Here's a quick battle report from Ioannis Pavlidis, take from a recent post on the IABSM Facebook page.
It's 1941. A unit of Soviet soldiers has fallen back in disarray in the face of the overwhelming German assault. The German spearhead has now moved on, leaving a force behind to mop up the battered Soviets, who have fallen back to an abandoned barracks not far from the Niemirov Ferry crossing.
Click on the picture below to find out what happened.
Seems like ages since I updated the Painting Challenge, but it's only been about a week. Must be all the work for the publication of the BEF handbook for IABSM yesterday that makes it seem longer. Anyway, to business: in today's update, in no particular order, we have:
As always, clicking on the name above will take you straight to their gallery (opens in a new window) and I'll update the Scorecard tonight.
Today's pictures:
A cracking first entry from Mr Hiett
Mongol types from Blue Moose Ken
French Dragoons from Sapper
More modern cavalry: Chieftains from Chris Kay
Would these stop the Chieftains? Some rather nice anti-tank guns from Mr Hodge.
Frenchies from Stumpy
I'm very happy to announce that Blitzkrieg in the West: The BEF, the second of the series of theatre handbooks covering the early war in the West is now available. It covers the British Expeditionary Force from 1939 to the fall of France in 1940. Designed primarily for use with IABSM v3, the handbook will still prove useful to all players of WW2 company-sized wargames.
This incredibly detailed guide to British forces, written by me, is 75 pages in size and is packed with data, including the following British forces:
With additional sections on the Second British Expeditionary Force, other British independent formations, fielding British forces, rating your forces and a comprehensive armoury.
Just in case people were wondering why it's all been a bit quiet on here lately, it's because I've been working hard on the series of Blitzkrieg in the West theatre books for I Ain't Been Shot, Mum.
The French handbook is already available from the TooFatLardies website, and I'm pleased to announce that the handbook covering the British Expeditionary Force should be available to buy on Thursday this week, 1st March.
Covering everything from the Regulars to the Territorials, from the Pioneers to the Searchlights, the BEF handbook will give you everything you need to field a British force in May/June 1940. There's a lot of background info too, so the handbook should be useful for players of other game systems as well.
Lots of entries in already this week, so a quick update to avoid a backlog!
In no particular order, we have:
As always, clicking on the name above will take you straight to their gallery (opens in a new window) and I'll update the Scorecard tonight.
Today's pictures:
Sapper's Edward II and entourage
Cabbages from Mr Stoesen
A Firefly in 28mm from Andy Duffell
Fellow Lardie Desmondo Darkin takes his panzers for a spin in the first scenario from the Bashnya or Bust! scenario pack set against Operation Bagration in 1944.
See how he gets along by clicking on the picture, below...
The good news is that I've finished the first draft of the Belgian Army handbook for IABSM v3. That should be out in a combined Belgian/Nederlands pack on 1st April, following the BEF handbook which is still on track for publication on 1st March.
The bad news means that all the research and writing is severely cutting in to my painting time. All I have managed to finish this week is three late war German Panzerschrek teams for my Aufklarungs Kompanie.
Nice figures from The Plastic Soldier Company, but it's going to be a long haul to finish the main body of the infantry!
This is what happens when you don't update the Challenge for a few extra days: loads of entries flood in!
In no particular order, we have:
As always, clicking on the name above will take you straight to their gallery (opens in a new window) and I've updated the Scorecard as well!
Today's pictures:
Resin church from Carole
WOTR Command stands from Lloyd Bowler. Nice flags.
Gripping Beast Sudanese Spearmen from Master Ken
Another great podcast from the Big Rich, Nick and Sidney.
The lads get together once again to discuss what's new in the world of Lard and what they are working on, and then get stuck into a couple of meaty topics: including political symbols in wargames and how the design of a game can provide a plausible command experience for the gamer.
Please note, the section on Nazi symbols is potentially contentious but they were asked the question and didn't want to shy away from the tough ones. You may not agree with what they say, but hopefully they don't upset too many people.
The usual trip to the library rounds off this episode.
Sorry about the lack of posts recently: real world and too much time spent on the next Blitzkrieg supplements!
Let's see if we can end this drought with a quick Painting Challenge update.
In no particular order, we have:
As always, clicking on the name above will take you straight to their gallery (opens in a new window) and I've updated the Scorecard as well!
Today's pictures:
Andy Duffell's Somua in 28mm
Carole's European types for the Congo
Nice knights from Mr Davenport
Here's something we haven't had for some time: an after action report for Charlie Don't Surf!
This is taken from the CDS Facebook group, and involves a small force of US troops conducting a sweep through a village searching for rice and weapon caches.
