Year in Review

With New Year's approaching I've decided to reminisce on what I've done for the past 12 months. So lets take a look back.



In January I played my first Shipwreck game with Christian. The Greeks verses the Turks.

In February we played a Shipwreck game with larger forces and more players. This time it was China verses Vietnam and India. That was a good game. We played another game sometime after that at Christian's house. That game was NATO verses Soviets and Libyans. Unfortunately I can't find any of the photos I took of that game.

In March we played yet another Shipwreck game. This game took place in 1963 during the early Cold War period, with the Soviets fighting the Dutch. I hope to do more early period scenarios next year.

April was Gnome Con in which we played Shipwreck again this time using Christian's toys and his awesome new table mat. I played in the first game with the Soviets verses the US off the coast of Syria.  

In June I finally manage to branch out a bit with a game of Victory at Sea. The scenario was the Battle of the River Plate. The game was a little too short so we ended up playing several games of Munchkin later.

In July I tried out Christians Stompers game which had the troops of a small African nation fighting hordes of bugs.

In August we played our longest Shipwreck Game yet with the Soviets invading Norway.

If the Shipwreck game in August was the longest then the one we played November was the bloodiest. Of the eleven ships that started the game only two survived.

So that's what I've done in gaming in the past year. For next year I hope to do more. I have several Shipwreck ideas in the works including Russia vs. Japan, Indonesia vs. England, and another carrier scenario. I also what to try and do a Megablitz game and some more Victory at Sea.

Cruiser Tama Part1

For the rest of the year I've decided to continue working on my model collection. This time I'm doing the Japanese light cruiser Tama. I've just started this project as well as a new job, so this may take a while.

A picture of the kit itself. What attracted me to this particular kit was the fact that the ship was camouflaged during the invasion of Kiska in the Aleutians. Most Japanese capital ships were just plain gray.

A look at the parts.

The first step is building the various sub structures and fittings. Here is the beginning work on the gun turrets. I decided to keep them on the sprue as I added the guns.

Hopefully I'll be able to get more of it done this week.

More Megablitz units

Last week I was able to sit down and get some painting done. I finished the two my two latest units for Megablitz. Now I just need to work on some terrain and markers and I'll be ready for a game. I also came upon some photograph boxes that will be good for storing my ever growing Megablitz army. They come in two sizes (4"x6" and 5"x7") and can hold about 1 division each. Here are some photos of the new units. Note the glue on some stands is still fresh.

First up we have the Belgium 2nd Infantry Division.

Here we have the infantry battalions for the 5th, 6th, and 28th infantry regiments. I used H&R's WWI french figures for the Belgians.

Now we have the various support units including the 2nd supply battalion, 2nd artillery regiment, division HQ, 12th engineer battalion, recon company, and the AT companies. The AT companies are represented by a T-13 SP gun. Most of the equipment is Scotta, except the gun and limber which is H&R.

Next we have the whole unit together in it's new box. I'm pretty sure if I was to cram them in I could get a second infantry division in there.

 The other unit I finished is the Corps troops for the French Corps de Cavalry.

Here we have the Corps command and combat support elements. This includes the commander (probably ordering someone to wash his car), the 129th Signal battalion, the 329th RAT, and the 129th Genie (engineer) Battalion.

Next we have the combat service support elements. These include the 338 and 339 motorized transport companies, 129th maintenance battalion (with Souma ARV halftrack), and the 29th medical battalion.

Several other units were attached to the Corps de Cavalry from 1st army and V Corps. These are the 54th and 56th BMM (machinegun battalions), and the 3rd GRCA (recon battalion).

Finally we have all the units together in there new box.

As I stated above I now only need to make some terrain features and markers to ready for a game or two. although I'll probably have it all done by the next week; I don't know if I'll be able to play a game before the end of the year. It'll definitely be the first thing I play next year though.

Red Eye in the Sky

I finished the MiG-21R. I marked as a Yugoslavian aircraft because I liked the markings. Here's some pictures of the completed model.

Here's the completed aircraft.

A view of the underside and the recon pod.

Here it is next to my other MiG-21. This one is marked for the Cambodian air force.

Any way that's what I've been doing this week. I also finished getting the two Megablitz units together and will start painting them next week.

New project

As I stated in my last post, I've decided to take a little break from wargaming miniatures to work on my much too large and neglected collection of models. I decided to start of with something simple, so I'm now making Attack Hobby's 1/144 scale MiG-21R. I got this kit because I found the idea of a Soviet made recon aircraft interesting, so I thought it would go good with my other MiG-21.

A look at the box. The thing that grabbed me most is the recon pod. I'm a sucker for ordnance and stores.

Starting out with the construction of the fuselage. The container in the background is full of bird shot, which I use as weight.

Adding the wings.

One of the things I found interesting about this kit is that it came with a very nice resin cockpit tub.

Attaching the wheels and the ever important recon pod. Almost done.

I was hoping to have the plane done by the end of the week, but several building issues got in the way. Hopefully I should have pictures of the completed model next week. As for my wargaming I yesterday I started to gather stuff up for my next Megablitz unit and the one I need for the game I'm planing. Here's a sneak peek.

I'm actually trying two different units at the same time.

North Atlantic BLOODBATH! Part 2

Here's the continuation of the AAR I put up last night.

