Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Return to Panshir

Got in some good Ambush Alley action at the weekend - not as much as planned, but still an enjoyable weekend with a few DVDs thrown in for good measure.

Originally I had done up a scenario to take advantage of a T-72 model, but the scale worked out to be too far out, so we came up with a quick and dirty scenario.


An under strength Soviet rifle platoon moves in to take control of a village in the Panshir region.

The Soviets move into the village

An Afghan reception party awaits on the rooftop of a compound

Afghan reception party

1st Squad reaches the wall of the main square and targets the Mujahideen

1st Squad reaches the wall

2nd Squad moves through the fields along their right flank

2nd Squad moves through the fields

Sniping from the treeline, frantically trying to cover multiple angles as the MG team is heavily suppressed

Sniping from the treeline

Struggle for control of the compound as the Afghans send in reinforcements

Struggle for control of the compound

Accurate fire from the neighbouring compound takes a soldier down

Accurate fire takes soldier down

Move it! This squad will spend much of the time playing cat and mouse with a large Mujahideen group threatening their axis of attack

Move it!

Taking the compound - sealing off a narrow tunnel the Afghans were using to move into the compound

Taking the compound

A flanking Move behind the market almost comes to grief as the squad somehow survives a torrent of rifle fire from across the open ground

Flanking Move

Sergeant Boris has copped it! The Platoon's morale takes a serious hit as news comes in that a favourite NCO has been killed in action.
What's the Plan? The squad's return fire has left them short of their objective and they're not inclined to advance any further

What's the Plan

Taking Fire - The right flank's advance slows to a crawl as the Mujahideen get accurate with their shooting

Taking Fire

Afghans fight for second compound. Having ceded control of the outlying compound, they prepare to sell their lives dearly

Afghans fight for second compound

The Afghans fall back out of sight

Afghans fall back

But their fire has had a significant effect. The MG Team is out of action again, and the sniper team rushing in to perform first aid has succumbed as well. Finally the Soviets have to pull in a fire team from the right flank to see to them

MG Team out of action

Preparing for final assault. With large amounts of firepower right behind them in the first compound, this lone fire team fits bayonets!

Preparing for final assault

You want to live forever? They charge a small house. Hordes of Mujahideen have been pouring out of this all morning

You want to live forever

Rooftop knife fight finally swings in Soviets' favour

Rooftop Knife Fight

A great battle. It seemed like it was all over in turn 4 - but the Afghans fought tooth and nail to get back into it, and they could've won it in the end, had four Soviet casualty rolls gone the other way.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Casualties of War?

I'm getting some medic and casualty figures for my British and Taliban from Britannia, but in the meantime I was wondering whether people use casualty figures in their games (irrespective of period or scale)

Poll is on the blog at the top-right corner.


I'm running a few games of Ambush Alley this weekend. A few Soviet vs. Mujahideen games tonight and then maybe some British vs. Taliban tomorrow. So I'll be posting a few reports later in the weekend.
Thanks
Donogh

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Tomorrow's War

Ambush Alley Games are still on track to publish a PDF version of their sci-fi wargame - Tomorrow's War - this month. The full bells and whistles (and eye-candy!) version will be published next year with Osprey.

Here's the cover


It's science fiction for sure, but most definitely concentrating on the human element - a design philosophy which runs through AAG's stuff. I believe the infantry and vehicles are inspired by GZG's New Anglian Confederation (Americans & British) stuff...

Sunday, September 5, 2010

The Defence of Wilson's Wadi

The Taliban have just launched a spring offensive, targeting the airfield at Qandahar. A small garrison near the Arghandab is right in the firing line, and seeks to stem the assault until relief can arrive...


The platoon's commander, Lieutenant Wilson is shot dead during the first engagement and the struggle to recover his body marks the beginning of three days of intense and brutal combat.

The Defence of Wilson's Wadi will take place all weekend using the Ambush Alley system.

Gaelcon 2010 will be running from October 22nd to 25th at D4 Hotels, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
View Gaelcon's website here

Saturday, September 4, 2010

A Non-Update Update


Just back from holidays today. Spent a week in Youghal, and we got fantastic weather for it (I call it 'back-to-school' weather). I had planned to do writing in the late evening (second draft of Command & Colours - siege rules and the outline of my Ambush Alley campaign for Gaelcon) but a tooth infection the day after we arrived put paid to that. A course of anti-biotics and the pain had a severe affect on my stamina (not to mention the dawn 'til dusk antics of a toddler!)

My holiday entertainment after Isabel's bedtime consisted of The Dead Flags in the kitchen whilst cooking, the entirety of Spaced and the third in the Captain Alatriste series - The Sun over Breda. Fantastic stuff all-round.

My Holiday Entertainment
Of course following my trip to the dentist, Tiger Beer intake went to zero!

From the last post (Motor Pool) you may have guessed that I've broken the back of my sci-fi project. More to the point, 65+ figures and 5 vehicles that have been sitting on the shelf unpainted for more years than I care to remember are now in service! Small beans maybe but still a monkey off my back, and kudos to the Guild for providing a great environment of encouragement.

Speaking of which: they've just finished the Big Game. Two years in the making, this gigantic Cold War gone Hot scenario pitted thousands of miniatures against each other across five boards. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend but take a look over here

Here are some flavour shots (click to get a larger view) but believe me there's plenty more in the gallery...

 Dutch Armour ready for Knife-Fight

Bridge Crossing

Soviet HQ

They're already planning a follow up game for next year, and I'll probably run a game here in parralel. Maybe a 6mm massed armour bash with a small 20mm special forces operation on the side.

Not to mention that the crazy bastards are already talking about the 2012 Big Game!
Photobucket
Sign me up...

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Motor Pool


Vehicles for the garrison company of the Human Co-Prosperity Sphere on Novaya Sakha.

Mechanised Infantry Combat Vehicle
ZBD-39 (Mechanised Infantry Fighting Vehicle)

Armoured Personnel Carrier
ZSL-12 (Armoured Personnel Carrier)

Light Tank
ZFB-35 (Light Tank)

Main Battle Tank
ZBR-18 (Main Battle Tank)

VTOL
Z-22 (Utility VTOL)

Armour Column
Armour Column

Column Parked
Column parks and troops disembark

VTOL's Chain Gun
VTOL swings its chain gun into action (is fully rotatable, thanks to rare-earth magnets)

I also had some stowage and some generic crewmen/mechanics I had in mind, but I'll get around to them next month...the core items are done for the task.

First time I've done vehicles at this scale in a very long time, so fairly pleased with them. I'll probably add some decals as well if I can get something suitable generic and low-visibility

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Russian Platoon ready for action

While The Guild's Big Game takes place, I'll have to content myself with this...

This Russian rifle platoon can perform duty in a Cold War what-if scenario versus my SAS forces as well, but I expect these will see duty in 1980s Afghanistan.


The 1st squad includes a light machine gun and a sharpshooter
1st Squad

The 2nd Squad is identical
2nd Squad

The Machine Gun Team
Machine Gun Team

An RPG team
RPG Team

A Sniper Team
Sniper Team

The Entire Platoon
Platoon

These are from Combat Miniatures Panshir Range