Waterloo done the Airfix Way with Phil Sabin

Following on from Bob Cordery's example (in his Wargaming Miscellany blog) post, I too have to pay tribute to Phil Sabin's latest completed project (and anybody painting 450 Airfix 20mm [1/72 in old money] old school wargaming figures gets my respect). Waterloo - The Dunnigan way (which to teh man's credit, originally created as a free wargame) with a few new Sabin tweaks added: 

In Phil's own words: 

Coinciding neatly with the release of Ridley Scott’s new blockbuster movie on Napoleon, I have just posted the 450 significantly improved 2^nd edition of my own much-downloaded tweaks for Napoleon at Waterloo, together with a video illustrating and explaining my changes and showing a complete game using my new bespoke 3D playset with 450 painted Airfix figures, each representing around 400 real troops or 50 cannon.  

You may find the tweaks and video at https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/199517/simple-rules-tweaks-greater-realism and https://www.youtube.com/@philipsabin1653 respectively.  

Please share both links as widely as possible on other relevant board and miniatures gaming for a (together with the link to Charles’s book at  https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Marine-Corps-University-Press/Books-by-topic/MCUP-Titles-A-Z/Wargaming-Waterloo/), so that other enthusiasts are made aware.

Our discussions of Charles’s ideas in his article and book provided the main impetus for me to create the 3D playset (using figures I first painted decades ago) and to revisit my original 2020 tweaks.  Although the amendments proposed by Charles and myself coincide in several areas, our approaches are rather different, as is discussed in the thread below on ‘Tweaking Published Games’.  Charles mostly takes the existing game system as read and focuses on more literal modelling of aspects such as the size of the farm garrisons, the tractability of woods and the times at which various contingents became available.  I have used much more of a ‘design for effect’ approach, by playing the game repeatedly and introducing successive tweaks and constraints so that it comes closer to the historical course of events as regards aspects such as the differences among the three combat arms, Wellington’s reliance on  defensive terrain,  the fatal impetuosity of British horse, the long resistance of the farmhouses, the French cavalry charges, the progress of the Prussian advance and the time represented by each turn.  Charles rather surprisingly leaves the original Anglo-Allied forces mostly unchanged, whereas I have shifted and combined a number of Wellington’s units to yield a far better model of his forces.

It is interesting to compare my own tweaks and illustrative refight with those provided by Charles on pp.137-48, 157-58 and 299-300 of his book.  Both offer better simulations than does the original game, but their significant differences show the highly personal and individualistic nature of wargame modelling, which Peter Perla rightly compared to creating a painting of the real phenomenon.  Our respective contributions give us plenty to discuss in this forum if desired.  Besides the thread I mentioned above, newcomers may like to browse the other threads below on ‘Simulation vs. “Glorified Chess”’ and on ‘Esdaile’s Analysis of Waterloo Sims’ to see the extensive discussions we have had already.  I hope that our contributions (including the inspirational sight of my figure version of the game) will encourage some of you to revisit this classic design and to tweak it in your own preferred style.  After waiting patiently in their box files for decades, my bespoke miniatures have already seen extensive action during my many playtests, and I look forward to using them in plenty of future refights, perhaps with Bondarchuk’s 1970 movie playing in the background for added atmosphere!

The final word from this Blog: 

Just those two screenshots make it mouth watering for me, what Phil has done in the rules, explained in the video makes it cool! Respect for completing a nice little project!

Flash Back: Memories of Binni (2016) .. A War that Never Was [Updated with Paxsims reference]

Excerpt from the "Interview with Bollangda Corrosaw" the leader of the Binni Official Opposition Party during the Great Binni Crisis of 2016 ... played at Connections UK 2016, apologies to all those who were not there as this post may not make much sense at all.  It was my character's interpretation of game events as nominal leader of The Official (but only one of the many) Opposition Parties in Binni. The place in question of course was, the troubled land of Binni, where game designer Jim Wallman's vivid imagination was let to run free unfettered (see below, a land waiting to fulfil its true potential, but being continually thwarted by the actions of its leaders):

[Narrator's Footnote: The old gentleman was lead in by his young grandson. Physically infirmed and partially sighted he nevertheless displayed a quickness of mind unbecoming of his physical appearance. He became animated upon his recollections and we sat for several hours by the light of a kerosene light talking. He gave me a frank and candid account of his actions during September 2016, his eyes glowing with an inner fire that seemed far more than the light reflected from the smoky lantern. Still on the run and technically in hiding the interview was prematurely terminated by his nervous security guards but Bollangda still managed to shed valuable light on the hitherto unknown actions of the Official Opposition Party and their motivations. In my subsequent hurried escape from Binni the bulk of the precious interview transcript was lost, apart from this tantalising fragment.]

