My Introduction to Battegroup NORTHAG

 A couple of years ago I took a trip to Leeds and attended the Fiasco Show. I really enjoy local shows and this one was particularly friendly. In the course of the day I came a cross a game of Battlegroup NORTHAG  run by. Ian Garbutt. Ian and John his opponent on the day, were really patient and kind, going through to concepts of the game and the rules behind them. Then they allowed my join in and take over the British Forces. I cfound myself being quite successful knocking out the on coming Soviet armour. This was a real case of beginners luck.  But, I was so taken with the game I ordered a copy on the train back home. 

 

While in the intervening period I have had a couple of games of Cold War Commander, while I have been working away on building a British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and a Soviet force. Earlier this year I was coming close to complete a British Force, before I was distracted by other projects. Nevertheless,  I have now got the Soviets on order, having more or less completed the BAOR forces, so why not post a few pictures  of the British forces:

Broadside

A Cold War  goes hot skirmish game depicting US Infantry deploying form some beauifully painted M113 APCs  to engage Soviet Motor Rifles. In addition to  some  lovely looking figure I liked the detail of  little kilometer markers on the road Side and the dinky yellow postboxes on the houses. 

Some pictures of the excellent Bridge over La Vie game of Chain of Command put on ShepwayWargames Club at Broadside. It is representing the Race to the Seine in August 1944. With Canadian Platoons trying to cut off the German retreat to the Seine.   

The Lard Zone : Salute 52

In recent years the Lard Zone has been a regular feature at Salute, showcasing the best of Lardy games and giving attendees the opportunity to participate and try out games. Salute 52 was no different.

With the release of Chain of Command 2 and the future Arnhem Campaign Handbook in the offing Nick and Rich took the opportunity to put on a Market Garden game with with British paratroops taking on the various hodge-podge of kampf gruppen that assembled to oppose the landing. One of the striking things about this game was the topography of the table, (which I failed to captured with my photographs). Nevertheless, having a railway embankment and a station  the table sloped  down to a resdental area,  beautifully representing the terrain in there area where the battle took place.

One of the outstanding games on display was Joe Bilton’s What a Tanker, in Caen 1944, which saw a mass ranks of tanks Clash in the ruins of the Norman city. I impressed myself by taking quite a few pictures of this game which hardly feature a tank! But there is so much to enjoy in Joe's absolutely sublime terrain which captures Caen in the days following  the D-Day invasion.

Additionally, the Lard Zone featured games of General the Armee, and Strength And Honour , sadly the photos I snapped where too shaky to use here.

Best in Show : Salute 52

 

The best of show at Salute 52 was awarded to an amazing looking game depicting the Warsaw uprising in August to October1944. 

This was one most tragic episodes of the Second World War. The Polish Home Army rose up in Warsaw  only to be crushed by the occupying Germans as the Soviets halted their advance just short of the city, giving The Germans carte blanche to crush the up Rising desperately struggling to establish a home government prior to the arrival of the Soviets forces. 

‘O’ Group was used,  which is a personal favourite for playing battalion level  engagements. While my scale of choice is 6mm because it gives a great representation of the ‘empty battlefield’. 

However, this is the gold standard of presentation games, in fact this game is  comparable to the highest quality diorama. In 28mm scale every manner of exquisite detail is represented on the tabletop. The action  is spread over a number of different  levels gives a very dynamic feeling  to the scene. The eye is drawn to countless tableux, and vignettes covering  the table. 
 

The entire display inspires greater interest in playing games in built up areas and adding touches and details to the tabletop. 

Further Reading:

Rising ’44 : The Battle for Warsaw, Norman Davies, 2004 

 

Viewing: 

Warsaw 1944. 

Salute 52 : the Best One Yet?

Here are a random collection of photographs from Salute 52 in April, in some of the post show analysis the show was described as the best ones yet. Judging from the buzz around the show, the wide range of games on display and to participate in we are spoilt for choice when it comes to scratching that gaming itch. 

Although it should be noted that the demographic of the traders is changing  and it appears to be a younger crowd with a more eclectic mix of games ranging from skirmishes to games involving all manner of things.  I suspect some of the older traders  more established lead figure traders are heading toward retirement and doing less shows these days. Despite this, the vibrancy of younger traders brings new ideas into the hobby and this is without doubt a good thing.  I even ran into Dave from the Effekt Podcast,  running the Free League stand, which was great. Although it might be a stretch to describe him has young! (Sorry Dave.)

We were treated to a wide range of games from all sort of periods including Commando raids, Scandinavian 19th Century. Ken Reilly of Yarkshire Gamer fame and his Battle of Mentana game (below)  I am always drawn to the Papal States units with there splendid flags. 

  The Luftwaffe Airfield for the solo LRDG game DAK Attack. 

Salute 2017

Last Saturday was Salute time again. A day out I never fail to enjoy thoroughly.  So here are a few pictures of some games that jumped out at me .  Although there was many more that I wish I’d photographed. 

  

A splended looking Russian Revoltion game.

Some Woodland First Nations laying a trap

Plastic foliage put to good use.

 The Italian and the Austro-Hungraians  mix it up in this one (I think).

A outstanding display depicting the Battle of Cambrai with lots of tanks huffing and puffing.

A very attractive and naturalist piece of terrain depicting an action in the Falklands/Malvinas conflict. 

 

The Shape Practice demo game, looked and sounded great fun -lots of chortling! 

The slow demise of a Heinkel in the Wings of Glory particpation game.

Again, this year it was a case of so many things to see and so little time!
Thanks South London Warlords and all those who put on such a range of wonderfully creative  games.