Lard Magazine 2023

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This year’s Lard Magazine has just hit the streets!

Packed with articles supporting a wide range of Lardy rules, there’s literally hours of reading to be had with each issue.

You can order yours here, and below you’ll find what this year’s festive conrucopia has to offer!

MALTESE FALCONE
Chain of Command set during a ‘what if ’ invasion of Malta

CANADIANS AT COURCELETTE
Great War action, for both Through the Mud and the Blood and CoCing Up

THE LIBERATION OF NARVIK
A Pint Sized Campaigns for Norway 1940.

IN GOTH WE TRUST
Goths for Infamy Infamy!

FIRE AND MANOEUVRE!
Tactical insights for Chain of Command.

BECAUSE WE’RE HERE, LAD!
Rorke’s Drift using Sharp Practice.

EUREKA! GOING GREEK WITH STRENGTH AND HONOUR
Ancient Greeks using Strength & Honour.

THE BATTLE OF THE MEDWAY
A scenario for Strength & Honour.

BLACK AND WHITE WARGAMES:
Night and Winter fighting in Chain of Command.`

THE PUNIC WARS WITH MIDGARD`
Using Midgard Heroic Battles in the ancient world.

THE BATTLE OF VERCELLAE
The Romans take on the Cimbri in this scenario for Strength & Honour

THE POLES DROP IN
A Half Pint Sized Campaign for Chain of Command

ACROSS THE AURE
Normandy scenario for O Group as the US 115th Infantry attempt to liberate Briqueville.

THE BATTLE OF PHARSALUS
Caesar goes head to head with Pompey in Strength & Honour scenario

RAIDING THE WILDERNESS
1777 AWI scenario for Sharp Practice.

WHAT A GANGSTER!
What a Cowboy in the world of 1920s Gangsters

A GREEN AND BROWN HELL
A Hurtgen Forest Pint Sized Campaigns for Chain of Command

SOLO COC ATTACK SID FOR PSC’s
further developments on the SID Solo CoC system in Lard Magazine 2020.

BAG THE BOK!
Eight scenarios for Bag the Hun as the South African Air Force battle the Italians for air supremacy over Eastern Africa.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BASE
Some tools and tips on making bases that will give your figures that extra wow factor!

BLIMUS! CANNAE BUILD A GAME FOR SALUTE?
Creating a landscape for the battle of Cannae

WHAT A TANKER – WITH BLOKES!
Not all games of What a Tanker are about tanks.

THE DEFENCE OF HAZEBROUCK
1940 Chain of Command scenario

DOWN IN THE VALLEY
Quế Sơn Valley in 1967 scenario for Charlie Don’t Surf!

GENERAL D’ARMEE II
What to expect in the forthcoming new edition of these popular Napoleonic rules.

GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL
A classic shoot out scenario for What a Cowboy.

LA PETITE GUERRE
Large skirmishes in the Champlain-Hudson Corridor 1756-1759 or Sharp Practice

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Another classic scenario for What a Cowboy.

A BROTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER
Inspiration from role playing games to enhance your narrative wargaming.

PORTENTS OF VICTORY
Using omens in Strength & Honour

THE ROAD FROM MANDALAY
The Indian Army taking on the Japanese in Burma with Chain of Command

Lard Magazine 2022

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It’s back and it’s 185 pages of bumper wargaming fun.

THE BATTLE FOR HIGH WOOD

Internet sensation Alex Sotheran brings his Storm of Steel magic to Lard Magazine and gets us started with this action for Through the Mud & the Blood.

ACTION AT BEDA FOMM

We’re off to the Western Desert in a small tank with this O group scenario from the gold pen of

housewives’ favourite David C.R. Brown.

FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE: PREVIEWING THE FAR EAST SUPPLEMENT

Big Rich explains what we can expect when Chain of Command takes us to the Far East! Make no mistake it’s hot, hot, hot!

LA BARRIERE DE CLICHY

The Russians are at the gates of Paris. David Hiscocks takes us to 1814 this artistically inspired Sharp Practice scenario.

BELOV: ESCAPE TO VICTORY!

Tom McKinnell maintains a Russian theme with some desperate fighting from the Eastern Front 1942 with three linked scenarios for Chain of Command.

EXCLUSIVE: FREE.STL FILE

Santa comes early in the form of this FREE .STL DOWNLOAD of a superb terrain piece for all

readers of Lard Magazine, naughty or nice!

RISE AND RISE AGAIN, UNTIL LAMBS BECOME LIONS

No turkey for Jeremy Short this year as he transports us back to the days of The Baron’s War and Robin Hood with some adaptations to Dux Britanniarum with two taster outlaw scenarios. Tights optional.

IN THE AGE OF RIFLES

That pantomime dame of wargaming, John Savage makes his first of many appearances in this Lard Magazine with a meaty piece for using Sharp Practice in the late 19th Century.

