Chain of Command: Another Pint-Sized Campaign Released

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Yesterday saw the release of another pint-sized campaign scenario book for Chain of Command: The Scottish Corridor.

This supplement focuses on a German counter-attack on the salient held by 15 Scottish Division on the Odon river in the latter stages of the war. As ever, it is available for £3.60: the price of a pint in Richard's local.

Here's the blurb from the TooFatLardies website:

"The Scottish Corridor is the fifth Pint-Sized Campaign for Chain of Command, designed to be played using the campaign handbook, At the Sharp End.  

"Twenty nine pages long, The Scottish Corridor follows the established Pint-Sized Campaign format, with an overview of the forces involved on both sides, their deployment shown on period maps and the course of the campaign described in detail before going on to present a mini-campaign covering the initial German counter-attack against the narrow corridor projecting down to the Odon river and Hill 112.  A mixed force of two Kampfgruppe attack in the hope of isolating the British spearhead and restoring the line.    

"The campaign is a total of six game tables with the duration running between six and eleven games.  Briefings are provided for both sides, along with measurable objectives, period maps, force and support option listings and everything you need to play this campaign through to its conclusion.  

"Like all of our Pint-Sized campaigns, this is available for the price of a pint in our local pub.  We're sure that you'll agree, that is great wargaming value!"

You can buy The Scottish Corridor from here.
 

CoC: Operation Martlet Scenario Pack Released

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Although we don't really do Chain of Command (or CoC, as it's known) on Vis Lardica, I've played the game a handful of times and always had a great deal of fun.

I'm pleased, therefore, to post about the latest TFL "pint-sized campaign" scenario pack for CoC, Operation Martlet, released today.

From the TFL website:

"Operation Martlet is the fourth of our Pint-Sized campaigns for Chain of Command, designed to be played using the campaign handbook At the Sharp End.  

"Twenty eight pages long, Operation Martlet follows the established Pint-Sized Campaign format, with an overview of the forces involed on both sides, their deployment shown on period maps and the course of the campaign described in detail before going on to present a mini-campaign covering this combined arms operation launched by the British 49th Division immediateloy prior to Operation Epsom to seize the Rauray Spur from the defenders from 12 SS Hitlerjugend.    

"The campaign is a total of six game tables with the duration running between six and eleven games.  Briefings are provided for both sides, along with measurable objectives, period maps, force and support option listings and everything you need to play this campaign through to its conclusion.  

"Like all of our Pint-Sized campaigns, this is available for the price of a pint in our local pub [Editor's Note:  £3.60 at time of posting].  We're sure that you'll agree, that is great wargaming value!"   

Click here to go straight to the TFL shop and buy Operation Martlet.
 

 

Dux Britanniarum, An October Deal

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I usually keep my posts on here to either my own wargaming stuff or something about one of the TFL company-sized games (IABSM, CDS etc). Today, however, I'm happy to pass on news about a sale involving one of the TFL skirmish-level games, Dux Britanniarum. I'll let Big Rich tell you all...

With the Dark nights creeping in and the inclination to spend the evening sat before a warming fire, what better time could there be than to reach for a copy of Dux Britanniarum, our Dark Age rules, and summon up tales of valour and heroism as told in the halls of Arthurian Britain?  Indeed, what better incentive than a magical twenty percent off the Dux Britanniarum rules and the Raiders rules supplement throughout the month of October.  Even Merlin would be impressed!

So what is Dux Britanniarum all about?  The main rules focus on the British defence of their island in the face of a Germanic invasion by the Saxons, Angles and Jutes.  Choose the region of Britain over which you want to fight and enjoy the campaign system which allows you to conquer lands, amass experience, gain additional supporters and build fortifications and other enhancements to allow you to hold on the your kingdom.  Typically a campaign begins with a Saxon force of around forty five models raiding from the Sea before attempting to win land and settle.  Meanwhile the British player will attempt to keep the invaders at bay and hold on to his lands.

