This games day went off much better than the first attempt in November 2023.
I had a four player start for the game, though at one point there were three other watchers of the match, one player dropped out after 2 pm.
If you watch the video you will see a proper divisional attack form, with two brigades in front line and one support brigade to the rear, the Division command in the center - like a text book - even though one brigade was shaken, having taken fire and I had given no details like this to the totally new player to the game. It was nice to see this happen. I took some extra photos of this moment and share them here, you can see the division line form in the video in the top left corner at 2:30 mark of the time-lapse.
division in line attack formation seen from the left flank
division in line attack formation, seen from above
The game did not go to the end of the turn limit, though we got in way more than last time.
Image of control board at game end, completion of the 14h00 turn
Next game day is February 18, 2024, I am hoping to do some Pulp games and maybe have Rob come along to handle his award winning terrain.
The zenithal base coat layer has been done for the starting classes.
I have done some more research into the color schemes for all of these minis.
for now the classes logos are all I will share of this project as the painting has only just started
The aim is to have the base 6 (7 minis since one of them takes 2-parts) character classes completed by the end of January and the balance of the minis by then possibly the end of February or start of March.
Still have the games days to go, so the tabletop is busy as is the painting desk.
Oh and all that pesky working stuff and the occasional fire-rescue call.
My middle son had this little model of an X-Wing and he wanted me to dress it up with some brushworks.
I started in November of last year, with many interruptions I was able to finish it today.
I pulled some images from the web to inspire my work and watched a few clips from the films to get some better idea of the color scheme I wanted to emulate.
A couple of 'in progress' shots to showcase the detail:
Then a series of the 'finished product'
Then finally another 'clip-2-comic' conversion.
Up next ... a new commission starts! (with secrets ...)
Then more ACW potential came to light as the Gettysburg Campaign was put into operation for the first time here, and culminated in a number of battles:
some quick troops were assembled to support the others that already existed, so that we could do some really big battles.
bare metal was brought to full paint quickly to support the needs for more Union troops on the tabletop
Then the campaign took action and an amazing set of a-historical battles resulted:
Then Autumn arrived, there were many other things I needed to do and focus on, so games took a back seat, though the itch did get scratched a few more times before the end of the year, most importantly in the Bull Run 1861 game and expo at the local community center.
Victory Without Quarter
SHAKO 2
Bull Run 1861, at the Kelcey Center
I now also have a little painting commission, that will need addressing in the new year, so expect some progress photos of that project in the coming months.
The ACW set has Shiloh on deck, with only the Confederates needing to be painted at the moment, they are all up on the painting shelf, ready to roll after the commissions.
At least three other games days at the local community center are slated, in January, February and March. So there will be some more tabletop images to come ...
Added on all of this are the continuing home operations, a work prospect that keeps me near my phone and computer most days along with Firefighter duties weekly (& whenever the 'tones' drop) and plans for better marketing of the rescue society needs.
I have been suddenly rather busy from the end of November to just now Boxing Day 2023.
I have finished the video for the community center game and have a little report about it all for you.
We only had a few players for the start, then from about half-way thru the time period onward I was full on with a pair of young men to run armies in the Bull Run 1861 game.
setting up the space for games
I had a number of other systems and games on hand to speak about what else we could do for games.
one of the early games involved growing a forest 'competitively' ...
Then began a part of Bull Run 1861
We were unable to get much past noon for the tabletop action(s) of the 1861 battle, yet the young players are keen to have another go ... this time starting EARLY so that there's time to get more action in.
At least there were players somewhat active the whole day.
I had guests travel and stay overnight that night, then had some family news come in later the following week, that I needed to follow up with immediately during the first two weeks of December. I'll have more to do with that over the next year or so. This kept me away from my computer long enough to not be able to make the video and report about the tabletop action at the end of November.
