Xmas goodies

 I don't usually get tons of wargaming stuff for Christmas as I prefer to buy things myself, but I do generally put a few gaming related  items on my Christmas list.

This year I got this lot.

Regular readers will recall my outing with 'Battle' earlier this year, and now that the PDFs of the original Meccano magazine articles have vanished off the interweb, I thought I'd better get the modern reprint which includes the missing magazine articles and some other bits including a lawn game and (yet another) attempt to refight 'Reconnaisance in Force'. 

You can never have too many Dominion books, so we here have the WW1 version. I have lots of WW1 stuff so it will be interesting to see how some of these play out.

And while we are at it, why not the RCW? Like some of the other Dominion books, it covers a period I know little about but I can easily press-gang my existing figures to take part. Might be an excuse to deploy my armoured train too. 

I got a replacement WW2 para beret after we had an unfortunate infestation of moths. They seemed especially fond of my maroon beret as well as my Tam o'Shanter (bespoke made at hideous cost for a re-enactment event). I'm not too worried about replacing the Tam as I can cut off the bobble and sew it onto my GS cap, but I like my beret so got a new one.

This is one of the Soldier of Fortue repros, which go under the moniker of 'Kay Canvas'. They make tons of repro 37 pattern webbing too, now that the original stuff is virtually unobtainable. I just need to transfer my South Staffs cap badge and all will be tickety boo.

I also got a proper RAF forage cap after the embarrassment of having to wear my Luftwaffe cap backwards  in the recent 633 squadron game. This is also a lovely repro and identical to my fathers, which I use to wear when I was a kid (he had a whole kitbag full of his old uniforms).

It even has the little hooks so you can secure the side flaps to the ventilation holes. I just need to get a Kings Crown RAF cap badge now.

Finally I felt I'd been letting our US colleagues down too. I've only got a Jeep Cap and a repro US  mountain forces cap having sold my M1 helmet some time ago (it was a post war Bundeswehr one and got sold with all my other Bundy gear). I wanted a US side cap with officers piping rather than the inevitable Para ones, and the only officers one I could find was in twill, but it is rather natty. Very Eisenhower I think.  I just need a badge for this one too, torn between Major or Colonel.

While many of the films are pretty ropey, I'm a big fan of the Star Wars universe in general and the multiple Marvel comics series covering the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader, and his enduring adventures.

 For fans of the big D, I'm currently playing the computer game 'Star Wars Outlaws', and the main protagonist is  a complete clone of Vaders' rogue/thief/hacker sidekick, Dr Aphra. Highly recommended and I don't know why they didn't just call 'Kay Vess' Dr Aphra instead, maybe some IP thing. Anyway, I digress.

Christmas crackers often deliver useful stuff, and in this case, yet another tiny set of playing cards. Very handy for all sorts of gaming uses. I haven't checking through to see how many jokers it has in it though.

So, a decent haul, I'm pleased with that lot.

Galactic Heroes - The Empire Strikes Back

After the triumph of Galactic Heroes a New Hope (see here) it was off to Tatooine for some more Star Wars silliness. In this scenario the players are elite Imperial commandos (Darth Vaders Inquisitorious plus associated hangers on, for those familiar with the Marvel Darth Vader universe).

Located in a remote mountainous region is a secret rebel base! Imperial forces have assembled to attack it, but it is defended by multiple energy shields there reports of a rogue Jedi in the area. Cue Darth and his Imperial commandos, who need to hunt down the Jedi and destroy the field generators before the attack can go in.

AT-ATs lined up to lead the assault from one flank.

And some AT-STs on the other. These all cheap die-cast toys from Japan, none of your 50 quid Revell kits here!

The surface of the rebel base, the Millenium Falcon seems to be parked here to.

Jawa sand crawler and some fried Jawas. I can't  think who would have shot these up, Sand People no doubt.

Over on the other side is a shot up hab near some moisture vaporators. More Sand People atrocities I expect. Poor Luke.

Some mega fauna roam the desert.

Tim C went for a trooper heavy assault team, including some Imperial Army heavy troopers. Thier first serious encounter was with Obi Wan himself. Oops!

Fortunately Obi Wan had an urgent appointment to do and swished away. This is not the base you are looking for.

John selected no lesser personage than the Emperor himself, no doubt keeping an eye on his wayward apprentice.  He also had this rather magnificent Imperial Probe Droid.

Tim G decided the Grand Inqusitor ws the one to go with, and outfitted with a dashing speeder off he went, chopping up some Rebel troopers with his double bladed lightsaber.

He went to investigate the hab and promptly fell nto a trap. This was to be a recurring theme.

Tim C began to assault the rebel bunkers.

While the Emperor checked out the trenches.

Tims stormtrooper squad had meanwhile commandered an AT-AT which set off towards the rebel lines. In this distance is Jerrys' enhanced Imperial Officer with a speeder and command na dscouting upgrades.

Jerry had also commandered an AT-AT which opened a withering fire on these unfortunate rebel troopers.

Tim C ran into Obi Wan again.

While the Emperor checked out the mountains.

Tim C and John commandered the AT-STs. A good job as some rebels popped up in the trenches.,

Jerry's AT-AT managed to fall into a trap, watched by the probe droid.

The AT-STs wobbled forwards slowly.

Jerry was rapidly up and running again, off to check out the Jawas.

The Grand Inquisitor chopped up some rebels standing around the Millenium Falcon.

Jerrys officer found some rebels up in the mountains. Sadly for them the AT-AT was in easy range.

ObiWan made a stand by the radar tower, but Imperials were all over the base by now.

