[Shahbahraz]

If you are eventually going to end-up with 1000 figures then you need a ruleset that offers simple mechanics but an engaging command system. I have FoG:R but have only done some limited run-throughs, and you are going to have to ask yourself, will my mates actually learn these to the level required? If the answer is no..    write your own, use DBA-RR  or some other simple set

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Hi, I assume they could be pressed into service for passengers or essential day time bombing. Main function is to attract German fighters for the Dewotines to shoot down 🙂

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Some very nice work on show in this thread. The more the merrier.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Only just found this thread, but that Z506 is just spectacularly good. And if you think the Blochs were ugly, go hunt down an Amiot – this is the Scotia one

 

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

There is also good evidence that veteran units, (as opposed to ‘elite’ units), will take fewer casualties but may be seen by commanders as over-cautious. Veteran British Divisions after D-Day were criticised for having insufficient ‘elan’. I tend to have a lot of sympathy for blokes who may have been pulled off the beaches at Dunkirk, or escaped going into the bag at St Valery, fought their way across the Western Desert, then back, then back across the desert again, into Tunisia, then Sicily, then Italy, and then told, ok, jump off the landing craft and take the fight to the enemy. Personally, if it had been me, I would have sat back a bit, after 5 years, it’s someone else’s turn, and I’ve used up a lot of my luck getting this far.  You could also point to very different combat conditions and environment for blokes who had made their reputation in the desert. Very unlike Normandy.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Nice report. Enjoyed that greatly, and keep them coming.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Very nice. I have not yet succumbed to the lure of a VBCW, but you’re figures and games are very impressive. (I must not start a new project.. I must not start a new project.. I must not start a new project.. I must not start a new project.. )

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Nice looking toys Martin.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

That looks fantastic. I am looking forward to getting my French WSS army done, as there is nothing better than masses of 6mm on a table.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

And if that falls through, I’m very interested ….

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

One of my favourite shows. I will be there with the Kirrie guys. Hoping to get to play in one of the participation Sharp Practice games…

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Different one I think, happened in Australia at Cancon, and that is not Cancon. Probably around 2000. But that’s pretty much an identical story.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Not sure if it counts, but a set of Napoleonic Naval rules (for simplicity one assumes) assigned the weather gauge to whichever side had the ship closest to the wind. Which simply meant that you sent a corvette or similar to sit at the very edge of the table, and the rest of your ships could be wherever they pleased. Thanks Warhammer, Trafalgar not the best set of naval rules ever.

Another beauty I saw, but didn’t get the full details of was a competition Warhammer game where one player had what looked like a delayed deployment for his supertroops, and his opponent simply sent single models to line the baseline at the appropriate intervals, so he could never come on. Much squealing..  umpire unimpressed.

Many, Many Many More…

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

I used the QRF ‘Germans’ to represent Danes, with the G3 etc. They are very usable figures, and would work well for Cold War up till the transition to Kevlar helmets, though even afterwards, add enough foliage and the helmets are indistinguishable. (There are plenty of pictures of Danes on manoeuvres where they look like they are wearing a haystack on their head.

The QRF range managed to score me a painting prize at Targe 2017, so they have something going for them!

 

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Some possibilities for why missiles over conventional artillery, and I stand ready to be corrected on any assumptions:

1. Multiple simultaneous strikes from a single launcher. The first round on target does the most damage before men go to ground. If you can land a nebelwerfer/katyusha salvo, more effective.
2. Artillery barrels are expensive to manufacture, need replacement after a certain number of firings. and use valuable raw materials like high quality steel.
3. Machining quality for shells is very important, so manufacture is highly specialised and suited only to huge factories with major investments in machinery. Rockets are relatively cheap, and can be quite crude without losing much effectiveness.
4. Launchers are cheap..   so the components of the armaments chain most liable to destruction are the cheapest (Lose a launcher, just get another one, lose an artillery piece and it’s expensive to replace, more difficult to transport, and meanwhile you have a stockpile of shells not being used).
5. Skilled artillerymen take longer to train to obtain the necessary accuracy, a single launcher that is an area weapon doesn’t need to be quite so accurate.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

I second Ochoin. I have in the past been somewhat disappointed by statements made by some individuals. I do try to separate the product from the individual, but for example, if I had the option to purchase 28mm Vikings from Manufacturer A or Manufacturer B, and I thought A was a bit of an idiot…

