Wednesday, 11 December 2024

The Secret Project Revealed!

Several months ago, I was planning to paint three armies for 1066. I'd purchased all the miniatures, started working on the army lists and basing options, and found a set of rules that I was excited to try. Then I had a call from Ray. "Fancy working on a collaborative project?" he asked. "What about the 1812 Retreat from Moscow?". Before the phone call had finished, I had already made my first online purchase. 

This is a period that I have wanted to do for a long time, but the idea of taking on the whole thing single-handed was daunting. I've never painted any Napoleonic figures before, and aside from fantasy figures for D&D or Frostgrave, I rarely paint anything in 28mm. So from the beginning, this was going to be a huge but exciting challenge. And of course, the best forum for a challenge of this nature is the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge which starts in a little under two weeks. 

I have taken on painting the Russians for this project, and so far I have purchased a mixture of North Star figures (from their Muskets & Tomahawks range) and of course from Perry Miniatures. Both Ray and I want to use Sharp Practice II for this project so unit sizes are small (8 figures per unit in most cases). That suits me just fine because I am moving outside my comfort zone where I normally paint 6mm or 15mm figures. 

Although we have not yet been able to get started on these armies, we have been able to get a lot of prep done before the Painting Challenge starts on the 21st of December. However, a significant portion of my army is currently in the hands of my wife, who is giving me the gift of Cossacks and Russian artillery this Christmas. 

And what has happened to my 1066 project? Well, the tree armies are mounted on sticks ready to be primed, but will now be completed after the Retreat from Moscow. I will complete them in time, but I can feel the chill wind of the Russian Steppe calling to me. I have to say, buying 28mm in large quantities for the first time in over thirty years has been quite a shock to the wallet! Three 6mm armies for 1066 have cost half what I have already spent on this new project, and there are still a couple of extra units like the Opolchenie Militia and Hussars that I haven't purchased yet. 

Hopefully, I can get the first figures for this completed quickly (I have some time off over Christmas, so I can get more painting time!) and of course, I will post updates here and on the Channel as the project comes together. 

Sunday, 8 December 2024

No Video Today πŸ˜”

No video today I'm afraid. The gastrointestinal bug that I have had for the last three weeks has not gone away and if anything is making me feel even worse. I've managed to crawl into work this week because I had some training I couldn't get out of, but the end result has been crawling right into bed as soon as I got home.  So no painting, and certainly no writing or filming. I'm hoping I'll be back to normal soon (the Painting Challenge starts in just a couple of weeks) but I've been thinking that for a while. 

Instead, I have pulled this one from the back catalogue. I know some of you enjoy my videos on a Sunday (thank you) so hopefully this can fill the gap.


Keep an eye open on Wednesday for a special announcement. I'll be revealing the 'secret project' that I have been collaborating on with a friend of mine for a few months. No painting has happened yet, thats for the Painting Challenge, but a lot of technical details have been worked out between us. I'm itching to get started as this will be my first collab project and I'll be stepping outside of my comfort zone as you will see when all is revealed on Wednesday. 

Sunday, 1 December 2024

Skirmish Wargaming vs Roleplaying Games

Are Skirmish Wargames and Roleplaying games with an element of combat just the same thing? Or are they two sides of a different coin?


 

Tuesday, 26 November 2024

Star Wars...in the shed-o-war!!

Wonders will never cease, and this weekend, the rejects witnessed the arrival of sci-fi in Stuart's Shed-o-War for the first time. Steve has been painting models from Star Wars Legion for quite a while now and kept threatening to bring a game to the shed for the Rejects. After joining our ranks a few years ago, this was his first outing as an umpire for the Rejects. And he did pretty well for his first rodeo! 

Storm Troopers moving into position. Amazingly they were not as bad a shot as they are in the films! 

Indeed this squad's shooting was incredible, giving the Imperial forces their first kills of the battle. 

Although outnumbered, there was a huge cast of characters on the Rebel side. Now if they can just get them into range we'll have something to shoot at! 

Our AT-ST stands very imposing in the centre of the table, ready to dish out some suppression fire.

This squad had a rocket launcher so would attempt (poorly) to keep the Rebel snow speeder from causing too much damage. 

Steve explains that Surjit has positioned his AT-ST in exactly the wrong position because it cannot step over obstacles. Sujits pain was palpable. 

These little rebel walkers were a real pain and their armour
made hitting them very difficult. 

