Jingle all the way



Britannia Jingle Truck

This is a Britannia "Jingle Truck". I have put a picture of a real one from Afghanistan at the bottom just so you can see that I really have not gone over the top with the decoration. At this stage it has not been weathered. I am reluctant to weather it just yet as it took an age to paint. As you can see most surfaces have some form of decoration. Yes I could have added more and more and even more, but by this stage I was content with the level. Having taken an age to paint, mostly because I did not know what I was doing, I am reluctant to get another. That's a shame after all what other wargames am I ever going to paint one for. Most of the decoration is very abstract just dots and dashes in different colours and as bright as I could manage. If I was to tackle another I realise I would paint it much quicker as I would be less precious about the pattens and colours but as I don't need another just yet I'll leave it for now. Most panels have been painted a couple of times as I could not settle on the colours. It started as mostly red for example and has metamorphosed into mostly green. Although using the words "Mostly green" is somewhat misleading. Painting it really was a love hate relationship but now it's done I shall miss it! I guess I'm never happy. I deliberately painted a crescent flag on the front the driver is no doubt praying that it will not become the 

Jingle Truck in Afghanistan

 number one bullet magnet on the table. I can just imagine what a typical British Colour Sergent would have t say about it. As well as your typical Tommy so I suspect the typical wargamer will also have a few choice words. None of them complementary, about the truck but I also suspect that if I can get the boards right it might get a few photos on the day just for novelty value. For some reason wargamers are drawn to the unusual and I think this fits the bill. As I look back I would be willing to paint another, but not this week. Or next, and not for anyone else. I have also managed to get a couple more Taliban done as well but no photos just yet, until I can get some more tufts and varnished. Therefore that's all I'll show today.

We have a club game on Sunday (real wargamers don't stop for Easter!) We hall have a Force on Force game, to remind us of the rules and what we are supposed to be doing. So I had better re-read the rules this afternoon. That's it for today I'll post again on Monday, thanks for reading this and have a good Easter. Cheers Clint







Have I got news for you!

Here we have a news team, a very modern take on warfare. Yes there have been war artists throughout history and journalists even poets yet to me it seemed to change with the Vietnam conflict. I think It has also changed more recently when you think about the self published works from mobile phones, facebook, twitter and youtube. However that part of journalism will not play a major part in my Afghanistan game. A film crew on the other hand could well be useful. Here we have "Fake Adie" a cameraman, sound engineer and a photographer-newspaper journalist. The figures are by MJ Figures (http://mjfigures.co.uk/) but Britannia (Available from Andrew Grubby from here http://www.grubbytanks.com/catalog/ ) also make a film crew. I have christened her "Fake Adie" but I am sure various players will come up with other perhaps more inventive names some of them more erhmm... shall we say "colourful". Overall I am happy how they have come out and are finished except for some tufts and varnish. I have had to send for more tufts so as soon as they arrive job done.

This pic is a quick snap of me "entertaining" my nephew with an impromptu 7ombie TV game. This is just about the last turn when the survivors (played by James) get into the vehicle and head for the sunset. Just played quickly and for a break from 40k (Grrrrr) so I can get a little sanity back. Being 12 he's not overly keen on letting me take any time to set a game up and wants it rolled out there and then. So minimal terrain but at least we got to roll dice. Overall not too bad a game as he won by escaping but I did manage to wound both of his survivors.

I have not managed to even start the first board yet, although perhaps given the long weekend I might manage to. I really need to get going now as BROADSIDE is 2 months away. Still no more babysitting now as my sister has collected James and although I expect him to visit over the weekend both because it is his birthday and to collect Easter Eggs. As a Birthday Pressie I got him a model of an x-wing despite the unsubtle hints about Orks for 40K. The hints were just a little two late, he should have dropped them last week, not this. Oh well I have never known anyone to complain about getting star wars x- wing models I know I wouldn't.

Anyway back to wargaming and away from family waffle. As mentioned above Broadside is 2 months away. Not time to panic just yet as I am getting there. I have all the Taliban I think I need undercoated at the very least and anticipate them being finished over next weekend. Then It will be on with the Brits.