Opportunity to get the Napoleonic miniatures on the table came a week ago, it has taken time to process the video and photos into this new game time-lapse.
my tabletop deployment zone marker for French forces
I had a mind to try out more from the book series by Grant and Asquith "Scenarios For All Ages", so I decided to let by d12 have a go at where to start ... obviously I rolled a "1" - must start at the beginning!
Neat part about this scenario is that it also had basic instructions for running the game solo!
Once again I am doing this mostly as a video posting, as there are no other players to make detailed reporting to or about this event.
It was good to get the Napoleonic troops out on the new game mat, with their own new fur bases and get the whole set documented in a game this new way.
a panoramic photo from the end of turn 3
These panoramic photos are the type I used to do with other software and stitching them together by manual processing, now my iPhone does it all quickly. I think I may do more of them in future games.
The scenario has the Bavarians holding a hill line, they must not permit 2 or more combat effective units from passing beyond the hill-line. The time limit is based on the number of turns for the Russian line infantry to march from one side of the board to the other, then add 1/2; this worked out to nine (9) turns.
Fast, bold action was called for the Russians (fast is not something they are known for), and some luck from a few failed Bavarian defense rolls could make it possible to get more than 1 unit across in time.
The die rolls for the Bavarians were amazing, they killed the leading Russian skirmishers in the first encounter.
From there things bogged down, though the Russians came within one turn of making it happen all the same. Good scenario design - showcasing asymmetrical forces and doing a job with what is at hand.
another panorama showing the end of game positions
I also got a photo of one of my 'wrecked batteries', that was not used in the video.
the wrecked battery marker
Computer work station has moved upstairs as the temperatures have definitely gone lower overnight and I do not wish to freeze my paints.
More study coming this month and likely a start on the special fantasy commission, expect photos.
Found the time to get the ECW collection out onto the tabletop.
Also the new red and blue command tags and commander ID sabot were used, along with some all new teddy bear fur bases.
Combine that with a time-lapse camera and some clip-2-comic images and I had a great little game and show on the go.
I put together two asymmetrical forces: Royalist had 6 gallopers and 5 pike & shot with two cannon, while the Parliament had 4 trotters and 7 pike & shot with two cannon and two field pieces.
I then used my random terrain cards to set up the tabletop battlefield and then started the time-lapse camera.
I decided to go with mostly video for this posting as everything came together so nicely.
Here are a few stills that I did not use in the video
from deployment, the KING
early in the action, the right wing of Parliament
showing off most of the Royalist foot in the village along with the two 'pieces' firing
wider view of the Royalist right wing at deployment
Parliament center firing in early action on the day
Royalist horse push on the flank, yet cannot muster up the courage to charge (read three failed charge morale rolls)
a closer view of those horse note the 3 of spades tag I put my 'deck of cards' system to use this game
with these very cards here is the end of game as the KING for the Royalists must decide to move or not (read the fight does not go well, losing 4-1 at that point)
lights are all repaired in my display case
including a close-up of some of the Napoleonic large models and my own 28mm Bonaparte
Next up will be some new 'frosthaven' models that I have a commission to paint.
Along with the Shiloh Confederates, likely a move upstairs to painting spaces that are warmer as the weather shifts here on the wet coast of British Columbia.
My eldest son has always had a keen interest in a number of board games, this one he's had for a while and got some expansions of - including a set of 3d markers.
game at setup
It has a set of general rules, then there are the 'contracts' that are the cards that drive the action and form some of the 'victory' conditions.
Mostly non-competitive, other than a few cards that 'attack' and you will pay with loss of victory points.
game end
there was a 'nuke' dropped on Mars - to increase the temperature -
In a uniform from the age of 13 to 30, learned much of 'military life' and after a decade of travel have settled down to start a family. Started with boardgames and RPG's in the 1970's and added tabletop miniatures in the 1990's. Now with a family of three boys, seeking to turn this sometime hobby into more of a lifestyle.
.jpg)
.JPG)
