tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26543581918891985062024-03-22T06:34:23.737+00:00doctorphalanxTABLETOP WARGAMING AND MILITARY MODELLINGdoctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.comBlogger354125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-47003684253229737782024-03-01T02:14:00.000+00:002024-03-01T02:14:20.327+00:00Cavalier 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQc1C3JH45ZC3igjYbLqaBFKpCCdvljA-39scXiIkBY6p64hyRxDerBjG8S4x_miz52ixgEg1a6hG9IuSlUil7C6ogRgvxlFKtjryTRCAq3CqWt8ZAj2Q3E06Z5l5dk959IY2-7_88xd6rS-ygn3DRTCNP1h0BAXcWE6_FrpHYAlqkee1ND9P3roHwybg/s2048/20240225_121903.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1587" data-original-width="2048" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQc1C3JH45ZC3igjYbLqaBFKpCCdvljA-39scXiIkBY6p64hyRxDerBjG8S4x_miz52ixgEg1a6hG9IuSlUil7C6ogRgvxlFKtjryTRCAq3CqWt8ZAj2Q3E06Z5l5dk959IY2-7_88xd6rS-ygn3DRTCNP1h0BAXcWE6_FrpHYAlqkee1ND9P3roHwybg/s320/20240225_121903.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Chris of Tonbridge Wargames Club (my local club) put on a participation game of <i>DAK Attack</i> at the Cavalier show with support from other members.</span><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The nicely painted models attracted a steady stream of visitors who came to chat. We are hopeful that a couple of new club recruits will take the King's shilling.</span><div><br /></div><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It's hard to judge the overall footfall at the show, but there seemed to be less games and definitely less traders than in previous years.</span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA_fsFEy_tvwK93MZHMZ39Vf3TxW2I_6bGVKjAvcRK0hIo1KI7agvWk40IJ2nbK9EWVWI7-Vi1WzKzjwwVTjRDvuItC4nblCHCoSz31Lu7HWsjhTQbVEnxUVxavLSYrGvQs1JHDLKb9lwvejQNBLvpKaq_Zu2KMMO3DLIRDInqF22T1jQWIyFED4WToE/s2048/20240225_104424.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="2048" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA_fsFEy_tvwK93MZHMZ39Vf3TxW2I_6bGVKjAvcRK0hIo1KI7agvWk40IJ2nbK9EWVWI7-Vi1WzKzjwwVTjRDvuItC4nblCHCoSz31Lu7HWsjhTQbVEnxUVxavLSYrGvQs1JHDLKb9lwvejQNBLvpKaq_Zu2KMMO3DLIRDInqF22T1jQWIyFED4WToE/w400-h186/20240225_104424.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My only purchases were three little bottles of paint for my 28mm Russian Civil War project and some ball bearings for paint shaking.</span><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2sU0ia8LoTk8HjnMNEB4sOzJ-H8cSuEOVtnyCbach1ZsKaND_qQxW_uq0HN-LOyupg1N3lr3KkwUwN0smFXH-uxKjb9Hcw_3zWa1qWjS2rrDDL3OFT5eMPx6hJAaOVe-psGSygUqoS2p2sllxZW_G3BbpBwCan4m9E1eRlvWwdS1ebJ_N7LMv4l6Xp4/s2048/20240221_192452.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="2048" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2sU0ia8LoTk8HjnMNEB4sOzJ-H8cSuEOVtnyCbach1ZsKaND_qQxW_uq0HN-LOyupg1N3lr3KkwUwN0smFXH-uxKjb9Hcw_3zWa1qWjS2rrDDL3OFT5eMPx6hJAaOVe-psGSygUqoS2p2sllxZW_G3BbpBwCan4m9E1eRlvWwdS1ebJ_N7LMv4l6Xp4/w400-h186/20240221_192452.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My main achievement of the day was shifting over £90 worth of books on the very efficiently run bring-and-buy stand. This has cleared some more shelf space, allowing me to spread out my figures and scenery s</span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">o I can find them a little more easily.</span></div></div></div>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-39324568970015563242023-12-30T13:16:00.000+00:002023-12-30T13:16:35.054+00:002023 in review<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqQq0gqrk30XwZf_hOxrZmTqIFlmz-qoNYWFDpuwyrQumW0B9yGzYYgCfvR50IYPrmd03HM2A9FkqHNveyPdAfFNsDlwGrO_AqgZq5cXQFILs59cqCdoTmf5P-xzF_RgrhLOsrFCP8g2VKQFA9eo57650uGb_NfSj1-P6MhvAA8SHqUxhHXRCs_ccJIs/s2048/FoGIIMedSwiss.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqQq0gqrk30XwZf_hOxrZmTqIFlmz-qoNYWFDpuwyrQumW0B9yGzYYgCfvR50IYPrmd03HM2A9FkqHNveyPdAfFNsDlwGrO_AqgZq5cXQFILs59cqCdoTmf5P-xzF_RgrhLOsrFCP8g2VKQFA9eo57650uGb_NfSj1-P6MhvAA8SHqUxhHXRCs_ccJIs/s320/FoGIIMedSwiss.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>FoG II Medieval: Rise of the Swiss</b></td></tr></tbody></table>In the first half of the year I managed to play a few games of <i>Xenos Rampant</i> and <i>Blucher </i>and produced the <i>Blucher </i>low-relief scenery. <p></p><p>Towards the close of the year I filled some hours of insomnia by playing through the 100YW English, Burgundian, Swiss, Timurid and <span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Matthias Corvinus </span>campaigns in <i>Field of Glory II Medieval</i>. I've always found computer games to be a good way of easing myself back into tabletop gaming.</p><p>Finally, I pulled my finger out to write the last four posts for this blog before year end. Occasionally I find time to read and comment on other wargaming blogs.</p><p></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-26498262770806328402023-12-29T00:45:00.001+00:002023-12-29T00:45:17.932+00:00Some games of Blucher<p>I fought another three games of Blucher in 2023 but seem to have photos only of the first two. They all utilised my new, flat scenery, and were all played against fellow club member, Simon, who kindly introduced me to Blucher.</p><p><b>French vs British</b></p><p>This was very much a fight to take and hold the central, urban objectives. I commanded the British<b>. </b>AFAICR I may have achieved some initial success but was beaten back on my left flank. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6uCn0lExt5Gb2i6hEviVoheKMCfiJNu3PDXd2kC6gBFZp3K8ZSCwqSboz0qSNBqWqd223PhBeVmmwqR_-YgjRiVx55VHgtYSP7HHUZ6E6Ou41DoFHugfxcqeDjm-mmoacRyKnMkwzy5N-J4Tc8tUE6AK5wh9LO91ub3q0MZHlUZ4-eGVXoiLGlsPO_I/s2048/20230313_192758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="2048" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6uCn0lExt5Gb2i6hEviVoheKMCfiJNu3PDXd2kC6gBFZp3K8ZSCwqSboz0qSNBqWqd223PhBeVmmwqR_-YgjRiVx55VHgtYSP7HHUZ6E6Ou41DoFHugfxcqeDjm-mmoacRyKnMkwzy5N-J4Tc8tUE6AK5wh9LO91ub3q0MZHlUZ4-eGVXoiLGlsPO_I/w400-h168/20230313_192758.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pnydda-hoNJAPFUTpgmeyZQDlwJt8qRUBW0MJ8MX9QY7e6mm67J3Xsa1H-NqWr5E1PvdUb_pS4VBs6xd6sKofZyPj_uVeWvs8EoBTK0UuhHkq5gepYacvXH_fYFFinsN81dLdQmWDuMVStdxnY7YYc05Y7ryVLlQJ_QvXTXZkC8opiaQiHitnCVa48w/s2048/20230313_204007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="2048" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pnydda-hoNJAPFUTpgmeyZQDlwJt8qRUBW0MJ8MX9QY7e6mm67J3Xsa1H-NqWr5E1PvdUb_pS4VBs6xd6sKofZyPj_uVeWvs8EoBTK0UuhHkq5gepYacvXH_fYFFinsN81dLdQmWDuMVStdxnY7YYc05Y7ryVLlQJ_QvXTXZkC8opiaQiHitnCVa48w/w400-h165/20230313_204007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b> </b><b>Russian vs Ottoman</b></p><p>This game was loosely based on an historical battle. I took the Russians and attacked uphill turning the Ottoman right flank.<b><br /></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmvtdLu_bqHNJ0Hm5wycnxn61KuaO6cHCGxmc8T1kA_pgSCca8CjDTfMLzFztfm4TSjoGk77IF8_Y3qiA7FpaINotVfODRYe7L64pVR4QAoOnNtXuKwfuiultEioUr36P8iQwJOEwn-MT7m8MsDJT6muJpGJKxfK3jWRiCH61k9s3UTgVAVanwFY9Vas/s2048/20230424_200222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="2048" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmvtdLu_bqHNJ0Hm5wycnxn61KuaO6cHCGxmc8T1kA_pgSCca8CjDTfMLzFztfm4TSjoGk77IF8_Y3qiA7FpaINotVfODRYe7L64pVR4QAoOnNtXuKwfuiultEioUr36P8iQwJOEwn-MT7m8MsDJT6muJpGJKxfK3jWRiCH61k9s3UTgVAVanwFY9Vas/w400-h146/20230424_200222.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaIVbPGeO6UzndBl5vZEe1Nrp1NcDYw67q6bjhbcWXi-W1qbtjNwfykvQK89NXpmzabjhkBTMONG0tzX2fgfno2CROiTcQeLQvBwOpYAgFQkIFJiwCWyeJ_HonNuo__qu66Nik0itY81qKcXItq6A5iqGE7UYurwH3F80CvJZRM3ogJlw9yEitkM0Utc/s2048/20230424_204409.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="2048" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaIVbPGeO6UzndBl5vZEe1Nrp1NcDYw67q6bjhbcWXi-W1qbtjNwfykvQK89NXpmzabjhkBTMONG0tzX2fgfno2CROiTcQeLQvBwOpYAgFQkIFJiwCWyeJ_HonNuo__qu66Nik0itY81qKcXItq6A5iqGE7UYurwH3F80CvJZRM3ogJlw9yEitkM0Utc/w400-h158/20230424_204409.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-68362990411191424792023-12-28T11:20:00.001+00:002023-12-28T11:20:53.856+00:00Ultra-low relief scenery for Blucher<p>As planned I developed some light, very low relief scenery for use with the <i>Blucher </i>unit cards which sit on top of the terrain pieces. The aesthetic idea was that the table should resemble an aerial view and be as convincing as possible at first glance, at least from a distance.<br /><br />As my wargame club is in walking distance, I usually load my stuff into a shopping trolley. I always have that option, but my idea for this project was to keep things as light as possible so the game could be carried in a bag. Given that the armies are just cards, burdening myself with heavy and bulky 3D scenery seemed disproportionate, and, indeed, rather odd in comparison to the flatness of the units.<br /><br />Anyway, here is the scenery I made or utilised in the order of table placement:<br /><br /><b>HILLS</b><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1lb95CpVoHANf8hyrxyq2TqkMSoZfasB6uNFzYen8Yw1awOC5i1lxOwFLw0UvO3MPXRDyiIIRr1taq-BDFXcyBtBkg_hwH2MxPj_zDsjMDkJy3WzdiqlRTBsg7B04IDyZkTBTR7GwfD7OX4b7gK47tvxzECdQk2EwAHwjzKR-33463jcdT5Fnl98sUY/s2048/20230109_081844.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="2048" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1lb95CpVoHANf8hyrxyq2TqkMSoZfasB6uNFzYen8Yw1awOC5i1lxOwFLw0UvO3MPXRDyiIIRr1taq-BDFXcyBtBkg_hwH2MxPj_zDsjMDkJy3WzdiqlRTBsg7B04IDyZkTBTR7GwfD7OX4b7gK47tvxzECdQk2EwAHwjzKR-33463jcdT5Fnl98sUY/w400-h188/20230109_081844.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As the hills are placed <b>under </b>the game mat, there are no aesthetic requirements and they can be very rough and ready. I’d accumulated a lot of foamboard offcuts, so I sandwiched these between hill templates cut from new card and trimmed with a scalpel.<br /><br />The templates were sized and shaped to maximise storage in Really Useful Boxes, and the templates and offcuts were stuck with a Pritt stick, a huge bonus as Mrs Phalanx is particularly averse to glue fumes.<br /><br />I've nearly exhausted my supply of offcuts so if I need more hills or other shapes and sizes I'll revert to my initial plan which was to make hills from card and plastic milk bottle tops.<br /><br />Alternatively, I can also use any of my existing hills, most of which are reasonably light. Once under the game mat, they will all look the same!