IABSM AAR: Operation Compass #05: Tummar West

Another quick battle report from our friends at the Stipsicz Hussars.

They are currently playing through the Operation Compass scenario pack, and have hit scenario #05: Tummar West.

The "three day raid" is now fully underway. Next on the British list is the Italian camp at Tummar West. Click on the pic below to see how they do.

IABSM: Japanese Type 89 Chi Ro Tanks

Next part of my catching up with the Japanese Battlefront pre-Pacific releases: the Type 89 Chi Ro (aka I-Go) medium tanks.

These come in boxes of five tanks, which is a bit weird really, as they fought in platoons of three tanks with a two-tank HQ. Must be Battlefront economics to always sell this sized tank in boxes of five.

Anyhoo, as you'd expect from Battlefront, these are lovely models: nicely detailed, and with relief deep enough to really bring out that detail when washed. Quality control was very good as well:  no missing parts, no horribly contorted parts, and everything went together very easily. You see, Battlefront, you can do it right!

The five tanks above were painted using the guide on the FOW website: spray undercoated in a deep yellow; camouflage added; then washed with GW Agrax Earthshade. All I would suggest is that you think about where you want the thin yellow line to go before you paint the main brown and then green camouflage stripes i.e. plan your paint job rather than just starting willy-nilly.

The command figures are also well detailed. I love the pointing-chap, but I'm not sure about the bloke with the sword. Leaving aside his grip (that's the martial arts geek emerging from his lair!) I'm not sure that it's very practical to carry a katana, even a WW2 cut-down one, in a smallish tank such as a Chi Ro. Surely that's what a wakisashi is for!

Nice models, recommended for re-fighting Khalkhin Gol.

IABSM AAR: Operation Compass #04: Nibeiwa

A quick battle report from the Stipsicz Hussars, whose excellent blog can be reached by clicking here.

The Hussars return to the sands of the Western Desert to play out the fourth scenario of the Operation Compass scenario pack: the British/Indian attack on the camp of Nibeiwa.

Click on the picture below to see all:

Those of you who read the report will note that the Hussars comment that all the scenarios in the Compass pack so far seem very biased towards the British.

Well, that's because they are designed that way for two reasons: firstly, they are historically accurate; and secondly, the idea is to give the British players the sense of superiority (and the Italian players the sense of inferiority) that were such characteristics of the campaign as a whole. It gets more difficult for the British as the pack goes on!

IABSM AAR: BoB #3D: Zhena

The first battle report from the games of IABSM that I ran at this year's Operation Market Larden games day in Evesham.

For those not familiar with the event, some thirty Lardies gather deep in the heart of tractor country for a day of superb gaming followed by a curry and the usual mild drinking session! My thanks, as always, to Ade for organising the event so well.

Back to the action.

My morning game featured scenario 3D from the Bashnya or Bust! scenario pack: a small German force holds the village of Zhena during Operation Bagration. The Soviets are attacking in large numbers, but reinforcements are on the way. Will the vital road junction be held?

Find out by clicking on the picture, below:

IABSM AAR: North of Sitaria by Mark Luther

Another great AAR from Mark Luther, this time using one of the scenarios from Chris Stoesen's Campaign for Greece scenario pack as the basis for the game.

As Royal Engineers rig a vital bridge for demolition, a German motorcycle recce force hoves into view. Will the charges be laid and the bridge blown in time? And even if they are, what about the next bridge?

Click on the pic below to see all:

IABSM AAR: Avanti Spumanti!

Great battle report from Dr. the Viking of a game set in the Western Desert: defending Brits versus attacking Italians.

This report appeared both on Dr. the V's blog, which you can visit by clicking here; and on the Lead Adventure Forum, another good source of wargaming chat.

Click on the picture below to see the report in full:

IABSM AAR: A Game

I'm at Salute all day today, but just have time to load up a quick AAR from Murphy's Heroes from a couple of year's ago.

I was lucky enough to visit the club whilst on holiday near Delft a couple of years ago, and I will tell you that you cannot meet a nicer bunch of wargamers anywhere. They even let me win the game we played, didn't they, Derk?!!

Anyway, I haven't a report on that game, but click on the pic below to see how this game went:

IABSM AAR: Another Canadian VC

Here is the third battle report for I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! in as many weeks that uses the A Canadian VC scenario from the IABSM v3 rulebook as the basis for a game.

This time we go back to 2013, and an AAR from the Hotlead convention. CJR, on his blog TwoThreeSixMM (a reference to the scales he plays) describes the action from a double-blind game i.e. played on two identical tables with the Germans unable to see what was on the Canadian table and vice versa.

Click on the pic below to see how it turned out.