28mm Bren Carrier Section Desert Style

Perry Miniatures New Unit

One of those, I'll get round to it eventually units, which I managed to get finished this week. I always seem to get the urge to paint stuff just after I have finished a game and these Bren Carriers are no exception. We had an excellent desert game just before Xmas which got me going on these, so much so before getting this post up online I managed to paint another three !

Rather than do these as a Box to Table tutorial I have chosen to present these in a simple show off fashion, mostly because I have covered the technique on the vehicles and figures separately before.

My vehicle caunter scheme tutorial is HERE whilst my Desert Rats figure painting tutorial can be found HERE.

These vehicles will be used as the Bren Section for my South African Force hence the 2nd SA Infantry Division Patch on the figs and the vehicles.

A series of photos showing a walk round of one of the vehicles,

Despite giving these a good scrub and primer before starting painting I have suffered from an annoying amount of paint cracking and flaking on some of these vehicles, its easily fixed but a right pain when it happens.

So there we have it, three Bren Carriers ready for action, what to paint next ? Let me check first see if I have anything left unpainted (stop laughing at the back !)

X Wing - The Campaign - Game 22 - Filling Up Under Fire

Welcome to 2016 in X-Wing World

A New Year a new X Wing Campaign Game, welcome back, if you didn't know this is a continuation of the X Wing Campaign, full explanation and details of Campaign rules are here. This set up page is updated on a regular basis.

Mission Briefing

"Gentlemen,

Deep Space scanners have picked up an Imperial Squadron en route to intercept one of our CR-90s the "Bold Light" which is having to re fuel following a malfunction on board.

Get in and protect the ship whilst it gets underway and escort it off table. I don't have to remind you that lasers and missiles don't mix with space fuel.

May the Force be with you"

Team "Rebel Scum"

Back to our hardcore of 5 Rebel players for our first adventure of the new year.

Rick O'Shea PS 5 K6/B Wing (Hex Ace)
Spike Sharpie PS 4 E Wing (Triple Ace)
WK Jnr PS3 T70 X Wing
Pop Cicle PS 4 HWK-290 (Ace)
Crank Case PS4 Y Wing (Double Ace)

1 x CR-90 "Bold Light" with 20 points of upgrades (players choice), see below for special rules

Team "Glorious Empire"

Back to our usual Imperial ships this week

Firespray 31, Kath Scarlett PS 7
Tie Bomber, Captain Jonus PS6
Tie Advanced, Storm Squadron "Jeff Vader" PS4
Tie Fighter, PS 5 x 2 Night Beast and Winged Gundark
Tie Fighter x 2, 1 PS3 and 1 PS4

Empire set up is as follows, Start with the Firespray and then take one ship per Rebel Player plus one, so our 5 players fight 6 Imperials plus the Firespray.

The first ship after the Firespray will be a Tie Fighter Sqn Pilot (PS drawn at random), the next a named Tie Pilot (drawn at random) and then a random Imperial Ship (see campaign rules for how to choose, all pilots random) and then back to the Tie Sqn Pilot and so on.

Load outs are as follows;
Firespray with Heavy Laser Cannon, Mercenary Co-Pilot, Slave 1 and Proton Torpedoes.
Tie Bomber - 2 x Proton Torpedo, 2 x Concussion Missile and Proton Bomb
Tie Advanced - Concussion Missile

Set Up

Game should be played on a 5 x 3 table.

Set up

Place the CR 90 halfway along the table range 2 from the left hand table edge with a large pod next to it to represent the fuel bowser. Rebel players set up range 2 from the CR90 facing in any direction.

Imperial players set up anywhere on the bottom table edge range 1 from the edge.

Game lasts until one side secures victory or the end of turn 8.

Special Rules

Docking Container - Contains the fuel for the CR90, It has 5 hit points and 2 dodge dice. If the hit points reach 0 the container explodes regardless of the amount of fuel left in it. Place the range stick next to the container so that the 3 zone is on the edge of the container. ANY ship in the 3 area receives an attack of 3 dice, in 2 two dice and 1 at maximum range. These "attacks" occur when the explosion occurs and ignore PS, any hits cannot be modified in any way. Place 5 counters on the Container to represent the fuel supply.

CR90 "Bold Light" - Starts with no energy and during the activation phase it receives 1 energy / fuel from the container by exchanging 1 fuel counter for 1 energy counter as an action. Whilst stationary the CR90 can choose to use its energy counters as per the standard game rules however it can only gain energy counters from the refuelling process.