<br /><br /><b>GAME MAT</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FpRQey5JeoLuPl8rTbaXDwAAcO5Xjk30qviGxL649IQGCzjKRtHmTkQoQnfqG0YOlFBCRMhrfEGp4aPbtljD_vbRAJcEkd8Rfzw39Y6ROQ-Ni5H9R89GCBRr-TgtqE_Nezjp0Z8rABdu_PIQJABTOD_kFKJhwk-_AjNMWOvYJUAsEjSWdL2k3mEBHzE/s2048/20230109_034607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="2048" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FpRQey5JeoLuPl8rTbaXDwAAcO5Xjk30qviGxL649IQGCzjKRtHmTkQoQnfqG0YOlFBCRMhrfEGp4aPbtljD_vbRAJcEkd8Rfzw39Y6ROQ-Ni5H9R89GCBRr-TgtqE_Nezjp0Z8rABdu_PIQJABTOD_kFKJhwk-_AjNMWOvYJUAsEjSWdL2k3mEBHzE/w400-h248/20230109_034607.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This is an old felt cloth and not my best game mat, but it's light and soft, and shapes itself over hills put underneath. Think of the creases as natural folds in the ground! <br /><br /><b>ROADS, RIVERS, MARSH, PLOUGHED FIELDS</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkSpfDP81HxIxZo5dcxx95OZ_AOcA90cMhuBS_bxKBZbFYYBkb7tjL6fOqCGul85_5HsSlDEekwBw95n6D5oD1_hUIwkAenhId0zNkGyMV9GkHI0-dbiUAcEeeM74LKumyJqVaVBbKGOGwhXOV1mRFt7x2UB8E6p8nXRd4iKIBRGrjWycDnX73fUl0vE/s2048/20230130_024951.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="2048" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkSpfDP81HxIxZo5dcxx95OZ_AOcA90cMhuBS_bxKBZbFYYBkb7tjL6fOqCGul85_5HsSlDEekwBw95n6D5oD1_hUIwkAenhId0zNkGyMV9GkHI0-dbiUAcEeeM74LKumyJqVaVBbKGOGwhXOV1mRFt7x2UB8E6p8nXRd4iKIBRGrjWycDnX73fUl0vE/w400-h166/20230130_024951.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>These had already been made or bought for previous games. A small metal bridge is my one concession to conventional wargame scenery. <br /><br /><b>FOREST</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoyOCVra5xZaNlI_5zjRjGIPbgBTKOvqMN-H_22Q8yRh76AYVZ42ojlDE4c01QbNH9kCtKH5k-dn7yJjNA6J1IrndCbp0adVRZD7RbqlJnAgnQ1XhuCHT0L6jm-jizysb38MOIVQ3vmbMtkTyGaXFAKAgt0IAEIKH2vdm2jHA86v7N7qwaICtbSkdDek/s2048/20230125_044014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="2048" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoyOCVra5xZaNlI_5zjRjGIPbgBTKOvqMN-H_22Q8yRh76AYVZ42ojlDE4c01QbNH9kCtKH5k-dn7yJjNA6J1IrndCbp0adVRZD7RbqlJnAgnQ1XhuCHT0L6jm-jizysb38MOIVQ3vmbMtkTyGaXFAKAgt0IAEIKH2vdm2jHA86v7N7qwaICtbSkdDek/w400-h288/20230125_044014.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>These are made by applying a diverse mixture of Woodland Scenics Underbrush Clump-Foliage to leatherette templates using Hob-E-Tac glue. They bend to fit hill contours. They have been fixed with a spray of Scenic Cement. As suggested in the rules they are mostly 3-base widths long which is also a nice fit for storage in RUBs.<br /><br /><b>ROCKY GROUND</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbn_tOsc70P05kAIy4dD7ZYkzZxuQ1zqn-neuqrPZ498bnCzueLQxFcu8ce-CM-PT-YC6LOapgA52Rr41gtdyL5jJU2asrcym3D4kO3z6IyBWt6JfK-kpbUttUk4G75AaOQ1J8i2qgxjNdiY0-ELCUR6ZZKrRj7l8Pb9NtnZ-5SMCAO1Qvh3BjnnsKVM/s2048/20230130_025206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="2048" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbn_tOsc70P05kAIy4dD7ZYkzZxuQ1zqn-neuqrPZ498bnCzueLQxFcu8ce-CM-PT-YC6LOapgA52Rr41gtdyL5jJU2asrcym3D4kO3z6IyBWt6JfK-kpbUttUk4G75AaOQ1J8i2qgxjNdiY0-ELCUR6ZZKrRj7l8Pb9NtnZ-5SMCAO1Qvh3BjnnsKVM/w400-h186/20230130_025206.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I didn't want anything heavy, tall or messy. I eventually hit on the idea of using broken up cork floor tiles. <br /><br /><b>BUILT UP AREAS</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXi8EuZe92wwbLz0qF9Ta-AvVQg9q9ynxEFEesYpSrDJ2xFPAdY5Y8TxGkJIFEIzLQuJBKAH-F0lEEDKO3iQ5yYVja4sGoKQYZem1DJlVQNp6iwPOXw7NzCFuqVMZe3FCZW6UqizARralI2UgHUyDVHX7JCACZAIIdtlFKW0jJixOW53lDshCulcZkPuk/s2048/20230125_035145.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="2048" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXi8EuZe92wwbLz0qF9Ta-AvVQg9q9ynxEFEesYpSrDJ2xFPAdY5Y8TxGkJIFEIzLQuJBKAH-F0lEEDKO3iQ5yYVja4sGoKQYZem1DJlVQNp6iwPOXw7NzCFuqVMZe3FCZW6UqizARralI2UgHUyDVHX7JCACZAIIdtlFKW0jJixOW53lDshCulcZkPuk/w400-h190/20230125_035145.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_b1V0mcac2d0n-84-7yQdT8dz2nfuHNGva2oSxw3bZKIWOuGbBwpv6GYK9ZCtw_6OF0vvdPicAUfR3vZyP-007kSKMcT_NyFEsAusNrYT5b7oflLVqRjLmtcvh89YwM-VxpQoYxCOJY-aLKHKP04q1ny0UgzGFYztZw-rIcMZY0mzG2Uc19NIVyYvo8/s2048/0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1705" data-original-width="2048" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_b1V0mcac2d0n-84-7yQdT8dz2nfuHNGva2oSxw3bZKIWOuGbBwpv6GYK9ZCtw_6OF0vvdPicAUfR3vZyP-007kSKMcT_NyFEsAusNrYT5b7oflLVqRjLmtcvh89YwM-VxpQoYxCOJY-aLKHKP04q1ny0UgzGFYztZw-rIcMZY0mzG2Uc19NIVyYvo8/w400-h333/0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The village or town areas are 100mm (4") squares so they can be conveniently occupied by a single unit card with a little space to spare to remind players that attackers are entering rough ground. The buildings are from old Monopoly games picked up in charity shops. Some are finished as city areas, the rest as villages. Making the BUAs was fun.<br /><br /><b>FORTIFICATIONS</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsbQFo1NfEPe8xRBOdxWsjYWrO_ipjFm-Y-uxijfUN6QZM4ejp823b8OdjUCgPFGuy-j6q0jTn3Yexm8zCbadmDw2w6hwY3Znef5TUXloEpBnscI4IO2nFv7oYMd32MMUqc__ij4fGks0WodyhgPXQCDFBJN_37DRP9RpOuLhyphenhyphenYSkU8gSzcWZDFlWV5c/s1550/0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1466" data-original-width="1550" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsbQFo1NfEPe8xRBOdxWsjYWrO_ipjFm-Y-uxijfUN6QZM4ejp823b8OdjUCgPFGuy-j6q0jTn3Yexm8zCbadmDw2w6hwY3Znef5TUXloEpBnscI4IO2nFv7oYMd32MMUqc__ij4fGks0WodyhgPXQCDFBJN_37DRP9RpOuLhyphenhyphenYSkU8gSzcWZDFlWV5c/w400-h379/0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Flat lolly sticks with matchsticks. I added Tetrion Filler to one side to create revetments. <br /><br />The terrain pieces are stylised but convincing enough. More pictures of the scenery will be featured in game use in my next post.<br /> <p></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-43286247681835304922023-12-27T04:01:00.004+00:002023-12-27T04:06:29.237+00:00 Two more games of Xenos Rampant<p>I played two more games of <i>Xenos Rampant </i>early in the year but my memory of them is now a little hazy. The first was against my friend Ian and utilized my still unpainted 15mm Near Future armies. I was wondering if more cover would overcome the tendency to get bogged down in firefights. There was more movement in this game until the forces converged at the centre where mine were convincingly ground down.<br /><br />The second was against Ian's house guest, Ivan, utilising some of Ian's 28 mm 40K armies in a crowded urban environment. Some of the units had only a hand-to-hand capability and this also helped to induce movement. It was an aesthetically attractive and fun game which I marginally won, shooters having some advantage over those trying to close.<br /><br />Since playing these games my attention has been drawn to the 'Stabilised Weaponry' attribute which allows infantry to move and shoot as an ordered activation in the same way as vehicles. I will try this in the future in another attempt to avoid shooty games.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf99abA1-r-dkJGkY4dzZrZbKsI_hfu17GQ2slvF6BMrGaK0EopOnw7KfBlODErIRkHcHfPVgp2Hak6jkA41NzJksrZROI2MRpe17-Q-hZwm-rCV14Mh3ETGVpknyXy3wbvC8cYq6Ebhf7gDr_otlUwr1XmJzNvAnUNq-SB6p57G00zr5s58KnyV1Y3i8/s2048/20230123_192848.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="2048" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf99abA1-r-dkJGkY4dzZrZbKsI_hfu17GQ2slvF6BMrGaK0EopOnw7KfBlODErIRkHcHfPVgp2Hak6jkA41NzJksrZROI2MRpe17-Q-hZwm-rCV14Mh3ETGVpknyXy3wbvC8cYq6Ebhf7gDr_otlUwr1XmJzNvAnUNq-SB6p57G00zr5s58KnyV1Y3i8/w400-h199/20230123_192848.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My forces on this side. Ian's in the distance.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSIpPMaq6W8cciGTwtK3Z_uRCBTwpN7olkbVIbHDubHbj_a7seYI-sCOEng28_Qmu_i6J5rgFKaanlA6QpFZIaofsljqgUncpdKj_CnEVg5OpMa0r124nN6vzsP4LPeu5OYSc7pkbGvDTjXgQcY5_wkjjqRRznmXUQ3NrX_4LraWRGfQhDzrd8RhBH3k/s2048/20230123_194517.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="2048" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSIpPMaq6W8cciGTwtK3Z_uRCBTwpN7olkbVIbHDubHbj_a7seYI-sCOEng28_Qmu_i6J5rgFKaanlA6QpFZIaofsljqgUncpdKj_CnEVg5OpMa0r124nN6vzsP4LPeu5OYSc7pkbGvDTjXgQcY5_wkjjqRRznmXUQ3NrX_4LraWRGfQhDzrd8RhBH3k/w400-h194/20230123_194517.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBYoSEPf0tfPpnTk8kL9-4riy31iMgbJILEkOE2S2Vu3s9MpQErB8q-6P2Q1eOHzIBtR9p5CNIWJ3faK1GeamxGfJt_kPTvsU6FXZoeiq8E-l4beWfzMpQtLwveLhM36_VJhtDDPE0dG-rDB2VWnLq8u9x4drp8uGuRlkv1wp5XsOphJfB4D_B-KGdaA/s2048/20230123_201742.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="2048" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBYoSEPf0tfPpnTk8kL9-4riy31iMgbJILEkOE2S2Vu3s9MpQErB8q-6P2Q1eOHzIBtR9p5CNIWJ3faK1GeamxGfJt_kPTvsU6FXZoeiq8E-l4beWfzMpQtLwveLhM36_VJhtDDPE0dG-rDB2VWnLq8u9x4drp8uGuRlkv1wp5XsOphJfB4D_B-KGdaA/w400-h206/20230123_201742.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RNtUZddhjQ8VVcZ0-oUI-GLGQhy2Wca5R-DhIy5wnhmC_gXA6ghGv3rs2H-00WyrXuScavKWLCXGjYnwmxM_uWkwgih51Jlizb8unA5AfoEM6dCkTfpFtayGvj2I0AkbSwU_o_c94CRvLaMQozQvMn77qaChMgEH_zdBKhnl7DWUzI_vqnLOIrhqgOk/s2048/20230123_204455.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="2048" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RNtUZddhjQ8VVcZ0-oUI-GLGQhy2Wca5R-DhIy5wnhmC_gXA6ghGv3rs2H-00WyrXuScavKWLCXGjYnwmxM_uWkwgih51Jlizb8unA5AfoEM6dCkTfpFtayGvj2I0AkbSwU_o_c94CRvLaMQozQvMn77qaChMgEH_zdBKhnl7DWUzI_vqnLOIrhqgOk/w400-h186/20230123_204455.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the first of these two games, the progression to the centre is pretty obvious in these overview photos.</div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6lvr0o-I0qTTC5KwqsPa1W35xGwd_ASPuZFiTlwwt2EDVlTPXokVxSQjF9I0H7r_KizI7KVRi5q6ifhArGv77oj6zc1oKTYU9byaUgXjhDx9ehk1GOucM3vcEL7cMt3vv-h_Ipo1c4JzsoiftzW4QeJJ9EaSd9cgv_XlWGYFcS1u_pAVULZThmiC5As/s2987/20230327_195730.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2987" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6lvr0o-I0qTTC5KwqsPa1W35xGwd_ASPuZFiTlwwt2EDVlTPXokVxSQjF9I0H7r_KizI7KVRi5q6ifhArGv77oj6zc1oKTYU9byaUgXjhDx9ehk1GOucM3vcEL7cMt3vv-h_Ipo1c4JzsoiftzW4QeJJ9EaSd9cgv_XlWGYFcS1u_pAVULZThmiC5As/w400-h189/20230327_195730.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My heroic humans move forward...</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRCjYQ95NYkvGHkU8-Dh2WXF7zXZmcZJr8qvcgf3qG3nskuAPuau0EfPXHYjRexGAaWY6hZTacWljY7mCooAmHgn6Jy6UOwxneQIC3D1TaDXcE68tkjcICiqQOonzRmRFxTnItoMBljT_jZqXa1bMLeaZ2FfLjlRKoW4A3zsdN9bZPMO3fArbx6HH-jw/s1644/20230327_195735.