Beetle Jousting

Ok, OK, hear me out... 

Quar beetle jousting!

I was watching Mogsymakes dive into the new game from Osprey, Hairfoot Jousting.

Hairfoot Jousting cover. 

And thought "This looks fun."

Then I immediately thought "This would be really fun with Quar!"

Creevin Trench Watch cavalry are coming along. It might be easy enough to put them on assorted large bugs. And as long as the uniform doesn't change too much with the plastic release, these could work nicely:

Creevin trench watch. 

The cavalry wear the same uniform. Now just put them on a variety of mounts and replace rhyfles with lances. 

Gruuk the Watch Beetle and Farmer Bayglen from the Zombiesmith store

Prebyg bug from Zombiesmith MyMiniFactory 

Ganga beast -from Zombiesmith MyMiniFactory 

A couple still on their cadiers would be fun too. Hopefully the Creevin cavalry come in a box of 6. Two teams of 3 is all you need for the game. 

So... there's a new project. Sigh.

Russian Jaegers (and Other Green Things)

While waiting for the next group of Quar to be assembled, primed and undercoated, I pushed on with some Russian Jaegers that had been waiting patiently for ... well a long time. I started trying to use contrast paints and didn't like it and got frustrated, so they were put aside.

I think these are Warlord, I'm not sure to be honest. I got them second hand already assembled without any command group. Turning them into Jaegers seemed appropriate since Jaegers shouldn't be carrying flags in the field, and the Russians fielded entire divisions of Jaegers.

This brings my Russian army up to 7 battalions for General d'Armee; 2 Jaeger, 3 Grenadier, and 2 Musketeer. All based on 4 figure stands so I can make 8 figure groups for Sharp Practice. 

While slapping around green paint I did some markers for the mines, traps and IEDs that Gloam-Hyyn trappers are allowed to deploy. I just used spare artillery shells, packs, tank stowage boxes and things that looked vaguely like mines glued to mdf disks.

I'll put numbers on the bottoms and the player can secretly designate which is an anti-tractor mine, booby-trap, or dummy.

I also got these lovely resin Supply objective markers/Jump Off Points from Ironclad Miniatures by way of apology for getting my order out late. A neutral green-grey and khaki drab paint scheme will make them nice things for Quar Trench Raiders to try and blow up.

Bungle in the Jungle

Had Pasha Dan and Wierdy-Beardy over last night to inflict my concept of a plan for a game for KEGSCon next month.

The scenario was pretty basic; Gloam-Hyyn and Toulmorese combat teams bumping in the jungle using The Patrol scenario from Chain of Command.

I walked Pasha Dan and Wierdy-Beardy through the Patrol phase, which they found a bit odd. Pre-setting the JOPs in a convention setting would speed things along I guess. But I'm hoping to have my cute little moth patrol markers by then. And the Patrol Phase lets you try and do some things like develop a flank, or secure a position.

The jungle!

Felts delineate heavy cover. But maybe they should be light cover around the heavy cover of the stands?

I was pleased to be able to cover a 4 foot section of table. This leaves me with a foot on either side for undeployed figures, casualties, cheat sheets and Force Morale Trackers.

Gloam-Hyyn. 5 squads, plus 4 Tracker teams. I've added helpful labels for special things LMGs, leaders etc). The blank disks are markers for the booby traps, mines and IEDs the Trackers can deploy.

Toulmorese. 3 squads, plus tractor, gun, light mortars and LMG teams

Gloamyquar advancing

Gun and H11 firing down an open lane in the brush, stopping my advance in the center

Gloamies seize the ancient building

Toulmore 1st squad engage the ancient building in a protracted firefight

Tracker team trying to sneak around the right flank

Holding the line at a stream

Tracker team tries close assaulting the tractor. I treated the tractor like an M5 with armour 4, the Trackers had an AP value of 3. They put a couple points of shock on it. But the Trackers have mines etc. That should count for something I think.