The Raiders supplement allows you to introduce three new factions, the Picts, the Scotti and the Irish and extend your campaigning to the northern lands above the wall and the island of Ireland to the West, both of which stood unconquered by the Romans and have very different cultures which are represented in the rules.

Normally £25.00, Dux Britanniarum bundle of the main rules and card deck are just £20.00 during October, whereas The Raiders expansion set with book and card is now £14.40 rather than the usual £18.00.  The Double Dux bundle, with both sets of books and cards is now just £32.00.  Now is the time to go forth and conquer with Dux Britanniarum.

You can order the above by clicking here.

TFL: The Chain of Command Challenge

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I don't often post about the TFL WW2 platoon-level game Chain of Command as this site is really reserved for TFL's company-level games.

I do, however. enjoy a nice game of CoC every now and again, so am happy to help Rich promote the "Chain of Command Challenge": a 20%-off offer on the rules, whatever the format.

Here's what Rich said on Lard Island News:

The Chain of Command Challenge

It’s not often we’ll be so direct as to ask “Do you prefer CoC, or the alternative?” but a very comprehensive review of Chain of Command and one of the alternative rule sets out there aimed at platoon level actions has certainly got people talking.  You can read Trailape’s comments on his blog here: http://trailape.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/so-youre-platoon-commander-comparing.html

Now, we’re not making any claim for Chain of Command to be the biggest, best or anything else, but we do know that we all have a huge range of rule sets to choose between and often it takes a bit of a poke with a sharp stick to get us to jump in and try something new.  So, we thought that now would be a great time for us to launch the Chain of Command Challenge to encourage those gamers who’d been thinking about giving Chain of Command a try but who hadn’t quite got round to it yet.  For the remainder of September we are slashing 20% off the price of the rules in hard copy, PDF or tablet-friendly format making Chain of Command fantastic value and this the ideal time to make that jump and give them a whirl.

Of course, as Hans is telling us, we mustn’t forget that Chain of Command benefits from all sorts of nice free to download support products like the notes of bigger battles which can be found here: Big Chain of Command

But there’s much, much more than that.  We are rolling out free Army lists which will eventually cover the whole of WWII as well as producing a range of scenario and campaign supplements to make your gaming even more fun.  Why not check out Lard Island News and search for  Chain of Command Free Downloads to see the whole range of what is already available, or even try one of our Pint-Sized Campaigns, a whole campaign for the price of a pint of beer!

To take part in the Chain of Command Challenge you can find the rules at this great introductory price on our web site here:  Chain of Command Products. And just to make things a bit more fun, we’d love to see your reports on your blogs, Facebook or Twitter feeds (hashtag #spreadthelard ), on the TooFatLardies Forum or Yahoo Group, or simply post your comments in a reply to this post.  Why not take the Chain of Command Challenge today?

Potential IABSM Market Garden Game in Sweden

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Long time Lardy Thomas Nissvik (you can see his gallery in the 2015 Painting Challenge, and several AARs in the appropriate sections) has posted this piece of news on the TFL Forum:

My buddy Daniel asked me to post this. I will be participating as an Umpire, but Daniel is running the event.

"I plan to hold a big game event next year. The event will be a four day event, probably a Thursday to Sunday thing. It will be based on the 101. Airborne sector during Market Garden and the fighting around Hell's Highway. Rules will be IABSM (I Ain't Been Shot Mum) with a good amount of some local "house rules". Knowing the rules is not necessary as all tables will have umpires. It will be for friends so it is not some commercial event or open to the public.

A pic from the Lardy D-Day Games Day showing British Paras in action around Ranville

My thought is to do this some time in August (when most people have vacation) in the a place which is only ten minutes by car from Arlanda airport and about forty minutes from Stockholm central by train. The idea is to rent a community house. It has a pentry so it will be possible to make food. I am still inquiring with the people responsible and will visit the house in September. I will ask all participants for a modest entry fee to cover the rental expense for the house (which will be fairly low).