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1644" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRCjYQ95NYkvGHkU8-Dh2WXF7zXZmcZJr8qvcgf3qG3nskuAPuau0EfPXHYjRexGAaWY6hZTacWljY7mCooAmHgn6Jy6UOwxneQIC3D1TaDXcE68tkjcICiqQOonzRmRFxTnItoMBljT_jZqXa1bMLeaZ2FfLjlRKoW4A3zsdN9bZPMO3fArbx6HH-jw/w400-h221/20230327_195735.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>...backed up by mortars.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_krfPMtMezG-qKk6wn82Lz1o4fiGgTPZJ346Oi2E6cG0ngS-44pNWz2sg6EPLH6NmoNmIj78w9wWLf6A7oucsKJypuv1FvQTAvLwAL8q5D213SlEKXUCy4J-G3TFwBA0ZMd8izOcF0K4CbHUF4YbS4RAo4NMKQ0k-Nxef8EBIv5ula_O9rN7-NRx-1tA/s1831/20230327_195742.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="1831" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_krfPMtMezG-qKk6wn82Lz1o4fiGgTPZJ346Oi2E6cG0ngS-44pNWz2sg6EPLH6NmoNmIj78w9wWLf6A7oucsKJypuv1FvQTAvLwAL8q5D213SlEKXUCy4J-G3TFwBA0ZMd8izOcF0K4CbHUF4YbS4RAo4NMKQ0k-Nxef8EBIv5ula_O9rN7-NRx-1tA/w400-h313/20230327_195742.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The monstrous opposition was beaten back.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-5652303156006402232023-11-19T02:41:00.001+00:002023-11-19T02:41:56.627+00:00Crossfiregrad on overdrive<p style="text-align: left;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zwkutTDTm2oaPB5q7oD6SnVO2Df2LYAtp2aI4Z2C2gxh74vln-Zmy-oTnSDm-pmw5dc7bymiqZhL3V8fOkJyOgpxg6saELJMgJPYe5XbSUmIzPXhiOC-AXsbc1im3H3udArOi6LxJBf6wYiexjdZnysN_-UOGoO4_boR3VoEaTpykLiGbGblMkRIV-I/s630/Ruins-119-Batch-1-and-2-Painted.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="630" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zwkutTDTm2oaPB5q7oD6SnVO2Df2LYAtp2aI4Z2C2gxh74vln-Zmy-oTnSDm-pmw5dc7bymiqZhL3V8fOkJyOgpxg6saELJMgJPYe5XbSUmIzPXhiOC-AXsbc1im3H3udArOi6LxJBf6wYiexjdZnysN_-UOGoO4_boR3VoEaTpykLiGbGblMkRIV-I/s320/Ruins-119-Batch-1-and-2-Painted.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Steven Thomas' 'cool' Stalingradesque ruins</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>My
commitment to wargaming tends to get elbowed out during the Summer
months, but the obsession usually returns at some point. I did, in fact,
play a few games up till June, but my posts here ended in February. If
time permits I will at least dig up some photos of the games (<i>Xenos Rampant</i> and <i>Blucher</i>) and take some photos of the semi-flat scenery I made for <i>Blucher</i>.<p></p><p>I
haven't actually yet returned to gaming and painting/modelling, but my
interest has been stirred by the magnificent collection of
Stalingradesque ruins that <b>Steven Thomas</b> of <i>Balagan </i>has recently
completed to play the Crossfiregrad and Ponyri <i>Crossfire </i>scenarios.</p><p>Originally
inspired by Steven's '2 foot city' <i>Crossfire </i>scenario, I turned out
some foamboard buildings in 2011. They involved a lot of cutting! But
technology has moved on, and this allowed Steven to design and
commission customised MDF kits from Warbases. <a href="https://balagan.info/cool-ruins-batch-1-and-2-now-complete">Please read all about it
on <i>Balagan</i>!</a></p><p>Steven is a phenomenal gamer, modeller and blogger, and <i>Balagan </i>is probably the most useful wargaming website I have ever encountered. <br /></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-29709000490737520602023-02-28T12:25:00.006+00:002023-02-28T12:27:08.996+00:00Old West at Cavalier 2023<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVG-v5LKnndXC6a0Cpc97mXrN4nz0GNRN2WzGpeiF0jSmC6AXPwTe5XjwGiCkzk4lsNrx77eSVtut4MO5v8eGzMgnblN1KNNpOInzweLcpHDdLaMdjaprr4JzofCNfPGqs5TRCFfh69QOSeBK0xNL9dkie5lRSsiDxCAmhMfhPgYnhCqQwJxS5g7-0/s2048/20230226_122045.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="2048" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVG-v5LKnndXC6a0Cpc97mXrN4nz0GNRN2WzGpeiF0jSmC6AXPwTe5XjwGiCkzk4lsNrx77eSVtut4MO5v8eGzMgnblN1KNNpOInzweLcpHDdLaMdjaprr4JzofCNfPGqs5TRCFfh69QOSeBK0xNL9dkie5lRSsiDxCAmhMfhPgYnhCqQwJxS5g7-0/s320/20230226_122045.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bank robbers make their getaway</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Tonbridge Wargames Club</b> staged a highly innovative Old West participation game at the Cavalier show. </p><p>Masterminded by my friend and regular wargame opponent, Ian, the game utilised a simplified version of GW’s <i>Legends of the Old West </i>to present a range of simultaneous and potentially interactive scenarios ranging from bank robberies to Indian attacks. </p><p>It wasn’t just cinematic, but a complete splice-up of Hollywood Western themes, and proved particularly popular with youngsters keen to make their own imaginative contributions.
The figures (mainly Dixon) and buildings (mainly Products for Wargamers) were from Ian’s collection except for the train and Chinese labourers which were provided by Bernard. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahnkOqtVEbKUp2JQsKEHNj7pbZsabtzf8V5XuNhxao-L3Iyao6VkoFGXXEe6Cg9rB6aXv96Tx-tzqBWRLgSi_7n436GDP6_dF8caVe2pjfu_YOvkQeimbRIItTvvFJ9-3tZ-mln1NTTIsgj6E89E3bDpIjuhRP3hf9k6AlLNzHQRtpY58bICXVt2J/s2048/20230226_122038.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="2048" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahnkOqtVEbKUp2JQsKEHNj7pbZsabtzf8V5XuNhxao-L3Iyao6VkoFGXXEe6Cg9rB6aXv96Tx-tzqBWRLgSi_7n436GDP6_dF8caVe2pjfu_YOvkQeimbRIItTvvFJ9-3tZ-mln1NTTIsgj6E89E3bDpIjuhRP3hf9k6AlLNzHQRtpY58bICXVt2J/w400-h171/20230226_122038.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A small Western town: home to so many dramas</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>The Tonbridge club (not to be confused with Tunbridge Wells Wargames Society) is a small but friendly club that meets just off Tonbridge High Street and plays a wide variety of games. <p><a href="https://tonbridgewargames.wixsite.com/tonbridge-wargames">Tonbridge Wargames Club</a><br /></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-2614998975145731852023-01-30T04:05:00.005+00:002023-01-30T04:05:42.350+00:00Foamboard trays for Really Useful Boxes 2<p>I thought I'd better photo the completed modular foamboard RUB storage trays described in the last post. All the trays have a 1/4 or 1/6 footprint and are 1/4 or 1/3 of the internal height or multiples thereof. </p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4te7Ar3X5vwMlBw_HlI4dWDs48knCWLlpkUQj6a7O0tohrFQEvAMmF1sueNkqtEnxpX3vuAPdgHZ0Qet2pba74x0Lmm5w2p-mdCbJOeApFmn4QviE2t2_Uf5xZ-RofSJFIMFVj4tB8YLvIKW3HioTC1vLihrPWxK3oB5jQv5-mGvU01M_X1nMDpvJ/s1683/20230130_023325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1683" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4te7Ar3X5vwMlBw_HlI4dWDs48knCWLlpkUQj6a7O0tohrFQEvAMmF1sueNkqtEnxpX3vuAPdgHZ0Qet2pba74x0Lmm5w2p-mdCbJOeApFmn4QviE2t2_Uf5xZ-RofSJFIMFVj4tB8YLvIKW3HioTC1vLihrPWxK3oB5jQv5-mGvU01M_X1nMDpvJ/w400-h214/20230130_023325.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A 9L RUB with the trays in place.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kMUtkxXPMOUvmResclAT6arl-2IpFfZ4NZkpm92v02O_6JygE9s_qDFonqjEGP-8Anumd7Mul7x46icTJvJpIget0462TF4ZmaxLDqGedCuufsQvDyUMGi7ZwSBsvw8ns1io9EKuWGDRnbJKybxJn94ptFq4208prCKkRJz8HNbM5gBS7ye7Rehr/s2048/20230130_023832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kMUtkxXPMOUvmResclAT6arl-2IpFfZ4NZkpm92v02O_6JygE9s_qDFonqjEGP-8Anumd7Mul7x46icTJvJpIget0462TF4ZmaxLDqGedCuufsQvDyUMGi7ZwSBsvw8ns1io9EKuWGDRnbJKybxJn94ptFq4208prCKkRJz8HNbM5gBS7ye7Rehr/w400-h320/20230130_023832.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>All the trays without the RUB.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFfe9X90I_lH6BpyFZENUOK_yLKfUenlpFyBV-TJRl_Pey7Q-U_0E_Gj7IM8anffI349TiKV-GgvgEEe0f61cbt6UBpxks_f4NVQ-TSXtgzgfSe_WiNOwwFxCAbcyBhveEBK3EFwWqkppNqgDp22XHI_OlvO-iC60y5W_7seqDB0Klw8QRP4y9WfR/s2048/20230130_023356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFfe9X90I_lH6BpyFZENUOK_yLKfUenlpFyBV-TJRl_Pey7Q-U_0E_Gj7IM8anffI349TiKV-GgvgEEe0f61cbt6UBpxks_f4NVQ-TSXtgzgfSe_WiNOwwFxCAbcyBhveEBK3EFwWqkppNqgDp22XHI_OlvO-iC60y5W_7seqDB0Klw8QRP4y9WfR/w400-h200/20230130_023356.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The top layer.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuC0siT6PkI4G8BNMnQ6thEJOaf1b6BkjeLHHwOUvYQcprom9gFz3-N-IT6FgYS-59s-c08TRWrHf0aWO5gvLRHt5YyCQndZZ4hPFtWAafuRjoZEMRlpNhiFKtS5x1I6eZ2aPieRwbWEmbivffgrydwTcgLg7D5-Im8gRh9Pvjrrt4gr2TMpyvCXyM/s2048/20230130_023452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1115" data-original-width="2048" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuC0siT6PkI4G8BNMnQ6thEJOaf1b6BkjeLHHwOUvYQcprom9gFz3-N-IT6FgYS-59s-c08TRWrHf0aWO5gvLRHt5YyCQndZZ4hPFtWAafuRjoZEMRlpNhiFKtS5x1I6eZ2aPieRwbWEmbivffgrydwTcgLg7D5-Im8gRh9Pvjrrt4gr2TMpyvCXyM/w400-h217/20230130_023452.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The bottom layer.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-eZBqMatbiqLIU6GoGx_OJJFsmc84xwGa6x_b0LD6exsHCdMoCU6Uhrs7uhWDFgJB-pGsHJTGOApKYOuDhLDrFHvvfqkUSf7VY7g1ghiazL2Qw4MBNXN8I556xUDgA00JhXAVgJ_Vk6miJvMvpYyKtmUJ0Nrfm9O-wgzWQLGaq8gYmnGhIe7jxfA/s2048/20230130_024141.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="2048" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-eZBqMatbiqLIU6GoGx_OJJFsmc84xwGa6x_b0LD6exsHCdMoCU6Uhrs7uhWDFgJB-pGsHJTGOApKYOuDhLDrFHvvfqkUSf7VY7g1ghiazL2Qw4MBNXN8I556xUDgA00JhXAVgJ_Vk6miJvMvpYyKtmUJ0Nrfm9O-wgzWQLGaq8gYmnGhIe7jxfA/w400-h274/20230130_024141.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>For 28mm pikemen and similar I'll add a bottomless collar which can be taken off and will make it easier to fish out the figures.</b><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-36331963132468402762023-01-26T02:23:00.002+00:002023-01-30T03:52:06.541+00:00Foamboard trays for Really Useful Boxes<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTXP12y8YV1ChAmx8RzarznBfAuzL2fkMutAL-8RlHGuhiccXrvyqoiSfrqYUUBVuAgR5QgjOsZeRF8cmxkfzQuD_xN3c81_PEh1RaHTrYXQY6umDfAG7kZCqU5yqGkf8gotWC28fPGBsLba5BBO-IIqdFkNYWP3DedkVjmVmbFzDwfNrv8C6DM72/s1924/20230106_092714.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1924" data-original-width="1771" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTXP12y8YV1ChAmx8RzarznBfAuzL2fkMutAL-8RlHGuhiccXrvyqoiSfrqYUUBVuAgR5QgjOsZeRF8cmxkfzQuD_xN3c81_PEh1RaHTrYXQY6umDfAG7kZCqU5yqGkf8gotWC28fPGBsLba5BBO-IIqdFkNYWP3DedkVjmVmbFzDwfNrv8C6DM72/s320/20230106_092714.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rebetting foamboard</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Really Useful Boxes are the best friends of many wargamers. I simply line them with magnetic sheet for storing multibased figures on steel bases, but I discovered the hard way that this did not provide adequate buffering for individually based 28mm metal figures which ended up in a heap when transported. <br /><br />My<a href="https://doctorphalanx.blogspot.com/2018/02/28mm-metal-figure-storage.html"> first solution</a> was to create interlocking slats from 5mm foamboard in the form of a hashtag (#) but I more recently became aware of the <a href="https://warbases.co.uk/">Warbases </a>MDF RUB trays which would allow me to pull out complete units en route to tabletop deployment.