Tapshoes and Tutus

James has found a new room to game in

It's a little dance studio round the back of an industrial estate near his house

It's a cute little room but warm and with plenty of space for a massive battle 

Full of inspirational messages. This one I always do

We fought a Normandy WW2 battle with the Brits having to cross a railway embankment to attack the Germans

There was a village at either end

We had an infantry battalion with support, these we mine

These we Dave's and Ian had the centre. James was GM and the Germans

The intel

The combatants

The attack over the embankment, infantry 1st, armour to follow, embankment is difficult terrain for vehicles

Dave's advance uncovers a couple of pak 40s. The tiddly winks are collected as we advance and can be used to call in artillery. each also triggers a random event. They really keep you moving forward

Dave rushes forward with crocodiles in support, these are ridiculously good and I don't know why I gave them to Dave

Ian advances on the farmhouse and gets cut to pieces.

I uncover some Stugs and have no armour nearby. I have some PIATs though so will be fine!

My most advanced armour is a bren mounted vickers platoon. They cross over the embankment and get vapourised by a death ray. Suspect there are 88s on the table.

A troop of PzIV are inthe village and Dave drops smoke to give him chance to advance

Which he does and starts to take out the tanks who are useless against the Crocs.

My infantry as face to face with the Stugs and get mauled

Dave has taken the hill, cleared the pak 40s and butchers a mortar platoon in the woods

88s, told you they had a couple of death rays

I advance onhte village and a random event causes me to advance an extra 12" right into the gardens of the houses, which are full of Germans. Eek

My armour support arrives on mass

Dave is in the village

Nebelwerfers, excellent!

My armour has wiped out the Stugs

Te farmhouse is still holding out and so we call for air support which has little effect

I've stormed the village and taken the houses, awesome

James' last line of defence is a trench full of Germans that have further whittled down Ian's infantry

But I've flanked him with infantry and tanks. Game over, although the farmhouse is still holding out and Ian's company can't even field a football team.

Brilliant game in a cool place, plan to make it a monthly event, I may even get my tutu out

Indian Army Finished

The great joy of the Analogue Hobbies painting challenge is I get to complete full armies, I'm actually running out of figures in the lead mountain and space to store them.
I'm been painting a classical Indian army I got for Christmas. It was 2nd hand Essex miniatures army and about 1/2 price of equivalent army from Forged in Battle. Figures not as good but there are many of them.

Spearmen

Massive Chariots

More massive chariots

Maiden Guard - need more of these

Warriors with massive swords

Skirmishers

Whole army

Right wing

Centre

Left wing

Also painted a fiddler

I've also painted a 40mm naked Athena by Hasslefree

Don't usually paint naked chicks

Been a quiet couple of weeks gaming wise but have a massive game next weekend. I've done a lot of shopping and will post those when they all arrive, including a light box so that I may be able to take decent photos

Old Guard Day and some Self Gifting

Yesterday the Old Guard met up for a fun day of gaming and ribald humour. unusually for us we played a large number of games instead of one big one.

Pete brought WW1 wings of glory and John got to play with this ridiculously large German bomber, can't remember the name. Compare it with the fighter next to it. I really like this game. John didn't get shot down, but thanks to the valiant sacrifice of me an Stu missed both bombing targets

Cruel Seas, didn't get chance to play this. looks OK but not convinced

Kill Team. Stig ran this and I played twice. It's a good laugh

Pete and Stu also played a To the Strongest game, need to play this

I've also done a bit of shopping. Went into town today to buy Necromunder from Boyes but my nearest one didn't have it. But I did buy some random buildings from the charity shop next door

Random 10mm and 15mm scale but from Lilliput Lane, proper Old Lady ornaments but only £6 for the lot.

And then there is the internet.

 

Battlefront Flames of War British Infantry Co. Bought from Wargames Store for only £28 inc P&P. Not bad for 125 metal figures and bases. These will become 48 Commando, or who ever my Grandad was attached to in WW2 

Couple of books on Classical Indian warfare. These are both very academic and the one on the right is very out of print and I paid £30 for it 2nd hand. Must be Christmas.

Back to the Challenge and more painting

Christmas Presents and news of my Grandfather

So I've spent the last 3 days with my family celebrating a very nice Christmas. Apart from the usual fun and games and a comedy amount of food I got a very nice present, I'd actually bought it myself and them deposited with my family to give to me

It's a complete Classical Indian Army that I got from Col Bill. I've always wanted one and have about 220 foot, 36 cavalry, 5 chariots and 9 elephants. The figures are Essex, not the best but perfectly serviceable once painted up, and the elephants look really good. I added a blister of Xyston Indians to act as command figures. Should keep me busy for a couple of days.

I also did some post christmas internet shopping and am awaiting a couple of books on the indian army and Alexander. I also bought a Flames of War late war British Rifle Company for a knock down price from Wargamestore  (40% off). I bought these because of this.

My Grandfather Harold Cooke died over 20 years ago and almost never talked about what he did in the 2nd World War. We knew he was a Royal Marine Commando and that he lost a lot of friends in the Raid on St Nazaire. We knew he didn't go on the raid as he had caught malaria in Africa and the last thing you need on a Commando Raid is one of the guys coming down with a malaria attack mid raid. About 12 months ago my Dad was going through Grandad's papers and found a diary from 1944 when my Grandad was stationed in Egypt and then in Sicily before returning to UK. The contents were very sketchy but there were comments about meeting with Yugoslav families (don't know if this was in Egypt or Yugoslavia. 

My Dad has been having a further dig around and has found out a couple of things more. My Grandad was in 48 Commando (Y troop we think) and his unit landed with the Canadians at Juno on D-Day, a disaster for his unit as they landed too early and took a beating. Prior to 48 Commando he was in 7th Battalion RM. This unit was generally assigned to naval defence and prior to Egypt he spent a short time in South Africa. This explains the following photo that my Dad found.

My Grandad is seated in the centre, next to the Zulu warrior. This is a very cool photo and is now on my wall. 

With this information now I plan to do more research and will make up a Commando troop for Flames of War.

Also it is the IX Analogue Hobbies Challenge and I am in again. I've made a bright start

Belgian AC troop, support for the paras

Picts

Picts

Picts

Hand made Pict standard

Pict with Tattoos

Sarissa South Sea Dwelling, for the Hammerhead game in March

Right I have some prepping to do