Brunehilde

Brunhilde was a Frank leader/chieftain of the early Germans. She is also a shield maiden in Wagners "Ring Cycle" commonly called a Valkyrie. So I thought it was a fitting name for  my carrier in aeronef.  It is so large I have had to make my own flying stand. (Still work to do on that). It is by Brigade models (LINK). They do not have any suitable bases either, so no short-cut there. At present it dips down slightly in the front, but that shall be rectified. The model comes as a multi part kit in both resin and white metal. But goes together easily . (except whan you loose 2 turrets)

I have included a pic of Wagners Brunhilde just so you know what I am talking about. The aeronef Brunhilde is quite the largest aeronef I have seen (as yet) and as such dwarfs many of the other nations carriers. I have yet to see the stats for the ship but am expecting Large medium and small guns as well as the ability to launch 2 wings of fighters each turn. (Assuming I have paid the points for them) and Can field them on the table. Yes I feel an order to Brigade coming very shortly as I feel I will need torpedo bombers!

 Showing the other side it only has one runway. Tis is not a problem as The aircraft (not shown) easily fit on it. matt has expressed some envy of it as it does make the British carrier look small. But as we all know size is only one solution. The whole model costs £9 but is a pain to paint. There is no where for it to rest. Theerfore you have to paint a bit and the Vanish it or else rub paint off with your hands as you handle it.  I suspect It has had 5 coats of varnish in all. Including a top coat when all the painting is done.

 Just to hint at how large it is the photo shows a small Patrol Aeronef sitting on its stand. As you can clearly see the patrol nef can fit inside one of the hangers (if put at an angle). It was a beast to paint and I am glad it is over. No Matt I do not want to paint any more!











Unrelated. I have had a mini spend on eBay. The books are to give me a bit of a boost with Lion Rampant and the Video with Pup alley. I hasten to add there will not be dinosaurs and cowboys in pulp alley this time. So forget that idea. But something to watch in the small hours when sleep does not come.

Next time some more Lion Rampant. And an accident with  a figure.

Until then have a good weekend and do something to reward yourself.

All the best Clint

Imperial skies game aar.

Jon's Carrier was not used,
BUT looks so good I had to phonograph it!

Sundy at the club we had an Imperial skies (aeronef) game. Jon a friend of mine from years ago agreed to tear us the rues as he was a playtester before they were published.

Before we started I suggested 2000 points, Jon cut that to 1600 points. When he saw the play area it was cut again to 1000 points. I am glad he did, it made a better  game.

He also introduced us to a pair of house rules. Again these made sense and did improve the game. Rule1: Small ships could activate in a flotilla of three and a single command pip would allow all sips in the flotilla to gain that benefit. Again this made sense as one ship would have seniority and would signal  the other ships.

Rule 2: When firing if you rolled 3 ones in a row then another d6 was rolled. This roll would on an even score be a magazine hit and on an odd score it would represent the gun overheating and cooking of a round in the breach!

We agreed to both of those house rules and play started.

Here is what happened::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Jon's US fleet at 1600 points!

Matt's 1000 point fleet

Jon's 1000 point fleet

Jon's first turn

End of turn 1.
Matt British fleeton the left
and Jon's US fleet on the right

Veiw from the other end. Turn 2 about to start.

The Us Fleet unleashes 2 flotillas of torpedo boats.
They were very successful and
destroyed one of the British Cruisers
in a single turn.
Matt was not happy!

Most of te US fleet has still to get into action.
The Torpedo boats still have "Steel fish" yet to fire.

Devastated Matt continues to push on. But his Big ships are slow.

Disaster trikes the US fleet and a gun overheats
and his aeronef is destroyed by it's own firing>
Remember house rule 2!

The Us Torpedo boats continue to
launch torpedoes claiming a British destroyer next.

Despite Matt losses He does manage to down
some of the torpedo boats and by the end of the turn
is managing to fight back

Turn 2 ends. The Torpedo boats seem to be doing all the work.