At any time the Rebel player can choose to disengage from the fuelling pod, however the number of energy counters it has when it disengages is the maximum energy level it can have from that point onwards.

Once the CR90 starts to move use the normal rules however energy is limited to the number of counters you had when you disengaged and you must spend 1 energy to move 1 or 2 and 2 energy to move 3 each turn.

So for example if you disengage the CR90 from the fuel with three energy counters that is your maximum energy for the remaining turns. You can spend 1 on moving and have two left to spend as normal, you regain energy from movement but can never have more than 3.

Jump to Hyperspace  - To leave the table you need to declare your attempt and then try and gain 2 critical hits, hits from previous rolls carry forward. You cannot attempt to jump until after turn 4.

Turn 1. Roll 3 attack die

Turn 2. Roll 3 attack die + Pilot Skill / 2 (round up)

Turn 3. Automatically jump

Victory Conditions

Rebel Victory -  The CR90 exits the table by the top table edge.

Imperial Victory - One section of the CR90 is crippled.

Draw - Any other result.

How did we get on

Tonight saw the Imperial ships concentrating "on mission" for once, the 2 Ties led by Jeff Vader (Darth's younger, less talented brother, the type of Jedi who would use his powers solely to levitate Chicken Pakora from plate to mouth) went straight for the fuel bowser with the usual 5 straight Imperial subtlety. The Firespray drove towards the Rebel ships to act as a missile magnet whilst the remaining Imperial ships were sent off on a flanking move.

An almighty scrap took place in the centre of the table with missiles and lasers firing everywhere however Jeff and his two bessie mates snook through and on turn 4 the fuel bowser blew. Fantastic result for the Imperials as the CR 90 had only just disengaged and the resulting damage roll hit the rear of it 3 times.

It wasn't such good news for the Tie Sqn Pilot who was flying next to the rear of the CR90 who blew up with the fuel container, Jeff only just survived being reduced to one hit point, it must have been the wet canteen tray which saved him ! (If that doesn't make sense google "Death Star Canteen").

The Firespray took the brunt of the Rebel fire and at one point had 4 target lock counters on it, it managed however to take out the rear section of the CR90 with its Heavy Laser Canon just before the Rebels took it out.

A good game for the Imperials who would have struggled without going all out on the mission, the Rebels managed to help themselves to 4 kills so didn't loose out completely.

Result (2 pts for a win, 1 for a draw)

Imperial Win

Campaign overall score is, Empire 21 pts, Rebels 23 pts

X Wing madness will return with game 23 on the 17th of February 2016. A mission which will see our Rebel Pilots attempting to rescue the Queen of a Rebel Sympathising Planet. Another rescue I hear the Rebels say, if you want to drift round the universe randomly blowing stuff up, join the Empire !

GEEK ZONE

Jim head mechanic in the Rebel Garage has begun to relax as all the rebel ships returned home, a bit of polyfilla and a lick of paint and jobs done.

Pilot upgrades prior to start of game 22

Pilot Pop Cicle added a Bomb Slot to his new HWK-290

Pilot Spike Sharpie bought the Sniper trait for his pilot.

The K6/B Wing is a B Wing upgrade for the Campaign, it costs 15 GC. The B Wing exchanges its manoeuvre dial for an X Wing dial, gains 1 hull and may add a Heavy Laser Cannon as an upgrade, it is only available to pilots with a PS of 5 or above.

Rebel Pilot results below,

Pilot Rick O'Shea (PS5) - B Wing, survived, 1 kills, 3GC - Totals, Missions 22, 9 GC, 32 kills

Pilot Spike Sharpie - E Wing (PS4), survived, 1 kill, 3 GC - Totals, Missions 22, 9 GC, 18 kills

Pilot Ensign WK Jnr (PS3) - T70 X Wing, survived, 1 kill, 5 GC - Totals Missions 7, 11 GC, 5 kills

Pilot Pop Cicle - HWK-290 (PS4) survived, 1 kill, 1 GC - Totals, Missions 15, 6 GC, 6 kills

Pilot Crank Case - Y Wing (PS4) survived, 0 kills, 2 GC - Totals, Missions 16, 7 GC 11 kills

Not Present

Pilot Captain Tangent - A Wing (PS3), Totals, Missions 10, 7 GC, 0 kills

Pilot Obi Two - Kihraxz Fighter(PS1),Totals, Missions 1, 0 GC, 0 kills.

