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  • in reply to: Operation Barbarossa Campaign #195580
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Irishserb:

    I tried to post this post below about AAR-3 on your blog but I could not get it to submit. So I copied and pasted it here.

    A very good report. Great terrain. How big was the table(s) on which you fought the battle? The battle itself was a vicious slaughter by the Germans of the Soviet Frontier forces. But that’s what happens when an outnumbered defender has no access to heavy weapons or indirect fire support. Will this campaign be just infantry clashes or will combined arms forces start to appear and fight at some point? Regardless, I am really enjoying this campaign. Please keep up the battles and the great reports.

    I am presently painting up 15mm Pz III J’s and Pz IV F’s and F-2!s for the 1942 battles around but not in Stalingrad. They will focus north around the Kotluban Railway station and south as well. When I get the Germans finished then the gaming can begin. Your blog is inspiring me to get back to the 20th Century and the Eastern Front. I’ve been slumming in the Bronze and early Iron ages painting Assyrians and Babylonians but WWII is where my greatest gaming joy can be found.

    Thanks for the posts.
    Cheers and good gaming.
    Rod.

    in reply to: 6mm Kiwis on road to Orsogna Dec 43 #194949
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Mark Luther:

    Outstanding terrain and minis. I very much enjoyed the photo array and many of the others you have posted on Flicker. So, how did the battle play out? I could not find any description of the struggle. Thanks for posting the piccies. They were game-inspiring eye-candy! I do 15mm and 6mm WWII gaming but your terrain is much better than what I use. I just finished a Canadian and Irish vs. German battle in Italy (the Battle of Cathedral Hill in November of last year. But time constraints and real-world obligations have blocked me from doing a big proper game since.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson

    in reply to: Magister Militum closing up shop #189066
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    I better get off my duff and order eight more Assyrian round-bodied chariots to finish my Early-Middle Assyrian army, two New Kingdom Egyptian chariots as replacements and four Assyrian heavy chariots for my Babylonian Empire army. Also twenty-four Elamite javelin and shield men and twenty-four Elamite archers to finish my dismounted kallipani Bw(I) for the Neo-Elamite army. I hope I have enough Sea Peoples and Mycenaeans to finish those armies too.

    Hopefully Chariot Miniatures will be picked up by some firm and continue operation as, like NCS, I too have a Burmese elephant army which one day I will find the courage to paint. I am probably short of infantry for that force.

    It depresses me when long-standing and very good hobby business shut their doors because I really don’t like change in the hobby. Stick in the mud, I know! However, that’s life, so what is an acolyte of stasis supposed to do?

    I wish all those at Magister Militum the best for the next phase of their lives and their excellent business will be remembered fondly for years to come.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Darkest Star Games:

    QC has been around for years, has remained in business under various owners and was bought out first by Battle Honours and then Old Glory 15s/19th Century Miniatures. Their whole line of WWII and Post-WWII remains available AFAIK. As to Vietnam Era stuff, as the website is down and as I have not yet received the e-mail with the PDF catalogue at this time, I cannot give you better information.

     

    if you click on the link above provided by Andrew B. you’ll be able to pursue the catalogue as it was before the website malfunction. That might answer your question about Vietnam Era kit.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Thank you gents. I followed Irishserb’s sage advice and spoke to Steve (the boss) at 19th Century Miniatures/Old Glory 15s. They are facing recurrent delays from their website support company as they are trying to upgrade their webpage. It’s been delay after delay by the firm doing the upgrade, with no definitive completion date in sight for the next few weeks. But then they will be back. Until then anyone wishing to place an order can call them at (616) 935-7949 to get a PDF catalogue by e-mail and can then call in by phone or e-mail them an order. Hopefully their website provider will have this mess sorted out soon.

    Happily my beloved Quality Castings models are still available and I will place an order by next week for more early war Soviet tanks and mid-war German panzers. I am so happy another company which I have done business with for decades hasn’t fallen by the wayside.

    Cheers to all and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson

    in reply to: Basing my first soldiers #188607
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    StuG:

    Great work and very good looking bases. Keep up the great work. You only have millions of more Soviet infantry to paint and base! Looking forward to seeing them on a battlefield. You’ll need crewed anti-tank guns, artillery and transport vehicles too; not to mention tanks, oh, so many tanks! Rodina Mat!