[Bollangda] You have to understand that for some time the situation was getting progressively worse and worse in Binni. For those of us who had managed to benefit from the enlightened times of education and prosperity this backward slide into tribalism and superstition was dismaying. The soul of the country was being sucked into a mire. Foreign powers were active in manipulating this turn of events. With my own very eyes I had seen the 'white ghosts' [Ed: Mercenaries] of the Foreign Interventionists initiate horrendous, callous actions. For that I cannot forgive, yet I had to work with their White Masters as if they were not there, ignoring the sound of gunfire in the street. Using the low technical means available to my followers, we still managed a effective campaign of civil disobedience that hurt the vital infrastructure of the country and reduced the power and reach of the man who called himself President. While the man we considered our true leader languished in jail.  

[Ed:] A prison that as it turns out had very loose bars in the summer of 2016? 

[Bollangda, chuckled to himself] Yes, they underestimated us. Although the means at our disposal was primitive we were cunning like the fox. We sprung the old lion out, grabbing the attention of the nation and spreading fear into the hearts of our enemies. [Ed: The smile soon faded] Only to find that in prison he had lost his way and had turned into a bleating goat, putting himself above the people, indignant, as if the people had not suffered greatly for him. No sooner was he safe, he distanced himself from us and started acquiring wealth by working for those who had been his jailors. This was a treachery we could not stand. We cut ties with the old fool. I would not have his blood on my hands but I no longer offered him my protection and he moved back to the capitol. He soon was a mere laughing stock and fool of a clown, wearing a feathered hat and a string of medals on his chest. At that point I talked to the devil himself.    

[Ed:] Do you specifically mean the Paris Peace Conference where you met your Arch-Enemy the President?

[Bollangda] That was one of many indignities I endured during the strife. While publicly recognising me on the one hand the godless imperialists were working behind my back with my enemies sowing disunity and corruption with all their foreign money. Wealth unimaginable was spent on weapons of destruction, if it had been used in peaceful ways it could have created a utopia that would have been the envy of the world. I shook the hand of my worst enemy in front of the world's media to cement the promise of a fair election in Binni, but little did I know how much control he had already lost and what gerrymandering he had instore for us. I managed to force his hand to an exact date while I danced briefly on that world stage, that is my second most valuable contribution and achievement in defence of the land I love, Binni.

[Ed:] Second? It is widely recognised that it was you who put in motion the wheels of the first (allegedly) free election in Binni. The first election for over thirty years, much to the chagrin of the then President whose face fell when he realised what he had inadvertently accepted. Despite the election's flaws the democratic momentum was now nevertheless unstoppable. The nation was and still is grateful to you Bollangda, you started the end of the downfall. What achievement do consider was greater than that?

[Bollangda, smiled whimsically] The election was a sham, the President proclaimed himself a clear winner by mathematics that a child at elementary school would laugh at. More people voted in his small region than could fit in the whole country. The United Nations would not even dare to contemplate verifying such a result. That was his undoing as he unleashed suppressed anger. Anger that was easily focused on him and all that was wrong with his regime, as you know his external supporters - the White Mercenaries, his very bodyguards turned on him inside his own Presidential Palace, at the news of the armed Christian faction entering the capitol. The President ran from room to room, but they gunned him down in cold blood. [Bollangda sighed] Young man, the road to the capitol had been blocked to the Christian faction, it was corked as a bottle by my forces. I met with the Christian leader and although our faith differed we were united in what we thought best for our country, our beloved Binni. I shook his hand and stepped aside, he had the might that was needed, I told him it was time to act, I would not oppose him and so the capitol fell. That my so was my greatest achievement, the one I am proud of, even as I fell front my own position of relative power. At least it enabled another to do what was right and so I stepped aside. 

[Ed: There were so many other questions I would have liked to ask the old man. As the history books will tell you Binni did not rest at ease for very long. Unexpected events, this time external to the country saw to that, but I was grateful for the opportunity of meeting with a living part of history. Bollangda, rest well in your 'long peace' in the stars, as your time has now passed, Binni thanks you as a true son for your service, faithful to the end.]

