Mercenary War scenario, featuring defeated Carthage vs. their former hired mercenaries after the conclusion of the 1st Punic War. Before this afternoon of ancient tabletop warfare, WR must admit his knowledge of the post 1st Punic War Carthaginian wars was grossly lacking, in reality WR must state as nonexistent. So, welcome to the Battle of Bagradas River 240 B.C.

The Battle of the Bagradas River, or the Macar by another name (c. 240 BC), was fought by the loyal Carthaginian army (civic levy in most part) against former Carthaginian mercenaries awaiting payment for service after the peace of the 1st Punic War, and joined by rebelling Libyan cities. After the forces of Hanno the Great were defeated at Utica, and failed to engage the mercenaries afterwards despite favorable conditions, Carthage raised a new army under Hamilcar Barca in Carthage. Hamilcar managed to leave Carthage despite the lacking rebel blockade of the city and cross the Bagradas River (the ancient name of the Medjerda). Rebel armies from besieging Utica and the camp guarded the bridge on the Bagradas River. Hamilcar Barca, by brilliant maneuvering, defeated the combined rebel army. This was the first major Carthaginian victory of the war.

Sources for this period of Carthage are hard to come by, most could be viewed as secondary in their reporting. WR’s friend David Kometz used the following internet information for structure and background material for his COE tabletop Battle of Bargaras River scenario design. The Wikipedia article seems a good overview with some detail on this battle.

• Polybius, The Histories. and Battle of Bargaras River (Wikipedia)

The Carthaginian army has surprised the rebels near their respective camps and marched on the tabletop fully deployed. They will set up 40cm from their long table edge with a deployment zone total width of eight feet, centered at the 16×6 table centerline. Thus they can deploy up to four feet from the table bisecting centerline, facing both enemy camps or either one individually. This is a important decision for the Carthage players to decide. The “Bridgehead” rebel Mercenary / Libyan levy camp starts near the stone bridge. All units start across the river, on the same side as the Carthaginian arriving army, placed along the river within 16″ of the bridge (either side), and cannot extend from river edge by 12″. The mercenary / Libyan units cannot cross the river via the bridge to avoid combat and are considered lost for scenario victory conditions if they cross. Units forced into the river are considered destroyed. The upriver “Riverbank” rebels start near their camp along the river near the short table edge. Like the “Bridgehead” camp, they must start within 16″ of the short table edge, measured from the table edge and river exit point. Scenario lasts eight turns with diced 50% chance for additional turns after the conclusion of turn eight. Carthage has first movement as the rebels seek to recover from their surprise reaction seeing the Carthaginians rearward approach. Victory based on total victory points calculation found in COE MRB pages 132-133.

The 16×6 foot table starting set up. Upper left deployed Carthaginian army. Upper right Mercenary /Libyan levy “Bridgehead” command. Foreground shows “Riverbank” mercenary /Libyans.

Terrain notes: A simple straight gravel road somewhat bisects the table near the center point and crosses the bridge. The stone bridge crosses the Bargaras River off-center to the table centerline by 6″ it seems viewing the post battle photos. A small riverside marsh or swampy ground is placed about 2 feet from the bridge, again view the photos for size and placement. Otherwise, the tabletop battlefield is open with scattered light bushes to break up the flatness. Note: The bridge procession is worth extra victory points if controlled by the Carthaginians or likewise, control the “Riverbank” force’s encampment tents as told to the mercenary rebellion player side. Extra victory points unknown to WR during game but I think it was 50 VP per site.

Closer view of the “Bridgehead” mercenary / Libyan command tightly camped at the bridge.

FOW Stoumont Dec 1944

For the upcoming President’s Day weekend Strategicon GAMEX convention (Feb15th-18th), WR plans to run Chris Baxter’s Stoumont 1944 Bulge FOW / Rapid Fire scenario described below. After reading several historical accounts for this battle, WR has made slight force adjustment changes, to the original scenario, to reflect the actual engaged historical forces (reduced to one-third), and minor typographical terrain changes taken from Google maps.

The complete original Flames of War Stoumont .pdf file:  Stoumont scenario notes

Forces and Order of Battle: The OOB taken from the Chris Baxter’s original scenario notes ,pdf file then slightly changed by WR. The minor WR changes from Chris’s original scenario OOB are noted with red text. For both the American and German off-board field batteries, their independent observer teams are not present on the tabletop, therefore only the senior company commander team, for both sides, can summon (range in) artillery bombardments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scenario Map: Redrawn from Chris Baxter’s original 4×4 foot scenario table map. Normally for WR’s 20mm miniature Flames of War scenarios the tabletop dimensions are increased by 25%, hence the 5×5 foot table from the original 4×4 foot. Another way would have each map square on Chris’s scenario map be 15″ square vs. WR’s redrawn 12″ squares, converting to 5×5 foot scenario tabletop overall dimension. The “A” red table edge marks the German entrance edge for initial forces and follow-up reinforcements.

COE Roman Armies

For the regulars, who stopped by the warren blog this December, may noticed the lack of recent December posts. Even gaming was curtailed for bad weather one weekend here in So. California, and except for two Flames of War games, the month’s time was totally absorbed by the Project. The Project (Roman) was continuance of the Clash of Empires (COE) rules miniature basing and organization effort, started back in 2nd quarter 2018 with the WR’s Chariot era 25/28mm collections, Evenings of planning, organization of miniature units to the Clash of Empires system, glued fingers, worn brushes, trips to the local stiff wire hardware store, and shipping orders arriving on the doorstep, adding to the patio pile of tabletop confusion mentioned in my prior COE miniatures project post. Streamlined now, the quick process results pictured below show the effort involved for six COE Ancient Roman era armies. For background details on the basing, organization, and inventory bookkeeping process, see WR’s previous post:  COE Chariot era armies

The six Ancient Roman Clash of Empires (COE) army collections completed during the Project: Early Rome (Kingdom) & Italian City States, Republican Rome, Late Republican Rome including Caesarian period, Early Imperial Rome, then Middle (2nd / 3rd Century) and Late Imperial Rome armies.

First up is the Early Rome and Italian City State Clash of Empires (COE) collection. These units will fill out the ranks for Rome’s armies or be opponents against the growth of Rome. Still weak in cavalry (or chariots), small tabletop actions like “border” disputes or cattle raids are planned.

Wargamerabbit’s Clash of Empires 25/28mm Early Rome – Italian City States era ancient army collection formed for review as of Dec 2018.

Side view of the Early Rome – Italian City State collection. Italian Greeks at top, Samnites and Romans lower half.