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Roberston.

     

    in reply to: Yeah hey, Im back #184529
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Hey KB. It’s good to see you climbing back into the saddle in the gaming world. Like Ivan, you too have been missed. Stay strong and keep on gaming.

    Cheers and be well.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Yeah hey, Im back #184528
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Welcome back Ivan. I am glad to read you are well and happy. I hope your hiatus pays dividends.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

     

    in reply to: Modeling a Sherman #181631
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Very nicely done StuG. Nice weathering. Keep up the great work.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Modeling a german Stug #181630
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    A very nice job there StuG. Well done. 25/28mm I presume? I liked your Sherman too!

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Wargaming In An Exceedingly Poor Manner… #181604
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Great work Jack! Lovely minis and vehicles. You are as always an eclectic gamer and as KiyoteBlue said a bit of a project butterfly. I love the North African stuff! I miss KG Klink but look forward to Battlegroup Hogan. Best wishes to you and your’s for 2023 and let’s hope it’s a good year for your hobby too.

    Cheers and be well.

    Rod Robertson

    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Whirlwind:

    I really enjoyed your Bat. Rep. Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to post these reports. The verb, “snargled” confused me. But then I am easily confused.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson

    in reply to: 28mm Conan Thief #180811
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Mike:

    Have a look at this:

    https://www.crocodilegames.com/store/itemDetail.cfm?prodID=604&catID=40

    and another less daggery mini which is this:

    https://www.crocodilegames.com/store/itemDetail.cfm?prodID=93&catID=20

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson

     

    in reply to: Starting with Bolt Action #177294
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    StuG:

    Try using cyanoacrylate glue for metal and resin parts as well as plastic. It is quick bonding, strong but can shear and break if shocked by impacts.

    Good luck with the solo gaming and with luck you’ll find some other local  players to enjoy the hobby with.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

     

    in reply to: Panzer II #177293
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Monty Bob:

    Masterful work. Thank you for sharing it with us. Most inspirational and much appreciated.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Why Do You Wargame? #176972
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Wargaming is fun! That’s mostly why I do it. Minis are fun to research and buy. Minis are fun to paint. Terrain is fun to experiment with and create. Rules are interesting to read and to try out plus on occassion are so good that they join the stable of regularly played rule sets. Gaming with other good-natured wargamers is a lovely social facet of the hobby as are the post-game pack-up banter and the beer and pretzel debriefings at the local tavern/brasserie. Chatting about military history and history/archeology/prehistory in general with other well-informed peers is also delightful. Watching the successes and failures play out on the table is both suspenseful and when the dice will it, hilarious.

    However, there is one more motivation, chasing the rare magic moment which happens occasionally in the hobby. It is very rare but truly magical. That is when I crouch down to table-top level and if the terrain and light are both just right, then reality slips away for just an instant and I am transported to the battlefield which fleetingly comes alive for a quick and passing moment. That transcendent transubstantiation is a marvel which I have on occassion enjoyed over the past 55 years of miniature wargaming. It and fun are why I am still in the hobby today, chasing mysteries and miniature enjoyment.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson..

     

    in reply to: 15mm Polybian Romans #175786
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Evil Dave:

    Lovely minis, great skill at modifying the minis and very nice paint jobs on the Cretan archers. Well done, sir! Keep at it and show us more as you get things done.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robersion (AKA Evilroddy).

    in reply to: What size / scale for WWII #175483
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    I think two sizes are needed to have the best flexibility in wargaming WWII conflicts with the most fun in mind. My two chosen sizes are 6mm and 15mm. The 6mm for large games involving multiple companies, battalions, brigades or divisions and then 15mm for small scale actions from squad level skirmishes to reinforced company tactical battles. That’s just my two cents/pence on this scale issue. Your choices may vary.

    Had I had it all to do over again and had good quality models and figures been readily available in other scales, then I might have gone with 6mm and either 10mm or 12mm instead of 15mm back in the days when I was building up my stock of miniatures, but they were not available back then and so 6mm and 15mm minis it was.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Normandy Miniatures? #174108
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Irishserb:

    While some of the 15mm French modern kit looks quite nice, I was appalled at the prices of the vehicles.

    https://www.normandyminiatures.fr/miniatures-shop

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson

    in reply to: More 15mm WWII Soviet Heavy Metal #172393
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Comrade Jack, well done. Now with this late-war horde of medium and heavy armour you can crush the fascist invaders, drive them before you and take Berlin. The KV-2 will be a nice museum piece by now, but everything else will do nicely as the Red Army streams westward towards the fascists’ homelands.