As a show we are now full, 36 traders many from very far away Hull, Sheffield, Dorset, Nottingham etc. 14 Local clubs, and some more on a reserve list and 26 planned games including several put on by traders. Talking of which I had an email from one of the traders asking to borrow some of my scenery, (Phil from Pen and Sword.) My local readers should know he was for many years a member of the Rainham club so more of a friend to me so I am happy to help him out if I can. He also wanted to borrow 2 Franco-Prussian armies as well for a set of rules recently published. That I can't help with having never even played a Franco-Prussian game. It's just a period that does not appeal.

Well that's today's offerings. Should post again on Saturday. Thanks for reading and take care all. Cheers Clint.

Large Compound (WIP)

Here is my last (for now) compound. Yes it's another work in progress as to be honest I have nothing finished today due to looking after my nephew and playing warhammer all day yesterday. I think I'll be either playing the classic game from my youth "Escape from Colditz" or 7ombie TV. He will of course want to do both all day and not give me a break. AT his own house it is somewhat easier as he has all HIS stuff their. At my house he Needs more entertaining.  Anyway that's neither here nor there lets talk about wargames. As said above this is the latest of my compounds. It has yet to be tidied up and painted. As such it is very much a work in progress. It has been made in the same way. Again mounted on 3mm mdf with the walls made from Grey-board and the roofs from Mounting board. The local art framer is a decent bloke and lets me have some of his Mount board off cuts (in return I make a donation to his favourite charity) so we all benefit. As mentioned this is the largest of the 4 compounds and as can be clearly has a raised tower. I knew from the start that I wanted a tower on this compound but until I started I had no idea of where it would go. The tower is an obvious fire position, as it will be the highest point on table (not including aircraft providing "love from above"). It only has windows on 2 faces so there

are some blind spots which wiley tacticians will spot straight away. Blind spots are to be encouraged as these are "domestic dwellings" and not forts. They are therefore built without too much regard to modern military concerns. Given the cutting board beneath the compound you can judge this model as being about A4 in foot-print. AS I will be using 2 foot squar boards a compound of this size does take up quite a lot of table space. Another issue with using 2 foot square boards is that given the scale size of say a landing zone (LZ) for medivac means that about half of one board is needed for a chinook to land. I had not anticipated that when planning the game. Still I think I can use that to my advantage as it will mean the LZ needs not only to be clear, but also lines of fire onto the LZ need to be controlled or the LZ gets declared as "Cherry"

That's today's blog, thanks for reading and I'll post again on Thursday.

Light Air Defence.



Taliban Sa7 Team

Given that I was thinking about using
helicopters it would only be appropriate to give the Taliban something to worry the coalition players. Here we have an SA 7 team. The spotter has a Light machine gun partially to protect the SA7 from ground forces as well as air support. These are both Britannia which I am really enjoying painting, they almost paint themselves. One of the other things about Britannia miniatures is that both times I have ordered from Andy Grubb he's added a little extra, more of this later.
In the Force on Force rules Air defence falls 

Where not to stand

into a different categories dependant on the number of units which can act as anti aircraft, such as surface to air missiles and heavy
 machineguns, 12.7mm and the like. As I don't have much anti aircraft Taliban most of the games will be either "No air defence" or "light Air defence" these are abstracted into the chance of coalition ground attack being successful, or not. It is possible with "No air defence" for the coalition pilots still not to have a decisive attack but the chances are they will do some damage and with the "Danger close" rules it's possible for blue on blue casualties.  But most often the result will be 3rd picture.


Coalition return fire

These two dead Afghans were my freebies from my last order from Britannia. I am of course delighted with them. I may be tempted to buy some more. I was unsure whether I should bloody them, but the decision was taken out of my hands when the blue paint from the figure on the left "Bled" into the sand. The only thing I could do was to paint the blue sand red. So problem solved. These two figures do not have obvious guns which means they can be used as non-combatants as well as Taliban. Was the airstike on target after all? This is perfect as it allows for more options rather than just casualty markers. Imagine a scenario where the British patrol come across a body in the middle of a town, and nothing else. Obviously they need to protect themselves but what if the bodies are wounded and they get the chance to save a life, but then what if it's a trap. One simple marker which could lead to a whole scenario. AS a wargamer we would always expect the worse and assume it was a trap possibly an IED, maybe an ambush. But it could be a teacher the Taliban have severely wounded and left to die and the Coalition have a limited number of turns to rescue them and casevac them. The joy of that scenario is hat most players would assume there would need to be gun-play, but they could loose on victory points just by taking too long to resolve the action. Just a thought.

