Great Northern War Troop Review

Inspired by Charge! I pulled out my Great Northern War figures to see just what I have on completed and to get a sense of how much remains if I am to field both sides for Blasthof.

I have enough infantry for both sides for Blasthof, although the Swedes do need a proper leader, and maybe a drummer for kicks (or is that kick drum? Thank you thank you. I'll be here all week. Tip your waitstaff.) - I know I started them, I just have to find them!

My painting style on these won't be to everyone's taste, but I really like the black line with them. It''s sloppy on any single figure, but en masse, I find the effect satisfying.

First the Swedes:

A uniform looking group. This was in part due to laziness and partly because my research didn't suggest a ton of options, so I just went with it.

The Russians have two dozen more figures in a greater variety of colors, plus I bothered to paint up command. Based on the figures I had, I divided up the command equally among the completed units. Three per unit would be nicer, but I don't know if I feel like investing in more boxes.

Color schemes came from multiple sources - at the time there were a handful of affordable options and one really expensive one which I didn't have. So these are accurate as far as I'm concerned but historically, maybe so, maybe not. I am tempted to pick up some of the newer titles on the GNW, but one thing at a time.

Without further ado, the Russian infantry:

Here's a close up of one of my favorite units (I believe these are painted as the Semenovski ):

And another (pretty sure these are the Kievski) :

Basing was more of an experiment and made storage easier. However, for Charge! obviously, I'll move them to individual basing on pennies or washers.

And here are the only two completed dragoons. I do have several more horses done - but the riders are only half started.

Charge into Horse and Musket?

This arrived yesterday:

It is a reprint paperback copy - I could not afford an original.

I am maybe 20 pages in and already I find myself dreaming of either completing my languishing 1/72 Great Northern War armies (admittedly an earlier period than the book seems focused on - I have a few dozen infantry painted on each side, last touched several years ago, but I hate painting horses, so my dragoons and reiters are scarcely primed, let alone finished, same for artillery, however I have enough for both sides to easily play the action at Blasthof bridge once painted) or revisiting a dormant dream of fielding some Seven Years War armies (maybe not for Charge! The advanced game seems to require quite a few figures - although I have suitable Risk figures for the task).

I already had in mind a very small Napoleonic project, for which I blame Mr. Asquith's Guide to Solo Wargaming retreat from Russia scenario. This is something I had wanted to game many years ago but never made the investment in.

There is an itch growing that will require scratching.

That aside, I think lesson here is that old wargaming titles are a danger to one's limited hobby time.

Urrah!

More "volunteers" from my pile of Marx re-casts.

I'm not a huge fan of this sculpt - they look like they are in pajamas to me, although they are certainly full of bravado with their collars open when the weather is cold enough to wear a hat - however, I have quite a few of them, so more will see be conscripted over time.

If they look like twins that must make them Marx Brothers. Apologies for the terrible 'dad joke'.

I have several figures washed/degreased and waiting for clean up and two Soviet HMG teams awaiting assembly, but I was struck by a brain storm today as I contemplated how my Company Fire rules are more complicated than maybe I intended or want for that matter (although I do enjoy them). So instead of painting tonight, I'll have a quick play test of a simpler, more traditional, set of rules at the same scale of 1 base = 1 squad, heavy weapons team, or vehicle.

ASLSK #1 : Dipping My Toe in the Water

Although I've gone through the rule book more than once now, I still hadn't had taken the time to put the ASL Starter Kit (ASLSK from now on) #1 on the table. Last night, I set up the first scenario just to play through part of a turn to start really learning.

Here's what it looked like after the Germans moved onto the board and took what amounts to reaction fire from the US paratroops:

While it doesn't look as enticing as toy soldiers on the table, once I'm stuck in my brain doesn't really care.

I made more than a few errors I'm sure, and I had to read and re-read rules bits, but I haven't been this excited to play a game since I got my Moldvay basic D&D book (aka the 'magenta' cover, the one with the three-holes punched) in '82.