    Cheers and good liberation.

    Commisar Evilroddy.

    in reply to: Planned Armies You Haven’t Bought Yet? #172242
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Yes.

    I am planning to buy a 15mm Kaska (Gasgan) army from Khurasan Miniatures when I can spare some money to finish my six-pack of 500 pt. DBMM Bronze Age Armies c. 1300 BCE. They will annoy my Hittites and Kassite Babylonians and be chariot fodder for my very Early Neo-Assyrians!

    I am also planning to buy an Early Median Army from several different manufacturers to fill out my six-pack of BDMM Iron Age Armies c. 750 BCE.

    Then I will buy more Essex Dacians to give my Early Imperial Romans someone to fight other than Parthians and Germans.

    When those three ancient projects are purchased and maybe finished, and when I can set aside way more cash, I intend to buy, two big 15mm ACW Armies from Peter Pig to recreate some small scale to mediumish sized Civil War Battles. I intend to buy lots of artillery, limbers, ammunition  wagons, dismounted handlers plus mounts and supply wagons, etc in addition to the infantry and cavalry in order to make these support arms look magnificent on the table-top battlefield. This project is likely to come in at over $1800 Can.! But when it’s finished and if I live long enough to get it done, it will be awesome!

    Then if I’m not dead or destitute, I will be expanding my WWII 15mm and 6mm forces and then more Cold War forces in both of these scales too.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Roberson (lead addict).

    in reply to: The Battle of Biazza Ridge III #171075
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Jack:

    Soon there will be gangs of militant, little-league, baseball-playing youths hanging around your house, just waiting to fight the next major league battle! Well done at perhaps attracting new blood to the table-top minis hobby. But beware the mommies who may have different ideas than the dads. Now your kids and their friends are lucky to have you in their lives.

    Artillery is the king of the battlefield while infantry fire is eclipsed by the effect of the bigger guns. So while the infantry may not be performing up to the best level needed for Maximum Game Fun (MGF)*, their weaker impact in terms of fire power on the battlefield is appropriate for this period of military history. But of course you know that! So I’ll just shut up after saying one last thing. Great game and a very good report. The mental image of the forlorn German commander shaking his fists and yelling at the departing Tiger tanks was a nice finish.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    * Quoting an Aussie gamer named Michael O’Brien for the term “MGF”.

    in reply to: How Many WW2 Armies? #170744
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    15 mm Early War (1939-mid 1941) – German Heer (Coy.), German Fallschrimjäger (Coy), German Kradschutzen (1 Ptn Motorcycle and one Ptn truck), French Infantry (Coy), French Motorised Infantry (2 Ptns), British Infantry (Coy), British Motorcycle (1 Ptn), British Motorised Infantry (1 Ptn). Plus lots of tanks, guns, trucks, armoured cars, some halftracks (German and French) and Loraine Carriers plus towed trailers.

    15 mm Mid War (mid 1941 – end of 1943) Soviet Infantry (2 Coy – one w. great coats), Soviet Regular Cavalry (52 Troopers), German Heer Infantry (2 Coys. one w. great coats), Italian Infantry (1 Coy for the Eastern Front), British/Canadian Infantry (1 Coy) plus lots of tanks, armoured cars, guns, trucks, tractors, halftracks, etc.

    15mm Late War (1944-1945) German Heer infantry (1 Coy), German SS (2 Ptns.), German Fallschrimjäger (2 Ptns.) Canadian Infantry (1 Coy + 1 Trp Recce Infantry with 21 Carriers), British Infantry (1 Coy. Plus 1 Ptn in Great Coats). Soviet Infantry (1 Coy), Soviet SMG (1 Coy), Soviet Motorised Scouts (1 Ptn.), Soviet Regular Cavalry (60 Troopers), plus lots of vehicles and guns.

    it is clear that I have a problem.

    My opinion – More! British/German/Italian North Africa or Japanese and Early/Mid/Late War American Infantry and Marines might be next.