It will be played over several large tables with the Son bridge in the south and Uden in the north. Each player will command a force or battle group either consisting of elements of the 101. Airborne, XXX Corps or the German forces. Each force might be equalling a reinforced company or so. I also have plans of having people being commanders of the whole Airborne force, XXX Corps and so on, responsible for coordination, allocating resources, reserves and supplies and communication as well as some higher level support units (especially when it comes to the XXX Corps).

The idea is not to cover the whole Market Garden operation so the Nijmegen, Arnhem, Eelst/Driel sector will not be covered. Some tables will be connected to each other making it possible to send troops directly over to the next while others while require some "extra move points" or "deductions".

I plan to use my friends Koen, Jocke, Laffe and Thomas as umpires. Myself also being one but more on a coordination level. Perhaps they will also have some force responsibility depending on how many will join. All of us will obviously do our best to bring forth the necessary terrain and so on.

I would like to ask you if you would be interested in joining this. Perhaps you also know some people who would be interested in joining as player participants or as umpires, full or part time?"

So, anyone interested?

Cheers/Thomas

Those of you who haven't been to a Lardy games day before should visit the AAR section of this website and see the reports from previous events. They are at the bottom of the right-hand column of AARs.

It would be great if this happened, so if you do fancy a trip to Sweden next year for a big game of IABSM, let Thomas know by replying to his post on the forum here or by e-mailing him at thomas.nissvik@gmail.com.

TFL Summer Special 2015

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The TooFatLardies have just announced the release of this year's Summer Special.

This issue contains the following articles:

  • Blitz to Boulogne - A complete mini-campaign for Chain of Command
  • Action at the Crooked Billet - AWI scenario for Sharp Practice
  • Glowaczow - AN IABSM scenario from 1944 with Soviets versus Germans
  • Hadgranate! - Tracing the development of hand grenade tactics in the Great War
  • At our Convenience - A mini-campaign for Mud & Blood (or Great War Chain of Command) centred on the battle of Loos in 1915
  • Fight for Sesna -  A Spanish Civil War tank action for CoC Espana!
  • Straight out of Central Casting - Adding characters to your Bag the Hun games
  • Taking the Biscuit - A complete guide to using Sharp Practice for Garibaldi's 1860 campaign in Sicily.  Rule suggestions and five scenarios
  • Quadrant 13, A Point System - Robert Avery provides a point system for his popular Sci-Fi rules
  • The Roundwood Report - Sidney talks Lardy Games days with three veteran organisers
  • Fork-Tailed Lardies - Using the P-38 in Bag the Hun
  • Le Hameau - A 200th anniversary Le Feu Sacre scenario
  • Hunting Charlie with Captain Jack - A Charlie Don't Surf Scenario for Vietnam
  • Arise to Lard - Applying 1940 air tactics with Bag the Hun.
  • Scotland Forever - Try to capture the Eagle with the Scots Greys at Waterloo.  A complete game to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the great battle.

You'll note the article from your's truly about a points system for Q13.

The TFL Summer Special 2015 is available for only £6 by clicking here.

Chain of Command Terrain: A Lard/Warbases Joint Venture

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Exciting news for all 28mm 20thC/modern gamers: the TooFatLardies and Warbases have got together to produce a new range of laser cut terrain pieces. Here's the news item from Lard Island News:

Part of the joy of wargaming is the opportunity to, albeit briefly, suspend our disbelief and see ourselves as Napoleon or Wellington, commanding vast armies, or Sidney Jary at the head of 18 platoon. For me, a big part in creating the environment which encourages that immersion in the narrative of our games is getting a table that not only is pretty, but also looks right. In so many cases it is the small detail which makes a big difference. In all of the games we have run around the shows, it has been stuff like telegraph poles and (believe it or not!) cabbages growing in the garden which have received the most comments. Interestingly, it is small detail like this which I have so often found myself having to scratch build, with varying degress of success if I am honest, as most terrain companies tend to focus on the big stuff, like buildings, bridges and walls, rather than the minutiae. Well, that’s all about to change.