Click on the picture below to see all:
I can't believe how quickly some people are racking up their scores!
I haven't had a moment to paint hardly anything so far this year, and yet there are already three people on around 500 points. Impressive stuff.
Here are today's entries:
As always, clicking on the name above will take you straight to their gallery (opens in a new window) and, shock/horror, I've actually updated the Scorecard as well!
Today's pictures:
Militia Bowmen from The Hat
Skyraiders from Steven Lampon
Treadhead lives up to his name
Mr Slade and his Plagueburst Crawler
I'm pleased to say that the first of my official early war IABSM handbooks, Blitzkrieg in the West #1: The French seems to have been very well received, even if the news item on TMP showed in full for only about five minutes on Friday, so no one's commented yet!
On the TFL Forum, Arlequin said: "Having grappled with the French organisations and techno-speak for CoC:Abyssinia, I'll give a standing ovation for this concise, detailed and invaluable work. Well done chaps!"
And Archdukek said: "Congratulations, Robert, on an excellent piece of work. Fascinating stuff."
On the Lead Adventure Forum, Powermonger said: "I do not play IABSM...but is perfect for reference. The book is very, very good. Nice historical references and a comprehensive OOB for France 1940. All divisions listed, with their properly attached support units. As the author says, it is perfect to lay down a company and attach to it the suitable, historically accurate supports. Recommended."
On the TFL Group, Benito said the handbook "Looks fantastic" and Tom McKinney said: "Well done! Just had a look at mine. Lot's of great information and well ordered. Absolutely delighted with the inclusion of campaign/division cross-reference."
So that's a bit of a relief then!
Those of you who are on Facebook might be interested in the Charlie Don't Surf group that I've just joined. It's been around since July last year but, I must confess, I've only just found out about it.
As a reminder, you can also find an I Ain't Been Shot, Mum group on Facebook as well. Click on the name to go straight there.
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Episode Five of the TooFatLardies Oddcast is now available, with Rich and Nick joining Sidney in the studio to discuss how they undertake research when embarking on developing a set of rules.
All of the usual features are there, with a look at what’s on the workbench and a trip to the library.
Click here to go to the Oddcast home page, or you can experience it on YouTube if you prefer.
When IABSM v3 was published, two late war handbooks quickly followed: Battle for Liberation and Vpered Na Berlin. I am very pleased to say that today sees the publication of the first of the v3 early war handbooks: Blitzkrieg in the West #1: The French.
The handbook is 73 pages long, and covers the French Army from 1939 to the fall of France in 1940. It has twenty-nine force listings in it, all looking at core company structure and then the possible battalion, brigade, regimental, divisional and higher level supports. It also has a guide to rating your French forces, and a comprehensive armoury.
Available only as a pdf from the TooFatLardies website, Blitzkrieg in the West #1: The French costs £8.40.
Handbooks covering the BEF, the Belgians and Dutch, and the Germans follow one per month in March, April and May this year.
Blitzkrieg in the West #1: The French contains the following lists:
Infantry Divisions
Infantry Company
GRDI Cavalry Squadron
GRDI Motorcycle Squardon
Motorised Infantry Divisions
Motorised Infantry Company
DIM Motorcycle Company
GRDIM Motorcycle Squadron
GRDIM AMD Squadron
GRDIM AMR Squadron
Independent Tank Formations
Independent Tank Company (R-35, H-35, D-2 or fCM-36)
Independent Tank Company (FT-17)
Colonial Infantry
North African and Foreign Legion formations
Light Cavalry Divisions
Cavalry Squadron
Mechanised Dragoon Fusiliers
Dragoon Mixed Reconnaissance Squadron
RAM AMD Squadron
RAM AMC Squadron
RAM Motorcycle Squadron
Cavalry & Spahis
The Cavalry Squadron
Corps Reconnaissance Groups
GRCA Cavalry Squadron
GRCA Motorcycle Squadron
GRCAm Motorcycle Squadron
Light Mechanised Divisions
Tank Squadron
RDP Mechanised Dragoon AMR Squadron
RDP Mechanised Dragoon Fusilier Squadron
RDP Mechanised Dragoon Motorcycle
RD AMD Squadron
RD Motorcycle Squadron
Reserve Armoured Division
DCR Heavy Tank Company
DCR Light Tank Company
BCP Fusilier Company
One thing I don't have in my WW2 collection is any late war German infantry. Yes, I've got Fallschirmjaeger in camouflaged smocks, but no men in a mixture of feld grau and Zeltbaun.
Until now, that is.