    The problem grows.

    Cheers and good gaming from debtor’s prison.

    Rod Roberzson.

    in reply to: Save Me From Myself! #170696
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Guy Farrish:

    As the Roman poet Horace advised, “Carpe Diem!”. So get off your plucking arse and get your new minis without delay! Lead poisoning, the frustration of missing self-imposed deadlines, no free time and possible short-term financial insolvency are the reasons we took up this hobby, correct? Live the dream and just imagine yourself crouching down from your divine perch to see your newly painted hosts in battle array on the table before you. You are a god of war and all gods need sacrifices laid before them. You know you must; you are the scorpion and the minis are your frog in the river. Strike now.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: The Battle of Biazza Ridge II #170660
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Jack:

    Another very good report describing a hair-raising battle. I was wondering, as I read the Bat. Rep., what the mechanics and effects of suppression were in the modified rules which you were using? I was surprised at just how effective one German 8.0 cm mortar was at shutting down the American infantry it directed its fire at? Same with the US pack-howitzers.

    I really enjoyed the report and your references to “discussions” with the lads. It seems you are running them through a very thorough primer for future military careers, assuming you don’t actually kill one or both of them first as you apparently threatened to do. (Said in jest to all who read this!) I really like that you chat with the lads and are getting their critical thinking and analytical skills jump-started and active at an early age. They are very lucky to have a father/teacher who takes the time and makes the effort to give them opportunities to hone their critical thinking skills in such fun ways.

    So, “Bravo to you!”, for providing them with lovely miniatures, evocative terrain, “gentle” guidance and mentally stimulating but fun challenges to keep their developing brains working hard.

    Next project – 15mm baseball miniatures and several home-field terrains in order to train and perfect your boys’ grasp of the subtle strategies and tactics of that clash of wills! Batter up!

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: The Battle of Biazza Ridge II #170634
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Ooh, more! I will read this soon. Keep up the great work Jack.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: The Battle of Biazza Ridge I #170314
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    So Jack’s back at it again. Finally! Great terrain, lovely minis, a superb and thrilling write-up and two happy boys gaming with their dad. 4/4, sir! BZ! Well done!

    Its good to have Jack back, and just in time.

    Your prolific painting has also been amazing. So another nod of the cap to the mini-man.

    Cheers, be well and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: British WWII anti-tank ammo box interior #166400
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    General Slade:

    Does this help? The inside of the lid is shown clearly here. Or did you have a different 6 pdr. ammo box in mind?

    Merry Christmas or Season’s Greetings.

    Cheers, be well and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

     

    in reply to: Ancient Wargaming and Terrain (or lack of it) #165122
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Ahh, the link above is not to the page I wanted. This shows 8-12 cm bamboo shoots. I dunno what happened.

    in reply to: Ancient Wargaming and Terrain (or lack of it) #165121
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Does anybody know where to get 25mm scale bamboo forests? I understand that both India and Russia, as well as China and Japan have lots of bamboo, and my Han, Mongols, Scythians, Ninjas, and Revolting Peasants would all appreciate being able to maneuver and ambush with them. Also, since bamboo, rice straw, and gourd fields were important for other reasons.

    Paul H.:

    Each bamboo shoot is about 6 cm long and you get 120 shoots per package.

    Cheers, be well and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Ancient Wargaming and Terrain (or lack of it) #165120
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    What the Hell, they’re both armies you can love even when they lose.

    Kitty Hay-Whitton:

    You are so right there!

    Cheers, be well and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: CoC: What do Soviets do with a 1? #165063
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Jozis TinMan:

    Yup, if you have no teams or choose to ignore them on a go, then add the ones to other ones, twos and threes to make higher level command dice combo orders. Stray ones may occasionally have to be ignored if you cannot productively add them to some other command numbers, but that’s just life I guess. You can’t make fives or sixes by adding command dice numbers. Enjoy the gaming. Are you playing WWI with CoC? That’s very cool.

    Cheers, be well and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Of tanks and trees. #165062
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Well done, Kyoteblue! What’s next? Whatever it is, keep in the groove and keep turning them out! If it makes you happy then do it, more!

    Cheers, be well and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Ancient Wargaming and Terrain (or lack of it) #164952
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    I find Iberians need little help from terrain against republican Romans!