PERFIDIOUS ALBION!

Gentleman John Savage takes on HG Wells in a quest to provide the most absurd Victorian invasion genre literature. Look out Dorking – the Prussians are coming! A moustache tickling accompaniment with force rosters for In the Age of Rifles for Sharp Practice.

THE EAGLE RISES

The Prussian and Austrian armies of 1866 get the John Savage treatment. Unit Rosters and National Characteristics for In the Age of Rifles for Sharp Practice

WOODLAND INDIANS: AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW

The theme of adaptations continues as Laurence Burrows offers some considered views on

incorporating Woodland Indians into your Sharp Practice games.

HOOD’S ATTACK!

Our scene shifts to Gettysburg where we see Des Darkin in the thick of the fighting with this bumper scenario for Pickett’s Charge.

TRAJAN’S TACTICAL TIPS!

It’s been a great year for Strength and Honour. Learn how to win more games with these Top Tips from the toga touting Trajan fan, Mark Backhouse.

A CRUEL NECESSITY: RELOADED

Ioan Davies-John takes us back to when the first Charles was King as he provides updated rules for applying Sharp Practice to the English Civil War.

BEFORE THE WALLS OF CORFINIUM

Adrian Davis gives us a chance to put Trajan’s Tactical Tips to good use outside the walls of

Corfinium. Three scenarios for Strength & Honour.

TORPEDO LEADER MALTA

A wave-skipping Bag The Hun scenario from Andy Crow and Reg from Dagenham as we send Rommel’s supply chain to the bottom of the sea. Dakka dakka dakka

A LOOK AT MIDGARD

A new rules journey is beginning. James Morris chronicles an exciting new rule set headed our way.

THE BATTERY AT MERVILLE

Sidney’s Battlefield Challenge for 2022 sent Rich and Nick to Normandy. But it wasn’t all beer and sandwiches, as this Chain of Command scenario for the D-Day attack on the Merville Battery proves.

HEAD INLAND

It’s the wrong beach but that doesn’t bother Chris Smith, who shares the Chain of Command scenario that drew the crowds at Lard Workshop in August.

HAPSBURG, BONAPARTE AND JUAREZ. THE SECOND FRENCH INVASION OF MEXICO.

It’s Lard Magazine so there must be a sombrero somewhere. Here Richard Crawley provides no fewer than four scenarios that take Sharp Practice on a Maximilian adventure.

YES! WE HAVE NO TAMALES!

Colin Murray presents some campaign specific Random Events for Sharp Practice games in the

Maximilian adventure. Expect tequila.

MODELLING A SMASHED JUNGLE

Terrain masterclass with Joe Bilton. How to make your Jungle look like somebody has trodden on it, without actually treading on it. Novel. And great for the Far East!

CHARGE THE BASTARDS

Nick Skinner dons his XXXXL denison and tells the thrilling story of the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment at Oosterbeek Laag with this Arnhem themed scenario for Chain of Command.

THE GENERAL IS DEAD!

Crete 1941. The glider containing the German general, and his battle plans, has smashed on landing. All inside are dead. But can the Commonwealth troops extract the plans before the Germans can stop them? Chain of Command scenario from Joe McGrath.

GO SHARP INTO THE DESERT!

He’s back. John Savage wipes the sand from between his toes and provides The John Savage Random Event table (pat pending) for colonial Africa and the Mahdi Revolt.

THE DEATH OF WERNER VOSS

Alex Sotheran returns with the tale surrounding the loss of Voss and provides some ideas on how to refight Voss’s last action using Algenon Pulls It Off. Includes links to Storm of Steel videos and rules downloads.

THE AFFAIR AT LARDINGHAM POINT

A Prussian ironclad is sighted off the south coast of England. It can mean only one thing: a John Savage scenario is coming! Sharp Practice action for the Perfidious Albion and In the Age of Rifles.

INTRODUCING WHAT A COWBOY

Our very own Sidney Roundwood gets out his sixshooter and interviews (yes, you guessed it) John Savage, as we look ahead to the imminent release of What a Cowboy! What a finish!

Lard Magazine 2022: £6.00

IABSM AAR: Home Run at Osmanville

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An excellent I Ain’t Been Shot Mum battle report for you to look at today, from Scott Miquelon’s equally excellent Little Soldier Painting Studio blog.

Scott has created a comic-book style AAR showcasing his solo game using the Home Run at Osmanville scenario from the 29 Let’s Go Large article in the TFL 2014 Christmas Special.

Click on the picture below to see all:

Lard Magazine 2021 Now Available

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Click on the Pic to Buy!

It’s Christmas, so it must be time for the annual Lard annual, the Lard Magazine 2021.

A mere six of your finest English pounds buys you a cornucopia of all things Lard. Highly recommended.

