Getting to Grips with Baron's War

The second introductory game of Baron’s War down at Central London Wargames Club started cautiously as both sides sized each other up across a contested village. It was a doubles game we were getting to grips with the ‘you go I go’ mechanics and the various reactions that are available to units.

The key moment in the game came when the beautifully lined up planned charge by the our Noble Lord and his Retinue of Knights. Unfortunately they were roundly defeated and routed back putting us on to the back foot.

Following this set back it became very difficult to hold the objectives on the left flank despite a valiant effort from the mounted serjeants who defended it as best they could but were eventually pushed of the objective by repeated charges and attacks from three units. While the levy shepishly stood off from the  enemy serjaents holding the chuch. Next time I'll just pile in with everybody. 

 

Indian Army Platoon 1941/42 for Chain of Command.

When I approach a new project platoons then to be painted section by section and are interspersed with other projects to keep them interesting and not making projects become tedious slog of painting large numbers of similarly outfitted miniatures. Although painting projects to tend to drag on a bit with this approach of swapping between projects. It does allow a flexibility to work on what appeals to me at any one time. 

This weekend the Indian Army Platoon is reaching completion the three section are made up from AB Miniatures supplemented with Stonewall ANZACS. This combination gave a great mix of head gear and poses along with uniform options. 

The main reference for painting them was Army Uniforms of World War 2 by Andrew Mollo with Malcolm McGregor’s fabulous illustrations. My Grandfather gave me this book for my 11th Birthday in 1980 and I still refer to it regularly today. 

The other helpful source of reference was  from Steven’s Balagan Blog: Spanish and Portuguese Military History, Wargaming and Other Stuff.  Where there is a most useful painting guide for the 14th Army, British and Commonwealth Troops in Burma.  

As is often the case with these projects, support options will be added and alternative figures may be painted to represent leaders or differently configured sections for later periods. In the meantime BEF figures clad in Khaki Drill Battledress will make up the numbers in extra support. 

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. 

Savage Worlds in French Mandated Syria

The role playing game Savage Worlds has a lovely system of ‘edges’ and ‘hindrances’ in character creation which gives added depth. It provided me with an opportunity to build a character to suit one of the favourite miniatures in the collection; A one eyed, one armed French Officer who had previously only every been employed as an adjutant in Chain of Command games. Pictured below: 

Captaine Jean-Pierre mal Maison back story is; after being horribly wounded in the battle of Verdun, he was spurred by his fiancée, heart broken he left France for Syria in an intelligence gathering role for the colonial administration and Gendarmerie.

In the first instalment I attended of the game set in 1920s French mandated Syria down at Central London  Wargames Club my one-eyed, one armed French Great War Veteran was back in action. Great fun sneaking around and popping off shots at Turkish Bandits while attending to discover sub plots and intrigues.  

In the following Bank Holiday game, once again, Captaine mal Maison finds himself and his companions in a spot of bother, being sprayed by a Rolls Royce armoured car in the desert. 

Time for a hasty retreat, considering he was there to gather intelligence. Great fun as ever. 

 Further Reading:  

James Barr,  A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the Struggle that Shaped the Middle East, Simon & Schuster 2012. 

 

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. 

Sharp Practice : Rescuing Prudence

 

Dear Prudence and her sisters were kidnapped by a war-party of braves in this French & Indian War, Sharp Practice scenario. It was down to Colonial & Provincial Rangers to rescue them. Great fun evening at the Central London

 Wargames Club. 

I was truly inept as in attempting to get the Native American War Party across the table, being cut off at the pass by volleys of musket fire from Provincial Rangers attempting to rescue their women folk.

Even the intervention of French Marine Skirmishers and a large contingent of Coureures de Bois could save the day as the womenfolk were whisked away back to their farmstead. Good old Sharp Practice never fails to provide an entertaining evening of gaming.