Note: Many thanks to the organisers of the Connections UK Mega Game of 2016, it was a very good educational experience and a truly fun (but in no means trivia) game which nicely set the scene for the following days fantastic Professional Wargaming conference! 

External Links: 

'Just' [seven years after the event!] rediscovered this Paxsims resource: 

https://paxsims.wordpress.com/2016/09/06/connections-uk-2016-civil-war-in-binni/#comment-128201

https://paxsims.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/united-nations.pdf

As the umpires saw it (or rather Rex Bryan, from McGill University, a very experience Mega Game organiser, umpire and observer). See my comments below on his PowerPoint presentation, relating to the points I can remember and participated in.

Wonderful wording [as in spin on the truth] on slide three:

Footnotes: "President of Binni addresses UNSC" [in retrospect I should of taken a trip to the UN to woo them, but it was a very long physical walk and I would have lost a lot of playing time to little perceived gain so I delegated to my second in command to speak on teh Official Opposition's behalf, and we also feared a kidnap attempt] – "proclaims an inclusive vision of the country – points to release of leader of opposition" [as opposed to the actual jail break we performed], "willingness to consider coalition government" [that's when our NPC who was part played by a person from the Umpire's Team went "rogue" and as a result lost our protection]

Footnotes: "SAS providing personal protection to opposition leader – has weakened opposition, painted as tool of foreign powers" [Argh, this in retrospect was an EPIC home goal that slipped in via a side-door. As the Official Opposition Party was sorely overlooked by "imperialists" for resources and money, despite asking for assistance and the only help came in the form of a couple of 'heavily armed SAS chaps' was better than nothing (someone else had a detachment of the French Foreign Legion bumming around in a hotel drinking wine and doing nothing) - a turn later we politely kicked them out when our Great Leader "BoB" literally became a "Beast of Burden" working with the President. From a game perspective a small military unit, too small to be on the map became a poison chalice - opportunely used by other players or decreed by the umpire team]

Footnotes: "opposition disputing GoB election laws" [yes, we certainly did]

Footnotes: "– opposition leader joins cabinet" [to be clear this is "Bad BoB" not myself or any of the other (many) opposition leaders, now without his SAS bodyguard and disowned by his previous party] and "– Christian secure political loyalties of key leaders in capital" [see transcript above and the secret meeting when I urged the Christian to - "Do it" - "Really?" he asked "Yes, you have my support. Otherwise the Secret Police player, she's too sharp, will control the streets next turn" - and then we 'shook hands' on it]

Footnotes: "President freed by unknown group, later killed" [Oh dear, how sad, never mind. Not my doing I hasten to add, we were only saddened to here that our (in the past tense) BoB had not gone down with him. I don't know the full details of teh sorry, but freed and then killed in the escape was the 'Russian line' (allegedly)]

Oh When The Saints .. EPIC Warlord Games ACW .. "off the sprue"

Well there certainly is a lot of them (see below, but the nice thing about the stands is that they seem to have an amount of "gravity" and "believability" about them - they are "marching into battle"): 

The three pieces of the sprue - infantry, artillery and a commander - look good next to each other (see below, I do want to see how "good" they look "in mass" together):  

From one sprue .. this is a lot (see below, five infantry regiments, one artillery and a commander per sprue - and there was twelve sprues a side [Union/Confederate]): 

These look perfect for Bob Cordery's "The Portable Wargame" rule set and Neil Thomas' "One Hour Wargame" rules. I am putting off painting them and concentrating on getting them cleanly off the sprues (they come off really cleanly but I am trying to be patient, the only issue I have hit is with the artillery and my "fat fingers"), I keep getting this heretical thought - "Do I really need to paint them?" Even if I do "paint them" - then to what degree? A spray can, a wash and a little bit of flock. I know the artists at Warlord Games have done some fine painting - but why wait, through these chaps into a game asap? Black Powder does not look like a simple set of rules to pick up .. why not throw them at a simpler set? 