<br /><br />Unfortunately the Warbases trays (with full-size and half-size footprints) lacked the granularity I personally needed to minimise figure movement. So I decided to make my own foamboard trays for my individually-based 15mm Sci-Fi armies with 1/4 or 1/6 footprints and various heights based on dividing the internal height of a 9 litre RUB by 3 or 4.<br /><br />I worked extensively in foamboard when producing my <a href="http://doctorphalanx.blogspot.com/2011/11/stalingrad-project-foamboard-buildings.html">'Crossfiregrad' buildings</a>. The methodology here was exactly the same but without windows the foamboard trays required a lot less cutting. <br /><p>The trays were planned using CorelDraw, printed onto paper and Spray Mounted onto Foamboard. As before, the trays were rebetted, stuck with UHU Por and reinforced with dress pins. This makes them strong and keeps the corners square. The tray bottoms are lined with heavy-duty magnetic sheet. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycLwiKDg3qCqe7Fu7rs_yhHSwC7f4-F-tS_cKYN6QJNzEB3YqepKt-wPp1JWHHEnfQDUuDNAYKGr7gKmlM61DdqECfBRiAbCzKTUdwKGmj6FqEzXoL2ZelluKg2jrknOImi33Wm4aBt1FuJ9tBxXS-zxpofiZLYx4byEuf73F-YNiGLqYkKyI8IhF/s1997/20230106_093725.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1818" data-original-width="1997" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycLwiKDg3qCqe7Fu7rs_yhHSwC7f4-F-tS_cKYN6QJNzEB3YqepKt-wPp1JWHHEnfQDUuDNAYKGr7gKmlM61DdqECfBRiAbCzKTUdwKGmj6FqEzXoL2ZelluKg2jrknOImi33Wm4aBt1FuJ9tBxXS-zxpofiZLYx4byEuf73F-YNiGLqYkKyI8IhF/w400-h364/20230106_093725.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A 3-storey 1/6 footprint tray under construction</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The 1/4 footprint trays measure 105mm x 168mm, the 1/6 footprint trays are 105mm x 112mm and the heights are 35mm or 46mm or multiples thereof, i.e. 70mm, 92 mm or 105mm, depending on what needs to be stored. You can fit two 35mm-high trays in a 4L RUB or four in a 9L RUB. Three 46mm-high trays will fit in a 9L RUB. <br /><br />The advantage of this approach is that the trays are completely modular and can be swapped between armies as required. Although they require more work than the hashtag dividers, they will be my preferred solution in future.</p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-14282811754971601002023-01-12T02:21:00.000+00:002023-01-12T02:21:26.528+00:00Xenos Rampant: first game<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0pplHR1kv1vMU1RmHBMYnTCvLBxLXNaWbZz0OemIf3_mS7P1q4HsDPhuXzxebHOMWJK9cfKn3u6JcdaC7csPyeLvsGpjXaww5d49A-owAdmqgChLxkHkyCUGq_tdEFFJPh-Srug_H0nrJ8SgRTvGruyIty641BsfojVqIFUGmSgJAQLV9X3IV9Xv/s2028/20230109_194344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="2028" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0pplHR1kv1vMU1RmHBMYnTCvLBxLXNaWbZz0OemIf3_mS7P1q4HsDPhuXzxebHOMWJK9cfKn3u6JcdaC7csPyeLvsGpjXaww5d49A-owAdmqgChLxkHkyCUGq_tdEFFJPh-Srug_H0nrJ8SgRTvGruyIty641BsfojVqIFUGmSgJAQLV9X3IV9Xv/s320/20230109_194344.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eurasian forces massed in a corner of the <br />table. The armies will be getting some paint <br />when reinforcements arrive from GZG. </b></td></tr></tbody></table>Ian and I played our first game of <i>Xenos Rampant</i>. We improvised a scenario based on points for controlling three objectives, the points value of destroyed enemy units and a limit to the number of turns set by dicing for game end from the sixth game turn onwards. The game actually ran to seven turns at which point I readily admitted defeat. <br /><br />As expected, the Rampant engine proved sound and we both enjoyed the game. There were, however, some issues we need to address. <br /><br />Firstly, we mistakenly overlooked some unit characteristics which would have made certain units more effective.<br /><br />Secondly, there were some flaws in army design within the context of this game. My side lacked anti-armour power and my Heavy Infantry hit only on a 6. Upgrading to 10 strength points would make them to hit on 5+ which would give them a much better chance against heavy armour.<br /><br />Thirdly, we should have kept the table to the standard 4' x 4'. I increased the size because we were using 36 point forces but it wasn't really justified as the units were expensive rather than numerous. <br /><br />Fourthly, and most importantly, it got very shooty. Once enjoying a target, even at extreme range, there was little incentive to move. I put this down to the unlimited ranges. Now, unlimited ranges are quite realistic for a modern/futuristic skirmish game and I actually like that aspect, but it seems to me to put the game in the same territory as <i>Crossfire </i>which would be unthinkable (and not worth playing) without closing down the ranges with close terrain.<br /><br />Current events indicate that modern war is all about concealment and detection (not to forget artillery). Forces should only expose themselves and attack when they have local superiority. You can't capture that type of battle on an open table where everything can be seen, so our next game is going to have lots of woods for more of a hide-and-seek approach. </p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-87127523609152767802023-01-01T08:40:00.000+00:002023-01-01T08:40:05.749+00:00 2023 Plans<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1wme1lsWBm2rgAWmaEKDsxi0gIaFXL4UeTMQCIh5yWq_OUEtZENiQXhv9Gs5jP9HMx5ZXK3FTWl_gPBxJK-L9zgCncaP_jtptNlFIHcw_9Jq1rzJardNchxKYIGcJSJ579v7T1WkwzasKJjIHY41mVqh45XKN62kKvajyk1EZBzzfulkDi842o8-/s2048/Reds2.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="2048" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1wme1lsWBm2rgAWmaEKDsxi0gIaFXL4UeTMQCIh5yWq_OUEtZENiQXhv9Gs5jP9HMx5ZXK3FTWl_gPBxJK-L9zgCncaP_jtptNlFIHcw_9Jq1rzJardNchxKYIGcJSJ579v7T1WkwzasKJjIHY41mVqh45XKN62kKvajyk1EZBzzfulkDi842o8-/w200-h89/Reds2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RCW Reds: now accommodated<br />by <i>Xenos Rampant</i></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>My intentions for 2023 are so focused that I feel confident enough to call them plans. They are:<p><b>(1) To continue with <i>To the Strongest!</i></b> <br /><br />I have a number of fully-painted 15mm and 10mm armies which haven't yet been tabled. I also have some individually-based 28mm forces that might be used on sabots, and to facilitate that I recently supplemented my Late Medieval Swiss/Burgundians with another modest eBay purchase. <br /></p><p><b>(2) To play <i>Xenos Rampant</i> (my current obsession) and other Rampant games. </b><br /><br />I have three projects which have now become <i>Xenos Rampant</i> projects:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>15mm Eurasia vs Oceana Near Future Sci-Fi. Existing figures and vehicles are based and mostly undercoated but I am now adding a few more models. I also have a huge collection of domestic detritus which I had intended to turn into SF industrial scenery. I will hopefully be able to attempt a game early in the new year and am currently working on foamboard storage trays to fit RUBs so the armies can be stored and transported safely.<br /></li><li>28mm Irish War of Independence. I actually have completed armies for this, as well as a host of additional unpainted figures which I recently rediscovered.<br /></li><li>28mm Russian Civil War. These are based and undercoated.<br /></li></ul><p><br /><b>(3) To play <i>Blucher</i></b><br /><br />I have some ideas for making very flat, light scenery to complement the unit cards. This will make it a handy game to carry about.<br /><br />Any painting or modelling will be directed into these three areas.</p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-5017581913629773912022-12-27T21:13:00.001+00:002022-12-27T21:13:30.057+00:00 2022 Roundup<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4WjpcQdgc7q51wPTutY1aM8Bh5FRrwJzUbxa3P2Aq9dJ0yISpPt-VziAh1w3SpGYQPQJuz4j1dEkLlero0DzFk_OUeMN551wdtqSp4QoF4nFh4zYp9bgigjoGmjEdxWBJA2e8w5TzMqIVcAfu4XKwf4_Bb-xCtEY2LcgG7W12ux2vBvEPVNT7mAG/s499/61qaa4kFe8L._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4WjpcQdgc7q51wPTutY1aM8Bh5FRrwJzUbxa3P2Aq9dJ0yISpPt-VziAh1w3SpGYQPQJuz4j1dEkLlero0DzFk_OUeMN551wdtqSp4QoF4nFh4zYp9bgigjoGmjEdxWBJA2e8w5TzMqIVcAfu4XKwf4_Bb-xCtEY2LcgG7W12ux2vBvEPVNT7mAG/s320/61qaa4kFe8L._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>One of many additions to my<br />library of books I have no<br />time to read...</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>2022 has been almost exclusively a year of playing <i>To the Strongest!</i> and I happily achieved more than I expected. I reorganised and supplemented my old 15mm Ancients and Medievals and played quite a few games with my friend, Ian, in 6mm, 15mm and 28mm, but we weren't able to lure in any other club members. (It's a small club, DBA 2.0 is well established and people like playing <i>Lion Rampant</i>, as do I.)<br /><br />I also dug out my old 25mm Sassanids for future TtS! consideration and accumulated some 10mm Normans which were supplemented and rebased. That project was spread over a couple of weeks and constituted my sole annual painting/modelling effort. I had planned to go to the Warfare show so I could see other people playing TtS! outside of our self-taught bubble, but that expedition fell through. <br /><br />Towards the end of the year I was kindly introduced to <i>Blucher </i>and received my copy of <i>Xenos Rampant</i>. With TtS! these are areas I will be exploring next year. More details in my first post of 2023.<p></p><p>It's been another year in which I haven't had much time to do any reading, but my ability to buy books has never diminished. Sadly they seem to come with ever thinner and more shoddy covers.<br /><br />Like the rest of my wargaming activities, my blogging is not doing much more than ticking over and this has not had a good effect on readership or interactivity.<br /><br />May I wish my remaining readers a happy New Year!</p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-75755611972049884032022-12-22T22:47:00.002+00:002022-12-29T05:30:46.934+00:00 Xenos Rampant unit profiles for Near Future Sci-Fi forces<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZOepltxplqp2F1HvFsQ_J2ywKu5xrESOYaSO8xVDYt43I0APj1nY1LyUwGMVkO03ROB2xkv9dRHFRqNxABVbdwhmV2neuEX9zTJkgZfZmg9QEK5O3XLl4BPC5SI044q8iRMhbVHJ33nEC2CaQSwHT36L1eHEdpUptd7YfM0E_6I8MfbhN1BrJ2_q/s2048/20221222_142643.