Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Slow But Deadly SBDS for Naval Theater and Huzzah!

 

A flock of SBS to support the American Fleet for my "Torch" related game Saturday at Huzzah!  These are by Ghekek and they are Printed by Arofan in 1/1200 Scale.  The SBD is on of my favorite air craft of the Second World War.  They are slow but now one would say they aren't deadly.  They can also take a lot of punishment and still get their crew home.  Armed with two .50 Cal MGS to the front and twin .30 Cal MGS to the rear they can look out for themselves (especially in formation) and even acted as Ad Hoc emergence CAP on occasion patrolling at low altitude to intercept torpedo bombers  (thought their pilots got very angry when this happened).
Here they are with a 1/24000 scale model of the Kaga their natural pray.   I like the forced perspective. 


Friday, April 25, 2025

Port Republic 1862

 Last Night Arofan hosted a remote  ACW game using a new version of one his computers based rules 

I took command of the Confederate forces under Jackson and promptly had my artillery battery blown to hell and gone. 

Jackson was all about the pell-mell attack, I'm more methodical Bring on my infantry and anther artillery piece.  The gun did no damage but solders feel better if someone is shooting back. 
My Right flank infantry move up and fell back in the face of Yankee fire several times.  The Louisiana Tigers have advance and open fire then the Stonewall Brigade moves up and opens up. 
To my surprise the big Yankee Brigade fall back... 
Artillery drives the Stonewall boys back. 
The Verterans of the Stonewall Brigade sort themselves out, advance and fire again. 
The Tiger Brigade charged and drove the Yankees off, Jackson's Brigade got a face full of Yankee artillery and fell back 

Ewell and Jackson are busy rallying units as the Yankee Gunners are getting hot and doing damage. 
The Yankee flak is open and both the Stonewall and the Tiger bridged close for the kill and break the Yankee infantry.  The union held longer than they did historically but I probably lost fewer men Jackson 

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Mayhem 2025

Two weekends ago was the Mayhem convention. Life has been crazy since then so I am behind on posting.
My first game was GQIII the Raid on Yorkshire a battle of the Great War that almost was.  I ran part of the German Force. Successfully bombarding the town then beating up on two English squadrons. 
Unfortunately my ships Saydlitz and Moltkie were knocked around badly and the Blucher was sunk ending the battle in a draw.
The next game was Electronic Brigadier: Freeman's Farm. I was on the British side running a Hessian brigade.
My men covered the left flank of the Redcoat advance the Americans fought hard but English and German zeal and bayonets drove them back.
Saturday morning I ran a game I called the Gibraltar Races based loosely on the second battle of Algazias.
The action was furious and hard fought a minor English victory 
Saturday afternoon I was flying Mosquito Green leader hunting the Tirpitz. I helped take down a German Destroyer before being shot down 
We did manage to hit the big German ship multiple times and she was knocked out of the war. 
Saturday night I was the Alamo I had Jim Bowie's command defending the North East side of the mission and the "long" Barracks 
I the end we were no more successful than the historic defenders but man it was fun.

Sunday the savage aliens came to Hanghi Mike Payne's amazing Chinese city.
Mike and GM Gabe 

The game was chaotic and lots of fun a great ending to the weekend. 

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Perils and Princesses: the Rat King of Fairyland.

 Saturday Evie, Connie, Nicole (Connie's mom) met for another game of Perils and Princesses. We had been asked to clear out the "Rat King" and some cursed bees. Bees are key to the Fairy village's economy so we tried to keep casualties to a minimum.  My character Beleg has an enchanting voice and can sometimes sing enemies to sleep so we used that to our advantage... unfortunately we had to kill the queen (hopefully they have a royal larva).

Eventually we made our way below the storage areas (and the hive that had taken it over) and made our way into the lair of the Rat King (it turns out that Rat Kings are real things check this out if you aren't eating anything) Beleg used his musical ability to inspire her troops.  

I also tried to get the Rat king to case me... but it went after the girls who managed to doge it's attack and after multiple attacks with spear, sword and staff we took it down.  This gave us one of the artifacts (the Rat King's tail, ewe)  we need to break the Candy Curse. 


Monday, March 24, 2025

Winter Painting

In the tradition of the Analog Hobbies painting challenge I present my winter painting.  I didn't participate in the challenge this year but I was painting 
Hartwell Tavern made by Things From the Basement.

Two Colonial house also made by Things From the Basement.


Two North Hampton Class Cruisers Printed from a Ghekek File 
Five Trible Class Destroyers 
Two Isa class battleships 
A pair of Hipper class Heavy Cruisers 
The French Magadore class Destroyers 
The French Light Cruiser Emile Bertin 
The French Heavy Cruiser Algerie 
The Heavy Cruisers Wichita 
Four USN Bagley Class Destroyers 

 and a set of ships for my nephews. 

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Ship for Export

These are some Panzerschiffe miniatures that were a belated Christmas Gift to my nephews who have always been interested in my collection.  There are two Kangaro class destroyers and Mogami class cruiser for a Japanese task force.  To oppose them are two Fletcher class Destroyers and USS Helena and improved Brookline class cruiser.  
 

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Ghukek's miniatures Bagley-class Destroyers

Some more ships Bagley  class Destroyers.  These will allow me to add some additional American Destroyers.  These are one of the last Prewar classes  so they are perfect for early war scenarios
They can also sub in of Gridley and Benham class destroys which were broadly similar.  All three are built for fleet action with 4 5"/38 guns and 16 torpedoes... American Torpedoes but still that's a lot of Fish.