Turn 5
Things started getting gritty. The Russian frigate Bessmenny manages to repair itself enough to move again. The fires on the Spanish frigate Asturias went out of control and she sank. Now it was only Caron facing three combat ships, but air support was on the way.

Asturia going down.

 Turn 6
Caron continued to close as she waits for the arrival of the first air strike. Caron exchanged fire with the cruiser Grozny and Bessmenny, but none of the weapons hit. Meanwhile, baku started launching Yak-38s to patrol the skies.

The enemy commander taking pictures of me with his KGB spy camera. The scum!

Turn 7
The ships continued slug it out with guns. Caron loses her front gun mount, but does Bessmenny in with her back gun. Four buccaneers arrive on table and fire 16 Sea Eagle missiles before the Yaks can respond unfortunately the ones aimed at Baku are either shot down or distracted onto the AOR  Dnestr. The AOR is blown out of the water.



The ships exchange gun fire at close range.

Which results in Bessmenny sinking.

The burns and goes under after being attacked by 8 missiles.

  Turn 8.
Without a front gun the Caron is sunk by Grozny. The second wave of buccaneers arrive. Unfortunately these were armed with laser guided bombs and had to get close to the target. Three were intercepted by the Yaks and the final one was shot down by an AK-630 CIWS. The battle was over.

The Baku limps away free.

 This was the bloodiest game of Shipwreck we've ever played. Nether side could clam victory. My entire force was destroyed and while Baku got away she lost almost her entire escort group. The loss of five ships, including a cruiser, a top of the line missile destroyer, and a priceless AOR, would result in the commander being court marshaled...in the woods...while digging a hole.

After the game I stuck around to watch Christan's MSH game. Here are some photos



Christians Germans on the defensive.

The Polish forces entering the board.

 A German territorial battalion guarding a town.

The best shot of the game, two air strikes arrive at the same time. The F-4 hits nothing, while the MiG-23 takes out an  infantry platoon.

 

Next store Micheal had a game of Starfire II going on. Some of those ships look familiar.

Another shot of the Starfire II game.

 Anyway that's what happen this weekend. I think I'm going to take a little brake from wargaming and build a model instead. Last week I got a hair in my ass and decided to gather up all the models I have collected over the years and hadn't gotten around to building and put them all on one shelf unit so I could finally get around to building them all.

Umm....yeah

North Atlantic BLOODBATH! Part 1

This weekend there was a game day at the local office of St. Leo's. Me and Christian played a game of Shipwreck, early in the morning. The scenario situation was as follows.

World War III has started and both sides are suffering heavier casualties than expected. Yesterday our two fleets clashed in the Battle of Vest Fjord leaving both sides battered with no clear winner. As the damaged American carrier group pulls back, the crippled Baku limps Back to home port.

STANAVFORLANT moving to intercept the Russian Fleet.

The carrier Baku and his escorts headed North to home.

I played NATO while Christian once again played the Soviet navy. My mission was to sink the Baku before it could reach home waters. The Soviets had a more powerful group but several of their ships were damaged and low on ammunition. Here is a turn by turn shot of the action.

Turn 1
The weather at the beginning of the game was bad with rough seas and off and on rain that interfered with detection rolls. I split my force in 2 to force Christian to split his missile fire. The destroyer Sovremenny and cruiser Kronshtadt turned towards my Southern force. Kronshtadt then shot down a Lynx helicopter from the Netherlands frigate Ms Banckert. The Sovremenny and Kronshtadt then fired 4 missile each at the Southern task force sinking the German destroyer Rommel. I didn't have any good radar locks so I didn't fire.

My ships splitting off into 2 separate groups.

4 missiles about to hit the DDG Rommel. The other four were either shot down or distracted by large metallic puff balls.

Rommel burns after being hit twice.

 Turn 2
The rain lets up a little allowing for better detections. Ms Banckert launches another Lynx to replace the one shot down. Baku and the Krivak I Zharkyy turn towards my Southern force. Finally I get some good detections and the missile fight begins. I launch 16 harpoons and 4 Penguins at the Soviets. Baku fires 4 of its SS-N-12 missiles and Kronshtadt fires his last 2 SS-N-14s. All the SS-N-14s miss.  USS Caron is struck by a SS-N-12 but it is a dud. Ms. Banckert is hit twice and explodes. Of the my missiles 9 find targets and the entire Soviet front line disappears.

The Soviet escorts hit multiple times by Harpoon and Penguin missiles.

Caron is hit once and Ms Banckert is struck twice by SS-N-12 missiles

Half the Soviet escort force goes under.

As does Ms Banckert.

 Turn 3
The rain starts up again, but this doesn't stall the action. I turned my Northern force to the enemy as Grozny goes to attack position. My Northern Force fires 8 Exocet and 8 Harpoon missiles as Baku fires his last 2 SS-N-12s and Grozny fires 4 SS-N-14s. HMS London is sunk as the Krivak II Bessmenny is crippled.

 

HMS London is hit by an SS-N-12. Commandant Blaison actually manage to take out a supersonic terminal dive SS-N-12 with its main gun.

Both Bessmenny and Baku are hit by 3 missiles each. Bessmenny is crippled, but Baku suffers only light damage.

Turn 4
Grozny fires the last of his missiles. The French frigate Commandant Blaison is sunk and the Spanish FFG Asturias is crippled.

Grozny fires the last of his missiles.

 

The French frigate Commandant Blaison goes under.

 

I'll continue the report in my next post tomorrow.