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1156" data-original-width="2048" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZOepltxplqp2F1HvFsQ_J2ywKu5xrESOYaSO8xVDYt43I0APj1nY1LyUwGMVkO03ROB2xkv9dRHFRqNxABVbdwhmV2neuEX9zTJkgZfZmg9QEK5O3XLl4BPC5SI044q8iRMhbVHJ33nEC2CaQSwHT36L1eHEdpUptd7YfM0E_6I8MfbhN1BrJ2_q/s320/20221222_142643.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Some Brigade Models reinforcements with<br />Heavy Weapons for the Elite Infantry. </b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I've been working on <i>Xenos Rampant</i> unit profiles for my 15mm Near Future Sci-Fi Detachments. These are mostly collected and even undercoated but I am waiting on a few new additions. <br /><br />One of these forces has a neo-Soviet flavour and was originally inspired by the early Russian insurgency in Ukraine. The other was conceived as a sort of US/NATO force. The current frightfulness has made me uncomfortable with that so I am rebranding them as the forces of Eurasia and Oceana.</p><p>The profiles basically follow what seems credible for the look of the models. The Oceana force is a little more hi-tech. I'm aware that the points costs are high which might mean some dumbing down and almost certainly having Detachments of more than the standard 24 points. We found the same thing with <i>Dragon Rampant</i> as opposed to <i>Lion Rampant</i>.<br /></p><h2>Eurasia</h2><p><b>Spider Drone Swarm</b><br />Elite Infantry 6 <br />Armour-Piercing 1, Heavy Weapons 2, Mechanoid 0<br /><b>9</b><br /><br /><b>Infantry Squad</b><br />Light Infantry 1<br />Armour-Piercing 1, Heavy Weapons 2, Brutal Leader 1<br /><b>5</b><br /><br /><b>HMG Squad</b><br />Support Infantry 5<br />Armour-Piercing 1, Heavy Weapons 2<br /><b>8</b><br /><br /><b>AT Squad (RPGs)</b><br />Support Infantry 5<br />Anti-Tank 2<br /><b>7</b><br /><br /><b>Tank</b><br />Fighting Vehicle 6<br />SMU, Armour-Piercing 1<br /><b>7</b><br /><br /><b>IFV</b><br />Transport Vehicle 4<br />SMU<br /><b>4</b><br /><br /><b>Walker</b><br />Fighting Vehicle 6<br />SMU, Armour-Piercing 1,Walker 2<br /><b>9</b><br /><br /><b>Aerial Gunship</b><br />Fighting Vehicle 6<br />SMU, Area Effect 2, Armour-Piercing 1, Light Armoured Vehicle -2, Flying 2<br /><b>9</b><br /></p><h2>Oceana</h2><b>Powered-Armour Squad</b><br />Elite Infantry 6<br />Armour-Piercing 1, Heavy Weapons 2, Mobile 1<br /><b>10</b><br /><br /><b>Bike Squad</b><br />Light Infantry 1<br />Armour-Piercing 1, Mobile 1, Skimmer 1<br /><b>4<br /></b><br /><b>Jetpack Infantry Squad</b><br />Light Infantry 1<br />Armour-Piercing 1, Heavy Weapons 2, Mobile 1 Skimmer 1<br /><b>6</b><br /><br /><b>Infantry Squad</b><br />Light Infantry 1<br />Armour-Piercing 1, Heavy Weapons 2<br /><b>4</b><br /><br /><b>Aerial Drones </b><br />Recon Infantry 2<br />Flying 2, Mechanoid 0<br /><b>4</b><br /><br /><b>HMG Squad</b><br />Support Infantry 5<br />Armour-Piercing 1, Heavy Weapons 2, Indirect Fire 1<br /><b>9</b><br /><br /><b>AT Squad (Mini-Missiles)</b><br />Support Infantry 5<br />Anti-tank 2<br /><b>7</b><br /><br /><b>Mortar Squad</b><br />Support Infantry 5<br />Engulfing 1, Indirect Fire 1<br /><b>7</b><br /><br /><b>Tank</b><br />Fighting Vehicle 6<br />SMU Armour-Piercing 1, Skimmer 1<br /><b>8</b><br /><br /><b>IFV</b><br />Transport Vehicle 4<br />SMU Skimmer 1<br /><b>5</b><br /><br /><b>MRLS</b><br />Fighting Vehicle 6<br />SMU Area Effect 2, Artillery 2, Indirect Fire 1, Light Armoured Vehicle -2<br /><b>9</b><br /><br /><b>High Mobility Wheeled Vehicle</b><br />Soft-skin Vehicle 2<br />SMU, Transport (5) 1<br /><b>3</b><br /><br /><b>Aerial Gunship</b><br />Fighting Vehicle 6<br />SMU, Armour-Piercing 1, Light Armoured Vehicle -2, Flying 2<br /><b>7</b><br /><p></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-61603486629948386642022-12-19T11:54:00.003+00:002022-12-19T11:54:51.417+00:00Blogger comment problems? <p>Are you having problems commenting on this blog?<br /><br />If you are, you won't be able to tell me in the comments...<br /><br />...so please email me at:<br /><br />doctorphalanx [atmark] gmail.com<br /><br />Please state your platform and browser and give a brief description of the problem.<br /><br />Thanks. <br /></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-41322481956409157242022-12-19T03:02:00.006+00:002022-12-19T13:38:26.970+00:0020th Century Rampant?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMhSeUnseK152f2byiGzU1hI9vOHd1k9ifyKC_VkY_hK9NqyZWdphjKxx7mP5zTCD6euJXED9o1BU1bIWX9VYa-gXv6oHQRQcegIiX612A-AJJS3hfwMQYP29vSmbKWmidMf-ZZKKAnj1aWZcFH_-HFtgzyj4hBQL3FBR5T_wasjtriz04WlFzNRa/s2700/IMG_0005.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2700" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMhSeUnseK152f2byiGzU1hI9vOHd1k9ifyKC_VkY_hK9NqyZWdphjKxx7mP5zTCD6euJXED9o1BU1bIWX9VYa-gXv6oHQRQcegIiX612A-AJJS3hfwMQYP29vSmbKWmidMf-ZZKKAnj1aWZcFH_-HFtgzyj4hBQL3FBR5T_wasjtriz04WlFzNRa/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Irish War of Independence</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I wrote <a href="https://doctorphalanx.blogspot.com/2020/09/russian-civil-war-in-28mm.html">here</a> about adapting the Rampant Colonial Rules, <i>The Men Who Would Be Kings</i>, for the early Twentieth Century, particularly for the Russian Civil War, Irish War of Independence and Mexican Revolution. <br /><br />I had quite a few original (and stolen) ideas about how to do this but never got round to trying them out. The publication of the Sci-Fi <i>Xenos Rampant</i> set, replete with vehicle rules, now seems to provide not only a more suitable starting point but may suffice without adaption. <br /><p></p><p>Have Daniel Mersey and Richard Cowan developed the killer app of skirmish wargame rules? I see indications that XR is absorbing games that were previously played with other rules...Games Workshop beware! <br /><br />Anyway, here are some examples of my very provisional take on some relevant unit definitions. Some are straight from the suggested army lists.<br /><br /><b>IWI Auxiliaries </b><br />Heavy Infantry<br />Increased Squad Size<br />Heavy Weapons (Lewes Gun) </p><p><b>IWI Regular British Infantry</b><br />Light Infanty<br />Increased Squad Size<br />Heavy Weapons (Lewes Gun) <br /><br /><b>IWI RIC/Volunteers </b><br />Light Infantry<br />Increased Squad Size<br />Undisciplined<br /><br /><b>IWI Shotgun squad</b><br />Light Infantry<br />Close Quarters Doctrine<br />Undisciplined <br /></p><p><b>HMG</b><br />Support Infantry<br /><br /><b>IWI Lancia armoured truck</b><br />Transport Vehicle<br />SMU<br />Transport (10)<br /><br /><b>IWI Crossley Tender</b><br />Soft-skin Vehicle<br />SMU<br />Civilian<br />Transport (10)<br /><br /><b>RCW Cavalry</b><br />Berserk Infantry<br />Increased Squad Size<br />Mobile<br /><br /><b>RCW Heavy Tank</b><br />Fighting Vehicle<br />SMU<br />Anti-Personnel Specialism (Female)/Armour-Piercing (Male)<br />Slow<br />Unstable<br /><br /><b>RCW Light Tank</b><br />Fighting Vehicle<br />SMU<br />Anti-Personnel Specialism<br /><br /><b>Armoured Car</b><br />Fighting Vehicle<br />SMU<br />Anti-Personnel Specialism<br />Light Armoured Vehicle<br /><br /><b>RCW Tschanka</b><br />Soft-skin Vehicle<br />SMU<br />Civilian<br />Technical <br /></p><br />doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-78879433441052252162022-12-12T04:54:00.001+00:002022-12-19T02:47:42.450+00:00Xenos Rampant<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjal4pScE4-bD96angUzJDOmluZIzvp-ZdCY3im24l4KVJDNI89MkUKFr9JZfRjWONnjQZu-6girQe3OF7SJb7iBLHlY18lUHVHI7vD_LD20zxe8J8a-rtLGJ7kkUE70HQyTfoh33lEkh8_eocUHTOIr--zRE-iHcD51ySqu4nWp0-2B7KTI_NCFm64/s499/cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="393" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjal4pScE4-bD96angUzJDOmluZIzvp-ZdCY3im24l4KVJDNI89MkUKFr9JZfRjWONnjQZu-6girQe3OF7SJb7iBLHlY18lUHVHI7vD_LD20zxe8J8a-rtLGJ7kkUE70HQyTfoh33lEkh8_eocUHTOIr--zRE-iHcD51ySqu4nWp0-2B7KTI_NCFm64/w316-h400/cover.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>I collected some 15mm Sci-Fi/Near Future forces to play <i>Gruntz 15mm</i> but never got round to completing the <a href="https://doctorphalanx.blogspot.com/2016/10/gruntz-15mm-first-two-factions.html">project</a>. The publication of <i>Xenos Rampant</i> by Daniel Mersey and Richard Cowan has renewed my interest in the genre. My friend Ian implied that my armies are “not true Sci-Fi” but I’m old school and find a grimey near future or post-Apocalyptic concept more credible than, say, the more exotic Fantasy-tinged Sci-Fi world of Games Workshop. Each to their own.<br /><br />Happily XR is a remarkably rich and flexible set of rules which will seemingly accommodate any flavour of Sci-Fi. It’s clever, imaginative and colourful and also betrays an appealingly dry sense of humour. Although <i>Gruntz 15mm</i> also looked very good, I‘m swayed by the ease of adopting another Rampant system game which is also likely to go down well in the local club.<br /><br />On the downside my SF collection includes a lot of vehicles which is not a good match for XR's infantry bias, and I spent a few days looking at 28mm figures as an alternative. I particularly liked the CP Models and Pig Iron figures and may get some next year, but I also decided to keep the 15s as the model ranges are more extensive and the on-table weapons ranges more convincing.<p></p><p>My existing figures are Ground Zero Games (UNSC faction), Armies Army Russian insurgents (now available from The Scene), and some figures in power armour from Brigade Models. Even though I am not short of vehicles, I've ordered a couple of new ones in the light of current military developments as well as some additional infantry support models.</p><p></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-10928113397310041402022-12-08T02:08:00.001+00:002022-12-08T02:08:09.318+00:00Blucher - Making a late start<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFj1G02Y0_XUU9lEB0uFSDYMD5b1ih0sOXYJdp7D4mk0UL2AeKNiu6_cYff2sxcv12J8zKND8T7tPv_lMcHz3rCqtHrNRXotB-4DVt0UffjoI4qw3f_AO1YUeFDDo3MkqdN4o6i1_IWLY9vaPBpuh2GTl_47OYE6dAVckL6CVBaaEGxBrV1hTKYLzn/s2048/Blucher%20cards.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="2048" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFj1G02Y0_XUU9lEB0uFSDYMD5b1ih0sOXYJdp7D4mk0UL2AeKNiu6_cYff2sxcv12J8zKND8T7tPv_lMcHz3rCqtHrNRXotB-4DVt0UffjoI4qw3f_AO1YUeFDDo3MkqdN4o6i1_IWLY9vaPBpuh2GTl_47OYE6dAVckL6CVBaaEGxBrV1hTKYLzn/w320-h161/Blucher%20cards.