Steve did an excellent job of navigating a bunch of Star Wars Legion newbies through the rules. The first turn was a bit slow but we soon picked things up. 

Some of Surjits Storm Troopers. We had a lot of troopers.

My Imperial Bodyguard. Tough, and deadly, they made short work of an enemy scout squad from their elevated position. 

Meanwhile, the Speeder swung around the flank to try and destroy the AT-ST. Thankfully the pilot needed to go to Specsavers and didn't hit a thing. 

However, with a rear canon, the speeder can shoot in two directions at once! How unsporting!!

I had two Speeder Bike units on the table. I really liked their speed and firepower but got too close to an imperial robot which attacked them as they tried to fly past. 

Meanwhile, Vader gives an inspiring speech... that was about it for his involvement I the game. 

Rebel Scum hiding behind a barricade. 

Han and Chewie likewise took cover and hunkered down for most of the game. 

Surjit moved the AT-ST but now he's pointing in the wrong direction, with his rear to the rebel speeder and to make matters worse the pilot can't hit a thing with the Las-Cannons. 

Not only Sci-Fi in the shed, but we even got Stuart to take some pictures on a mobile phone. Somehow he managed to click away and didn't take a single picture. He really is the man the 21st Century forgot,  bless him. 

We only managed to get three turns completed, partly because we were new to the rules and partly because the game was very large and there was a lot to activate. Steve did an admiral job of keeping us on track, without looking his mind in the process. Even died-in-the-wool historical player Stuart enjoyed himself so I think we can call this experiment with sci-fi a success. Steve has promised us a follow-up game in the new year and we're going to hold him to it. 

Sunday, 24 November 2024

How to Solo Wargame: Getting Started

What do you need to play solo wargames for the first time? I've discussed the rules and mechanics of solo wargaming before, but this week, I wanted to examine the practicalities of setting up and playing a game solo.



 

Sunday, 17 November 2024

Warfare 2024 - Show Video

A group of the Rejects headed down to Farnborough yesterday for day one of the Warfare Show. For us, this was primarily a shopping trip, and we came home with armfuls of goodies. But there is also a good selection of Demonstration and Participation games to see, and of course, a large part of the hall is given over to tournament games.  As usual, I took loads of pictures and compiled them into a short video of the demo games.


Are what-if scenarios historical or fantasy?

This topic has come up before but I wanted to discuss why I think what-if scenarios are still historical, even if they stray from precise historical facts. But only if they remain faithful to historical possibilities and plausible alternatives.



 

Sunday, 10 November 2024

Change how you paint

Do you have your own painting style, honed over many years and stuck to rigidly, or do you enjoy experimenting with new techniques and products as I do? 

When it comes to miniature painting, are you someone who has a set style that hasn’t changed much over the years, or do you embrace new techniques and adopt what works best for you?


 

Sunday, 3 November 2024

Top Tips for the Newbie Wargamer

My Top Ten Tips for the new historical wargamer. Whether you are new to wargaming, or transitioning from other genres or other types of game, here are my tips for the newbie historical wargamer. They are in no particular order. 



 

Sunday, 27 October 2024

Painting White

White is often a tricky colour, especially for new or inexperienced painters. But it doesn't have to be a challenge. Mastering the interplay of shadow and highlights can produce stunning results, whether you are painting miniatures for completion or simply for wargaming.  



 

Sunday, 20 October 2024

Gatekeepers can grow the hobby

Gatekeepers can grow the wargaming hobby if they throw open the gates rather than hold them shut.


 

Monday, 14 October 2024

The Other Partizan 2024 - Photos

The Other Partizan Show took place today in Newark and as usual, the quality of the games on display was amazing.




Sunday, 13 October 2024

Remote Wargaming: Is it the future of the hobby?

Is remote wargaming a fad, the future of the hobby, or just another way to enjoy doing what we love?

Remote wargaming has become a regular feature of my group's gaming calendar. It started during COVID and we enjoyed it so much that we have continued to play remote games, even after returning to our beloved face-to-face wargames in the shed-o-war. We will always love moving our little metal men around a physical table, but games across thousands of miles, facilitated by the World Wide Web, have become a permanent feature.



Sunday, 6 October 2024

Shot Down in Flames: Wargaming in three dimensions

How do wargames tackle a problem like 3-dimensional space? This week I discuss aerial combat wargames and (briefly) discuss how a few handle the complexities of warfare in three dimensions.