My self-bought Christmas present this year was a PSC company of "Normandy infantry" and their heavy weapons support in 15mm, the first of which I painted this weekend just gone:
I've decided that I'm going to use the figures to build an Aufklarungs Company to go with my already-bought-and-painted SdKfz 250's. I'll then pad that force out to make a full Grenadier company.
Now after painting a company of British Paras in their Denison smocks, I did vow never to paint another camouflaged smock again, but painting these chaps wasn't too bad.
For a start, these are first PSC infantry I've painted: a nice change from the Battlefront and FiB Poles I've been concentrating on recently.
Secondly, these are lovely figures: well posed and with plenty of clear detail to work with. I'm not sure I like the kneeling chap in grey with the binoculars - he looks a bit tall to me - but the others are cracking.
Technique was simple. Undercoat in black, then paint the base colours including the basic tan for the zeltbaun. A very light wash brings out the detail, then highlight and paint on the little green and brown stripes that make up the camouflage. I might have highlighted the greys a bit too strongly, but 15s always look a bit better if a bit over-exaggerated.
I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to painting three platoons worth plus the other supports (about another 100 figures) but the first ten weren't too painful and seem to have turned out quite well.
This year's Painting Challenge is really starting to take off now. Loads of entries came in over the weekend, with more and more of the regulars starting to appear.
So, in no particular order, we have:
As always, clicking on the name of the person above will take you straight through to their gallery (opens in a new window); and, also as always, I'll update the Scorecard over the next few days.
Today's pictures are below:
Knights, but not in white satin, from Sapper
A couple galliots from Blue Moose Ken (wooden models)
A shieldmaiden from Carole
Celts from Ralph (despite the lack of finished basing!)
Some of Chris Cornwell's Germans
Regular visitors to the site will know that one of my regular moans is that sci-fi figure manufacturers rarely produce a full range of figures: they usually produce enough to build an infantry squad, but after that you have to mix and match from other ranges in order to get support weapons, different types of vehicles etc.
The Chuhuac
Loud Ninja Games are better than most: their Chuhuac, for example, have a variety of infantry supported by gravbikes, really cool battlesuits, good-looking AFVs and APCs...everything you could need to represent a fast-moving rapid reaction or reconnaissance force. Cracking stuff.
Up to now, however, their Ikwen range has been limited to a set of what Eli has called militia: enough infantry-types to form a platoon but not much more. I use them as the technical support for the Chuhuac, usually having them positioned defending a supply point or landed transport vessel. Some rather nifty Ikwen terrain pieces are also available, but no support weapons, vehicles and so on.
My Ikwen Engineering Types
Late last year, however, Loud Ninja announced a new set of Ikwen figures: hardened fighters. These were another set of infantry, but this time Ikwen in full combat mode. Now I don't need any Ikwen 'hardened fighters', as that doesn't fit in with the way I use them, but I like to support the smaller manufacturers, and one can't moan on about having no variety if you don't buy them when the variety appears! I also quite fancied having my usual engineer-types suddenly morph into wild warriors ("never make the Ikwen angry") with a quick bit of on-table figure swapping.
The figures duly arrived and I've now painted them:
Ikwen Hardened Fighters
They are pretty nice figures, albeit a little rougher than their predecessors.
That, however, is not really the problem.
The problem is that they are a different size to the militia. Look:
Errrrr...
You can see that the new Ikwen are about a head taller than their forefathers. The height isn't the only problem: look at the difference in size of the calves, width of the chest etc. The Ikwen were big anyway (fully explained by their background)Â now they are huge...and they just don't have the proportions of a 15mm figure: they look...wrong for 15mm.
A related, and annoying problem is what this means for the basing. Note how the original militia Ikwen neatly fits onto a 5p piece, as do the vast majority of 15mm infantry. Now look at the billy-big-balls width of the stance of the hardened fighter: his feet are almost as widely apart as a standard 15mm human is tall!
Not a problem, I hear you cry, he's a very tall Ikwen.
Yes, but he doesn't fit on any sort of sensible base any more.
Billy Big Balls
Anyhow, I have them now, and will have to get them onto the tabletop to see whether they annoy me enough to get rid of them.
Scale creep is a problem with 15mm sci-fi.
Khurasan has a couple of lovely ranges that are quite frankly so 20mm as to be unusable (the Soriog for example), and now it looks as if the Ikwen have unfortunately followed suite.
A good, steady flow of entries coming in for this year's challenge, with a lot of people getting off to a flying start.
Today's entries, in no particular order, are:
As always, clicking on the name of the person, above, will take you straight to their gallery (opens in a new window).
Plenty of time still to enter the challenge: so pick up your brushes and get started. It's almost February already!
Today' pictures are below:
A StuG from Mr Slade
Frenchies from Stumpy
And some Brits to fight them from Mr Haines
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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