I was Waiting for you to spot that!

Yes another figure painted for Matt. Just on the off chance that you do not recognise who this is supposed to be, I have put in a subtle clue in the form of a Youtube video at the end of the post! If you need to watch the video because you don't know who the figure is supposed to be, DO NOT ADMITT it to anyone. But if you want to watch the video because you like it then good on you. I did have mixed feelings about the remake of such an Iconic childhood memory. But the trailer has calmed my nerves about it quite nicely.

The figure is of course by Bolt Action and 28mm in size. All painted in acrylics and varnished it will be handed to Matt on Sunday just before lunch.

I will be painting more of the cast this week and hope to do a daily blog post until they are all finished.

Thanks for looking and some more tomorrow. Until then take care have fun and tune in tomorrow for another figure from the range!!!

All the best Clint

All the best Clint

Club games yesterday.

I have very mixed feelings about the 2 games of Frostgrave I played at the club yesterday. While I did enjoy both there is something that just does not sit right with me! I played 2 games against Kev who is a really nice guy. I played my Enchanter and crew while Kev had to start from scratch and selected an Elementalist.

In the Pics all the Hedges and walls are book shelves as we were in the "Library". It is also worth saying that any "Fog" I cast is orange in colour (It's actually Hamster bedding from Wilko's for any who want cheap flames.  I am just saying.)


My tactics and the whole reason I had selected the spell at the beginning of the campaign were to get the loot quick and get out quick with the least confrontation.

Game 1. I got in quick and snagged 2 loot counters threw up some fog to cut down on the vicious elementalist range spells

 Kev kept advancing and killing any wildlife on the way (4 Giant Rats if I remember correctly). So I threw up more fog and used leap and telekinesis to get loot off of the table.











My tactics are working and I get 2 loot counters of the table. I also exit my Wizard and apprentice and most of my soldiers.






Kev keeps pushing forward and I exit the last soldiers to be told that they had changed the rules in the last game and any loot left on the table would go to the opponent. Last game we played if all your troops exited the board  then the game would end. (To me at this point the goal post did not just seem to move but to be on elastic.) So Kev got all the remaining loot. I did feel a little aggrieved but it was not the end of the world.

I did snag 2 grimoires and some coin and had lost no one and had gotten experience so it really could have been far worse.

A couple of advances and no losses. I would have hoped that Kev got less loot as that was what my tactics were about.


 Game 2.
The second game again against Kev. was the Mausaleum scenario. And the dice were not in Kevs favour. He did roll a lot of 1's on a d20 including 3 in a row. Additionally ALL the Skeletons exited the mausoleum on 2 faces closes to his troops.

Typically I started with as much "Fog" as I could to cut down on his very aggressive range attack spells.

The Fog stops my archers shooting but they can carry loot away as fast as anyone else.

I move my soldies and constructs up and into hand to hand with his apprentice. Who does well and drops one of my constructs but my infantryman with 2 handed weapons manages to take Ke's apprentice out of the game and then move on towards one of Kev's Crossbowmen.

The damage is being done though and my soldiers are being killed one by one.

Kev does manage to fry my apprentice with his wizard just as I jump the wizard with another construct and a bowman. The Bowman dies quickly and I just have my wizard and my  construct left active enough to put up a fight.

Kev is also retreating as most of his soldierscarry loot to his table edge.

My Construct now on 4 health drops Kevs Wizard so Kev can only activate in the soldier phase. Having learnt from last time and as Kev only has soldiers I exit my wizard from the board as he is on low health and as soon as the fog dissipates be a pin cushion to Kevs archers/crossbow men. I leave the wounded Construct on in order to contest any un gathered loot.

But the plan did not work and the construct fell.

We then rolled for injuries. I have 1 bowman and one light/small construct ready to miss the next game

Kev does less well and his wizard rolls another 1 on a d20. A terrible run of luck means that he has lost 2 wizards killed in 3 games. Both dead and he will need to start again from scratch.