In this year’s bumper magazine we have:

Welcome and Introduction

Big Rich reflects on the last year and his hopes for the future

Bazooka Town. Joe Bilton

Won’t you take me to… A complete Late War Pint Sized Campaign set in the Ruhr Pocket for Chain of Command

Let’s Get This Project Started. Colin Murray

I’m coming up, so Colin had better get this project started. The boy from Buckfast offers some great advice for getting a new project off to a flying start

Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned. John Savage

Especially when she’s in a chariot! Get your wheelbarrow ready for this multi part campaign for Infamy, Infamy! set in rebellious Britain in AD60

We’re on a Highway to Hell. David C.R. Brown

Rocking his way to the Eastern Front for some ‘O’ Group action, it’s the Housewife’s Favourite himself. Nice!

Great War What a Tanker. Keith Jordan

A look at adapting What a Tanker for the very first tank on tank action, Keith Head to Villers Brettonneux. I hope he’s packed his wellies!

City & People. Sidney Roundwood

“Hullo clouds. Hullo Sky”. With the shackles of sanity abandoned, Sidney muses on creating terrain for the urban environment of 17th Century Paris. As you do

Red Star Rampant. Jim Jackaman

The 1939 Khalkin Incident see the Soviets Take on the Japanese in Bag the Hun. A full guide with seven spiffing scenarios to get you scrambling for your Yak

Desperate Measures in the Mediterranean. Charley Walker & Co.

The inseparable duo of Charley and Fred Worthingham present a Kiss Me Hardy scenario set in the Mediterranean of 1794

War Among the Ferns. Simon Walker

Simon presents a complete guide to the New Zealand Wars with Sharp Practice. A full breakdown or British, Colonial and Maori forces from 1843 to 1872. That’ll get tongues wagging!

An Incident at the Bay of Islands. Simon Walker

A scenario from the New Zealand Wars for use with War Among the Ferns

Building a German Church. Joe Bilton

With his architectural hat on and full health and safety clearance, Joe looks at building a German church suitable for his Bazooka Town campaign

Vox Normannorum. Olve Kroknes

A complete saga experience from the Viking era for Dux Britanniarum from the Pen of Norway’s Lardy Viking himself

Assault on Esperia. Tim Whitworth

An IABSM scenario from the soft underbelly of Italy in 1944 see the French confront German forces near the Liri River

Return to the Raevsky Redoubt. David C.R. Brown

Borodino, the epic clash between two Empires in 1812. Here, Godfather of Wargaming, Dave Brown, returns to the Grand Redoubt with General d’Armee

Rückzug. David Hiscocks

A Pint-Sized-Campaign set in France and Belgium in August 1944. Can the Germans stop the breakout from Normandy and the great swan? Call the RSPB!

Haitian Revolutionary Armies. Peter Davies

Sharp Practice Army lists for an unusual Napoleonic period confrontation in the Caribbean. Go on. You know you want to. Trent Miniatures. It’s calling…

Sour Grapes. Joe McGrath

Strewth! The Fallschirmjäger take on the Australians in the scenario for Chain of Command on Crete from Joe across the pond in the US with a scenario he ran at Historicon

The Roundwood Report Revisited. Sidney Roundwood

They said it would never happen, but Sidney is back and talking to Mark Backhouse about the forthcoming Strength & Honour rules from Reisswitz Press

Go Sharp Into the Desert. John Savage Pasha

John provides a full supplement for using Sharp Practice for actions in the Sudan between British, Egyptian and Mahdist forces. Break out the Factor 50 Quartermaster!

The Sands of Shah Wadi Wadi. Pasha John Savage

A short campaign of linked games for the Sudan. Can the Reverend and his daughter escape the evil Osman Dinna Munni? I suspect some girls will, some girls won’t. Which is a very old musical joke

Micro-CoC. Kev Pierce

An informative guide to playing Chain of Command with 6mm forces. I am honestly refraining from making a smutty comment. But you knew that.

The Australians at Pozieres. By Alex Sotheran

Rochdale’s finest son, aka Storm of Steel, leaves behind the glamour of the studio for the mud of the Western Front with this scenario for Mud & Blood

La Haye Sainte. By Joe McGinn

Joe Looks at gaming the assault on the world’s most famous farmhouse. Not the one in Bethlehem. The other one.

Lard Magazine 2020

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Just a note that the 2020 Lard Magazine in now on sale. Highly recommended: packed full of Lard goodness.

Get your copy by clicking here.

Lard Magazine 2020 brings you a fabulous feast of Lard, and at 180 pages is a Bullseye when it comes to wargaming fun. 

Scenarios, complete campaigns, rules amendments, fresh periods to game, previews of future rule sets, build projects unveiled and a whole host of other wargaming fun, written by wargamers for wargamers. 

Lard Magazine is in PDF format and designed to be viewed on a table such as an iPad or android for easy reading.

Here’s a full list of the contents.

