Anton's Wargame Blog
Miniature Wargaming, historical and fictional, from 1/4800 to 54mm
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Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Not So Quiet On The Western Front, a Scouts Out game
Sunday, March 23, 2025
UPDATED: Gallocelt's Map of Germany during the Thirty Years War UPDATED
UPDATED: Gallocelt has updated his map in light of input from readers here and on other forums. These changes are minor but bring the map into compliance with known facts. The map presented below is the current version.
I have had the pleasure of communicating with a fine fellow via The Miniatures Page over the past few years. We share an interest in the Thirty Years War and wargames campaigns. Over the past several months he has been laboring away on a period-appropriate map of Germany from the Denmark clear the way south to Austria and Switzerland. This is a work of the heart, it is truly beautiful, reflecting the terrain, roads and cities of the period in exquisite detail.
It is the sort of map that I wish history books would include; accurate, full-color and bursting with information. A quick perusal of it an one begins to understand why battles occurred in the sane area year after year, the terrain and road-nets force armies to move along certain predictable paths. The map is overlaid with a hex pattern to make matters simpler for gamers wishing to march their imaginary armies across.
In an act of stunning generosity Gallocelt has decided to offer this labor of love to his fellow gamers free of charge. All you have to do is click on the picture below and then download the map. I am not certain of the level of compression that Blogger uses so some detail may be lost. To remedy this, and to answer any questions that may arise in connection to this map Gallocelt has offered his email address and is happy to respond to queries. He may be contacted at gallocelt@yahoo.com.
Now if we could only prevail upon him to continue this magnificent effort and expand the map to encompass the rest of Europe :)
Friday, March 14, 2025
28mm Wargames Atlantic Medieval Peasants 1100-1350
I got this set the from the good folks at Michigan Toy Soldier who kindly provided it for review.
Completing the triad of Medieval Warfare with the prior sets of Knights and Serjeants this newly released set provides the opportunity to build large forces of the "lesser folks". Peasants were the most numerous, if not the most effective, troops on most battlefields in the Middle Ages. This set allows the gamer to build anything from the poorly-armed farmer with his pitchfork up to the well-armed mercenaries. In addition the parts are compatible with the previously released sets which expands the options even further.
As has become standard with Wargames Atlantic offerings this set is offered in a medium hardness gray plastic devoid of flash and with only the faintest of mold-lines. Within the set there are enough bows to equip every figure with a (longish) bow or spear, there is a wide assortment of other implements of destruction from farm-implements to battle-axes. Again, the chance to cross-pollinate with the prior two sets broadens the opportunities for customization. In the box you will find two sprues of pole-arms (with enough spears to give all the minis spears as well as an assortment of other pole-arms) and five sprues with the bodies. The torsos are divided at the waist which increases the options for poses during assembly (something that I am entirely in favor of!).
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Wargames Atlantic 28mm Age of Chivalry Foot Serjeants 1150-1320
the front of the box, with some beautifully painted examples
A welcome addition to the Age of Chivalry range this box gives us the hardened professional warriors that formed the steady foot element of medieval and Crusader armies. I just picked up this box from the folks at Michigan Toy Soldier and it meets all of my expectations. Inside you will find twenty four of some of the best looking miniatures you will have seen in a long time. Excellently sculpted, perfectly proportioned and finely detailed figures with a wide choice of weapons and a huge choice of heads, these will be a great addition to your medieval collection. The models are cast in a medium hardness light gray plastic that takes detail very well and are cast without a trace of flash and barely a trace of mold-lines. There are two sets of sprues; two frames supply a selection of weapons the other provides the miniatures and further selection of weapons.
Wargames Atlantic 28mm Great War German HMG
Monday, February 17, 2025
Wargames Convention Update; Battlefields 2025 15MAR25
A sure sign that Spring is coming (despite the single-digit temps as I type this) is the approach of Battlefields.....who needs groundhogs anyways? Saturday March 15th starting at 8am this perennial favorite will be back. This show always has a friendly atmosphere, a great Flea Market and an interesting selection of games all for the small price of ten dollars at the door. You can find them at Tabletop Events to get a look at the game schedule and attending vendors. Set the time aside to see some great games, see old friends and make new ones!
You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com//proorcon. The tables of the Flea Market are free and there are always some neat door prizes to be raffled off.
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Curtiss P-36 in 1/72 scale 3D print
You have seen this pair in an earlier post but I thought that the comparison would be better after the print was painted. It is easy to spot the differences between the models; the 3D print lacks a delicacy of edge and has opaque glass for starters. As wargaming models I have to confess that I prefer the 3D print for several reasons. First is cost, on average the 1/72 scale model of the P-36 will run around $18.00US once shipping etc is accounted for, the print requires less than a dollars worth of filament. Second, survivability, the difference in durability between the print and the model is similar to that between a hockey puck and a Faberge egg, and we all know that gaming figures can lead a hard life. Third, time; we must understand the significance of the passage of time. Cleaning up the print takes a fraction of the amount of time that assembling and finishing a plastic model requires, both take the same amount of time to paint and decal. In light of those considerations I am willing to sacrifice a level of detail in pursuit of fielding the forces I desire with the limited funds and time that I have available.
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
Curtiss A-12 Shrike, my first 3D print in 1/72 scale in Chinese service against Japan
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
More monkeying around with my 3d printer
I have been slowly building a collection of 1930's air forces to wargame with. Out of old habit I selected 1/72 scale for my collection (this was back in the days before 3d printing and the internet). In this process I came to realize that there were a LOT of designs that were not available in 1/72 scale and a good many there were available were very expensive limited-edition kits. Not having the money to buy, or the time to build, dozens of high-fidelity scale models I figured that I should give the 3d printing world a try.
To my surprise and delight I founds that there were dozens of generous souls out there who were creating and giving away STL files of aircraft (and tanks and ships, etc etc). Taking advantage of this kindness I promptly downloaded some files and scaled them to 1/72 and fed them to my handy Bambu Mini. After a couple of hilarious misprints (always add the supports!) I managed to print a couple of good looking models. These cost me about 60 cents worth of filament and a few hours print time. Cleaning up the prints takes less time than building a scale model so its a win regarding my time.
Saturday, February 1, 2025
8 x 10 Full Color Photographs of Flintcon 2025!
Without circles or arrows, but with brief explanations underneath them! (there is no prize if you get the reference)
Free Blades
Friday, January 31, 2025
Confederate Navy Gets a boost from my Bambu mini
The other day I offered to bring a "standby-game" to Flintcon (just in case there was a weather-related cancellation). When I looked at my ACW fleets I decided that I didn't want to run the same scenario again.With that in mind I designed a scenario wherein the Confederates had managed to secretively assemble a fleet to challenge the Union blockade of the Gulf Coast, This would require a much larger Confederate Navy.
With no time to order additional models from Thoroughbred (or any other manufacturer for that matter) I turned to the internet to find some free STLs to feed to my Bambu Mini. A few hours later I had a freshly-printed fleet of Confederate boats.
Now all I have to do is knock together data sheets for my really simple ACW naval rules and I'm all set for the convention.
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Wargame Convention Update, Flintcon February 1st
With Spartacon just barely in the rear-view we find Flintcon arriving on the first of February. This is a great little convention hosted by the tireless Rod Cain at the St.Paul Lutheran Church and School located at 402 S. Ballenger Highway, Flint MI 48532. Gaming will start at 9am and run through 1030pm.
Further information can be found on their website or their Facebook page
This con always has a fun and friendly atmosphere and usually has a superb flea-market