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Blucher campaign extensions and army packs.</b> </td></tr></tbody></table>Seven years after buying the rules I finally got round to an introductory game of <i>Blucher</i>, Sam Mustafa's grand-tactical Napoleonic game. <br /><br />Many thanks to fellow club member, Simon, who organised and umpired the game. My opponent, Dave, commanded a Spanish force in defensive positions while I attacked with the French. I eventually managed to take a village in the centre of the Spanish position, but did not achieve the breakthrough I was hoping for. Simon pointed out that I should have made more use of my troops' superior skirmishing ability before rushing in. <br /><br />Napoleonics are a foundational wargaming period. I've flirted with them over many years, but I'm no expert. While the tactics of column, line and square are for many the very essence of period flavour, I'm more pulled by grand-tactical games that allow one to fight whole historical battles, at least potentially. <br /><br /><i>Blucher </i>is widely played and reviewed so it's rather late to go into detail about the rules. What I do want to write about is the use of the pre-printed unit cards and some thoughts on modelling terrain. <br /><br />While the game we played employed conventional 6mm scale scenery, the armies consisted of the commercially available preprinted unit cards and I have to say that I was so engrossed in the game that I never missed or even thought about the absence of lead (or plastic) figures.<br /><br />I now have all the extension sets and army packs, and these give me far more wargaming flexibility than a collection of model figures rooted in one time and place. Although I have <a href="https://doctorphalanx.blogspot.com/2015/03/reorganising-my-6mm-napoleonics-for.html">6mm Napoleonic armies</a> that I was going to use, I'll now stick with the cards. <br /><br />Two of the great advantages of card, tablet or block armies are their modest storage requirements and the ease with which they can be transported, and I'm thinking about scenery which meets the same criteria.<br /><br />While I could create purely 2D scenery using felt, I'm currently considering slightly more realistic scenery which is nevertheless in ultra-low relief. Done properly I think it could look quite good and rather like an aerial perspective.<br /><br />I already have a good collection of game mats, relatively shallow hills and roads and rivers, so that leaves urban and forest areas. For villages I'm thinking of using a template with low grey rectangles to represent houses, although I do have some Monopoly houses and hotels that could be put to use. I also have some 2mm lead buildings, but part of the aim here is to reduce weight and maintain a symbolic style. The houses would be of uniform height (no church steeples) so that unit cards could sit level on the top when villages are garrisoned. Forests would be templates covered in clump foliage, again of uniform height.doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-25082004918729046422022-10-23T03:29:00.003+01:002022-10-23T09:05:44.296+01:00 27 years later: unpacking my 25mm Sassanid Persians<p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrQ_gMKNjNwAYiPUC8kJsag8CZk1ncEEjdT5KwQflwbLy6aa3t02NtQhd4u5lVwdVS2EKMstlpWrwbPoqcegQv1M71Hco2AvoKJnoojJKKb9T2hSBjGV646TX8K_k55se2zUV2FsBpN-dTIcaGGxuejtVZFQPXBBorWyDM4SOtLSg3nHOXvS3CR7s/s2048/20221016_080657.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="2048" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrQ_gMKNjNwAYiPUC8kJsag8CZk1ncEEjdT5KwQflwbLy6aa3t02NtQhd4u5lVwdVS2EKMstlpWrwbPoqcegQv1M71Hco2AvoKJnoojJKKb9T2hSBjGV646TX8K_k55se2zUV2FsBpN-dTIcaGGxuejtVZFQPXBBorWyDM4SOtLSg3nHOXvS3CR7s/s320/20221016_080657.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Having only ever played <i>To the Strongest!</i> in our two-strong, self-taught, local bubble, I thought it would be instructive to take part in a <i>TtS!</i> tournament at some point. While <i>TtS!</i> is played in various scales, tournaments are all 28mm. I therefore decided to dig out my slightly height-challenged 25mm Sassanids to see if they would stretch to a 135-point <i>TtS!</i> competition army.</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">We mov<span style="font-size: small;">ed ho</span>use just over 27 years ago. The figures were packed in polystyrene chippings and haven’t seen the light of day till now. Unlike my 25mm Vikings unpacked a few years ago, there were no signs of lead rot.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The figures, which I painted myself, are Lamming Miniatures which have now been brought back into production a<span style="font-family: arial;">nd are av</span>ailable from </span><a href="https://www.lammingminiatures.com/" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1155cc; cursor: text; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; pointer-events: none; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.lammingminiatures.com/</a><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">. The figures have a distinctive style - I would say charm - and are very robust but they don’t have the multiplicity of variations you see in modern ranges.</span><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The spears are made from piano wire - not as fancy as the wire spears with shaped spearheads you can buy now - but correspondingly less likely to impale players. </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">It looks like they would do but I would probably rebase them. Unfortunately they are lacking historical opponents which is something I like to have these days.</span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UlQgr7GLgQoHbUQWQqyVyxoKO_fmiYOu5UOyiSMW8zeyOKz8O9ySCSfKs16octac75VBN4GjQi-16Cvh98mbhhAFrCXxvuJTPg3uqlUwBKLhwjep4mepOv9u63o8Id3SHpGJWUJ9gMLtikwrP2Nt6N8YFQh6rKBZ6J4U1UmJ6OZXM6m6OU-3JSDu/s2048/20221018_144844.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="2048" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UlQgr7GLgQoHbUQWQqyVyxoKO_fmiYOu5UOyiSMW8zeyOKz8O9ySCSfKs16octac75VBN4GjQi-16Cvh98mbhhAFrCXxvuJTPg3uqlUwBKLhwjep4mepOv9u63o8Id3SHpGJWUJ9gMLtikwrP2Nt6N8YFQh6rKBZ6J4U1UmJ6OZXM6m6OU-3JSDu/w400-h189/20221018_144844.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><br />Elephants, Cataphracts and Cavalry</b></span></div><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIolYZ3leX18W3JnjZAu3HTeEOkW462elv52rngd3cpjdo9L-wi05rQWuRv98TSaduH60DWHuGPDLt7Fgl__5RH_CPQ3GLA9_FCqHIOwJ-hXlsfeBtQEgjICjWRz8xx5TGD3K1iHMFuxWNOJo8IE-tBIoQieg5ZgBvpLWbRzhodlCXsA94CZf8sjAv/s2048/20221018_145340.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="2048" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIolYZ3leX18W3JnjZAu3HTeEOkW462elv52rngd3cpjdo9L-wi05rQWuRv98TSaduH60DWHuGPDLt7Fgl__5RH_CPQ3GLA9_FCqHIOwJ-hXlsfeBtQEgjICjWRz8xx5TGD3K1iHMFuxWNOJo8IE-tBIoQieg5ZgBvpLWbRzhodlCXsA94CZf8sjAv/w400-h201/20221018_145340.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Horse Archers, Slingers, Bowmen, and Javelinmen<br /></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2I4q6lwWQmQXWHbnaoLZ0mk27IB_z7Xj5u5qnAe7zAb9TSCHf0Sox2F4TjseqBMUFOiDkXI2sdSkgsHAImPz6StW4EAWxGeZdyS-IrvOh-b78u3yzb-Jw92EJ6EiBZlI5pR_29jLS2e5LXu1m5In5FUZaeqYqecY2OlBumJmqtSpRDbtUHObPZEb0/s2048/20221016_082040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="2048" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2I4q6lwWQmQXWHbnaoLZ0mk27IB_z7Xj5u5qnAe7zAb9TSCHf0Sox2F4TjseqBMUFOiDkXI2sdSkgsHAImPz6StW4EAWxGeZdyS-IrvOh-b78u3yzb-Jw92EJ6EiBZlI5pR_29jLS2e5LXu1m5In5FUZaeqYqecY2OlBumJmqtSpRDbtUHObPZEb0/w400-h110/20221016_082040.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Spearmen</span></b></div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.1px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /></div> <p></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-86955557547412444632022-07-20T16:28:00.002+01:002022-10-23T04:06:13.406+01:0010mm Normans rebased<p>Taking advantage of a rare opportunity to do some painting etc over the last couple of weeks, I have now just finished reorganising and rebasing the 10mm Normans that I inherited. Actually finishing a project is a big achievement for me these days.<br /><br />This project involved:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Soaking the old card bases in water and removing.</li><li>Planning the new units.</li><li>Adding a few additional figures for fun (crossbowmen and peasants with improvised weapons).</li><li>Repainting some mail in silver and some textiles in colour.</li><li>Sticking the figures on my preferred MDF/steel combination bases.</li><li>Texturing the bases with Tetrion filler and a sand/ballast mix.</li><li>Painting the bases.</li><li>Applying 2mm static grass.</li></ul><p>Most readers will be familiar with all these techniques and I've covered them all before. However, I will make a few relevant remarks.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmpAPdPZ0FAZY7jdAd0Sth6JftKh_qzazsyEEf3aB_-GHT8x0slMDJOxJtWgxZ3l7BNmTuX0AzoCZMIZoOzCG7iyC-6-sOzhwUQEyeX64MLhCRNCoGls4IkqHb3BXA1mafM3otBDx0g1EKbK685mXEbHuk2L61Z7eYZnFQb3JDYBi2KQJ5N1O3Col/s2048/20220720_144307.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="2048" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmpAPdPZ0FAZY7jdAd0Sth6JftKh_qzazsyEEf3aB_-GHT8x0slMDJOxJtWgxZ3l7BNmTuX0AzoCZMIZoOzCG7iyC-6-sOzhwUQEyeX64MLhCRNCoGls4IkqHb3BXA1mafM3otBDx0g1EKbK685mXEbHuk2L61Z7eYZnFQb3JDYBi2KQJ5N1O3Col/w400-h210/20220720_144307.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Front left: Sergeants. Back left and centre: ordinary cavalry. Right: veteran cavalry.<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b>I like planning units and spent a lot of time doing it. The aim was to optimise use of the figures I had in order to produce two armies. In the end I went with 80mm wide bases to be used on a 100mm grid. This is for To the Strongest! Each base is a unit.<br /><br />Repainting was fairly impressionistic. I hit the main areas. These are 10mm figures after all. Nobody should notice or care unless they lead very sad lives.<br /><br />On the new figures, I painted faces but no hands. I might repaint some of the shields to provide more variation and I might add a dark wash to tone down the colours I used on some of the new figures, but I may never get round to it.<p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLgDxUiDd7cxK5_VmosyQfcXb5OE8N3F2GFb4q7KCdlOnwQKKfN_LaYQqMBEyT0oxPpA3MIH3h6Hx2bVNR1Cp0my2huE70hyfcz7u-Z1YzMdGG-VsSNMQ028u4tTtJBFfC--DBrZI2e-zEoE7v_f_Z3K3CbuDpXb3mkvq8Fl32bEXqlNwQCnGp84F/s2048/20220720_144243.