Contest #2 - Scenario

So you wait for three years for a contest and then two come along at once!

I'm taking a leaf out of GWPertinent's book and copying the format of the competition he ran back in March.

Basically I want you to pimp some of your favourite Land War in Asia blog posts. I have an idea of what people like (from comments mostly) but I do want to hear what specific posts people have enjoyed most and why. Of course on another level this is linkbait! But I hope you'll participate

For the prize this time, instead of a miniature, I'm going to write a wargames scenario for you - customised to your specifications. Historical, hypothetical, fantasy/sci-fi I don't mind. Any system, any scale.
Obviously you'll have a good idea of my interests and the systems I typically play, but whether you specify Austerlitz using C&C Napoleonics, or a sci-fi skirmish inspired by a scene in a book/film I'll take on the challenge. Though if I need to do a bit of research on the system it may take a bit longer to deliver. Anyway, we can discuss in detail once the winner is chosen.

1. You must be a follower of this blog - if that's not possible, a link on your blogroll would be appreciated.
2. To enter write a post on your blog where you select your 3 favourite posts from Land War in Asia.
3. Your post must have 3 pictures, one from each of the posts you selected to portray.
4. Your post must have 3 summaries of the posts you selected to portray - each summary must have a minimum of 3 sentences.
5. You must post a comment on each of the posts you selected with a link to your post.
6. Post your blog link as a comment to this post by July 25th, 2011.
7. On July 26th, I will randomly determine the winner, and link to all your blog posts
8. I can't guarantee the time frame for the winner to receive the scenario, but I promise to give you a deadline once the topic is chosen.

I've been told that my scenarios are well put together, so hopefully this will appeal to all readers!

Contest #1 - Winner!

And we have a winner!

Just three entrants (but maybe the American Civil War isn't as popular as I thought...)

Anyway, here they are

1. The Belgian of Wargame News and Terrain

The officer of the 15th Ironclad prepares for Victorian Sci-Fi adventures (though his pistol looks more flintlock to my prejudices)

2. Kron of Sabre and the Dice

I must admit, Necromancer Bob looks pretty evil! I was sure he'd go with his urban camo Valkyrie.

3. Mik of Mik's Minis

Mik convinced his wife to paint up these Orlock Juves! Rather good for a first effort you must admit.

I assigned numbers 1-6 to the three guys and then had my daughter roll the die
*drum roll*


Congrats to Mik and thanks to all three. Leave a comment with your e-mail Mik and I'll contact you to arrange details.

Contest #2 will be announced tomorrow and will hopefully appeal to more people...

Downed Black Hawk

As announced last week, I'm running a small giveaway.
I'll be drawing a winner on Wednesday, so let's see what you have in your collection

Speaking of cool stuff; a few weeks ago when I ran Force on Force for Trinity Gamers, I got this beauty from Mr.E

The unforuntate Black Hawk



In remarkably good condition, given it's just crashed



Though apparently any worse than this, and the crew and passengers would be extremely lucky to survive



The man holding his wounded comrade is one of my favourite pieces (from Britannia) - I reckon I'd be tempted to use them as my awesome/groovy/cool miniature for the contest.

You've seen these guys before, but they really work well with the chopper - maybe a slightly expanded and modified 'Contracter Trouble' beckons...

The spirit of the gift ties in nicely with a post of mine from February - Best Club in the Cosmos

Ambush

En route through Sangin to the Distrct Centre 7 Platoon's convoy of Vikings and Land Rover WMIKs are ambushed. The third Viking is hit hard by RPGs

While all the initial images I've been using for these posts are from the Royal Anglians' tour in Afghanistan, this one is certainly the most affecting. It shows the disabled Viking after being denied by an air strike

OK, so I don't have two Vikings so the new Mastiff is standing in. Likewise I don't have anything remotely resembling a badly damaged armoured vehicle, so I've just placed the casualties behind the convoy



