Wargaming in Time of War

 

Well, Felon47 and his gangster syndicate that have taken over in Washington has really thrown a spanner in the works with malicious talk of invasion and annexation, and then starting a trade war. So much for alliances, open borders and Free Trade.

I don't buy much wargaming stuff from the US, because it often seems cheaper to get mail order form the UK than the US. But I had been rather looking forward to some of the new plastic Quar releases coming from Wargames Atlantic. I was really looking forward to seeing what was in the Command sets. I had hoped that my Coftyrans would finally get a Messenger Squirrel Handler and the Crusaders would get a cook. The PPCLI could get a cook and a standard bearer. 

But needs must. Recent political events have prompted me to think laterally. I own stls. I quite liked how my PPCLI squirrel handler turned out, I'll do the same for the Coftyran Headquarters. I've also asked Don to print me Squirrel packs for the Gloam-Hyyn and Tolly Maeryn.

This fellow was just released as a 9 month reward.

Moth cake chef

Purple pants and pink cap he can be the cook for the PPCLI standing beside the Tea Wagon. Khaki pants and cap and he can be the cook for my Crusaders.

There are also Baenyrs, or Officer Cadets, who are smaller, being youngsters. One is holding a rather large sword up in an anxious two-handed grip. On one print the sword broke off, so I drilled out the hands and inserted a spear/flag pole.

Then, after priming and undercoating, I decided to give him a head swap. Cut off the Coftyran officer head, drilled out the neck a bit and glued in a spare Gwynt head.

A flag fits the whimsical PPCLI better anyway.

Improvise, adapt, overcome.

The next few months are going to suck hard, and I'm really really hoping economic recession doesn't torpedo my retirement savings.

Königlich Mantovisch Luftwaffe Takes to the Skies!

Centralia, Canada (Reuters)- A small ceremony today in this small town in southern Ontario as the first class of pilots for the new Royal Mantovian Airforce were presented with their wings. As part of ongoing efforts by NATO to aid the heroic Mantovian Defense Forces, the Royal Mantovian Airforce (KML) has been resurrected, and the World War Two British Commonwealth Air Training Program that trained so many aircrew for the fight against Nazi Germany has been reactivated in this sleepy small town north of London, Ontario. Aircrew candidates for the new KML are being sent to RCAF Centralia in Southern Ontario for Flight Training.

From there, some are sent to RCAF Trenton for training on multi-engined cargo aircraft, while the best pilots go to RCAF Bagotville in Quebec for advanced combat training on the F86 Sabre jet as Canada's contribution to the NATO mission and to keep American aid at arm's length. 

Newly winged Colonel and Crown Princess Gretchen, on her way to Bagotville said in an interview, "No longer will Tartarian bombers strike with impunity! We are all very eager to keep the skies over our beloved country free from danger. We're very grateful to our Canadian friends for their hospitality."

Meanwhile ground crew technicians have been secretly sent to Sweden for training on the SAAB J29 Tunnan. Similar in performance to the Sabre, the "Flying Barrel" was selected because of it's immediate availability, good performance, and it's Swedish origins would make the CIA funding less obvious to Soviet observers. 

Originally the KML was formed in 1922 and consisted of three Sopwith Snipes and a two-seater Fokker bomber, but was shut down when the small alpine country was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1936. The five pilots and seven mechanics were transferred to the Luftwaffe. Three were killed in the Battle of Britain. Two died during the American daylight bombing campaign. Two mechanics survived the war to return home.

Hunting for Tartarian armoured columns!

It's obviously stormy grey skies 

I had to get my electric drill out to put the holes in the bottoms to take the rod, so there's some variation in the angles.

MiGs-Eye view

I almost went with the classic, iconic F86. But the J29 is just too cute to turn down. And I found a free .stl. I guess worry about the delicate control surfaces misprinting prompted Don to print me three. Naturally all three printed fine. So I had freedom to experiment.

Since they will be mostly appearing as ground support, I painted two in a green and grey camouflage reminiscent of RAF/RCAF aircraft and only one in the classic 50s shiny aluminum. The roughness of the painted on gesso primer made the finish on the silver rougher than I would like, but the camouflage turned out fine.

I used a circle template and pencil to draw the rondels directly onto the primer and then painted around them very carefully. I put a blob of pink in the center of each to help with the yellow and then painted the blue outer ring first, then the yellow center. I suppose I should add some identifying numbers to the vertical stabilizers.

The BCATP and RCAF Centralia is a nod to my step-father who worked there as a young man, making training aids for the Flight School. The base was shut down in the mid-60s and is now a weedy municipal airfield that my air cadets go to for gliding.

Reinforcing the Whimsy

I started assembly on these on New Year's Day. I was having troubles with the glue, so some of the joins are pretty rough, but at 3 feet you can't tell. 

I also tried diluting my brown undercoat, hoping that I could get by with one coat of pink, but no, I still needed two coats. And instead I had to give the belting a brown ink wash, and highlight again. That'll teach me to try something new.

