HOW TO SCRATCHBUILD AN EPIC ACW COTTAGE

>
02

9 772513 838029

The Tzar versus the Emperor: Fire in the East Display until 07/02/23

£5.99

COMMAND DECISION WARHEADS AND SUBS HIT THE BEACH!

Get the best from your Horse Scuba scenarios for Secret Napoleonic landing action for
& Musket Agents Black Powder
WELCOME COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
IN THIS ISSUE
04 FORWARD OBSERVER
With the latest news items.

06 SEND THREE AND

FOURPENCE
T
his month’s issue has been plagued by problems from my end. I had two
weeks ‘enforced leave’ caused by spending a week in hospital followed by a Old Man Mersey Had a Farm, Ee-i, ee-i oh...
week with no broadband and both (especially the latter) made me realise how
With one Ork here and one Ork there etc etc. Some
much I have come to rely on electronic communication in my job as editor and – for
thoughts and a scenario for Xenos Rampant
that matter – anything and everything else. Fortunately, I own a lot of books and
not a few DVDs and CDs as physical media so I could keep myself occupied and
I wasn’t in a position of having to ‘own nothing’ and to ‘be happy’ so I ‘survived’. 12 HIT THE BEACH!
And just in time to get this issue out to you, the readership! We A sandy Napoleonic landing for solo wargamers
have a Xenos Rampant article: a scenario for the latest using Black Powder.
SF rules that harks back to the old days of a 40k game;
we have the start of a set of campaign rules systems 19 OPEN WARFARE
for Horse and Musket; a Napoleonic Beach landing; Another year another new venue for Warfare
rules for the Russo-Japanese war; an opportunity 2022. The Editor makes a visit.
to slip on a wet-suit for a Bond-esque underwater
adventure; plus a pair of scratch-builds in both 23 DEFENCE IN DEPTH
Epic ACW scale and 28mm Egyptian.
With the latest figure and rules reviews.
You can’t say Pharaoh than that! As
Robert Plant sang: “Communication
breakdown – it’s always the same; I’m
26 COMMAND DECISION
having a nervous breakdown: Drive me A Coat of the Very, Very Best...
insane, yeah...” Gosh, I hate technology! Campaigning for the Horse & Musket period: Jon
Sutherland begins a three part special.
Get in touch COVER
tabletopgaming.co.uk FEATURE 32 SUN & BEAR
The Russo Japanese war of 1904/05. A light set
MiniatureWG of rules based that might appeal to players of
Death in a Dark Continent.
John Treadaway MiniatureWargames

Editor miniature_wargames_magazine 39 WARHEAD

Break out the scuba gear it’s Never Say Thunder
MINIATURE WARGAMES INCORPORATING BATTLEGAMES Again. “No Mr Bond, I expect you to die!”
EDITORIAL MARKETING EXECUTIVE Luke Hider
EDITOR John Treadaway 01778 395085 | luke.hider@warnersgroup.co.uk 47 PYLON
MiniatureWargames@warnersgroup.co.uk
PUBLISHED BY After last month’s article on Egyptian Chariots,
HEAD OF DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Lynn Wright PUBLISHER Claire Ingram what you might need to build is a large edifice.
claire.ingram@warnersgroup.co.uk
DESIGN Mike Carr From cardboard!
Warners Group Publications PLC The Maltings, West Street,

50 RECCE
COVER: Japanese cavalry. Dave Tuck. Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH | 01778 391000

ADVERTISING TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL NEWSTRADE DISTRIBUTION A bumper crop of reading material to grace the
ACCOUNT MANAGER Charlotte Lewis Warners Group Publications Plc 01778 391150
wargamer’s coffee table.
01778 391129 | charlotte.lewis@warnersgroup.co.uk

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION MANAGER Nicola Glossop 57 SCRATCH BUILD

01778 392420 | nicola.glossop@warnersgroup.co.uk
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Charlotte Bamford
01778 395081 | charlotte.bamford@warnersgroup.co.uk
MARKETING
MARKETING MANAGER Katherine Brown
01778 395092 | katherine.brown@warnersgroup.co.uk
If Pylons aren’t your thing, how about scratch
building an Epic scale ACW cottage?
The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the
publishers. Every care is taken to ensure that the content of this magazine
is accurate, but we assume no responsibility for any effect from errors or
omissions. While every care is taken with unsolicited material submitted for
publication, we cannot be responsible for loss or damage. While every care is
62 THE LAST WORD
taken when accepting advertisements, we are not responsible for the quality A two part piece by contributor
and/or the performance of goods and/or services advertised in this magazine.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) exists to regulate the content of David Hiscocks.
advertisements. Tel: 020 7429 2222 © Warners Group Publications PLC, 2021

February 2023 Miniature Wargames 3

 FORWARD OBSERVER
News, previews and community submissions from the wargaming world
IMPERIAL PALACE
flooring fit for an emperor
Deep Cut Studios have been releasing
a steady stream of battle mats recently
(along with painted terrain and all sorts
of stuff) but – beyond basic sand and
grass finishes – it’s often hard to select
a mat that is both unique and yet has
universal appeal to gamers. However,
they’ve come pretty close with this
one: if you want a mat that covers the
interior of a ruined palace – whether
it’s from the Horus Heresy or ancient
Persia – this one might well fit the bill.
With a selection of tiled areas, inlaid
marble slabs, decorative gilded borders,
and the odd piece of broken flooring
(mostly with a subtle overlay of a
20mm grid simply via the flooring slabs
SCOUTS OUT!
WWI skirmish shenanigans
Scouts Out is a digital (with physical
options) gaming system for WWI
skirmish with a mildly over the top
twist to it. They sent in a PDF of the rule
system which – at 54 pages – normally
retails at $20. It’s nicely illustrated and
rather well produced and – to support
it – they sell figures as either STL files
4 Miniature Wargames February 2023
themselves) this really works and is just
begging for some suitable walls (broken
or not) to delineate rooms. Excellently
crafted and printed on Deep Cut’s
usual selection of cloth, PVC or
Mousemat and in sizes from 22 x 30
inches right out to 90 inches long, these
start at 30.90€ so go to deepcutstudio.
com. For the Emperor!
or (for those without access to a 3D
printer) finished models. We have not
seen those ‘in the flesh’, as it were, but
the images certainly look entertaining.
Printed troops are usually $16 for three.
The rules cover trench raid scenarios
plus stories like recovering a pilot and
use d6 and inches for the system. Go to
scoutsout.gumroad.com or facebook for
more info.
NEVER MIND THE
BILLHOOKS
28mm medievals
Ist Corps have recently released some
company packs that coordinate well
with the Never Mind The Billhooks
ruleset although they may be used for
any 28m medieval European army,
really. The latest Company deal offers 24
figures extracted from packs KMH10, 11
and 16 and includes half a dozen Pavisse
as well. One needs to select from weapon
types (pike, polearm or spear) when
ordering but the pack contains an Officer,
a Standard Bearer, a Musician and 21
rank and file. Pose wise, they all appear
to be ‘standing ready for action’ which
will make them easy to base up tightly
without weapons becoming tangled.
And – at £28.80 for 24 figures – they
compare well against most historical
plastics for those that don’t like model
assembly (or – as some do – still prefer
the ‘weight’ of metal figures). For more
information on these and other figures in
the range go to 1stcorps.co.uk.
 BOLT ACTION
COMMUNITY CORNER
This month we’ve got a Bolt Action
artillery piece and some ruined
upholstery from Fredrik Hansson. Frank
said: “I’m a history teacher and a poster
of painted miniatures of twitter (@
MammaMattsson) but I think I was born
to be a painter of minis. My very first
were tin solders my dad and I moulded
in the garage, and then painted with oil
paint, straight on to the metal. I still have
those somewhere!”
“The miniatures I’ve featured are all
from Warlord Games; some plastic and
some metal. I found the couch in a set of
battlefield debris I got as a present. The
sandbags are just made from Milliput. The
whole piece will (hopefully!) be helping
my Bolt Action Germans hold back the
enemy at Budapest.
I have a lot of stuff painted up for
playing games (and a tournament) in
Budapest ‘44-’45, and decided to go with a
combined force consisting of Hungarians
and Germans. I love city fighting armies,
and big stuff like artillery pieces are a great
opportunity to make them something
special.”
“My army is a mixed bunch, but there's
lots of green, so I decided to add some
colour with the blue couch. I always prime
my minis brown: I like that the colours
come out a bit muted but not as dark as
with a black undercoat. I also always use
an old, homemade wet palette. Out of
convenience I mostly use Citadel paints:
I’ve always used them and they’re readily
available here in Sweden. The Artillery
and tanks are basecoated, washed with
Agrax Earthshade and then dry brushed
with the base colour with a little beige
added, followed by a light drybrush of
pure beige to define edges and raised
parts. After that I pin-wash and add some
shades to recesses. I add battle damage
using a sponge loaded with a bit of dark
brown/black and then paint some dots of
If you’d like to submit
something for Community
Corner, contact
MiniatureWargames@
warnersgroup.co.uk
SHOW & TELL
beige in the sponged areas. I then paint EVENTS BEING PLANNED!
some streaks of grime using a watered VAPNARTAK
down brown/black wash.” Sun 5th February
“The crew were painted with a York Racecourse
basecoat, wash, highlight technique. I Knavesmire Road,
always use Agrax on the whole minis: York YO23 1EX
I like the dirty look it gives. Then I vapnartak.co.uk
area-highlight everything. Lastly, I paint
pretty bright highlights using a 00-brush CAVALIER
to make everything pop. Since I never Sunday 26th February
The Angel Centre
really mastered the art of edge highlights
Tonbridge TN9 1SF
I instead found my own way: small
twws.org.uk
strokes, almost dots, of watered down
paint to define the highlighted areas. Its
HAMMERHEAD
most prominent on the uniforms.”
Saturday 4th March
“Basing city fighting armies is a blast, Cedric Ford Pavilion,
and I always use wood filler for the Newark Showground
texture, then add bricks made out of NG242NY
old sprues. Some snow and leaves give hammerheadshow.co.uk
a good, wintery vibe. An idea I picked
up from the internet was adding small SALUTE 50
posters to the base to add some character. Saturday 22nd April
The chair was just dry brushed and ExCel, London, E16 1XL
washed, with a minor defining drybrush salute.co.uk
to finish it off.”
THIS MONTH
“There’s lots of cool photos of
improvised cover from battles fought in
cities, and I found lots of inspiration in
Krisztián Ungvárys book on the siege
IN HISTORY
of Budapest. The book and the battle VISTULA-ODER
OFFENSIVE
inspired me to make Budapest my ‘go to
project’, I’m constantly adding new units
to the army” FEBRUARY 1945
“My number one tip? That is a hard Ending in February (though
question, so I actually have two tips: starting in January ’45) the army
have a system that works for you when made a major advance into
painting so you don’t have to think as German-held territory, capturing
much. And be proud of your models – I Kraków, Warsaw and Poznan. In
was always looking at master painters a little over two weeks, the Soviet
and felt disappointed when my minis Forces had advanced 300 miles
weren’t as good. Then I found a system ending up only 43 miles from
that let me put a good amount of decent Berlin, which was undefended.
looking minis on the table and now I However the Soviet Command
look at stunning models and find them called a halt, owing to continued
inspirational, while still being really German resistance on their
proud of my own minis.” northern flank and the advance
on Berlin had to be delayed until
April. There were 163 Soviet
divisions for the operation with a
total of: 2,203,000 infantry, 4,529
tanks, 2,513 assault guns, 13,763
pieces of field artillery (76mm
or more), 14,812 mortars, 4,936
anti-tank guns, 2,198 Katyusha
multiple rocket launchers, and
5,000 aircraft.
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 5
 SEND THREE AND FOURPENCE
OLD MAN MERSEY
Ee-i, ee-i oh... Some thoughts & a scenario for Xenos Rampant
Words and pictures by Conrad Kinch
follow Dan Mersey’s work with
I interest as I think he’s one of the
more exciting writers in the hobby
at the moment. His most recent
book with Richard Cowen, Xenos
Rampant, (reviewed by me in last month’s
issue. Ed.) is the latest addition to the
‘Merseyverse’ stable of games (Dragon
Rampant, Lion Rampant, The Men
who would be Kings, etc) and it allows
you to play science fiction games using
mechanics that – while not identical
to the previous titles in the series –
certainly rhyme with the others.
I blow hot and cold on the
Merseyverse games. I love The Men
6 Miniature Wargames February 2023
who would be Kings (we need more
expansions for this!), however I’ve
fallen out of love with The Pikeman’s
Lament and I go back and forth on
Rebels & Patriots. I haven’t played
Lion Rampant enough to venture an
informed opinion on it. In brief, I do like
Xenos Rampant, but I’m still making my
mind up about whether I love it.
THE RULES
Physically, the book is top notch: it’s
a handsome hardback produced in
the Osprey house style which will be
familiar to wargamers who have the
new edition of Lion Rampant or any
of the Stargrave titles. Weighing in at
a shade under 200 pages, it’s a simple
robust set of rules aimed at “large
skirmish” science fiction games. The
rules themselves are generic and are
probably closest to Dragon Rampant of
the previous Mersey games.
Effectively they appear to be aiming
to replicate Second Edition Warhammer
40,000 games in size: an army (called
a ‘detachment’ in the rules) numbers
between 10 and 50 models and a
maximum of about two vehicles. Units
must pass an activation roll to act during
the turn, rolling equal to or greater
than a target number on 2d6. Orders
are Move, Attack, Fire, etc and certain
units are better than others at executing
certain orders. “Berserk Infantry” (which
are a troop type that represent figures
that favour melee combat) are more
likely to execute orders to attack in
melee than to shoot, for example.
Unit types are generic, but come with
a large menu of customisable options,
which allow you to tweak them in a
variety of ways. Take for example, Light
Infantry, whose role is to hold ground on
the battlefield. They can be customised
by adding traits like Heavy Weapons,
Assault Doctrines, Enhanced Mobility, etc.
There’s a points cost for all of these and
it will not be worth your while adding
all of them, but they will fundamentally
shift how you use that particular unit.
SPECIFICS
This is very similar to the order system in
Lion Rampant and it’s a robust and well
tested way of doing things. One thing
which has divided opinions about it is
that – should the player fail an activation
roll – his turn then ends. There is a
substantial cohort that don’t like that and
there are any number of house rulings on
the subject. I think that it adds an element
of calculation to the game that would
otherwise be lacking, but I accept that
opinion differs on this one.
ABOVE LEFT: Thrugg and his Boys move out across
the hills ready to secure the loot.
BELOW: Brother Treadaway, there are Orks coming.
One rule introduced in Xenos
Rampant is the “Fire Fight” rule, which
allows units which have been targeted
by the enemy’s fire to immediately fire
back. It’s not automatic and requires
the target to pass an activation check.
Additionally, it can only be done once
per turn, but it prevents the static sort of
firefights that can develop in “I-go, U-go”
systems. I thought it was a bit finicky
at first, but it’s grown on me. Units that
take casualties from fire take a morale
check, failing which causes them to be
suppressed. This works just like Pinning
in The Men who would be Kings and
seems a very sensible way to represent
fire combat to me.
OTHER CONTENTS
The rules themselves are quite short, are
both well written and clearly presented.
The rest of the book is taken up with
scenarios and a variety of suggested
settings.
The suggested settings are in a way
the heart of the book, because on their
own the rules are very generic and while
effective, they aren’t exactly inspiring.
The setting suggestions give you a much
better idea of what you can actually do
with these rules.
There are five different genres and they
are; Weird War Two (Weird Science: Nazis
mainly), Urban Fantasy (modern day
cops versus zombies/ghouls/etc), Five
Minutes into the Future (contemporary
armies/militia versus aliens), Post-
Apocalypse (Mad Max/Stalker with
the possibility of zombies) and Space
Opera (a grab bag of Aliens/Star Trek
and Star Wars). These are all pretty
big tents and you could assemble an
interesting selection of forces just using
the examples we’ve been given here. One
thought that struck me was that the Five
Minutes into the Future examples include
not only Zombies, Aliens, etc, but also
Special Forces Operators and Rag Tag
Militiamen. It would not be beyond the
wit of Man to put together a quick game
using those lists for Mogadishu in 1993 or
Fallujah in 2004.
RULES CONCLUSIONS
So is Xenos Rampant good and should
you buy it? More on that in a moment.
My personal touchstone for Science
Fiction gaming is Warhammer 40,000
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 7
 SEND THREE AND FOURPENCE
Rogue Trader. Published in 1987, the
first edition of the world’s most popular
wargame was a glorious mess, but it
is – for me – the benchmark against
which all other science fiction games are
measured. It included, in the back of the
book, an introductory scenario called
“The Battle at the Farm”. I love Rogue
Trader and all its works, but with all due
respect to the sainted Rick Preistly, “The
Battle at the Farm” is not his best work.
Note: There follow spoilers for a scenario
that is thirty five years old. You have been
warned!
FIRST BATTLE OF THE FARM
The Rogue Trader scenario is as follows;
after an Ork invasion of Rynn’s World
goes unexpectedly well, there are Orks
swarming over the surface of the planet.
Two Ork leaders named Thrugg and Hruk
managed to loot some jewels during the
initial invasion and hid them in a ruined
farmhouse. Two weeks later they are
returning to the ruined farm house with a
small patrol to collect the jewels.
Little do they know that a group
of Space Marines led by Commander
Pedro Cantor are falling back to the
capital Rynns City. They are holed up in
the ruined farmhouse and must defend
themselves against the Orks.
◗ The Orks must defeat the marines and
recover the jewels. They can call in
reinforcements – but if they do – the
other Orks will undoubtedly discover
and steal the loot.
◗ The Marines must wipe out the
Ork patrol before they can call for
reinforcements.
The Marine player has fifteen Marines
in three squads of five. One of the
squads is led by the special character
Pedro Cantor and another squad has a
missile launcher. The Orks have twenty
troopers broken into four sections of five
Orks each. Each of the section leaders
has a communicator and both Thrugg
and Hruk are special characters with
slightly elevated stats. Thrugg, the
senior Ork, also has a plasma pistol that
is particularly deadly at short range.
I played this a number of times using
the old Rogue Trader rules and later
on (circa 2004) with the Third Edition
8 Miniature Wargames February 2023
Warhammer 40,000 rules. The Marines dig
in around the farm house (in the original
scenario, they actually deploy hidden
and only have to place two sentries on
the board at the beginning of the game),
while the Orks move onto the table. The
Orks don’t have the mass to overwhelm
the Marines, nor do they have the speed to
close the distance quickly, so they are left
slogging across the board crossing open
fields of fire, while the Space Marines
take turns knocking them down. The
Ork player can stymie the Marine player
by calling reinforcements (each Section
leader with a communicator can try each
turn, and the reinforcements arrive on a
roll of 6 on a d6) but that also vitiates his
own victory conditions and pushes the
game into a stalemate, which is no fun
for anyone. My version of the scenario
for Third Edition Warhammer 40,000 was
better, but it still wasn’t great.
THE XENOS VARIANT
With that in mind, I decided I would try to
recreate “The Battle at the Farm” in Xenos
Rampant, firstly to see how I could reflect
the two forces involved using the rules
and secondly to see if I could salvage what
I thought (despite my affection for it) was
a somewhat ropey scenario.
CREATING THE FORCES
We’ll start with the Space Marines here. A
standard Xenos Rampant Detachment is
24 points, so we’ll aim for that. Looking
at the troop types available, Elite Infantry
look like the best fit for Emperors Finest.
These are the best troops in the game and
cost a hefty six points for a unit of five.
They are tough (Armour 4) and have
very good morale. We take three squads
of those and that leaves us with six more
points to spend from our budget of 24.
We can reflect that one squad has
a missile launcher by adding the
Heavy Weapon trait to one squad for an
additional two points. This will allow
the unit to cause two hits rather than one
when rolling a six on their shooting. I also
added Armour Piercing (allowing the unit
to count enemy armour as one point less)
to reflect that the missile launcher can fire
HE and armour piercing ammunition.
Pedro Cantor, the Marine leader, has a
force field in the original scenario and is
a tough cookie in melee combat. I added
ABOVE: Brother Sutherland trains his missile
launcher ready to destroy the enemies of the
Emperor.
Assault Doctrine to the unit he’s in to
bump up their close combat ability, for
two points, and added a Class One Force
Field (from the Xenos rules, a special
section of rules included to make things
extra sci-fi) for another point.
I rolled for Commander traits for
Pedro and got “Strong Willed:unit cannot
be affected by enemy psychic powers”,
which isn’t particularly relevant for this
scenario.
So to conclude, the Marine Force looks
like this.
◗ Space Marine Squad Alpha led by
Commander Pedro Cantor (Elite
Infantry, Assault Doctrine, Class One
Force Field) 9 points
◗ Space Marine Squad Bravo (Elite
Infantry) 6 points
◗ Space Marine Square Charles with
Missile Launcher (Elite Infantry, Heavy
Weapon, Armour Piercing) 9 Points
Total: 24 Points
The Orks were a bit more of a
challenge and I gave myself a bit more
latitude to work out how to handle
them. Also, in terms of points values,
even in the original, the Orks had fewer
points than the Marines, so the Ork
player will definitely end up putting
more lads on the table than written.
Orks in Rogue Trader were less
cartoony than their contemporary
counterparts, but were still handy in
close combat and a bit tougher than
humans. The troop type Berserk Infantry
covers troops that are prone to break into
undisciplined charges and love to close
with the enemy while blasting away
from the hip: classic Ork tactics. The Ork
units as written were all pretty much
indistinguishable except for the inclusion
of the two special characters, so most of
the force will be made up of identical
units. We have units of five orks armed
with bolters and bolt pistols. I’ll treat
these as Berserk Infantry (2 points each)
with Increased Squad Size (1 point each)
and High Powered Blades (1 point each),
for a total of four points each.
If we take five units of these, that’ll
account for twenty out of our twenty
four points with four points left over for
Thrugg and Hruk.
I’ll give Thrugg’s unit the Xenos Rule
Mono-molecular Blades (2 points) to reflect
his up close and personal use of his
plasma pistol making him even more
dangerous in melee combat. Hruk is,
I think, more of a sneaky git, so I gave
his unit Infiltrators (1 point) which will
ABOVE: A rough guide to the board, shot from above.
Note that this is on a 3 by 3 mat.
allow them to get up the board faster
and Brutal Leader (1 point), which will
allow him to stiffen his troops resolve by
crumpin’ the cowardly. So we have:
◗ Five units of Orks (Berserk Infantry,
Increased Squad Size, High Powered
Blades) 4 points each
◗ Of those five, one has Thrugg attached
and the other has Hruk.
◗ Thurgg got the Commander Trait
“Brave”, which gives his unit a bonus
against Fearsome opponents, which
isn’t hugely relevant in this scenario.
Note: Each of the units of Orks has
been given the Increased Squad Size Trait
which increases the units size to ten
Strength Points. You can reflect this by
either using ten figures in each squad or
by making each Ork worth two strength
points. In gameplay terms it makes no
odds, but the latter course of action
would result in a game that looks a bit
more like the original and would require
you to paint fewer figures!
THE SCENARIO
This is my reworked scenario
specifically for Xenos Rampant.
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 9
 SEND THREE AND FOURPENCE
ABOVE: Hruk and the lads jog out from behind the
Jadeberry Trees ready to smash up some humies.
SET UP
Set up the table as per the map
provided. The terrain is as per the rules
on P46 of the rulebooks. The ruined
farm is obscuring terrain and hard
cover. It has an armour value of 3.
The Ruined Generator on top of the
hill is impassable terrain and has an
armour value of 6. I have truncated the
map somewhat from the original six foot
by four foot as Xenos Rampant generally
assumes a four foot by four foot table.
◗ The Ork player deploys first, on
or behind the hill with the broken
generator.
◗ The Marine player deploys second.
His troops must be deployed either
in the two farm buildings or in the
fenced area between them.
OBJECTIVES
Space Marines
+1 VP for each turn that the game goes on
-2 VP if any Ork unit survives to the end
of the game.
Orks
+3 VP for each Marine unit destroyed
+3 VP if Pedro Cantor destroyed
+3 VP if either Thrugg or Hruk
spend two turns in the Ruined Farm
building. The Ork player may not claim
this if he has successfully called for
reinforcements.
The game ends after ten turns. Ork
player takes first activation.
SPECIAL RULES
The Ork player may call for
reinforcements at any point during the
game. Roll one die per unit, on a 6 place
a single, previously destroyed unit on
the board no less than 24 inches away
10 Miniature Wargames February 2023
from the nearest Marine unit or the
furthest board edge, which ever is less.
If the Ork player has called for
reinforcements, the Marine player may
move his troops off the board. The game
ends on the turn the last Marine unit
leaves the board.
The Ork player may place three six
inch by two inch pieces of teddy bear
stuffing or cotton wool on the board
at the beginning of the game, after the
Marine player has deployed, representing
early morning mist. These may be no
closer than six inches to a Marine unit.
They have no effect on movement, but
block line of sight. They are removed at
the beginning of turn four.
FIGURES
I used my old Citadel Space Ork Raiders
and some RTB01 plastic Space Marines
that I got off eBay for the game. It was
a pleasure to get these old boys on the
table. I rated my Orks at two strength
points so I wouldn’t have to use and
move so many models, which made the
game move a little faster.
TERRAIN
Terrain for this is pretty simple. I didn’t
have any proper cultivated trees for
the orchard, so I used what I had. The
buildings were 3d prints a friend found
on Thingiverse for me with some added
walls. The generator was a piece of a
GW kit. I added a few bits of lichen and
rocks to break up the board a little bit,
particularly the more empty bottom left
hand corner of the board.
CONCLUSIONS
So how did it play? The first outing was
a disaster as I hadn’t realised that Xenos
Rampant is meant to be played on a four
by four board. This meant that the Orks
spent ages slogging across the battlefield
getting hammered by long range fire
from the Marines. I also made a hash of
the Fire Fight rule, not realising that the
Orks could only Fire Fight when within
twelve inches.
Following games felt very much like
the original with the Emperors elite
super soldiers blasting away like billy-
oh while Orks died in their droves. The
Missile Launcher unit in particular was
deadly. The Orks attempted to infiltrate
via the orchard, using that as cover to
close the distance and get into position
to launch an attack on an isolated
Marine unit, but to no avail. Certainly
an authentic experience, but not one that
sparked joy. I added the Morning Mist
rule at that point and the game got a lot
more challenging. The Marine player
had to manoeuvre to bring his fire to
bear, while the Ork player had to work
out where he was going to concentrate
his attack.
Having tried my version of “The
Battle at the Farm” and some of the other
scenarios in the book, I give Xenos
Rampant a qualified thumbs up. The
games are fast and bloody. If you can pile
a suppression on a unit while keeping
your own forces free to act, you’re a long
way to winning. The rules accommodate
a wide variety of forces and there’s a
lot that you can do with them. They are
generic and lack some of the flavour of
rule sets that are specifically tailored to a
particular background, but they make up
for that by being easy to grasp, accessible
and fast playing. If you’re willing to
accept the game on those terms, this is a
really solid set of rules.
If you like the Rampant series of the
games, you will like this and I would raise
my recommendation to an unequivocal
two thumbs up. If you’ve reservations
about the system, particularly how the
activations work, it’s still different enough
that it might be worth a look, but maybe
try before you buy.
If you do play “The Battle
at the Farm” let me
know how you get on
DOWNLOAD
at conrad.kinch@gmail. THE SCENARIO MAP
com, on the Xenos tabletopgaming.co.uk/
Rampant Facebook information/downloads
Group or on Twitter @
aquestingvole. ■
 MINIATURE WARGAMES SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

