Battleground 2024 - Pendrakon, Middlesbrough

Hats off to Pendrakon for organising Battleground 2024 in Middlesbrough on Saturday (see link below): 

https://www.battlegroundshow.co.uk/

I had the pleasure of hosting the Wargames Development (WD) Arnhem participation game: "A Bridge Too Far", that went down really well with the 'participation game punters' (see below, the classic well-trodden WD [courtesy of the designers, John Armatys and Jerry Elsmore] game in the foreground and I helped with a second game inspired by Phil Sabin's "Take That Bridge" in the background - where US Paratroopers try to rush a bridge on the outskirts of Eindoven, against randomly generated enemies [which could be fake or real, you don't know unless they start shooting]):

I think this is the furthest north (convention wise) "A Bridge Too Far" has travelled with WD (certainly this year). Everyone who played it remarked on how good it was and brought the story to life in 'ten minutes'. Copies of the WD circular, "The Nugget" was distributed to participants as a taste of what Wargames Developments do. One game was particularly poignant when a player remarked at a point on the map, "This is where we lost my uncle, his body was never recovered, but his Dakota reportedly made it to the jump-off point but didn't return, so we don't exactly know what happened." That made you stop and think, he would have been just be a young lad (see below, in memory, with respect to all that fought): 

One of the pains or requirements of presenting a game is that you never get the time you want to take in all the other beautiful games. Luckily there was this lovely Renaissance game was next to our table so I could periodically enjoy its gameplay (see below, Durham Wargames Group - Display Game C - The Sesia-Italian Wars, lovely 28mm Figures and Scenery, using Pike and Shot rules I think): 

In the afternoon I did achieve a "bucket list" conference tick, as I managed to get across to see (and play) Renko's Blood Red Skies (BRS) tournament set-up [beautiful planes and playing map], where my late war Spitfire IX Polish Pilots managed to take down a Spanish Blue Squadron ME 109G Hun, but sadly I was bested by a far better player (Leslie) who is a pleasure to play against (we have a history, flying Gloster Gladiators he managed to shoot down my Me 109E Ace of mine - it is the curse of the BRS dice and my poor rookie tactics). All said and done a brilliant game, BRS is something I must play more of (see below, my moment of glory captured for all to see, winning me a tournament prize of a Warlord Games Heinkel 111 squadron pack, perfect for my Battle of Britain Project): 

The bring and buy had many temptations, but sadly a few of the sprues (I always seem to go for the unmade stuff) were a but vague on the sizes [10mm, 12mm, 15mm so I could not in my heart commit], so I probably passed up on a couple of bargains. Though I did spy a curious one, for a £5 I picked up a copy of Avalon Hill's Flight Leader. Now most flight, particularly jet, simulations are a tad complex unless you love flight (which I see myself more of a BRS abstract passenger, rather than 2joystick jock") but I am hoping to at least get to the basic game level with this (see below, if for nothing else it has a beautiful game board that can be reused, so I have a "Plan B"):

Finally my sin, with a 10% show Warlord discount voucher in hand (another joy of the BRS competition) I saw my Achilles Heel and succumbed gladfully [no "convention day after" regrets here]- 2000AD ABC Warriors (see below, one word describes this set to me "Hammerstein", never heard of "Increase the Peace" so there may be a graphic novel too to buy in the future): 

 

I now know I have to get the complete ABC Warrior set (I do have a chunky Foundry [?] Hammerstein) but the Warlord offerings look impressive resin kits. The fact that ABC Rules are compatible with Judge Dredd seals the deal for me. I tool the opportunity to pick up Mongol too, as the figure looked brilliant. Happy days!  Other "normal" purchases were 20mm Vietnam casualties and 10mm MkVI British Light Tanks for my early war Western Desert Project (Command Decision - Benghazi Handicap). 