Wednesday, 2 October 2024

Dogfight over the Channel: 100 Octane and Supercharged

Over the weekend the Rejects gathered in the Shed-o-War for something different to our normal fayre. Richard has been writing again and has come up with a cracking set of rules for aerial warfare in WWII. The rules could work for other periods (within reason), but the test games, particularly this game, are set firmly in WWII. I donned my lucky lederhosen and flying goggles to join the Luftwaffe in a linked pair of games somewhere over the channel, with the white cliffs as our backdrop. 


The first game was a simple dogfight with two flights of aircraft battling for supremacy. The Germans were flying Messerschmitt Bf 109E and the British were flying Spitfires. For this introductory game, there was no spotting required and no cloud cover to complicate matters. This was to be a straight-up fight with both sets of pilots finding their wings and learning the rules. 



The second game was more interesting because each pilot started the game with two Blinds which had to be 'spotted' to either identify an enemy aircraft or eliminate it as just a speck on the windshield or a bird. There would also be clouds at various altitudes and as the game progressed these played a very important role in enabling pursued pilots to escape tails or jump enemy aircraft.


I found the clouds to be a welcome respite from being shot at when I was tailed by a Spitfire. Bullets were whizzing past my plane and it was only complete luck (or the lack of it) that saved me from Dan's relentless pursuit. Desperate to share the tail I dived for the clouds and safety. 


When I exited the clouds I was able to get behind my erstwhile pursuer and pump his aircraft full of holes. The pilot managed to bail out moments before his Spitfire exploded in a rather spectacular fireball. 


Unfortunately, I didn't have long to enjoy my win because Sprog Pilot, Stuart (shot down earlier in the game and respawned as a lower-level pilot) was able to put several bullet holes through my own fuel tank. Unfortunately, my pilot wasn't as lucky as Dan earlier and was lost in the resulting explosion. 

Richard has posted more photos on his blog My Wargaming Habit and I recommend you read that for a fuller review of the game/s. I'm sure this won't be the last time we play this game, and everyone seemed to have a good time, even when we were being 'bounced' by the enemy! 

Sunday, 29 September 2024

How to protect your miniatures during transport

How to protect your miniatures when you transport them from one location to another? 

This week I discuss the options available when you want to take your miniature armies out on the road, to a show, convention, tournament or even just to a friend's house. The last thing you want is for your miniature works of art to be damaged in transit. So here are a few tips on transporting your troops safely from A to B, and back again.



Sunday, 22 September 2024

Can Science Fiction Wargames ever be realistic?

Can Sci-Fi wargames ever be 'realistic'? This is a subscriber question from some time ago that got missed (sorry). But its was an interesting topic to explore. 

 

Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Bosworth Photo-book: A Quick Look

A quick look at a relatively inexpensive way to keep a record of your games or your collections. 


 

Tuesday, 13 August 2024

How to make Archer's Stakes for 6mm Wargaming

A few weeks ago I made a set of test models, Archer's Stakes, for my 6mm Medieval armies. A few people asked if I would do a tutorial. It's taken longer than planned, but finally, here it is πŸ˜‰



Wednesday, 7 August 2024

The Fighting Retreat

This week I discuss the Art of the Fighting Retreat in tabletop wargames. Some rules have mechanisms that allow this, others don't, and sometimes this reflects the historical period those rules are designed for. But I also suggest how to introduce suitable rules into your existing games to make the fighting retreat a feature of your games.



Apologies: Once again I forgot to post my video from Sunday... my schedule has been shot all to hell this week and future disruption is likely, but I'll do my best to keep a basic schedule if possible. 

Sunday, 28 July 2024

Terrain maketh the Wargame

Handmade or shop-bought wargame terrain turns a flat table into a landscape worth fighting over. This week I discuss my love of making terrain. I ask, have you ever made or used a piece of terrain that has changed the course of a wargame? 


 

How to Keep new players

Last Sunday's video which I inexplicably forgot to post...well it was prepared but left as 'draft' instead of 'scheduled'....doh! 


 

Wednesday, 24 July 2024

Bottisham Airfield Museum

The Bottisham Airfield Museum is a small enthusiast-run collection dedicated to the memory of the pilots who flew from this site during WWII. 

Bottisham Airfield (Designated Station 364) was home to the US 8th Air Force 361st Fighter Group between November 1943 and September 1944.


www.facebook.com/bottishamairfieldmuseum/
www.instagram.com/bottishamairfield
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk
www.bottishamairfieldmuseum.org.uk

Thursday, 18 July 2024

The Battle of Bosworth: Orders of Battle

Last weekend's game saw my entire Wars of the Roses / Battle of Bosworth collection of 6mm figures out on the table. I built my armies with one aim, to include as many of the nobles and Lords who were present at the battle, and feature the flags and banners for them on my bases. I'll let you decide if that last objective was worth the effort, but I was certainly happy with the outcome on the game table. 