GO TO SALUTE 50
FOR FREE! 22 April 2023, ExCel London

Join over 120 traders and the

community gathering at ExCeL London
to celebrate all things wargaming. NEW
to this year, enjoy live painting zones as
well as live Q&As over in Conversation
Corner with authors, painters, rules
writers and a whole host of other
individuals leading the industry in their
own respecting fields.

Subscribe for the year and get your FREE ticket worth £12.
www.ttgami.ng/salute50ticket
Official media sponsor of Salute 50

Small print: This is an introductory offer, and is only valid with annual Direct Debit subscriptions. This offer ends on 13 March 2023. Your free Salute 50
e-ticket will be sent via email from the event organiser before 16 April 2023. Your name and email address will be shared with Salute for this purpose only.
 HIT THE BEACH!
A sandy landing for solo wargamers
Words by Martin England. Photos by Irina Melnikova
he main aspect of solo wargaming which appeals
T
to me is coming up with mechanisms which
can genuinely deliver an ‘intelligent’ enemy,
an enemy which can not only surprise you in a
similar way to a human opponent but can also trounce
your best laid plans and deliver a humiliating defeat!
All of the figures in this article are Perry Miniatures,
Warlord Games, Victrix. Buildings by Sarissa.
For rules I used Warlord Games Black Powder with
Albion Triumphant Supplement. All of the figures are
owned and painted by the author
STORMING ASHORE!
There are two main reasons for me why it is difficult
to beat the sheer pleasure of wargaming against one or
more human opponents:
Firstly, the often-unexpected ways that your opponent’s
manage to surprise you and completely destroy your
best laid battle plans, proving the old adage that, ‘no
12 Miniature Wargames February 2023
plan survives first contact with the enemy’, and secondly
the sheer pleasure of interaction with fellow humans
BELOW with similar interests and a shared sense of history and
The 45th are humour. (Something sorely lacking over the past two
caught at the
COVID blighted years). Which is where solo wargaming
waters edge
and taking has, of course, proven to be such a useful diversion.
casualties! But COVID aside, I have always enjoyed solo
wargaming: there are no time constraints and you
can play for as long or as short as you want, when you
want. Make the battles, the organisations, the uniforms
etc as accurate or as fantastic as you wish, without any
criticism! But the main aspect of solo wargaming which
appeals to me is coming up with mechanisms which
can genuinely deliver an ‘intelligent’ enemy: an enemy
which can not only surprise you in a similar way to a
human opponent but can also trounce your best laid
plans and deliver a humiliating defeat!
TO GET YOU IN THE MOOD...
What follows is a description of exactly that: a solo
battle that delivered just such a heavy defeat. With
very simple mechanisms that require no bookkeeping
and genuinely made me feel exactly like a frustrated

Commander in Chief . Someone who really had a
great plan, and who was defeated by the inability to
communicate quickly enough with a strung-out Army,
by an enemy who outmanoeuvred me and by sheer
bad luck. Doesn’t this just sound like the excuses of
any number of defeated generals in real life? And all
this from a non-existent opponent!
For my Napoleonic solo games, I use Black Powder
rules as a basis for the core game mechanics. I don’t
like bookkeeping as I personally feel it disrupts the
flow and fun of the game when having to keep notes
on the stats and status for each unit.
PREP WORK
To help with this I have two double sided A4 cards.
The first card lists the unit stats and special rules for
each unit, (photocopied directly for my Peninsula
games from the Black Powder Albion Triumphant
supplement, pages 100 and 106), British on one side,
French on the other.
The other A4 card contains both of the quick
reference sheets photocopied from back of the Black
Powder rule book.
Each command figure is clearly labelled on the
underside of its base – with name, rank and command
rating.
SEQUENCE
The Black Powder sequence of play works well for a
solo game. The side that I am not playing will have a
simple Army wide set of orders – which I will do my
best to ensure they follow. For example, for this game
the British Orders are:
‘The Army will transfer ashore as quickly and
efficiently as possible. The landing beaches are to be
immediately cleared of any enemy presence. Once
the landing beaches are secure and completely free of
any enemy, the Army will organise and replenish in
preparation for further operations in land.’
LEFT
Out with the
telescope: the
French realise
that their troops
are unable to
manoeuvre!
Unit casualties are kept track of by using Perry
Miniature’s dead and wounded figures rather than
simple tokens. This gives a much better and pleasing
visual display – which is what figure wargaming is all
about?
I don’t have all that many casualty figures and
therefore swap them between units as needed. I
have often thought about buying and painting up
many more – these could then be left in place where
the casualties occurred as the units move on. These
casualty figures would then show the ebb and flow of
battle, as well as at the end of the game, with the table
littered with these figures, giving a grim reminder of
the true cost of war.
THE BATTLE
The idea for this particular battle began, as it probably
does for most wargamers, whilst browsing some
history or other and coming across a passage which
makes you think: wow! That would be great to see on
the wargame table. Whilst reading about the British
assault from the sea onto the Aboukir Peninsular,
Egypt in 1801, I came across this description:
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 13
 HIT THE BEACH!
ABOVE “As the initial wave landed they formed up in the water.
The 95th to the Soldiers of the 40th and 23rd Regiments charged ahead to
rescue.
capture the high sand dune in their front. On the left, 200
BELOW French cavalry charged the Coldstream Guard still forming
The Brigade of up in knee-deep water, but the cavalry were repulsed by a
Guards land
unopposed. well-timed volley fired by the 48t.”
And from the British landings at Mondego Bay,
Portugal in 1808:
“As soon as the Portuguese boats, crowded with our
soldiers, reached the foaming and rapid surge, a desperate
pull was made by all the rowers when, dashing over
its surface, we were launched upon the sand in a most
unceremonious manner, being pitched, or rather tumbled
out, more like a cargo of fish than a boatload of gentleman
warriors. Dazed horses and soldiers were pulled from the
surf by burly sailors, Officers shouted orders, struggling
to be heard above the crash and thunder of waves and men
hurriedly dressed and dried themselves.”
The landings at Aboukir Bay were ‘opposed’. Luckily
for the British those at Mondego Bay were unopposed.
PLAYING THE GAME
So how about attempting an opposed beach landing
set in the Peninsula war as a solo wargame? I decided
I would play the French commander: he would know
that the British would be landing at any time soon, but
not knowing where the landing would take place, and
14 Miniature Wargames February 2023
therefore having to hold my army away from the coast,
but ready to march to wherever the landing occurred.
I’d therefore need to keep sentries and cavalry patrols
watching all possible landing sites.
So, my problem as commander is to get as many of
my troops as possible to the right beach as quickly as
possible and defeat the landing... and drive the British
back into the sea!
WHAT ABOUT THE BRITS?
The British commander, as detailed above, has to land
as many troops as possible in a short a time as possible
and defeat any French opposition to the landing
in order to secure the beaches in preparation for
operations in land.
The solo mechanisms for such a game are extremely
simple. For the British a ‘chit’ with the name of each
unit is placed in a cup – together with an equal number
of blank chits. For the French exactly the same.
Each baseline, the beach for the British and the off-table
edge for the French, is divided into three equal sections.
Chits numbered 1 to 3 are placed in a separate cup.
Each game turn a chit is picked for the British: if
blank then no unit arrives that turn. If a unit is
drawn then the second drawn chit determines

where along the base line it will appear (thus
representing the difficulty of the boat loading and the
unpredictability of the currents, wind and surf on the
ability of the unit to land in the ‘right’ place.
NOW FOR THE FRENCH
For the French they follow a similar process: a chit
is drawn each turn, which may – or may not – result
in a unit arriving and again the second chit will
determine where it arrives along the baseline. This
represents messages being passed along the coast as
to where the British are landing and units marching to
the landing area.
No artillery chits are added to the mix until the end
of game turn 5. This represents the extreme difficulty
of getting the guns into the boats for the British and
the slowness of guns on land for the French.
ABOUKIR
As I wanted to recreate the ‘opposed’ landing at
Aboukir I decided to start with one unit landing and
one unit of French cavalry already on the table.
I selected a British unit at random
for initial placement at the water’s
edge – it turned out to be the 45th
Notts: a good steady line Battalion, if no doubt a little ABOVE
seasick! The second chit decided they would land on While the conflict
rages elsewhere,
the far left (from the French perspective: the far-right other British
beach from the British viewpoint). units are landing
The French calvary unit – again selected at random unopposed.
from all my available cavalry – were the 1st Lancers,
and as fate decided they would be ready and waiting
at the far left of the table! Thus, the battle would
commence with the Lancers ‘sticking’ the poor old 45th
as they struggled ashore, no doubt with wet powder
and green faces (and very happy to be on firm land)
but never expecting to be met in the surf by a regiment
of French Lancers. As the French commander I was of
course delighted with this initial set up and good luck.
Unfortunately, that was about it as far as luck for the
French was concerned for the rest of the battle!
INTO THE SURF
So, as expected, the Lancers – unable to believe their
eyes or their luck – charged into the surf. The 45th
clambering out of their boats began to take heavy
casualties and could not make it to the beach or back to
their boats.
But now one of those moments that really do only
seem to happen in solo games: the next turn came and
the 95th Rifles were drawn. The chits said they would
land on the centre beach – unopposed, but able to
support the dying 45th. Sharpe to the rescue!
As soon as they hit the beach, and realising there
was no enemy to their front, the 95th were able to start
inflicting casualties on the 1st Lancers. The 95th also
occupied the farmhouse immediately to their front
– and from which they were able to dominate and
control the entire battle as it unfolded.
Next to arrive were the 1st and second guards – both
battalions drawn one after the other. They landed on
the far-left beach from the British perspective, and
then two columns of French Infantry also arrived, and
appeared opposite the Guards.
THE FIGHT CONTINUES
So, the battle developed: more and more French
units, all of them infantry, together with a ‘cloud’
of skirmishers, kept coming and all arrived on the
far right of the French line. This added up to a very
crowded sector with little space for any manoeuvring.
The Lancers were driven off by the accurate fire from
the 95th and the 45th made it assure although having
taken heavy casualties and being ‘in shock’, would take
no further part in the battle.
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 15
 HIT THE BEACH!

More British units arrived on the far right, landing

on the same beach as the 45th, but now totally
unopposed.
As the chits were drawn a unit of French dragoons
arrived mid table – but as they advanced immediately
came under fire from the 95th and were forced to halt
and dismount. The British guards had time to advance
to a hedge line to their front and, deployed in line,
and fired volley after volley into the crowded French
columns to their front.

