AAR: Germans Retreat

Originally posted 10th July 2014

Another great AAR from the Mark Luther archive (all available on Flickr but gradually being added here too). This is another IABSM game in 6mm: this time it's action on the Eastern Front as a German column retreats.

 

AAR: Eastern Front Double

Originally posted 5th July 2014

Added a couple of archive battle reports from Amokfigur:  these date back to 2006 and are taken from a website that declares itself in hiatus. Well, I hope all is good with Amok and he's still playing IABSM...and I do love the way that King Tiger is painted.

Heldenhausen

Somewhere in Russia

TFL Painting Challenge: 2,000 Points Reached!

Originally posted 5th July 2014

Achievements today from Mr Ralls (more aircraft); Alexandros, whose lovely DAK half-tracks and Soviet BT-5s take him past the 500 mark; Mr Plowman (some nice sci-fi figures); Owen and his Wild West buildings (now a town bigger than Scarborough); and Treadhead with his big poles.

Significantly, Owen's entries make him the first person to go past the 2,000 point mark. Most impressive, and let's see if you can do 5,000 before the new year!

Today's pictures are another double. The first is of Alexandros' half-tracks, the second is Mr Plowman's GZG grav bikes and APC:

PS  If any of you do notice that my maths is out on the Scorecard, or that I've forgotten to add an entry, do shout out. I tend to update this late at night when my usual attention to detail might be wavering slightly! 

Also, thanks for all the kind words from those of you who have said that the challenge is increasing your output significantly. Don't worry: I'm not burnt out yet, and have every intention of carrying this through to the end of the year!

TFL Painting Challenge Update

Originally posted 3rd July 2014

Quite a few post-second quarter entries today. We have achievements from Pat G, the Ambler Gambler, Mr Ralls and Mr Slade.

There are two pictures today, as I couldn't choose between Mr Ralls' WW2 Heinkels and Mr Slade's sci-fi Warthogs: 

TFL Painting Challenge: Huge Update

Originally posted 30th June 2014

Bumper entries today as people rush to get in their entries before the end of the second quarter!

So today we have achievements from:

  • Owen, who cruises past 1,500 points at the speed of light with a large sci-fi entry which also takes him into the lead at over 1,800 points
  • Kev, with another forty SYW infantry
  • Vidal, who not only beats me to the first Martin tripod entry but also passes the 500 point mark
  • Jon Yuengling, who is so prolific I now spell his name with ease
  • Treadhead
  • Derek Hodge with a collection of buildings, scenery and farm animals (sounds like my love life) that taxed the points system of the challenge but resulted in him passing the 500 point mark with flying colours
  • Egg, whose wonderful 1/1250 ships are today's star picture
  • Topi with a collection of 15mm WW2 figures
  • Mr Danziger
  • Stumpy, who went basing mad and achieved half points for 375 Zulu War 28mm figures which neatly took him past the 1,000 point mark
  • Mr Plowman whose four Big Men take him past the 500 mark, as the actress said to the bishop (I'm here all week, try the fish).

And Kev and Craig: you were indeed imprisoned in my spam box, but should now be recognised as legit for future entries.

Here are Egg's beautiful boats:

AAR: Vyazma

Originally posted 28th June 2014

Craig Ambler finishes his Vyazma or Bust! campaign with Scenario 3B: The Outskirts of Vyazma. I can't wait to see what he makes of Bashnya!

TFL Painting Challenge: Quick Update

Originally posted 26th June 2014

PatG has finally broken his duck: scoring twenty points for five 28mm Victorian Sci-Fi figures. Nice to see you finally on board, Pat!

In other news, Manuel adds some more Franks, Jason Ralls cruises past the 1,500 point mark with forty 15mm foot and twenty 28mm foot, and Thomas paints some troops for Dust.

AAR: Keren at Partizan

Originally posted 22nd June 2014

Scrivs and friend took their amazing Keren game to the Partizan in the Park show. Some excellent new additions, including this great Sikh stretcher team:

King Tigers!

