Sunday, July 13, 2014

CHAIN OF COMMAND GAMES

We played two Chain of Command games this weekend. One was a game set in Crete 1941 and the other was defending Pegasus Bridge Normandy against a German counter-attack. Here are some photos from the games. All the figures were 28mm. The figures and tables were excellent.
 JU52s arrive over Crete- the models are 1/72 scale


 A New Zealand gun crew man a captured Italian gun

Greek soldiers and one New Zealander set up a Vickers gun on the roof of a building in one of the objective villages.
 Greeks soldiers defend the other village on the table

This is the Crete table from one end - the objectives for the Fallschirmjagers were basically each of the four corners of the table. To win they had to capture three of them.
 This is the Crete table from the other end
A marker is placed where the Fallschirmjagers want to land. What then happened was a scatter dice was rolled to see if this happened. If it did not then two D6 are rolled to determine how many inches away in the direction indicated by the scatter dice they actually land. A separate roll was made for the Fallschirmjagers weapon canister. Luckily my boys landed pretty well where I wanted them to, but others were somewhat scattered.
You can see my first drop was pretty well on the mark. I have placed a second marker for my next drop. When I rolled to check where it landed I rolled spot on the mark - it helps to be lucky!





 A Fallschirmager squads lands behind one of the objectives and overruns it.
Greek and New Zealand POWs are led away. In the image below you can see that one village being held by the Greeks is being hit hard. Eventually Greek morale collapsed and they surrendered. This gave the Fallschirmjagers two objectives. The third objective which was a hill held by the New Zealanders was just about to fall. The game was called at that stage and declared a German victory.
 This is the Pegasus Bridge game.
 A great model of the bridge.
This was a great idea and looked fantastic. The 'burning' accessory consists of an LED 'Tea Light' that you can buy in the $2 shops. Cotton wool is arranged around the light - held there by double sided tape. The wool is given a  light coat of black spray paint. Then a spray of matte varnish is applied. All you need to do is switch on the light and you get a flickering flame - it is brilliant! 

 The German counter-attack arrives and begins to push down the road.
 British Paras entrenched in front of the house and in the house resist the German advance.

 More Germans arrive and the house starts to get their attention.
The house is now getting some serious attention from the Germans. The Paras sheltering inside are being steadily chewed up.
The Paras in the house are eliminated the house is reduced to ruins. Shortly after the British commander on that side of the river is killed and British morale collapses. The Paras evacuate to the other side of the river.

 The Germans lay a smoke screen and push forward towards the bridge.

The game ends with the Germans occupying the objective on what is now their side of the river and moving up into positions for the next phase of the attack which will be directed at the bridge. The game ended at this point. 

Friday, July 11, 2014

54mm ROMAN LEGION

Here is some of my collection of 54mm Romans. My long term project is to build up a Legion with support troops and an army of 'Barbarians' to fight them. What I would like to do is to put on a public display game using these figures, it would look magnificent! The Legionaries are my own figures cast from a master figure I had commissioned from a Master figure maker in the UK. Standard bearers, Centurion, Tribune and Caesar are from a variety if suppliers.








Tuesday, July 8, 2014

54mm HIGHLANDERS

Here is a project that has been a long time in fruition. Several years ago I began painting and converting a bunch of 54mm Armies in Plastic Highlanders. I have a plan to put on some games set in the Sudan in which the brave Highland laddies fight all sorts of nasty foes - all in 54mm. Well I have finally finished painting the Highlanders and here they are! Next job is to paint up a horde of enemies for them. I have started that project but it will be a long time before I get that one done.
 No Highland regiment would be without its piper!
 Form square! I suspect these lads will be doing this frequently.
"Watch your markers and when you fire, fire TOWARDS the enemy!" Colour Sergeant MacSporran points out the obvious. MacSporran has been converted and has new arms, a beard and a new rifle.
Major 'Rob' Roy watches over his lads. The Major is also a conversion with new arms and beard.