COMMAND & CONTROL

As senior British officers came ashore, they quickly The French columns opposing the guards were ABOVE
assessed the situation, (a simple dice role against unable to deploy into line, became stuck, unable to French re-
enforcements:
their command rating decided how ‘intelligent’ their go forward and unable to retreat due to the pressure will the Guards
decision making would be) and wheeled the later of new units arriving behind them. A French officer hold?
landing British units into line – aiming to advance then noticed the many British units marching towards
RIGHT
them across the table, crossing in front of the 95th and them from the left and threatening their flank. As Some French
into the flank of the French columns. commander I really had no choice but just had to artillery has
As the French commander, I was still fairly confident: extricate as many French units as I could, living to arrived and the
French realise
if I could just get a few of my units onto the table at my fight another day. I ordered a general retreat. The they are being
far left or centre, then I could hit the British in turn in British were left in sole occupation of the beaches outflanked.
their flank! But... it was not to be – more French units and were able to commence their preparations for
BOTTOM RIGHT
kept arriving but they really must have ‘marched to the advancing up-country. After the battle:
sound of the guns’, as they just kept on adding to the "Nothing except
crowd on the far right! IN CONCLUSION a battle lost
can be half so
Eventually a French Artillery battery did arrive This for me had been a typical solo wargame. It melancholy as a
centre of table. But only to be met by several advancing had the simplest of mechanisms driving the game battle won."
British Infantry Battalions advancing from their left, in a way which I had not foreseen and inflicting a
as well as the 95th firing at them from their front. The heavy defeat on myself – by sheer bad luck. As an ex-
Battery did not last long. soldier I always remember that these ‘fun’ wargames

16 Miniature Wargames February 2023

 LEFT MONDEGO BAY 1808
The French Jonathan Leach, a Captain in the elite 95th Rifles,
march to the
sound of the was confronted as he landed, not by the enemy, but
guns, but have by a group his training had not prepared him for at
no room to Mondego Bay:
manoeuvre.
‘We were beset with a host of padres, friars and monks,
BELOW of all ages, each carrying a huge umbrella of the most
British Hussars gaudy colour imaginable; intended no doubt to protect their
'encourage' the
French to depart. complexions, which vied with those of chimney sweeps.
These gentry welcomed us with vivas, and protested that,
with our assistance, every Frenchman in Portugal should be
speedily annihilated. Our visitors were not confined to the

male sex; for some olive beauties with sparkling eyes and jet
black hair, were induced to take a peep at us; and, before we
parted, some of the more favoured of us were presented with
flowers and fruit from the hands of these damsels.’

NORMANDY 1944
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. became the only U.S. general to
storm the beaches in the first wave of the Normandy
invasion, leading the 4th Infantry Division, 8th
Infantry Regiment, into France. His landing craft
famously drifted off course and reached shore
approximately one mile from its target destination on
Utah Beach. Reportedly, he let the troops know
he didn’t care where they landed. “We’ll
start the war from right here!” he is said
to have shouted to the young soldiers DOWNLOAD
scrambling onto the beachhead. ■ THE SCENARIO MAP
tabletopgaming.co.uk/
information/downloads
are actually based on real events: real people just
like you and me were there, these actions would often
provide many aspects of the human experience. For
example:

ABOUKIR BAY 1801

‘The hot, white sand sucked at the soldiers’ ankles
exhausting them as they left the beach and marched to their
bivouacs amongst the rocks. The men, already wearied and
weakened from their time aboard ship, found themselves
short of drinking water and carrying a heavy load. Four men
of the 71st Regiment of foot died from thirst before they even
reached camp’.

February 2023 Miniature Wargames 17


 
      
 
           

   !         # ()  

*   !    " #  # $ %#

& ' #       ) 

+  !  ")  ")"%    )  !)%#  ,    ,
OPEN WARFARE
Another year another new venue for Warfare 2022
Words and photos by The Editor
hen I heard that the Warfare at Reading
W
team was going to relocate their show
to Farnborough I was terribly pleased:
Farnborough is only ten minutes from me!
Oh... the other Farnborough. Fair enough!
Last year following the unceasing requirement
to cancel and then find new venues for shows, the
Wargames Association of Reading got into lock-step
and set their 2021 show in a new venue at Ascot
Racecourse but subsequently decided that they would
relocate again for 2022 by moving to Farnborough
International Exhibition & Conference Centre. Talk
about making life difficult for oneself!
RECAP
Whilst small shows often make use of town halls or
even schools, there seems to be a trend with bigger
events to go in one of two directions: horses or planes.
Last year they went – with the likes of Vapnartak and
Colours – with the equine option and hired Ascot and
the venue was... fine: it reminded me a little of a mall
or a cruise liner. Parking was okay – if a little distant –
and the venue was quite plush. However I did criticise
the show on a few small points (paperwork, access
and so forth). This year the Reading organisers appear
to have taken the aeroplane approach (literally) but
BELOW – more importantly – all of the comments that were
A Blenheim made seem to have been taken on board and thee team
succumbs to
have fixed pretty much all of them.
AA fire. The
Luxembourg So – continuing the other theme that many big
1940 game shows appear to be held in venues that at least resemble
by Deal
Wargamers aircraft hangers (Partizan, Salute, Hammerhead and
using Rapid Fire so forth) – WAR is now held in (what might as well
in 20mm. be) a hanger (though – in fact – it’s a proper exhibition
space) though it’s on an actual airfield!
VENUE
Navigation is a little sketchy because signage at the
venue is restricted and the site is pretty vast: it is,
after all, a rather large, active aerodrome... However,
I expect that’ll all bed in for next year. Parking is
pretty much faultless and access is good. This year
the Club hired two adjoining halls but that’s a flexible
arrangement, apparently. Next year the show will be
in one big room (I’m not sure that’s particularly an
advantage) but the show has room to both breathe and
grow which is great. Some of the floor was carpeted,
all was well lit (better than Salute: the yardstick I tend
to use) and the guys had produced a phenomenally
colour-coded guide leaflet with the table layout and
some basic ‘blurb’: nothing flashy but – if you wanted
to locate traders or games (or identify which of the
myriad competitions to enter) – this helped a lot.
Talking of which...
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 19
 WARFARE 2022
COMPETITION GAMES
Warfare as a show is spread across a whole weekend and
that’s all down to the needs of the competition section.
Not my cup of tea, I grant you, but these entrants pay a
considerable amount towards the shows’ existence and
the WAR organisers go in for it in a big way.
A little under a half of the hall space is given over
to a wide swathe of period tournaments: several
ancients and similar (WRG 6th; Mortem et Gloriam;
Swordpoint; SAGA; Armati); WWII (Flames of War or
Bolt Action); SF (40K or Infinity); and... so it goes on.
And On! Impressively arranged, I have to admit.
On top of all of that they had an area set aside for
seating which was good, along with a decent food
servery; a Bring and Buy and Traders. Which leads into...
TRADE
As usual at Warfare, there was a very good trade
presence (almost seventy, I think: largely the same
number as last year) and these were split over the
two halls to encourage circulation. There were a wide
selection of vendors ranging from big names to smaller
stands and all seemed to be doing good business.
DEMONSTRATION GAMES
There was a decent collection of games this year though,
I will confess, I would like to see more. But it’s hard to
have too many nice looking games. On a personal note,
I wasn’t terribly well over the weekend of the show so
20 Miniature Wargames February 2023
TOP LEFT
Flame units in
action during
Aliens: this time
it's war, by the
Werelords.
TOP RIGHT
WWII in 12mm
by Anschluss
Wargames.
LEFT
Bosworth by
the Huntingdon
& District
Wargames
Society.
ABOVE RIGHT
Sci-Fi. I didn’t make as many tours of the venue, camera in
hand, as I usually do, which was a shame. Additionally,
BOTTOM
RIGHT I had seen some of the best games the previous month
Cold war antics at the SELWG show, but that’s hard to complain about:
at Hahausen if it’s a good game, the folks running it will want to give
by Shepway
Wargames Club. it a few ‘outings’ and – after all – I’m in the luxurious
position of attending more shows than most gamers.
There was the rather nice WWII game with aircraft
by Deal Wargamers that had been at SELWG, along
with the excellent Carantan game Eagles and Lions by
the Retired Wargamers Reloaded , the whole table
stuffed with 3D printed 15mm scenery. And – as
another alternative – there was the 1/72 scale cold war
game called Hahausen by Shepway Wargames Club
where the scenery was made from card and (new,
I think from it’s SELWG outing) was an enormous
Harrier doing flyovers (a bit of ‘forced perspective’
in play!). I’m not sure of the scale of the model
(1/32nd?) but it was certainly impressive. There was
also a rather nice game of Battle of Dorking Gap by the
Guildford Wargames Club. In general there was a wide
selection of periods and styles. The only downside, as
I alluded to earlier, were numbers: as there were only
22 games means it does at least mean that the party
games are never short of attendees (after shopping
you have to have something to do!) but more is always
nice. As a show of a similar size to, say, Partizan or
Hammerhead, it is a bit short in this area (but has, of
course, tournaments instead). Me? Ideally, I’d take
both: I’d like to have my cake and eat it!
I’m sure I’m going to get some flack for this but one
table that always seems quite ‘flat’ (in both a literal
and a metaphorical sense) is the Society of Ancients
game. Every single show for the last few years now
the guys from the group turn up and seem to just put
on variations of the same game: a flat cloth with two
armies laid out and they then proceed to spend the day
rolling dice, snapping measuring tapes and... that’s
about it. Their turnout at Warfare was no different.
Ancients is a phenomenally exiting period and I guess
it’d be nice to see it promoted by something more than
a glorified competition (club night) game.
Anyway, leaving my gripes aside, the judges went smoothly and that’s a testament to the organisers who ABOVE
around and adjudicated and this is what they decided: were trying very hard on the day. A hospital
tent from
best Participation Game was The Werelords with If I could wave a magic organisers wand I’d get a the Retired
Aliens: this time it’s war in 54mm, and runners up went little more signage and some more display games but – Wargamers
to the Sealed Knot with Village Football and The Glory as a first outing at a new hall – it was excellent. Money Reloaded Team
with their WWII
Boys with Zombie Glory. from the show was raised and donated to Models for Eagles & Lions
For Demonstration Games the top slot (and overall Heroes, which is a very worthy cause. at Carentna in
show winner) was allocated to Combined Oppos with 15mm.
28mm Vietnam with the runners up being the Shepwey AFTERWORD BELOW
Wargames Club with the cold war game I mentioned Warfare 2023 will be held on November 11th/12th Well - we've
earlier and Anschluss Wargames: a 12mm WWII 2022 at Farnbrough Exhibition centre. Next year the got the bridge
blocked! The
(trader) game that I first saw at Partizan and – again – show will celebrate the 110th anniversary of HG Wells’ Guildford
is a very impressive layout. book Little Wars and this will be reflected in the show Wargames Club
in some format: matchstick cannons and straw boaters game depicting
CONCLUSIONS will be optional! For details go to wargamesreading.co.uk
the Battle Of
Dorking Gap.
The good news is that the same venue is and I’m looking forward to next year! ■
booked again for next year. For a first year at
this new location it seemed to go remarkably

February 2023 Miniature Wargames 21

VAPNARTAK

YORK
2023
SUNDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 2023
YORK RACECOURSE
THE NORTH’S PREMIER WARGAMES SHOW
DOORS OPEN 10AM FREE ONSITE PARKING
ADMISSION £5 CONCESSIONS £3
HUGE TABLETOP SALE OVER 50 TRADERS
DISPLAY GAMES PARTICIPATION GAMES
FOOD AND DRINK ATM CASH MACHINE

VAPNARTAK.CO.UK
YORKWARGAMES.CO.UK
 TOY SOLDIERS
◗ copplestonecastings.co.uk
◗ £6.60
RULE BOOKS
I was given a selection of a very
& FIGURES
interesting new product: Mark’s Little
Soldiers. They are a selection of one piece
castings in white metal of what can only
be described as ‘toy soldiers’. Granted they
are a bit on the ‘wee’ side for traditional
toy-stuff: they are 32mm compared to
Britains and their ilk at, I guess, 54mm
or so. And – being sculpted by Mark
Copplestone – they are exquisitely done.
Period wise, they are – for want of
a better term – set in a fin de siècle (or
thereabouts) Imaginations Europe with
the countries of Panovia and Berglandia
plus the Slovskans (and indeed Panovian
Royalists) thrown in for good measure. All
of the infantry releases tend to be four to a
pack and come in poses that are – in terms
of ‘action’ – somewhere between old Airfix
and old Britains: so not just marching
with sloped arms but not crawling on the
ground or dragging parachutes. They are
mostly firing rifles of pistols and in pre-
WWI style ‘pretty’ uniforms.
There are also a few support weapons
(pairs of HMGs on tripods – with the legs
‘filled in’– plus flame throwers and even
the odd field piece) but no cavalry. Yet.
The pre-camo uniforms include side caps,
Adrian style helmets, the larger WWI ‘coal
scuttle’ stahlhelm style helmets (worn
fairly frequently even to this day) and
simple side arms: I’m not too good on
rifles but the chaps in those stahlhelms are
carrying MP18s but not Lugers (they look
like Browning Hi-Powers). It’s all good
Imaginations fun and would work well for
everything from Wellsian Toy soldier games
on a smaller footprint to TinTin. Detail
is excellent but traditionally lacking in
help for the painter regarding shading. So
maybe best don’t try! Recommended.
ATLANTIC FOR ALL TASTES
◗ wargamesatlantic.com
◗ £25
Two new sets are released by Wargames
Atlantic that have been covered in this
magazine in some degree previously
(usually in a ‘coming soon’ shout-out in
Forward Observer). These are Goths (last
mentioned two issues ago) and Cannon
Fodder 2.
Starting with the Goths, these come
30 to a box split over six sprues, each
of which has five bodies, over a dozen
heads plus a handsome cloak, four round
shields, three bow arms and assorted
other weapons including a selection of
slings and some short spears. The only
assembly of the ‘bodies’ is arms and heads
and each sprue includes a number of
sheathed swords (as – very sensibly –
three seconds with a scalpel turns them
into empty sheaths for the swords already
attached to arms) and a lovely looking
dragon horn for a command group.
The Cannon Fodder 2 set is a female
version of the very popular... er... Cannon
Fodder 1. The overall-wearing models
when assembled (and you get 24 ladies
in the set) come with a lot of options and
seem to be less ‘cartoony’ than the original
renders would have suggested. I note that
Wargames Atlantic have also listened to
feedback on their website and there are
lots of head options. I counted 36... I’m
not sure if you can have ‘too many’ head
options but this must be close to the cut
off! They can be assembled as planetary
or near future militia, escaped prisoners,
starship crew, and – with mix and
match arms from other sets – even more
options! Both Recommended.
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 23
 REVIEWS
GOBLIN SLAVES
◗ northstarfigures.com
◗ £25
As a keen Lord of the Rings fan I seem
to be on an eternal quest for Orcs (as
opposed to Orks...) for armies. Oathmark
and Northstar already make a box of Orc
Infantry: larger plastic chaps and I’ve stuck
more than a few of those together, but they
are really more suited to Man-Orcs, Half
Orcs and Uruk-Hai in the Tolkien backstory.
What I wanted were some slightly less
heavy duty fellas for the rank and file and
this is what they have now produced.
Dressed mostly in rags (and certainly – if
they are wearing armour – it’s very discrete
and under their clothing) and with a choice
of ten heads (one with a helmet), the five
torsos per sprue (and you get six sprues
so they are 30 figures to a box) they’re
around 25mm tall. Now my mother would
have told me to ‘stand up straight’ with
posture like that but – even so – they are
commendably crouched and hunched in
appearance. So: well done on that one!
Fighting irons wise there’s a selection
of hand weapons (a short scimitar, knives,
hatchets, the odd meat cleaver) but
nothing with the ‘huge spikes’ front or
the big square blades seen in the films.
What are represented are some small
clubs (almost knobkerries), a pole for
a banner and one shield plus a load of
slings: excellent! By and large, if you want
archers, shields or armour it’s swapsies
time with other compatible kits including
the Northstar Orcs I mentioned or
Wargames Atlantic’s range. What there
are to support them are some superb
command figures in metal: the armoured
Goblin King with a Wizard and a drummer
(sculpted by Michael Anderson for £10),
all of which really make up into a terrific
unit. Highly Recommended.
24 Miniature Wargames February 2023
THE WARGAMERS ANNUAL
2023
◗ caliverbooks.com
◗ £18.95
It’s the festive season again so you might
be thinking that it must be about time
for another Wargamer’s Annual from
Charles S Grant. And you’d be right! The
latest edition is on my reading stack and
it has an interesting selection of articles
(fourteen in total) which cover quite a
wide selection of topics.
For those that don’t know (and don’t
wait every solstice for Santa to sneak one
down their chimney), the Wargamer’s
Annual is – effectively – a thick magazine,
in perfect bound format, with virtually no
advertising: the odd plug for Caliver aside,
it’s just solid articles. Of course, with no
advertising revenue, the money has to come
from somewhere, so 100 pages will cost you
nineteen quid. Bit what do you get for that?
Those one hundred pages start with
the Battle of Abu Klea 1885 (a fine looking
Sudan campaign battle with some great
photography including the British forming
square against the Dervishes); a piece on
the Wars of Mary Queen of Scots; followed
by the Battle of Corrichie (the Marian Civil
War in Northeast Scotland which goes into
some specific details). Next up is a short
scratch build section by Charles Grant
himself where he constructs some 18th
century German Farm buildings using a
variety of building materials ranging from
pre-textured plastic sheets (Wills) and
Apoxie Sculpt so that’ll be interesting
if you’ve not used those products before
(and they are
fairly universally
applicable).
Next article is
the Siege of the Fort
of Chitral, a late
19th century Indian
battle featuring an
utterly magnificent
terrain layout (a fort, obviously...) and
extensive maps to make it work as a
scenario. Up next is Harpers Ferry: a
scenario based around the John Brown’s
raid of 1859: again with some great
photography! Regular contributor to this
magazine Allan Tidmarsh has put in a
piece called That’s my Pyramidion which
links a small set of games based in Egypt
(no prizes guessing that one) and it has a
flow chart to demonstrate one’s progress
through the linked game.
Next up, the Annual takes a dive to the
dark side and has A Star Wars Tale with a
scenario for the pre-paint, Fantasy Flight
Games X Wing Star Wars system. Regular
readers of Mr Grant’s can just ignore those
pages and imagine they didn’t happen...
A printing error, perhaps! Following on
from a piece on The Battles of Ayton (an
inspirational local gaming group), the Battle
of Bloody Marsh (1742 Colonial North
America and some very sharp photography)
and it’s followed by another piece on the
18th century (an after-battle report on the
Action at Maddening). There’s also Samurai
on the Horizon: an interesting – and unusual
– naval piece on 15mm Japanese warfare.
With a final summing up from Mr Grant
and lots of illustration by the late Bob
Marion, this is a fine work. My tongue-in
cheek comments about Star Wars aside,
it’s a useful publication for wargamers
covering a wide selection of periods and
interests. Highly recommended.

