In The Name of Roma Published

Originally posted 19th September 2013

Chris Stoesen has released another scenario book for IABSM, In The Name of Roma!, containing a selection of platoon and company level scenarios for the Italians on the Eastern Front.

I've already got the book, and it looks excellent. Here's the blurb from Chris' website:

In July of 1941, the 80° Roma Regiment of the Pasubio Division boarded a train bound for Romania. Along with the rest of the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia (Corpo di Spedizione Italiano), they would advance through the Ukraine alongside their German allies. In the coming months, the 80° would be engaged in brutal fighting across 1400 miles of the Eastern Front – covering most of that on foot.

IN THE NAME OF ROMA is a wargame supplement that contains 30 company and platoon level scenarios covering the actions of the 80a Roma Regiment from August to December of 1941. You’ll follow the 80th from the open steppe to the Donetz industrial basin, including the amphibious attacks across the Dnieper, and the fateful decision of Column Chiarimonti to attempt to seize Nikitovka.

IN THE NAME OF ROMA includes:

  • 30 scenarios divided in six distinct campaigns
  • Historical background information and period area maps
  • Italian and Soviet briefing for each scenario
  • Formation information and stats for Early War Italians and Soviets
  • Forward by Richard Clarke

Though primarily written for the Too Fat Lardies rules systems (I Ain’t Been Shot Mum; Troops, Weapons, and Tactics; and the newly released Chain of Command), the scenarios in IN THE NAME OF ROMA work equally well with Arc of Fire, Bolt Action, Flames of War or your favorite rules system.

IN THE NAME OF ROMA is available for $11 US. Send the money via PayPal to cstoesen@corecard.com and I will e-mail the PDF to you as soon as possible.

AAR: Avaux

Originally posted 31st August 2013

Brian Cantwell continues the Blenneville or Bust! campaign with action around the small village of Avaux. Will the British armour manage to smash though the German lines? Read on to find out!

AAR: Hedgerow Hell et al.

Originally posted 26th August 2013

Sorry there hasn't been much from me lately: all my time has been spent painting up my 15mm squadron of Cromwell tanks, courtesy of Plastic Soldier Company. I'm just finishing the basing now, so pictures etc soon.

Meanwhile, here are three battle reports. Hedgerow Hell is one from last weekend, the other two are from last year.

Hedgerow Hell

First Run at IABSM

Second Run at IABSM

AAR: Slugfest at the Crossroads

Originally posted 24th August 2013

Here's something we don't see very often: two AARs about the same game. The Mad Padres and James Mantos each provide words and pictures about the Slugfest at the Crossroads: a squadron of Shermans encounter German tanks and supports in France, 1944.

AAR: Warning Order

Originally posted 9th August 2013

The Wasatch Front Historical Gaming Society (WFHGS) produce a lovely little pdf wargaming magazine three to four times a year called Warning Order.

Warning Order is packed full of reviews, AARs and, best of all, recent issues have contained a series of nostalgia pieces looking back at the recent history of wargaming. I experienced several flashbacks to my school days when reading them! Highly recommended.

Warning Order issue #33 contains a very positive review of IABSM v3 and an AAR; Warning Orderissue #35 another IABSM v3 AAR. Both are reprinted here with kind permission of the WFHGS.

On The Road To Moscow

German Armoured Assault

AAR: The Battle for St. Contest

Originally posted 29th July 2013

A lovely looking battle report created in the style of those action comics we all loved so much when we were young. Thanks to Paul from the movealongnownothingtoseehere blog for permission to reproduce it here.

AAR: North of Caen

Originally posted 20th July 2013

Action from the Small Sagas blog, where they re-fight the first scenario from the IABSMv3 rulebook: North of Caen.

AAR: Cameron Ridge

Originally posted 16th June 2013

A short WW2 battle report from Paul Scrivens-Smith takes us to East Africa. It's 1941, and the British and Italians are fighting for the Cameron Ridge.

AAR: South of Cherbourg

Originally posted 13th June 2013

A WW2 battle report from Mike Whittacker, with scenario #02 from the IABSMv3 rulebook.

AAR: North of Caen

Originally posted 13th May 2013

A first time player's report covering one of the scenarios given in the v3 rulebook: North of Caen.

AAR: Somewhere Near Calais

Originally posted 18th April 2013

Although some people are now sending me their battle reports direct*, I do still make sure that I regularly search the Internet to make sure I have reproduced every AAR out there on this site.

This does sometimes cause a few problems as my language skills are sometimes just not up to the task!

Here then is an AAR translated from the Hungarian. Google gave me the base text: all the other mistakes are mine!

AAR: Sainte Melotte

Originally posted 8th April 2013

The latest episode in my Blenneville or Bust! campaign. The Germans counter-attack, with theschwerepunkt being the small Normandy village of Saint Melotte.

But who would my opponent be? Read the AAR to understand what on earth I'm babbling on about!

AAR: West of Pierrecourt & The Campoleone Salient

Originally posted 4th April 2013

Two superb After Action Reports from Brian Cantwell, both for I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!

In the first, an American recon force tries to scout ahead in the first scenario from the Blenneville or Bust! scenario pack.

In the second, the Germans counter-attack at Anzio: their target is the Campoleone Salient, scenario 11 from the Anzio: Wildcat to Whale supplement pack.

West of Pierrecourt

The Campoleone Salient

AAR: Near Belle Maison

Originally posted 31st March 2013

I took advantage of the Bank Holiday to get in only my second actual wargame this year: plenty or writing and painting done, but not much gaming as real life bite back with a vengeance.

The game played was one of the scenarios from the Blenneville or Bust! scenario pack: #2B Near Belle Maison. Those of you who favour the Allies and have a nervous disposition may want to look away now!