Tonight, I'm going to see Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut (I've never seen the original cut but no matter) in the theater, but if there's time afterwards, I hope to work through a full turn for both sides for ASLSK.

Testing Some Rules Changes

I incorporated some changes into Company Fire that came up in my own games and in discussions in the comments on some previous posts, but with the unexpected recent painting motivation, I hadn't had a chance to try them out until Friday.

The major changes this time were:

• Allowing a unit to ignore a single hit from non-opportunity small arms fire by falling back two spaces.
• Limiting stacking to three units per space: two "regular" bases (including vehicles) and one single mounted figure - this is to make group fire less ridiculous and limit bonuses on close combat.

I played the the farm scenario from the 2x2 Small Crossfire Scenarios. The Germans were the attackers, the Soviets the defenders. Whoever occupies the farm at the end of the game is the winner.

The setup converted to a square grid (This is the botched cloth mentioned several posts back. I haven't had time to redo the grid and I really just like this color better so I decided to use it as is and it worked a treat. The varying sized grid spaces were of little consequence in play. FYI only the vertices are marked so it's near invisible in the pictures):

The green squares are Soviet blinds.About half the blinds are blank.

The German 2nd platoon advance on the right was immediately met with MG fire from the farm:

2nd platoon advances on the right but their flank is exposed to MG fire.

The Germans returned fire and suppressed the MG (which later rallied) which allowed both platoons to advance, although not without revealing another Soviet rifle squad and mortar. German accuracy kept those units from being effective.

So many pinned Soviet units! 

The German Forward Observer moved up and called in an artillery strike on the farm - in a run of terrible luck, he would repeat this effort three times and the fire mission would not arrive even once).

With the Soviet rifle unit pinned, the German 2nd platoon leader coordinated a close assault. The Soviet's gave a good accounting of themselves but they were out numbered and at a disadvantage and forced to fall back.

Close assault!

The Soviet rifle unit falls back - the rules require a unit that loses close combat with a suppression result to fall back. The winner has the option to claim any vacated ground.

Meanwhile on the German left, with the MG suppressed yet again, first platoon's leader coordinated a close assault on that flank as well and stormed the farm.

Close combat again!

The lone MG and the Soviet PL were no match for the Germans. However the Germans opted not to advance - concerned over possible Soviet forces behind the farm waiting to counter-attack.

The German 2nd platoon continued to press the Soviet rifle squad they had beaten back previously via a second close combat(which they could not resist this time), while two other Soviet squads and the mortar attempted to reclaim the farm.

Things are not going well for this Soviet rifle section.

2nd platoon swung around, while squads from the first platoon - who had held up advancing when they defeated the MG - came under fire from the Soviets.

The fight around the farm heats up.

With victory in sight, the steam roller that was the German 2nd platoon moved on to tackle the Soviet mortar position - who, in a small miracle, gave as good as it got and took one of the German squads with it to Hell.

A stunning stand by the mortar team. When the sides tie, they each lose a stand on a 1 for 1 basis.

One of the rifle squads from 2nd platoon had a clear shot at the farm house and suppressed the Soviets within. The Soviets weren't able to rally nor put together any kind of concerted effort, and so when the German first platoon rallied, they stormed and captured the farm:

Yes, another close combat.

The overview of the end of the fight - only the Soviet Forward Observer and a rifle squad hidden in the woods survived:

End of the fight.

As a game it feels more serious than I perhaps intended - maybe a little more simulation (fire and pint/suppress to maneuver then close assault to capture ground) than my original goal but I found it engaging and fun, so I'm not complaining.

The stacking change worked to prevent the dice rolling absurdity of 3 units+PL in a single space close assaulting a lone unit.  Assuming a tweak to the orderly retreat option (allow a unit to fall back one space to  ignore one hit - but only one space - from small arms fire instead of requiring two for one) works during play and updating the QRS and I will probably call these done for now, as they let me fight the 2x2 Small Crossfire scenarios and other platoon to company engagements on a grid.