FALLOUT & CALL TO ARMS
SUPPLEMENTS & FIGURES
◗ modiphius.net
◗ £25 - £43
Modiphius Entertainment have another
release in their constant support of
figures for both Fallout and The Elder
Scrolls: Call to Arms. All of these
models are boxed sets of light grey, resin
castings in 32mm ‘scale’ but different
sizes. Proportionally, I would call them
‘accurately proportioned’ figures (so
regular build humanoids) and they are
generally multi-part castings and all come
supplied with a bespoke, scenic base
unique to each model. There are also three
Fallout supplement books so... quite a lot
to get through!
Starting with the Call to Arms figures
we have two boxed sets and first up are
Bandit Outlaws. Dressed in skins with a
lot of bare chests they look like classic
fantasy Vikings (of the sort beloved by
TV shows) and are armed with axes and
bows for the most part. They include one
female archer in the six figure box and hit
the £43 price point. These are excellent
figures with a lot of usability in many
fantasy situations.
Not unadjacent to those are a boxed
set of Bandit Pillagers.
A fine distinction, you
might think, but these
seem to be slightly better
dressed – and more heavily
protected – versions of
the Outlaws with more
leather armour, much of
it studded, armed with
just axes and swords
and they’ve obviously
spoken to central casting
as they have an even, male/
female split amongst the six figures.
These are marked as ‘pre-orders’ on the
website but should be out by the time
you read this at the same £43 price.
Switching to Fallout, we have two
boxed sets of insectioid creatures:
Sting Wings and Blood Bugs. Starting
the with latter, they come on a 40mm
base (it’s kinda hard to measure
them in any meaningful way) and
resemble huge, super-mosquitoes. I was
looking at the artwork on the box and
thinking “wouldn’t it be great if they had
transparent wings?” and: wouldn’t you
know it! Modiphius has made the wings
of these horrors (for which you get three
in a box for £32) in a translucent plastic,
all of which adds a new dimension to
painting them (though I guess you could
still finish them like regular miniatures
and paint over the wings but that’d be a
real shame).
They have pulled the same trick with
the Sting Wings: slightly bigger creatures
with bigger (but still translucent) plastic
wings. All three – like the Blood Bugs – are
different sculpts and these are modelled
emerging from eggs and so forth. Great
models and – again – £32 for the set.
Finally we come to the supplements
for Fallout. Commonwealth Expansion
is a 65-page booklet with rules covering
the Children of the Atom, the Gunners,
the Railroad, new Creatures, and the
Super Mutant Swan. You get 171 new
cards for all sorts of things (including
weapons), a painting guides for Survivors,
the Brotherhood of Steel, and Super
Mutants and there’s a nice gallery of
painted models featuring every release
in the Commonwealth wave. Also
included are scenarios for playing in the
Commonwealth, rules for Wasteland
Warfare terrain and special region rules for
locations within the Commonwealth. This
is £35.
Of a similar thickness and product
quality (all soft bound, A4 colour) is Forged
in the Fire. This is a book containing
rules for expanding a player’s options on
the battlefield. This has 259 new cards:
(including 26 Weapon cards, 48 Explore
cards, 21 Event cards, 36 Danger cards,
13 Stranger cards, 14 Creature cards, 43
Quest cards and more) plus there are five
new scenarios. Along with Faction rules
and strategy guides there are two new sub-
Factions outlined: The Slog and The Forged.
Finally, there are unit rules for Ghouls.
The last supplement is Into the
Wasteland. Available as a printed, 24 page
booklet (although the PDF is available
separately but isn’t included in the
purchase) it expands on the rules needed
to play the system. Again, there are a
wealth of cards with 112 including: 25
weapon cards and very many more, plus
it details the process of creating new areas
to scavenge and explore. There are new AI
rules for creatures and includes Habitat
rules. There’s also a To The Rescue mini-
campaign. One certainly
can’t criticise Modiphius
for not supporting a game
system! Recommended.
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 25
 COMMAND DECISION

A COAT OF
THE VERY, VERY BEST...
Campaigning for the Horse & Musket period
Words and pictures by Jon Sutherland.

T
his is the first section of a three-parter. This time we ABOVE One of the most challenging and exciting aspects
deal with Movement, Supply, Scouting and After Four Russian of wargaming is to run or take part in a campaign.
infantry
Battle Mechanics. Ed. regiments With one-off battles, your army is at full strength,
of the Great maximum fitness, bellies full and with pockets and
THE PREMISE Northern War. pouches stuffed with ammunition. In a campaign
This is a slight diversion from the usual scenario game, you have a chance to see exactly what it could
based Command Decision. In it, we look at the have been like for a general trying to cope with an
fundamental mechanics around running a simple horse army lacking supplies; a force dispirited after a recent
and musket period campaign game. One note about defeat and depleted regiments wracked with disease
the descriptions of troop training and morale, some and desertion.
interesting combinations can be created:
MOVEMENT
TROOP CLASSIFICATIONS It is essential to attempt to categorise the different types
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE TYPES MORALE TYPES of forces on the march. The following table explains the
Green: Trained with no combat experience, Impetuous: difficult to different types of force you are likely to create:
an unknown quantity. control, bloodthirsty and
unpredictable morale.
Novice: Some battlefield experience, trained Cautious: reluctant to put TROOP DEFINITIONS
but not tested in actual combat themselves in unnecessary TYPE OF FORCE DESCRIPTION OF FORCE
danger, fragile morale.
Scouts and couriers Single figures or less than a regiment
Experienced: Some combat experience, Steady: reliable troops with representing a scouting force or an individual
trained with an average ability and a reasonable self-regard, figure with despatches
considered steady and reliable good morale.
Light mounted force Cavalry only consisting of one or more regiments
Veteran: Trained with combat experience, Confident: have proved
more than one engagement, capable troops themselves in the past and Mounted force Cavalry accompanied by horse artillery
have solid morale.
Light infantry force Infantry only consisting of one or more regiments
Elite: Trained, steady, extensive combat Arrogant: tendency to
experience, reliable/capable troops over-estimate their abilities, Mixed force Any mixture of infantry, cavalry and artillery and
over confident morale. all forces accompanied by baggage or supplies

26 Miniature Wargames February 2023

 Normally troops would only move on roads; BELOW TROOP TYPE IMPACT OF MARCHING AT DAWN IF ENGAGED IN A BATTLE
obviously they do go cross-country, but for ease of Even in Tsarist BEFORE HAVING FOOD
times Russian Green Count as disordered
understanding and to highlight the importance of the infantry
road network, you will see in the movement table that showed Novice Count as Green
the cross-country moves are seriously reduced. There remarkable Experienced Count as Novice
resilience on Veteran Count as experienced
are three different types of road: campaign.
Elite Count as experienced
ROD DESIGNATIONS BOTTOM
A close up
TYPE OF ROAD DESCRIPTION AND IMPLICATIONS of Russian Troops cannot march for more than three periods (a
Main road A major road or a metalled road, actually far infantry. The day and half); they must rest for a half day after three
more numerous than you would expect. These men would be marches. If the troops have marched for three periods
are the ideal roads for maximum movement. expected to
Dirt road A basic road either dirt or in some cases carry basic and then are expected to fight a battle they are affected
reinforced with planks. A standard local road, provisions as shown in the above table.
inferior to a turnpike, but better than a track for and cooking
movement. Rough terrain is essentially farmland and includes
equipment.
Track Essentially a country lane which may or may not marshes and forests. The defending forces, knowing
be marked on the map. As it is only really used
by local farm traffic, it will be rutted and uneven. the region, can count open and rough ground as track.
Despite this, it is still marginally better than The invading force, unless the route has been fully
marching cross-country.
scouted, counts the region as shown on the map. As
far as rivers are concerned, a force crossing a bridge
or using a ford loses a quarter of that marching period
distance to simulate the delay in crossing. Optionally,
this can also be applied to built-up areas if the force is
passing through a village or town.

MAP TO TABLE
The purpose of map movement is to manoeuvre
elements of your command into position to launch
attacks on the enemy. Ideally, the positions should be
advantageous to you in terms of the terrain (better
suiting your troops) or to threaten and capture key
enemy positions such as supply dumps, river crossings
and centres of population. It is also the purpose of the
map movement to work around the enemy and hit his

CAMPAIGN MOVEMENT
Troops would normally undertake one or two marches
per day. The first march would begin just after dawn
and end for a rest and food at around noon. After two
hours or more, the troops would get underway again and
undertake their second march of the day. The following
table shows the map distances in miles that can be
covered by the different types of force in each march.

MILES COVERS ON MAPS BY DIFFERENT TROOP TYPES

TYPE OF FORCE MAIN DIRT TRACK OPEN ROUGH
ROAD ROAD GROUND GROUND
Scouts and couriers 40 25 20 12 8
Light mounted force 25 20 12 10 5
Mounted force 20 15 10 6 3
Light infantry force 15 12 10 8 5
Mixed force 12 10 8 5 2

forces unprepared or to force weaker columns of his

ADDITIONAL MARCHING CONSIDERATIONS troops into action against your own superior forces.
The force will be preparing for a morning march from At some point in the map movement, your troops
first light and will commence the march at dawn. If the will make contact with the enemy: you’ll need to
force has marched at dawn, they are to be assumed to transform your map movement to the table-top. You
have not had breakfast. Therefore the following applies: should always state the order in which your troops are
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 27
 COMMAND DECISION

SCOUTING TABLE
D10 DIRECTION LOCATION OTHER ENEMY STRENGTH
ROLL OF MARCH ACTIVITY
0,1,2 Not given To within 10 None Only that the enemy is
miles present
3,4 Wrong Correct Vague Huge over-estimate
5,6 Correct To within 10 Vague Under-estimate by half
miles
7 Correct To within 5 Report if About right
miles obvious
8 Correct Correct Report if Approximate number of
obvious brigades, regiments and
batteries
9 Correct Correct Highly As above, but detailed
detailed information on name and
strength of units

◗ Add one to the dice result if scouts manage to take

prisoners or if scouts are led by a named and graded
officer.
◗ Deduct one from the roll if the scouts or pickets have
been on duty for more than 8 hours.
◗ Deduct two if enemy scouts are screening their force.

ABOVE marching, as this will determine the first troops that

Russian enter the table. Choose your lead units well as these
field guns in
field works;
will have to deal with the enemy on the wargame table
transporting until the rest of the troops can arrive and deploy.
these heavy When the first of your units enters the table, the
pieces of
equipment was
battle begins. You will have to start issuing orders
a logistical to your brigades and regiments as they appear.
nightmare. In the first turn, you may deploy only the leading
RIGHT
infantry brigade, cavalry regiment or artillery unit
The Russians as appropriate. It is also advisable to have your force
drew commander as near the front of the column as possible.
conscripts
from across
You may not, necessarily, wish to deploy all of your
the country. troops onto your baseline. You may wish to send troops
These are around the flanks so that they arrive on the table edges
Cossack
infantry, with
or even to the rear of the enemy forces. The enemy will
older muskets. be unaware of this movement unless they have scouts or
other troops carrying out similar flanking moves.
In some cases you will come on an enemy that is PATROLS, SCOUTS & PICKETS
dug in, defending a position or in camp resting after At some point you may have to deal with patrols,
a march. If the enemy is caught in camp, in the early scouts and pickets making contact. When positioning
hours of the morning, they will not be able to deploy as or sending out a patrol or similar, the player must state
quickly as those who are already up, had their breakfast whether the patrol has one of the following orders:
and are mustered for roll call. The players should state
“Reveille” time for their troops to rise. Once this period PATROL ORDERS OPTIONS
has passed, the player may deploy a brigade each turn PATROL ORDERS IMPLICATIONS
in order to move them into the battle line. Lie low and watch Patrol acts as if it has hold orders and
is cautious. In combat add 1 against
Aggressively Patrol
SCOUTING Watch and actively scout Patrol acts as if it has engage orders and is
Scouts and pickets are the eyes and ears of the armies. steady. In combat add 1 against Investigate
As far as map movement and scouting are concerned, Investigate Patrol acts as if it has advance orders
and is confident. In combat add 1 against
players should detach a stand of cavalry to cover a mile Aggressively patrol
of front. As an alternative, a player may choose to detach Aggressively patrol Patrol acts as if it has assault orders and is
impetuous. In combat add 1 against Watch
a stand of infantry and post them as either pickets and actively scout
or signallers. These too can cover a mile of frontage.
Assessing the value of what pickets or scouts see is a Total the number of figures and then add any bonuses
straightforward procedure using the following table: from the table above. Adjust the score by the following:

28 Miniature Wargames February 2023

PATROL BONUSES
If Green minus 2 If Novice minus 1 If Arrogant minus 2
If Experienced add 1 If Steady add 2 If Confident add 3 If cavalry add 2
Each player now throws a D10, with 0 being zero.
Add the modifiers to the score and compare the totals.
The highest score effectively screens the enemy force
and – if the difference is 5 or more – then the enemy
patrol is captured.
FATIGUE
At the beginning of a campaign, each regiment or
artillery unit is assigned an initial level of fitness.
Experienced, Veteran or Elite troops begin with a value
of 100, Novice troops 90 and Green troops 80. You
should modify each unit’s fitness on a daily basis using
the following table of factors:
FATIGUE FACTORS
-20 if they have taken part in a battle that has been lost
-20 for each day they have not had fresh water
-10 if they have taken part in a battle that they have won
-10 for each day they have been unsupplied
-5 for each of three successive marches without a break
-5 if they have fought during the night or have marched at night
-5 if it has been raining
-5 for each day they have been under bombardment
-5 if they have taken part in or have been the victims of a raid
+5 if they have been fully supplied that day
+10 if they have rested for a full day
Then use the following table to assess their
battlefield effectiveness:
FITNESS RESULTS
MODIFIED EFFECTS
FITNESS VALUE
60 The troops are tired. They count as disordered on the
battlefield and may only march once per day.
40 Exhausted. Troops may not be given assault or advance
orders on the battlefield. For map movement thrown
one D10 per stand in the unit. A score of 0 means that
stand has been lost due to desertion.
20 The unit is broken. They may not be given assault,
advance or engage orders on the battlefield. They may
only carry out retreats on a map and, if called upon to
rally, they will rout.
0 The unit is destroyed. The entire regiment has deserted,
or if appropriate surrendered to the enemy.
LINES OF COMMUNICATION & SUPPLY
As the old saying goes, an army marches on its stomach.
If an enemy positions at least one stand of scouts or
pickets on a supply route, it is considered to be broken
until those enemy units have been dispersed. As far as
the campaign is concerned, you should think of these
supply routes as being a steady movement of wagons
backwards and forwards along the supply route. The
supply route will lead back to a main supply area.
Normally there would be a commissariat positioned
relatively close to the army. Gradually the army would
move its supply bases forward so that the distance
between it and the army was as short as possible.
Obviously this made the commissariat a tempting ABOVE
target for the enemy and its loss would have a drastic Swedish
infantry of the
impact on the effectiveness of the troops in the field. Great Northern
As far as the campaign rules are concerned, once a force War; on many
occasions –
has been deprived of its supplies from the commissariat
and against the
for two days it should be classified as being 'unsupplied'. odds – these
Supplies are also important as far as garrisons or defence men performed
forces are concerned. Troops in a defensive position miracles on the
battlefield.
should be allocated a number of days of supply. After this
they will be classed as being out of supply, thus forcing
the commander owning the garrison units to attempt to
relieve them, or they will surrender.
If an army has fought an engagement and is out
of supply then it is considered to have run out of
ammunition. In extreme circumstances a player can
state that his troops will be placed on half rations and
told to conserve ammunition. In these cases an army
can operate on short supplies for 5 days, after which
it becomes unsupplied. Equally, if the army is told to
conserve ammunition then it may fight two engagements
before being unsupplied. Optionally, you may choose to
consider that – if a unit has not suffered any casualties
during a battle – it has not been sufficiently engaged in
the fight to have expended any ammunition.
Certain units can be classified as being light, in the
sense that they do not have their own commissariat.
These troops are deemed to be able to last self-sufficiently
on their rations for five days and to be able to fight two
battles. If they visit one of their own depots they can
immediately be re-supplied. Alternatively they could raid
an enemy town or depot and similarly be re-supplied.
AFTER THE BATTLE
Although the rules designate full stand losses in battle,
these losses are meant to simulate the fact that some
of the men have been killed, wounded or have simply
deserted. If the battle was won or was a stalemate you
have the opportunity to try to retrieve some of your lost
stands. Use the following table to work out how many
stands will return to action for the next engagement:
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 29
 COMMAND DECISION

ABOVE RETURN TO THE FRAY TABLE

Better equipped NUMBER OF STANDS LOST D10 ROLL the pursuing force. A victorious army can begin a new
Russian
1 5 – 9 stand returns march in the next map movement period after the battle.
Guards; these If an army is in possession of the battlefield at the
men would 2 5 – 7 one stand returns
have been 8 – 9 two stands return end of an engagement, it may opt to re-equip troops
unlikely to have 3 5 – 6 one stand returns with better firearms, stand for stand, for every enemy
been involved 7 – 8 two stands return
9 three stands return stand lost or enemy stand taken prisoner. If cavalry
in the offensive
against Sweden 4 5 – 6 one stand returns has been destroyed or captured, the force in possession
7 two stands return
but fought 8 three stands return of the battlefield may re-equip a unit to make them
bravely in 9 four stands return mounted infantry or replace losses it may have
pitched battles
5 5 one stand returns suffered during the battle. If artillery has not been
against the 6 two stands return
Swedes across 7 three stands return destroyed or spiked by the enemy then the player can
Eastern Europe. 8 four stands return
9 five stands return opt to reassign infantry to become novice artillery crew.
ABOVE RIGHT 6+ 5 one stand returns A stand of infantry is required to man each new gun.
Russian heavy 6 two stands return
7 three stands return
mortars; these
would be
8 four stands return
9 all stands return
BENEFITS OF EXPERIENCE
unlikely to have After a battle that has seen a unit actively engaged,
been used in Routed regiments there is an opportunity for it to improve its status.
the offensive It is highly likely that some of your units did not rally Either the umpire or the other player should agree that
against
Sweden, on the battlefield and ran off into the countryside. If a a unit is worthy of attempting to improve its status.
but were unit has fled the battlefield then after the battle roll a Use the following table for each relevant unit:
particularly D10 to see if you can recover the unit. The target score
effective in
sieges and on a D10 is 7, modified by the following factors (a 0 EXPERIENCE CHART
against massed will count as zero in the throw): TRANSITION ROLL REQUIRED ON D10
enemy infantry.
Veteran to elite 9, 0
southwest on
the battlefield. ROUT OR RETURN TABLE Experienced to veteran 9, 0
+2 if elite -1 if novice Novice to experienced 8, 9, 0
+1 if veteran or experienced -2 if green Green to novice 7, 8, 9, 0
+2 if the battle was won -2 if battle was lost
REPLACEMENTS
CHASING ENEMY & CAPTURING KIT If a regiment has suffered casualties during a campaign
If an army has won a battle it can opt to retreat without then replacements can be assigned to it. Use a D10 to
any danger of being attacked. Even a defeated army determine whether the regiment’s overall status has
would often wait for a day after having been beaten been affected by the arrival of the replacements. Throw a
in order to deal with its wounded and try to gather up D10 with 0 requiring a second throw. Compare your die
any routed troops. roll to the number of stands you have needed to replace.
If the victorious army chooses to pursue, the defeated If it is less than or equal to those number of stands then
army does not have an option but to retreat. It will lose all reduce the status of the regiment by one level.
of its routed units and may only roll to see if it can regain Next month, we’ll look at how to build scenarios, victory
them when it reaches a safe haven and is unmolested by conditions, weather and terrain. ■

