A Sandbox

Camel Corps HQ, part of the Sudan Defence Force that formed part of the British and Empire forces in the East Africa campaign. Plus some palm trees, very kindly donated by Richard P at the big game the other week. 

Half term, 8 weeks into the new job and I'm definitely glad of the rest and chance to catch up. At the big CWC game last week I thought that I should include more battlefield damage. The rules do include hits on buildings, especially useful if you are winkling out dug-in Infantry. in my sector of the battlefield, a built up area was hit by NATO naval artillery about 3 turns in a row. So I have dug out some MDF bases that I knew I had in the bits box and some cardstock, filler and sand and have knocked out some generic ruins that I can include in future games.  I I'm home alone this weekend as the family have gone to the east coast with some friends for a wet and wild weekend with 4 children in Hornsea. So today has been one of chores, finishing these buildings this evening with Star Trek: Picard (2 episodes left), tomorrow will be some more chores and hopefully a solo game, to be featured here. 

One of the great things about these games is the pool of aircraft that players provide. Random aircraft are then parceled out at the capricious whim of Richard when successful calls are made. Previous games have seen air and indeed artillery assets commanded at Divisional and Corps level and allocated where deemed most necessary to succeed.  Despite my best efforts, the Shackleton was never called on to provide Close Air Support for NATO. But we have plans for Electronic Warfare assets in future games, to add to the Command and Control mayhem. So maybe it'll get a spin then. 

Generally around this time, Richard Phillips hosts a big Cold War Commander game at his place, The Unit, in Stone, Staffs. This year, was a Northern Front game, with a soviet invasion force cutting across Finland in an effort to secure the northern reaches of Norway. This has irked the Finns, who have decided that once bitten is twice shy and have ignored warnings from the Kremlin and have mobilised their forces. Along with a NATO task force of US, Dutch and Royal Marines, they have established a defensive line, seeking to defeat a force of Czechoslovakian and other WarPac forces including a naval brigade who have landed on the outskirts of Tromsø.. So, with that scene set, forces deployed on Saturday morning, teas and coffees primed, battle was joined.  Tromso before the battle.. tanks and APC's are deployed from landing craft of various types.  The Finnish forces dug in on the Lyngen Line, field defences based on the Lyngen Alp...

My first ship model. It wasn't fun. It has coincided with my needing a new prescription for my short sightedness. So an eye test and a bill north of £400 later, I'll be getting new varifocals. The joys of middle age. 

My main priority of the summer holidays was to play at least one game. Time, inertia and Real Life scuppered my solo campaign plans, but I did at least get to play my old mucker Andy T at a game of Maurice. We borrowed the scenario for Grymauchs solo blog, details  here  which is a great source of inspiration. We played around with the forces, I ended up with 3 brigades of Rebels and a cannon, arrayed as per Grymauchs scenario.  Dug in regulars with Irregular infantry in front, forming Putnam's brigade. In Maurice, skirmishers like these have a longer range of 6 Base Widths. This is an incredibly useful trait. This force was led by a Notable (chosen at random.)  MacDougalls brigade with the CO planning destruction of King George and his Hessian lap dogs. The scenario called for the American forces to fight a delaying action in order to prevent General Howe turning Washingtons flank on White Hills. In terms of Maurice this meant either fighting...