January Gaming + CanCon

Good times with friends

Looking back on my January hobby month I was struck by the variety of games I have played, many of which were new to me, and all of which were big, multiplayer games. And also that I kept getting invited too :-)

General d'Armee (2 x 2) French vs Anglo-Spanish
My first foray with these rules, hosted by Aled and his dad, which I really enjoyed.  Slowpainter John and I ended up facing off on an action packed flank and it came right down to the wire.

Slaughterloo (3 x 3)
This fun game is a tongue in cheek Napoleonic big battle in a fantasy setting - good fun but also very god rules which would work equally well for historical games. All sorts of mixups and mayhem, and we converged on Slowpainter John's Orc Guarde with a singular purpose - and tough buggers they were too!

The Battle lines are Drawn!

The Advance to contact!

The last stand of John's Orc Guarde - sandwiched between my Flank attack and Marty's Cavalry charge

Dragon Rampant (4 x 4 with a twist!)
A return to our Foulwarren fantasy campaign when I hosted the guys at mine for a big 4 v 4 player Battle Royale on a 12 x 5 table.  But one of them was a traitor, and just didn't know it yet...  I'll write up and post the scenario later but it was an awesome 'toys on the table' mega game

Three Quarters of the table (and players!)- I had to take this pic through the window from outside

The wearing of Hawaiian shirts and a fez earned players additional army build points!

Kaiser's Pirates
We played this GMT game at the club a few times actually.  The theme is really well executed and the resource management is quite dynamic. With 3 or 4 players this really hits a sweet spot.  Now to find my own copy (its OOP).

Congo
I enjoy Studio Tomahawk games and their innovative mechanics but hadn't tried this before. Cub mate Mac shared his lovely terrain and figs with me for an introductory game one club night and I really enjoyed it (and not just because my Tribesmen War Party cleaned up his cursed Zanzibari Slavers!).  I really liked the multi-layered resource management that the game uses bu without slowing play pace, and most of all it felt like an adventure not a scenario.  A game I am definitely interested in playing more, and maybe making a warband for.

And then to top it off, a bunch of us did a road trip to CANCON and had a cracking hobby day out. Good times indeed!

The fourth Annual catch-up: thanks for organising Barks!

So thanks indeed to all the club lads and lassies for their companionship, time, and sharing their wonderful toys.  A most memorable summer of fun gaming.  It comes at expense of AHPC painting time, but I'll choose my gaming friends over a brush any day :-)

AHPC9 - Panzer IV Specials

A challenging week but I was determined to submit something - anything really - to keep the mojo engaged and the run rate ticking.  So here are a couple of long barrelled Pz IV F2/G models.

Pz IV 'Specials' after the battle of El Alamein

Dubbed Pz IV 'Specials' by the Allies, the high velocity L/43 gun with muzzle break significantly increased its anti-tank capabilities and made a big impact in the desert war.  As a result, any long barrelled enemy tanks became priority targets for Allied crewmen. However, the German supply lines could never muster them in large numbers, though some were present at El Alamein.



These are from the PSC Pz IV boxed set, and crewed with Battlefront tank commander figures -  I really like the casual pose on the commander of Panzer Hull #3. Painted up using my habitual 'way too many layers and washes that you can't even see' method :-)

https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/01/saturday-ready-from-paulog-panzer-iv.html

AHPC 9: 'Sport' Bonus Round

Studio Tomahawk's Jugula is a game that I quite enjoy, though it is quite a different style of Gladiator game. It has excellent resource mechanics and its building tempo feels like an escalating spectacle entertaining the Arena's mob crowd. I have also historically (and uncharacteristically) won more often against Dux than not with my Ludus Caeruleus (or Blue School) which helps a fair bit too...

So my Sports Bonus round entry is a minor addition to my gladiator barracks with a bow armed Sagittarius, who as a missile armed fighter will add a new dimension to the early stages of the combat before the Gladiators get to melee distances. Fig is an old West Wind model from their Light Gladiators set.

As all Sport needs an audience to jeer and cheer, I have also painted up a characterful spectator figure by Crusader Miniatures. I will use him as my marker for Vox Populi, which in Jugula is a measure of the crowd supporting your Ludus in its endeavours (which adds to your gladiators' performance).