30 Miniature Wargames February 2023


The Russo Japanese war of
1904/05
Words by Dave Tuck. Photos by Malc Johnston
Mr Tuck and friends are off to the Manchurian border for a
change of pace. Ed.
BOXING CLEVER
We started a Boxer Rebellion project in 28mm, a few years
ago, and we were drawn to the Tsuba Miniatures and
Redoubt Enterprises figure ranges, for our Japanese and
Russian contingents. We were drawn so much, that we
32 Miniature Wargames February 2023
purchased far too many figures and vowed we would
use them for other conflicts (that’s never happened to me,
ever... Ed.). We considered battles in The Sino Japanese
war (very one sided!), the Russian-Revolution (already
covered by Mark, one of our group) and the Russo
Japanese War. So here we are! We took so long with this
project, that both Tsuba and Redoubt were taken on by
new companies: the former by Empress Miniatures and
the latter by Andy Grubb of Grubby Tanks fame.
SCALE
The battles in this war were on a large scale, probably
too large for us to represent in 28mm. If I were starting
again, 6mm would have been ideal. We decided to set
 our sights on brigade actions, involving six or seven
infantry regiments, some cavalry and supporting
Maxim guns and Artillery. This gave us enough space
to generate the empty battlefields of the 20th Century
and have room to manoeuvre our forces.
RULES & RESEARCH
We wanted a straightforward rule system that dealt
with the changes in tactics and technology that were
starting to become dominant and make warfare a truly
bloody business. We did our usual deep dive into
Amazon and found the following books useful, (many
surprisingly cheap on Kindle, for example 49p for the
391-page Tyler book!):
A Study of the Strategy and Tactics of the Russo
Japanese War by A Kearnsey; The Russo Japanese
war 1904-1905 by Ruben Ygua; Rising Sun and
Tumbling Bear: Russia’s war with Japan by Richard
Connaughton; The Russo Japanese War (illustrated
edition) by Sydney Tyler and the usual suspects from
Osprey, for a uniform book and a campaign series title.
ALL AT SEA
Although the naval aspects of the war are critical, and
the models are available from a number of sources, we
prefer to deal with land warfare so will leave war at
sea, to someone who knows more about it than these
landlubbers.
BACKGROUND
Japan had only unlocked itself from a self-imposed
isolation from the world, some 60 or so years before
the wars outbreak. The country had embraced the
Industrial revolution and built up a modern army.
It showed its strength during the Sino Japanese war
ABOVE
Overview of the
battlefield.
RIGHT
I know that
the author
didn't want to
cover the naval
aspect of this
conflict but I
happen to have
a few splendid
shots from the
Battle of Port
Arthur game
by the Derby
Wargames
Society that
show what you
can do with the
maritime aspect.
Ed.
of 1894, gaining parts of Manchuria and Korea its
nominal independence.
This action put it on a direct path to rivalry with
Russia, which wanted an all-year-round port in the
region. Vladivostok froze up for part of the year and
was only accessible with help from icebreakers. Russia
sensed China’s weakness and obtained use of Port
Arthur, and other parts of the region, which threatened
Japan’s sphere of influence. Both sides started
negotiating a settlement. Russia was contemptuous of
the Japanese Empire, and did not believe they would
start a war, and Japan realised any war would need
immediate results, or the much larger Russian forces
would prevail.
Japan committed to a surprise attack on the naval base
at Port Arthur, hoping to knock part of the Russian fleet
out of action on day one. Well, it was actually day minus
one: the Japanese declared war only a few hours before
its fleet went into the attack. (Does any of this sound
familiar?) The Japanese only partially succeeded in their
objectives, and so the war started in earnest. There were
further naval actions, a siege, and several very large
battles, generating large numbers of casualties. Machine
guns, telephone communication on the battlefield,
trenches, barbed wire (some electrified), minefields,
observation-balloons and grenades were all used.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
We decided that we would use a flexible time clock to
determine the length of each game. We set a time for
the battle, say four hours and – on each turn – both
sides roll for the clock initiative. The winner then
rolls two D6, with each spot counting as 5 minutes,
chooses one of the dice and moves the clock on that
many minutes. This happens after each turn ends. As
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 33
 SUN & BEAR

RIGHT an example of this, the clock starts at 8 am, both sides

Russian roll and the Japanese player, who needs all the time he
Howitzer in
action. can get for an artillery barrage, rolls a 1 and a 6. He can
move the clock on 5 minutes (1 x 5 mins) or 30 minutes
BELOW RIGHT (6 x 5 mins) and so chooses to move the clock the least
The Maxim
opens fire. amount of time (to better suit his needs) to 8.05 am. The
perceptive will see that a game hour could last 12 turns
or 2 turns as a maximum or minimum amount.
In terms of the tactical game, the Japanese were
usually on the attack as they were under pressure to
finish the war before the Russian reinforcements and
supplies arrived in the war zone. They had also studied
the best European practices and adopted many of the
German General staff methods. Unless the Russians
are attacking in a specific scenario, the Japanese always
have the initiative.

TURNS
A side has two actions per unit per turn, and the
Japanese player can carry out both, either first or
second, or can carry out one, and then force the
Russian player to react with both of their actions, and
then carry out its own final action. The choice made
must be communicated at the start of the turn and can
change from one turn to another.
It is therefore possible for the Japanese player to
allow the Russian to do both actions on turn one, then
carry out two actions of its own. In the following turn
the Japanese can go first allowing for four consecutive
Japanese actions. The only proviso being, that if this
option is chosen, the Russian player is allowed to fire
out of sequence, at any time in the second move phase.
Without this rule, Japanese cavalry would be able to
move 48”, before they receive any enemy fire. This
system gives some interesting tactical decisions and
reflects the far greater acumen of the Japanese staff and
forces on the battlefield.
The actions which are available are:

◗ Move
This varies depending on troop type: consult the chart:

MOVE
TROOP TYPE GOOD GOING DIFFICULT GOING COMBAT
Skirmishers 9 -1 D6 ◗ Fire
Ordered infantry 6 -1 D6 Double fire
Cavalry 12 -1 D6 If infantry use both actions to fire the second shot
Artillery 6 Not allowed rolls half the dice of the first one (this rule is used
Machine Guns 6 -1D6 to represent the need to conserve ammunition and
fatigue).
◗ Mount or Dismount
◗ Go Prone or get up from Prone If Artillery fire twice the second shot rolls only one
◗ Crawl 3 dice regardless of range. Penalties for Japanese guns
◗ Change formation having to re lay the guns are applied here.
◗ Try to remove a section of barbed wire. They succeed
on a roll of 4-6 and if the barbed wire is electrified Machine guns if firing twice the second shot rolls
take a disorder marker on a failure only one dice regardless of range.

34 Miniature Wargames February 2023

 Jamming
Both sides Machine guns were subject to jams, the WEAPON CHART
Japanese were reported to jam about once every 300 WEAPON TYPE EFFECTIVE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF D 20’S
RANGE RANGE ROLLED
rounds and the Russian cloth belts were prone to
Magazine rifles 15 30 1
damp and cold affecting them, so if any 1’s are rolled
Russian artillery 24 54 3/2
on the D20 firing dice, any hits in that batch are
Japanese Artillery 24 48 3/2
ignored. The gun may fire again next action with all
Machine guns Japanese 18 36 4
the usual deductions.
Maxim guns Russian 20 40 5
Ranges are split into effective and maximum and the number of dice
◗ Other Firing changes dependent upon those ranges.
TOP Indirect Artillery Fire
Japanese wave Indirect fire needs a spotter and a direct, active Roll the number of D20’s for each stand and adjust
attack.
phone cable. A Spotter may call in fire from a battery the score as follows:
ABOVE on any target located: Roll a D20 and on a 1-4 the +2 if the target is in effective range
“These sailors connection is broken, and no fire takes place in that +1 if the firers are elite, or the target is mounted cavalry
aren’t fighting in
the dance hall” action phase. -3 if the target is dug in or in fortifications
(Bowie). If a connection is made calculate how many guns in -2 if the target is in skirmish order, or prone or in cover
the battery are firing: -2 if the firers are poor quality or firing mounted
The first gun rolls a D6 and – on a 6 – all guns hit the -2 if the firing is indirect or the target is outside
target. If it misses, all guns except the first one hit on a effective range
5-6. If that misses, all guns but the first two hit on a 4-6. -1 for every disorder marker on the firing unit
And so on. -1 Japanese re-setting their guns. If Japanese guns use
Direct fire from rifles, machine guns and Artillery both actions to fire, they deduct 1 from their rolls as
uses the same mechanism. It is only the number of their guns needed re-setting between shots. Russian
D20’s rolled that alters. See Weapon chart: guns did not.
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 35
 SUN & BEAR
Establish the adjusted score:
On a natural 20 only remove a base
On a 14-19 inflict a disorder
On a 1-13 no effect
Note: If the firing unit has three or more disorders a roll of
a natural 20 only inflicts a disorder.
These mechanisms are taken directly from Death in a
Dark Continent rules and amended to reflect the Russo
Japanese War.
FIRING ANGLES
◗ The Japanese fired independently so each base can
fire at any target within its angle of fire (45 degrees)
◗ The Russian infantry still fired by volley. Any
troops other than elite, or under the command of an
exceptional officer, can only fire once the target unit
is in effective range. At the start of a game Russians
roll a D20 for each unit, and on a 19-20 then that unit
is commanded by an exceptional officer and is not
restricted to the effective range rule, but still cannot
split their fire.
CHARGE!
If a charge is declared the chargers add D6 inches to
their normal move. Any defenders in range and angle
may fire a defensive shot, which replaces their next
action. Firing is at effective range on a 5-6, Maximum
range on a 2-4, and no effective fire on a 1. Elite troops
add 1 to this roll and poor quality troops deduct 1.
Disorders inflicted by defensive fire are accounted for
in the melee resolution.
If the attacking troops do not suffer 4 or more
disorders in total, a melee is fought. Bases are matched
up against each other and any surplus bases are
allocated to a combat.
The winner of each combat is the player with the
highest score on a D20 after the following adjustments:
+2 if your troops are charging Japanese
+1 if your troops are Russians in defence
+1 if your troops are elite
+2 if attacking the flank or troops who were caught
prone
36 Miniature Wargames February 2023
-1 for each disorder suffered by your unit
-2 if attacking concrete or stone defences or redoubts.
Place bases opposite enemy ones and – if
outnumbering the enemy – allocate extra bases. Where
you outnumber the enemy bases, you can inflict
multiple victories whereas the outnumbered unit can
only inflict one.
Total the number of melees won and lost
◗ The winner occupies the ground and suffers one
disorder.
◗ The loser retreats and suffers the difference between
the combatants’ totals. They are also unformed,
which means they must spend a turn reforming and
can only defend themselves.
◗ In the event of a draw the attacking units return to
their starting point, both sides suffer two disorders,
and the attackers are also unformed, which means
they must spend a turn reforming and can only
defend themselves.
MORALE
A morale test is taken whenever the following events
occur:
A unit...
◗ is fired on by Machine gun or artillery fire and
suffers a disorder
◗ sees a friendly unit of equal or higher class, rout or
be destroyed
◗ is fired on by indirect artillery using more than one
gun
◗ suffers the loss of a base
To test morale, roll a D6:
Elites pass on 3+; Regulars on 4+; Poor Quality 5+. LEFT
Cold enough
Each fail adds a disorder marker to the unit, so an for ya?
unit... Siberians in
◗ with 3 disorder markers no longer inflicts a base, defence.
when firing on a natural 20, only a disorder. BELOW
◗ with 4 disorders cannot advance towards the enemy Japanese
◗ with 5 disorders must retreat at least 15” from any indirect fire
position.
enemy units
◗ with 6
disorders
is routed from
the table, by the
quickest route to its own
baseline or entry point. A unit in
that situation gets one final chance to
regroup before routing.
REGROUPING
At the end of each turn troops may Regroup and try to
remove some, or all of their disorders.
Each unit rolls 2 D6. A disorder is removed on a roll
of 6, or 5-6 if out of sight of all enemy or with a general
attached.
The mechanisms for firing and morale are also based
on the D20 system used in Death in a Dark Continent
rules which are both elegant and simple, without being
simplistic.
TACTICS
Russian troops suffer from the outdated tactics employed,
with volley fire, only direct artillery fire until very late in
the war and their unwillingness to dig in their artillery
(at least early on...) Machine guns were employed in
batteries by both sides, but they soon realised that a more
mobile supporting role was useful. The Japanese adapted
their much lighter machine guns into an offensive
weapon, carrying them onto the flanks to support an
attack. It may surprise some readers that the Russians
only had around 40 Maxim guns in Manchuria at the
start of the war and the Japanese around 70.
Although the Russian player appears to have the
odds stacked against him, we find that astute use of
trenches and barbed wire negate this and – to give a
balanced attack on a trench line game the Japanese will
need at least 50% superiority and at least 4 game hours
to allow for a pre-attack bombardment, and chance
to destroy some of the barbed wire – the Russian will
inevitably deploy.
We allow the attacking Japanese to spend up to a game
hour on a pre-bombardment phase. The indirect fire rules
are used with the Russian player, dicing for which base
suffers a disorder or kill. As this is a pre-bombardment,
ABOVE
Japanese
cavalry
wait for the
breakthrough. all troops
in the front
line are potential
casualties. These are
marked secretly by the Russian
player and only announced when
the firing unit actually fires or is subject to a morale or
disorder action result.
COWARDICE DENIED
A final bizarre action which took place during the war,
was an attack by some Japanese officers dressed in full
Samurai armour, with some naked. A higher officer had
accused them of cowardice and – to prove they were not
– they stripped off their uniforms and charged directly
at the enemy, and were only stopped, when they were
all either dead or wounded. To honour these brave men,
we employed one stand in full armour which is allowed
to move as normal. It is not subject to morale tests but is
removed on a natural 20 roll on a D20 if targeted. It will
automatically remove the first enemy stand it contacts.
After that it can only be removed by an enemy rolling a
natural 20 or accumulating 6 disorders.
CONCLUSION
My final thought on all this is, how with so many
European observers attached to the opposing forces,
did they all miss the profound effect that trenches,
machine guns and wire would have on land warfare?
Whatever your thoughts, this is a fascinating and
challenging period to recreate on the table-top. ■
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 37
 At The Monster Merchants we want to buy your unwanted
wargaming miniatures and accessories, especially Warhammer
and Warhammer 40K models, D&D and other roleplaying books,
IVHYKNHTLZHJ[PVUÄN\YLZNYHWOPJUV]LSZYL[YVJVSSLJ[HISLZHUK
]PU[HNLJVUZVSLZHUKNHTLZ