I come away with a good amount of coins and 2 magical items ( a staff of Power [3] and a stone of fate.) I buy another potion of healing And will consider buying a Marksman or ranger to replace my wounded bowman. I will not Worry about the construct as I will get 2 chances to make a new one before the next game (Wizard and apprentice pre game spells)

As Mentioned overall mixed feelings but I will continue and try my best to win the Campaign although Ian is a long way in front at present and Relfie is about 20 xp ahead of me. Poor Kev is last having been forced to start again now twice.


The very good news is that I have scored some free swag at the club (and we all like free swag).

Firstly Thank you Relfie for printing out a set of spell cards for me after I pointed them out on Panzer kaput's blog. He also gave me 3 chests to use as my very own loot tokens so you may expect to see them painted very soon.

Secondly a thank you to Tim (who owns Front line Wargaming) for giving me some samples of his new range of figures. Oh shinies, yes free pre release shinies. I will not say any more about them just yet as I will paint and show them as part of the "Analogue Painting Challenge" in about 1 months time.

Thanks for reading today all the best from Clint

Yet 3 more VBCW

 3 More Great War miniatures painted for Matt and his VBCW collection. very simply one guy possibly an officer reading a report (or newspaper/flyer) the lexis Gin carrying loads of ammunition and or the right a Lewis gunner.  No Big surprises just 3 simple castings in 28mm now ready for the table-top.

Thanks For looking another post on Monday. Probably a Frostgrave AAR.

All the best from a rain soaked Kent.
Cheers Clint

3 more VBCW figs

 I am catching up with blog posts as I have been delayed with painting the bathroom again.

But back to wargames and painting and stuff like that!

Yes just 3 more figures for Matts VBCW /WW1 collection. As usual for Matt a Pete Barfield flag by Solway this one features the Horse of Kent, "Invicta" which many of you know is the symbol of Kent. (And if you did  not know you do now!)

The figure in the middle is from "Foundry" while the ones on the flanks are "Great War Miniatures". The Great war miniatures are both minor conversions, one to carry a flag and rifle now slung, while the other now totes a shotgun.

I should have a few more on the blog tomorrow as the bathroom has now been Re-Tanked and with 3  coats of emulsion  as well, so I will not be expecting to paint that again anytime soon.

I will post again on Saturday so until then, take care have fun and remember a day without laughing and smiling is a wasted day!

All the best from Sunny (for now) Kent. Cheers Guys

Lest we forget.

A Good weekend.

 Today we have 4 more Anglican league. I say Anglican league as the man with the flag has a sky blue sash which is of course one of the colours of the AL. The guy on the far right of the first picture is "Foundry" and I am told the rest are Great war miniatures. The flag is by Pete Barfield and sold by "Solway". The figures are all for Matt and his VBCW collection all in 28mm and he has already expressed his pleasure so I am sure he will like them in the flesh. There are of course more on the painting table so I would expect some more again soon. Just give me a couple of days.

Overall they have been fun an easy to paint and I will of course welcome more from him if/when he chooses.

Other News:

My Secret Santa stuff has arrived from the manufacture and will be repackaged and sent to the appropriate person slightly closer to the time. Very swift service (2 days) so I am quite impressed but needless to say I cannot tell you which manufacture as that may give it all away! But then again it may not.

Other Non wargaming news.

Yes I do play computer games and have been playing "World of Tanks" on the PC for a few month now. I do not play for long just 1 game every now and again and then I go and do something more productive. So Imagine my surprise when I was playing a Leopard Light tank (VK16.02) a tier 5 tank and was awarded a medal. The description of the medal had the words "New Record" at the bottom. Yes I nearly fell off of my chair! It turns out that driving that tank (and that tank only) I achieved the highest score that that particular vehicle has ever achieved in the game. Well I was flabbergasted!

For those that do not play world of Tanks (probably most of you to be honest) The Light Tank (VK 16.01) "Leopard" was  based on the Panzer II Auf J (VK16.01) and the Panzer II Auf M (VK13.01) An experimental tank that never went into full production although over 300 were planed. The 1st Prototype was built in September 1942. And while it never got into full production the turret did.
The turret was produced and fitted to the SDKFZ 234 (2) Puma. These last two pictures were taken from my computer to show what the vehicle would have looked like if ever produced.

Right that is my self important waffling over, now back to figure painting.

Thanks for looking and I hope you have a great weekend. All the best Clint

VBCW Paint Monkey yes more for Matt.