Originally posted 21st June 2014

I've had problems painting late war German tanks ever since I first started on them. How do you get that camouflage looking right without using an airbrush?

Of course, the simple answer would have been to get an airbrush...but I haven't, but have finally worked out how to do it. The answer? A sponge!

The Battlefront 15mm Konigstigers below were painted with a base coat of dull yellow, then stripes of sponge applied green and brown paint. Pop a brown wash over the top and there you are. And where did I get the sponge from? Well Battlefront put loads in all their boxes as part of the packing!

TFL Painting Challenge

Originally posted 21st June 2014

Right...let's get everyone up to date. 

Achievements today from Craig Ambler; Joakim Strom; Benito Vera; Dave Bailey; Kev and Vidal. And today's picture is another from Kev...there's just something about his style that just suits the SYW:

Q13 Army Lists: The Quar

Originally posted 20th June 2014

I have been so busy with Bashnya or Bust! that I missed the next wave of Zombiesmith's 15mm Quar releases.

This introduces some very welcome additions to the range, including the much-needed basic company support weapons for both the Crusader and Coftyran forces. It also includes Coftyran officers, new tractors and a great looking Weedl scout kite. Finally, there is a new nationality of Quar released, the Kryster: desert raiders equipped with fast-moving three-wheelers and their own tractor. I have immediately ordered about a metric ton of these, and can't wait to get them on the painting table.

 New figures means a revised army list, so the Quar list now contains all the new releases plus details of the Fidwog forces as well. My thanks to Josh of Zombiesmith for the free pdf.

TFL Painting Challenge

Originally posted 20th June 2014

Only time to put a couple of people's achievements up tonight. More tomorrow, but up now are Owen's and Mr Ralls' 

And here's a quick pic of Mr Ralls' 28mm hospital for Rourke's Drift. NHS cuts:  fousands of 'em!

New WW2 Figure Manufacturer Added: MMModels

Originally posted 20th June 2014

I like to try and keep the list of WW2 15mm figure manufacturers as up to date as possible, so it's annoying to have missed MMModels.co.uk off it for so long.

They produce a nice selection of "tail" models (staff cars, vans, buses, tank transporters, landing craft etc) to order. I haven't got any myself at the moment, so can't really comment on the quality, but they certainly look good from the photos. I am about to put together an order which should keep them busy for a little while, and will report back once I have them in my hands.

AAR: Bloody Omaha Warm-Up

Originally posted 16th June 2014

I have two AARs involving Mike Whitaker's fantastic Bloody Omaha game. Here's the first: the warm-up game played a week or so before Operation Market Larden 2.

Great report, great photos!

TFL Games Day: Operation Market Larden 2

Originally posted 15th June 2014

I was lucky enough to be able to make Operation Market Larden 2 this weekend: a day of Lardy wargaming organised by the Wyvern Wargamers.

This was an excellent day's gaming at which I played Chain of Command for the first time in the morning (my apologies to my opponents for the slightly flukey at-the-last-moment victory!) and Mike Whitaker's brilliant rendition of the Bloody Omaha scenario from the Where The Hell Have You Been, Boys? D-Day scenario pack in the afternoon.

There will be a proper AAR posted shortly but, for the moment, here is a sample shot of the afternoon game.

AAR: Izdeshkovo

Originally posted 15th June 2014

Craig Ambler has decided to celebrate the launch of the Bashnya or Bust! scenario pack by running throught he Vyazma or Bust! campaign again.

Here is the AAR from his first game: Izdeshkovo.

Wirbelwind and Soviet Flamethrower Teams

Originally posted 15th June 2014

Two bits of painting finished today:  the Soviet flamethrower teams and German Wirbelwind needed for the Bashnya or Bust! scenario pack.

TFL Painting Challenge Update

Originally posted 15th June 2014

Today's achievements are from Kev; Manuel; Dick Bax; Mr Plowman; and Matt Slade.

Here are Mr Plowman's Grendel bashers...although I can't see Antonio Banderas anywhere!