That's it for today. As the Easter holidays have now started I shall be looking after my nephew for some days which will slow me down. So don't expect too much output. Anyway I'll blog again on Tuesday. All the best cheers Clint.



Is that a guy in a Burkha?

Yep that is one of the rules that the Taliban in Force on Force can use. It simulates the Taliban being able to dress as civilians and make their escape off board without being targeted by the Coalition troops. To achieve this they must end their turn out of sight of any coalition forces including UAVs or air-support. Their following turn they can just be removed. AS I am thinking of a scenario where there is a POI (Person of Interest) to the coalition who needs to escape off the table I thought this was an appropriate figure. Both these figures are Britannia Miniatures which I really do enjoy painting.

These two are by MJ miniatures. They have cleaner lines and are less "characterful" at £2.50 for 5 they are slightly cheaper than Britannia and as they are nicely proportioned I am using them as the bulk of my Afghan Taliban. I wish they did a bigger range, but by using different colours I should "get away with it!" By that I mean people should not immediately say things like "those two must be brothers they look the same..." and similar inane comments. I know most players won't say things like that but if I can reduce the chance of them feeling that in some way the game was lessened then so much the better.

The last pic, (a little dark sorry). is of some figures I got on eBay. I was sold them as being "Liberation Miniatures" and I'll take the sellers word for it, but I was expecting them to be generally of better quality if they are. I am not going to labour the point and will use them, but overall I'm not impressed with them. However if this is the only thing I have to worry about my life must be pretty darn good.

I think it's clear looking at the three pictures that figure proportions and "scale creep" do exist in 20mm. It also confirms to me that my choice to use MJ Miniatures as the main figure supplier is justified. I will have to add some Britannia Miniatures as there are more options for figures, including civilians and as shown previously guys on motorbikes.

That's today's post. I'll Blog again on Sunday. All the best till them and thanks for reading this, Cheers Clint.

WIP

AS you can see it's all work in progress today. I know I know, we all want to see nice pics of painted figures, but there are times when I just don't get any figures finished enough to show. So Instead of unfinished figures here are the next two compounds for the Afghanistan game. These two are both the same size and one is farther along than the other. There is another started as well, but that is component form at the moment so maybe over the weekend, or beginning of next week. Anyway I have used exactly the same construction methods as last time. (which is grey board for the walls and mount board for the roofs.) I don't plan out the roof levels before I start. Let me be even more honest I just cut the base board, and get a uniform height for the compounds by using the thickest part of my steel "roofers" square. I make the rest up as I go along. So all the roofs and parapet depths are different (and doorways Opps... but they look close enough). I also don't plan the building arrangements either. I don't know, but I do suspect that The Afghan government has other things to worry about than town planning in out laying districts .Like I said I could be wrong

 and If I am I apologise. The last two pics are even less complete than the first two (figures to show scale only). This one will have either one or two further blocks on the left as you look at it, depending on what I feel loos correct at the time. I really do make it up as I go along. The next stage for these two (once the second one gets the left side done) is for me to fill any gaps with ready mixed wall filler. Just so it doesn't look so bodged and all the joints are less obvious. I am sure the paint will help a lot, but as WIP I am quite content. The last pic is them both together. I think on the board I will have a gap between them. If the gap is quite narrow  it

creates quite a game challenge and in real life an ambush possibility. It's not called Ambush Alley for no reason after all.All of which adds to the game. I have not been lax on the painting front either. I have a lot of things started, but as I had a chance to get on the table, construction took priority. With some luck I'll have some painted figures to share next time. Mostly still working on Taliban with a variety of weapons and posses. I have also joined the Ambush Alley Forum (at last) only done a couple of posts on there at the moment just really introducing myself. But we all know I'll start asking odd questions soon.... o idea what yet but something will pop into my head and I just will need it answering. The long term plan is to become a "Pointman" for them in 2013. But that all depends on how well Broadside goes from a game point of view.