Look Back at my CoW 2024: List of Games

Long overdue, but here it is! CoW 2024 at Missenden Hall,

There were so many games in parallel sessions that you could have attended CoW 2024 (and apart from the all inclusive plenary game) you could have had at least five separate parallel strand CoW experiences. Mine was fun and informative as detailed below: 

• The Plenary: Papal Conclave of 1559, an interesting game of papal political intrigue, back stabbing, rioting, opportunism and deceit. As a Spanish Cardinal I feigned disappointment as a French Pope (with audacity to take the name of Innocent[?]) sat enthroned as God's vicar in Rome. French gold clinked in my pocket and a position of "favour" awaited me.

• The Cactus Air Force (Guadalcanal 1942) - Blood Red Skies (BRS) fighting the IJN from Henderson Field:

Naturally I find myself surrounding by enemy Zeros, but I am distracting them from the USN bombers hunting a damaged IJN heavy cruiser!

Some how they all missed me and ACE made it back home, although the bombers missed the heavy cruiser in this game (a repeat game saw the cruiser heading to the bottom)!

• The Great War in the Pacific in the 1920's (what if the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 failed to take place and the USA and Japan ended up fighting a huge naval war in the 1920's? What sort of fleet would you build as the US to fulfil "War Plan Orange" and what in fact would be your war plan? [Ticket to Manilla, Home Island Hawaii Defence, Island Hopping, Japanese Homeland Assault]):

The game's bits and pieces (AH's Victory in the Pacific used as a map, 1/3000 Navwar ships, Jenga Blocks and plenty of sticky labels):

The USN Admirals Plan - note serious faces of austere concentration .. [obviously a posed photograph]

And they keep on planning. Note, then there is this guy in a Hawaiian shirt on the end, getting very chummy with the US Marine Corp chap MacArther ! Yes he got promoted to C-in-C, obvious with hindsight!

The Admirals of the class of 1926 all successfully "pass" the Ship Identification "end of term test", all proudly spotting the expensive, six funnelled USS Ranger aircraft carrier - a very advanced ship, laid on the stocks with no chance of being finished in time to participate in the war.

The Great Pacific War of the 1920's starts with the Manilla Squadron in dire trouble as an elite IJN fast battlecruiser squadron tries to Copenhagen them, but thanks to the foresight of the American Admirals the modernisation of the Manilla Squadron pays off and the IJN are sent packing, though vowing to come back with reinforcements.

With "The Ticket to Manilla" as War Plan Orange the USN charges across the Pacific, sadly loosing the CV they managed to build (the USS Langley) and the seven funnelled USS Lexington to IJN air and torpedo attacks. Nevertheless they arrive in time to face the IJN Combined Fleet (without Kaga and Akagi superdreadnoughts due to slow production and lack of steel thanks to US sanctions). Both sides engage in a battleline fight and loose all their battlecruisers. The USN have an advantage in battleships and the IJN in light forces (cruisers and destroyers).

A stroke of USN tactical genius and bravery sees the damaged USN Manilla Squadron sortie and catch the IJN in a pincer move. The Japanese battleline is Trafalgar'ed and remnants escape back to the Home Islands. The Japanese sue for peace. Well played the USN!

• Air Strike Nigeria - Planning a Jet Air Ground Attack (simple plan, rather than attacking the heavily defended by AA assets enemy HQ, we chose the high value AA asset [radar] for a points win [some would say long game] to take out - as the Rookie ordnance man I loaded up with range zero "big bombs" and some A-2-A self defence missiles which caused some consternation with the " married family men" of the flight): 

Death before dishonour, through evasive action that really jangled the pilots nerves [lose too much cool and you are a poor flyer which is not a good thing] we survive the close AA barrage [if I had swapped that for long range ordnance we might have suppressed the AA - lesson learned, a mixed array of weapons works best]. The big bombs clobber the important Soviet Era AA radar [4pts] and almost getting a win-win with the fuel dump too [just one hit point off] and try and "leg-it" but there are bandits on our tails.

We lose a boomer to enemy A-2-A combat but thanks to the plentiful availability of A-2-A in the attack flight we down "two" fighters which make the mission an outstanding success .. I am skimping over the pilot who ejected over "No Man's Land" due to "uncool flying technique" and had to hitch a lift home in a Yellow Taxi wearing civilian clothes.  

