Gloam-Hyyn Serial No. 4: Scouts and Trackers.

T'ym and Taym sat on the edge of the stream, dangling fishing lines and paddling their sore feet in the brown slow moving water. 

"I need a pipe" said T'ym. "Got any baccy?"

"Nah, me bucko, I'm skint 'til we get back to bunkos." Taym replied mournfully.

"Aye, need to pack more next time."

Gloam-Hyyn Scouts

Rear view showing the fish skins they wear

The Trapper on the right is holding a broken trap and I couldn't find the other half in all the debris in the bag, so I glued on an extra big tuft of reeds to hide that fact

They watched the water in companionable silence for a while, ignoring the ever present insects swarming about them and occasionally giving their lines a tug. The fins of a big fish broke the surface several yards away.

"Oi" Taym whispered, pointing. "Lookit that bonzer fella over there!" 

"Bloody oath" T'ym agreed. "Could be some corker grub there."

"Should we try shootin' it, ya reckon?"

"Get off! An' have B'ndyt an' Darby slang us on charges?"

Pack of Sarf-Cyn. They are an Apex Predator, but if caught young, and hand raised, they become imprinted on their Quar and can be used by the Sarf-Cyn Handlers for hunting.

Just then they heard some rustling in the undergrowth behind them. Turning, they saw QM Yawdryl Fr'yd leading his ganga beast, M'tylda, down to the stream. 

"G'day Yawdy" Taym said in greeting.

"G'day M'tylda" T'ym said more softly, offering a fat beetle to the huge beast, who snuffled it up quickly with her long pink tongues and then gently bumped the rhyfler in affectionate greeting.

"An' what are you young buckos doin' then?" the Quarter Master asked suspiciously.

T'ym held up the fishing line in explanation. "Fishin' Yawdy."

The standard Clash of Rhyflers grouping: 1 Trapper, 1 Sarf-Cyn handler and 3 Sarf-Cyn

"Aye well that's fair dos an' good onya" Fr'yd said slowly, looking for fault, as all veteran senior NCOs everywhere have always done for as long as there have been armies. "But yez need to keep yer rhyfles closer to hand, buckos. Some Gloamy shows up snoopin' about an here yez are, boots off an' rhyfles not in easy grab."

Fr'yd looked around some more. "An yez won't be catchin' squat wi' yer footies in the billabong, disturbin' all the fish. 'specially wi' the big 'un yonder." He pointed to the fins floating several yards away.

He gave the fins a harder squint and took his bogen off his shoulder, chambering a round. "Summtin' about that seems mighty crook, if'n you ask me." As he drew aim just below the fins, the big fish suddenly dove and disappeared, leaving only bubbles and slowly spreading ripples.

Fr'yd snorted and lowered his rhyfle. "Anyways, you buckos git yer boots on and back up to the rest of the mob. Shouldn't be wanderin' off anyway. C'mon M'tylda!"

Scout Yawdryl Doudonne L'pyrre crouched in the stream, listening to his scout's report, who had just emerged from the water after a long swim back down stream. "Doo Tollyquar rhyfleys inna couler pecherie. Na pensa mi. Un ganga trouie Tollyquar boiree."

Two rhyflers on their own, fishing, seemed sloppy. It might indicate a vulnerability. Only one ganga being watered could give an idea of the strength of the combat group in the position. If they watered all the animals at the same time.

"Gut tellin di tellin." He looked at the rest of his small team of Scouts and their tamed Sarf-Cyn, which were frolicking happily in and out of the stream, chasing each other and catching fish. "Here be sittin, pensa? Pieges onna coulee, onna bank. Mi tellin de tellin onna Bossquar vite. Sassa kay?" He lowered himself into the water so that just his mudcrawler skin was showing. A breathing tube inserted through the skin let them deep wade or swim semi-submerged for long distances, allowing for stealthy insertions and raiding.

Full Scouting Detachment

He would report back to Caerten Whyfflyn the position and estimated strength of the Toulmorese force facing them, and then return to plan with his Gloamyquar where to lay some traps and when to try some raids.

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These are the last of my Gloam-Hyyn, except for a musician, who just dropped on the MMF Tribe and is being printed.