Yes you guessed from the title that I have a few more Anglican league.... but they could be any faction. Only 3 this time all advancing and all 28mm and all 3 are by Great war Miniatures.

WE have a guy kicking a football, one with a Lewis gun and one carrying the ammunition for the Lewis gun. They were all nice sculpts and great fun to paint.

There are more of these coming (probably on Sunday) but no need to hold your breath at all, they will be along very soon.

In other news I have now completed my secret Santa's, both for Ian (and Cath) and for Chris's blogs. They have both been great fun and I can only hope that both recipients are as delighted with the gifts as I am sure I will be by what ever Santa brings me.

More again on Sunday. Cheers For now Clint.

Back to history. I have maintained my painting output with these figures all by Great war Miniatures and all painted for my mate Matt.

First up we have a standard 3" Mortar and three crew. All dressed for the trenches and ready for action. Matt always cleans any figures I have to paint before I get them and for that I am really grateful. He did say one figure was badly cast but it looked fine by the time I got my hands on it.

 I like the fact that these troops have leather (or sheep skin) tops on as to my mind it does give them a little more character.












Along with the mortar and crew an officer and a new recruit. He still has all of his kit and still salutes at the front line. These things will probably change as time goes by. Maybe they won't, having never served in WW1 trenches I only have books films and Photographs to go on.


Well keeping it short and sweet, that is it for today.

Except to say I now have my Secret Santa target.

See you in a few days, all the best Clint

Skirmish Sangin (Club game)

Dave's fire team are the first 4 figures I am the tail end Charlie.

Well yesterday  at the club I took along Skirmish Sangin.Only 4 boards out of the 8 I have, The first 4 boards I built for the project so I probably used up all the best ideas on the boards!!! The guys did like the boards and now want to play "Stargrunt" on them or Northwest frontier or Western Desert ot Biblicals or Crusades or Riff war (that's my idea, just saying!) You get the idea make some terrain and the guys want to play on it!

Anyway we were playing the Recon Patrol scenario from the rule book but with one very slight (major) change. The Taliban could decide where to place the ambush. They selected a stretch of quite exposed road. Dave my (my ally and squad leader for this game) set his figures up first leaving my fire team in a slightly more exposed position. As we were a patrol being in buildings or behind walls was not really a viable option. But we hugged the walls and low enclosure walls as much as we were able given the limitations of the terrain.

 The Taliban able to spot and shoot first hit 2 of my guys. One by the door (a grenadier with L85a2, shotgun and Underslung grenade launcher) by the door. Luckily only a flesh wound, the armour mostly saving him. The other guy, not quits as lucky, a light wound but would be dead without armour.

 The mission had not changed at this stage so Dave had his fireteam flank and make the most use of cover he could. All the while I am under fire. Not all one sided and I do fire back.

 The guy by the door, now prone (knocked off his feet) tries to first aid himself and fails and crawls along the ground towards his comrades. My guy other guy (with LSW) that is also wounded and very exposed crawls into the area between a field and a low wall. Takes up position and covers the rest of the fire team. Shame I have no idea who will support him and dress his light wound.

 The Taliban maintain firing positions and Relfie gets one onto a roof who takes a severe wound the next combat phase. He lays there moaning and groaning for the majority of the game (the figure, not Relfie).

 My lightly wounded guy between the field and the wall exchanges fire with the Taliban, does well, until Ian opens up with a PSHK. The light machinegun does a lot of damage and the armour can only save so much health and he becomes critically wounded, unconscious and that changes the mission.

Our new mission is to rescue him.

 The lightly wounded (only a scratch) man by the door spends several turns crawling to a comrade, who is covering with a "Minimi". A quick first aid checkreveals he is just battered and bruised and groggy but otherwise OK to fight on.

Dave continues to flank.  No doubt arguing that killing the enemy will allow for an easier rescue. And if he succeeds it will.








Covering I send one man out to offer medical assistance. I try to avoid the lines of fire the enemy are using.

Against the far building you can just see an enemy "Dicker"

 Look there he is. All he is doing is poking a head around the corner and NOT firing. Dave my squad leader urges me to fire at him. But the rules of engagement are such that I cannot as I see no weapon and take no fire from him. In reality it could be a kid looking to see what is going on.