The Generals: Gordon - Certainly an Interesting Character

My journey through "The British Generals" by Mark Urban continues. Passing through the relatively  familiar chapter on Wellington I come to General Gordon. From Taiping to Sudan, Egypt and back again. Er, an interesting fellow, certainly clever - well at times, a sapper and engineer by training - undoubtedly brave and driven by nothing short of a religious messianic zeal (see below, Mark Urban's book, a very nice little Covid distraction at the moment):  

Colonial history is all new to me in so I am gaining more background, so I now know slightly more than a certain film with Charlton Heston in it and the two Matrix games put on by Bob Cordery at CoW 2018 and at CoW 2019. I must openly thank Bob for my ever growing collection of soft plastic 1/72 Colonial figures in the loft (we won't mention the 28mm Zulu's from Perry's they are just a different project that has to be done) .. although the wife might not be as amused. I am feeling that familiar feeling of a new period slowly gaining interest and the urge for an armoured paddle steamer with a thirty two pounder cannon on it that General Gordon had in China.

;)   

[Update] Highly Recommend taking a look at Trebian's Taiping Era Link, some published rules and wargaming AARs: http://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/search/label/Taiping%20Era

Lego Harry Potter Game from the Loft

Rummaging around in the loft and I came across this little gem I had completely forgotten about. I think I originally just got it from a charity shop as a cheap source of Lego pieces and forgot about it, saving it for a rainy day or rather a Corona-virus Lock-down! First of all it has a nice Harry Potter Hogwarts feel to it but secondly it has an innovative playing surface, completely smooth and shiny on one side which allows flat Lego pieces to slide around on it as the "maze" changes. In this way it reminds me of one of my favourite kids games Labyrinth! (see below, complete with original "Harry Potter game box-lid"): 

A close up of the game itself, there are sixteen sliding pieces contained within the walls of Hogwarts. Four teams compete to grab four items and make it back home to win (see below, the only hassle I see  are the relatively fiddly pieces to a cumbersome fat-fingered adult hand):  

It literally is another "game in a box" almost like Bob Cordery's 'Portable Wargame in a Pizza Box' game! 

Colonials: 1/72 Acquisitions

All part of the great master plan. Visiting my favourite Edinburgh model shop (Wonderland Models) I took my time searching through the plastic figure section focusing on a "Colonial" perspective (ignoring the Modern distraction of a certain excellent Caesar plastic miniature range, your time will come) I decided to 'fill up' on the British army of that period. I say period but in truth I sampled unashamedly from the "Colonial", "Second Boer War" and "WWI" ranges as they were figures "that would do" (see below, my haul now means the British can field an 'all arms' response to the Arab revolt.  alongside their French compatriots):   

You can blame all this madness on Bob Cordery's Portable Wargame, bless him, my missus doesn't! Watch this space for a bit of a Colonial biff-bash in 2020! Something like the Sudan or an Arab Revolt methinks!

Conference of Wargamers (CoW) 2019 was Brilliant

But don't just take my word for it .. read it in these blogs!

David Crook:
http://awargamingodyssey.blogspot.com/2019/07/home-thoughts-from-cow.html
http://awargamingodyssey.blogspot.com/2019/07/home-thoughts-from-cow-2019part-second.html

Bob Cordery:
http://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/search/label/COW%20%28Conference%20of%20Wargamers%29

Tim Gow:
http://megablitzandmore.blogspot.com/search/label/COW

Martin Rapier:
http://tgamesweplay.blogspot.com/search/label/COW

Trebian:
http://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/search/label/Conference%20of%20Wargamers

My report will follow in due course, there is so much to tell I know not wher to start, but in the meantime please enjoy the writing of others.

I've Joined the Portable Napleonic Wargame Book Club ;)

As previously mentioned I have great hopes for this book [The Portable Napoleonic Wargame by Bob Cordery] in "saving" my 'Blue and Grey' ACW 20mm (1/72 in old money) plastic collection from oblivion, as well as my retro Napoleonic (Airfix and Esci et al) plastic collection being put "to some good use" (see below,  a manageable amount of figures akin to DBA quantities):

Speaking of DBA I am moving towards a new period (or rather really ancient) and new scale for me, but that's for another post ;)

The Blue and The Grey (and The Portable Wargame)

A long, long time ago, when I was in a far distant country (Scotland) I acquired a large collection of Revell American Civil War (ACW) figures [Union and Confederate Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery] with the intention of using them for Stars and Bars Rule Set. I then discovered Fire and Fury Brigade level ACW (15mm) and my interest waned. The hassle of re-basing for F&F and being "the wrong scale" to what other people gamed in, put me off. So they lingered unloved in many boxes in the attic. However twenty four years later "there time has come" as Bob Cordery's Napoleonic (extended to ACW, which is a hop skip and a jump away) is the key to the door. I have started base painting teh first Confederate units (see below):   

I can see these formations fitting nicely into hex grids - be it Portable Wargames or "bringing to life" old Strategy and Tactics or Avalon Hill games. All that is required is a little TLC (see below, the Confederate Grey line):

The colour palette seems pretty basic so a factory production system should be able to be set in motion (see below): 

The Vallejo Game Colour paints seem more than adequate!