Before Christmas I had a long discussion with my old chum Martin up at Warbases and floated the idea of starting a range of terrain for Chain of Command. To my mind it is the skirmish or platoon level game which really comes to life when you add some extra detail, and I wanted us to work together to start producing the type of items which I really wanted to see in my games. As always, Martin came up trumps, as my dodgy sketches and vague ideas were turned into something practical and VERY pretty. The great news is that we will have the first two packs available at Salute. These are as follows:

Pack One includes the following:

  • Lean to Greenhouse
  • Potting shed, including work bench
  • Chicken coop with two cast metal chickens
  • Cold frame
  • Compost bin

Pack One

As you can see below, the lean to greenhouse will fit neatly onto any flat walled building

Pack Two contains the following:

  • Free standing Greenhouse
  • Dog kennel with cast metal doggy (optional “woofs” to be provided by customer)
  • Garden bench
  • Wheelbarrow
  • Wood store

PACK TWO

​All of the models are in laser cut MDF and, where shown they have suitably embossed paper to cover the roofs and serve as tar paper or roof felt as used in the early 20th century. Even better is the news that each of the packs will be retailing at just £16 each, great value for models which will really transform your wargames table. We hope to have these available on the web site immediately after Salute, although I reckon these will be a sell-out at the show!

These look great! Now all I need is for them to be produced in 15mm as well!

Old Hickory Released for Chain of Command

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Old Hickory, released today, is the third of the Pint-Sized campaigns for Chain of Command, designed to be played using the campaign handbook At the Sharp End.

 Thirty pages long, Old Hickory contains an overview of US operations in Normandy and beyond from Operation Cobra to the German counter attack at Mortain, Operation Luttich.  It goes on to present a mini-campaign covering the defence of L'Abbaye Blanche, a key position to the North of Mortain where the US 30th Division stood firm against 2nd SS Das Reich, and Der Fuhrer regiment in particular.   

The campaign is a total of six game tables with the duration running between three and eight games.  Briefings are provided for both sides, along with measurable objectives, period maps, force and support option listings and everything you need to play this campaign through to its conclusion. 

Now available at only £3.60 (the price of a pint!) at www.toofatlardies.co.uk.

Hopefully the next special will contain a conversion for IABSM as the Christmas Special 2014 did for the first Pint-Sized Campaign for Chain of Command, 29! Let's go!
 

Just Published: Kampfgruppe von Luck for Chain of Command

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Just a quick note: the TooFatLardies have just published the second of their pint-sized campaigns for the WW2 platoon-level game Chain of Command.

Here's what they say about them:

"Kampfgruppe von Luck is the second of our Pint-Sized campaigns for Chain of Command, designed to be played using the campaign handbook At the Sharp End.  

"Thirty pages long, Kampfgruppe von Luck contains an overview of the British airbrorne landings and the response of 21 Panzer Division on D-Day before then going on to present a mini-campaign covering the first counter-attack by Kampfgruppe von Luck, striking for the bridges on the Orne.   

"The campaign is a total of five game tables with the duration running between five and eight games.  Briefings are provided for both sides, along with measurable objectives, period maps, force and support option listings and everything you need to play this campaign through to its conclusion.  

"Like all of our Pint-Sized campaigns, this is available for the price of a pint in our local pub.  We're sure that you'll agree, that is great wargaming value!"

Hopefully the next Special will contain a conversion guide for IABSM!

You can order KvL by clicking here.

The Eagle Has Landed...I Think!

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I went over to Lard HQ last night for the final game of the year, billed as a Chain of Command re-fight of the climactic battle from the film The Eagle Has Landed.

For those of you who have missed out on this cinematic masterpiece, Michael Caine leads a bunch of Fallschirmjaegers on a mission to assassinate Winston Churchill as he visits a small village in rural England. All is going well for the Fall-ies, who are disguised  as Polish Paratroopers, until one of their number saves a local girl from going under the wheel of a water mill but is killed in the process, with his paratrooper uniform being ripped to reveal his German uniform underneath. Now discovered, Caine's men fight a battle to hold the village against an assault by nearby-based American troops whilst Caine himself (Steiner IIRC) goes off to kill Churchill.

