Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 i Miniature Wargames

DOGS OF WAR Well, the new year is beckoning and this month we have a fun combination of articles: we have a Naval outing (hence the hat) plus part two of the Derring Do pulp adventure on Prospero’s Island. We also have an historical scenario from Charles Grant. In a ‘switcheroo’ kind of way we also have a fantasy campaign from Jon Sutherland and a scenery build from Mr Kinch plus more of the same from Tony Harwood (with a big, beautiful wall!) and a guide to quick painting the American War of Independence Brits from Kevin Dallimore. As Dave Gilmour sang: “One world, it’s a battleground, One world, and we will smash it down, One world… One world”. What with everything that’s going on in that world, I hope…

INTRODUCTION For most war gamers the old days when two armies faced off and simply had at each other is a thing of the past. They have been replaced by scenarios. Put simply a scenario puts two sides against each other with a background context and with tactical objects which will determine who losses and who wins. The sides may be uneven and the objects different for either side. I first saw wargame scenarios, called Tactical Problems, in The War Game Digest published in the late 50’s. Later I used the idea to write Table Top Teasers in wargame magazines and then published a number of scenario books. In short, scenarios have been the bread and butter of Grant Wargaming for many years. When it came to writing A Wargame…

This is a little different for Command Decision: it is a whole campaign set in a fantasy world. Don’t be put off by the setting; it can v easily be adapted for historical gaming. SITUATION REPORT Trebizon is a filthy place. For generations it has relied on the freshwater fish from the lake. Now the lake and its fish, and therefore Trebizon itself, is on the verge of disaster. Seeping out of the stinking dead desert of Dorn, passing under the mountains and into the lake, a putrid pollution threatens Trebizon’s very existence. Some say, to the east, beyond the desolation, lays Lastholm, a tower surrounded by healing waters so powerful that vast swathes of the desert have been reclaimed. It is said that no more than a barrel or…

Kevin Dallimore has been expanding his usage of Army Painter’s new ranges. Ed. WHY? I have tried painting various things now with The Army Painter Speedpaints. I’ve used them on everything from Broo to Wolves to Stargrave, and I have to say I like ‘em. So for a change I thought I would have a go at something a bit more uniform. Well, something wearing uniforms to be exact: something that has definite colours and that would have to be near enough the right colours too. Now, when I say about matching colours I’m not talking the likes of the colour accuracy of 1970’s Humbrol Authentic colours, but near enough to pass muster. I also wanted to see if I could use them in a fine precise enough way for 18th century British regular…

Having read the Editor’s Last Word article in Issue 483, and seen a review of Broadside in 484 (and finally having some time away from show organisation…), I thought I might chip in with a few thoughts regarding the current state of wargaming shows. First off, I should say, I completely agreed with John Treadaway’s view of things: We have had a tough time over the last few years, but things are definitely brightening up. We were very fortunate to have been able to run Broadside shows every year (except 2020), as I know there were many cancelled events in ‘21 and ‘22. The 2022 Broadside was one of the toughest I’ve had to organise in the six years I’ve been heading up the show. At times it made 2021,…

ACHESON CREATIONS From Tepees to Trans Warp Drive Acheson Creations are a US manufacturer that make a large selection of different models covering a variety of themes and periods in both metal and resin. For example, latest releases include 28mm Tepees (a three-pack) which cost $39.95. They are hollow cast in resin. Or – if that doesn’t take your gaming fancy – how about a Herd of Zebras? Made in 28mm and cast in pewter this 8-Piece Zebra Herd includes three poses with four walking, three leaping, and a casualty. Apart from game scenery the striped beasties are compatible for use with rules like Wargames Foundry’s Congo and the set is $24.95. Or how about some WWI trenches? There’s a huge selection in 28mm (more than 20, mostly in 4”x6”,…

Colours – having made quite a splendid return last year after a couple of covid years off – has come back for what seems to be a settled take on a wargames show: one-day only (a Saturday); lots of trade; a floor of games and a bring and buy. If that’s what has stayed the same, what has changed? IN & OUT The organisers – Newbury & Reading Wargames Society – kept most of the good stuff from last year and only dropped a couple of balls. Transport was a bit hit and miss on the day. That obviously wasn’t the club’s fault that the trains were ‘temperamental’ (or mostly actually missing) on the day, or that lots of the local roads were shut for road works, but the parking…

WRETCHED HIVE OF SCUM & VILLAINY ◗ deepcutstudio.com ◗ €30.90 - €97.90 The latest Deep Cut Studio mat is concentrating hard on their Star Wars theme for the new Star Wars Shatterpoint game although these latest mats are available if different sizes both with and without the extra markings that facilitate a Shatterpoint game. Their new Desert City theme would look very good with any arid planet (especially in 28mm or larger) but – with the plethora of pipes and low relief buildings printed on the artwork – it would work well down to 15mm without a stretch. The print is gorgeous: we have the mouse mat version to review but it can be printed on both cloth (my preference) or (wipe clean) PVC to order and in sizes from…

BROTHERHOOD OF STEEL For this month’s Community Corner, we travelled the inhospitable wasteland known as “London” to rendezvous with Jack McNab, a self-titled ‘perpetual paint gremlin and all-round nerd,’ who fittingly works as a plastics manufacturer (though sadly not in the realm of miniature plastics, or at least not yet...). For Jack, miniature gaming has been a hobby since a young age. “A family friend introduced me to the delightful universe of Warhammer at an early age, though my miniature budget was limited. After many years of feverishly following the franchise (plus the fiscal advantage of a sustainable job) I ended up getting drawn in properly. “These models were a change of pace from my normal Warhammer 40K range, as I was able to sweep up two kits in sale…

“Man plans and God laughs.”Old Yiddish Proverb I’ve had great plans for wargaming this year. One of them was to play a big Stalingrad game. The idea for the Stalingrad game was to play a large eight player game of Memoir ‘44 on a twelve foot by four foot board. I settled on this for three reasons. ◗ We had only had one big game since COVID and I was hoping to get my merry group of wargamers back into the swing of playing big games again. ◗ I wanted to show off the Memoir ‘44 multi-player rules off to my pal Tom Egan (he of the #egandoctrine and featured in a previous issue of Miniature Wargames) who was going to be home from abroad on leave. ◗ I’ve wanted…

THE BRITISH ARE COMING ◗ wargamesatlantic.com ◗ £25 Wargames Atlantic continue with their determined effort to find parts of the wargaming figure world that few others have explored. Their latest release is hard plastic WWI British Infantry and what a splendid boxed set they are too. Twenty five quid buys you 30 figures spread over six sprues each with five bodies. All bar one are in a standing or advancing pose and one is dropped to a knee. I lost count of the number of head options (all of which are separate) but there’s enough to give every figure either a helmet, a soft cap or a gasmasked head. They all come with an assortment of weapons and packs. All can have SMLEs (with bayonets fitted, as one might expect)…

It has been over ten years since I released my first Dampfpanzerwagon Guide Building Wargame Terrain. The A4 limited edition and self published book sold well over 600 copies and went through a number of reprints to satisfy demand but is now out of print. It can sometimes be seen for sale on ebay and I can confirm that I have seen it and the subsequent, Guide No. 2 – More Wargame Terrain and Guide No. 3 – Models for Wargamers for sale at various wargame shows and even in second hand book shops! This magazine article is a condensed version of one of the chapters in which I show how I built and then painted a number of standalone perimeter wall sections for use on the gaming table. The original…