My wargaming has slowed to a crawl since my last blog posting. A host of reasons intruded on my available time not least a downturn in my wargaming mojo! Over a month ago I set up a WW2 game, the battle of Cristot, and so far have only completed a half dozen turns. I did though manage to keep up a reasonably steady amounting of painting, more of that below.
So with the end of year approaching, it is time to review what I have completed over the past 12 months. As in previous years I will republish my plans for the year and update them as to what has been accomplished. Text in italics are taken from those plans.
BATTLES
ANCIENTS:
Early Imperial Roman 2nd Augusta Legion v Ancient British Durotriges tribe in the west country.
Unfortunately, no further forward. It was my intention to construct an iron age hillfort, and although tempted to forsake that just to get the game done, decided I really should complete the construction given the location of the action. I have completed the base and some test palisade and hope to progress this early in the new year.
ECW:
Stoke Lane 1st July 1643.
Completed – https://grymauch.blogspot.com/2022/09/ecw-battle-of-stoke-lane-1st-july-1643.html
Edgehill – a considerable number of figures need to be painted. I have included this battle as a possible although probably a long-shot for this year.
Definitely on course to be played next year.
Continued –
NAPOLEONIC:
Peninsular War project – Battle of Tamames 18th October 1809 Spanish v French.
Completed – https://grymauch.blogspot.com/2022/02/battle-of-tamames-18th-october-1809.html
Napoleonic Campaign – Grazzbenn (French v Prussians). This will be the largest game I will have played since Waterloo. It is ready to go but given its size I am waiting until after I have moved when I will hopefully have more space.
Completed – https://grymauch.blogspot.com/2022/05/nap-campaign-battle-of-grazzbenn-2nd_29.html
Also in the campaign two further battles were played. The first being Sanlucar:
https://grymauch.blogspot.com/2022/08/nap-campaign-battle-of-sanlucar-3rd.html
And lastly Holbrook – https://grymauch.blogspot.com/2022/10/nap-campaign-battle-of-holbrook-3rd.html
ACW:
ACW fictional campaign – battles of Tenterfield and Dunbart.
Scenarios – I may well add an historical battle with Antietam looking promising. I would need to paint more figures though but all this will depend on Gettysburg:
Gettysburg Day 2 – I have been creating a map based on the Day 2 map in the original Fire and Fury rule book. My figure bases are 60% of the size of those used for 15mm in the rules which translates to a table 8’3″ x 3’9″ extending to 4’6″. The garage upgrade (see above) will hopefully allow for that. Providing I can complete the terrain required I intend to play this before the year is out.
Unfortunately a total absence of ACW wargames this year. More terrain has been completed for Gettysburg (see below).
COLONIAL:
Rorkes Drift – Most of the figures have now been painted with just the terrain to be completed.
Another failure!
PONY WARS:
A priority to get the figures painted followed by terrain. I am optimistic (should not have said that!) a game or games will be played this year.
No games!
WW2:
Battle south of Nibeiwa – Operation Compass campaign
Nope
Groesbeek Heights – Op Market Garden
Nope
Cristot scenario – ‘O’ Group rules
I try to avoid the urge to buy every new wargames ruleset which is not an easy thing to do given the very tempting new offerings that appear. That said I do not rule it out completely and although I enjoy Blitzkrieg Commander IV there is room for improvement. Recently I have been paying closer attention to Dave Brown’s latest WW2 offering, ‘O’ Group. I have now purchased them as a possible replacement for BKC or having them as an addition but at a different level. This could change the WW2 plans for the year trialling this ruleset and maybe even shoe-horning them into the Op Compass campaign.
I began playing this game but soon established these were not the rules for me. I appreciate they are very popular, just not my style of gaming. My BKC version (a Rapid Fire scenario) is currently on the board and will be reported on in the new year.
CAMPAIGNS
ANCIENTS:
Roman invasion of Britain. A hillfort needs to be constructed whereupon the next battle will be played set in the west country – Dorset of course!
Beginnings of hillfort now under construction
WARS OF THE ROSES:
Kingmaker campaign. Next map moves needed to be done. I am hopeful progress can be made during the course of the year.
No progress. This may be put on ice for now.
NAPOLEONIC:
Warplan 5/5 campaign to continue. The large battle of Grazzbenn to be played after my house move. I would hope more games are added later in the year.
This was fulfilled. See battles above.
ACW:
Another Warplan 5/5 campaign. I hope to play both impending battles before the year is out.
Nothing completed this year. I shall be having a rethink on this campaign next year including how I scratch my ACW itch.
WW2:
Op Compass campaign to continue with 2 actions to be played including one in the Italian camps.
No progress this year. More desert terrain to be completed before continuation of this project.
PAINTING/MODELLING
Targets for the year:
I shall be aiming for 3,000 x 6mm figures painted. My targets:
600 x Pony Wars
290 completed
1000 x ECW (Edgehill)
1354 completed
700 x Zulu Wars (Rorkes Drift)
None completed! I have though decided that I currently have enough to fight the action. Terrain to be completed before the game is played.
400 x WW2 (Groesbeek Heights / Cristot)
61 + 24 vehicles/tanks completed. Sufficient for Cristot only.
300 Punic Wars (Trebia)
None completed!
There is a high probability that Napoleonics will be added but no specific requirements as yet.
364 completed.
A total of 2069 figures painted for the year. 1,000 short of the target!
Terrain –
Hillfort
Base constructed and test pieces for palisade.
Rorkes Drift
A 10mm version has been purchased better suited to a 1:1 scale game. Yet to start on this.
Pony Wars buildings, fort, mining camp + various mountain passes etc.
A few buildings have been painted which will also be used for Gettysburg.
Gettysburg – more buildings and lots of fences!
As above, a few buildings completed but more to be done. A significant number of scratchbuilt fences have been constructed and, fingers crossed, I should now have enough.
Overall, I have not been able to achieve what I hoped this year, primarily due to a house move where a new wargame venue had to be prepared. I may have to accept that a figure target of 2,500 rather than 3,000 is more realistic.
I will shortly post my plans for the coming year. Hope everybody had a great Christmas, and if I do not get the next post up before the new year, have a good one.
Gertrude is a research journalist working performing her duties as chief editor at this news station. She is a talented writer and comes up with facts everybody wants to know.