Filling the Ranks

These 17 Deetails archers - a decent ebay deal that I wasn't looking for - arrived today:

The silver ones in particular need some touching up - particularly their helmets. I will be splitting these between my two armies, who should be making their way back onto the table soon enough with the One Hour Wargame rules (because I know little to nothing about the period, and thus have no expectations, the rules suit me fine.)

I also finished these last night (except for the gloss coat) in a flurry of painting activity:

These are Chinese Airfix knock-offs that I got from Classic Toy Soldier.They have heavy mold lines and a lot of flash. I did a better job cleaning this lot up than the last Germans I did, but I still didn't do a great job. 

The grenade thrower is one of my favorite poses. The other guy looks really stiff in comparison.

I have a pile of Russians on the paint table now - two are primed and painting has begun, but the rest await clean up. 

I find myself being distracted by a new project idea  that I'm doing my best to ignore but we'll see how that goes!

The Library Book Pt. 3 : A Game Using The Quests of Brin The Barbarian

When we last left Our Hero, it seemed he had met his end at the hand of a roving band of goblins. But as it turned out, his story was not over.

Though it stretches the bounds of credulity, and though he had most surely had at least one foot in the Great Void, Our Hero was happened upon by a barbarian of the great expanse called 'The Northlands', who had been wandering in search of fortune and adventure. Finding the battered magician amid the signs of a great struggle, the Northerner bound Our Heroe's wounds and applied medicinal salves which he prepared from memory, as taught to him by his mother and passed down from before the dawn of recorded time.

A most miraculous and rapid recovery then occurred - as if to break the bonds of credulity for good. But all was not rainbows and unicorns.

To Our Heroe's great misfortune the overdue book which he had endeavored to return to the Library at Stahlhelm, along with his coin purse, filled to pay the fine which awaited him had been taken by the goblins. Though he had no money on his person, he easily convinced the Northerner, by way of demonstrations of his ability to control the unseen forces of the world, that he would be good for it, should the barbarian accompany him on his quest to regain the overdue book.

And so it was that the two joined together and set forth into the Dark Woods.

 It was not long before the Northerner, trained in the ways of hunting as well as fighting, uncovered the goblin trail and  the pair followed it to a great rocky protrusion with a great maw opening into the earth itself, deep in the forest. Several goblins stood guard to challenge any who approached.

Every sinew in the barbarian's body coiled and unsprung in an instant as he launched forward towards the humanoids, emitting a thunderous war cry as he charged.

To their credit, the goblins moved to engage the wild man charging towards them. Meanwhile, from the rocky outcropping, an archer fired at the Northerner hoping to keep him distracted.  Our Hero, lest you think he had decided to leave the difficult work to the brawn of the warrior,  called upon the powers known only to those so initiated and paralyzed a nearby goblin, before bringing his own staff to bear upon it.

One goblin fell. And then another. But the archer rained down arrows with alarming accuracy. Even the mighty barbarian could not last forever against the onslaught. Our Hero attempted to call upon magic to heal the warrior but perhaps in his rush, the spell did not succeed. The Gods smiled upon the pair though, as the goblin, having seen two of his comrades ensorcelled and felled, the last goblin ran when the Northener charged his position.

With the barbarian seriously wounded, and Our Hero drained from his summoning of forces beyond the realm of most human understanding, they paused at the entrance to the cave. They would spend a few hours resting and tending to the Northerner's wounds and then begin their assault on whatever was inside.

More Soviet Cannon Fodder, I Mean Infantry

I've spent some time considering what my "ideal" WWII forces would look like (at least for the present moment) and so it has given my desire to paint another boost.

Here are four new recruits for the my Soviet army:

NKVD officer "encouraging" Soviet riflemen.