Obi Wan and the Grand Inquisitor faced off by one of the generators.

The Grand Inquisitor was victorious however.

Jerrys'AT-AT fell into another trap by the sand crawler.

Everyone else converged on the last token, the moisture vaporators near the burning hab.

The Inquistor got there first, and promptly fell into a trap.

Half the Imperial forces converged on the trap to rescue him (and claim the token), but in the event he managed to free himself.

So at the end the base had been overrun. Sadly I can't remember who won! I have a suspicion it was Jerry, but may have been Tim. Anyway, as before it was a load of fun and not terribly serious. Mainly an excuse to push toys around and make blaster and lightsaber noises.

Galactic Heroes - A New Hope

Well, not exactly a replay of the entire film, but A New Hope for my old Star Wars figures. I've been mulling over what to do with my old Micro Machines Star Wars figures for some time, their last outing was over ten years ago with 'Square Wars'. Digging around on the internet I came across a free set of SW rules called 'Galactic Heroes' which in no way infringe any IP rights of either LucasArts nor the commercial game of the same name. No siree. Anyway, they looked like fun and I had the toys so off we went to a Galaxy far, far away.

We had five players to defend the rebellion, Tim, John, Jerry, Diego and Graham.

The lush world of Dantooine. Imperial forces are up to no good and our brave band of Galactic Heroes need to stop them. Points of interest and Imperial activity are indicated by the tasteful poker chips scattered around.

Each player selects a band of characters of varying characteristics (Jedi, troopers, droids etc) up to a set points value (six in this case) and then moves onto the table, trying to collect as many tokens as possible. This stage of the game involved a certain degree of hilarity as we went round the table repeatedly selecting one character at a time and there was a degree of tussling for the limited supply of speeders and droids, with Jerry insisting on picking ones of the same colour.

There is a chip under this X-Wing crashed in a swamp. Each chip can be one of four things, an ambush (Imperial patrol), credits (supplies or whatever), a trap (an essential feature of the SW universe), or a Boss (Darth Vader in this case). Bosses are up to some nefarious plot.

The terrain here is all stuff I already had, the X Wing is a cheap toy from Japan.

Vaders TIE Fighter on its base. There is chip under it too. The bunkers in the distance are painted spice pots. The TIE is also a Japanese toy.

A power generator, just the sort of thing for General Veres to blow up. This was made from a plastic light bulb holder.  The building in the middle distance is a proper Star Wars building which John acquired as part of a job lot of SW stuff.

Johns party, Obi Wan, Leia and C3P0. We used Johns character figures in the main as they are based whereas mine aren't.  Poor old C3P0 has discovered some Storm Troopers, but both Leia and Obi Wan are in blaster/force range respectively, so can help out. Protocol droids like this are cheap but can't attack. They make useful scouts and get bonuses on rescuing people from traps.

One of Grahams troopers finds some Stormtroopers in a wood. This trooper has one of the the speeders (allowing a double move). 

Tim had Han Solo, balanced on the back of a speeder. Han got lucky on his first chip, which turned out to be pile of credits. 

Diegos Chewie unfortunately fell into a trap while investigating this Hab. Jerry despatched R2 to try and rescue him (and nab the chip too). 

Leia and C3P0 cautiously approach a ridge.

Chewbacca managed to escape, and just in time as Han had run onto an Imperial patrol.

Leia was right to be cautious, Vader was lurking on the ridge. He had previously escaped and was now worth two chips.

A flurry of blaster shots and the arrival of Obi Wan saw Vader disappear off somewhere. The local fauna came to investigate (£1 dinosaurs). 

Han meanwhile was up in the mountains, after a rather inaccessible chip. These are profile mountains I made years ago, based on designs from the old Major General site.

The chip turned out to be a trap, and Han was stuck in a cave by this huge plastic Dinosaur. Evidently dinosaurs can climb on Dantooine.

Meanwhile Chewie had discovered that Vaders TIE Fighter was actually Vaders fighter.... Oooer.

One of Grahams troopers also fell into a trap, not that this building looks in any way suspicious or sinister. This is a yoghurt pot sprayed satin black and adorned with creepy red vision slits (which don't show at all in the photos). 

Obi Wan and C3P0 went to investigate this power generator, finding a pile of useful supplies.

R2D2 had meanwhile rescued Han and was wondering how to get down off the mountains. Below, Orange Suit guy checked out the other power generator.

Han went after another mountain chip and discovered a group of Imperial Army mountain troops. Torrents of blaster fire went back and forth.

R2 meanwhile rolled up to rescue Grahams character. Droids get bonuses on rescue attempts. As chips were getting a bit short, lots of other characters were closing in to help too.

The area was largely clear of Imperials now. Vader had flown off in his TIE and the rest of the characters converged on the last chip (Han Solos mountain firefight).

Orange Suit Guy helped Han out and the last Imperials were eliminated, so the game was over.

When the final scores were totted up, John had a very creditable five, but Tim had pipped everyone with six so was declared the winner. Jerry, despite sending R2 here there and everywhere on rescue missions, only came away with one.

Well, that was a huge amount of fun. The game is ludicrously simple, yet the combination of player interaction, unexpected events, a certain degree of competitiveness coupled with daft scenery and toys all blended into am exuberantly enjoyable experience with a believable (in context) narrative.

I expect we'll be having another outing in the not too distant future, but I've got a bit more painting to do first. I take my hat off to Sean Patten for a brilliant game design, far better than my old 'Square Wars'. Galactic Heroes can be found here: http://www.ironhands.com/GHrules.htm