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="2048" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLgDxUiDd7cxK5_VmosyQfcXb5OE8N3F2GFb4q7KCdlOnwQKKfN_LaYQqMBEyT0oxPpA3MIH3h6Hx2bVNR1Cp0my2huE70hyfcz7u-Z1YzMdGG-VsSNMQ028u4tTtJBFfC--DBrZI2e-zEoE7v_f_Z3K3CbuDpXb3mkvq8Fl32bEXqlNwQCnGp84F/w400-h219/20220720_144243.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Left to right, front to back: Fyrd; Foot Sergeants; Flemish Spearmen, Norman Militia.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The sand was applied to the Tetrion while it was still wet. The best results are achieved by having the Tetrion very wet. But getting the filler between multibased ready-painted figures was awkward.<br /><br />The bases were initially flood painted with a very dilute wash of household emulsion. The sand soaks it up. They were then dry-brushed with Zamesi Desert and Ushabti Bone.<br /><br />The static grass was applied with an electric applicator. I'm not entirely convinced this made much difference but it didn't do any harm.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGlusUJIZxt4-bZKF9LT83RC6TeKvnb7rl-VLNmdcs9TPClPb7hjwW0WcLnG5BMfQxv1EzwrpKg-2kvyG_coVxLWJWmSBJmrufwT_EVXIW9nA6GS1ucs02aP4FRqJBm7hzruBxwN1o5x0FvE5ZOhNQHwDe6iOWbntawvWngojXJlCi5NPbJjFGi30/s2048/20220720_144219.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="2048" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGlusUJIZxt4-bZKF9LT83RC6TeKvnb7rl-VLNmdcs9TPClPb7hjwW0WcLnG5BMfQxv1EzwrpKg-2kvyG_coVxLWJWmSBJmrufwT_EVXIW9nA6GS1ucs02aP4FRqJBm7hzruBxwN1o5x0FvE5ZOhNQHwDe6iOWbntawvWngojXJlCi5NPbJjFGi30/w400-h176/20220720_144219.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Left: Feudal levies. Front: Crossbows. Back: Bows.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I learnt two lessons from this project:<br /></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Basing the figures before painting as I did for my 10mm ACW and 6mm TYW armies is a much better approach for multibased figures. In this instance most of the figures were already painted so I wasn't working from scratch. I'm not sure, however, whether I would pre-base 15m or 28mm figures, but I would certainly think about it.</li><li>Dry-brushing the bases in just two colours was adequate.</li></ol><p>The overall approach was based on expending the minimum effort and time, and to rely on the new bases for aesthetic effect. In that it was a resounding success.<br /></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-50219287546457258482022-05-15T09:41:00.005+01:002022-05-15T09:41:38.203+01:00 10mm armies for 'To the Strongest!'<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlZc3DM7ckcToTw5482MJCifF2q6vStYxukcqfBP69Wx0n-gbFcZ4rvLgWEXtYbp16DS5KI7Moy_zC9o7iq01iiD5lpL8joLClGZ1TzDqJHwEtR0dL8Wgq1l_uz9CQ5zlpSWA7uxTx-Jtot89Hxm74LOl7s7UI0VEyEbmYSE4dkvbgFbA00JIzPa3/s1200/Normans%2010mm.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1200" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlZc3DM7ckcToTw5482MJCifF2q6vStYxukcqfBP69Wx0n-gbFcZ4rvLgWEXtYbp16DS5KI7Moy_zC9o7iq01iiD5lpL8joLClGZ1TzDqJHwEtR0dL8Wgq1l_uz9CQ5zlpSWA7uxTx-Jtot89Hxm74LOl7s7UI0VEyEbmYSE4dkvbgFbA00JIzPa3/s320/Normans%2010mm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I've had to deal with some domestic redevelopment work and have also been preoccupied with following events in Ukraine, but I did find time to fit in a few more games of <i>To the Strongest!</i>. <br /><br />I also inherited a 10mm Norman army with enough figures to split into two <i>TtS</i>! armies (Anglo-Norman and Norman) based on the Battle of Tinchebrai (1106), thus plugging another historical gap in my collection of medievals. <br /><br />The basing scheme and base sizes are rather random so I've decided to rebase them all. There are also quite a few unarmoured figures which have been painted as armoured so I'll also be dabbing a little paint on them to restore the look of textiles.<br /><br />Once reorganised and rebased on 60mm wide bases the armies will fit a 75mm grid and thus a very compact 3' x 2' <i>TtS! </i>playing area.<p></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-22621217179990479802022-02-15T01:17:00.000+00:002022-02-15T01:17:47.702+00:00To the Strongest! - first game<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho8CTXgc10--6XLi1McAnATyTvFSVz545mzGUcnAcyVnPYTGOZaOgAL944Yju_G_uFRckOe2QqWLzKhjEWiviT2jtj2ZQF_HjQ2p8HFt6K9QZAA1_ssRNvVmdQtfeBOIXjoKbBPJ3RgHy9cugAJGLqE0en5iTstrU23y-WBsqNYVY65c9ZoYb14In3=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="2048" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho8CTXgc10--6XLi1McAnATyTvFSVz545mzGUcnAcyVnPYTGOZaOgAL944Yju_G_uFRckOe2QqWLzKhjEWiviT2jtj2ZQF_HjQ2p8HFt6K9QZAA1_ssRNvVmdQtfeBOIXjoKbBPJ3RgHy9cugAJGLqE0en5iTstrU23y-WBsqNYVY65c9ZoYb14In3=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></p><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I put on and umpired a game of <i>To the Strongest!</i> at my local wargames club. Bernard commanded the Huns and allies (left) while Ian had the Romans and allies (right).</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The Allans flanked the Ostrogoths (top) and the Visigoths pushed back the Huns (bottom). In the centre the Romans and their Frankish and other Germanic opponents traded blows fairly evenly.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I had already gone through some moves in a solo game a few days before, so I had a reasonable grasp of how the game is played. I don't think we forgot anything or made any mistakes. The players were quick to pick up the flow.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Most importantly my wargaming comrades enjoyed playing and have a positive view of the game, endorsing my own optimism and paving the way to play the game in the future.</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The photo above shows the situation at the end of five game turns. The figures are all 15mm from my collection. The Allans are proxies.</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The game didn't reach a decision but the Huns were under pressure. </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202124; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.2px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I'll be sorting out some Feudal era armies for the next game and we'll play with slightly fewer units and just two commands a side while we're becoming more familiar with the rules.</span></p><p></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-78016424341618570532022-02-02T23:07:00.000+00:002022-02-02T23:07:14.459+00:00 Rebasing without tears - DBx basing, steel sabots and magnetic storage<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifjPAKpyBLEv8o7v7GYgSiyjJABTZUZJxHS-oMhqvO-uxs-_JSY2p_jwWx7zRXFYEmWJsPrcvY30qXlF2gGzO-hfGOy6kCcUQyRfda8X8_X_tB2Vj4vnzXGLOulMzuimiO7qLcmbuARC1Ie75oy3avO8ibwpeofCRrOY245hhoUgiUT-yjZY81UT75=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1790" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifjPAKpyBLEv8o7v7GYgSiyjJABTZUZJxHS-oMhqvO-uxs-_JSY2p_jwWx7zRXFYEmWJsPrcvY30qXlF2gGzO-hfGOy6kCcUQyRfda8X8_X_tB2Vj4vnzXGLOulMzuimiO7qLcmbuARC1Ie75oy3avO8ibwpeofCRrOY245hhoUgiUT-yjZY81UT75=s320" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>15mm Frankish Warriors in three<br />ranks, on and off steel sabots.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>As a grid game <i>To the Strongest!</i> doesn’t stipulate any particular basing requirements, and as my 15mm Ancients and Medievals are already based for DBx, it's just a question of combining them into larger units. The figures all have magnetic sheet underneath their bases so the obvious solution was to put the DBx elements onto steel sabots. </p><p>Retaining the original bases means they will also remain usable for other rules. I had already gone down this route to some extent in order to play <i>Impetus </i>so I just needed to get more steel bases of various depths.<br /><br />After some thought and experiment I eventually decided on one sabot per unit and I am now absolutely convinced this was the best choice. If I ever play some other game requiring different basing, I'll just get more sabots of appropriate size.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2b4lA_YMNuGb_QX10e_cjLF7fUlXlAnY4EuyRsddm_zqx9chCexXNmj9RIdu8O5mVLBQuQGPCtP7I1OusdfavmR7ZIY7GHg7b7R2-CiMeacpwOFUymHgb5CrCw8y6zVsK1EwlGUNtSiWahPf4-U6zfCjWlsRJgAMbXNh3sw9hC9iPcqWGa5gp6Mh3=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="2048" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2b4lA_YMNuGb_QX10e_cjLF7fUlXlAnY4EuyRsddm_zqx9chCexXNmj9RIdu8O5mVLBQuQGPCtP7I1OusdfavmR7ZIY7GHg7b7R2-CiMeacpwOFUymHgb5CrCw8y6zVsK1EwlGUNtSiWahPf4-U6zfCjWlsRJgAMbXNh3sw9hC9iPcqWGa5gp6Mh3=w400-h186" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>15mm Late Roman cavalry, Auxilia, Legionaries and lights.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>As I usually have to transport my armies on foot, I'm very keen on secure storage, so the sabots (with the figures on them) will in turn be placed into boxes lined with magnetic sheet. I've yet to find out just how well the figures stay on the sabots, but the sabots adhere strongly to the boxes. </p><p>In fact, the attraction is so strong that I've had to put paper ‘ribbons’ under the bases so I can pull the sabots out without scattering the figures. Maybe there’s a slicker solution but this does seem to work. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigB1bUUG3rmRds-H8Ha6boaN1GRclL8aa4Nr7_tWP_s1MYm2kwNn66MrW5l9wJZQs-YmL3nNhQ9K_pNnAwg4q2nwRnqJFQtkAlXKqesVTx0fd9vCN--u-1wGWOYMAAIQvJ2r7BxZgOC6O-yPgQGHUiQOUFGwMk6dlPQEEkq9JG5mpHSBafTnDnLx9Z=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="2048" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigB1bUUG3rmRds-H8Ha6boaN1GRclL8aa4Nr7_tWP_s1MYm2kwNn66MrW5l9wJZQs-YmL3nNhQ9K_pNnAwg4q2nwRnqJFQtkAlXKqesVTx0fd9vCN--u-1wGWOYMAAIQvJ2r7BxZgOC6O-yPgQGHUiQOUFGwMk6dlPQEEkq9JG5mpHSBafTnDnLx9Z=w400-h233" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>15mm Feudal Scots with strips of paper to lift them out.<br />These figures were actually painted by me. The figures in the other photos weren't.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p></p><p></p><p>As mentioned above, I used to put magnetic sheet under the bases but it's much less trouble to snip off bits of magnetic tape. The tape is just a little narrower than the DBx base depths, so 12.5 mm for 15mm, 15mm for 20mm and 25mm for 30mm.<br /><br />I currently get MDF bases and steel sabots from Products for Wargamers, magnetic tape from Magnetic Displays, and magnetic sheet from TinyTinTroops.