FORCES OF THE 100 DAYS:  A guide to the troops of the campaign of Waterloo for Sharp Practice.  British, French, Hanoverians, KGL, Dutch-Belgians, Brunswickers, Prussians and more with full army lists and support options along with new troop characteristics.  From the pen of Sharp Practice aficionado Joe McGinn. WACHT AM SAMBRE:  The Prussians take on the French Armee du Nord as they advance into Belgium

RESUPPLY HOUGOUMONT:  A scenario to accompany the 100 Days guide sees action. on the British right at Waterloo.

PUNCH UP AT PLANCENOIT:  A classic action to the East of La Belle Alliance sees the French attempt to stop the Prussian juggernaut.  

MICRO MAP MAKING:  Sidney Roundwood is released from a high security institution to show us how he makes some stunning campaign maps

ALL THE KINGS MEN VERSUS DRACULA:  The Price of Darkness takes on the House of Stuart in a blood curdling scenario set in Whitby.  A creepy classic from the pen of David Hiscocks.

SOLO CHAIN OF COMMAND:  From the Welsh valleys comes an Artificial Intelligence called Bond.  Geoff Bond.

INCH HIGH ROVING EYE:  Mike Whittaker presents some technological insight for gaming IABSM over Zoom from a soldier’s eye viewpoint.

FILIBUSTERS!  Colin Murray introduces some Manifest Destiny for Sharp Practice from the 1840’s and 1850’s down Mexico Way…and a bit of Canada.

EX ADIPIS SUILLAE:  No thanks, I had one earlier! David Hunter presents an epic of the ancient world as he campaigns through Britannia in the 1st Century AD with Infamy, Infamy!

GLIDERS, CROSS THE MERSEY:  Kevin Pierce calls out the Home Guard as Fallschirmjäger land in Liverpool.

BOMBS AWAY:  It’s Squadron Leader Johnny Danger taking to the skies again as he offers some tips on bombing in Bag the Hun.

TO THE VOLGA!:  International YouTube Superstar, Alex Sotheran attacks into Stalingrad with some ideas for Solo IABSM during Lockdown

BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE SEA:  Always one for a large Falx, Yorkshire’s own John Savage presents some 100% unofficial lists for Dacians in Infamy, Infamy!

HOME FRONT:  Who do you think you’re kidding Mr ‘Itler?  Britain prepares to stand alone and sticks two fingers up to the enemy across the Channel.  Yes, it is (of course!) 1940 and a bumper handbook for Britain’s Home Front and Chain of Command.   

24 HOURS FROM ROMFORD:  “This is not a drill…”  German landings in East Anglia threaten to wrong foot Britain’s high command, only the Home Guard stand between the capital and the rampaging Jerries.  A Pint-Size Campaign for Operation Sea Lion.

A LOOK AT ‘O’GROUP:  Sidney Roundwood interviews Housewife’s favourite Dave Brown about what we can expect from the forthcoming WWII Battalion size rules.

SMALL FOOTPRINT TERRAIN:  Oddcast host and wargaming Glitterati, Sidney, proves what they say about small footprints with this fabulous terrain building article.

SCRAMBLING FOR SUPPLIES:  Olve Kroknes straps on  on his skis as he heads for Narvik to refight a Chain of Command action in the (snow) shoes of his grandfather.

SHE WAS ONLY THE MAGISTRATE’S DAUGHTER…  An AWI scenario for Sharp Practice tells a heart rending tale of  woe.  Can our heroes escape to victory?

Lard Magazine 2019

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For those of you who missed all the various notices, this year’s Lard Magazine is now available to buy. An excellent last minute Xmas present for the wargamer in your life!

Nothing from me in this issue, unfortunately (just couldn’t find the time), but don’t let that stop you from purchasing this excellent tome.

Lard Magazine 2019 tops the scales at a whopping 190 pages packed with Lard.  Scenarios, complete campaigns, rules amendments, fresh periods to game, previews of future rule sets, build projects unveiled and a whole host of other wargaming fun, written by wargamers for wargamers.

Here’s a full list of the contents.

A DEKKO AT RECCE:  Nick Skinner takes a look at British Recce for Chain of Command. 

THE BRIDGE AT SAINDOUX:  We send a British Recce Troop on a mission to see if a bridge will take Nick’s weight.

TO SLEEP IS TO DIE:  John Savage tells the story of his award winning scenario for Sharp Practice set  during the retreat from Moscow. Includes scenario.

2019  – A YEAR OF LARD:  12 months is a long time in the world of Lard. Richard Clarke & Nick Skinner have an alibi for all of it.

BLOODY OMAHA:  Mike Whitaker tells the story of an obsession with this scenario for I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum!

BAHAMAS BROADSIDE:  Chris Stoesen sails the seven seas and offers this small ship scenario for Kiss Me Hardy.

TOTENSONNTAG:  Marc Renouf presents a pint-sized campaign  set against the background of Operation Crusader, 1941.

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS:  David Hunter, Lardy event organiser par excellence, shares his reflections and learnings on Lardy Games Days.  