Any likeness to Dux himself sans beard is surely accidental...

...or is it? :-)

2 x 28mm Figs for this Bonus round, totalling 60 points

https://analogue-hobbies-theme-rounds.blogspot.com/2019/01/sport-from-paulog-gladiator-sagittarius.html

And I was thrilled to get another Honourable mention in the voting- that 2 for AHPC 9, my equal best with AHPC 8!
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-sport-theme-results-are-now-up.html

CANCON meet up this weekend

2019 Aussie Bloggers CanCon Catch-up this coming weekend - now in its fourth iteration!

If you run a wargaming blog then come along and say g'day, meet old friends and new, tell us what you've bought and lament your dice rolls.

Sunday 27th January 2019
11:30am
Coorong Pavilion (Top Hall) by the Bolt Action tournament

See you there!

AHPC9: DAK Specialist Vehicles

My second submission this week was a grab bag of DAK specialist and support vehicles that I have enjoyed researching and collecting.  I am building options for force lists and these help me both in the early years in the desert as well as and expanding into Tunisia and the Operation Torch era.

SdKfz 265 Panzerbefehlswagen - modified from a Pz I Ausf A, this was a Command Tank variant with dedicated radio transmission equipment and operator.  Here it is accompanied by a SdKfz 250 Halftrack, for use as the Luftwaffe Air Liaison Officer to control Air support (this has a tabletop control function in Battlegroup rules)

SdKfz 254 - Produced as an artillery tractor by the Austrian Army between the Wars and prior to Anschluss, it has a  unique and adjustable system of tracks and wheels. The Wehrmacht used it as a Forward Observer vehicle. Its such a cool and distinctive vehicle that I had to have one. This Battlefront model has the options to model with the wheels either engaged or retracted (I have done the latter for resilience)


SdKfz 250/10 - A classic 250 Halftrack, fitted with a 37mm AT gun and frequently utilised as the Recon Platoon Commander's vehicle. In the 41-42 period in the Desert, the 37mm gun is very useful against an array of light armour and Armoured Cars.

Schwimmwagens - who doesn't love the mighty Schwimmwagen? My dream car is not a Ferrari, Porsche or Audi, its a Schwimmwagen! No, the irony of fielding amphibious vehicles in the Sahara Desert is not lost on me.  I promise that if there is an oasis on the table, they will always try to schwimm across it, regardless of the tactical value of such a move. Unless I'm playing Dux of course.

Lorraine Schleppers - converted from captured French Lorraine 37L tanks, this motorised 150mm Artillery gun platform provided highly mobile fire support in the desert in support of the fluid nature of combat in North Afrika.

Marder III (SdKfz 139) - Classic early-mid war German Tank Destroyer made by fusing a Pz38t body with a captured Russian 76mm AT gun.  It is accompanied here by a captured British Truck to act as its ammo hauler across the desert.

StuG III Ausf D - Who doesn't love a StuG? I needed one, though only a very small number served in Afrika, the rest being sunk in their transports en route. Due to their later arrival in theatre, I have presented it as newer and less weatherbeaten #stuglife

SdKfz 11 - Medium halftrack prime mover which saw widespread use throughout the war with over 9000 produced and its chassis was used as the basis for the SdKfz 251 Halftrack. I will be using these to move towed guns which are on the painting desk

Models are predominantly a mix of Battlefront and Forged in Battle, the British Truck is a metal model by Peter Pig and the Marder and SdKfz 250s are by PSC.  In aggregation, this is 13 x 15mm vehicles and 10 crew figures.  
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/01/from-paulog-dak-specialist-vehicles-124.html

Overall, I am well on track for my challenge goal:

AHPC9: Orc Legionaries and Goblin Sagittarii

After the very positive comments about my Romanised Orcs and Goblin Auxiliaries submission a few weeks ago, I decided to advance the timetable for this army and produce two new units.

First up is the mainstay of the Army - the Orc Legionaries, deployed here in a double line wall of spears type of formation. I have done them on two bases so I can denote when the formation to gets to half strength (which halves your attack dice in Dragon Rampant).  Figs are Oathmark Goblins fitted with Warlord Roman Shields

Second is a Goblin Sagittarii unit to support the main Orc foot troops.  To be honest I haven't found Bow units to be very effective in Dragon Rampant but this is how Roman Legio were built so I am following suit.  Figs are GW LOTR Moria Goblins.