The Sarf-Cyn were painted in four different colours and then given a sepia ink wash. The yellow didn't come out well, drying all blotchy, so I repainted with a blue-grey. Eyes were just slits of yellow with black lines for pupils to avoid them looking all goggle eyed.

For basing I used a lot of tall rushes, since I think these guys are staying in the heaviest swampy areas. The trappers get to preposition traps, IEDs, booby-traps or dummy counters pre-game to confuse, channel or disrupt the enemy. Which ever rules used they should get some extra cover, stealth and/or infiltration bonuses.

Xenos Rampant in the Kuban

Huzzah! I finally got a game in this year. After four weekends of plans being canceled by weather or illness it was nice to roll some dice.

Dan has been working on some Eastern Front figures, thematically inspired by the movie Cross of Iron and the southern parts of the Russian Front east of the Black Sea.

The game featured Soviet infantry with Lend Lease armour probing a defensive line held by German Mountain Troops and Huwi auxiliaries. The landscape was pretty bleak. Arid scrubland in the summer and swamp in the winter.

German Huwi Cossacks in reserve, who didn't do anything. The dismounted Cossacks in the background did add some weak rifle fire.

Soviets advance 

Valentine tank

Pak36, which struggled to have any effect on the Valentines

MG34 

More Soviets advancing. Urrah!

M3 tank. Trying to beat this down with an antitank rifle and a 75mm infantry gun was tough.

Sgt. Steiner and his troops from the movie.

75mm iG. This attracted much of the Soviet fire. 

Valentine approaching the wire

The wire is breached!

That was the high water mark of the Soviet attack. Infantry tried pouring into the gap behind the Valentine, but attracted all the MG, rifle, and off board artillery we could pour onto them. The Valentine broke, taking 5 hits. The other Valentine (in the background) failed a roll and was knocked out. The M3 and the T70 on the other flank were also heavily damaged and falling back, each with 3 or 4 hits on them,

Dan was testing some ideas for making the tank and antitank rules in Xenos Rampant less vanilla.

Currently his thinking is a weapon will get "Antitank" (which halves the target armour value) up to a certain Armour Value, then only "Armour Piercing" (which reduces target AV by 1) for targets with a higher AV. So the Pak36 got AT vs targets with AV up to 4, then only AP after. So firing at the Valentine with AV of 6, it only got AP.

The M3 had similar for its 37mm gun, but the 75mm gun got "Engulfing" which ignores cover. My 75mm infantry gun hit on 4+ but without any AT or AP it was tough going to get any wounds on the M3 with it's frontal armour of 6.

Plus any vehicle hit by an AT or AP attack had to test, and on a roll of 11+ it was knocked out. This could get modified to a 10+ somehow that I wasn't sure about. Perhaps bigger caliber antitank weapons?

Fun was had anyway. Dan's figures are always enjoyable to play with.

Chymo! Crusader Combat Engineers

The Sappers of 31 Combat Engineer Regiment 

Machine gun fire kicked up dirt along the edge of the crater. Is-Caerten Lyam ap Br'tyn rolled along the edge of the puddle and hugged the muck. As the fire moved away from him he risked a peek over the edge. They were close. The wire blocking their assault was only a few meters away. 

"Polyto, suppression fire on the slit!"

Some WIP pictures to give you a better idea of how he went together. The rhyfle is from the Western Anaryan arm set, and it is essentially a cut down Ryshi. I thought the folding stock and cut down barrel made it look very assaulty and perfect for some sappers who tinker with things to make them better.

Metal ammunition pouches and trench axe from an Accessory Set. Everything else is 3d printed.

"You got it, bossquar!" The older rhyfler dropped the fat worm he was thinking about eating and shouldered his heavily modified assault Ryshi and took aim over the lip, sending 20mm rounds towards the firing slit on the bunker. The other rhyflers added in fire with their Bogens. Getting a round through the firing slit would be a miracle, but the impact of their bullets around the edge would hopefully spray enough concrete chips to make the machine gunner shoot wild.

Lyam twisted the fuse on a smoke grenade and as he hurled it towards the bunker shouted "Wire team!"

Wire cutters added from an Accessory Set. Extra grenades. Helmets with goggles seem very Assault Pioneer as well.