ASSAULT ON PELELIU:  Hit the beach with this scenario for I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum from the pen of Tim Whitworth.

THE FRENCH CAVALRY CHARGES AT WATERLOO:  Wargaming superstar and housewife’s favourite David C R Brown peeks out from behind his cuirass to share the ultimate cavalry scenario for General D’Armee

THE CANNONBALL RUN:  Richard Clarke’s cupola runneth over with this break out game for What a Tanker!

BATTLE OF KARNSTEIN:  Tom McKinnell takes us to the Eastern Front for a Chain of Command Scenario with a difference.

THE LONGEST YOMP:  Rising talent Ioan Davis John takes us to the South Atlantic for this adaptation of Chain of Command for the Falklands War.

I AIN’T BEEN COC’D YET, MUM!:  Whilst working in the lab, late one night Desmondo Darkin created something… you need to see this.

CRUNCH AT KURSK:  Nick Skinner presents a Bag the Hun dogfight scenario for the skies above Kursk. 

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE:  Nothing is ever big enough for Simon Walker. Here he shares his thoughts on extending Sharp Practice into the Victorian Wars of the late 1890s and beyond. 

IT’S THE RIEL THING:  Simon Walker rises again and takes us to the depths of Canada for this Sharp Practice expansion.

GET CARTER!:  Richard Clarke teases us with a scenario for the Riel Rebellion.

RETREAT TO THE BEREZINA:  John Savage walks on frozen water with another 1812 scenario for  Sharp Practice.

WHAT A WHIZZ OF A WIZ…:  Richard Clarke and Nick Skinner finally complete Sidney’s Battlefield Challenge with the creation of this Chain of Command scenario for the 1944 fighting in the woods near Best, Holland.

INFAMY, INFAMY:  Richard Clarke offers an exclusive peek into an exciting new rule set headed your way in 2020. Blimus!

IABSM AAR: Valle della Marie

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Here’s another great I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum! after action report from the pen of Tim Whitworth and picked up from the IABSM Facebook Group.

This time, Tim and friends play one of the scenarios from the pen of Mike Whitaker that can be found in the various Lardy Specials. I can’t remember which one it is, so you’ll have to get them all to find out!

This encounter is set around the Gothic line in 1944. A British company attack supported by Sherman tanks and artillery against Germans dug in and determined to fight for the last inch of their territory. Click on the picture below to see all:

And why not compare the action here to Mike’s original report, which can be found by clicking here.

IABSM AAR: Sochaczew

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Always nice to see people using my support material to play their games, so here’s an after action report from Tim Whitworth and the Like a Stonewall wargamers using the Sochaczew scenario that I wrote for the TwoFatLardies Summer Special 2017.

Set in 1939, Polish troops are desperately defending the town as the German infantry and Panzers sweep in. Click on the picture below to see what happened…

IABSM AAR: Walking in a Winter Wonderland

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Quite appropriately for whether we have been having recently, Tim Whitworth and the Like A Stone Wall wargames group raided the 2005 Summer Special for a scenario with which to play their latest game of I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum!

Not much commentary, but some lovely pictures of their terrain and models. Click on the pic below to see all:

AAR: First Game of the Year

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And so to the first battle of 2019: a game of I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum! against Dave using one of the scenarios from the TooFatLardies Summer Special 2016. For those unaware of the Specials, and now the Lard Magazine, these are a wonderful source of scenarios, information and inspiration for all Lard games.

The scenario, by Richard Morrill, was called George of the Jungle, and was set in Burma, 1945. A Company, 9th Borders, part of 63 Brigade of 17th Indian Division, was tasked with clearing a small village near Meiktila of Japanese. The reason for the scenario’s title is that this action includes the participation of George McDonald Fraser, author of the Flashman novels, and is mentioned in his autobiography Quartered Safe Out Here. I would play the Japanese, and Dave would play the British.

Click on the picture below to see what happened:

IABSM AAR: An Affair at Gazala

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The regular TooFatLardies specials are a fantastic source of scenarios for all the TFL products, including that hardy perennial, I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum!

With John coming round for a game, I needed a quick bit of inspiration (sometimes you need a change from playing your own scenarios all the time) so quickly flicked through Derek’s excellent index to the Specials’ content, available for free in the files section of the TFL Yahoo Group. It had been a long time since the Italians had graced the tabletop, so I decided to play the An Affair at Gazala scenario written by fellow Lardy Klaus-Dieter Fritsch from the Christmas 2017 special.

The scenario takes place in June 1942 during the Gazala battles, but is entirely fictitious apart from the general setting.

The British are occupying a position atop a ridge. On the ridge are three hills and a few ruined buildings. Each hill represents an Italian objective: their aim being to either take at least two of the objectives or force the Brits to retreat through breaking their Force Morale (a rule “borrowed” from Chain of Command).