On the whole I think it is a very positive thing to have manufacturers/vendors who engage with their audience.  One of my favourite things about attending shows is the chance to say hi to people who I have previously only dealt with online. Top marks, (in no particular order..)  Peter at Baccus, Rich of Too Fat Lardies, Nic from Eureka, Leon at Pendraken and Allan at Lancashire Games.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Most impressive for me was an English Electric Lightning doing a full afterburner takeoff at an airshow in Scotland back in the 70s. Utterly astonishing. The closest I will ever get to seeing a rocket lift off I expect. Sound light, earth shaking…

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Oh, and in the past I have used FoW small bases to do vehicles and infantry.  The infantry bases here are viewed ‘end on’ and in use would be long edge to front.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

I use varying numbers for BKCII, so here’s an example of a British ‘Platoon’  – sorry it’s a little blurry,  but it was my old camera.

And here’s an example of my older basing with HMG teams separate on 40 x 20mm

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

We’re going to need a bigger parachute?

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Tunbridge is a bit bland..  I recommend Arbroath, have a look at the houses on Monkbarns Drive, elevated Victorian stone, sea views, huge, and dirt cheap. Best fish restaurant at Auchmithie, and a great wargames club including Charles Grant (Jnr) just 15 miles up the road at Kirriemuir.

Now the first person to organise a wargames nursing home has it made…

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

I know, and despite what I said about it being complete, I have now put in an order for some organic SAM, towed 120mm mortars and Walker Bulldogs for Recce.  And I am seriously tempted to scale it up with another squadron of Centurions.

Can anyone point to a good source for Danish vehicle markings? I have been working from some poor quality photographs, and I am not confident they are correct, for example, it looks like M113 had reflective strips added to the side.

I also wish I had as nice conversions as Mark does for the DK41 – and that someone made the Centurion turret basket in 15mm. It would seem to be a fairly easy and obvious 3D print job.  Volunteers?

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

And done!

http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/danes-finished.html

Preview Pic..

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

And my effort commences:

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Yep, the artillery and air attack rules in CWC are quite confusing as various bits are scattered through the rules. They do work well though. I will strongly recommend that you follow historical organisation scales as excess numbers of mortars, artillery or air support can seriously unbalance the game and become utterly dominant.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Hmm..  how about some Danish Cold War kit in 15mm… of course, Geoff at QRF will get to it one day 😉

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Bristol? Gloucestershire?  You have to be kidding. Perth is about the centre of the country.      Bristol is a remote location in the extreme west and south of another country.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Love the Centurions. In 6mm I had some for my British post war battlegroup, for my Australians in Vietnam, Oliphants in my SADF, and bridgelayers for my 1980s BAOR.  These will be my first 15mm ones, and the conversion looks straightforward to add the ‘box’.

My father drove one, and I am going to take him to a local exhibition to see one.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Thanks for that, but I am based in the UK, and shipping costs make US manufacturers almost unaffordable these days. Never mind potential customs hassles. A shame.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Thanks for that Mark. As my nephew is intending to field half an East German division, with plenty of Mi24 support, I am also keen to get some SAM support. And I must be going blind or mad as I can’t see the TOW under the Israeli stuff. I have gone for Lynx as they are a sexy looking helicopter, and a colleague used to fly them in Bosnia and Belize.  So order is in for Centurions, M113, Lynx, some lightweight Landies to carry command and TOW. Expansion will be the M41 Walker Bulldogs.

I saw the Danish kit you got. Lovely conversions, so I am very envious, and I also looked at Morten Reese’s 20mm stuff at http://coldwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/figures-elhiem-20mm-morten-reeses.html  very inspirational.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Sounds good Geoff. When are you likely to be adding the Canucks with FNC & MG3? In the meantime, I should also be looking for an Alouette from the sounds of it.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Oh those are lovely, and incidentally, the army for my next project… 1985 Danish

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

I always wondered about this one. Main source is an ecclesiastical history, and some of the narrative seems odd…

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Ah well, I should move faster. Thanks.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Hi Mike

is ‘Dux Brittannuarum + cards (unopened) – £10 still available?