But here they are, 14 new additions to Princess P'trysha of Collysh's Lifeguard Infantry. This brings the force up to 40 troops, so they're pretty close to being able to fight on their own. They just need tractors and a field gun. I have both of those in the works.

The full batch

skirmishing rhyflers

Only had two shouldered arms left, and had to build the left arms from two different arms to get the closed fist.

Milwer waves them forward

Master-Yawdryl to complete Company HQ. The plume and sword distinguish him from the  Yawdryls and Milwers.

Messenger Squirrel Handler with his favourite pykpyk riding on his shoulder ready for the next assignment

Two more scatter gunners. Who needs LMGs when you've got multi-barreled shotguns?

Two more Grenadiers. Decided to make one of them a Yawdryl and put the Grenadiers in their own squad. I didn't have a left hand holding a tea cup, so he's carrying his rhyfle, just call it Tactical Tea Service.

While I was at it, I painted scabbards for the officers.

Command team

Full contingent of Scatter Gunners

Grenadier Squad

All the rhyflers!

Three rhyfler squads and one grenadier squad plus the scatter gunners to assign where needed gives me a nice little company.  

For tractors I'm going to cross-faction and issue them the cute little, tea pot shaped Squeedle, which is supposed to be for the Gloam-Hyyn. Small, fast(ish), light armour, light gun.

Not mine. Photo from the Quar Facebook page.

The Tolly Maeryn have this whimsical, Seussian, shoe-shaped, contraption, called the Faelvor. But I'm going to assign them to the PPCLI. Maybe. Still deciding.

I'm getting gunners printed. I'll just need an appropriate field gun. A First World War field gun or early Second World War infantry gun with wooden wheels will do.

January SitRep

This month has been a bit of a wash, really. 

I contracted a sinus and respiratory virus just before Christmas that clung on for a month. I had one good day (which was blogged about here) and the rest of my holiday was spent feeling wrung out and congested. Plans to game with the Mad Padre and the visiting Conrad Kinch on New Year's Day were scuttled. Plans to attend the post Christmas bash at Dick's house were abandoned.

I'd drag myself to work and any energy leftover has been put into getting Hot Lead organized. Then I'd cough a lot and try to sleep propped up on a pile of pillows.

It just hasn't been any fun at all. But I seem to be feeling better now.

Rabbitman and the Legion of Honor

One bright spot was this year I was elected into the Historical Miniature Gaming Society-East Legion of Honor for services to the hobby. Looking at the list of previous recipients, I am in honoured company. 

It's rather meaningless except for now having a small say in recipients of the Scruby Award for excellence in wargaming. But the recognition by one's peers is gratifying nonetheless. 

The Award will probably sit in my dresser drawer alongside my Army Cadet Service Medal. I could get both framed I suppose. 

In the Grimsical Future... There Are Only Quar!

I did get the rest of Princess P'trysha of Collysh's Lifeguard Infantry assembled.  And have slowly gotten some paint on them. 

Master-Yawdryl 

Messenger Squirrel Handler running with a squirrel up on his shoulder 

More rhyflers, grenadiers (including a Grenadier Yawdryl), scatter gunners, and NCOs

Hopefully I'll get these fellows off to the Flocking Depot next week. 

This month's Tribes release is a new faction, who have spikes on their helmets.

I'm imagining them painted like WW1 Germans to fight either of my Coftyran or Crusader forces. They come with separate arms, so with different heads I might be able to make the 9x more Coftyran gun crew I need for Brequar Manor and some gun crew for the PPCLI. 

So these guys will be Quar army number 7 I think.

Someone on the Quar Discord has been painting up Brigade Games airships from their Imperial Skies range. So as another distraction this has me looking at this bag of model aircraft parts I bought cheap 10 or more years ago.

I just need to add fins to the bigger ones.

Or buy zeppelin stls and get a couple of fleets printed.

Random Kindness

I had posted on Bluesky that it looked like I had a decent force of 3rd century Romans for Midgard, but I just needed a mounted commander to be the Tribune. 

Carol Flint in Bristol messaged me, asked for my address, and how I'd like my commander. This week a small package arrived with the parts for a plastic Victrix Roman General. Not needing all 12, she had some to spare. 

Tribune Carolianus Silex, commander of the Cohortes Equitata IX Britannarium 

His troops have named him "Silex" (Latin for flint) because he maintains discipline by the force of his hard, flinty stares.

To help bring the Rohirrim  Goths up to strength with some mounted heroes, I've begun (or resumed) work on these three figures from Bob Murch's 1066 range. These are also sold by North Star. 

Added shields to all three 

Yeah ok, technically my not-Eowyn. But I don't see why Goths couldn't have female warriors.

I'll still need to add some more cavalry and infantry to bring them up to par with the Romans. A box each of the Gripping Beast Dark Ages Cavalry and Infantry should do the trick.

Of course I'd have to take a break from Quar.... I'll see if I can get the Gothic reinforcements at Hot Lead in March. 

And that's pretty much it. Stuff going on, just nothing finished, and no games played.

The weekend looks snowy, hopefully I'll find some hobby time.