The game, therefore, featured me leading three squads of US infantry supported by a Staghound armoured car into the village to firstly find out what was going on; secondly to identify any disguised Germans; and, thirdly, if any were found, to kill them!

The Germans, meanwhile, who were already occupying the village, had some convoluted mission requirements that seemed to involve tracking down a local woman who was actually one of their spies in order to be told where the secret tunnel was that led to the mansion house where Winnie was staying. I say convoluted because everything for the Germans seemed to get more and more confusing as the game went on: surely nothing to do with the immense amount of champagne that Mr Clarke, who was allegedly running the game, consumed as the evening went on.

After my last Lard HQ Chain of Command debacle (which no-one seemed to have forgotten unfortunately) I was determined to redeem myself. Rather than following the course of action from the film (where the Yanks charge into the village and get shot to bits before retreating for a more cautious second approach), we arrived at the edge of the village and cautiously moved forward towards the first house in order to try and find out what was going on.

There (well in the outside privy to be exact) we met a section of British infantry who confirmed that the Germans did indeed have men in the village, disguised as Polish paratroopers. That was all they could tell us...hardly surprising as they turned out to be more Germans on a mission to stop the main German mission for political infighting reasons.

Confused? Not as much as we were when Rich revealed that he'd brought the wrong box of figures with him so we would have to be portrayed using German figures. So we have Germans using British Paratrooper figures pretending to be Polish; more Germans using British infantry figures pretending to be British, and being played by a Scotsman; and Americans using German figures pretending to be...oh, no, sorry: actually being Americans!

Anyway, having sussed out what was going on, the Americans went forward cautiously: one squad hanging back as a base of support, one moving towards the church, and one moving up to the Whippet Inn (also somewhat confusingly portrayed by a German beer hall).

The squad advancing towards the church took fire from the steeple and lost a man, but our return fire was incredibly accurate and wiped out the German Bren team that were doing the shooting. The squad then started cautiously moving into the church itself. Meanwhile the Staghound moved into a position near the first house from where it could cover the village main street with its .50 cal.

The other two squads then leapfrogged forward until one was in the inn providing a base of support whilst the other was pressed against the back wall of the first house in the village, covering both the main street and the gardens to the rear.

Stalemate then ensued until the Germans realised that firstly all we had to do was keep them occupied until the end of the game and secondly that they needed to get back into the church to find the woman to find the secret passage to find the Churchill...you get the picture.

As false-Polish paras hit the high street, heading for the church, we opened up with everything we had: the Staghound's .50 cal, chewing up scenery as the two squads covering the high street actually did the damage. The first German squad was effectively rendered hors d combat (no, no French on the table...at least I don't think so...but at this stage, a bottle and half in, who knew) but another moved up and threw grenades into the church in an attempt to clear it.

This was not as effective as it should have been (one dead American), and the Germans soon suffered as a hail of grenades and small arms fire came right back at them. That squad was soon pinned and then wiped out as well.

The game then drew to a close. We occupied the church and commanded the main route through the town; the Germans needed to control both in order to fulfil their mission, but were now down two full squads against our losses of four men (three killed by a demented local high on home brew).

All in all, a great game of Chain of Command, if somewhat chaotic. I was quite rightly accused of taking the game far too seriously (it was the Lardy Christmas game, after all) and have no excuse except to say that after last time I had no choice lest my reputation be damaged beyond repair!

My thanks to Rich, Nick, Panda, Trevor, Dougray McScot, Al, Noddy, Mark, Harpers, Panda, Elton etc for a most entertaining evening, with mince pies and booze thrown in for good measure. Just make sure you save me an After Eight when the packet is eventually opened!

TFL Xmas Special Released

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Glad tidings of great joy: the TFL Xmas Special 2014 is now available.

Always a source of great ideas, and incredible value for money: highly recommended.

Contents are:

Introduction

A Festive greeting from Lard Island.  Grab a mince pie and feel the love...