Talking of Broadside we are definitely full now. 36 traders, 12 clubs and 24 games. Some of the traders, like crooked dice are putting on games, don't start to think each club is putting on two games. One trader I can think of (Pen and Sword... Cough...) is putting on two games. Reading between the lines I think this means Phil (commissioning editor for P+S) will have a couple of people down running the rules they have recently released. I can't criticise them, as they are helping to sponsor the show this year. Now that we are full we can only put clubs and traders on a reserve list. A bit different from last year when we were taking traders up to the last minute. (2 day before the show was the latest booking). It seems so much easier this time round, which does make me wonder what we've done wrong, there's always something and as long as you know there will be a problem (even if you can't guess what it will be) you can take some measures to solve it. At this stage if I have to guess what it will be I would say something to do with the Flea Market! Only time will Tell.

Anyway that's today's post. Another one on Friday. Thanks for looking and talk again soon, Clint

3 Musketeer Game and WIP compund

Two things today, firstly the club game I put on over the weekend. Due to the nature of the homebrew rules it would be pretty difficult to give a battle report as there's no movement restrictions and each figure is encouraged to take multiple "actions" in their turn. However as an overview,  there were 2 musketeers and 2 cardinals guard and Rochfort (who turned up part way through the game). So or me the highlights were in no particular order:

• Having an empty barrel placed over my characters head.
• Kev having 6 stun markers on his character all at the same time. (yes they all stack)
• Rochfort "Groping one of the female market traders.
• Stealing the Cardinals ring and throwing it across the tabletop, only to be plucked out of the air by one of his guards.
• Several jokes about the Cardinals ring!
• The amount of fruit,veg and pies that were thrown at each other, rather than trying to run each other through with sword and dagger.
• The fact that several players paid for the fruit,veg, pies etc..that they had used. Honest bunch arn't we!
• Relfie's guard having a snooze half way through the fight.

There were loads of other things that happened and it is remarkable how many 1's you can roll on a d20 or how many 4+ you can roll on a d6, when you need 1-3. Overall it worked, but not as well As I would have liked. I shall therefore make the following adjustments.

1. Start action on a d12 as opposed to a d20.
2. Reduce wounds from 5 to 3.
3. Change defence on the De Grassi fighting style to a dice increment in their favour as opposed to 2 dice and take the worse.
4. allow players to buy off three stuns in exchange for a wound.

I'll type those changes into the rules today.

Meanwhile back in Afghanistan I have a few work in progress (WIP) pics of the first compound I'm building for the Broadside game. It has a 3mm MDF base and the main walls are of 4mm "grey board" which has a slight "stucco" like texture which should translate quite well when it goes to paint. I hope to make 2 more "compounds" this week in the same materials. With luck this should be enough for the first 2x2' board, which should represent an agricultural village when combined with the other 3 planned boards.

White Van Man

This is another Britannia miniatures from Grubby tanks (http://www.britannia-miniatures.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/60_61) It has a 12.7mm Heavy machine gun in the back and a guy who looks like he wants to use it. The primary aim of this model is to give the British players something to think about, worry about and use anti tank weapons on. Which I imagine they will be more than happy to do. IF I know the average wargamer at all they will be itching to have a pop at it. It was a very quick and easy model to paint. Starting with a white undercoat as the base colour (this technical has only had the windows painted (wet on wet so no obvious lines as the blues get lighter). The bed of the pickup a very dark grey and the tires. I then just weathered it a little so it looked uncared for and battered and generally kicked around. It is after all mostly going to be used as target practise by the coalition forces. I am told that MJ figures whom I mentioned on Thursday are also going to make a technical as well. I hope, but do not know, that it will be sufficiently similar so I can use it as well. And yet different enough that they don't look like copies. With luck it will be a different car make and model as this will add variety. Until I see one though I'll just be keeping my fingers crossed.