If you’re looking to sell some of your own collection – be it a selection

VM:UV[SPUNZHU\UÄUPZOLKHYT`VYHULU[PYLZOLKM\SSVMTPUPH[\YLZ
¶UVJVSSLJ[PVUPZ[VVIPNVYZTHSSZVMLLSMYLL[VNL[PUJVU[HJ[
Scan
here for
quick MHJLIVVRJVT PUZ[HNYHTJVT
access themonstermerchants themonstermerchants
to all
of our
contacts [OLTVUZ[LYTLYJOHU[Z'OV[THPSJVT
 WARHEAD
plot of the first film than earlier drafts, for legal reasons.
Described, with typical Hollywood hyperbole, as “Star
Wars underwater” these scripts included shoals of robot
shark drones: sharks with cybernetic control implants
certainly featured briefly in the final version. But I
would love to see the utter craziness of a film emerging
from those earlier drafts!
The storyline featuring the more fantastical elements
was initially titled “James Bond of the Secret Service”.
Later, following further legal clashes around the time
of the filming of The Spy Who Loved Me (someone
really should do a ski-chase game of that…) the title
became Warhead. Of course, The Spy Who Loved Me
and later For Your Eyes Only and Licence to Kill also
featured significant underwater combat scenes.
ABOVE You can find a excellent synopsis of the “Warhead”
A shark swims script and I’ll note a link at the end.
menacingly
close the the
This article attempts to pull together many of the
warhead: focus essential elements of aquatic spy–fi garnered from
of the aquanauts where-ever they can be found.
attention.
RIGHT STAINES WARGAMES CLUB
Of course, some I’m a member of the Maidstone club but the Staines
spies get rather
more luxurious
Club deserve a mention. Unfortunately, I never saw
submarines with their Thunderball game way back at Salute in 1999.
which to do fly- While their website seems to have disappeared, former
byes on the local
fish population.
members of the club kindly gave permission for me to
link to a site which includes some images of the game
on the show circuit, again: links at the end.
The Staines group used toy miniatures, a variety of
which can still be found through online searches. I was
inspired not only by their intuitive “blood in the water”
rules but the games of “paper-scissors-rock” they used to
determine the outcome of close combat.
FIGURES
While you may not have seen many figures for scuba
diving games, there are some available. How I never
got my childish hands on the 54mm (or probably a
bit bigger than that) soft plastic Atlantic scuba divers
40 Miniature Wargames February 2023
set in the 1970’s escapes me. Atlantic was an Italian
figure manufacturer long since defunct. Certainly, I
wanted a box (or more) of these badly. Perhaps I never
actually encountered any on the toy shop shelves at
the same time I was getting hooked on all that scuba
action mentioned above. I recently saw a collection of
around 20 figures, including three “chariots” and three
dinghies for 120 Euros!
Although I have seen the original box contents for
around £25, you don’t get many figures. Even for a
small game, you would probably need at least two
boxes. The 1:72 scale versions are more attainable.
The sculpting is more than a bit soft on detail in both
scales. In both the sets do include two-man human
torpedoes. If you are searching try using the Italian
term “sommozzatori”, to optimize your search results.
Otherwise, 54mm and 28mm have until recently had
have little to offer, although Reaper have a couple of
very nice figures; male and female divers named Frank
and Iris. Fortunately, that very nice Mr. Abbey from
Sally 4th has some in the pipeline for his 28mm Rising
Tides range which includes lots of spy-fi goodness. If
you all rush out any buy them then maybe some other
models will eventually be forthcoming.
In addition, Eureka and Crooked Dice both have
figures in scuba gear, but these are on foot after
landing, not swimming. You might consider using
figures like this as part of a linked series of games,
for figures infiltrating an enemy base, whether an
installation, a ship or submarine. On that point, see the
scenarios I have outlined.
I had previously selected to buy figures in 20mm
scale from Stan Johansen Miniatures. Despite some
limitations in the poses available these have some
conversion potential. Subsequently I discovered
MSD games have re-released a dedicated range of
Thunderball miniatures and rules, originally produced
by Goblintooth Games.
As a lad, I used to have a James Bond Thunderball board
game that was awash with figures in (roughly) 28mm for
both ‘sides’ in the film along with sharks. I looked on eBay
for a replacement: it would require a second mortgage!
Shame as it would be utterly ideal Ed.
Fellow member of Maidstone Wargames Society,
Jeremy Claridge assisted in this project by converting
a figure to become a female scuba diver (this is Bond
after all!). The Elheim miniatures figure, P34 “Mz
Whip”, in their pulp range is a bit of a risqué subject,
but the potential for conversion to a scuba diver was
immediately apparent. Jeremy did a fine job. Thanks
Jeremy!
OTHER MODELS
Playmobil. Yes that Playmobil. You can find all sorts
of useful models and bits from this source: boats,
passenger planes and even pyramids for the pulp
player! I have seen all these utilized in articles
and on-line threads. I started looking at this
subject when my children were still playing with
this stuff, notably the “Agents” series, which
included the Robogang Yacht (which I am still
yet to convert!). This is perfect for such
scenarios. Since Playmobil figures
are around 60mm tall, any vehicles
which are converted increase in
relative size. For 20 mm figures
by a factor of three! This yacht, at
36cm cm in length equates to about
11m in 60mm but translates to around
ABOVE 32m long when converted to 20mm scale.
An exploratory In addition, I found the Playmobil “Green Planet” (I
submarine, diver
and octopus. believe this has also been reissued under other names
All of these are by Playmobil at various times) submarine. I wanted
in the author's to buy this for my “children”, but my wife demurred.
chosen scale of
20mm or 1/72nd. Since then, I eventually found one for myself for a
very reasonable price on eBay. In 20mm it scales out
BELOW at around 24m and with some conversion became a
Matchbox Squid
Sub awaiting two-deck sub. In 28-30mm, you would have a decent
conversion. proxy for the “Neptune”: a sub that Bond uses in For
Your Eyes Only.
Another excellent model would be the Matchbox “On
a Mission” Undersea Squid Sub. This seems a little more
expensive in the £20-£30 range, and I saw one at an
amazing £262.26, not including postage, from the USA!
It would appear to be no longer on the
market, accounting (at least in some cases)
for a higher price. It must be mentioned
that this set does include a bonus giant
purple squid. The said squid was a plastic
model so ugly, deformed (apparently
not having the usual ten tentacles)
and useless for my purposes,
that it made not buying this set
myself slightly less disappointing!
However, I subsequently managed
to secure one such sub (minus mutated
squid) quite cheaply from eBay although it
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 41
 WARHEAD
had some bits missing. This will necessitate a little
conversion and I intend to use an old asthma inhaler’s
parts to restore this. Again, in 28mm this would make
an excellent proxy for the vehicle which battled with the
Neptune sub mentioned above.
OTHER UNDERWATER VEHICLES
As apparent from above, one ubiquitous feature of
the genre is the mini-vehicles; scooters and min-subs.
Scooters, perhaps surprisingly, were easily sourced from
the various spaceship ranges by Ground Zero Games.
I used a cut down version of the UNSC FT-1104 for
the villains. It was shortened and the pylon mounted
nacelles removed. A hole was drilled through between
the points where the pylons had been located. I glued
a pin in this hole to provide a handlebar for the figure.
When I say “pin”, I mean this in two senses of the
word. I literally used a cut down pin. I also pinned the
figure in place by placing it into a hole drilled through
the scooter and delicately into each of the models fists.
The pin/handlebar can hardly be seen on the model.
Alternatively, on a later model, I just used an epoxy glue
and attached the fists to the sides of the scooter. So far I
haven’t had a problem with this shortcut.
The heroes were supplied with GZG New Israeli FT-
1521 heavy fighters, fitted in the same manner. I would also
suggest that their “Crusty” FT-1621 fighters might work
very well in this role as an alternative for the villains.
PROGRESS
Now, I have to admit that I met the editor a few years ago,
on his visiting our Open Day at Maidstone Wargames
42 Miniature Wargames February 2023
Society, and he asked me how far my scuba game, on ABOVE
static display at the time, was from a prospective article. Two salvage
subs in a tug of
I sheepishly admitted that I was some way off. Mini-subs war. Winner gets
have formed a significant part of this problem as I went the warhead!
off on a bit of a tangent attempting to scratch-build them
with a variety of results!
For those less inclined to do so I can now offer
some options. I have recently noticed some Matchbox
vehicles that are appropriate with varying degrees of
conversion necessary. Both the Matchbox “Deep Diver”
2014 #041/120 and “Sub Seeker” 2017 #90/125 are ideal,
with a bit of work and repainting. They would also
make good adversaries in an aquatic “tug of war”
alluded to previously or simply as support subs (with
the optional extra of mini-homing torpedoes, naturally)
The shark drones were Hexbug Aquabots or Chinese
equivalents, sourced through e-bay. The fins tend to be
a rubbery material and I would suggest in retrospect
removing these and replacing them with plasticard.
This will aid long term paint adhesion. For those, like
me, who just can’t get enough mini-sub action, you can
scratch build your own, but this depends largely on
what materials you can lay your hands on.
THAR SHE BLOWS!
My primary source of sea creatures was the Reaper
Familiar Pack VII sku:02948 (previously called the aquatic
familiars pack). I bought multiples of the shark in this set
through the ‘Boneyard’ facility, which sadly seems to be
no longer available. There is also a very useful double
pack of a tiger shark and a hammerhead, sku:03622. If
not available in store these can be ordered in the UK
through Miniature Heroes. HLBS also make some
lovely sharks probably more suitable for 28mm than
20mm, and other denizens of the deep (“we’re gonna
need a bigger boat!” Ed). They also have JIM Diving Suit,
another item to feature in For Your Eyes Only, in 28mm.
I am still struggling to make one of these for 20mm.
Other sea creatures came through GW Idoneth
Deepkin bits available through eBay. These in particular
provided some fish shoals. Alternatively, avoiding this
expense, use a silver pen to draw some on clear plastic
packaging. Add eyes and flashes of colour suitable
for your typical reef fish. There are also fish decals
available: they are used for “finger-nail art” (I kid you
not) and these could be used similarly for shoals.
WARHEAD RULES
Having mentioned the rules produced by Goblintooth
earlier, I looked at various sets when considering how
to bring underwater action to the table and – while
I haven’t relied on any – they have all informed my
opinion in some way. Of particular note were two sets
suitable for swashbuckling games.
The thought process behind this was that knife
fighting might bear some resemblance to sword fighting.
Similarly, spearguns might be considered analogous to
early firearms with short range, limited accuracy and
slow, if any, reload. Consequently, I looked at Osprey’s
En Garde. It would certainly be possible to use this rule
set, particularly if you already own it. Treat scooters as
horses and spearguns as either crossbows or muskets.
You can also choose from some of the special rules as
appropriate to the revised genre. I chose to borrow from
the “beguiling” rule as a new option in my rules of choice.
Another interesting set, also called En Garde was
originally designed by Frank Chadwick & Darryl Hany
for GDW in the 1970’s. I came across these as a result
of a Three Musketeers show game article in Miniature
Wargames 186 (All For Moi by Chris Scott). It can still
be purchased from engarde.co.uk.
The latter represents more than a duelling game,
which I am primarily interested in here, but more of
an RPG lite. In this intriguing set of rules the duelling
element relies on selecting a series of “routines”
comprised of individual elements. Players write
their routines down and when the elements are cross
referenced, they result in effects such as wounds. While
I felt that the original rules were a bit too complicated
for my purposes, they were certainly influential.
Osprey’s Black Ops might inspire the stealth
elements in some scenarios. In addition, if playing a
series of linked scenarios, players may wish to insert
a non-scuba scenario. Character figures may attempt
to infiltrate or escape from an enemy base, ship or
submarine using Black Ops or another suitable set
such as Pulp Alley (a real favourite of mine), 7TV
or Galactic Heroes (on which see more below). I
particularly like the idea of a hero suffering a “mission
kill” in the preceding game, subsequently being treated
as captured. This also gets around the problem of what
to do in subsequent games if a hero is eliminated in a ABOVE
particular scenario. The subsequent mission can have Almost
fisticuffs... two
the hero escaping from the villain’s mega-yacht, sub grappling subs
or base. This is an appealing scenario and would seem from opposing
particularly authentic to the genre. factions duke
it out!
PLANS LEFT
An alternative to modelling such a layout for the odd Rocks and
wrecks hide all
game would be using a deck-plan (a google image sorts of dangers.
search for motor yacht deck-plans will produce
an astonishing variety, although you may have to
draw in your own ballistic missile tubes and shark
pool). Making your vessel TARDIS like, representing
something bigger on the inside than a model you have
on the table (if you choose to use a submarine or ship
model within your game) will allow that bit more
space for a practical game in the interior.
One problem with writing about and gaming secret
agent scenarios – and perhaps Bond in particular – is the
scale of the action. Often an agent will be undertaking
activities either alone or with limited support in the
field. In Bond films at least, that independent action
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 43
 WARHEAD
often scales up later on into a climactic battle at the
end of the film. Bond’s role may be pivotal, but there
is always a lot more going on. To get the most out of
playing in this genre, it seems appropriate to reflect that.
In order to do this, you are probably going to need
to play two levels of game. Firstly; smaller asymmetric
actions where the hero with one or at most two
companions takes on maybe two or three times as
many lower quality villains, although not necessarily at
the same time. These might be alerted during the game
or encountered in a search across the table throughout
the game. Such scenarios might utilize a stealth aspect
with the alert level rising during the game. Both Pulp
Alley (in particular) and Fist-Full of Lead (FFoL) or
Galactic Heroes work very well.
I EXPECT YOU TO DIE MR BOND!
In both Thunderball and Never Say Never Again Bond
investigates Largo’s yacht (in the latter film assisted
by Felix Lighter). Two skilled agents involved in
actions like this – be it a yacht, research sub or wreck
and against a group of less skilled henchmen – could
provide the basis for the sides. In attempting to make a
stealthy examination of the hull of the villain’s mega-
yacht or “research” submarine, a number of tokens
would be indicated around these models.
The Black Ops rules would provide the basis
for spotting and alert levels. Night would reduce
this significantly, but so would water conditions or
even depth. Either side might benefit from some
supporting characters (such as Domino or Fatima
Blush) in later scenarios.
A subsequent scenario might involve searching the
table for items/clues. When searching for a crashed
aircraft, a lost warhead, cruise missiles or a wreck, the
tokens might be scattered across the table or represented
by scenic bases. Some – or all – might be hidden in
that not all these points may actually represent a clue.
Only by investigating various points might a clue to
the villains’ scheme be revealed. From there, options
would include continuing the search in the same way,
or the first clue, once identified, may either point the
way to or actually reveal the location of others. A benefit
of winning or collecting a level of clues might result in
starting positions in the climactic game.
THE PLOT THICKENS
Some further suggestions in creating specific details for
a particular scenario are that plot points could move.
Perhaps the major plot point in a scenario is a salvage sub
conducting a search or salvage operations? The heroes
will need to identify the sub and/or track it. Meanwhile,
the villains may be searching themselves, or patrolling.
Once the salvage sub is identified by the heroes the
villains have the opportunity to try to intervene.
Secondly, there’s the inevitable climactic battle. On a
scale of effectiveness, I suggest that the benefits might
44 Miniature Wargames February 2023
shift toward favouring Galactic Heroes for a larger ABOVE
scale game. Pulp Alley works really well at portraying When two
opposing groups
cinematic character action. The example Leagues in the of divers close
Pulp Alley Second Edition rules range between three in for combat
and nine characters, with five being the median. Galactic you know there'll
be blood in the
Heroes probably copes with any larger scale combat more water... and the
smoothly. The vehicle rules in particular can be tailored sharks are never
to reflect the mega-yachts and submarine types. So, while far off!
I would say go with what you have available or which
works for you, (and Pulp Alley will certainly work very
well) I have found Galactic Heroes suitable and flexible
for larger battles. The ideal solution, if you have both is to
pick your rules for the scale of the action.
AGENTS ASSEMBLE
Such a skirmish game constitutes the climactic battle we
have been leading up to in typical ‘Bond’ fashion. US
Navy Seals or UDT’s parachute in or perhaps the Royal
Marines SBS deploy from a sub to thwart the Villains
aquatic army. Note the benefits for deployment from
earlier scenarios noted above. SEAL teams arriving by
parachute might be exposed in the first turn (+1 to shoot)
as they land, depending on landing site. Similarly the
SBS might be forced to deploy from a sub in an exposed
location. However, you do not want your figures to
deploy too far from the action and then spend most of the
game just swimming into position. Forward deployment,
especially where ranges are limited, is preferential.
The sides might still vary in size depending on
what assets you decide to deploy with your forces;
underwater scooters, mini-subs or a Lotus Esprit
perhaps? These more exotic models are likely to be
limited by what you have available or are inclined
to procure as well as the maximum number of scuba
figures you can deploy on the table. I suggest 20-30
figures in total. Depending on the scale of this battle
you might choose to incorporate more vehicles, and
Galactic Heroes can certainly cope with a few. If you
want to get lots of toys out and go for broke, Fistful of
Lead: Bigger Battles could handle even more (probably
more than your partner wants you to buy!).
MONSTER MASH Whatever iteration of Fist-Full of Lead/Galactic ABOVE
Finally, the random movement of sea creatures (especially Heroes you might choose, the point is it scales very The 'Playmobile'
Neptune sub
sharks, lots of sharks; be they “normal”, cybernetically well. It will easily incorporate various types of cruises past an
enhanced or robot attack drones!) would work well in submarine vehicles using an “off the shelf” solution. impressive piece
this respect. They should wander around. I suggest using Nevertheless, to add extra flavour for either Pulp of wrecked
submarine
a D10 to point direction and indicate speed at the same Alley or FFoL (and anything else you might try), next scenery
time. The sharks exert a hazard area (I suggest six inches) month I present some bolt-on, thematic, combat-knife originally
in which any unfortunate diver may become the subject rules (amongst others) and I believe they'll mesh very intended for
the bottom of
of their unwanted attention (and that is before we get to well with Galactic Heroes. Depending on how many a (fairly large)
“blood in the water”!). Aside from wandering creatures figures you use you might choose to reserve that home aquarium.
already on the table, I roll whenever in proximity of a mini-game for fights between characters (leaders and
significant piece of terrain (like a wreck) or clue: specialist/sidekick figures). This will give you a faster
game when there is a lot on the table.
CREATURE ENCOUNTER/BEHAVIOUR TABLE Next month I will include the rules I used for the
2D6 ROLL CREATURE D6 ATTACKS ON: ATTACK ROLL FOR game!
ENCOUNTERS
ONLY:
2 Octopus* 6: grapples with D8 (opposed roll LINKS
against entangled figure) each turn You can find a synopsis of the Warhead script from 007
until defeated. A D8 roll of 8 results in
a wound table roll unless beaten by the Dossier here: WARHEAD: James Bond of the Secret
players roll.
Service (forumotion.com)
3 Moray Eel* 5-6 D6+1
Stan Johansen Miniatures: stanjohansenminiatures.
4 Bull Shark 3-6 D6+2
com/mercs.htm
5 Hammerhead 5-6 D6
Thunderball miniatures and rules, originally
6-9 Nothing encountered
produced by Goblintooth Games msdgames.com
10 Tiger Shark 4-6 2D6
Maidstone Wargames Society member and
11 Giant Hammerhead 5-6 D6+1
scratch-built Jeremy Claridge germy.co.uk
RULES
12 Cyber-shark Drone 2-6 Controlled by 2D6
villains only, unless Miniature Heroes miniature-heroes.co.uk NEXT
malfunctions!
(*not suitable targets for spear-gun attack)
Staines Club hordesofthethings.blogspot.
com/2014/12/thunderball.html ■
MONTH!

February 2023 Miniature Wargames 45

MYSTERY BOXES
Take the hard work out of expanding your gaming
collection, and let us pick great games for you!

