Fred’s 2024 Painting and Gaming log

[fred.]

The other (older) set is Rommel. 

It's a representative level lower, bases are companies. It's also gridded. It is a more complex game, units (of the same type) can have different initial strength ratings. There is a Ops board for each player which does special rules. There is a combat results table rather than just looking for successes. 

There are a lot of similarities - but I prefer Eisenhower, it has a feel of an iteration of Rommel, but is more streamlined, is more of a miniatures game and simply gives good games. 

[fred.]

Both the clubs I play at want it without grids so I have had to do a rewrite.  First trial of the grid-less rules next week.

Have fun! Feels like a fair bit of work. 

We did attempt a gridless sci-fi game that worked on unit blobs and measuring from the centre of the formation. At this stage can't recall what problem it was trying to solve (probably lots of toys on the table but a fairly speedy game)

[steve_holmes_11]

Both the clubs I play at want it without grids so I have had to do a rewrite.  First trial of the grid-less rules next week.

I'm struggling to imagine how supply and isolation will work without grids.

[hammurabi70]

Have fun! Feels like a fair bit of work.
Yes!  Four pages of adjustments so far.  As usual you have to be aware of the law of unintended consequences.

I'm struggling to imagine how supply and isolation will work without grids.
As an example: give every unit a zone of control equal to the size of your grid square, the formal size given in the rules is 6 inches.  Supply cannot be traced across ground within that range of an enemy unit.  [My rules are a little more complex than that but that is the basis of the system].

[hammurabi70]

The other (older) set is Rommel.

It's a representative level lower, bases are companies. It's also gridded. It is a more complex game, units (of the same type) can have different initial strength ratings. There is a Ops board for each player which does special rules. There is a combat results table rather than just looking for successes.

There are a lot of similarities - but I prefer Eisenhower, it has a feel of an iteration of Rommel, but is more streamlined, is more of a miniatures game and simply gives good games.

I like them both.  With EISENHOWER units are rather bland and lack character.  Feels a bit like MEMOIR 44 is a common comment.  Differences in national characteristics are not reflected in the rules, so artillery is similar for all armies.  What role for reconnaissance?  There is no difference in doctrine between armies. How will the mass of Soviet tank armies be outmanoeuvred in 1941?  Although some consideration is given to early war, and the war is split between early-war, mid-war and late-war, it feels as if the core of the rules is the American experience of WWII.

ROMMEL provides greater granularity and thus I feel provides greater and better 'flavour'.  After an initial rush of enthusiasm for ROMMEL, players reverted to their previous rule sets, for which I think the grid may have some responsibility.

In both cases the rules provide a good grounding in the period but everyone has their own feeling for what is important and want to add their own aspects to the rules.  What developes will be interesting to see.

[fred.]

WWI Russians

Took advantage of the pre-Christmas tidy up to get a parade of my WWI Russians on the table for a quick head count, and photo session




From left to right, Dragoons, mounted and dismounted. Naval Infantry at the back, behind 4 battalions of infantry, Artillery at the back, with Tachanka and Armoured cars in front, then on the right Cossacks. 



Infantry Battalion



Naval Infantry, either two small battalions, or one large one. Behind them are some standard bearers - who will be for RCW, have yet to decide if they are getting Red or White banners.



Dragoons



Dismounted Dragoons



Various Command stands



Artillery - 76.2mm guns in front, a couple of mortars and a maxim on a carriage behind, and limbers at the back. 



Cossack and Frontier Guard artillery



Cossacks



Dismounted Cossacks



Armoured Cars and Tachanka




Third and Fourth Infantry Battalions

[paulr]

    

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Very impressive

[fred.]

Last call for 2024

Got some final pieces painted and based over the last week



WWI Russians


These were Christmas presents so a very quick turnaround (in part thanks to the awful weather curtailing lots of other things)



These are perhaps the heaviest armed WWI infantry with Madsen LMGs and broom handle Mauser machine pistols!

These round out my dismounted cavalry for this army

Squat Snipers

These are 3d printed 6mm sci fi, another unit to add to an existing large army



AWI / SYW British

I've finally succumbed to the lure of AWI!! I placed an order a couple of days ago (getting in before the price rise, or some such excuse)

I then remembered I'd got a bunch of SYW figures that I bought second hand a few years ago. 

So I rebased these British figures on to 1" bases. This is at least the second time I've rebased them, without having played a game with them...



Given the size of the scenarios in Live Free or Die having 24 stands feels a good head start. 

[paulr]

    

[fred.]