I have just finished the construction of a "Compound". No Photos yet, maybe Monday. which is the first piece of real constructed scenery. I have unfortunately used up all the 4mm thick "grey board" I went this morning to try an art supplier and was informed they no longer stock it as it is slightly acidic and could over time damage any artwork in contact with it. Still we don't worry about that, he has agreed to try his suppliers and see if he can still get some. I'll know in 3 weeks. Meanwhile back on the ranch, I have some 2mm thick "grey board" so lamination will start this afternoon. I should have enough to make 3 or 4 more compounds, which actually should be enough as most of the buildings need not be "compounds" as they seem to be mostly "farms". By that I mean a group of related families all living within a walled courtyard and working the land. Well that's my understanding of it although I am aware that they are not all agriculturally based.

I had a penny drop yesterday. It was so Blummin obvious that I had overlooked it. For a while I have wanted to include choppers in this game. The cost was the thing stopping me. Visually they will add great impact by giving the game table height. I was reading a published scenario in "Enduring Freedom" the Force on Force Afghan war supplement. The scenario with the special "Where's Ross?" Rule to do with a TV camera crew and presenter.... I'll let you guess which TV presenter they are hinting at with the name of the rule. Finally coming to the point that scenario has top cover 1-3 you can call in an Apache (AH 64) gunship or 4-6 you get an Warthog (Fairchild A10). For some reasons online auction sites fixed wing models seem a lot cheaper than rotary wing. Therefore as long as I get one Chinook helicopter I can supplement it in a ground attack role with fixed wing aircraft. Problem solved.... at least for now.

Club game tomorrow so I'll try to get some pics for a Post on Monday. All the best Clint.

Next batch

Here are the next batch of Taliban. Two pics of the Motorbike riders from Britannia Miniatures now available from Grubby Tanks (http://www.britannia-miniatures.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/60?osCsid=4fa209b6794ffc46cc37d4b0a6ee962f) I am not sure how stable the bike would be if either of the guys opened up with the LMG or the Rpg. But I guess they would probably dismount and set up as a weapons team before letting loose. Not that I am sure that they would, but I think I would If I was them, and just use the motorbike to travel about. I saw it listed on their web site and just new I had to get one, or maybe more.

Since buying and painting it I have noticed that one of the scenarios in "Enduring Freedom" the Afghanistan source/scenario book for "Force on Force" has three of these turn up as reinforcements about half way through the scenario, so perhaps it's more common than I originally thought. Still one thing is for sure, now that it's painted and based (will add some grass "tufts" as soon as I finish typing), it will find a use. As you can see the figures have a cartoon like quality to them. Originally I hated it, but they were easy to bait because of it. I have therefore sent off another small order to get a few more of the more "odd" items they do to "flesh out" some of the games. You have been warned. 

 The last picture is of a few more  general Taliban types,  These are again by MJ figures (http://mjfigures.co.uk/) Again I have sent for more of these to bulk up the general forces. Kev has also got some Taliban which are painted and based to a very good standard, so the pressure is of with regard to mass producing any more. I shall because too many is better than too few, as it gives you the choice of not using them all.

Today I will start to build a compound as part of the scenery for the game. I already have all the materials so it really is just a case of knuckling down and getting on with it. As such I'll go and cut some 3mm MDF as a baseboard this afternoon.

This morning I applied a layer of paint and glue to the latest moon board which should act as a sealer. Once dry I'll repeat the process to both strengthen and seal it. Then only one more to go......

That's my progress for now. I'll update you all on Saturday. All the best Clint.

First Brits.

Here are my first British/coalition troops.  I know it's not a standard troop choice, but I wanted a break from painting Taliban. Again a Britannia figure of a bomb disposal robot and suit. From a game point of view IEDs and their disposal and removal should not play a major part but nice to have a break from the Taliban and paint something different today. Both very simple paint jobs. The robot is a basic black and highlighted with a dark grey mixed with a very little dark green and some silver on the tracks. The disposal suit catachan green and highlighted with a lighter shade of the same green. Also black armour on the chest back and legs same colours as the robot. Not the most challenging paint scheme ever, but it fits in with the colours I have seen on google images and the "Hurt Locker". 

That's it for today's painting. I feel I must start to up the pace as time to the Broadside show gets closer. Talking of the show I had some great news from Ambush Alley last night, they are going to send me some "con support" as well as advice via email as and when I need it. If this game works out as I hope I shall apply next year to be one of their "pointmen" but lets take this one step at a time. I can only speculate what "Con Support" might be but as they have asked for my shipping address I feel it must be physical in nature, possible leaflets or posters. Time will tell.

