Trawling through the Internet, I came across the website of the Stipsicz Hussars, a group of war gamers from the Nederlands with a few TFL AARs in their records.
Here's the first of them: a snippet of action in the Western Desert. Click here or on the photo below to see the full report, and here to go the the Hussars' website itself.
An enormous update today: lots of people submitting lots of entries. Has taken me almost two hours to update the site!
In no particular order we have:
Phew!
I'm thinking that a large number of entries deserves a large number of pictures, so again in no particular order we have:
Egg's Brits for Sealion
Carole's Camps
Ralph Plowman's entry: four random fantasy figures
And finally, Mr Burt's other cat!
I would have included Matt Slade's sci-fi Foreign legion, but as they are split between about six pics, you'll have to go to his gallery and see them there.
Another tank-on-tank game set in the Western Desert and taken from the Operation Compass scenario pack. This time it's a clash between Italians and British tanks at Mechili.
Click here or on the picture below to see the full report.
I've never been big into terrain.
I am never going to make any (far too much like hard, and messy, work) and in the past it's always seemed like a waste of money that could be spent on more soldiers.
That, however, was before I got my wargaming room back after its sabbatical as a kids playroom, and before I moved this website to Squarespace. I'm having more games now, and the photos are easier to process and upload, and my existing terrain...well, it just isn't up to scratch any more.
Wooden huts for the Eastern Front from 4ground
I have had very good experiences with 4Ground's range of wooden huts for the Eastern Front, so I thought I'd see if I could get some more of that sort of thing, but this time for the Far East.
A quick search of the web, and I found Sarissa Precision Ltd: a UK company that do a nice little range of laser-cut wood buildings just like 4Ground's.
They have six different village huts in their Far East range, so I bought one of each, and have spent the last few days putting them together: I love the smell of laser-cut wood in the mornings!
Once built, however, I felt they were slightly lacking something. Not in the models themselves, I hasten to add, they were lovely, just that the setting demanded something more.
So I have been very brave, and I have pimped them up!
First I've added a toupee of wool roving (whatever that is!) bought from the local Hobbeycraft to their roofs. This was quite difficult: it involved smearing white glue over the roofs, then carefully snipping off and sticking down layers of wool cording so they look a bit like some kind of vegetation. Don't ask me what sort of vegetation: just enjoy the look!
It didn't turn out just how I wanted it too.
Building One: Planked Style Village House - Low
Apparently you're supposed to be able to comb this stuff, and I had envisioned a sort of green thatch effect...whereas what I have achieved is more Boris Johnson! But I like it, and I think it will look good on the tabletop amongst the plastic palm trees and lichen.
Next, I thought that the empty holes for every door and window (on some of the huts: others have a wooden lattice effect) looked a bit odd.
Building Two: Small Village House
So back to Hobbeycraft and the purchase of a roll of hemp trimming. From this I have made crude blinds/curtains which actually round things off nicely. Flocked bases and the odd shutter finish things off: at least until I can buy some little pots and other household detritus with which to decorate the bases.
So a little bit of work to make them look super, but highly, highly recommended. Oh, and they cost £52.50 for the six, with only £2.50 p&p.
Here are the other four:
Building Three: Woven Palm Style Village House - Low
Building Five: Planked Style Village House
Building Four: Woven Palm Style Village House
Building Six: Small Village House - Low
A Small Village Somewhere In The Far East
Now I know I'm supposed to be painting my Airborne infantry platoon, but just before I do, a little diversion...
I seem to remember complaining that Clockwork Goblin had promised some medium jump walkers to go with the Hyena Light Jump Walkers, but that there was no sign of them as of yet.
Well, under the radar, as any good Airborne force should be, they have released them, and very nice they are too.
Here is the platoon of Mudskipper Medium Jump Walkers all ready to go into action with the rest of the Airborne force...once I've painted them, that is!
Oh, and as it seemed to work last time, can we have the Firefly Jump Infantry now please. And can they have wings not rocket packs please!
I'm slowly working my way through loading mark Luther's 6mm IABSM battle reports onto the site. Some lovely terrain, so worth doing properly.
Here's another from 2008: it's the early war, and French and German reconnaissance units clash near Juniville.
Click here, or on the picture below, to see more...
Good to see that all of you are doing something useful with your holiday time: painting figures and sending in your entries to the painting challenge!
Lots of lovely entries again so, in no particular order, we have:
There are three pictures today. First up, Benito's Moors: gorgeous and make me want to go all El Cid myself.
And then let's have a picture from Mr Luther: what a lovely tabletop that is!
I've taken the plunge and finally decided to get myself a company-plus-supports of US Paras.
I think it was watching Band of Brothers again that did it: it was either the Paras or early war Poles, and somehow seeing Dick Winters and co. charging round Normandy and onto Germany tipped the balance.
It also means I'll be able to play the multitude of available scenarios involving US Airborne forces using the proper figures!
Here are my first efforts: the Light Machine Gun Section:
The figures are from Forged in Battle: I decided I needed a change from Battlefront and Peter Pig, and so decided to give FiB a go. It's not a conversion though: I've only got the machine gunners, above, and a single platoon of infantry so far. We'll have to see how the first platoon paints up before deciding which manufacturer will have the privilege of providing platoons two and three!