<br /></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-67285028554712378222022-01-14T14:12:00.000+00:002022-01-14T14:12:04.170+00:00Blog List Update<p>I deleted the old blog roll gadget but still couldn't get new instances to display properly. After several reinstalls and some trial and error, I discovered the new problem hinged specifically on how each individual blog was added.<br /><br />The blog roll is OK now, but I'll cover the issue in some detail for the benefit of any fellow bloggers who still have the same problem. One of the most frustrating aspects of this saga was the lack of information or help.<br /><br />For each blog I found that I needed to enter the URL and the title freshly, either by typing or pasting. You will then get the following dialogue box, and I choose the first option: </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhH6YkzW8W6WVDq3xTo9cTlbyPAzUcSuyeujt-EmlyV0dd4wNfNb87rYvXtXhb-q2U6CCU7RoXU234wwPvBE5TWyVz1s0RU6wBnt8vuNB96D_QPcg8ldrE0tpt8dzAPDP033w37kfFXK8n1tSINcKSBERZCJlO7arbOhQFL9j1m_M0oR9L5UzYF71st=s891" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="891" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhH6YkzW8W6WVDq3xTo9cTlbyPAzUcSuyeujt-EmlyV0dd4wNfNb87rYvXtXhb-q2U6CCU7RoXU234wwPvBE5TWyVz1s0RU6wBnt8vuNB96D_QPcg8ldrE0tpt8dzAPDP033w37kfFXK8n1tSINcKSBERZCJlO7arbOhQFL9j1m_M0oR9L5UzYF71st=s320" width="320" /></a> </p><p><br />If, however, you allow Blogger to autocomplete the entry, the blog will be added but it will display like this and appear at the bottom:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgi8FRmLIK60ogOyVWkhsPuigJsNH_tpomvQcsDdKy0eek2HBelnn5ry2h2EARkQS7Qd5rHS8-MiTuWa8ksqsVvbGOkLaBEjnE3IwAFwSE1EvQ2_zLSLO64XiBMMQCErODqubCPyym5t7Q5rPpPQ229Y__lmsnC-uBU4N6GCDPEGnt5jhI-QOmUqer=s493" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="493" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgi8FRmLIK60ogOyVWkhsPuigJsNH_tpomvQcsDdKy0eek2HBelnn5ry2h2EARkQS7Qd5rHS8-MiTuWa8ksqsVvbGOkLaBEjnE3IwAFwSE1EvQ2_zLSLO64XiBMMQCErODqubCPyym5t7Q5rPpPQ229Y__lmsnC-uBU4N6GCDPEGnt5jhI-QOmUqer=s320" width="320" /></a><br /><br />Presumably there's no feed. I haven't exhaustively experimented with every permutation. This works for me so I'm sticking with it. Done properly, the blog in question appears like this and in the correct order:</p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEDAiv3EpB7RVBZXyTxfglA73_2mSt8-gQKuhjhQNZ_9uv7IxKLVM0DfTq-RGjFcYjx00jNYkUr1YvTF5mrUkE9eer6PF93jkCoAVkhrWPRs8Nzu0DwqlxSHEy5zdVJY31-pkhDLq5_-oUiB-bmab5FO11KCIaew7r5pPILY90XjkHO3XTGG5BW958=s559" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="559" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEDAiv3EpB7RVBZXyTxfglA73_2mSt8-gQKuhjhQNZ_9uv7IxKLVM0DfTq-RGjFcYjx00jNYkUr1YvTF5mrUkE9eer6PF93jkCoAVkhrWPRs8Nzu0DwqlxSHEy5zdVJY31-pkhDLq5_-oUiB-bmab5FO11KCIaew7r5pPILY90XjkHO3XTGG5BW958=s320" width="320" /></a><br /><br />Blog rolls are important. They promote other blogs with shared interests, they provide the most convenient basis for interactivity, and they draw readers. I know of one person at least for whom my blog roll is his starting point for wargame surfing.<br /></p><p></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-88136579606288686812022-01-01T23:55:00.001+00:002022-01-01T23:58:27.653+00:00Dum vivimus vivamus! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXwFjwx0QPkHlsBJIkCEb4XtnfUhJg-2hEqVm-Ua2ehQ9IQBtLvlBUNlHf4LClKRyXv0MfSTUY3sbpCkFP7-qOktpX8GBZ0pnV84p36RoCU5D221025ePg-Nkl0Qf81OR1OcCCqLIyG3RUlLif_8OO9RdJo3OzMlRhchIeKdBrjGXio9pFg46mPl71=s361" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="268" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXwFjwx0QPkHlsBJIkCEb4XtnfUhJg-2hEqVm-Ua2ehQ9IQBtLvlBUNlHf4LClKRyXv0MfSTUY3sbpCkFP7-qOktpX8GBZ0pnV84p36RoCU5D221025ePg-Nkl0Qf81OR1OcCCqLIyG3RUlLif_8OO9RdJo3OzMlRhchIeKdBrjGXio9pFg46mPl71=w298-h400" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Current reading focus: Late Antiquity</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>A happy new year to one and all! I can only hope that 2022 will see an end to the epidemic of fear. We need to live, not just be alive, and Covid is just another risk we have to manage rationally. <p>As regards wargaming, my new year’s resolution was to make no resolutions. I certainly won't be formulating any grandiose plans and I hesitate even to mention current interests in case of raising expectations...but that's the point of this blog so I will.<br /></p><p>My immediate activity is to continue reorganising my 15mm Ancient and Medieval armies in anticipation of playing <i>To the Strongest!</i> and in learning the rules. As ever, my wargaming interests run parallel to historical reading (when I get the time) and I am currently focusing on Late Antiquity.</p><p>The combination of 80mm frontages and a 4" grid (which I have chosen for <i>TtS!</i>) works so well for me that it has also set me thinking about rebasing my <a href="https://doctorphalanx.blogspot.com/2015/12/impetus-rather-telescoped-pavia.html#more">25mm Renaissance armies</a> on 80mm wide bases. </p><p>I intend to continue work on the 28mm Russian Civil War armies for <i>The Men Who Would Be Kings</i> as these will be easier to complete than many of my other, more colour-complex, 28mm armies.</p><p>Other than that I should move myself to finish the 6mm armies for <i>Tilly's Very Bad Day</i> as they are not far from completion.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj76CQSM-1e4dvUxLUwySW9UFyROO9oiyf9mOtAXJdPBLhmO73_sRlP-WzXZD5F2YoFQNBa796VGFiFSDpBPuyvYgxFRAW6-y9ASuzyNPadaS_61HhiJxbDbaROO2uk_kyyzystWxuFHGz0bRmcmyUSbUGy1RAvvUKBteLrO3-cKhukwH43JhCUCQi=s1001" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1001" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj76CQSM-1e4dvUxLUwySW9UFyROO9oiyf9mOtAXJdPBLhmO73_sRlP-WzXZD5F2YoFQNBa796VGFiFSDpBPuyvYgxFRAW6-y9ASuzyNPadaS_61HhiJxbDbaROO2uk_kyyzystWxuFHGz0bRmcmyUSbUGy1RAvvUKBteLrO3-cKhukwH43JhCUCQi=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>28mm figures on 80mm bases from the collection of<br />Norm (<i><a href="http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/">Battlefields & Warriors</a></i> blog). Great dynamism<br />in posing the figures and a true inspiration. More<br />pictures <a href="https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2021/05/28mm-wars-of-roses-pocket-armies.html">here</a>.</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I should not of course be starting anything new but there are some significant historical gaps in my collection and it is hard to resist nice figures. One such gap is the Hundred Years War and the figures which draw me are the 28mm ranges from <a href="https://claymorecastings.co.uk/new.claymorecastings.co.uk/">Claymore Castings</a> and <a href="https://antediluvianminiatures.wordpress.com/2018/02/07/shop-historical-range/">Antediluvian Miniatures</a>. This would be for the Anglo-Scottish Wars (e.g. Otterburn 1388) rather than the Continental theatre.<br /><br />In recent years I settled on using relatively small numbers of individually based 28mm figures for <i>Rampant </i>skirmish games and smaller scales for multibased mass armies. This project would be multibased 28mm figures, thus breaking what has been a very sensible policy. So, to keep things under control, I am again looking at 80mm wide units for use on a compact table. Quite a few gamers have gone down this path and I am particularly inspired by the Wars of the Roses figures (pictured above) belonging to Norm of the very content-rich <i><a href="http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/">Battlefields & Warriors</a></i> blog. This is just the look I am after.<br /><br />I have to admit that if using <i>TtS!</i> (which seems likely even though I haven't yet played it), the armies and the game would be little different from using my 15mm Feudal English and Scots. I guess it's all in the aesthetics.</p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654358191889198506.post-49513140254459637772021-12-21T09:26:00.001+00:002021-12-25T15:54:26.539+00:00"No rules were broken"<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxWosTKT8vvk8icfisu9-UCYQYjq81oVb892oHrhvLOOclQnSA25GKffK9mOTc3v4I0pbCY6Gf3LHJyMjv3sPBPsSzbGvap1Nj56lH7H5zjjiNw73shYHElehIDuWU8ZbccPOiiwpLaiq-M_9h0XGdgoG4tCB0mJCrrHo1xUDfhN-aTcbn5y9Zimwl=s650" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="449" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxWosTKT8vvk8icfisu9-UCYQYjq81oVb892oHrhvLOOclQnSA25GKffK9mOTc3v4I0pbCY6Gf3LHJyMjv3sPBPsSzbGvap1Nj56lH7H5zjjiNw73shYHElehIDuWU8ZbccPOiiwpLaiq-M_9h0XGdgoG4tCB0mJCrrHo1xUDfhN-aTcbn5y9Zimwl=w276-h400" width="276" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey's <i>Undaunted: Normandy</i></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I can give a categorical assurance that no wargame rules were broken during the last twelve months because very few games were attempted. I didn't fancy wargaming in a mask at my local club and I only managed two games at home (apart from computer games).<br /><br />Although I could have played more games at home, my heart wasn't in it. The ennui that many wargamers reported quite early during the Lockdowns finally got to me.<br /><br />The games I did play at home were of the Osprey board wargame, <i>Undaunted: Normandy</i>, with my good friend Ian. The game is simple but subtle. The score was one all.<br /><br />My 'meta-wargaming' was also modest:<br /><br />1. I accumulated quite a lot of military books, particularly from Osprey and Helion, but didn't get much time to read them. I try to buy only slim books these days. I don't have time to read or room to store any more fat books. <br /><br />2. I finished collecting, cleaned/constructed and based the 28mm Russian Civil War figures for <i>The Men Who Would Be Kings</i>, and clarified the minimal adaptions I would be using for extending the rules into the 20th Century.<br /><br />3. I developed an interest in <i>To the Strongest!</i> and have started to reorganise my 15mm Ancient and Medieval armies. I’ve even bought some extra (painted) figures to fill gaps, but my main activity has been arranging figures into units on sabot bases.<br /><br />4. Inspired by the simplicity but effectiveness of <i>Undaunted: Normandy</i> I made another attempt at writing my own WW2 fastplay rules but then lost interest in them again.<br /><br />Overall this has been another depressing year. At this point I should probably say something optimistic but I can't think of anything.<br /></p>doctorphalanxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11805618584243510174noreply@blogger.com4