• Poland 1939 - One Hour WW2 (watched a game of Martin Rapier's excellent WW2 Brigade Level rules play an interesting Poland 1939 scenario [Stukas, Pz I's, Armoured Cars, Pak 35s, polish Cavalry and bridges that must be held at all costs]): 

The broad landscape with a good bit of Polish strategic pointing at the key terrain feature - the bridge across the river!

Massed German armour and stout hearted Poles in defence of the strategically important bridge that had been "pointed out" earlier!

The Luftwaffe's Stukas ensure "War is Hell". The Poles fought well, but the Germans were too "combined arms" for them in the end.

• A Simple Dice COIN Game (developed as part of his PhD wargaming research at Bath Spa University Pete Sizer has come up with this interesting solitaire COIN game, using a lot of dice):

Pete guiding six players simultaneously playing his solitaire COIN Dice Game, with dice acting as handy game tokens [representing things in various states] as well as "things to roll" - the amount of dice rolling was deafening! I stood on the side lines and watched this one as I was still mentally exhausted from putting on The Great Pacific War just prior to this, but need to play it. Perhaps in a quiet moment in CoW 2025 Pete can take me aside with a pint in hand to show me it again! 

• War of the Roses: Princes in the Tower - Cluedo(ish). There is Cluedo, then there is almost Cluedo with the Princes in the Tower historical authors battling it out with their egos over-filling rooms to define teh best "pet absurd theory" that will get them a lucrative "book deal"! I don't think I got all the in jokes, but enough to make it very amusing! 

• Lynchville is Burning (Again) - Role Playing and Committee Game. Naturally no photos as decreed by the 1950's emergency laws pressed into service. In an extreme state of anti communist paranoia where security and sensible lifestyle choices are paramount for the survival of the United States of America I can now fully understand the attraction of the Fallout Vault option. Sadly we did not have a vault, but we did have several cunning plans to infiltrate the seemingly harmless Trade Union to discover Soviet sleeper agents and undesirables. Each cunning plan failing in quick succession, the team turned to ever more desperate and darker tactics to give results, any results - no matter how fanciful to the powers that be that "ran" the organisation. The result was naturally chaos; it followed in an inevitable tragic sense. The fire at the gas mask factory was teh last straw, the bewildered workers mixed with agent provocateurs bused in for the occasion and unfortunate, unwanted newspaper coverage of agents no longer with the service, retired early before their prime. Are we still safe, that all depends on Department 12. 

• Ukrainian National Guard - A small squad tactics game, with maps and counters. A team planning and execution of a simple task that can always be made harder by doing something silly. Thankfully we watched, got lucky and flushed out the Russian observers but enemy drones blew up our BMP lift home.   

• GMT's - Last Hundred Yards Play Through. Using the serendipity of two people having the same game and wanting to know if they are playing it right this was a sit down session of a basic scenario. The good news was that we seemed to be playing it correctly, the game made sense and was a nice alternative to Advanced Squad Leader (ASL).   

• Bring and Buy Sale Bonanza (loot and swag collected at the bring and buy stall): 

Plenty of helicopters, Norman Knights and Hoplites, so what is not to like? Supplementing existing collections and periods.

 Plenty of "New Rules" courtesy of the stable of senor Trebian, for periods I want to get into!

 Old rules, but still the period is interesting and ideas are great to explore.

My personal weakness - other people's lead, end of collections and odds and sods, that could fit in somewhere (possibly) to my old collections. Pennies well spent I think, as the alternative is much more expensive late night Internet purchases, that you probably regret the next day! Well that is my excuse ;)   

Finally - the things that you never thought you would see again and missed getting first time round. A personal soft spot for me 2000AD, Judge Dredd RPG. A classic despite what Enzo the dog thinks about it!

And take a deep breath, sir all the above, mixed with great food, alcoholic drinks and good company. Fantastic event, I can recommend it to one and all.