Uniform-wise, they are portrayed in the drab uniforms worn for D-Day. I think this provides a more iconic image than the more green gear worn later on in the war. You'll note that I have painted on the eagle insignia: I did try using those teeny-tiny transfers, but they proved too fiddly to manage, despite Model Dads video tutorial.
Right: on to the first platoon now...
I took advantage of the Zombiesmith Winter Sale (15% off) to fill some of the gaps in my Quar forces.
First up is the Crusader Heavy Weapons Section: three Model 6 Heavy Semi-Automatic Shotgun teams. These are the equivalent of MMGs for the Crusaders, and are a great demonstration of how detailed the "fluff" surrounding these loveable anthropomorphic anteaters is: there's a whole section in the This Quar's War book devoted to the Model 6's, describing how they are used, what round they fire, their crew and functions etc. More information than you get in most non-sci fi games!
Not a very good picture, but the section comprises three guns, each with a crew of six.
See more of the Quar by visiting their gallery here, or at the Zombiesmith site itself
Sorry that there's been nothing from me for a couple of days: real life getting in the way of anything else. Worked in the office until 10.30pm last night: so add in commuting time and you're talking a 17-hour day!
Anyhoo, onto today's submissions:
There are two pictures today. First up are Mr Treadhead's US vehicles in 28mm:
And secondly, and terribly predictably, here's Steve's cat:
Another cracking battle report from Brooklyn Wargaming, with an AAR dealing with the second game in their Heroes of Omaha and Panzer Lehr campaign set in France in 1944.
After a narrow American victory in game one (see the Hauts-Vents AAR), the Germans counter-attack!
Click here or on the picture below to see what happens...
Getting to the stage where I have to do an update early on in the weekend in order to make time for an update after the weekend!
In no particular order, we have:
Today's picture? Well let's carry on the tradition of showcasing a newbie's first entry. Here are Mr Milne's 15mm Australians:
Brooklyn Wargaming have some fantastic IABSM AAR on their website, which can be reached by clicking here.
They have generously agreed that I can add them to the Vis Lardica site so, for your enjoyment, here's a battle report from the end of last year featuring a game set near Hauts-Vents in France, 1944.
Click here, or on the picture below, to see the full report.
If you have an AAR for one of the TooFatLardies company-sized games (IABSM, CDS, Q13) do feel free to submit it for inclusion to admin@vislardica.com. No need for anything fancy: just a few pics and words, or even just pics or words, will do.
And if you've enjoyed this AAR and any other bits of content on the site, please comment, like or, if you own your own website, put a link to Vis Lardica on that.
Cheers
R
Time to go back...back...back in time to 2007, and an AAR for IABSM from The Mad Padre rescued from the depths of the Internet.
It's France 1940, and the French are counter-attacking. Click on the pic to see more.
Saturday morning before the rugby saw a great game of I Ain't Been Shot, Mum take place as the Benson boys and I played the first scenario of the Vyazma or Bust! campaign.
Click here or on the picture below to see how the game unfolded. Be warned: it was bloody, very bloody!
Fantastic day of rugby yesterday with the climax of the Six Nations. Once again England were so close but yet so far from becoming champions, but well done to the Irish anyway.
How can we maintain that level of excitement through to Sunday night? Why, an update to the painting challenge of course!
Today's achievements (and they are legion!) are:
Today's picture, as you might have guessed, is of WillieB's ships. Very nice:
Not quite sure why I bought these, as I don't have any Tirailleurs for French in North Africa, but I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time, and they have painted up quite nicely.
So, here they are: two Laffly S15 TOE armoured trucks...
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!
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Here's the third and, for the moment, final AAR from The Wargaming Addict played on a wargaming engine as opposed to the tabletop.
This time the Addict picks a scenario from the Blenneville or Bust! scenario pack, set in Normandy: the opening game involving the clash of two recon forces just west of Pierrecourt.
Click here or on the picture below to see the whole report
As those who follow this blog will know, I have recently painted a squadron of plastic British A13 cruiser tanks from Zvezda in desert colours. I was naturally keen to get them onto the tabletop, so invited my regular opponent, Neil, round for a battle.
I'd determined to use one of the two 'all tank' scenarios from the Operation Compass scenario pack (written by me and available to purchase from all good retailers: well, here and the TFL main site!) so carefully printed off the pages we'd need for Scenario 10: The Road From Fort Capuzzo.
It wasn't until I'd laid out the terrain and turned to getting the figures out that I realised that Scenario 10 doesn't feature any A13s: just A9s and A10s!
No bother: the newly painted tanks will have to wait their turn as my BEF tanks demonstrate what they can do re-tasked to the desert.
So click here or on the picture below to see what happens when Rae Leakey and his tank squadron drive towards the road from Fort Capuzzo in December 1940: an interesting game that takes place up in the blue in the dead of the night...
Rae Leaky up in the blue in the dead of the night
Vis Lardica is a website devoted to wargaming and military history, with a special emphasis on the company-sized rulesets produced by the TooFatLardies: I Ain't Been Shot Mum (WW2); Charlie Don't Surf (Vietnam); and Quadrant 13 (science fiction)
Welcome to Vis Lardica, a not-for-profit website mostly dedicated to the company-sized wargaming rules produced by the TooFatLardies, but encompassing my other gaming interests as well.
If you need to contact me, you can do so at:
vislardica@gmail.com
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