www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/
games-store/mystery-boxes/
HOBBY TIPS
Egyptian Pylon
Words and images by Glenn Clarke
ome time ago I dabbled with a late
S nineteenth century colonial game where a
small British force were attacked by a much
larger force of natives on the very fluid
border between Egypt and the Sudan. Central to
the whole scenario was that the encounter would
take place on the site of an archaeological dig and
I duly set about obtaining suitable terrain pieces.
The game posed a few challenges but played
out very well and was featured in Miniature
Wargames Issue 449 for September 2020.
I recently decided to revisit the scenario but
this time I wanted to enhance the scene with
much better terrain, in particular I wanted the
table to be dominated by an imposing pylon. For
those of you not familiar with ancient Egyptian
architecture this is a monumental gatehouse at
the entrance to a temple; it has a very distinctive
form of two truncated pryramidal towers linked
by a central walkway. As far as I am aware no one
manufactures such a structure and so, before a
single gaming die was cast, my challenge was set.
The requirements for such an imposing building
are really very simple: cardboard, glue, tape, paint
and print outs. You will need about three sheets of
heavy, dense cardboard; the sort that you will find
backing a sketchpad and sold in hobby stores as
blockboard or mounting board. You will find that
it is available in a variety of colours, even a sandy
or stone shade that will help with painting later
on. The type of glue is up to you, superglue or
balsa cement will suffice and if you are impatient
you cannot beat the hot glue gun. I preferred to
use PVA from a large tub applied with an old
brush and I used masking tape to hold things in
place until the glue dried. Paint is very simple: I
used a couple of small ‘matchpots’ and weathered
the model with my usual selection of Citadel
colours. The printouts are optional and entirely up
to you, they are used to decorate the model and
as you can see from the photographs they do add
a spectacular touch. You will easily find plenty of
suitable material online; search for Ancient Egypt,
clip art, borders, patterns and designs. As for the
main design above the entrance to my model,
you will find lots of examples if you search for
Egyptian beetle or scarab wings. Print off a few
sheets and chop them up to enhance the
building. With that simple list of requirements MATERIALS USED
completed let’s get to constructing the model! ◗ Heavy cardboard
◗ Corrugated card
◗ Tape
PAINT ◗ Superglue or balsa cement
The completed pylon. The basic paint job was ◗ Hot glue gun
a thick layer of household emulsion which has ◗ PVA
the advantage of hiding any imperfections. ◗ Household paint ‘matchpots’
I felt that the building needed a little extra ◗ A selection of Citadel
Paints
interest adding and I therefore glued into place ◗ Printouts (for decorative
thin strips of corrugated card. The walls along purposes)
the walkway have been topped off with a
balustrade and a decorative lintel added above
the entrance. The characteristic small windows
were added along with doorways then a final
coat of paint was applied before weathering.
Finally, I cut sections from my print outs of
Egyptian designs and fixed them in place before
spraying with matt varnish to stabilize them.
Whilst my building was constructed in 28mm
scale I did say that if you halved the dimensions
I have given you could make the model in
15mm scale. In order to test out my assertion
I did just that and made the model again; one
photograph shows the result with an LRDG
patrol passing by this ancient monument.
There you have it, an imposing structure to
grace a variety of wargames tables. It would not
look out of place in fantasy games, in the Arab-
Israeli wars, in ancient games, in Napoleon’s
Egyptian venture, in colonial games (which
was my original intention) and even in Second
World War games in the Western Desert. I
was more than pleased with the result of my
efforts and… well now I am intrigued by an
illustration of the temple at Abu Simbel…
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 47
 HOBBY TIPS
1. ANCIENT
ARCHITECTURE
You will need to mark out the
main structural components
by referring to this plan.
Please note that I was
working in 28mm scale so all
measurements here are given
in centimeters.
If you would like to build
in 15mm scale then simply
halve the measurements that
I have given and you will be
more or less on the nail.
2. FOUNDATION
Cut out the parts by
following the thick black
lines, the dotted lines are
there to help you laying out
and constructing the correct
shape. You will need two of
the larger pieces, one for the
front and one for the back.
And, you will need four of the
smaller ones, one for each
end and two internal walls.
Notice that two of the walls
are marked with a line 17cms
from the bottom: this is
where the floor between the
two towers will be located.
3. MEANS TO AN END
You are now ready to begin
construction by gluing
the two ends into place. I
found it easiest to fix the
different parts onto a base as
I progressed, this was roughly
40cms by 10cms but check
the measurements carefully
against your own model.
Notice that the ends are placed
within the edge of the front wall:
this is perhaps clearer to see in
the next photograph: paragraph
4.
48 Miniature Wargames February 2023
4. WALLS
You can now glue into place the
two internal walls, along with
their supports for the floor. The
perpendicular edges of all of the
walls are intended to be at the
back of the structure with the
sloping faces representing the
front wall.
You could, if you wished, rejig
the whole plan and make
sloping rear walls as well: it is
entirely up to you.
5. REAR
With all of the walls fixed in
place you are ready to add the
rear wall. When you put the
rear wall in place it may stand
slightly higher than the front
wall since it is perpendicular
and the front is angled.
If this worries you, you can trim
the back edge if you wish, but
I did not particularly let this
bother me, after all the thing is
meant to be several thousand
years old so a little irregularity
does not really go amiss!
6. FLOOR
The basic structure is
completed. You can also see
that I have cut out a floor piece
ready to be placed between the
two internal walls and I have cut
out roof sections as well. The
floor is roughly 6cms by 12cms
and may vary slightly on your
own creation.
I decided to make each of the
roof sections from two separate
pieces of card just to add a
little texture and interest to
the finished article. The sizes
were 10cms by 6cms, and
9cms by 5cms but again check
dimensions carefully on your
own model.
7. ROOF
The roof fixed in place on one
of the towers. I have added
strips of masking tape to the
raw edges of the joints in order
to add texture and simulate
stonework. I have also started
adding various panels to the
otherwise flat surfaces of the
wall again adding texture and
interest to the model.

Finally, I have fixed it to a much

sturdier base which is 46cms
by 20cms. (Incidentally, the
masking tape also hides any
imperfect joints!)

8. WALK LIKE AN
EGYPTIAN
You can clearly see here how
the two roof pieces have been
stepped and fixed in place.

I have also started adding extra

pieces of card to represent the
walls of the walkway between
the two towers. And, again,
I have used tape to hide my
unprofessional joints!

9. THAT’S PHARAOH
ENOUGH!
In this shot all of the roof
pieces, walkway and walls are
in place; I have also added
lintels and columns round
the entrance. At this stage I
liberally coated the model
with PVA to stabilize and
strengthen the card prior to
painting.

For the painted and finished

version, check out the
previous age as I
ran out of space
here!
DOWNLOAD
THE PLANS AS A APDF
tabletopgaming.co.uk/
information/downloads

February 2023 Miniature Wargames 49

 B O O K R E V I E W S F O R T H E D I S C E R N I N G WA R G A M E R
REVIEWS
THE SOLDIERS ARE
DRESSED IN RED
◗ Alastair Nichols
◗ Helion & Company (2022)
◗ £29.95
◗ 302 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN:9781915070432
◗ helion.co.uk
British Prime Minister, William Pitt, had
been persuaded by French royalist Joseph
de Puisaye that a landing of 5,000 – 6,000
troops, with cannon, bringing with them
arms and equipment for 50,000 men,
would ignite a general insurrection in
Brittany and that foreign aid could equip
and maintain a confederation of such
Chouan counter-revolutionary bands
there under his leadership.
Despite the opinion of General
Cornwallis that “it would require at least
20,000 good British troops to undertake
any solid operations in France, and indeed
a much larger body would be required to
afford any sanguine hopes of success,” and
Lord Moira’s conclusion after studying
Puisaye’s plan that “In my best judgement,
the enterprise cannot be attempted without
knowingly staking the sacrifice of the whole
Corps employed,” it was decided to land the
Loyal Emigrant Regiment, three ‘white
cockade’ infantry regiments, comprised
of French émigré officers and volunteers,
republican deserters and prisoners
of war, the Corps of French Emigrant
Artillery and a small Corps of French
Engineers on the Quiberon peninsula.
This book – subtitled The Quiberon
Expedition of 1795 and the Counter-
Revolution in Brittany – is Number
91 in Helion’s From Reason to
Revolution 1721-1815 series offers a
comprehensive English language account
of the Quiberon Expedition, drawing on
memoirs, archival material and historical
works to place the expedition within the
context of wider events, explain what
happened and why it failed.
Six full-page colour plates reproduce
fourteen figures of Royalist and
Republican troops from the Berlin
Album of the Anne S.K. Brown Military
Collection. Two more colour pages offer a
modern depiction of the ‘Aftermath of the
attack of the Sainte-Barbe lines’ by Giorgio
Albertini, divided into two sections, each
surrounded by a white border to avoid
detail being lost
in the spine;
perfect for maps,
but it rather spoils
the central group
of a wounded
man being
assisted by two
comrades, which
is shown better on
the book’s cover.
There are
nine maps: France in 1789; La Viree de
Galerne and Cotes du Nord; The Solent
Region; South coast of Brittany; Attack
on the Sainte-Barbe lines, 16 July 1795;
Fort Penthievre on 21 July 1795; the
Quiberon Peninsula; the route of the
Armee rouge; and Noirmoutier and the
Ile d’Yeu. Wargamers will regret that
there is not more topographical detail –
such as roads, rivers, high ground and
forests – on those maps depicting the
theatre of operations to assist them in
devising a campaign map or in recreating
battlefields for tabletop games.
There are full page monochrome
photographs of a certificate issued to a
Norman gentleman who embarked with
Count Tresor’s corps on 17 July 1795 as a
caporal in the first company; the Plage du
Porigo monument commemorating the
surrender of the emigres to General Hoche
on 21 July 1795; and the Mausoleum at
the Chartreuse d’Auray. There are also
several half-page photographs of places
mentioned in the text.
Three appendices cover the
Distribution of troops, boats and sailors
to row them for embarkation on 26 and
landing on 27 June 1795; the French
Republican Forces; and Some Notes on
Uniforms which – alas! – contains no
commentary on the cover picture. There
is a seven-page bibliography concludes
the book; there is no index.
Quiberon offers an ideal subject for
a most interesting mini-campaign,
involving an area of operations only
eight kilometres long; relatively small
land forces; supporting fire from Royal
Navy gunboats, and a mixture of
regular émigré troops, some of doubtful
loyalty, ill-disciplined Chouan irregulars
and fanatical Republicans. Highly
recommended.
Arthur Harman
THE OIL CAMPAIGN
1944-45
◗ Steven Zaloga
◗ Osprey (2022)
◗ £14.99
◗ 96 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN:9781472848543
◗ ospreypublishing.com
This author really needs no accolade from
the likes of me. Once again, he provides an
excellent description and analysis of WWII
equipment, tactics, operational method,
and strategic impact in a well-blended and
thoroughly researched manner.
Allied industrial/military intelligence
identified the German oil industry as
a critical point in their infrastructure,
the crippling of which would lead not
only to severe logistics issues (including
the loss of associated key chemical
by-products such as nitrogen for
explosives) but also attrition of German
fighter defences in aerial combat.
The book focuses on the operational
and strategic aspects of the campaign
rather than detailed (but still adequate)
descriptions of equipment – aircraft and
anti-aircraft, radar and anti-radar – so
is ideal for that level of wargaming.
There are numerous tables of bomb
tonnage, sorties, oil production, fighter
strength, etc set against a background
of mammoth air ‘missions’, with up to
2,000 Allied bombers and fighters at a
time. German fighter losses in the later
engagements were horrific – up to 50%
of aircraft engaged.
An excellent account, with a good
bibliography too.
Chris Jarvis
THE ART OF SHOOTING GREAT
ORDNANCE
◗ Jonathan Davies
◗ Helion (2022)
◗ £29.95
◗ 296 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN:9781915070289
◗ helion.co.uk
If they ever invent time
travel, this book will be
all you need to become a Tudor master-
gunner – such is the extraordinary
detail on cannon design, manufacture,
usage and tactics, including all the
associated paraphernalia on tools,
transport, and men.
The period saw major changes
in gunnery, the key ones being in
gunpowder through cheaper access
to saltpetre, metallurgy, mathematics
(especially trigonometry), and the
writing of treatises on the Art.
This could be a rather dry tome, but
the author brings the subject to life by
adroit touches of humour and a nice
turn of phrase – for example, fixing
a cannon’s problem by using ‘a hefty
wallop’. It is also finely illustrated with
contemporary drawings, supplemented
by the author’s own experience in
casting and using modern replica
cannon, together with vast knowledge
on the period and sources. For the
wargamer, the book brings out the
usual problem - where to place the
guns so that they don’t obstruct (or are
obstructed by) other troops, without
being so exposed as to be captured?
Excellent material.
Chris Jarvis
CHINOOK CREW ‘CHICK’
◗ Liz McConaghy
◗ Pen and Sword (2022)
◗ £20
◗ 178 pages (hardback)
◗ ISBN:9781399072922
◗ pen-and-sword.co.uk
At 69, I have to confess a tendency to fall
asleep even when reading a favourite
military history (it’s not just you! Ed). I
read this whole book in one session – it’s
that good…
The author served in Chinooks as
a ‘crewman’ for 17 years, including
multiple tours in Iraq and (primarily)
Afghanistan. This account of training
and service forms a very readable
tale of humour and shared dangers,
with interesting detail on the exacting
nature of such a skilled task. Those of
a certain antiquity who flew in Wessex,
Puma and Chinook will remember their
load-carrying capacity with gratitude,
especially the spacious Chinook – its
surprising versatility is brought out well
in these pages.
Perhaps the strongest part of this
book, however, is her remarkably
honest (and moving) recounting of
her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
after leaving the Service, with the
darkest of times including divorce
and deep depression. She came
through it, and indeed helped other
veterans. Whilst there is no direct lead
into wargaming, this is a noble and
engaging reminder of the respect due to
Britain’s armed forces.
Chris Jarvis
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 51
 REVIEWS
TANKS IN THE BATTLE OF
GERMANY 1945: EASTERN
FRONT
◗ Steven Zaloga
◗ Osprey (2022)
◗ £11.99
◗ 48 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN:9781472848710
◗ ospreypublishing.com
This is the companion volume to
the author’s previous Osprey on the
Western Front and is another superb
compendium of the technical and
numerical aspects of tanks, tank
destroyers and assault guns used by
both sides (including allied nations such
as Hungary).
There are 28 tables showing strengths,
distribution, losses, production,
technical characteristics, combat
effectiveness, and so on, often by type
of vehicle. There are interesting snippets
too – for example, earlier T-34s had
an appalling unreliability level, but
improved factory quality control had
a major impact by 1945. As you might
expect from such an expert author, the
text (and photos) are helpful in drawing
out the key findings in the tables, as well
as describing the sharp differences – on
both sides – between official, and actual,
AFV unit strengths. The third biggest
cause of Soviet tank losses in early 1945
was swamps – perhaps, as a German
player, you should insist on a random
placement of a Soviet-sector marsh per
game-turn?
A great contribution to late-war
wargaming, especially in terms of the
make-up of the forces.
Chris Jarvis
52 Miniature Wargames February 2023
PENINSULAR & WATERLOO
GENERAL SIR DENIS PACK &
THE WAR AGAINST NAPOLEON
◗ Marcus de la Poer Beresford
◗ Pen & Sword Military (2022)
◗ £25.00
◗ 240 pages (hardback)
◗ ISBN:9781399083201
◗ pen-and-sword.co.uk
Denis Pack, the son of an Irish clergyman
and the daughter of Denis Sullivan, who
had been a captain in the 28th Foot, was
commissioned a cornet in the 14th Light
Dragoons, aged sixteen, in 1791. He was
court martialled less than two years later
for striking another officer; it is not clear
whether he was cashiered or merely
suspended. He was, however, able to
serve in the 14th LD again in 1794 as a
gentleman volunteer and was promoted
to lieutenant by purchase in 1795.
His subsequent thirty-year military
career during the French Revolutionary
and Napoleonic Wars saw him campaign
in Flanders, Ireland, Cape Colony in
south Africa, the Rio de la Plata in South
America, Portugal, Spain, Walcheren,
southern France and Belgium. He was
wounded at least six and possibly nine
times; suffered the Walcheren fever and
was captured twice at Buenos Aires. He
served throughout the Peninsular War and
was present at all the major battles except
Talavera, when he was at Walcheren, and
in the Waterloo campaign.
In 1819 Pack was appointed Lieutenant
Governor of Plymouth and general
officer commanding the Western District
but died after suffering a ruptured
blood vessel on 23rd July 1823. His early
death at the age of forty-eight may have
prevented him writing his memoirs, and
the author has been unable to locate his
journal, referred to in a short account of
his life by Peter Carew in Blackwood’s
Magazine in 1946, so has had to rely
upon the papers of others for details of
Pack’s life and service.
An Irishman by birth, Pack made
his name commanding the 71st Foot, a
Scottish light infantry regiment, then
entered the Portuguese service to gain
command of a brigade in 1810. He
commanded Portuguese troops for
much of the Peninsular War before
being given command of the Highland
Brigade in 1813 and commanded a
mixed Scottish and English brigade at
Quatre Bras and Waterloo.
Sixteen colour plates, bound into
the centre of the book, include several
portraits of Pack at different stages of
his career, photographs of his octagonal
pistol, sword, travelling basin, Portuguese
Peninsular War medal, his Peninsular and
Waterloo medals and his monument in
St. Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny. There
are also portraits of Lady Elizabeth Pack,
Marshal Beresford, the Duke of Wellington
and Lieutenant Colonel Noel Hill,
together with five contemporary prints,
and plans of the battles of Salamanca,
Orthez and Quatre Bras.
Eighteen maps of varying sizes,
accompanying the appropriate parts
of the text, show the campaigns,
battles and sieges in which Pack
participated. Two appendices contain
Wellington’s memorandum to Pack of
20th October 1812 and the inscription
on his memorial. Thirty-eight pages of
endnotes, a seven-page bibliography
and an index conclude the book.
A carefully researched and very
readable biography of one of Wellington’s
most able brigade commanders, of
whom the Duke said, “no officer in the
Service has been more zealous or more
distinguished.” Sir Denis Pack deserves to
be remembered and better known today.
Wargamers who like to learn about the
characters of the generals portrayed by the
command figures in their tabletop battles
will enjoy this book – and, having read it,
will doubtless insist upon bonuses being
awarded to any troops commanded by
Pack in their recreations of battles!
Arthur Harman
 CHASING THE GREAT RETREAT
◗ Colonel (Ret) Joe Robinson, Sabine Declercq and
Randal Gilbert
◗ Helion and Company (2022)
◗ £25.00
◗ 188 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN:9781915070838
◗ helion.co.uk
This is a great book for those interested
in the German advance in 1914 and seek
an alternative to the accepted narrative
that the British won at Mons. The author
also maintains that the Germans could
have won the entire war on 23rd August
1914. To find out why, you will have to
read the book!
Subtitled The German Cavalry Pursuit
of the British Expeditionary Force before
the Battle of the Marne August 1914,
this is a detailed look at the cavalry
which operated on the right wing of
the German advance and between the
First and Second Armies, how they
were employed, and the command
and logistics arrangements which
applied. They are often considered as
cavalry corps but were not ‘corps level’
organisations; the difference is explained.
There is a detailed order of battle of the
five cavalry divisions involved and the
higher cavalry commands with attached
jaegers. Highly useful for those who wish
to wargame this fascinating period.
This is a well-researched and thought-
provoking book, well written and
containing many opportunities for
constructing historical scenarios. Some
of the arguments deployed might be
considered a stretch but they are logical
and well-reasoned. It is very strongly
recommended for all who have an
interest in the opening moves of 1914.
Martin S. Pike
53
SCHARNHORST: THE
FORMATIVE YEARS, 1755-1801
◗ Charles Edward White
◗ Helion & Company (2021)
◗ £37.50
◗ 436 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN: 9781913118990
◗ helion.co.uk
Number 57 in Helion’s From Reason
to Revolution 1721-1815 series is the
first volume of a scholarly biography
of the military reformer who served as
Blucher’s Chief of Staff before his death
in 1813. It covers his origins, career in
the Hanoverian Army, including service
in the French Revolutionary War, and
the ideas he formulated for the reform
and improvement of that army that
were, however, rejected. This volume
ends with his transfer into the Prussian
Army.
There are no illustrations but there are
twelve black and white maps.
For those with a deep interest in
Scharnhorst’s life and the development
of his proposals for the reform of the
Hanoverian army which he was later to
put into effect in the Prussian army, this
book offers much material that has not
previously been available in English.
It is a very thoroughly researched
biography that will require careful
study to appreciate its quality. General
readers and wargamers who possess
Prussian armies and just want to learn
a little about the character portrayed by
their personality figure of Scharnhorst
are really not the author’s target
audience.
Arthur Harman
FROM USHANT TO GIBRALTAR
◗ Quintin Barry
◗ Helion and Company (2022)
◗ £25.00
◗ 359 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN:9781915070395
◗ helion.co.uk
This is a well-researched book worthy
of this great author and historian. It
is a comprehensive treatment of the
Royal Navy at the end of the eighteenth
century covering the operations of the
Channel fleet utilising contemporary
correspondence. It examines the
international situation, the political and
diplomatic actions and counter moves, the
deployment of fleets together with more
mundane issues such as mobilisation,
tactical signalling (vitally important)
and administration of the Royal Navy. It
describes the Battle of Ushant (1779), and
the courts martial of Admirals Keppel and
Palliser after that inconclusive battle, all
covered in depth. It is fascinating stuff,
ably told in a flowing narrative.
The deployments made by the
respective navies to protect or attack
convoys, to relieve Gibraltar (twice) and
the operations of a combined French and
Spanish fleet are narrated over this five-
year period. There is much scope for
the construction of scenarios from small
actions to larger fleet actions normally
with orders of battle within the text or
appendix.
This is an academic book, well
referenced and thought-provoking and is
a must for naval wargamers of the period.
It is strongly recommended for all readers.
Martin S. Pike
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 53
 REVIEWS
THE RISE OF BYZANTIUM
◗ Philip Garton
◗ Helion (2022)
◗ £19.95
◗ 67 pages (softback)
◗ ISBN:9781804510094
◗ helion.co.uk
This follows on from the scenario
booklet ‘The Age of Alexander’ and the
rulebook ‘Three Ages of Rome’ by the
same author: you will need the rulebook
to play the scenarios.
He provides a 20-page outline of the
chief politico-military events of the
Romano-Byzantine world from broadly
400-700 AD, followed by six scenario
battles (Soissons 486, Tricamarum 533,
Tadinae 551, Viminacium 599, Walaja
633 and of course Yarmuk 636 AD).
The final 15 pages give army lists and
key characteristics for each of the seven
‘nations’ that appear in the battles.
It is attractively produced, with
clear text and wargame maps, and
with most pages having colour photos
of painted figures. The figures are
of variable casting quality and with
mediocre painting in many cases: on
the other hand, it means that even a
painting dolt like me has hope! As
the author candidly admits, there are
rarely any accurate accounts of ancient
battles, especially in terms of location,
strengths and losses, so much of the
book is necessarily conjecture (but
reasonably so). No reference sources are
given.
Chris Jarvis
54 Miniature Wargames February 2023
A RABBLE OF GENTILITY
◗ John Barratt
◗ Helion & Co.: Solihull, 2017
◗ £19.95 (hardback)
◗ Pages: 112
◗ ISBN:9781911512981
◗ helion.co.uk
Part of Helion’s Century of the Soldier:
1618-1721 series, John Barratt sets out to
examine the story of the famed Royalist
Northern Horse from their origins in the
aftermath of the Battle of Marston Moor
to their final dissolution in October 1645.
This book provides a detailed yet
accessible narrative of the various
engagements the regiments of the
Northern Horse participated in.
Using a variety of maps to support
his examination, Barratt produces
a coherent picture of their career,
successfully placing their battles in
the wider strategic context of the
latter stages of the First Civil War.
Each of the battles they fought in is
explored in as much detail as possible
given the limits of the evidence, with
consideration being given to various,
often conflicting, historical sources, as
well as topographical and archaeological
evidence. The result is a very effective
and highly readable military history and
the author provides an intriguing insight
into the lives of many of the men who
made up its fighting ranks.
For wargamers seeking to play the
period (and not just the rules) this
book provides essential contextual
information which they can use to
weave into their games to add character
and period flavour. An exceptional work
of great value.
David Hiscocks
TO SAVE AN ARMY
◗ Robert Forsyth
◗ Osprey (2022)
◗ £25
◗ 352 pages (hardback)
◗ ISBN:9781472845412
◗ ospreypublishing.com
The Stalingrad siege will be familiar to
many readers, including the attempts to
resupply by air the trapped Axis troops.
This volume provides the detail behind
the airlift, including diary accounts at
both senior and junior levels, and with
an initial 100-page background on the
advance to, and battle for, the city.
The Germans lost 450 transport
aircraft and 1,000 aircrew in the re-
supply attempts: a minimum of 300
tons a day were needed just for basic
survival, but that target was never
reached despite heroic efforts by
groundcrew and aircrew alike. The
author chronicles the optimism at High
Command level (in part because it was
expected that relief attempts would
succeed), against the strong advice right
from the start, that air supply could
never work in view of the numbers to be
supplied (around 250,000), the distances
involved, and the weather – let alone
what the Soviets would do.
One of the three maps helpfully shows
the radius of action of the different
aircraft types; various tables show
clearly the losses, supplies delivered,
and so on. A compelling – and heart-
rending – read.
Chris Jarvis
QUARTERMASTER
TWO THIN COATS
◗ transatlantisgames.com
◗ £3.95
Duncan Rhodes wrote a Last Word in
this magazine a couple of years ago
talking about his painting career (he
was, amongst other things, the ‘face of
Warhammer TV’). Over the last little
while, he has done sterling service
proselytizing his mantra of ‘two thin
coats’ on the basis that (in an effort
to get good coverage) a mistake we
painters often make is to use our paints
too thickly and Duncan would like to
help us to not do that. Being a man to
put his money where his mouth is, Mr
ACCESSORIES & TERRAIN
Rhodes has now released a paint-set
that will help with his crusade and we
were sent a box to review.
Now for some personal stuff. When
it comes to paint, most reviewers
concentrate on a number of factors that
I will, I confess, don’t much interest me.
One is the amount of paint you get in a
bottle and it’s price compared to other
manufacturers’ paints in their bottles. I
genuinely don’t care. This is not because
I’m as rich as Crassus, it’s just that – in
five decades of painting miniatures
using both tins (Humbrol), jars (usually
Tamiya) and bottles (everyone else) I’ve
only ever got to the bottom of a container
twice before the paint has dried up/gone
off etc. So – for me – it’s not about the
amount of paint in the bottle, per se, as I
never get to the bottom. If you care, the
Two Thin Coats are 15ml for £3.95 each.
Next, there’s the whole conversation
about the number of colours in a range
and whether they make ‘proper’ triads
for shading. Still don’t care: I learnt how
to mix colours to get the ones I want.
And as for ‘pure pigments’ well – as I
don’t want my figures to be dressed like
fairground clowns – this, again, could
not be less relevant to me. Matt or satin
finish? Don’t care: I varnish my figures.
What matters to be is usability, pure
and simple: are the paints going to be fun
and easy to apply and do they cover well?
Yes, yes and yes. This set of 54 paints
(including metallic’s) and six washes
do all three. The paints required very
little mixing (which was just as well as
they don’t come with ballbearings in
the dropper bottles) and even tricky
colours (like yellow) give good coverage.
The dropper bottles themselves have
an easy to wipe clean, conical ‘inner’,
which is great. The black is dense, the
white isn’t chalky. There’s enough colours
that don’t have too many silly names
(‘Glistening Gums’? Really?) and the six
washes appear to be direct lifts in terms
of performance and colour to the basics
offered by their rivals. Talking of which,
there’s a handy card with the names of
Army Painter and GW paints so that
you can still use Duncan’s many on-line
tutorials (where he’s obviously using
those) with his new range. And – as
you’ll already be wearing a magnifying
visor to paint with – it’s just about
readable! They have at least 25 stockists
in the UK. Highly recommended.
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 55
 SHQMiniatures SHQMiniatures