My orders of battle were built from the lists of known participants for each side, although the specific number of troops and of what kind each brought to the battle, requires a bit of guesswork. I couldn't find any specific details, so I had an approximate size and arrangement in mind for the overall army compositions and worked towards that. You may disagree with how I built my armies but from my own research, this 'best guess' is probably as accurate (or inaccurate) as any other variation I have seen. 

 





I highly recommend the Freezywater publications of flags and bios (the Lance and Longbow Society) and there is also a book by Bob Pritchard "Battle of Bosworth Nobles and Knight Profiles" packed full of the heraldic banners for everyone who took part. I can't find anyone selling it at the moment, but it's worth keeping an eye out for it on eBay. They also sell copies in the shop at the Bosworth Heritage Cantre which I highly recommend visiting if you get a chance. 

Tuesday, 16 July 2024

The Battle of Bosworth 1485 - A 6mm, Test of Resolve, Quick Strike Battle Report



On Saturday I finally got my Wars of the Roses / Bosworth game on the table in the shed-o-war for the Rejects. It's been a long time coming, but it went well, with just a couple of issues I will discuss later in the week. Before the game I gave the players a briefing of the rules, but also an outline of the scenario and why I had chosen to represent the battle the way I had.

The location of the Battle of Bosworth has been debated and plotted by antiquarians and historians many times in the 539 years since the battle took place. For several hundred years it was linked to Ambion Hill where Richard probably camped the night before the battle. This seems logical because it is one of the highest points in a semi-circular range of hills, with good visibility for miles around. However, few artefacts had been definitively found to tie the battle to this location, and core samples of the surrounding terrain revealed no evidence of the now-famous marsh in which Richard lost his life.

 
Between August 2005 and August 2009, the Battlefields Trust undertook a major new study of Bosworth battlefield, on behalf of Leicestershire County Council. Combined with new analysis of documentary sources, this analysis shifted the location of the battle away from its traditional site to a position two miles southwest, on either side of Fen Lane. A wealth of artefacts was uncovered, including the single largest collection of medieval cannon balls ever found, numerous sword hilts, buckles, spurs, horse tackle and the by-now famous Boar Badge which would have been worn by one of the king's closest entourage. All of these have definitively identified the site of the engagement and indicated the orientation of the battles, the location of the guns and even the infamous marsh. This game is based on this most recent interpretation of the evidence.

UPDATE: The Battle Reports of Richard and Ray have more excellent pictures of the game:

Tuesday, 2 July 2024

Tankfest 2024

Just came back from a weekend away with the family, centred around a trip to the Tank Museum at Bovington to attend Tankfest 2024. If you like your living history loud and exciting, this is one not to be missed! 


 

Sunday, 30 June 2024

Creative Distractions: Blogger, Vlogger, Wargamer

Am I a blogger who wargames, or a Wargamer who blogs? I've touched on this subject before but decided to discuss it in more detail today (I've had a couple of questions about this). I am happy with the mix of gaming and content creation that is 'My Hobby', but I am aware that I could game more if I wasn't writing blog posts or scripts for YouTube. However, I think the benefits of the social interactions from blogging and vlogging far outweigh the impact on gaming time.


Sunday, 23 June 2024

Dice have no Memory

Wargamers exhibit many superstitious and peculiar behaviours when it comes to their dice. We've all seen it (and probably done these ourselves) but the simple truth is that Dice have no memory.


 

Sunday, 16 June 2024

The Medway Gaming Festival 2024

Today I have been to the Medway Gaming Festival with my daughter. She didn't just come because it was Father's Day, our fandoms overlap significantly in the ven-diagram of geekdom, so we both had a great day at the festival. Like me, she also has a YouTube Channel (TheNerdyGoth) so I challenged her to a 'Short-off'! We both shot videos during our day out and published a Short mini-video of the event today (both went public at 17:00 today). The winner is the video with the most views by 8pm tomorrow night. Let the battle commence! 


The festival includes a selection of Tabletop Wargames, Roleplaying Games, Cosplay, Computer Games (modern and retro) and can only be described as a celebration of geek culture. Here are a few pictures form the day.