Fantastic Voyage 2 (More "tank" pics)

As not all the pics came out on the last post here are the rest. Mostly I have 3 of each type, but only one flier and 4 of this one. Last pic shows all the types together for a comparison of size. Colour wise I have three projects for these bug vehicles. Moon boards, Tim's desert boards in 15mm, and the fantastic voyage game.  Colours should suit all three terrains if possible, but undecided just yet, either beetle like or worm like is my current thoughts. But any suggestions welcome. Always happy to have constructive feedback.

We can play on the moon boards as soon as there's a spare slot at the club. which should be 6 weeks time if Kev, Tim and Relfie desire (or anyone else). Up to you guys I know you'll let me know.

Fantastic Voyage idea

All these pics are of my latest eBay win. They were painted by the previous owner, but I WILL be repainting them. (but not straight away).  Down the club on Sunday Tim was talking about a few projects he plans this year. I won't give anything away about the direction we wants to take FRONTLINE WARGAMING in, but one of the game plans was to start some 15mm science fiction games using "Tomorrows War" by Ambush alley games. He's sent for the rules (I think it was his son's pester power if I'm honest), the same rules I got for Crimbo but have yet to read as it happens. So I did a quick eBay search and some of these were for sale. 22 in all, although I don't like 2 of the figures so will not be using them. I know I'm fussy, yeah live with it. These are by Brigade Games, another local firm and they are intended for 15mm Science fiction wargames. The figure however is a GZG 28mm. The joy of using things which are obviously alien is that they don't have a scale. Which means these can be any size. I have toyed with the idea of doing a "Fantastic Voyage" game before and am currently discussing the idea on the Crooked Dice Forum. Not many people have posted any feedback about it yet, I think they are waiting to see how it goes and what I do with it. Which is pretty wise really as I might fall flat on my face.

I am confident the guys down the club will go for the idea, as it's something completely different. I have never seen it done at a show either so if it all goes well it might be quite eye catching. Time will tell. All the pictures are is to show the range of "vehicles" that I managed to secure at an absolute bargain price. In one way I feel sorry that I was the only bidder and yet I am very happy to have gotten them at the opening bid. His loss (sorry mate) and my gain.  Anyway back to the game idea. If you have not seen "Fantastic Voyage"the basic idea is that a very delicate operation has to be carried out INSIDE the living body of a man. The Film stars and a submarine are shrunk and injected into his body where they have to move along the arteries and capillaries to reach the location that they have to perform the operation. I see the game being focused on two teams (players) one team must carry out the operation, the other team must stop the operation from being a success. And all these "tanks" being the bodies natural defences, antibodies if you will. Which will endeavour to winder both teams as they "protect" their host body from coming to harm. Well that's the basic idea. More on this project should it get carried further.

Up the shed the moon board is drying nicely and should go to paint over the weekend. The coast board is also coming along well. I have added the 3 inches to bring it to full height and if dry tomorrow I'll do the basic carving on the cliffs. And then that's the boring bit done with The exciting bit is next where I swear a lot make a mess and panic.

Due to babysitting duties I have painted nothing more than last time.

Anyway that's it for today,

Early again

Again posting early because I think I'll have my nephew again tomorrow and therefore will not get a chance to write anything then.

Having had such a good game at the club on Sunday my thoughts have naturally drifted onto all things colonial. I mentioned the diversity of club members a few days ago, but when you enjoy a game you want to play and collect it. Tim has enough 15mm Sudan stuff, or will have when he gets some more Ansar for the Mahdi's forces as I felt he was a little shy in the last game. Graham is also thinking of getting some stuff for this period, he mentioned Egyptian forces. Egyptians would be a nice compliment as they can be used to both fight against or alley with the British depending upon the dateline. (Although they would not alley with the Mahdi!) So IF I decide to join in I might be best selecting another part of the world for the colonial period. The obvious one is Zulus, but the thought of painting a horde of 15mm Zulus quite frankly leaves me COLD! Afghan tribesmen or Maoris also fails to inspire me. Which could leave the Boxers if I wanted a colourful army and I like the idea but then I think of all the terrain and the painting and cost and I quickly go off the idea. There is a colonial project I started about 20 years ago however which I could rejuvenate. I have a start for it and it would or at least could be a good fun game to play.... 7th Cavalry and Indians, (Sioux or Apache). It's not the obvious choice for colonials as we tend to pigeon hole colonial mostly to British or at least European Expansionism. Our Friends across the pond did not need to set sail and invade another country they only "needed" to invade their own! (No offence meant to any American readers).

Well the snow has gone so I have managed to do some work up the shed, now it needs to dry again. The Moon board has had another coat of "Muck" and now has to dry. This should be it's last coat of muck and then two coats of paint and glue to bring it to the same stage as the others.