Just had a read through - and realise there are more gaps than posts from this year! So while having a cup of tea, just back from visiting family, I'm going to see what I missed posting. 

Legions Imperialis - 6mm SciFi - Tyranids vs Blood Angels. Tyranids from a fan list - not very balanced I recall, a huge Tyranid victory - the use of spore drop pods transforms the Tyranids from a plodding melee army into a terrifying deep strike power house!





For King and Parliament - 10mm Historical - think this was a Celtic Fringe scenario - but can't remember


 

Blucher - 6mm Historical - French vs Austrians. A first trial game of Blucher - we liked it, took a while to understand how the parts worked together. We decided that the cards weren't that useful and used sabot trays in the next game




Legions Imperialis - 6mm SciFi - Imperial Fists vs Blood Angels. This was a blood bath (in the snow)



Warmaster XL - 10mm Fantasty - High Elves vs Beastmen - a major win for the Elves, who enveloped one flank, whilst shooting up the other. 

 



And this game led to me finally rebasing my Elven archers on to 40x40mm bases



Legions Imperialis - 6mm SciFi - Imperial Fists vs Blood Angels - this scenario was played up the table. Another blood bath - this time for the Blood Angels - see how many of their units you can spot in the second photo?





Blucher - 6mm Historical - French vs Austrians (with actual Austrian figures this time)




Warmaster XL- 10mm Fantasy - Ogres vs High Elves - this turned into a big win for the Ogres - they were able to get into melee which means they win. The elves really needed to dance around and shoot to win!



The Elves leave a big chunk of their infantry unused at the back of the table...



This gets me to the end of May!

[fred.]

Catch-up part 2 (rather more to this than I thought!)

Blitzkrieg Commander - 10mm Historical - WWII D-Day Sword beach - played on the 7th June, I was the British attempting to storm the beaches of Normandy. My attacker rather stalled - I seem to recall I struggled with command rolls so struggled to move and shoot. We thought after we probably should have given the attackers some more off table support, either naval or air. 





Legions Imperialis - 6mm SciFi - 3 player game. This was a fun and fairly chaotic game - my drop pod marines managed to land in impassable terrain and where destroyed (will remember that rule in the future) - at the far end the other two players took lumps out of each other. 



Warmaster XL - 10mm Fantasy - Dogs of War vs Ogres - this one is document in full above!



Kill Team - 28mm SciFi - Tau vs Harlequins - this was a big change of pace, skirmish game vs a new (to me) player. Felt more like a puzzle game, in working out how to score the most points, rather than a wargame. Very slow as none of us had played for ages, and whist the core rules are fairly simply there are so many add-ons and special rules for each figure.



Irregular Wars - 10mm Historical - 16th Century Scots vs English - don't recall a lot about this game, seem to think the Scot's commander got isolated in a central melee, and killed, which is pretty much game over in IW. 



Warmaster XL - 10mm Fantasy - Nippon vs Dark Elves. I think this was fairly close, the Samurai eventually cutting through the Elves. 

[fred.]

Legion Imperialis - 6mm SciFi - Squats vs Imperial Fists (not mine this time) - the Imp Fists appear to be hiding in the top right corner - despite outnumbering the squats pretty heavily. Not sure the Squat list is pointed quite right yet - it's felt outnumbered in several games. 



Legion Imperialis - 6mm SciFi - Squats vs Imperial Fists - same armies, but different IF player and figures. 



Kill Team - 28mm SciFi - Orks vs Tau vs Harlequins - was a very cagey game with the new version of the rules. A lot (far too much really) discussion of how the line of sight rules work - which seem overly bothered about being able to see the base, not the figure.



There were also the various Eisenhower games that are already covered above. 

I'm not 100% sure this is everything - but it's certainly most of the games from 2024. 

The 3 main games have been 
1) Warmaster XL - good to get the 10mm fantasy back on the table
2) Legions Imperialis - the new(ish) rules are good, and we have been statting up non 30k armies too
3) Eisenhower - coming in at the year end, and good to get the huge WWII collections on the table

What hasn't got on the table is WWI which is a bit surprising as it has been a frequent flyer in the last few years. 

[paulr]

You have been busy       

...
For King and Parliament - 10mm Historical - think this was a Celtic Fringe scenario - but can't remember


...

That looks to be Tippermuir, 1 September 1644, from the Montrose - To Win Or Lose It All scenario collection

[fred.]

You have been busy       
That looks to be Tippermuir, 1 September 1644, from the Montrose - To Win Or Lose It All scenario collection

Thank you - that sounds likely. Glad you know what I've been doing!