 So I move out of sight and climb the building. Ian with his PSHK manages to spot and shoot my assistant squad leader. With only a 5% chance of hitting he rolls 04 and hits! I now have 2 men out of the fight and 2 left to retrieve them.

 Crawling through the field ne closes on the wounded LSW.

 He gets close but Ian and Relfie are both trying to kill him and he takes a wound and falls unconscious out in the open( well the poppy field)

 I do get my grenadier up onto the roof and fist aid my assistant squad leader. The first aid roll is a success and they stay out of sight. I have 1 man left and still 2 to rescue!

By the time he gets into a position to start to rescue the first wounded a novice Taliban with a knife wounded himself drops from the roof and starts to crawl towards one of my wounded.

Dave, remember Dave who went flanking! has manoeuvred into position behind the Taliban who are firing at my wounded guys and manages to kill them all.

Conclusion: A much more closely balanced game than with my nephew.  Due to the errors made I by my reading of the rules we should call it a draw. Personally I think it is a marginal Taliban victory but the media would claim a major Taliban victory! Only 2 wounded Taliban survived but we had 3 wounded British. Most importantly we all learnt the rules and the guys could remember the chances of hitting and the cover deductions and bonuses. If we were to play the game a few more times I think we would have it down pat and not need to have me semi continuously look things up.  Everyone says they will happily play the game again so to my mind that is a win for all concerned.

Final thoughts. I would like to try the rules in a couple of different settings not just modern Afghanistan. I can see them working as early as the Vietnam conflict and the Arab Israeli wars and that be a little less contentious.

Thanks for reading today. Have a good day from Foggy Kent.
All the best Clint

Toffe apples

 Great War Miniatures make a "Toffee apple Mortar" . While I had hear the term I was not sure what they looked like. But a quick google search found out all I wanted to know. I did find a variety of colourer Mortar rounds but settled on the yellow and black for a number of reasons. The most important being that I did not want it all dull green, like so many of the others. It is a wacky mortar and called for a wacky colour as well and who am I to say "NO!"

Another item painted for Matt and his ever growing ww1 collection. Of which a couple more next week as they are already painted and just need varnish and to be photographed. So I would hope to blog them about Wednesday.

That's it short an sweet today as I have a load of painting to finish before our club game tomorrow.

Take care, have fun and slap paint on metal just like a monkey.

All the best Clint

skirmish Sangin, game 2

Building on the success of the first game. I planned something a little larger. OK I used the 2nd scenario in the book.

In this scenario the British Paratroops are defending themselves from an ambush and the Taliban are attacking. WE each had a total of eight figures.










The terrain was very tight and excellent for close quarter battles. The problem was that I could only attack the British from certain very fight and congested directions. I am sure they found it just as tight as the medieval archer firing through an arrow slit of a castle.

 The game started and while I did spot and shoot first I hit nothing! Absolutely nothing! But James return fire was pin point accurate every spot mad and every shot not only hitting but a lethal wound.

This photo shows the last attacker on the south side . Out gunned out flanked and out of luck! Which is not to say he did not hit a British NCO. He did, but the armour saved the lucky fellow and despite failing his morale check (Needing 95% +) he fumbled it rolling the dreaded 00% So while he was down on the floor in a festal position wishing he was back in good old blighty his oppo Managed to plug my Taliban at short range in the open and with no cover.

 The last Taliban (a novice with rifle skill 0f 35%) tried to run of the board and escape back to base for tea and cake.


















James mercilessly took aim with his Light Support Weapon (LSW) on the roof top and gunned him down.

The game was all over in a single turn !

I could have played it differently in hind sight. But on the day I did not and they were all killed out right. No wounded, no prisoners each shot a killing blow and his dice were just too good. Young people and dice, they are just too good.

We both enjoyed the game though despite my white wash! And in real life the media probably would not tell of it at all. Unlike our previous game where I did inflict one kill.

My conclusions are the same as last time. The game works well and the rules are fine and younger the player the more deadly they are with the dice!

2 losses out of two games, but no intention of putting any of it on eBay!

Skirmish Sangin Trial game.