 Cocking Up Through the Mud and the Blood

We present a merger between Chain of Command and Through the Mud and the Blood. Great War gaming just got even more exciting.  

Kaiserschlacht 1918

Amid a storm of steel, we present a Great War “Pint-Sized” campaign for Through the Mud and the Blood or the Chain of Command Great War adaptation. Can you win for the Kaiser?  Sturm Auf!

Fondler’s Rebels

In the Year of Our Lord 1796, Richard Fondler takes on the United Irishmen and their French friends in a battle to save Ireland for the Crown!

4D6 Shades of Green

The Dux Peterboroughiarum himself, Mike Whitaker, presents more terrain ideas for the Dux The Raiders.

29, Let’s Go Large!

We convert our Normandy Pint-Sized campaign for use with I Ain’t Been Shot Mum and company sized actions.  Let’s roll!

Catch the Pidgeon!

An Eastern Front scenario for Bag the Hun from Winchester based Ace, Jim Jackaman.  Tally Ho Comrade!

The Irish Question

Pay attention at the back!  A nautical Kiss Me Hardy scenario to partner with Fondler’s Rebels.  Mr Baines, set course for Bantry Bay.  I’m for the Oysters!

The Roundwood Report

Star of stage, screen and his own vivid imagination, Sidney La Roundwood, chats to Big Rich about maps, and looks into the future with his crystal balls.  

Fighting Season

Respected author, Leigh Neville of Sydney, introduces us to Fighting Season, our forthcoming modern counter-insurgency rules for Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.  As we go to press Leigh will be walking down the aisle and committing himself into perpetual marital bondage.  Another good man down...

Building the Deutsche Reichsbahn

Star of the blogosphere and beyond, Pat “Sliver Whistle” Smith, shows us how to build railways for wargaming.  Toot toot!

Last Train to Fischhausen

April 1945, a scenario for Chain of Command on the Eastern Front.  Can you keep the trains running on time?

Battle of Britan – Over the Mediterranean

Jon Yuengling of Pennsylvania steps into an alternative reality with this “what if” history of 1940 for Bag the Hun.

Of Mines and Men

Da Nang is DAMN HOT in this scenario for Charlie Don’t Surf from the pen of Abingdon’s finest, Ross Bowrage.   Are you a mine or a man?

Bloody November

Alfredo Vitaller and Annibal Invictus of Madrid play a home fixture with this Pint-Sized campaign for Madrid in 1936 using Chain of Command España.  To Parsaran, or not to Parsaran, that is the question!

The Battle of Mahiwa

Charles Eckart of Denver takes us to Africa and the exploits of von Lettow-Vorbeck, with this Great War scenario for If the Lord Spares Us.  Heia Safari!

To the Bitter End

April 1945 and the Kings Own Scottish Borderers are still meeting resistance in the heart of the Reich.  This scenario for I Ain’t Been Shot Mum recreates a company sized action on the Elbe River.

Boots & Saddles

Myron Shipp of South Australia mounts up to present some ideas for matching US Cavalry and Plains Indians with Sharp Practice.  Additional material from Essex’s own diamond geezer, Simon Walker. 

Tweetface with the Lardies

Providing addicts with a daily dose of Lard through the limitless joys of social media, ahem.  We provide a guide for the cool kids in 2014. Kicking innnit!

The TooFatLardies Xmas Special 2014 is available to buy from here.

Playtesting the new Napoleonic Rules at Lard HQ

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I went over to Lard HQ last night to try out the new TFL divisional level Napoleonic rules that are currently in playtesting.

Although the game shares the same activation dice system as Chain of Command, everything else is new. The basic infantry unit is the battalion: three to seven bases of four figures each, with each figure representing about 120 men. Horse are organised in a similar fashion, with guns being either grouped into batteries or, a nice touch this, integral to the battalion they support.

As you would expect from any new Lardy product, although it has a familiar feel to it, it is a genuinely different game, not just a re-hash of one system to another period or scale.

