Interesting........

     I have a bit of a fascination with all things Steam/Pulp, the old John Carter of Mars stuff and the like. Just a while ago I was wasting time (that should have been spent painting) surfing the web when I stumbled across this litle gem from Lead Bones;

   
  Pretty, indeed!

 They carry a line of 15mm and 28mm Sci-fi and Pulp that looks very interesting, and the prices seem very reasonable. Take a look.

     If you go to Recreational Conflict you will find even more weird and wonderful models like this:

          

and stranger still (in the 1970's Cops range from Killer B) it looks as if they have modelled "Carl" from Aquateen Hunger Force:

                                     


     They have a good selection of other manufacturers and ranges, some of which I have not heard of previously.

Valuable resource for wargamers

     I have recently come to realize that there are a few wargamers out there who have not yet heard of Warflag. This is a free site that has thousands of flags, banners, standards from throughout the ages all free and ready to download. They are simply beautiful. Here is an example of thier work.




    If you like what you see (and I am willing to wager that you will) hit the support button in the upper right of the frame. This is a valuable resource and I would hate to see it fail for lack of finances.

Zvezda Gaz truck kit review 1/100 15mm

     I got this little beauty from Michigan Toy Soldier a little while ago. This truck is the  same kit a the Katyusha model but has a box-bed in the back instead of the rocket-launcher array. The detail work is very good, the kit is molded in dark green hard plastic. Everything that I said about the Katyusha model applies to this kit, the precise delicate molding and easy assembly will certainly make this a popular model.

the chassis, side A

Perry Mahdist Ansars 28mm colonial figures

     Every once in a long while you run across a model figure that goes beyond competent, exceeds skillful and transcends accurate. This is what I thought when I first saw the Ral Partha Swiss thirty years ago, it stopped dead in my tracks, I said to myself, "This is real art, not just toy soldiers, this is art!".  

     I had the same feeling when I looked at the latest figures from Perry Brothers Plastic. I sat dumbfounded at the delicate detail, the natural positioning, the complete mastery of the sculpting process that went into these figures. These figures have raised plastic soldiers to an art form.

     But don't take my word for it, look at the models below. In the box you get two sprues of command figures. three sprues of Ansars,  a set of bases and a neat little pamphlet that provides enough information to do a good job painting the models and throws in a set of flags as well.

click on the pictures for a larger view

box front

Zvezda KV-1 kit review 1/100 15mm

     Continuing their list of early war vehicles Zvezda has released another excellent kit in the shape of a KV-I. This was the first truly successful Soviet heavy tank and it served throughout the war. This kit seems to capture the bulk and mass of this early monster. Cast on two sprues (which gives hope that Zvezda will also cast a KV-II) in superb detail this is another happy addition to Zvezda's growing line of 1/100 scale models.

Click on the pictures for a larger view

the box art on the new models is excellent

Zvezda Opel Blitz kit review 15mm 1/100

          Well it had been a week or two since Zvezda wowed me with a new model and then there is this. I found it sitting innocently on the peg at Michigan Toy Soldier and simply had to have it. This is the iconic German truck of WW II the Opel Blitz. It is delicately cast in hard grey plastic, some of the parts are so fine that they look as if they belong in a Swiss watch. The Blitz served on every front throughout the war and this model captures the look very well, it also open the door to an endless number of specialty vehicles that the Germans based on the Blitz chassis. But enough of that, here is the model.

Click on the pictures for a closer view.

the box front

Scenario contest closing soon

      I will be closing the scenario contest soon. I have only gotten five entries (actually six but I kicked one out as it was a transparent copy of and old one published in a wargames magazine, the guilty party knows who they are!).

     The prize is going to be twenty 15mm figures painted, or ten 28mm figures or five vehicles (up to 28mm) painted and finished. These would completed to the standard you have seen above in the "Mini of the Moment" in the header above.