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

I suspect if you did that then either you had an extraordinary run of luck, had too few troops on the table, or you are allowing commanders with very high activation scores. If you are uncomfortable with hits being removed, then one of the options is not to do this.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

They look fantastic, but I will be bending legs and limbs on all my purchases. I prefer poses that are less static (yes, I know it can look stupid when they are stood in reserve). The pic of the Hinchcliffe Sassanid/Sasanian cavalry in the ‘Purple Primer’ (Airfix Magazine Guide to Ancient Wargaming by Phil Barker) charging and extensively converted – is probably the most formative wargames picture in my history.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Newbury Fast Play ? Bah.  much too simplistic. Where are the rules that are a good enough simulation to take into account different Bricoles? Unless it takes into account how many rounds were distributed from that wagon, it just isn’t realistic. I’m writing my own set including the special Hemorrhoid rules for Napoleon, and until then none of you will have ever played a REALISTIC set of Napoleonic rules. It includes requirements for veteran French players to dice for which extremities have been removed by frostbite (bolt-cutters included in the deluxe set), and I am currently working on the British Cavalry ‘stupid’ rules – not sure yet whether I will do the special ‘beagle’ rules or just require all players to be related to the Duke of Dorsetshire.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

I also disagree with the implicit statement that more complexity = better simulation. In other environments it’s referred to as spurious accuracy. You know, like the Project Manager that brings you budget numbers to two decimal places. You know they can’t possibly be that precise – but it looks like everything has been factored in.

The whole subject of warfare is so immensely complex, so subject to the vagaries of Clausewitzian ‘Friction’ that it is impossible to accurately model all factors. In Knowledge terms it’s a ‘Wicked’ problem. Classic examples have even migrated into folk memory, like the rhyme around the want of a nail..

Previous sets of rules, notably those with developmental roots in military simulation, attempted to cover all sorts of technical aspects of warfare, including famously, sets like Tractics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tractics with aspects such as the angle of shot, armour thickness in detail and so on. The problem with this, is that they don’t model the freak outcome, and they have layer upon layer of detail obscuring the aspects you actually want to simulate.

As a novelist once said in an interview: “I am so limited by comparison with historians, everything I write has to be plausible.”

Once you accept that the rules cannot possibly cover every single factor and detail of complexity, (the rabbit warren in the path of the cavalry charge, the mares in heat distracting horses, the individual effects of disease, hunger, tiredness, insect bites, poor care of weapons .. etc.) it then becomes a question of what you do want to model. To achieve a playable game there are four aspects I believe to be critical:

1. It must have sufficient decision points where the player feels they can affect the outcome, (without unduly antagonising their own ability to suspend disbelief). (Game)

2. The player must feel that any arbitrariness in the rules is not overwhelming (the ‘I drew this card, you lose’ factor). (Fairness)

3. It must be capable of reaching a satisfactory conclusion in an evening’s play. (Playability)

4. It must allow the player to believe in the narrative. (Plausibility)

You make a good point about the general inability in the ancient world for the CinC to do much more than to deploy, issue general orders and possibly, intervene with the critical reserve. But that’s a very dull game. To make it more exciting and interesting, we accept the CinC can do pretty much that, and extend it slightly. To model the unusual event, we make it almost commonplace. In any good set of rules, the writer is fighting to limit the ability of the player to influence events. The player is almost always better read than his historical predecessor, and has much more knowledge of the theoretical capabilitites of his troops. We could have rules, not dissimilar to Principles of War, where the player sends in the Silver Shields and to his horror, finds that they are weaker than the Sparabara they are facing. But this would breach 2.

Each player will have a differing tolerance for the aspects of the game they can live with. An interesting exercise might be to assign scales to each factor and rate ancients rules accordingly. So for values of 1(low) – 5(high) I could construct a view of DBA for example:

Game – 5 loads of decision points.

Fairness – 2 (PIPS can seem highly arbitrary)

Playability – 5 (yep.. 4 games in an evening is pretty easy to do)

Plausibility – 3 (hmm… arguable, but between historical opponents, it actually works very well)

Now ask players what type of games they enjoy and map them on this quadrant.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

[Shahbahraz]

Unfortunately there are a few issues with the approach you suggest. Firstly the celts rolled over quite a few roman armies, and secondly there were. Armies that typically deployed troops other than heavy infantry in the centre.

--An occasional wargames blog: http://aleadodyssey.blogspot.co.uk/ --

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