More of the section threw smoke grenades to thicken the screen and three of his sappers jumped up from a crater and dashed forward at a crouch. Throwing themselves down in front of the belt of barbed wire just as a burst of machine gun fire slashed through the smoke over their heads. They pulled wire cutters from their packs and began furiously cutting at the tangled wire and pushing the sharp strands out of the way. 

Protected by the smoke, Lyam could watch their progress closely. When they rolled to each side and waved he shouted "Breaching team!"

Extra grenades from the metal Accessories. Satchel charges are just made from the mystery box that people use for everything. Satchel charges are kind of nondescript anyway.

Three more sappers from another crater got up, and crouching low under the stream of tracers, dashed forward carrying heavy bundles. "Let's go!" Lyam shouted at the three rhyflers with him and they jumped from the crater and dashed through the smoke.

A rhyfler beside him stumbled, blood gushing. He and Polyto each grabbed a strap on the wounded quar's harness and dragged him along. They dodged to the right after clearing the gap in the wire which the machine gun was now thrashing.

They were crouched against the concrete wall of the bunker where the arc of fire from the machine guns couldn't reach them. One of the wire clearing team started first aid on the casualty while Lyam got his bearings. 

A hatch popped open and a hand flung a grenade out. Lyam kicked the grenade away and shoved his Grifkis shotgun in the hatch before it closed. He fired both barrels and pulled it out. Reloading, he looked around and caught his Yawdryl's eye. "Ready, Rykko?"

Yawdryl Rykko hefted a couple of satchel charges. "You betcha bossquar! Let's blow the doors offa dis termite mound!"

Leaving the wire team to cover their rear, he lead the Breaching team along the wall to the back corner of the bunker. A blue grey helmet poked up from a trench. A fusilade of Bogen fire and some grenades made it go away. 

3d printed officer. His aggressive pose got him the job to command the sappers. I got Don to switch the head in Blender for a regular helmet, because I'm perverse and don't like the official officer's helmet.

Lyam risked a quick peek around the corner. He was met by a burst of machine gun fire. Ducking back he said "There's a machine gun port covering the door."

Rykko also took a peek, drawing more fire. "Right, 'bout 4 meters I'd say."

He pulled the fuse on a satchel charge and began swinging it. "One thousand and one, one thousand and two..." he chanted and then gently lobbed the deadly bundle around the corner and ducked back. A gratifyingly large explosion threw dirt and chunks of concrete past them. Rykko threw a smoke grenade and hefted another satchel charge. He ran to the armoured door and carefully set the explosive against it. He pulled the fuse and ran back. A second explosion followed. Before the dust even settled, Rykko yelled "Cyrs'n an' Polyto with me!"

Screaming "CHYMO!" like bloodthirsty night terrors, the three jumped through twisted ruin of the door, weapons blasting. Lyam scrambled to follow. Inside was smoke and dust and blood and rubble. Rykko tossed a grenade around a corner, shouting in a sing-song voice "Chymo!" He ducked back with a grin. Cyrs'n was firing into another chamber howling bloody thunder. Lyam saw a bleeding Blue stagger out from the machine gun position that had been covering the door. He raised a grenade and his other hand reached for the pin.

"Don't!" Lyam shouted and fired both barrels from his Grifkis into his chest. The Blue fell against the wall. Lyam kicked the grenade away. 

Suddenly it was quiet. Polyto pulled a flag from his pack. "I'll go put this up!"

They stepped outside. Already the Second Wave was streaming past and fighting their way into the Communication and Support Trenches.

Cyrs'n was already getting a brew going on a relatively clear section of the bunker floor. The practical minded sappers always felt that if "consolidating on the objective" didn't include getting a brew up then summat was wrong.

Yawdryl Rykko was getting the rest of the section sorted. Wounds tended. Ammunition inventoried. Lyam fumbled trying to light his pipe. He realized his hands were suddenly shaking.

A heavy gloved hand thumped on his shoulder. "Chymo!" Yawdryl Rykko used the traditional Engineering Corps greeting and toast. "Ye did good, kit. Good assault. By the numbers."

Lyam got his pipe going and offered the veteran his tobacco pouch. "Chymo, yawdryl."

My original sapper and two others, who get to be in the section because they look out of place standing like that in a rhyfle section. I could use them as extra heavy weapons crew too if required. 