More details of Wargames Developments can be found at: https://wargamedevelopments.org/

I know bookings for CoW 2025 are now open to the General Wargaming Public, come on in the water is lovely https://wargamedevelopments.org/event/cow-2025/ if you have read this far you will probably enjoy it!

Pendrakon Blood Red Skies Day II: Battle of Britain Aldertag (13th August)

13th August 1940 Aldertag: Dowding's Home Station Defence Network is picking up something incoming off the Kent coast (see below, the "eyes and ears" of the RAF - I just gotta love the terrain models Renko printed for this game): 

Unwanted guests (two formations of German Heinkel 111s heading to Manston airfield): 

With a gaggle (well technically two schwarms of Luftwaffe Me 109's) of little friends in tow in close escort position (see below, going left to right the air is full of Nazi bombers and escorting fighters, fourteen planes in all):  

"Achtung Spitfire" - the RAF greeting party arrives (see below, tilted back indicated the aircraft is in an advantaged position [Blood Red Skies game term]):

The desperate attack of "The Few" are pressed home against the bombers (see below, but with the sheer numbers of German fighters in the air a Spitfire is caught as his compatriot riddles a Heinkel with 303 machine gun fire at insanely short range): 

After one frantic pass through the bomber formation the Spitfires spin round again displaying their tight turning capability, but the Me 109s are closing in): 

Then suddenly, the sky is clear. A classic RAF "hit and run" - the Germans have lost a Me 109 ("Where is Sigmund?") and a Heinkel is trailing smoke but is still intent on pressing on (see below, target is set for Manston airfield):  

Then all hell breaks loose as Spitfires and Hurricanes appear out of no where, charging straight into teh bombers (see below, the RAF concentrate on the left side of the the German formation, attaining local superiority. Twelve fighters to seven, but the remaining eight German Me 109s are placed ideally to swing into the rear of the Spitfire formation): 

Again a Spitfire pays the price, but fortunately the pilot jumps clear (see below, the RAF bravery means the German bomber formation is once again penetrated and riddled):  

A Heinkel from the leading formation goes down in flames and another one is severely damaged in the rear formation but Manston comes into sight as a flak barrage greets the unwanted guests (see below, the "tail end Charlie" Heinkel in not a happy bunny - or rather Nazi!):  

Manston Sector Airfield: sirens start wailing and AA firing at full effect (see below, the Spitfires and Hurricanes again disappear as the bombers conduct their attack run): 

The surviving bomber of the lead formation scores a telling hit on Manston, but the rear formation is less successful (a near miss) but loses its damaged aircraft to accurate flak (see below, RAF ground crew watch as German parachutes open from the doomed bomber as the crew bails out): 

Manston is damaged but still operational, it lives to fight another day. Holes are repaired in teh runway, as wearing RAF pilots land, refuel and get ready to "go again"!

All told an absolutely brilliant big day out, the Blood Red Skies event hosted at Pendrakon, a nice follow on from the Low Countries Game Day, where I spent my morning and afternoon fighting the Belgian Air Force. Huge thanks must go out to Renko for organising it, respect! Respect also goes to the RAF that took out 50% of the German bomber force, Hermann Goering certainly won't like that! As I was too slow in painting my BRS Starter Set Spitfires I played Luftwaffe again, so I will doubtless have to face a telling off by my commanding officer!

Pendrakon Small Games Day - Inviting you to Play Several Small Games

I am fortunate enough to have a local games company that is very proactive in promoting the hobby, in small and large events, Pendrakon Miniatures. One such event being their recent Small Games Day hosted at their HQ. Several gamers (local and not so local) were invited to put n a participation game. Which I think is a fantastic idea. Although stalled from getting over until late in the day by family duties I managed to catch up with a friend demonstrating a Science Fiction game called Möbius Mayhem (see below, the playing surface being a 2D representation of the 1D mobius strip and space critters "trap dooring" around the surface):