In total that is 24 x 28mm figures ready and arrayed for battle Prefect!

These AHPC submissions are posted here:
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/01/from-paulog-orc-legionaries-and-goblin.html

My Orci Invicti Army thus far:

I'll probably add another unit of Legionaries, some Equites and maybe a unit of Praetorians to finish it off.

AHPC9: Recon Kradschutzen and Dark Age dwellings

A couple of Painting Challenge entries this week, lead by my Kradschutzen Platoon entry for the first of this year's Bonus Round, themed for Reconnaissance.


The Motorcycle borne troops of the German Army were critical to the effective implementation of Blitzkrieg doctrine - searching out the enemy, seizing opportunities and using their mobility to conduct wide flanking manoeuvres. They are the essence of a force purpose built for this Reconnaissance Bonus round.



In the desert they came into their own, so naturally I need some in my 15mm DAK force for use with Battlegroup Tobruk and Torch!

Presenting my 15mm Reconnaissance Platoon, comprising:
- 3 Kradschutzen rifle groups of 6 men each,
- 3 Kradshutzen LMG teams,
- Kradschutzen ATR section,
- Kradschutzen 81mm mortar team,
- Motorcycle borne medic,
- Pak 36 AT gun and Kfz70 tow, and
- 75mm Infantry Gun and Kfz 70 tow
(Not shown: Plt HQ which will be mounted in a a Horsch Heavy car that I completed last challenge)

While I am really happy with how this force came out, I had a real love-hate relationship with these follows from assembly onwards, including the myriad of wonderful detail that I felt obligated to give due attention. Glad I persisted, as these will give me a great flanking force with infantry to seize objectives and with some punch to keep away those pesky Armoured Cars and Bren Gun Carriers of Dux's 8th Army.

Overall that is 12 motorcycles, 11 sidecars, 2 tow vehicles, 2 crewed guns, and 42 figs, all in 15mm and posted here:
http://analogue-hobbies-theme-rounds.blogspot.com/2019/01/reconnaissance-from-paulog-dak.html


EDIT: The voting results are in and my entry came equal 4th for an Honourable Mention - a nice way to start the AHPC IX Bonus Rounds!
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-votes-are-in-for-reconnaissance.html


Separately, for my routine weekly entry I continued my theme of distracting side projects with some Dark Age buildings I have been meaning to get to for a few years. I have a large village worth now and should probably stop, but I do love building them so I wont...

They are lovely resin casts by Gripping Beast, sold as Large and Medium sized Wattle and Daub Buildings, but the cute elevated storage building seems to be no longer available.  All were given to me by Slowpainter John, painted up in multiple washes and dry-brushes in various acrylics.

Together in a block these three buildings occupy the table area of two imperial terrain blocks (noting they are measured in anachronistic, non-metric units!) (Figures for scale only, not for scoring)
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2019/01/from-paulog-dark-age-dwellings-40-points.html

Points wise I am now on track for my target of 1000 points and my achieved 'run rate' is better than previous challenges (just got to keep it up!)

AHPC9: Goblin Auxiliary Troops

I'm working through my main AHPC project (15mm DAK) but must admit to being challenged by the shift in scale and I'm still trying to paint them like they are 28mm figs - thus I'm not progressing as hoped. Time for a quick and dirty, morale boosting side project!

(Dux: I promise that all shields in this unit were hand painted)

This is a small Goblin scout unit intended for Dragon Rampant. They are older LOTR Moria Goblins with Oathmark Shields swapped in.  I've based them in an experimental 3-2-1 formation for dioramic effects and to reduce figure movement, while still allowing the exact number of casualties to be removed.

These will join my longer term "Romanised Orcs" project which is a bit of fun and may see some other units during the challenge. Orci Invicti!

Goblin Auxiliaries alongside the Orc Legionaries I painted prior to the Challenge

Thats 6 x 28mm figs = 30 points added to my paltry 2 points thus far!


This AHPC entry is here:
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/12/from-paulog-goblin-auxiliary-troops-30.html