From the other end things do not look any better

Slowly very slowly the bigger ships start to get involved.
Jon moves his battleship forward,
but it is still (at this stage) out of 30" range.
(30" is the maximum range of the biggest guns)

It now starts a war of attrition. As both fleets get in range
with their biggest guns.

Turn 3 ends.
The two fleets now start battering each other.

Some ships are now in short or medium range and they
all start to take damage.
Each ship faces several others and each ship
has several targets

it is a case of who will break first.
then the US torpedoes claim another victim.

It becomes a close in ruction and while the US fleet
continues to do well. glimmers of hope are seen from the British.
The salvation comes in two forms.
Firstly the |Torpedo boats have just about run out of Torpedoes
Secondly the British Carrier  is launching wave after wave of fighters

Turn 4 get underway.
The big ships have lots of guns.
Also they are not shy of using them.
The smaller crsers and destroyers fare the worse.

The US big battleship is matched by an equally big british ship.
Worse yet Matt has 2 of them.

I recall being surprised at how many dice
 the US battleship was able to roll.
But Then the British fleet had just as many in return.

Turn 4 ended and turn 5 started.

The British Fleet digs deep
and several of te US larger cruisers are destroyed.
And then Tragedy struck
Fuel was spilt on the deck of the British carrier
and in a single turn it was
consigned to the burning scrap heap.

The game ended.

 Conclusion: It was a fair fight and either side could have one. The US fleet got some early kills due to torpedoes but in the end the British gunnery was up to the task. While the small ships started the game. the big ships ended it. While I was just observing and not playing boh sides played both with élan and fairness. Both admirals can be proud. So who won? Basically it was a draw! Theer was no clear winner. But importantly I got to learn the rules. Which from my point of view was the reason for the game.

Jon has been looking online fore the cheapest and most effective points cost of vessels to counter torpedoes. Matt has been looking online at tenders and planes that are able to carry torpedoes. While I have started to paint "Brunhilde!" but more of that another time.

The game was a success. all players enjoyed it and all players have spoken to me at least about a rematch. (Different fleets though). So all three of us learned something. And while I was going to do the "Taking of Borkum (123)" a straight even match up was better o the day. perhaps next time it will be Borkum. I have a map and have visited the place (twice as much work if you do not speak German!)

So that was Sundays game.

Couple of little bits

Ok back on the 6mm Sci fi. Here are the last of the heavy tanks. Before anyone says I have not finished yet. (APCs, Infantry and "Jeeps" to go on this faction).

They are Brigade Models (LINK ) and incredibly easy to paint. basically 3 colours and 2 on the base. A general tan a wash or dark tan and black on the hover skirts. Very quick and easy and done in a couple of hors including drying.

I do need to build up a second force AND find some rules I like but for now that can wait. The second force will be CDSU for those familiar with their universe. (Or Chinese if you do not know their universe!).

Quick simple and now done.

I am still  pondering my options in 15mm Sci fi. Current thinking is that I will use Kra Vak INFANTRY but no vehicles.  I could go into details but as I am likely to order them this week I can wait for their arrival before I do.












Elsewhere on the painting table. I have been painting Aeronef..

These are all British ships and belong to MATT. I have to paint them propped up on pencils as he attaches a gizmo underneath to allow them to go on flying stands.

Needless to say this does cause as many issues as it solves in the painting.

Thee are both british battleships and should cause so in game head-aches. As they are quite formidable.

Again by Brigade models  and of all  the things I am likely to paint the things I like least.


That's it  for today. More coming soon or at least soonish!

I plan to make terrain up the shed tomorrow but enough of that in a later post. (terrain for 15mm Sci Fi!

 Have a good weekend and more when I egt things finished.