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The Crusaders need some elite assault troops too, and the helmets with goggles and wire cutters just made me think sappers.

They will be two 5 figure units of elites infantry in Xenos Rampant, with the Demolition rule. Or a Combat Engineer section of 3 teams in Quar of Command, plus a couple of Big Quar. 

These are my last Crusaders, at least for now. 

I have grand intentions to build a First World War style bunker to add to the trench system, or perhaps even a small fort inspired by the fortifications around Verdun. I mean how hard can shaping a hill and putting some low gun turrets and MG slits on it be, really?

And apropos of nothing, I finally assembled and painted the ammunition caisson for my Coftyran field gun and tractor. It is a RAFM ACW limber with a second limber box added. I removed the horse traces and shortened the pole.

Just need to figure out some seated quar.

"Chimo" is the battle cry, toast, and greeting of the Royal Canadian Engineers. It is derived from the Inuktitut word for "friend," "hello," "peace be with you."

On Alwyd, a chymo is a small, digging mammal known for it's cunning and ferocity.  The Crusader Engineering Corps adopted the animal as a symbol and battle cry.

Thundering Dice 2-24

Slower schedules and vacations means that the Mad Padre and I have been able to connect for another of our Sleep Over Playdates. I think this was our second for this year. 

I recall we had hopes of doing this 3 or 4 times a year. But things change alas. Adapt and move on as my old Sergeant-Major said.

This time the logistics worked so that I drove up to scenic Collingwood Ontario where Michael is a pastor, to hang out at his 170 year old rectory where the Padre has his gaming stuff.

Lovely and bright. Room for at least four players I think around the 5x6 table. 

Dresser drawers are storing gaming aides and terrain 

Most of his board games, sorted by period.

First game we bashed around with a couple of small learning games of Honours of War. Interesting. Definitely worth more time. Maybe I feel positive because I squeaked a win in game 1.

Russians 

Russian cavalry

Prussian cavalry

Prussians 

Let's see how charges work, shall we?

I envelope the Prussian left and break that battalion of Fusiliers 

I learn how charging steady, well trained Prussian Musketeers works (hint: it doesn't!). 

Game 2

After dinner, Mike got out one of his many hex and counter games. But just a small one:

I quickly grasped the novel turn sequence and the essence of the thing. Attacked with my legions lead by my praetors while everyone else supported their flanks. Two sacked Spanish cities and 5 VPs later, I got a Triumph and the honorific "Hispanicus Maximus. "

The next day I set up my Quar. 

Two forces are pushing into a heavily fought over section of No Quar's Land to try and straighten the Front. 

Field gun put some hurt on my tractor

My cavalry finally got to fight each other. They charged each other three times, until the Royalists broke in the last fight.

I was greedy and wanted ALL THE QUAR on the table! Consequently Mike had trouble tracking everything. Doing 2 SPs per figure is great if you want more units to accommodate 6 players,  3 of whom are conversant with the rules. I should have just done fewer units and had 10 quar per section (1 SP per figure) to keep it simpler.

After dinner we went for a nostalgic game of Longstreet. Mike has been working on his 28mm ACW for many decades, and we played the heck out of it when he lived much closer. We even attempted a couple of short campaigns. 

My veteran Texas brigade 

My Green but enthusiastic Mississippi brigade 

"Forward boys!"

Limbers get a +1 for coolness

It was hot & deadly work at the bloody battle of Rectory Creek. The Fate of the Republic was dependent upon this day's endeavors!

The Republic was saved. 

My Mississippians spilled a lot of blood fighting back and forth through this wheat field 

Texans firefight with some Union in the woods

With a Rebel Yell

Texans clear out the woods and try turning the Union flank 

Texans try to smash through, but are stopped by the Irish Brigade who came up from reserve at the double 

Another charge into the blood soaked wheat

End of game. The Confederacy is spent. The Union has one regiment still in reserve. 

Yes, the Republic was saved. 

Whereas I, Gen. Beauregard T. Robicheaux, retired to my plantation in Mississippi to heap blame and opprobrium upon a political rival for the loss.

We closed our Lad's Weekend watching the 1958 Stanley Kubrick film Paths of Glory. Before I headed for home after breakfast, Mike gifted me this splendid Front Rank figure, painted as Archduke Charles, ready to lead my whitecoats to glory!