Vehicles from Gaming Models

Originally posted 20th January 2011

Some new and somewhat rare additions to my collection. For the BEF, there is a patrol of Morris CS armoured cars; and for the Italians there are two AB40 armoured car patrols: one for the desert and one for Sicily.

All the models come from Gaming Models, a company that I have eschewed for a long time, put off by early reviews and the pictures on their website. A full review will follow, but suffice to say I am very happy with the AB40s and pretty happy with the Morris CSs.

Morris CS9 from Gaming Models

AB40 armoured cars from Gaming Models

The AB40s painted, more correctly, in dark green

Blasts from the Past

Originally posted 16th January 2011

Whilst sorting through all the files on my computer, I came across some photos of some of the first games of IABSM that I set up and ran myself.

Those of you who notice that some of the hedges in both these games are made out of green ring binder spines will be relived to know that I now have huge numbers of "proper" hedges!

AAR: Action within Tobruk

Originally posted 3rd January 2011

The first game of the New Year: a scenario taken from the Operation Compass scenario booklet covering the early war in the Western Desert.

Today, deep within the heart of the Italian stronghold of Tobruk , the assaulting Australians find themselves on the end of a rather nasty looking Italian counter-attack. 

Final batch of painting for 2010

Originally posted 27th December 2010

Soviet heavy mortars; Lion class transports for the Felids to join the barn force; and a battery of US medium artillery.

Soviet 120mm mortars from Battlefront

Lion class transports from Khurasan

US medium artillery battery from Battlefront

'Beer & Lard Day' at Burton on Trent

Originally posted 15th November 2010

This weekend saw the first Burton-upon-Trent “Beer & Lard Day”: a day’s wargaming that gives those people unable to easily travel down to Lard HQ for our annual events an opportunity to try out games from the TooFatLardies stable of rules.

My role was to run the games using I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum!, the Lardies’ WW2 company level ruleset.  I ran three different scenarios on the day, the first of which was 3RTR at Hames-Boucres: the third game from the Defence of Calais early war scenario pack.

IABSM: Operation Compass Scenario Pack

Originally posted 9th April 2010

Fox Killed In Open!

Cruise the Blue with Robert Avery's latest pdf scenario booklet for "I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!"

An extensive history of the Italian invasion of Egypt and the British response: Operation Compass, the Five-Day Raid that turned into a campaign. Set between June 1940 and early February 1941, the booklet contains twenty-three unique scenarios for “I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum!” including attacks, counter-attacks, encounter battles, desperate defences, and the types of action typical of desert warfare: tank vs tank and tank vs gun battles.

From the 11th Hussars’ initial reconnaissance and harassment missions; through to the assaults on the network of Italian camps in the Western Desert; the Australian assaults on Bardia, Tobruk and Derna; and on to the thrilling climax at Beda Fomm, you’ll encounter British, Australians and Italians of all shapes and sizes.



Operation Compass contains the following scenarios: 

1. The Road to Fort Capuzzo; 

2. The Battle of Girba

3. The Invasion of Egypt

4. Nibeiwa

5. Tummar West

6. Tummar East

7. Alam el Dab

8. Sidi Barrani

9. Buq Buq

10. The Road From Fort Capuzzo

11. Bardia One

12. Bardia Two

13. Bardia Three

14. Tobruk One

15. Tobruk Two

16. Tobruk Three

17. Mechili

18. Siret el Chreiba

19. The Derna Wadi

20. Sidi Saleh One

21. The Pimple One

22. The Pimple Two

23. Sidi Saleh Two

Gallery: WW2 Italians

Originally posted 12th March 2010

A few more Italians added: Motociclisti and the first of the Fucilieri. Have now got a bit distracted painting Felids: 15mm sci-fi figures from Khurasan.

Heads up for my next scenario book: Operation Compass. Should be available within the next couple of weeks. Twenty-three early war scenarios for the Western Desert: time to get those Italians onto the table!