Pilot Baby Brian - A Wing (1) not present - Totals Missions 1, 0 GC, 0 kills

Pilot Oi M'Groin - Y Wing (2) not present - Totals, Missions 4, 3 GC 0 kills

Pilot Sir Jeremy Dodger - X Wing (2), Not Present - Totals Missions 3, 7 GC, 2 kills

Pilot Twiki Bond - A Wing (1), Not Present - Totals Missions 1, 6 GC, 0 kills

Roll of Honour (At the going down of the twin suns, we will remember them)

 

Pilot Brian sadly lost after only 2 missions, RIP

Pilot Commander Wayne Kerr veteran of 7 Missions, RIP

Ship Zone

Uber geeks area for those who want to see what our intrepid pilots fly.

A Kalidor Crescent is bought for 5 GC and adds a pilot skill slot.

Spike Sharpie, Kalidor Crescent with Sniper Trait - E Wing, unmodified

Pop Cicle - HWK-290 with Plasma Turret, Bomb Slot

Rick O'Shea, Kalidor Crescent - K6/B Wing 

WK Jnr - T70 X Wing unmodified

Crank Case, Kalidor Crescent with Barrel Roll - Y Wing unmodified

Captain Tangent - A Wing with Homing Missiles and Failsafe

Obi Two - awaiting new ship

Baby Brian - awaiting new ship

Oi Mi'Groin - Y Wing with R10 Astromech and Autoturret

Sir Jeremy Dodger - X Wing with R2-D2 and shield upgrade

Twiki Bond - A Wing unmodified

Previous Game Links

Campaign Rules & Game 1 Graduation Day

Game 2 Political Escort and Game 3 Listening Device

Game 4 Kill the Relay and Game 5 Destroy the Carrier

Game 6 Secret Weapon and Game 7 Triumph and Rescue

Game 8 Pirates

Game 9 Tie Droid Assault

Game 10 Long Way Home

Game 11 Spy Trap

Game 12 Role Reversal

Game 13 Runaway Tantive

Game 14 Robot Wars

Game 15 Precision Shooting

Game 16 Ground Attack

Game 17 Run Scientist Run

Game 18 - Floating

Game 19 - Mine Shaft 

Game 20 - Rescued from the Moon

Game 21 - Shadow Squadron 

1/2400 WW1 Naval - WTJ and GHQ Destroyers

Light Forces Expanded

Enlarged M Class WTJ

The build up of my WW1 collection turned out to be my Project 2015 rather than my planned 28mm Punic War purge and todays straight forward show off post presents the clear up of my last unpainted models of the batch.

L Class WTJ

The ships are a mixture of WTJ and GHQ, I have labelled each of the pictures with the relevant manufacturer for your information. On this size of ship the difference between the two is negligible although the detail of the GHQ stuff is better, you need to have some fairly high magnification photos (like these) to tell.

Four funnel M Class WTJ, extra geek points for spotting the mistake.

One of the main questions I get about these ships is "how do you do your bases ?" so in true Blue Peter style, here's one I prepared earlier. The link will take you to a tutorial I did on the basing and painting of these beauties.

I Class GHQ

I have painted up the British stuff in a standard grey with wood decking and white lifeboats, with the ones I have done before that's 24 British Destroyers now, enough ? we'll see.

One batch of British Destroyers complete

I bought a similar number of German Destroyers / Torpedo Boats at the same time. I decided to paint these up in the early war black scheme to give the German stuff a different look on the table.

S53 Class GHQ

I'm quite happy with the look of these "black" German ships they really do look different to the British stuff at a distance which is especially good for those who join in our Naval games who aren't Naval experts.

B109 and sisters GHQ

So the plan now is to get some more play testing done to get my rules finalised and then see where we go from there. I have completed my Battlecruiser collection now but will definitely add a few more Armoured Cruisers and probably add a few Battleships over the year. However with only a few months to the Jultland Anniversary unless I get a sudden influx of cash that milestone will pass without a complete pair of fleets.

V125 Class WTJ

T161 Torpedo Boats WTJ

G85 Class WTJ

So that's all for now folks. I will be ordering and painting some 1/3000 WW2 Russian and German ships for this years Naval Campaign. Todays Napoleonic game has been postponed due to bad weather so I might try and get some more painting done.