A fireteam debusses from the second Viking to handle the ambushing Taliban immediately to the column's right



Lead section grabs cover to lay down suppressive fire to the head of the columm



A group of civilians turns up, right beside the firefight



A WMIK crew shows their aggressive spirit by turning around and taking on the ambushers



Medic rushes to treat casualties from destroyed Viking - one KIA (the platoon sniper) and one seriously wounded



Taliban group on the left of the column targets the Land Rover - making sure they can't be seen by the rest of the British



The WMIK gets hits in first - putting down four of the Taliban as the rest scarper



Taliban leaders on that flank are left rueing lost chances - group and the DShK have been wiped out



The Marine fireteam (survivors of the disabled Viking) are feeling the worse for wear, some heat exhaustion probably to add to their bad luck. The second fireteam from the rear Viking moves to establish a perimeter on the left-hand side of the column



Firteam from lead Viking takes to the rooftop in attempt to suppress Taliban group ahead



Both WMIKs move to head of column - another strong group of Taliban has been spotted in the treeline at the end of the road



As the fireteam moves out to secure the initial ambush point, another group emerges from hiding



Led by the platoon's lieutenant two fireteams catch them in a cruel crossfire - the civilian on the rooftop realise they're not so safe and get out of town!



A fireteam holding down the left flank - everything seems to have gone quiet here



Royal Marines join in to root out the Taliban nearby

#

The fireteam on the rooftop has taken a casualty in the firefight - another KIA. He's moved alongside the Viking and placed inside



Three Taliban are captured inside the courtyard - onlookers remove any temptation the British might have to finish them



Covering the withdrawal while the three prisoners are bundles on board the Viking



The left-flank security stamps out resistance, taking out the Taliban leader before he can escape



Reinforcements arrive at top of road



Move it! The corporal gets the Viking moving - the vehicle has been stationary for far too long



Almost out - the British are making progress now, and there's very little effective resistance left



IED ahead - it's blocking the easy withdrawal of two of the fireteams



Last chance for the Taliban to stop them nearly pays off, but the two soliders running alongside the Viking return fire and escape injury



Those Taliban trigger a Soviet land mine - this must've been a part of the ambush but the late arrivals weren't aware of it



The British make it off in the turn limit by the skin of their teeth.
Winning 10-7, any additional delay would've seen a Taliban victory

Contest #1 - Awesome!

As promised, here's the first of the contests in celebration of my 200th post last week.

Basically I just want to see the most awesome wargaming miniature in your collection. Now, that's whatever is awesome, groovy or just plain cool by your reckoning - it's completely up to you. I won't be judging - it won't matter if I agree with your choice, I'm just interested in seeing what people submit.

The winner will receive these two miniatures

(28mm Dixon American Civil War cavalrymen)

1. You must be a follower of this blog
2. Miniature must be painted (minimum 3 colours).
3. Photograph must have a piece of paper with "Land War in Asia" written on it
4. You can submit as many photos as you like, but only one will count towards the contest, if you post multiple photos first photo posted will be assumed to be your contest entry.
5. The contest is open to anyone in the world, I'll cover postage and packing of the prize anywhere.
6. Post your photo link as a comment to this post by July 12th. If you want to give me a blurb or a link to a blog post with more photos of it, feel free.
7. On July 13th, I will randomly determine the winner and post all submitted photos

200! Huzzah!

Added post #200 last weekend so I guess this is a bit of a milestone.

More than happy with the readership (that's you!) as well; with 93 Followers and 117 RSS readers too. Coincidentally those figures add up to 200 as well. I get some really positive comments from people and (while, like most, I'm blogging for myself at the end of the day) that makes it a lot easier to keep going.

 

On the horizon are more Force on Force games set in present-day Afghanistan. I'm also nearly ready to start my Austria 1809 campaign using C&C Napoleonics.