Trying to develop my left flank

50mm mortar team

Lessons learned:

• We switched activation mid-game. The dice weren't working, and so we went to the cards. 
• Formalize what the Trackers can do (close combat with Sarf-Cyn, setting traps etc)
• Revise QRS specifically for Toulmore and Gloam-Hyyn
• Spell out better what Cooks, Medics, Musicians, and Squirrel Handlers can do when activated.
• Create objectives that force maneuvering, so that everyquar doesn't just hunker down in the bush and blast away.

Still, fun was had. Dice were rolled and new toys got played with. Pasha Dan loved the terrain, which honestly, he inspired.

Phase 6B Complete

Welcome to the Jungle!

After a few days with a hot glue gun in one hand and a few piles of plastic foliage in front of me, and I've made some fast and cheap terrain for the jungle themed Gloam-Hyyn and Toulmorese to fight in. Of course I had previously prepped the project by laying in supplies: wooden bases and more plastic foliage during a trip to the dollar store and buying several bags of palm trees from Model Builder Supply last Hotlead. Then I took advantage of some spare time and decent weather a few months back to spray paint the bases brown. So months of prep to just finally have a frenzy of hot glue and tea leaves.

It's rather like how all my terrain projects go. Months or years of kicking ideas about and stockpiling materials and until the creative urge takes over and I shout "Quit faffing about and just do it!" and it gets done.

Flocking with cheap dollar store, undrinkable really, tea and coloured saw dust. Honestly, I'm doing the tea a favour by giving it a decent use.

About 1/6th of my table covered (note Quar in front of building for scale). I think if I add some marshes, streams, and my bag of lichen I could cover a full third. Space things out a bit more and probably half the table.

Pasha Dan gifted me a resin aquarium building for colonial games. Could be on Alwyd too.

Rhyfler Tym checking things out

Note cake decorating palm tree on poker chip

The Jungle Green fatigues work very well. 

These were made in the same way as my smaller jungle pieces. I just added palm trees from Model Builder Supply and bigger bases. I spent about $3 or $4 on plastic foliage and $3 on a couple of packs of bigger wooden bases from the dollar store, so the trees were probably 75% to 80% of the cost of the project. I also did some small oval and tear drop shaped bases with wooden craft shapes I already had on hand.

I've also added to the assortment some old cake decorating palm trees glued to poker chips I did for my colonial games many years ago. They will add a bit of variety to the heights.

I think the 3d printed moths I've asked Don to produce for me will look really smashing as Patrol Markers in this for games of Quar of Command.

Risky Business

When I got an email from my Fraternal Community Service club asking for volunteers to help with a RISK Tournament being run as a parish fundraiser, I felt it behooved me to put my hand up, even though I haven't been to a club meeting regularly for 14 years due to cadets, and I haven't played RISK in over 45 years. 

I was curious about how the organizer was going to get two games in within 4 hours. But a 3 minute limit to turns and a 1 hour 45 minute limit to games, with scoring based on territory, did the job, and rewarded aggressive play.

So I found myself today at Table 3 keeping time and counting territories after each turn. 

Plus I made a gaming contact. One of my players in Round 1 wants to get into miniatures. 

Airstrike!

Colonel Crown Princess Gretchen stood in the briefing room with the other pilots, the tension quivering around them like an electric field, listening to the Operations officer and Intelligence officer brief them. Weather, communications, route to target area, expected enemy forces, threat assessments, targets. 

This was it. This wasn't a training exercise anymore.

Second strafing run.

The recent Tartarian attack had ruptured the front. A column of their new Soviet supplied armour was thrusting at a key bridge that the Queen's Liebgard Husaren Battlegroup was fighting desperately to hold. As the inhaber of the Liebgard, Gretchen felt especially anxious. There were probably men dying right now whom she had personally pinned medals to or eaten with in their Officer's Mess.

The IO stopped talking. Everyone was looking at her, their commander. Poise is everything, liebling. She heard her father say. Even if inside you're screaming in panic, always look calm. They're depending on us to do that.