Battle of Es Sinn - 28 Sept 1915 - Scenario / AAR

WW1 Mesopotamian Campaign Action

Turkish troops desperately trying to fight off the Empire attack

Over the years WW1 in the East has been a bit of a staple for our Xmas game, we are slowly following the British Empire Troops during their adventures in Iraq during the Great War. There are at least another 12 battles we could do and that's before we try the Palestine Campaign, at one a year that takes us to 2028 just in time for my retirement!

Our last game "in theatre" was the Battle of Nasiriyeh and the figure collection got an unusual mid year outing for our Gallipoli game. All the figures except the irregular Arabs are from The Woodbine Design Company the Arabs coming from Artisan.

Rules are the excellent "If the Lord Spares Us" from toofatlardies.

Historical Background

The battle was part of the Empire Forces (I try and avoid British as most of the troops were Indian) push up the Tigris River, initially this was planned as a limited campaign to protect the oil pipeline at Abadan. However following the double success at Qurna and Nasiriyeh the British and Indian governments decided to use Es Sinn as a test of the Ottoman forces and the result of the battle would determine if a further advance to capture Baghdad was possible. The battle took place between Anglo-Indian forces of Indian Expeditionary Force D, under the command of Major-General Charles Townshend, and Ottoman forces commanded by Colonel Nureddin.

British troops from the Dorset Regards lead the attack

The engagement took place just south of the town of Kut-al-Amarah, along the banks of the Tigris River. Townshends plan was quite ambitious, he decided to only attack the right hand bank of the Tigris as he viewed it, a small force of two battalions was placed on the left bank to demonstrate against the Turks whilst the main force was split into three columns, one under Fry with 4 battalions was to attack the trenches closest to the river whilst Delamain with 2 btns and some Sappers were to attack in the centre. Hoghton was to flank the Turkish position to the right with 6 btns. The whole thing was supported by gun boats on the Tigris and some Machine Guns mounted on carts with Hoghton.

Them Brits are a bit close, Sir

A night march is never an easy thing, in a featureless terrain it's nearly impossible, the planned dawn attack didn't materialise, one column got lost in a marsh and had to back track to get in position. The attacks eventually went in, the Turkish Troops were no match, mostly Arab conscripts who were already demoralised from previous defeats, they were ousted from the trenches as the Empire Troops carried the day. The Cavalry that had been sent to the rear of the Turks failed to engage the retreating Army and Nureddin was able to set up another line of defence at Ctesiphon (Xmas 2016 ?)

No point pointing over there, they're behind you (oh no their not!)

Scenario notes

The battles of the Mesopotamian Campaign are often quite similar with the Turks in trenches either side of the river being attacked by Empire Forces so with that in mind I try and make each game slightly different. I decided to ignore the left bank completely and concentrate on the main action on the right.

In 28mm I just don't have all the stuff to recreate the entire battle added to that the Turkish position was about 4 miles long, that's a big table ! Therefore it was a case of reconstructing the battle as best I could with the troops I have. The main features of the battle are the marsh land which broke up the battlefield, the uncertainty of the timing of the arrival of the Empire Forces and the release of the British Artillery and Gunboats on the river.

Game Set Up

Table size is 12 x 6.

The River Tigris is at the top of the table and can only be used by Boats. There are two large marshes which split both the Turkish Defences and the attacking forces, a few small rises and some areas of broken ground.

Note the Turks had built trenches to the edge of the marsh however the marsh shrank hence the gap in the line something which Townshend had observed from his aerial recon and was no doubt crucial in his decision to send the majority of his forces on a flank march.

I'm over here !

Empire Forces Set Up

North of the central marsh

Brigade Command 4 Figs (Eton)
2nd Btn Norfolk Regt - 2 Fig Hq and 4 x 10 Fig Coys Morale - Jolly Good Fellows (0)
110th Mahratta Lt Infantry - 2 Fig Hq and 4 x 8 Fig Coys Morale - Havildar Heroes (2)
2 x Mg bases

Immediately South of the central marsh

Brigade Command 4 Figs (Harrow)
2nd Btn Dorset Regt - 2 Fig Hq and 4 x 8 Fig Coys Morale - Jolly Good Fellows (0)
7th Gurkha Regt - 2 Fig Hq and 4 x 8 Fig Coys Morale - Diggers - 1
2 x Mg bases