 

Upcoming conventions will be the new Conspiracy in Kilkenny in September (British in Afghanistan), Gaelcon in October (28mm Pulp Dinosaur Hunting) and while it's still a bit far way, some Vietnam war and/or Sci-Fi at Warpcon and Leprecon next year.

 

Posts coming up in the near future:

• I'll be posting another AAR from the Attack State Red campaign, and I also want to make the entire 10-scenario campaign available to people before I get around to playing the others.
• Just subscribed to the relaunched Wargames Soldiers & Strategy magazine, so I have some early thoughts on it (and maybe some comparisons with my current favourite Battlegames)
• I'll also be making a slight departure from usual fare by musing on how I construct maps for scenarios.
• And finally, given the milestone, I'll be announcing a couple of 'giveaway' competitions for followers at the weekend!

So thanks for all of you for reading, and as ever any comments on posts (new or old) are welcomed

The Longest Day

B Company enters the Green Zone in order to clear the town of Deh Adan Khan, a key Taliban stronghold for their attacks on Gereshk.

The British move into the outskirts of Deh Adan Khan



Taliban gather behind the main compound



Fireteam stacks up outside Objective 6, being covered by the rest of their section



Taliban group moving to an ambush position on the other side of canal



Taking up position inside the main compound



More Taliban reinforcements arrive at the house across the main canal bridge



Clearing Objective 6 goes without a hitch, five local Taliban were prepared but not up to the challenge



Objective 7 cleared without resistance and with a view on main compound



The GPMG team moves up behind the front line



Taliban setting up defensive position to enfilade the British advance



The Taliban groups there join forces after taking a lot of fire from the British



Taliban .50 cal held in reserve behind the main compound



More reinforcements arrive...



But after getting a lot of attention from the British, those who aren't shot down high-tail it (despite the exhortations of their leader)



Fireteam moves along buildings towards trees, now that across the canal has been cleared



That fireteam approaches Objective 8 under cover



Lone fireteam crosses canal bridge, hoping to secure that area



Two fireteams are ready to assault Objective 8 - platoon has an inkling this one might be a live one...



Taking prisoners across the canal - a real find with two foot soldiers and a leader taken alive



The Viking is called in to pick up the prisoners



Objective 8 is a real murder house - defended by some serious Tier-1 Taliban. The section clears this, but with some very close calls



Taliban reserve sets up to defend the main compound



Bundling Taliban leader into the Viking - "We'll talk to you later"



Moving through trees to get a shot on the compound - the British have started to converge on Objective 9



Approaching Objective 9 under fire - this fireteam will be the lead element in the storming on the compound



Objective 9 must have ratruns connecting it to rest of Deh Adan Khan - a horde of Taliban appear on the rooftop



Race to the compound wall to get into cover - the Taliban are now amped up and loaded for Bear!



The last redoubt of the Taliban at Objective 11 fills up - they are also covering the rooftops of the main compound



Moving past gap between buildings - narrowly avoiding getting shot up from across the way



Assaulting remnants of group inside Objective 9 - only two Taliban remain inside after the hail of fire poured into the building



The fireteam clears Objective 9 without a hitch



Fireteam readying for assault on Objective 10 is outflanked by new arrivals (or just well-camoflaged?) Taliban in the trees



Fireteam putting fire downrange - they are beaten to the punch and two of their number get shot (both KIAs)



Fireteam trips IED inside Objective 10 - they barely make it out alive, one serious casualty. They said the leader who they were going to tattempt to capture was primed with explosives...



The British win this one 14-9, albeit all those British casualties were in the final turn (possibly due to over-stretching and a mix of good timing and lucky reinforcements for the Taliban)

I was at a bit of a loss of how to represent the high tension-variable intensity fighting involved in this kind of clearing action. Thankfully the guys over at Ambush Alley are coming up with some new building clearance rules for the Fallujah book being released next year. They work really well, and looking forward to doing a bit more testing on them soon.