She cleared her throat. "This is what we've trained for. We know what to do. Let's go bust some Tartar tanks!"

The anxiety lifted like a leaf on the wind as the pilots eagerly ran to the flight line. Helmet on, mic plugged in, Oliver, her Crew Chief, personally buckled her harness and closed the canopy after wishing her good hunting. The Marshaller waved her onto the runway and gave her the thumbs up. Pushing the throttle forward she hurtled past hangers, antiaircraft guns, blurring pine trees and was suddenly airborne.

She circled, letting the rest of the sortie get airborne and form up on her. Then they turned and headed to the Front. 

Dangerous skies!

Flying around the shoulder of a mountain she could see the battlespace ahead, columns of oily smoke from burning tanks. 

"Falcon Leader to Badger. Incoming. Mark targets."

"Enemy east of town. Several big columns."

Mantovian Battlegroup taking positions

Combat Team Commander blown up early!

She looped around and looked down to see the bridge, the town, some tanks were burning in the streets. To the east masses of dark green beetle shaped tanks were advancing. 

"Falcon Leader to Falcon Flight. Weapons hot. Engage."

Her wingman rolled and banked, pulling ahead of her to make the first strafing run. A tank with twin AA guns turned to fire at them, Rudi jinked to avoid the fire, his rockets and shells kicked up a lot of dirt but otherwise missing. 

First strafing run

Gretchen followed, her butt pressing into the seat with the slight G-force from the maneuver. The ZSU they'd been warned about tried to track her, she ignored the 57mm shells whizzing past her canopy. Calmly, just like in training in Canada and America, she lined up on the same row of tanks and pushed the firing button. 

ZSU-57/2

Rockets flew from her wings. A row of explosions erupted along the target. A big fireball erupted lifting a round turret high into the air. 

Second strafing run. Rolled much better this time.

As she circled around she saw a MiG-15 swooping in on the bridgehead. But a silvered J29 on top cover dove on it, driving it away. 

Played the "Air Cover" card to drive off a Tatarian MiG. I didn't need to put a model J29 out, but it made for a nice picture.

She still had some rockets left and dove again on another nice target, some troop carriers and older T34s.

She fired her last rockets and switched to guns. Looking over her shoulder she was gratified to see a smoking troop carrier and a burning tank.

3rd strafing run

"Falcon Leader to Falcon Flight. Everyone dumped their load? Form up and let's go home." Then refuel, rearm and head back out. 

"Ma'am I think you just made history. First successful attack by the KML!"

"We made history. Now cut the chatter." But behind her mask, Gretchen was smiling.

MiG tries another run over the town.

**************************************

Pasha Dan wanted to try Seven Days, and I wanted to try some rules for ground attack and artillery, so he came over Friday night for a bigger, approximately 980 point game.

My rules for the aircraft are that they are bought like attack helicopters but don't add Command Tokens to your pool, but cost Command Tokens to activate.

Instead of standing off and firing ATGMs from a table edge at anything in LOS, they have to lay a template down, representing the strafing run of cannons and rockets fired from under wing pods. Anything under the template is attacked. 8+ to hit, Wpn Strength 4, 2d10 vs infantry and 2d6 to convert hits.

My template, a bit narrower than the wingspan and 11.5 inches long. Why 11.5 inches? Because that was the length of the cereal box card I had.

Defending AA assets can draw LOS from their position to where the aircraft model is placed to position the template. AA fire was treated exactly as in the rules as written.

Positioning the template to determine targets. Three T34/85s and two BTRs.

We both thought it added interest, without becoming overpowering. Of Dan's 3 attacks, only one was successful. That also prompted a discussion of how often aircraft should be able to be called on. Perhaps after making their run and leaving the table, they need to be rolled for in successive turns, causing a potential delay in returning to the fight.

My artillery rules didn't work so well. Got to rethink those.