All are Marx recasts.

The biggest problem is how few of these standing rifle figures I got in the batch of thirty-six Marx Soviets I acquired a few years ago (and finally they are getting painted!). Part of me wants to order yet another batch in hopes of getting a few more, part of me says just paint what I have. The other rifle pose included is a close assault pose with the gun over the head or maybe they are wading? I don't like it as much, but I have quite a few of them.

I did pick up a box of two 1/35 Italeri maxim gun teams - my Soviets need something more than light machine guns. I really don't like building models, including figures, mostly because I am bad at fiddly things. Hopefully, I don't botch them too badly.

A Gaming Convention of My Own

While it may have paled in comparison to GenCon, this past weekend, I managed to get in a bit more gaming activity than usual and without any travel or entry fees. Hence the title of this post.

As a result of a conversation with my 7-year old about my intent to play an RPG at DragonCon (our biggest local nerd event) this year, I ended up running two short "5-Room Dungeon" sessions of Dungeons & Dragons for him, using Moldvay's Basic / Expert set from 1983 or thereabouts (and by far my favorite edition of the game).

We kept close to the rules for mechanics, but played fast and loose with setting and such. There was a  "phase sword", pseudo-science, magic, knights, and a telepathic pet rhinoceros. It was a mash up of a traditional pseudo-medieval setting / Gamma World style post-apocalypse, and Star Wars with heavy emphasis on emergent player-driven setting details, i.e. if he came up with something about the game world, I said either "Yes, and" or "Yes, but".

Both sessions were quite enjoyable - it was refreshing to hear his ideas about what will happen or what things mean, as he is not saddled with decades of the standard D&D tropes. The next session is planned for Tuesday night, which gives me a little time to come up with the next adventure hook.

On the wargaming front, in addition to rounding the corners on all of the counters for the ASL Starter Kit #1 (a tedious process that really does make the counters that much nicer), I put figures on the table on Friday night, playing the One Hour Wargames scenario "An Unfortunate Oversight".

I used the OHW force generation and setup, but played using my preferred rules for these scenarios: a slightly modified Morschauser's Moderns with roster system (which I track with a die).  I also set 50% units lost as the automatic break point for the armies. As the game played quickly, I had time to play the scenario twice.

The setup was more or less the same for both games:

Germans are within 12" of the village, Soviets are South of the river - placed by die roll.

Game one:

The Soviets crossedd the river at a ford and come under fire from German infantry on the hill and the German armor.

With the Soviet armor moving perpendicular the German Panzers it wasn't going to end well for the Soviets.

The unit of T-34s was stopped dead in its tracks. No pun intended.

But the Soviet armor outnumbered what the Germans had brought to bear.

In the end though, the Soviet infantry proved to be the deciding factor and the Germans were forced to retreat.

I had thought at this scale, with the battle more or less joined from the start, allowing the ATG to move didn't make sense, but in the end it really wasn't fair that it was stuck in one place. So, for the second game,  I opted to let the ATG move (pretending it had some kind of transport). Again, the setup was basically the same as the first game.

Game two:

The Soviets crossed the ford again, but sent a unit of T-34s around through the village to put pressure on the Germans.

Would the patriots of Mother Russia make it across the river to aid their comrades on the hill?

The combined Soviet infantry anti-tank grenades and fire from the T-34 platoon, which had moved behind the hill, made fast work of the German armor.

The Soviet ATG unit fired a continuous barrage of anti-personnel rounds.

The German ATG unit tackled the Soviet armor advancing through the village and bravely continued firing in the face of aggressive counter-fire.  Both sides proved incapable of delivering a decisive blow, and the Red armor inched closer and closer.

On the hill the burning wreckage left little room for German infantry to stake a claim, while the Soviet infantry swarmed towards the hill, encircling the Germans. Off-camera, the Soviet armor overran the German ATG position sealing the Soviet victory.