Another Portable Wargame: Eastern Front Scenario - Take III (Part 2)

Realising that the German artillery position is the most dangerous position the T-34s concentrate their attention on it (see below):

Exchanging shots the T-34 take damage but gain the upper hand (see below):

The German front line valiantly tries to hold back yet more T-34s and infantry but cannot help but nervously look over their shoulders (see below):

It is "do-or-die" time for the German gunners (see below):

But the appearance of a third T-34 seals their fate (see below):

The Russian infantry pressure also breaks the German infantry line (see below):

Then the German gunners are gone (see below):

And the position overran (see below):

Morale broken the Germans "drift away" on the breeze, the flotsam and jetsam of the 'lost' battlefield (see below):

The German armour (a trusty PSC Panzer IVH) escapes thanks to its mobility. It has been very ineffectual in its attacks (see below):

The German Commander routs (see below - lucky to be alive):

The last German platoon is surrounded and surrenders (see below):

Quiet a brutal affair, but I did want to see how the "step-loss" rule variant played. I liked it. However the "quick kill" seems much more in the vein of the armour (now you see it now you don't), so I might just mix-and-match them. Something about the gun values may need tweaking too when you get light tanks versus heavies etc. I do like the 'morale collapse' passing the initiative to the attacker (or perhaps non-broken). Onwards to "Developing the Portable Wargame" as I believe Bob addresses some of these very issues ("Pinning": say no more!). Also I think it is time for me to cook up some of my own scenarios.

Another Portable Wargame: Eastern Front Scenario - Take III (Part 1)

Another run out for Bob Cordery's Portable Wargame rules, this time played with the "step-loss" variant (so no quick kills). Dawn breaks to see the German defenders facing a gathering sea of Red Army units ready to "surge" forwards 'en masse' (see below):

The German Armour takes a flanking position to anchor the front (see below):

The Soviet T-34 Phalanx just chooses to roll on through the middle (see below):

Soviet artillery pushes the German PAK crews out of their prepared positions as the T-34s try to grind the Germans out of their defenses (see below):

The German PAK rallies and reoccupies the defenses (see below):

However this precipitates the T-34s to storm the defenses (see below):

The Pak 40 Platoon succumbs to the treads'n'tracks of the metal monster (see below, note the weakened German MG platoon to the right - it has been a tough time in the line):

The German center is wilting and the German armour is engaged in an ineffectual dual on the German left flank. Russian infantry have moved up on the German right flank and it is beginning to look very precarious for the defenders (see below): 

The meat-grinder continues with German infantry attacking the central T-34 from a covered ambush position (see below):

The Germans are looking very thread-bare so the attack is desperate measure (see below):

The first German attack id repulsed (see below):

But the second sees the T-34 erupt in a column of smoke and flame (see below):

Meanwhile the relentless Russian attacks have ground down the German infantry destroying a German Infantry Platoon (see below):

A second T-34 launches an overrun attack and cuts behind into the heart of the defense threatening the German Artillery position (see below):

The odds seem stacked against the Germans .. is there any chance of a counter-attack?

The Portable Wargame Book WWII Eastern Front Battle (Part 4) - Re-Fight III "End Game Over-run"

Heartened by the destruction of the Panzer IV the Soviets regaled their T-34s to "super human patriotic efforts" and charge and break the German centre. Supported by artillery (it was deemed to be a fresh close combat as the PAK crews had just returned to the fray) and other units the PAK was destroyed. This left a Commander alone in the hex and the T34 mercilessly advanced, tank tracks squealing in "Cross of Iron" fashion (see below): 

We had a brief conversation regarding what to do with a solo command figure alone in close combat and we decided that it was an auto kill - alternatively it could have been roll a "6" for it to hit the T-34, but the latter auto kill seemed more fair (maybe it was getting late). The German Commander went to Valhalla (see below, the Germans are approaching their Exhaustion Limit having lost a Pz IV, a Pak 40 and a Commander - 3 towards their 4 limit, whereas the Russians despite losing three infantry and one tank - are only 4 towards their 7 limit):