Turkish Forces Set Up 

In the trenches opposite the Norfolks

1 Arab Turkish Btn - 2 Fig Hq and 4 x 6 Fig Coys Morale Pasha Basher (3)  & 1 Mg

In the trenches opposite the Dorsets

1 Arab Turkish Btn - 2 Fig Hq and 4 x 6 Fig Coys Morale Pasha Basher (3) & 1 Mg

In the buildings at the rear of the trenches

Brigade Command 4 Figs (Old Turk)
1 Arab Turkish Btn - 2 Fig Hq and 4 x 6 Fig Coys Morale Pasha Basher  (3) and 1 Mg

Reinforcements 

For those of you who don't play ITLSU like most lardies games it has a card driven unit activation system. For our reinforcements the cards for off table units were placed in the game deck, when they were drawn out dice were rolled to see if they turned up, on a successful roll they arrived on the next turn of their card, if the roll was failed one was deducted from the score required next time. If the card came out after the Tea Break card it was classed as not having been drawn that turn.

Empire Forces Reinforcements (2d6 need 12 - 1 per attempt)

Hoghton Brigade (arrive as one on the bottom right of the table)
Brigade Command 4 Figs (Eton)
1st Btn Ox & Bucks - 2 Fig Hq and 4 x 8 Fig Coys Morale Jolly Good Fellows  (0)
22nd Punhabis - 2 Fig Hq and 4 x 8 Fig Coys Morale Havildar Heroes  (2)
1 x Mg mounted on a cart (we used an A/C)

British Artillery (once one is in play put the reinforcement card back in the deck and start from a 10)

Roll 1 D 6,
1-4 1 Artillery Battery mounted in a boat arrives at the base of the Tigris River, the Artillery will operate from the boat and cannot come ashore.
5 or 6 A gunboat arrives with 1 Mg and 1 3 die Artillery Piece.

Turkish Reinforcements (1d6 needing 6 - 1 per attempt)

2 x Turkish Artillery Batteries - add one at a time, put back in deck and start again for second battery, arrive in the village behind the trenches.

Marsh Arabs - 2 × Hq Figs and 2 x 8 Fig Coys Morale Damned Sods (4), arrive on the hill behind the Turkish left flank.

Once Hoghton arrives add a Turkish Infantry card to the deck, on each successful roll following a draw a Turkish Btn arrives in the top right of the table, this represents the Turkish realising that the main attack was on this side of the Tigris and shifting troops over the river (they had a bridge set up behind the lines for this). Replace the card in the deck and start the process again when a Btn arrives for a maximum of three. Each Btn has,

2 x Fig Hq and 4 x 8 Fig Coys Morale Johnny Turk.

Objective

Straight forward, Empire Forces need to clear the Turkish position, the Turks needs to hold it. Game length 24 turns.

Marsh Arabs looking for loot and a safe retreat route.

How did we get on

Well the best laid plans of Mice and Men etc ....

It all started to go wrong for the Turkish Troops on the first move, the card for Hoghton came out and the Empire Commander rolled a 12 ! So right from the start we, and I can say we as I was playing Turks!  (No Umpire bias here) were up against it.

It was always going to be a tough game from the Turks but it was looking really shaky now. Luckily, if you call it that, the Arabs arrived, if you are ever in a game where you are relying on Marsh Arabs to hold your flank you know it's not going well !

The initial assault on the trenches came in the centre and the Indian Btn was given a bloody nose, spending the rest of the game hiding in the palm trees by the marsh but that was the only joy the Turkish had all day.

With three Battalions attacking the open flank of trenches there simply wasn't enough firepower to stop them and it wasn't long before the Ox and Bucks boys had got into the redoubt at the end of the line. An assault by the Gurkha Regt on the line next to it rolled into the trenches and everyone knows that Gurkha's on your flank is a none habit forming situation.

Gurkha's on the flank, not Turkish Delight

The trenches closest the river didn't fair much better, the troops in the trenches had some poor luck with the cards and just couldn't control their suppression, a company fled in fear and left a gap which was all the encouragement the Norfolks needed and they were in the trenches. It was a close run thing though as the first regular Turkish battalion arrived just to late to get in position to stop the trenches loss, their attack was cut down and that was the end of the game.

Norfolks win the day

So it was over quicker than I thought, that's the joy of a bit of randomness in your scenarios. If Hoghton is delayed and the Empire Forces attack straight away before any support arrives the Turkish have a chance, sadly he turned up straight away and they didn't.

So the WW1 stuff is back in the box probably until next Xmas when we will have a cracking at Ctesiphon, I will probably add some more Indian Troops to the collection over the year.

Next up is my first game of Napoleonics for 15 years.