Game for 2012

The time has come to plan the SOTCW game(s) for Hammerhead, Gauntlet and where ever else we end up playing.

I've agreed with Stephen Oates from The Baggage Train that we'll showcase his massive Arnhem Bridge.   Now I'm not keen on building Arnhem so I thought we'd move the bridge to Andreivia.

If you're up for discussion of the possibilities of a 6mm scale Andreivian game using (I propose) Cold War Commander, follow me now to Andreivian Tales....

Saturday in Barnsley

The Gathering this weekend was a pleasant and successful event thanks to the cheerful participation of the visiting SOTCW members and local Barnsley club members and in particular thanks to the organising efforts of Mark Kniveton.

We ended up with five games (I left my Arc of Fire game it is boxes as we didn't need it).  On the "big table" Mark Kniveton ran the Battle for Lingevres in 28mm using Disposable Heroes.  This looked really good and kept its four or five players enthralled all day.  Here we see a Panther that's just taken a fatal penetrating hit on the mantlet from the Sherman Firefly in the distance.

We had a couple of small, fast play games.  Phil Gray presented "The Men From Del Monte" in which, hours after Pearl Harbor, USAAF B-17s operating from dispersal fields on a Del Monte pineapple plantation, try to launch ad hoc bombing raids against the Japanese.  Meanwhile, Gordon Hanson ran his
short game "Intervention Strategy".

Meanwhile, a couple of the Barnsley members put on a very pretty Rapid Fire game:

And I got to play in Rob Connolly's epic Plickem Ridge game.  This was a Square Bashing game using the authentic order of battle for this bloody sector of the Passchendaele campaign.  Phil took on the role of General Blackadder (no, really, one of the British commanders actually was...) and Carl Luxford and I took the Germans.

The muddy fields of Flanders can be seen below.  Huge mass of Brits in front of Phil in the foreground; thin line of gallant Landsers in front of Carl in the distance:

A Map of Barnsley

This map shows where to park your fuel guzzling, CO2 belching, death machine.

I'll be bringing mine ;-)

Northern Gathering 11am, Saturday 17th September 2011

Can I please remind you all of the SOTCW Gathering taking place in Barnsley shortly?

We will be meeting at Barnsley Association of Wargamers' premises above D.C. Studios on Shambles Street (about 5 minutes' walk from the station).  1100-2000 on Saturday 17/9/11.

All SOTCW members and any interested non-members are welcome to attend.

There should be at least three twentieth century games in a variety of scales but there's room for a couple more if you fancy running something.  Please let me know if you're interested.

Richard Crawley

SOTCW Events Co-ordinator 

Next Year's Game?

For some time I've been discussing with Stephen Oates of The Baggage Train the possibility of SOTCW putting on some sponsored participation games using Stephen's recently completed, massive 1/300th scale Arnhem Bridge.

At Gauntlet I suggested to the team that we put on a series of Cold War Commander games using the bridge as a centre-piece of the terrain.  I thought we could do a series of scenarios linked by a common narrative thread with the result of each game influencing the set-up of the following game.

Now as usual my first thought was to pick a setting for which I could provide all of the toys now as that way, other people could get involved but in the case of a disastrous no-show by someone we would already have everything we need.  this in turn led me to suggest that the game be set in the fictional North African republic of Maghrebia - I'd like to use my late 1980s Spanish Marines as interventionists against the republic's suspiciously Iranian-looking armed forces.

However, I think I may have been too prescriptive in my enthusiasm for my idea.  Ian Shaw suggested reusing the Andreivia setting and in retrospect I think that's got a lot going for it.

So what do you think?  I'd like to hear from the members.  What should we do?

55 Days At Peking - Richard C's pics

As we've had plenty of pictures of the models, I thought some pictures of the players and surroundings might be of interest.

From left to right:  Pete Jones, Jamie Crawley (partly hidden), Gary Hinchliffe, Ian Shaw, Meic, Peter, Alan Fleming, Richard Baber and Will (floating head) McNally.

And here's Ian Shaw with his lunch.

Oh, no, sorry - that was Adam who ran the American civilians for an hour or so on day 2.

55 Days at Peking - Will's pictures

This is just my collection of photos from the game, Pete's report (next post down) is more comprehensive and it's better to read his report first.

The Boxers make an early rush at the French legation (figures provided by Alan Owen a SOTCW member in Denmark specially for the game)

For some reason Luigi and his ice cream cart was in Peking. But sensibly left the Italian Legation early. Counters in the legations reflect the mix of supplies available to the national contingents

After the officers staff conference in the British Legation an explosion occurred in the rear wall conveniently allowing the Russian and American officers a quick route back to their own legations

All quiet in US and Russian legations with no officers around to order people about

But not for long as waves of boxers attacked the US legation

An unfortunate problem at the important bridge on Legation Street

Thornhill's Roughs and the Japanese prepare to defend the little Fu.

French looking vulnerable after both the Austrian and Italian legations were abandoned

Alan's Boxers again (with some quick basing) attacking the British legation

Fort Halliday under attack from a random band of Boxers. Clear plastic CDs were used as movement trays for large boxer groups)

Frenchmen being slaughtered as they defend an outer position.

French legation under severe threat, The Austrians abandoned their gun just after their officer was hospitalised due to sunstroke, note the Boxers on the right heading off to the Japanese Legation now held by Italians

A major thrust by the Boxers through the Imperial Carriage Park against the British Legation

The Boxers didn't ignore the Germans (who won the prize for the least enterprising national contingent as they stayed hunkered down behind their walls for almost the complete siege.

Boxers massing against the Little Fu, which would shortly fall. The Boxers at bottom left had just wiped out the Japanese defenders on the outer defenses

The French in real trouble, with no ammunition left they have fallen back to a position inside the legation. Those boxers mentioned earlier have sneaked round and entered the Japanese Legation from the rear.

The retreating Italians meet up with the International gun and the quote of the game “Losing one legation is unfortunate, losing two is just careless”

Shortly after this a random shell hit the bridge causing the international gun to drop into the waters of the Imperial Canal without firing a shot.