The situation is complicated by the conditions. The whole table is considered rough terrain, with wheeled vehicles limited to the track running up the centre. Even tracked vehicles have a chance of bogging down if traversing the rough ground, and both sides had a Vehicle Breakdown card in their deck. On top of that, the remains of a khamsin sandstorm were still around: visibility was limited to 36”, all fire at Effective and Long range was reduced, and the dust kicked up by moving vehicles a factor as well. In other words, just another day up in the Blue!

A lot of Italians!

The Italians

John would play the Italians. His choice, I hasten to add!

At his disposal, he had a three-platoon company of infantry consisting of a total of fourteen truck-mounted infantry squads and three AT rifle teams. These were supported by two platoons of tanks, with each platoon consisting of three M14/41 tanks, one Semovente 75/18 assault gun, and one L6/40 light tank. The Italians also had no particular shortage of Big Men or radios.

The British (or rather Scots!)

The Scots Guards holding the hills consisted of a three-platoon company of top class, stubborn, aggressive infantry (I shall refrain from commenting any further - the mother-in-law is from the Granite City - but there was no way the Italians were having our hills!) with plenty of Big Men, light mortars and anti-tank rifles.

Supporting them was a single Vickers MMG and a single 2pdr anti-tank gun (I think I was supposed to have two of these, but settled for one gun with a Bonus Fire card) plus an attached tank platoon of two M3 Grants, two A15 Crusaders and an M3 Stuart “Honey”. We’ll dispense with this last: the Honey spent just about the entire game Bogged Down, never getting to fire a shot and barely even catching sight of the enemy!

I decided to keep my armour in reserve, positioning them on the track, out of sight just behind the ridge.

It’s quiet…too quiet!

The Game Begins

As the sun rose over the British position, Italian Blinds began snaking their way onto the battlefield along the narrow track. Despite their elevated position, the khamsin prevented the Scots from spotting anything until the Italian column had passed a rocky outcrop near the track.

The Italian Armour Leads the Way

The lead Blind proved to be a platoon of tanks, so I deployed my single anti-tank gun (in a sangar) and opened fire. I also summoned my armour up onto the ridge: if the Italian tanks headed for the infantry platoon holding the hill on the right of my line, I wanted to have more than one 2lb and a Boys AT Rifle to face them!

Preparing for the Advance of the Italian Armour

The combined fire of the Grants, Crusaders and anti-tank gun proved effective: with the crews of the two lead Italian M14/41 tanks quickly bailing out as a fusillade of shells knocked holes in their vehicles.

Unfortunately, the abandoned vehicles then provided a neat shield for the other three Italian tanks, who would spend the next portion of the game shelling the Scots infantry in front of them with, fortunately, little effect.

The two tanks at the back are bailed!

“Keep your heids down, lads!”

Stymied on that axis of attack, the Italians now switched their entire effort to their right flank, advancing two platoons of infantry, their HQ platoon, and their other platoon of armour towards the left of the Scottish position as fast as they could go.

With so many units going forward together, there was a bit of confusion as the advance began, but the Italians soon sorted themselves out and began to threaten the Scottish line.

The Italian infantry advance by rushes, protected by a screen of tanks and the Khamsin

Although fire from the Scottish infantry proved ineffective due to the effects of the khamsin, the British tanks again enjoyed an initial success: knocking out the three Italian AT Rifle teams and taking a few chunks out of the advancing infantry.

All was looking good: with the Italian Force Morale reduced down to [4] in exchange for only a few casualties. Then, suddenly, the British tanks lost their mojo. All their shots at the advancing Italian tanks missed or bounced off armour, and return fire caused the crews of both Grants to bail: running for home chased by the jeers of their Scottish comrades!

I looked at my Force Morale: the loss of the tanks and a Big Man had dropped me down to [5], enough that if the Italians, despite their precarious hold on their own morale, managed to knock out a couple more tanks or infantry squads, then I was Gone (with a capital G), the Scots being ordered to retreat.

Correction: it was a Grant and a Crusader that bailed, not the two Grants

All now depended on who managed to land the first decent blow. Incredibly (in my opinion) it was the Italians who took the initiative: their tanks storming forward to burst through the British line and threaten to shoot everything up from behind!

Two Italian tanks burst through the line. Note the Bogged Down Honey!

A close up of the same situation

Both of the Italian tanks now turned their fire onto the Crusader: one shooting it from the flank, one from behind.

Not good!

Much to my surprise, the Crusader survived this onslaught, its gunner returning fire, but with no effect, and the first of the Italian infantry was now getting ominously close to the Scottish sangars.

Things were desperate, but the crew of the Crusader kept their nerve, reversing up onto the hill to keep their front armour towards the Italian tanks. The gunner calmly targeted one of the Italian tanks…BOOM!

At this point, the Italian Force Morale hit [0] and I had won!

Aftermath

Well that was a bit close!