I finally got around to playing "Skirmish Sangin" By Radio Dishdash Publications. I was originally put off by the hefty volume as I wanted an easy game to play. And at 170 pages I put off reading the rules. I do not enjoy reading rules, sorry I just don't!.

So My nephew played the British and I was the Taliban. The first scenario was the Taliban had been firing sniper rounds into the British FOB (Forward observation base) and a small patrol of 4 men (1 fire team) had come across the place the sniper had been firing from. So the Taliban had 3 figures against the British 4. Firstly I want to say that the rules did work well and were very instinctive and that we were using my 20mm Afghan setup. While we did overlap on to two boards we could have played on a single 2 foot by 2 foot area. Mostly ranges do not matter with modern rifles at this scale  but each rifle would have an effective range of 2.5 meters at that scale on the tabletop with sniper rifles and machine guns at least double that. So in a 2'x2' area range was not an issue.

 So I set up 2 spotters with Ak47s on the roof .

 The sniper I set up in some broken walls and ruins. So many people think snipers have to be up high. Yes they have got a good view up there, but it does compromise their ability to re-locate. Not being a trained sniper I do not know what the correct awnser is I suspect it changes with each battle and when it comes to war films who the director is. But what do I know.

 The 4 British paratroops started kneeling behind a low wall. 3 had L85a2 rifles (one with an undeslung grenade launcher) the fourth figure had a "Minime" 5.56mm LMG.

 When the British moved to outflank. See James may be my nephew but he is not daft (despite being related to me.

As they came over the low wall I was able to spot them and fired with my "Novice" Taliban. Now most (if not all) of the rolls are percentages and by the time I had spotted the enemy and fired the gun I was on a 06% chance to hit. Long story short I did not but did give my spotters position away!

James continues to out flank me. But like many young players I have noticed wanted to climb on the buildings. I think that comes from computer games and TV and at his age I would do the same.

I move my spotter to try to relocate and get out of sight.

My other spotter fires and actually hits a Para. But the Para flak vest stops the bullet, but does knock him down.

My sniper is rolling badly and can't hit anything. He is useless (at least when I have dice to roll!)

 I am continued to be out flanked as the Para who had been hit dusts himself off passes a morale check and gets into cover out of line of sight.

My Novice Taliban rolls 100 % critically failing and misfires the AK. (There is a chart for fumbles and this is not too bad!) It just means a whole Phase of inactivity if he wants to fire again. My other spotter fails to see the Brits on the roof and continues to fir at the one he had already hit, who is now in cover. He does not hit the guy in cover and it does give his position away.

I continue to get outflanked as James puts pressure on my front and moves the flank runners around behind me.

The novice repairs his gun and opens up and SUPRISINGLY hits the para on the roof top and with a lucky wound roll kills him out right! So 1 to me and none to James .

Then it all goes wrong. the sniper gets outflanks and fails to spot the guy who out flanked him he does get a shot at another Brit, but misses by a long way  and so no effect.

The Sargent who outflanked was able to shoot and downed the sniper very easily. The Taliban in these rules tend not to have armour and with James luck tend to die with a single hit.

James also is able to bring fire on the novice Taliban and he dies pretty swiftly as well and my other spotter being out numbered 3 to one dies in the next combat phase.

It was close but a win for the Brits (Taliban get more Victory points for killing Brits due to the press etc than the Brits do from killing the Taliban.) . But a clear British win none the less. The whole game lasted 1 and a half turns or about 2 hours of playtime as we were explain the rules and checking things. WE did not use any heavy weapons or vehicles just the starter scenario ad it was a good way to start.

Conclusion:

1. Spotting the enemy is very important.
2. Armour is a life saver. (literally)
3. Cover is very important as well. It makes you harder to spot. !
4. and harder to hit!
5. never trust a young player with dice.... they roll well you know.

Rules wise the rules were simple to play and understand and were quite instinctive. Of course we did a few things wrong, we always do when trying new rules. But if a 15 year old can grasp them and have fun they cannot me too hard and they are not.

I may put another game on tomorrow or Wednesday.

Thanks for reading and I am quite impressed with how the rules work in practice. And I think they would work well in other settings, Vietnam for example.