There was a furious exchange between lazer armed Space Teddies and Space Pirates - where the more elite Space Teddies tore the Space Pirates apart. I then had the pleasure of being the Hive Bug Mind of Space Spider, who had to close to "fang kill" in close combat, which they managed to do, overcoming a smaller band of Space Troopers. The second game was an interesting spin on the French Indian Wars, in the "feeding of an army department" - or rather feeding the Colonel, who wants to impress his friends with a wild turkey for the dinner table. A detachment of British and French scouts simultaneously despatched with the same mission (because officers are basically pompous officers no matter which army they come from in this period of history). Based on mechanisms from The One Hour Skirmish Wargame Book by John Lambshead, it was an extremely entertaining game to play (see below, to the "lucky" go the spoils - all manner of wildlife was waiting for us in the vegetation, not much of it friendly!): 

Summary: As a plucky canny Brit. I shot the turkey and avoided punishment from my senior officer as the Colonel was well fed at his table. I avoided meeting a bear (thank god), although the run in with a skunk was disturbing. In the distance I heard French screams and a cry of "wolf", followed by several musket shots which didn't seem to hit their mark!

Many points of kudos and thanks to Pendrakon for putting on this very entertaining "Small Game Day" - and even though I was only there for the last hour or so, it did exactly what it said it would do on the tin. If I had managed to come across a little bit earlier I could have caught a game of Blood Red Skies too. In total I think there were about six  or seven games, with a health stream of participants and shoppers browsing. Naturally, I came away with a few goodies purchased from the establishment, just to extend my ranges, it seemed rude not to!

Blood Red Skies (BRS) Campaign - Low Countries and France: Pendrakon Event

As the lights, one by one, went out in Europe, there were brave pilots who nevertheess took to the sky to defend democracy against fascism. In the Pendrakon "Low Countries and France BRS Campaign Day" most of these brave souls seemed to be Belgians flying the sturdy "gun bus" Hurricane. My newly painted Luftwaffe Me 109Es  ran into a patrol of them in and around the Belgian-German border just before the "balloon" went up big time (see below, I squared off against an old adversary, the redoubtable Monsieur Lambert, leading a flight of Belgians finest and came a "close run second" as my boom chit count was exceeded and he had me running for home - bloodless but a Belgian victory): 

In round two however I met my Waterloo, while escorting a slow bomber formation I was bounced by obsolete RAF Gloster Gladiators from a cloud formation (that is my story and I an sticking to it) - fearlessly piloted by a very capable RAF Flight Sergeant Leslie who scalped my unwittingly-foolish-laxidasical Ace who instantly regretted treating the Gladiator Ace with contempt (see below, the true meaning of the Greek word hubris was learnt, especially as the bombers went on to miss the airfield target they were trying to annihilate - a hard one to report back on the Head Quarters, dangling on teh end of a parachute the Ace had a long time to think about it):   

Two nil down, but the German armies were pushing relentlessly through France and the Low Countries and for the third round I face Belgian Hurricanes (again), this time against a new Allied player who was facing a scenario disadvantage of "stretched fighter resources" - which gave me a one plane advantage in the battle (see below, [Luftwaffe kill one] this time the day went to Hun but my gallant Belgian adversary fought to the last and despite his great skill it was the German numbers that told in the end):   

The Belgians earned the Luftwaffe's utmost respect and gained yet more gallant combat spurs on the day. Despite their country being overrun, one could tell by the fierce look of determination on their faces, that these pilots were destined to fight on under new colours (see below, [Luftwaffe kill two], one feels like we will meet these Belgians again over the green fields of Britain): 

All in all a fantastic day, rewarded with good natured play and some nice campaign "goodies". many, many thanks to my old friend Renko (see link for his posting on his thoughts for the event day) for setting it up and for Pendrakon hosting it. Respect!

Note: I am already looking forward to playing the Battle of Britain in August. I hope to use it also as an excuse [incentive] to paint up the six Spitfires included with the BRS starter set. I already have acquired the Warlord Game RAF Battle of Britain 72 Squadron decal set!