If the Italian tanks had managed to dispatch the Crusader that they had got the drop on (more than possible given the situation) they would have been in the perfect position to start taking out my infantry from behind, with their own infantry poised to attack simultaneously from the front. A narrow escape for the Scots: who had just not been able to do enough damage to the khamsin-covered Italian advance.

An amazing game that all came down to the last few minutes of the action. Thanks, Klaus-Dieter, for a great scenario.

Robert Avery

IABSM AAR: One Of Our Planes Is Missing

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Fellow Lardy Tony Cane has sent me another IABSM AAR, but this time with a bit of a difference: the game is set on the North West Frontier in the early 1920's.

According to Tony, the mission creep away from pure WW2 is all down to the purchase of Lardie specials. The scenario itself is from the Summer 07 edition, the piece on Mussolini's Baubles is in the Summer 06 edition, and those two combined with his collection of WWI German East Africa war figures and the fact he happened to have Pathans in the lead pile...

One of our Planes is Missing

The scenario, with minor changes to the orbat, follows that printed in the Summer 07 issue of the Lardie special, and uses the Mussolini’s Baubles adaption of IABSM in the Summer 06 edition.

"It's India's North West Frontier, the early 1920’s, and the CO has just asked me to lead a small force for a rush job requested by the RAF. They want a downed plane in the tribal area destroyed, hopefully before it is stripped of useful gear by the locals. This is a bit of a blow as I was looking forward to playing polo tomorrow afternoon!  

"A team of engineer types has been provided for the demolition, along with motor transport for the whole force, and even an armoured car has been rustled up. So perhaps if we start early it should be just a case of motoring in, destroying the plane and then back out again. With a bit of luck I may still make the polo match, and then on to the RAF club for free drinks perhaps."

Events were to prove that Lieutenant Harrowell-Clarke was a bit optimistic about how easy things would be.

The local tribe were clearly fired up by the chance to get to grips with the forces that had bombed their village. They basically opted to prevent the enemy from even getting through the pass. First into the breach was a suicidal attempt by a small team to blow up the road as it exited the pass.  The fates (cards) were not kind and two volleys from the section advancing on the road block wiped them out before the charges could be set. Still their sacrifice had caused a useful delay.

The Pathan snipers were however proving to be more effective. Repeatedly stalling attempts to remove the road block and actually causing a casualty on the MG team, and forcing it to retire. They were only overcome when chased off by the eventual advance of the Imperial forces.

Pinned down by sniper fire the lead section were not going to clear the road block any time soon.

The remainder of the force was now ordered to outflank the Pathans and, debussing from the transport, started toiling up the steep slopes.

Having organised the HQ section into firing positions on the right flank the commander returned to the troops stalled in the pass and finally got the attack moving and the road block removed.

A second Pathan band had joined those blocking the exit of the pass but caught in the open, the withering fire, of the now effectively deployed Imperial forces soon disposed of them as a fighting force.

With return fire slackening and time running out for the Imperial forces a hasty advance seemed worth the risk. First with the armoured car, then with the troops and transport of the HQ section. With this rapid progress the plane was reached in time (9 out of 12 turns allowed) and destroyed without any further interference from the Pathans.  The first platoon moved up the road to cover the village but were not needed.

In the end a glowing report on a mission accomplished could be written by Lieutenant Harrowell-Clarke  on the lines of, despite initial difficulties the aircraft was destroyed at the cost of only four casualties to the entire force. Though he probably did not get back in time for the polo match!

Tony Cane

IABSM AAR: Wave Goodbye!

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It's been far too long since we saw one of Mark Luther's amazing 6mm IABSM after action reports...but I'm pleased to be able to say that the drought is over.

Mark played one of my scenarios - Wave Goodbye - taken from the 2011 TFL Summer Special: a French armor counterattack is hitting the flank of a German panzer column in an area east of the Ardennes in May 1940.

Click on the pic below to see all:

TooFatLardies Xmas Special Now Available

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Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a large helping of Lard and this year's Christmas Special delivers it by the chimney-full.  At 135 pages in length, here’s a look at the contents:

  • Lion de Mer:  A French force invades Sussex in 1805.  A campaign for Sharp Practice
  • Allies Peu Fiable:  A France 1940 scenario for Chain of Command
  • Taking Off Into Aerial Gaming:  An introduction to the joys of reaching for the sky with Bag the Hun
  • War Hawk:  USAAF take on the Luftwaffe above the North African desert
  • Lost in Musique:  The natives are revolting!  They certainly are with this award winning scenario for Sharp Practice
  • An Affair at Gazala:  An IABSM scenario set amid the sands of North Africa
  • Battle Rifles:  Len Tracey returns with a look at representing different weapons in Chain of Command
  • Escape:  A new adventure for Richard Fondler and Sharp Practice
  • Hearts of Oak:  Ideas for a campaign ladder for Kiss Me Hardy
  • The Road to Bremen.  A Late War Chain of Command campaign.  To Bremen by Kangaroo
  • The Spanish Main: Rum, Piracy and Nautical Fun.  A guide to Pirates with Sharp Practice from the pen of Chris Stoesen
  • Government Reprisal:  A pirate scenario for Sharp Practice
  • The Encounter at Guarena River:  A Scenario for General d’Armee by Anibal Invictus
  • Sidney Roundwood’s Big Day Out:  Released from his high security mental institution,  Sidney enjoys a day out as he races for the Don with a game of Big CoC
  • Fine Tuning IABSM:  Mike Whitaker gets out his tuning fork as he adds some more detail to troop quality
  • Cutting Out:  Another Pirate Scenario for Sharp Practice
  • Za Rodinhu:  An Eastern Front Scenario for Bag the Hun
  • A Cruel Necessity:  Sharp Practice in the English Civil War
  • The Great Raid, Parts 1 & @.  A Double your money for Pirates with Sharp Practice
  • The Roundwood Report

Click here to buy the Christmas Special

IABSM AAR: Jack & Cabbage!

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Sorry about the lack of posts for the last few days: I've been busy with another of Jack's amazing after action reports. This one weighs in with an extraordinary 239 photographs, each of which I've had to individually download and label!

The report is taken from Jack's blog, BlackHawtHet...and you'll be pleased to hear that he and I are working on a better way to transfer the content from there to VL.

Anyway, this time Jack takes Kampfgruppe Klink on a trip to the cabbage fields of Moiste: using the IABSM scenario that I wrote for the TFL 2005 Summer Special "Moiste Cabbage and a Quick Cognac". 

The background is simple: The Germans have found a ford that gives them access to the French flank, the French dispatch a force under the eponymous Captain Cognac to close the gap. 

Jack seems to have had a cracker of a game (239 pictures!), so click on the photo below to see all:

IABSM AAR: Cognac and Cabbage in Edinburgh

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Knowing I was in Edinburgh, fellow Lardy Derek Hodge was kind enough to invite me over to the South East Scotland Wargames Club for a game of IABSM.

We played Derek's adaptation of a scenario that I wrote for the Xmas 2005 TwoFatLardies Christmas Special: Moiste Cabbage and a Quick Cognac.

A great game, and played using Derek's 10mm collection rather than my usual 15's.

Find out how Captain Cognac and his gens braves got on by clicking on the picture, below.

IABSM AAR: The Initiation of Dashwood-Brown

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The TFL Specials are a great source of inspiration and scenarios. Here, Charles Eckart plays through Mike Brian's scenario from the 2005 Summer Special: The Initiation of Dashwood-Brown.

It's Normandy, 1944. Suave ladies-man Captain Royston Dashwood-Brown and his men of 6th Dorsetshire Regiment are about to get their first taste of action on the battlefields of France.

Click on the map, below, to see how they did...

TFL Xmas Special 2016 Now Available

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It must be magic: I only need to mention that we are awaiting the special and, like the genie in a Christmas panto, it appears!

Here's what Big Rich had to say about it:

The 2016 Christmas Special is here and it’s a bit of an unusual one in that the number of pieces is down, but the content as a whole is up to a massive 139 pages.  Apologies to those who like the wide eclectic mix of articles we normally run, but we hope that the depth and quality of the content here makes up for that.  Normal service will be resumed in the Summer.

So, here’s what we have in store for you.

Top Gun:  A Briefing with Johnny Danger.  We look at tactics in Bag the Hun

I Should be so Plucky:  An Introduction to A Mere Question of Pluck

A Mere Question of Pluck:  A complete set of rules for the Second Boer War.  Some said they were just a myth, but here we set them free, at long, long last.

Yes, we Have No Talanas:  Two introductory Boer War scenarios, Talana Hill and Elandslaagte

Bagging Bob the Nailer:  Lucknow 1857 and Simon Walker looks at this classic Indian Mutiny encounter for Sharp Practice

Viva Ras Begus!  Elvis may have left the building, but the spirit of the King lives on in the musical extravaganza that was our Sharp Practice display game on the show circuit this year.  Big Rich talks about building the game in two weeks and his approach generally to show games.

Chain of Command:  Russia 1942 to 1943.  A whole raft of lists from the pen of Richard Morrill.  If you want to go East, this is where to start with 39 pages of forces to choose from.

Cold Enough to Freeze Your TW&T Off.  We head for the Winter War as the Russians and Finns shape up for an encounter with Troops, Weapons & Tactics.

Hot Sausage, Cold TW&T.  A Winter War scenario.

Out of the Frying Pan:  A Normandy scenario for IABSM from Mike Whittaker.

The Roundwood Report.  Sidney questions Rich about Command & Control in wargames and the recipe for Lard Island Iced Tea is, at last, unveiled.

You can buy the special for the amazingly good value price of £6.00 by clicking here.