    Kitty Hay-Whitton:

    This I have not found, at least using DBx style rules. Spanish Auxillia and Psiloi do not fair well in open ground against Roman Legionaries and their allies, in my experience. What is your “secret sauce” for success/survival with the Iberian Spaniards in open ground?

    Cheers, be well and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Ancient Wargaming and Terrain (or lack of it) #164891
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Wow, this is an old thread! Terrain is often viewed as an impediment to smooth gaming in ancient battles. I like challenging games where terrain shapes the battlefield. It’s a great equaliser for armies which have lighter and more irregular troops dominating their forces. I like having significant terrain features in some part of the central space of a wargames table. It gives my Elamites a fighting chance against my Assyrians, Babylonians and Skythians. It gives my Iberian Spanish a chance against my Polybian Romans. Terrain is good.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

     

    in reply to: Early Seleucids vs Graeco-Bactrians MeG Game #164886
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Cyrus:

    Good stuff. Lovely piccies. What scale are the minis? 25/28mm or 15mm? Well done! Thank you for posting this.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Kyoteblue:

    This is good news both from the hobby perspective and from a more general life perspective,

    What will be your first wargames building/painting project? Elvira and her school for wayward waifs? Cold War? WWII? Black Powder? Pike and Musket? Dish the plan!

    Good to see you’re regaining your gaming mojo!

    Cheers, be well and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Help with the German army ww2 #164022
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Bokaso Bokas:

    Do you have any pictures of the 1/285 vehicles which you are making? They would be interesting to see!

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    in reply to: Help with the German army ww2 #163216
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    I made 16 Merder 2 today Eight gray and eight yellow. If I can make another 8 Merder 2d If I had 12 Marbles of grey and yellow.

     

    Bokaso Bokas:

    The word is “Marder”. Merder has an entirely different meaning and one that is moderately offensive in French! 🙂

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson

     

     

    in reply to: Help with the German army ww2 #163215
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    BB: Why not combine your two areas of interest and get some Italians for the Eastern Front? L-6/40 light tanks, Semovente L-47 Self-propelled anti-tank and infantry support open-topped guns, lots of interesting Italian static guns, trucks to move them and lots and lots of infantry. The occasional captured T-34 adds some colour and fire power to the Italians. These forces are generally good from 1941 – 1943. Then you can start adding StuG IIIs in 1943. These forces, with armoured AB-40 or AB-41 armoured cars, M-13/40 tanks and Semovente-75 assault guns can be used in the North African Campaign. The M-13/40s can be used as proxies for other similar Italian medium tanks. From the vehicles you mentioned you are building and painting, you seem to be preparing for a Late War Eastern Front campaign. Therefore you’ll need lots of Russian tanks. T-70 light tanks, T-34/76 M-43 medium tanks, T-34/85 M-44 medium tanks, KV-1 and KV-85 heavy tanks, JS-1 heavy tanks, SU-76 SPG, SU-85 and SU-100 anti-tank assault guns, SU and ISU-122 assault guns, SU and ISU-152 assault guns, lots of anti-tank guns (57/76.2/85/100mm) and lots of artillery plus hordes and hordes of Soviet infantry and SMG shock troops. Some BA-64 light armoured cars supported by lend-lease M-3 White Scout Cars and even some Universal Carriers are good for Recce forces, and of course lots of Soviet and US made lend-lease trucks will also be necessary. For the Germans in the late war you’ll still need a few Pz III J+ models, (mostly M/N models), lots of PzIV G/H+ models, Pz V Panthers, Pz VI Tiger Is and smaller numbers of Pz VI (King)Tiger IIs, Jagdpanthers, lots of StuG-IIIs and StuG-IVs, some<b> </b>Jg Pz IVs and a few Jagdtiger tank destroyers. Lots of ad hoc mobile anti-tank stuff like PaK-40s mounted on RSO tractors, static lots of anti-tank guns (5.0/7.5/7.62/8.8 cm) and lots of both self-propelled and static artillery. Some interesting armoured cars, lots of half-tracks and some kubelwagons/schwimmwagons will be needed too. Then there is the infantry, lots of infantry. Cheers and good gaming. Rod Robertson.

    Thanks for the answer. I didn’t see it in time, i’m sorry.

    Bokaso Bokas:

    No problem.

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