Blenneville or Bust! published (IABSM Scenario Pack)

Originally posted 16th October 2012

My latest scenario pack for IABSM is now available to buy!

At 300 pages and 97,000 words, the Blenneville or Bust! campaign pack for the I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum! company-level WW2 rules is a whopper!

Blenneville or Bust! is a collection of fictional late war, western front scenarios set in a valley just south of the Normandy beaches a short time after the D-Day landings. US and British forces are attempting to drive through the German defences in the Ribeaux valley in order to break out into the open country beyond, the Germans are trying to stop them.

The pack contains thirty-one individual scenarios set up in a five-step pyramid campaign i.e. scenario 1 leads to either scenario 2A or 2B; the result of this second game leads to one of scenarios 3A, 3B, 3C or 3D; and so on until scenarios 5A to 5P. Although written as a fictional campaign booklet, no two scenarios are the same: each is unique and is also designed to be played as an individual game.

No need for any preparation: each scenario contains a full briefing for the Umpire and for each player. All you have to do is print out the three briefings, set up the table according to the map, make up the deck from the list of required cards, break out the figures and dice, and start the first turn.

The campaign is structured so that you'll get maximum use of the standard forces presented in Battle for Liberation, with well-designed and balanced scenarios for IABSM, or indeed any company level rule set you happen to game with.

Blenneville or Bust! contains an introduction, details of the campaign structure and forces involved, fifteen different maps (some games are played across the same terrain, albeit in a different direction), thirty-one different scenarios, and a collection of templates allowing you to print off Blind markers as appropriate. Please note, you don't need to print this out like a book (although you can if you wish): Blenneville or Bust! is designed to allow you to just print the scenarios as you use them.

Sample Briefing:

AAR: Outflanked!

Originally posted 6th October 2012

Chris Stoesen gives us our first battle report from the Campaign for Greece scenario pack: scenario #05 Outflanked!

AAR: North of Caen

Originally posted 6th October 2012

Mike Whittacker chips in with two battle reports using the North of Caen scenario from the IABSMv3 rulebook.

AAR: IABSMv3 Rulebook Scenarios

Originally posted 8th September 2012

A couple of 'first game of IABSM' battle reports featuring scenarios from the IABSMv3 rulebook.

Action at Galmanche

North of Caen

AAR: Let's Get The Bastards!

Originally posted 27th August 2012

More from the extremely talented Sergeant Perry: this time it's five different battle reports featuring the same scenario from the Welsh Guards scenario pack played at the same convention.

Just count those Churchills:  I think they needed a bigger table!

AAR: Action at Galmanche

Originally posted 26th August 2012

"Sergeant Perry" is a long time contributor to the TFL Yahoo Group. He plays IABSM in 20mm with a stunningly beautiful collection of figures, vehicles and scenery.

His After Action Reports are always very picture heavy. Here are three featuring the same scenario from the IABSM v3 rulebook: Action at Galmanche.

AAR: A Canadian VC

Originally posted 10th August 2012

Paul Scrivens Smith with a great AAR of a game from one of the scenarios in the IABSM v3 rulebook. Plenty of excellent pictures!

AAR: Eastern Front 1943

Originally posted 23rd June 2012

Another great battle report from a Tony Hobbz solo game. Using a variation of Platoon Forward adapted for company-sized actions, a German force attempts to hold a small village against overwhelming Soviet assault. Some fantastic photos!

AAR: France 1940

Originally posted 29th May 2012

A great battle report from a Tony Hobbz solo game. Using a variation of Platoon Forward adapted for company-sized actions, a German force attempts to clear a small French town. Some fantastic photos!

AAR: The Assault on El Gubbi Airfield

Originally posted 20th May 2012

A quick battle reports for I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!:  I finally managed to get around to playing one of my favourite Operation Compass scenarios: the assault of the El Gubbi airfield.

AAR: Carentan

Originally posted 14th May 2012

Then we have another report from the keyboard of Paul Scrivens Smith as he replicates the Carentan action from Band of Brothers: not once, but twice.

AAR: Neuville au Plain

Originally posted 14th May 2012

We have our first report from the Devon Wargames Group, re-fighting the Neuville au Plain scenario from the All American scenario pack:

AAR: Three from Scandinavia

Originally posted 4th May 2012

We have a flourishing community of Scandinavian Lardies: renown for their good humour; extraordinary combinations of hair style and beards; and wonderful After Action Reports.

Here are three  After Action Reports, all from the Miniatyrmannen (The Miniatures Man) blog: two from various Cons, and one from a club game.

A Tale of Wooden Crosses describes how a German reconnaissance force succeeded in its aim of finding the enemy...

The game put on at Incognicon 2012 was based on the Nice One, Kirill! scenario from the TFL Summer Special 2007:

Finally, a good looking Winter War game set back in 1939:

AAR: A Village in Normandy

Originally posted 15th April 2012

Inspired by the arrival of Battle for Liberation, here is an AAR from a great Normandy game played yesterday.

I've included details of the terrain and forces used, so you can actually re-play this game yourself if you want. If you do, let me know how you get on!

AAR: North of Caen 3

Originally posted 12th April 2012

A third outing for the North of Caen scenario from the IABSM3 rulebook, also from Paul Scrivens Smith:

AAR: Random Game

Originally posted 12th April 2012

James Mantos reports on an early war game where the forces and terrain were generated using the new random scenario generator to be found in the IABSM3 rulebook:

AAR: Le Bas de Ranville

Originally posted 12th April 2012

A report on a D-Day game centred around the Paras' defence of Ranville. The scenario was taken from the Summer Special 2006, and you can see other AAR from the same scenario in the Games Day 2008 section of the AARs page.