The one remaining hope for the Germans was their Mountain Artillery piece, now firing over open sight could brew a T-34 but alas the T34's armour was too strong. Almost inevitably the German front ruptured; Soviet direct fire returned the complement to the German Mountain Artillery and a hit made it retreat (crew not the guns, just like the PAK). This effectively brought the German forces almost to the point of "Exhaustion" - no further movement for offensive action. However the rampant T-34s kept coming (see below, the German artillery crew can just be seen bottom left corner):

The close combat although not killing the Germans (still tenuously hanging above their exhaustion point) hurled them away from the safety of their fortifications and opened up the rearmost T-34 to perform exploitation right into "the enemies backfield" (see below):

The veteran T-34 (veteran as in "model", not as in quality of the unit, as it was painted last century in the 1990's was about to claim it's "wargaming moment") did not need to be asked twice and promptly 'overran' [again I can hear those tank tracks squealing - that remorseless metal on metal sound ] the retreating Mountain Artillery crew. Again after discussion we deemed the German crew were in no position to defend themselves (perhaps "6" to hit would the T-34 have been as appropriate - but what with?) This was sufficient to break the Germans or rather make them reach their Exhaustion Point (see below - no more offensive movement for the Germans from this point on):

With the Russian infantry moving up and two rampant T-34s in the German rear (not forgetting another positioning itself to charge from the front) it was 'game, set and match' to the Soviets. The only question now was, "Could the Germans could get anything off in good order?" or was it a complete rout. Answer: It became a rout as another German Infantry Platoon was eliminated and all the other units forced to retreat "pell-mell" off table (see below, the final position):

This certainly was a comprehensive Russian victory. The game was over in just over an hour, with plenty of time spent in interesting conversation to add to the enjoyment of the proceedings. In fact I have played much longer games of DBA, so it was a quick game for sure - with the previous "run through" and this game done in the same evening. Note: I definitely want to re-run the scenario using Step Points (SPs) instead of the "instant kill" option to see the difference it makes - I expect a prolonged resistance but a Soviet victory.

Thoughts on the rules: Noting we just played the 'basic version' from the Portable Wargames book, not the additional features from the Developing the Portable Wargame. We seemed to get "most" things right, but I think we allowed direct fire (as opposed to close assault) from adjacent hexes at certain points. The more I think about it I am more inclined to prohibit this and force the player to either stand back or go in close and dirty. I am also assuming initiating close combat is "optional in your turn" if you are adjacent to an enemy unit. Regarding weapons characteristics, both the T34 - Pz IV - Pak 40 were OK as they were evenly matched. Throw a Tiger or a JSII into the mix then I think some "relational" modifiers would be appropriate (medium gun versus heavy armour implies a six or the tank could get a saving throw). Likewise for this period of the war, infantry anti-tank weapons justify the danger in T34s or Pz IVs attempting to overrun infantry, early war that would not be teh case. Things I personally want to introduce would be (and these are borrowed from many board game other rule-sets):

• "Pinned Status" for troops that are fired upon and go "hunkered down" [Bob has read my mind with this additional feature in the follow on book: Developing the Portable Wargame].
• An "Over-watch" action [placed defensively on units that don't move/fire that allows them to shoot at enemy that move into LOS/range next turn].
• Playing around with vehicle characteristics to be more historical without becoming a "rivet counter".
• Armour (AFV) attacking infantry in the open - overrun, then moving on after a successful attack.
• Period Adjustments - for example 1940's "tank fright", here the Panzer Leader, Squad Leader and other Avalon Hill/SPI games are fertile sources of rule inspiration.
• Special one-off troop characteristics (Stalingrad Militia high morale for example) 
• Soviet "Tank-Riders"
• Ammunition shortages [probably best dealt with in a scenario briefing]

All-in-all a good rules run out and I look forward to many hours of enjoyment spent tinkering along with these rules. That's the beauty of Bob's system, he doesn't explicitly demand you 'kowtow' to him but rather get started in an interesting conversation and how it could work out. Personally I am particularly looking forward to replaying the Colonial scenario and exploring the Ancients. Bob has also published a naval variant and is currently working on a Napoleonic set.