The coastline board has dried (mostly) so I have added a few more layers which brings it 3 inches short of planned height. I have carved the cliffs a little so there are no massive overl-hangs. I am a little behind on these two projects now, but not disastrously behind just yet.

Little has been finished due to babysitting duties. Currently on the paint table is a unit of 10mm dwarfs, A matchbox converted car,  and a platoon of 15mm US infantry for PBI. Yes I know it's a random mixture but these are all ongoing projects. I am looking forward to sharing them with you as I get them done. AT present I am doing a bit on all of them when time allows.

Sudan Club Game. Battle Report

I am blogging early today, because I will be looking after my nephew a few times this week including tomorrow so I might not get time then. I hope to post again on Wednesday.
So it was club day today at the club, I was going to play Warmaster with Kev and Relfie but as Relfie did not think he could get the day of work I arranged a game with Tim. Playing a game with Tim is always good all his figures are well painted and based. He provides all the scenery and makes no fuss about all the work he has done.  The basic scenario was to relive a small detachment of Scots troops on the outskirts of a town. Tim Made and cast the town and is available from FRONTLINE WARGAMING so have a look. Thorn bushes had been cut down to create a defence position which we had to reach all the way across 6 foot of 15mm desert.
The Relief column is in the second picture and Graham and myself shared the responsibility of command. We used the rules "A Good Dusting" mostly as a playtest for the club as not one of us had used them before. My forces and a cavalry troop are to the bottom of the picture while Graham had two additional units not seen in the pic. The Ansar were to appear in "Random" locations at "random" times so all we had to do was advance to the objective at the pace of ox carts on the open desert, which is to say walking pace. So off we set with flank and rear guard units set out in place in a very organised manner.
The Mardi did not want to play straight of the bat and only sent a small probing unit of spears and sword into a rocky outcrop on the far right flank. Obviously I was not going to let that go unchallenged so I countered with a unit of infantry in open order to flush them out while supporting with my cavalry.
The column slowly advanced.
The following turn a unit of Camalry arrived on the British left and two units of Ansar with rifles decided to test the defending Scots in their defence position. Graham sent his cavalry against the camels and melee was entered. The melee was indecisive and a group of "Fuzzy Wuzzies"turned up in a box canyon previously unobserved by our Colonial powers. By now my fire power had halved the spear on the rough hill so I let loose the cavalry in an impetuous charge up hill on a rocky slope. They consequently bounced, but did not rout.
Johnny Foreigner then bought a smooth bore cannon up behind me. Just not cricket old boy not cricket at all. The shooting Madi at the Scotch defence forced the lowlanders back and made them regroup.
The Cavalry/camalry melee was still pretty much at a stand still each taking  equal casualties and thus a swirly mass of mounted troops hacking at each other. The Fuzzies tried to join the melee but the khaki line of foot poured a withering fire into them. It was decisive enough to give them a pluck test which made the halt before contact.
On my flank (the right) I pulled the cavalry out of the charge and turned them on the smooth bore. They would stop short and have to suffer cannon shot but if they survived they would fall on the gun and sweep it from the board. And If they did not survive It would buy me enough time to bring some infantry into place to bring Martini Henry's revenge on the cannon crew. Harsh but If I was going to loose any unit the cavalry were my choice. As luck (in the form of bad dice rolls) would have it they took very minimal casualties and ploughed into the Gun. I felt good. I finally got rid of those pesky spearmen with my rifle line my cavalry had survived assured destruction and the column was creeping up the board. More Ansar arrived, foot units on the left and a native horse unit near the smooth bore threatening to scupper my cavalry. Graham was not getting it all his own way. His cavalry finally broke leaving a gap for the Camalry to dash through and reach the baggage train. However Graham had anticipated and swung his rear guard unit into position to "muller" the Native Cavalry and his baggage train guard unit to a position to counter the Camalry IF they did close with the baggage train.
My Infantry by this stage had moved far enough up the table to take a couple of rocky hills (uncontested) and bring supporting fire for the Sottish contingent who were slowly getting whittled down. Platoon fire from these heights drove the locals back into the town and away from the Scottish defenders.
At this stage it was clear that we would make it through with sufficient force to relieve the defenders. My Cavalry scattered the gun crew. and Grahams infantry had overlapping fields of fire and could enfilade any attacking force that came close.

Conclusion: A good game, rules we shall use again, nice scenery and figures. Great people to game with all in all a very worthwhile experience.  It is clear the Tim needs more Mardist forces, they did well but needed more numbers to really challenge the British. Arriving piece meal ment they had no concentration and allowed me and Graham to focus on them when the arrived and we thus tended to outnumber them when it mattered most. (in terms of fire power if not always numbers).