In last night's game, Mr Clarke and myself played the early French (I forget the exact date), versus Alan playing the dastardly Austrians, no doubt seeking to strangle our infant republic before we had a chance to assume our rightful position as masters of all Europe. Our task was to wrest control of a ford and a bridge held by a smaller but still substantial enemy force. Here is the set up:

The French are to the left, the Austrians to the right. Mr Clarke's big battalions will cross the bridge and hit the Austrians in the built up area (the big house with four windows). I would hold the left flank in case the Austrians counter-crossed the ford. There were a lot of Austrians in front of me:

As the game started, Rich duly advanced his men over the bridge and headed for the built-up area.

His plan was to line up his multiple battalions and hit the town all at once, but unfortunately one of his units took an excess of heavy artillery fire on the flank, and then routed back across the bridge. This caused a massive traffic jam on the bridge and severely unnerved the rest of his troops, meaning that rather than hitting the town all at once, his battalions were fed in piecemeal.

An initial assault was repulsed, then he fought off an enemy cavalry charge as the enemy sought to take advantage of the resultant confusion, then his next assault was successful...but the time taken for all this had given the Austrians time to reinforce the town and slowly Rich's men started to be pushed back out again.

Meanwhile, on the left flank, the Austrians had decided to counter attack:

I had turned to meet them, and then let a couple of battalions cross the ford before marching forward to take it myself: neatly splitting his force in two.

At that point, unfortunately, the game had to end as we were out of time. The Austrians were declared the winners, as Rich's attack was about to fail utterly and things had not yet got properly started on my flank. All agreed that it was a close run thing: with Rich being literally at match point a couple of times before Alan's Austrians, holding on doggedly, managed to turn things around.

It was a great game and a really positive try-out for the rules. Everything seemed to work just fine, and I found that I could quickly pick up the basic mechanics without difficulty. I would love to try this out using 15s rather than 28s and, perhaps more importantly, I think the game would work brilliantly for the whole of the 19th century...well, through to the end of the Franco-Prussian War at any rate.

My thanks to the Lardies for their hospitality. I'm off to look at Napoleonic figures in 15mm now!

29, Let's Go! Released

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29, Let's Go! is the first of the Pint-Sized campaigns for Chain of Command (the platoon-level WW2 game from the TooFatLardies) designed to be played using the campaign handbook At the Sharp End.  

Thirty-two pages long, 29, Let's Go! was released yesterday, and contains an overview of the planned, and then actual, events on Omaha beach on the 6th of June before then going on to present a mini-campaign covering the advance of the US 175th Infantry Regiment from the initial beachhead in their drive to link Omaha and Utah beaches by capturing the key bridge at Isigny.  

The campaign is a total of five game tables with the duration running between five and nine games.  Briefings are provided for both sides, along with measurable objectives, period maps, force and support option listings and everything you need to play this campaign through to its conclusion.  

Highly recommended.

You can read more about 29 Let's Go! on the TFL blog, Lard Island News here.

And actually buy the thing (which really is just the cost of a pint) here.

Murphy's Heroes

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Originally posted 10th August 2012

I'm just back from holiday: two weeks in the Nederlands. Whilst I was there, I managed to get over to the Murphy's Heroes club in Delft for a game of IABSM.

An excellent late war game put on and refereed by Dick Bax, set somewhere in Poland, where  I played the Soviets attacking Derk Groeneveld's Germans.

Modesty forbids me from mentioning who won a glorious victory (!), but a big thank you to Dick and Derk, and the rest of the Heroes, for their hospitality.

TFL Summer Sale ends Monday

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Originally posted 6th September 2007

A reminder that with the first of the latest product releases arriving next week, the current TFL Summer Sale must end this coming Monday, the 10th of September.

So, to make the most of their 3-4-2 PDF offer: pay for two and get the third item free, check out their website now!

Rules and scenario supplements can be had for fantastic prices that help you get over your exchange rate blues. Orders received before midnight GMT on the 10th of September will qualify for this great savings.