I have also approached a terrain maker for some commissioned buildings. He should get back with pics by the end of the week I assume he'll also have worked out a price structure and again that's all positive. The Buildings won't be the most challenging to make they are after all mud brick flat roofs and a window and door at the best, so not exactly Buckingham Palace. Hopefully the price will reflect this.

That's it for Today as I spent far too long talking to Kev and setting the world and our wargames club to rights. Hopefully more on Thursday.

All the best Cheers Clint

Taliban 2

Here are the next few Taliban. Slowly getting back to normal (whatever Normal is). And as such starting to paint from scratch again.  Here are my next few Taliban.
Again in 20mm from MJ figures, exactly the same as the last batch. with the same link as Friday. So just scan down to the previous post for the link. I still have not worked out what that heavy weapon is. However onwards. I think this will be an ongoing theme for the next week or so. This is a mixture of packs in retrospect I should have painted one pack at a time. However this way works better as it allows me to keep the colours varied among all the groups. I have sent for more Taliban from MJ figures as I am not totally sure how many I would actually need for a variety of games. Therefore once I get past 30 I'll start to consider the scenarios I'll be able to play.

I have prepared the next lot, cleaned up based and undercoated so I can start them this afternoon. I have also assembled a "Toyota pick-up" style "technical" with a 12.7mm Heavy machine gun on back. So expect to see it at the end of the week.

BROADSIDE 2012. Well in case you haven't seen it the first advert has appeared in the wargames press. (WSS page 54 if I remember correctly) and that has bought it home to me where we are with the deadline. I am not panicking yet as I have two weeks of work to fit in before then and I hope that should make a difference. One of the issues will be ordering things to arrive in-time with my vacations to optimise painting and making. Therefore I shall try to order ahead of time, but we all know that's not always going to coincide with my schedule. Ah well lets just try and see where it takes us.

Having seen the first advert it has changed my attitude to the show. I can no longer deny it's going ahead. The die as they say is cast.

All the best Clint. Post again on Tuesday.

Taliban1

Here are the first 20mm Taliban to roll of the painting table. Mostly heavy weapons with one rifleman. Two pics a front and back shot as I have yet to identify the weapon the standing guy on the left is aiming. It looks pretty meaty but not out of scale and you know he'll be target of choice for any coalition forces that are anywhere close to him. As mentioned previously these are 20mm MJ FIGURES (available here. http://mjfigures.co.uk/ ) I have a few liberation miniatures and a few Britannia Taliban figures as well but they seem a bit cartoonie by comparison I'll have to paint some just to make sure they fit in before I am too harsh a critic.

So if anyone can identify the weapon the left most figure is carrying I would be grateful. I have emailed MJ figures to ask what it is, but as yet no reply. But as it was painted a dull (catachan) green is because that's how it is portrayed on the MJ web site.
All these figures will be mounted on small coins with ready mixed wall filler spread on them to disguise the step of the figures integral base. Then coated in sand and painted. Swamp tufts were then split up and glued to the bases. I did try Highland Tufts first but they looked too harsh so I have had to order more swamp tufts this morning.  It's not until you start to paint Taliban that you ever think about what colour clothes they wear. Most of the news real footage show them in white, but as I don't like painting white I decided that creams and greys would make a good alternative, with some wearing blues reds brows etc to break up the monotony of the grey/cream. In Retrospect I have over painted these and could get the same result by missing one of the highlight stages out. Oh well live and learn, die and forget it all.

I start the next batch this afternoon along with the first of the British troops. Don't get excited I have yet to purchase the bulk of the Brits so this is a special one off figure. You'll see on Sunday no doubt.
I have also started to assemble the Taliban Pickup with HMG which will be one of the very very few Taliban vehicles I will do. With luck I can undercoat it today and start it on the weekend, but I should get some more foot troops done first.

Lastly for today I got the final coat of "muck" on the latest moon board yesterday. so that project is moving along too.

I'll post again Sunday. Thanks for reading, Cheers Clint