Two Fat Lardies go to Lebanon, 15mm IDF vs PLO

      Pat hosted a game last weekend of PLO vs IDF using Two Fat Lardies "Rock the Casbah" rules; these are clones of the TWaT and B'Maso rules tailored for use in games reflecting the conflict in the Holy Land. 
    
     The scenario was straightforward; the IDF needed to get off the other end of the table as fast as was feasible whilst suffering as little casualties as possible. The IDF troops are part of a deep penetration force trying to cut off retreating PLO forces. The PLO force is a scratch force thrown together to delay the IDF as long as they can to allow their compatriots to escape the pincer movement. The PLO have no heavy weapons and only intermittent mortar support, the IDF is an entirely motorised and armored force with helicopter gunship support.

    Here we see the table as veiwed by the IDF players, the narrow road runs between the citrus orchards that are such a common feature of the south of Lebanon, the orchards are divided by high stone walls that are too tall for a man to see over and even pose a significant obstacle to tracked vehicles. Click on the photos for a larger view.

     This is the scene from the PLO perspective, a couple of good choke-points but the lack of heavy weapons means the fight will be up-close and bloody, not a PLO speciality. The IDF has good troops that are well-led and mounted in armored vehicles, they are armed to the teeth with automatic weapons. The PLO has five units, four of them assault rifle and RPG armed the last is an LMG. The real crippling factor is the shortage of leaders on the PLO side.

This weekend and other news

I have been cleared to work the Dream Cruise so there won't be a game this weekend.

The knee problem looks like a torn miniscus so there will be a couple of weeks in the near future where I will be sitting at home painting (sigh) after the repair surgery. The doc said he has had people wait a long time before seeing him about an injury, but never 35 years. I have always been a procrastinator.

In other news it looks good for 27 Aug gaming at my place.


Keep painting,     John

Plastic Soldier Company 1/100 Sherman M-4A1

     Fresh from Michigan Toy Soldier is yet another beauty from the PSC stable this kit presents the cast-hull version of the Sherman tank. This kit is cast with plenty of attention to detail and is crisply done with no flash and nearly invisble mold-lines. Molded in an alarming pink shade there are five sprues each providing the parts for one tank as well as a ton of spare/alternate bits. Priced at $29.95US these are a great deal for such a well done product. That said, on to the product, remember you can click on the photos for a larger picture.

box, front

Plastic Soldier Company 1/100 Sherman M-4A2

     Hot off the presses is the M-4A2 kit from Plastic Soldier Company, this long-awaited kit is everything that the Pz-IV suggested it would be, crisply molded in a light olive color this kit comes with everything you need to assemble most variants of the famous M-4. Parts are provided for the 75mm, 76mm and 105mm models. This kit should prove popular amongst wargamers as it provides an excellent kit at a very reasonable $29.95US for five. Now on to the photos, remember to click on the picture for a larger view.

Front of the box, nice to see something other than O.D. overall

Scenario Design Challenge

    I have a challenge to anybody that is feeling creative out there. I have a table that is designed to be able to set up in different configurations, 6x4, 12x4, 9x6, and an "L" shape using two 6x4 panels (these are, of course, Imperial measurements, nobody could reach the center if it were metric). Using those possible arrangements I am challenging you to design a generic scenario that is balanced, fun and unpredictable.

    This does not mean equal forces, it can be balanced by placing various victory conditions on the attackers/defenders. You can limit it to certain periods or levels of play (e.g. Skirmish) but do try to make it as open as possible. The other requirement is that it be within the reach if the average wargamer, no requirements for a large castle or a 1:1 scale steamship.

     You need to include a clear map and easy to follow troop descriptions as well as clearly explained special rules or victory conditions.

     Send your ideas to me at daftrica 89 at yahoo dot com. Ignore those spaces and the "dot" is of course this "." Title the e-mail "scenario".

     I will play-test the best ones and award a prize to the winner.

Keep painting,  John