Painting 1/200 Me 109s (Warlord Games - Blood Red Skies) - The Luftwaffe Ready Room

Seeking painting inspiration I toured the internet for videos on how to paint WWII German Luftwaffe Me 109s circa 1940:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4V6BQo8tyQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=blood+red+skies+1%2F200+me-109+painting+guide&rlz=1C1JZAP_enGB834GB834&sxsrf=APwXEdfZY4A5444DZzh2nGo8DTEftsbQ5A%3A1686928428885&ei=LHyMZNS1NfiThbIPzOC7yAQ&ved=0ahUKEwjU-46Oisj_AhX4SUEAHUzwDkkQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=blood+red+skies+1%2F200+me-109+painting+guide&gs_lcp=Cgxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAQAzIFCAAQogQyBQgAEKIEOggIABCiBBCwA0oECEEYAVCZDViaKmDnK2gBcAB4AIABhwGIAcwNkgEENC4xMpgBAKABAcABAcgBBA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:ea18ff39,vid:Pbopp8mOSeA

http://www.dogfighter.com/Messerschmitt-Me-Bf-109-E-3/0344.html

My final recipe was as follows: 

• Airfix/Humbrol Acrylic Primer
• Vallejo Black Wash (to highlight detail) 
• Light Blue (Base) Airfix/Humbrol Acrylic
• Vallejo Model (Base) Dark Grey
• Vallejo Model (Base) Light Grey
• Vallejo Game Colour Bone White foundation for (Base) Yellow area on nose
• Vallejo Game Colour (Base) Golden Yellow
• Vallejo Brown Ink 
• Vallejo Game Colour (Highlight) Yellow (see below, half way through): 

• Vallejo Yellow Ink
• Final Vallejo Game Colour Yellow (Highlight) 
• Smoke Wash
• Vallejo Black on Canopy
• Vallejo Model Colour German Grey on Propeller
• Vallejo Model Colour Black Propeller
• (Highlight) Dark Grey including canopy struts 
• (Highlight) Light Grey including canopy struts 
• (Highlight) Light Blue
• Micro Sol preparation of decal area 
• Decals: Warlord Games Decal Pack - 1/200 JG-26 using Micro Sol (see below): 

• Micro Set
• Humbrol Satin Varnish

The end result (see below): 

Off to play Blood Red Skies next Battle of France 1940!

Xmas Presents: Naval Aviation and an Osprey Submarine Game

From underneath the Xmas tree I was given these little crackers. Two Blood Red Skies (BRS) Midway expansion packs (IJN and USN carrier naval/carrier-based bombers) plus a surprise modelling project in "large scale" 1/48 of the marvellous Royal Navy Sea Harrier. I must confess that I hummed and hared about asking for the Midway expansion packs, but the Devastators have such a soft spot in my heart and I cannot easily see them in 1/144 - the alternative wargaming scale IMHO. I justified the BRS packs as going from a "complete game in a box" to a "complete campaign in three boxes" which was good value for money (see below, one resin project and one traditional plastic project - sharp eyes will also note the Pacific war Vallejo colours in the background [USN Pale Blue and IJN Ivory White]): 

From flying above the waves to swimming beneath the (Cold War) waves! A game from the Osprey stable but written by a former RN Submarine Commander. Also an excuse for a few 1/3000 Navwar modern miniature perhaps (see below, note in the design notes it is very much a "game" rather than a "simulation"  but based upon "the principles"):  

Fun to be had in 2022 with these, but my first (January) 2022 project is cracking on with some British 15mm Malburians! 

Midway Aerial Combat - Warlord Games Starter Set

I hummed and hared and at first said "no" (with a surprising almost believable inner voice), as I was already collecting the same period in a different wargaming scale 1/144 (or should I really say scales, as on a stock-check I also had kits in 1/72 - for a separate more "modelling" based project - but not for air combat, despite what Airfix will have you think). Then I took another look at the contents of the box and the expansions in progress (sigh) and saw all the models I had not been able to yet collect (and did not really know how I was going to collect [Devastators, Kates and Vals]). So my inner self laughed at me and said "I was only kidding!" (see the result below, I am now the proud owner of a mighty Midway Air Combat Box although gawd only knows when I will be able to get round to paint them):

I already have my eyes on the USN Bomber pack for a Xmas present!