All the best Clint

Buisy few days

After the heat and the weather sapping all my energy I now find myself full of zim and zigour. In other words the Mojo has returned. I therefore completed a unit for Lion Rampant. Ok not from scratch but a re-paint. There are things still to change! Firstly I may replace the bannerman with an archer. I feel this is most important. As suchthe re-paint of an additional archer is underway. Secondly I may replace the musician. And I may not. In lion rampant all troops need to be within 3" of a unit leader. As such the musician if they act as the unit leader (with no abilities) it may clearly mark a place all troops need to be within 3 inches of. So at present I am in 2 minds. I have spare archers so it is at this stage not a cost issue.


I plan another archer unit in Black and white (Sable and Argent) as the next part of this sub project! They should I hope be finished either today or tomorrow. Yes I shall blog them soon. If the gods will it, it shall be done with this group and the additional bowman and the bannerman removed. That gives me time to think about the musician.

Aeronef: All the parts I messed up arrived yesterday afternoon. (which is quite normal delivery via the postman. And no complaints about that what so ever!) As such early this morning about 3;30am I fitted the small turrets. And here it is ready for a second prime!

Therefore I shall start the painting any-time now! I am still unsure of the colours but As it is Victorian Science Fiction I will not follow the painted version on the Brigade web site.

I will now keep this hidden until finished! So no more aeronef for a while.

Retail therapy: I have purchased 2 things wargames related.  A box of Perry Plastics. These in time will bulk out my Lion Rampart force. Perhaps a unit of crossbows!  I have also contacted a few members of the wargames club to see if they have any spare figure I could buy of them for this project. Maybe I will be lucky on the weekend. Time will tell.

The second thing I bought was from Dave Stone.at Wargames Terrain Workshop (LINK ) A stand of Cactus.  I must admit I am itching to start painting this. Now before I do I need to carry on building some terrain which due to the heat had slipped onto the back burner. However thanks to Dave, {THANKS DAVE} it is moving to the front rapidly. In fact I MAY do some tonight! I feel I have a fresh start and that makes a lot of difference! I have noticed that WTW also make Dinosaurs! While I do not need any for any planned project it is definitely something to ponder for the future!

That#s it for today. Spare time planed already to painting models making terrain and If I get the chance a Cak ay get made as well as It seems ages since I made a Cake!

All the best Clint

Heavies.

Sorry I had a couple of days off!  Actually I am not sorry it was a break I needed after the weather being over 33 oC I have felt like a hostage to the weather for the last 2-3 months. But now the weather has "Broken" back down to normal for tis time of year I feel as if I want to get on with things.

 Lets start with some Si-fi tanks These are heavy laser heavy tanks. Only 2 of which but as I like them I suspect I may get more. Maybe even 1 in 15mm for a few games. After all very little says sci fi like a laser!

At the end of this section I shall show a pic so you may judge scale. I am aware that last time with it missing there was nothing to judge size by.

 2 Twin barrel Heavy tanks. 2 of these I think should be enough at least for now. It is possible I shall change my mind in the future but for now 2 is enough!

For those counting that makes 6 heavy tanks in all. I know they are not massive additions but they should bulk out the force considerably. I do have an infantry platoon alomg with 3 Hover jeeps and 6 additional heavy tanks (Standard turret) so this project is not finished juts yet!

After that I need to get the other force done. And to be honest I am still thing about that!







The last pic shows a size comparison which should allow you to see the magnitude of the heavy tanks to the medium tanks with 6mm infantry on the far right. So we have 2 Heavy tanks , one medium tank and a stand of infantry. As mentioned previously



Aeronef.

Due to bottom/hull detail I need to assemble and paint them on pencils. I mucked up the turrets and Have had to send for some more. With luck they should arrive BY NEXT weekend. 4 teeny tiny turrets to put on ad then the painting can begin. It is a slog but as it was my mistake I have to bite the bullet and get on with it!

In the background is a large British ship (Part painted for Matt) I think it is a Vanguard class Battleship BUT with different turrets. So quite a big ship and yet compared to the German carrier rather small. It will be interesting to position this along side a few other ships and see if it really is as big as I think!

 That's it for today and with luck back to normal in a day or two. All the best Clint