Olaf's HQ
Phil Robinson's Wargame Site
News from the Front
19/11/09 - Played the Crimean game at GHQ last night as planned, the scenario was the one described in the new "Black Powder" rules, a British assault on two Russian redoubts based on the Alma. We played it using "Rank and File" it was a very close fought game with the battle swinging back and forth, it was however an eventual victory for the British who finally took the right hand redoubt at the expense of half of the Guards brigade, whilst over on the left the Russian position was about to be hit in the rear by the British cavalry who had routed their Russian counterparts. Back to the painting front I have completed the second British Auxillery Legion base and I am now well on with another and a Carlist volunteer base. Its off to Warfare Sunday for the seasons show going finale, not much in the fund to spend but will be looking for more First Carlist war figures and terrain bits to work on over the winter. Take care.
12/11/09 - It has been a while since a WWII game took place at Olaf's HQ so last night I dusted of my 20mm Soviet and German forces and played a game using our favoured rules "Rapid Fire". Dave took the Germans holding a bridge and adjoining factory with two infantry battaloins. I took the attacking Soviets with three battalions with the support of a towed 76.2MM gun, a SU76 and a 120mm mortar.
The action was a complete success for the Soviets whose fire was deadly and accurate throughout most of the game, which could not be said of their opponents. The Soviets lost less than a third of their infantry and the SU76 lost to a well aimed shot by the German Pak40. There are pics from the game in the photo gallery. Last Wednesday I played a Seven Years War game over at GHQ using Dave's superb growing British and French forces (pics herehttp://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=14200.0) , we used "Rank and File" rules. I commanded the French and acheived victory over the crown forces, although I did lose all of my cavalry in the process
, on the painting front I have completed another base towards my Carlist volunteer battalion and should add another base to my British Auxillary Legion battalion by the weekend. Off to the Crimea at GHQ next week, more of that anon.
30/10/09 - Have been busy since getting back from Malta, autumn clear up in the garden and working on commission work so nothing new to put up, I have taken the opportunity to put up some more holiday snaps of military interest. Have managed to play a couple of games though, an AEWWII game against Jon last week, Jon managed to achieve the primary objective in the very last turn together with his secondary one. I managed to gain my secondary objective, but with only my officer, mad doktor in good morale and fitness and my genetically engineered troops in rout a very convincing victory for Jon's Americans. Wednesday saw an AWI game using Crusader Rank & File, again I came a very far from close second due to some poor tactical decisions and some shocking dice throws, even by my standards
21/10/09 - Hi, just back from Malta. I have put some pics of a 100 ton Armstrong gun housed in Fort Rinella. It is one of two that were built in Malta to house these massive guns put in place to counter the threat posed by the latest two ships built for the Italian navy armed with two of the same guns. Well worth a visit if you are ever on Malta. I also have pics from the Grand Masters palace of various pieces of armour which I shall put up at some point. They are in the Holiday Snaps album.
12/10/09 - Just a brief update as I am a little pushed for time, a little later than advertised I have put up pics in the Darkest Africa and 1st carlist war galleries.
04/10/09 - Hi, have not painted much for myself this week, but I will try to put up some pics of my Carlist volunteers and my rebased and furbished Darkest Africa stuff up in the next day or so. Wednesday's Great War game went pretty well, Dave was in command of the Germans and I must say held out longer than I did when we played and Dave was the Brits, although it as to be said it may have been more a case of Jon holding off as Dave holding out. Sorry Jon
, you can get your own back in Wednesday's pulp game
Visited the Derby show today and must say went with no great expectations after last year but must say that there seemed to be a buzz about the show that I thought was lacking last year, there were some nice games. The highlight for me was the 40mm Napoleonic game, a splendid sight to behold, only sorry that I did not get to have another look before we left, having got a call from they who must be obeyed. We spent the rest of the day (eventually, God how I hate Derby city centre, every road we wanted to go down seemed closed. Town planners I'd hang them) at Keddlestone Hall, a veritable palace they sure knew how to live in those days, the rich that is. Toodle pip for now.
25/09/09 - Another week gone, my it will soon be Christmas, although looking in some of the shops you would already think it is! On the painting front I have finished my first base of figures for my Carlist volunteer battalion and I have paint on the first figures for one of my British Auxillary Legion battalions. Work continues a pace on sprucing up and re-basing my Darkest Africa collection, no more work on the Great War pillbox piece as yet, we plan to play a Great War game on Wednesday so I may be inspired to return to it next week. The AEWWII game last week turned out a draw, although Dave could claim victory, although we both achieved our secondary objectives, neither of us was in control of the bridge at the end of the stipulated turn limit and my remaining unit was routing, so one more turn would have clinched it, a case of "we did not lose we just ran out of time" for Dave I think. Wednesday saw Dave and myself playing our first Flames of War game, set up for us by Jon, I am pleased to say I won in turn two, although I was helped by Dave's misinterpretation of the way objective are won and lost, although even if I say it myself my plan was pretty sound. I did not expect to lose so many tanks though, but then they did charge the Italian gun line A'La Charge of the Light Brigade. It did mean that my carrier platoons reached two of the objectives virtually un-scathed though. Paid a visit to the Foundry open day today, it was very busy with a lot of people playing the new Napoleon rules and purchasing figures and there was free tea, coffee and biscuits. There were lots of nicely painted figures on display and Kevin Dallimore was on hand to offer painting advice there was some very nice terrain being played across too, giving me an idea for some earthworks for my Carlists to man. Till next time.
16/09/09 - First Carlist War gallery added with my first completed battalions.
15/09/09 - I have completed a Carlist and Isabelino battalion for my First Carlist War project, I will endeavour to get pictures up on site by the weekend. Paid the annual visit to The Other Partizan, I thought it was a lot quieter than the May one, there were the usual nice games on display, although I cannot say that I found any particularly spectacular but that is probably because the the bar is constantly being raised and I suspect we become more demanding. I did like the Italian/Ethiopean game, the terrain was very striking! I also enjoyed the Masai versus Ngoni game put on by Nick Eyre and Chris Peers to highlight the latters new Africa rule set "Death in the Dark Continent" so much so that I bought the rules and am in the process of sprucing up and rebasing my remaining Darkest Africa collection to suit. I recently sold my Congo figures and at a Foundry open day bought some hide shields to set my remaining tribesmen in an East Africa setting, these are being added at the same time, so I have 30 plus wicker shields available if any one wants them! Games wise we played a Great War game to try out Through the Blood and Mud rules in an early war setting, and I must say say that they worked quite well, we played a straight encounter game with Dave's Brits gaining a very Pyrrhic victory, over at GHQ we played a War of 1812 game using Rank and File rules, again I managed to come second due to some poor firing dice when I needed good firing dice which I would not have needed save for some better tactics on my part, why are we always lured by buildings that have no real strategic value? Planning an AEWII game tomorrow, news of which next time.
