Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Bolt Action: 1st IJA Jungle Fighter Squad

Hey Folks and Merry Christmas,

After the early start and madness that was the Kids raking in there haul, eating too much (followed by the inevitable sugar crash) I managed to actually get some painting done.

I have had a game awhile ago vs Xelee's Russians (though thankfully without the T-34/85) and while we were sort of only vaguely knew the rules we had a blast. Following this the game seems short, bloody and somewhat (but not too brainfryingingly) tactical. The Initiative sequence is quite cool and unique.

I have had some Japanese Army models for a while and have decided to get them finished finally.  I have around 500pts but first up is a Veteran Jungle Fighter squad of the 第2師団 Daini shidan or 2nd Sendai Division which fought through the Dutch East Indies and Solomon's (where it lost 7000 men!) until finishing the war fighting in Burma, where it was annihilated.  Its call sign was "The Courageous Division"

NCO with the rare Type 100 SMG
"There are coming out of the trees!"

8 Veterans..., mostly with Ariska's, though also an NCO and a Type  99 LMG  Team

Type 99 LMG Gunner

And showing off the webbing
 As they are Jungle Fighters I decided to Jungle up the bases...the have 2 types of flock, silfor tufts, lichen and two different types of plastic aquarium plants I harvested form our fish tank. :)

I have a fire support squad of 6 more Experienced troops halfway done so far and plan to get the army done by end of January :)

Cheers
Jason

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Conflict '89: The Defense of Latakia; Part 1

Hey Folks,

Ive been stupidly busy with work recently (hence the long delay between posts) but we managed to whip together a massive game of Moderns for Pooch's leaving game (as he is soon to depart for windier climes).  This used our work in progress rules for Conflict '89...a micro armour game set in, you guessed it the 1980's and early '90s

I was running my newest army: Bundeswher - cause Ze Germans are cool no matter what time period you are playing (I have Ancient, Napoleonic, WW2 and now Modern Germans)

In this we are playing 3000 points EACH, with half on (rounding down) for a MASSIVE 6k per side.   So my part of the force looked like;

Defence Force; (deployed)


  • Full 3 Platoon Fallschirmjager Company with 3 MILAN ATGM teams and 2 Stinger MANPADS
  • Raketjagpanzer Company: 8 Jaguar-2 (MILAN armed Tank Destroyers) with a Flakpanzer Gepard (as this is the coolest SPAAG ever)
  • Panzermorser Battery: 4 M125 (120mm) Mortar Carriers with a Command Marder 1
The Reserve Force;

  • Leopard 2 Panzerkompanie: 9 Leopard 2 MBT's with a Flakpanzer Gepard
  • Panzergrenadierkompanie: 2 Platoon Panzergrenadiers (9) with Battlaion Command (2) in 11 Marder IFVs
  • Aufklarungs Platoon: 5 Panzergrens in 5 TpZ-1 Fuchs
  • Spahpanzer Patrol: 4 Luchs Armoured Cars
The Lufwaffe (can engage from 1st turn)
  • 2 F-4E Phantoms (staging out of Turkey)

The scenario was based around the UN Defence of the port city of Latakia following a breakdown of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.  Andy whipped up an amazing table on very short notice!

The Port City of Latakia: This is two 6*4 foot boards cunningly balanced and built up with bits of wood around my garage to cobble together an L-shaped table with a diagonal harbour section.  This diagonal cut out worked really well as we could reach into the center.  There are three objectives on the approachs t the City and a Blitz on the Docks (its the chopper)

The Air Field: The other Blitz is by the bridge.

Panzaermorsers (left) and Raketjagpanzers (right) lurk in the Wadi's outside the city

6 (!) Companies of Soviet  Tanks (T-72's and T-55's with supporting ZSU-23's) and a  sole company of Infnatry form the North-East threat...

While a sole Full Company of Fallschirmjager are dug in around the objective to try and delay them

The Syrians approach from the South-West.  3 T-72 Tank Companies., Infantry, BMP Recon and supporting 120mm Mortars.  Two artillery Batteries are deployed to the rear with MiG-29's on CAP

US Navy Air Support inbound: A A6 Inturder on a Weasal mission while two F-14 Tomcats fly cover...note also a  Trafalger class Attack Sub:  This counts as a MLRS Battery and is representing a British Navy sub firing Cruise Missiles in support!

While the Soviet and Syrian forces closed on the city from two axis of advance part of a USMC MEU Tank Platoon (Abrams)and LAR (Lav-25's with Humvees) was forward deployed into the port itself and a Bundeswher Fallschirmjager (German Paratroopers) Company held the northern approachs with supporting light armour (Mortar M113's and a Jaguar -2 Raketpanzerjager Company)

You can see the Syrian Commanders bat rep here: Syrian AAR