Manufacturers of qualiy Pewter Model kits, figure and accessory sets.

Available in 20mm and 25/28mm sizes for the collector and War Gamer.
New For 2023!
GIs in Greatcoats Russians in Greatcoats & Ushanka

GI51 Riflemane Moving GI52 Riflemen Firing RW2u Riflemen Moving RW2u Riflemen Firing

Many more packs to come in 2023!

We can be found on Facebook SHQ Miniatures or can be contacted and ordered from below:
We take PayPal, Cheques, Direct Transfers and will soon be taking Debit/Credit payments
Call us on: 01460 241306 shqltd.com Email us at: contact@SHQltd.com
1 Stockyard, Flaxdrayton Farm, South Petherton, Somerset, TA13 5LR

Wargames Fantasy and

:JP-PÄN\YLZHS^H`Z
ZV\NO[MVYJHZOWHY[
L_JOHUNLVYZ^HWZ

Website updated
HOBBY TIPS
Epic Scale Wargame Terrain
Words and images by Tony Harwood
Mr Harwood had been expanding his Epic scale
scenery again! Ed.
y earliest experiences of wargaming
M came many years ago when I was still
a teenager and I attended a number of
games at Swansea University where
Airfix American Civil War armies marched across
green dyed bed sheets, along chalk drawn roads
and through lichen woods and hedge growth.
The armies were mounted on to simple beer mat
bases with crude rubber buildings that were
originally intended for children’s railway layouts
and rules that were based on the early Airfix ACW
modelling guide. Ever since this ‘rose tinted’ view
of wargaming has been an inspiration for me and
the thought of reproducing these battles remains a
long term goal.
With the release of Warlord Games Epic ACW
range of rules and figures this goal is becoming
a reality and one day I might get around to
painting enough regiments for a worthwhile
battle or two. I have already produced two
scratch built buildings in Epic scale and both
have appeared in earlier issues of this magazine,
however a chance purchase of a book called 1400
Days – The US Civil War Day by Day and, in
particular, an illustration of West House by Tony
Gibbons on page 89 inspired me to build a third
Epic scale model to use with my ACW armies.
The illustration has one or two rather unique
and unusual features, such as the various levels
and placement of windows, the central door
and red clad roof. I admit that contemporary
images of West House are slightly different
but I thought it would be fun to copy the Tony
Gibbons artwork and build yet another model to
use with my Epic ACW figures.
Construction started with corrugated
cardboard profiles which were scaled from
a simple sketch. These profiles were glued
together with my hot glue gun and clad in thin
card. The basic core was refined with DAS
modelling clay and some ready-mixed filler
before I started adding detail like the front door
and window frames.
Like the earlier Epic scale models, The West MATERIALS USED
House was mounted on a used CD and the ◗ Corrugated cardboard
groundwork built up with even more DAS and ◗ Card – various thicknesses
◗ Egg box card
textured with sieved stones and sand applied
◗ Balsawood
over PVA glue. The chimney was a section ◗ Used CD
of scrap balsawood and the red roof is card, ◗ DAS modelling clay
detailed with strips of manila envelope glued in ◗ Ready-mixed filler
place with PVA glue. ◗ Resin clutter – sources from
my spares box
Once the construction was complete – about
◗ Static grass and ground
three hours of relaxed modelling, I basecoated foam
the whole model and groundwork with neutral
grey acrylic paint to which I had added some
PVA glue. The whitewashed walls were a simple
matter of highlighting with grey to which I has
added Titanium White and the red roof was
painted with a dark brown and red mix. Painting
was built up with basecoats, highlights and
washes before I varnished the whole model with
Galleria matt varnish and then glued on some
static grass and ground foam decoration.
As stated above this early introduction to
wargaming has been a life-long passion and a
hobby that has over the years morphed into an
obsession for building scratch built wargame
terrain. With this latest piece of wargame
terrain this passion has come full circle as my
earliest scratch built houses were built for
those early ACW games and were somewhat
crude, but now I can at last build something
that my earlier self would have been proud of.
›
February 2023 Miniature Wargames 57
 HOBBY TIPS
1. BATTLE PLAN
This simple sketch was inspired
by an illustration of West House
I found in the book 1400 Days
– The US Civil War Day by
Day written by Chris Bishop
and Ian Drury and illustrated by
Tony Gibbons which I mentioned
earlier.
2. HARD CORE
I used corrugated cardboard
profiles glued together with
my hot glue gun to build a
solid core.
I then glued even more card to
this (from an ASDA ready meal
box and the backing card from
a reinforced envelope) which
included the door and window
openings.
3. REFINEMENT
The card walls – and particularly
the corners – were refined with
both DAS modelling clay and
ready-mixed filler.
Although this looks very
rough it will be smoothed out
once the DAS has fully set
but still keeping some of the
irregularities to add character.
58 Miniature Wargames February 2023
4. MUSICAL NECESSITY
I mounted the house on to a used
CD with the groundwork built
up with more DAS and further
textured with sieved stones and
sand. The CD was scored with a
snap-off bladed knife and the
DAS was applied over PVA glue to
ensure a good bond and reduce
any risk of shrinkage.
Note how I have blended the
building into the groundwork
by smoothing the DAS up and
along the lower edge of the
walls and bedding the model
into the ground. Egg box card
was used to model the door
step.
5. PLASTERED
The walls were ‘plastered’ with
DAS modelling clay, ready-mixed
filler and fine sand to produce a
subtle textured finish on which I
could start adding detail
The windows and doors were
added from strips of thin card cut
from the same ASDA ready meal
box I had used earlier.
6. RAISE THE ROOF
The roof was constructed from
more thin card and glued in place
with a mix of both superglue and
PVA glue, any gaps were filled with
DAS.
The detailing on the roof was done
with strips of manila envelope
paper applied over PVA while the
dormer was constructed from a
block of balsawood and card.
7. CLUTTER
With the main construction
finished I added some items of
‘clutter’ from my spares box and
basecoated the whole model -
house and base with a neutral
grey acrylic paint to which I had
added some PVA glue.

The white-washed walls were

highlighted with Titanium White
acrylic paint, building up the
intensity in thin coats and
drybrushing any texture to
exaggerate the sculpting while the
roof was painted in a mix of brown
and red acrylic paint with a tiny bit
of orange to add variety and try to
mimic the book illustration.

8. TO BATTLE!
The base was painted in my
usual Snakebite Leather colour,
highlighted with a touch of white
added to the mix and individual
stones picked out in grey
highlighted white.

Prior to taking this image, I have

given the groundwork a quick
‘wash’ of Soft Tone from the
Army Painter range.

9. DONE & DUSTED

The finished model was varnished
with Galleria matt varnish and I
have added some static grass and
ground foam cover to the CD base
which was applied over PVA or
superglue.

The West House is 80mm x 55mm

x 80mm tall (to the top of the
chimney) and is mounted on a
used CD. It is another Epic scale
model to add to my planned ACW
collection and I doubt it will be my
last Epic scale model.

February 2023 Miniature Wargames 59

 &RORQHO%LOOV
ZZZFRORQHOELOOVFRP
͚WE DON’T NEED TO KEEP
SHOUTING ABOUT IT!’

͚^ŚƌĞǁĚǁĂƌŐĂŵĞƌƐĂůƌĞĂĚLJŬŶŽǁƚŚĂƚ
ƐŚŽƉƉŝŶŐĂƚŽůŽŶĞůŝůůƐŽīĞƌƐ
ĞdžĐĞƉƟŽŶĂůǀĂůƵĞŽĨŵŽŶĞLJ͛
ŶŽƵŐŚƐĂŝĚ͙͙͙͙͙͘

 
 
  
 
  

  

 

  






 




• $$!
*
!
 
& #
$
#
• "&$ %##$
(

%%  
• $% 
&$
(
$!( ! $%#%!
$
%!
$
$

(
$
"#%"%!
$
%!
!
 
• '#
# 
 
&)
!! 
!#$
'


' 
$
($% !#
%$
• $
' %
$&""!#%$ %
#%)
!%
%#$$
SIGN UP TO OUR
FREE NEWSLETTER

 



 


!

 

 









 
 

Sign up for the very latest - industry


!
 
 
 
  releases, kick starters, reviews,
interviews and more from Tabletop
Gaming. You can unsubscribe at any time!

Either scan the QR code or visit

ttgami.ng/ttg-newsletter
Paul Meekins GRAVESEND It has to be
Colour Party Paints
MODELS AND It’s the only one!
ACW Blues ....................................£15.00
Military & History Books
WARGAMES ACW Greys....................................£15.00
Ancient Pack.................................£15.00 ࡟ Bits ࡟Minis ࡟STLs for 3D Printing
BASTETEX Starter Pack ...............£12.00
www.paulmeekins.co.uk ALL YOUR WARGAMING, British Napoleonic ........................£15.00
MODELLING & RAILWAY French Napoleonic........................£15.00
(FRTZ‫ܫ‬FLJ5FHP .........................£15.00
Thousands of secondhand, NEEDS UNDER ONE ROOF Starter Pack ..................................£15.00
out of print, and new books Flesh Tones...................................£15.00
SHOP OPEN: Feudal/Medieval Pack ..................£15.00
MONDAY - SATURDAY Horse Sheens ...............................£16.00
Military and Social History Samurai Pack ...............................£13.00
9am til 4.30pm
Ancient to 21st Century
Sunday 10am til 4pm
Payment to:
01789 722434 Gravesend Models And Wargames Colour Party
65 High Street, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 0BB Paints
paul@paulmeekins.co.uk Tel: 01474 328 360
8 Woodhall Place, Thornbury,
E: gravesendmodelcentre@gmail.com Bradford, BD3 7BX
Find us on Facebook colourpartypaints@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/paulmeekinsbooks
www.gravesendmodelcentre.co.uk www.colourpartypaint.com www.anvilindustry.com

Want to know what games you should

be playing?! Read our definitive
reviews spanning the last eight years
with The Best Games of 2015, 2016,
8 YEARS 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022!
OF THE To view all 8 years either
BEST scan the QR code or visit
GAMES pktmags.com/bgo-2022

ACW, Colonial Nineteenth Century,

Sino-Japanese, Russo-Japanese, Maximilian
7ˆ;m|†u;ķ;Šb1-m!;ˆoѴ†ঞomş))Ɛu-m];v
NEW_bm;v;ul‹C]†u;v
out now!
FREE to download rule sets by Andy Callan
www.jacklexminiatures.com

Shakespeare Studios
Professional full-time miniatures painting service
Turn your Lead to Gold! We also buy unwanted miniature collections
Is the loft threatening to collapse? Are you ever going to paint those
figures? Would you like the cash to start another period or scale? Professional painting
I buy collections of painted or unpainted figures, any make or scale
service to the highest
including Games Workshop and historical figures. Also Board Games, standard.
RPGs, model kits, books and terrain.
We also purchase
I will buy your entire collection (not just the good bits), pay in cash, and
collect the items from your door. No distance is too far!
unwanted miniature
Contact free Pick Ups now available collections in full,
Please call for details no cherry picking,
Contact me on 07914 609709, email: bigbadwolf@blueyonder.co.uk best prices.
or write to Rob Palmier, 23 Clanfield Avenue, Wolverhampton,
West Midlands WV11 2QU
07751 648053 dooeyswampy1@gmail.com
Follow us
 THE LAST WORD
DAVID HISCOCKS
Wargaming as escapism... until it isn’t
or most of us historical
F wargaming is a hobby that
helps us to relax, a form
of escapism that takes us
away from the stresses of day-to-
day life. Whether this is sitting
down with friends to play a
game, planning a campaign,
painting miniatures, or even
just browsing for new figures
to buy, all these activities help
us to unwind. During the most
restrictive COVID-19 lockdowns,
having all these varied aspects of
wargaming to fall back on – even
though much of the social aspect
had to be conducted virtually – it
had a significant and noticeable
benefit for my own and many
others mental health. Speaking
for myself I greatly valued having
a relaxing activity that took me
away from the reality of living
through a pandemic. At least for
a time.
Yet the ongoing disturbing
and tragic events in Ukraine are
different. From a wargamer’s
perspective the obvious
association with the subject matter
of our hobby is a potentially
uncomfortable reminder of the
reality of what our leisure activity
portrays. The violence in Ukraine
that we see portrayed every day
on all media channels has brutally
brought this conflict home to all
of us in a way that recent conflicts
further afield have not. The fact
that this is the first large-scale
conventional war fought in Europe
since 1945, as well as it being the
largest conflict in terms of numbers
of troops deployed since the 1991
Gulf War makes this inevitable.
Worse, the ever-present potential
for dramatic escalation beyond
Ukraine ensures that no one can
ignore what is happening there.
On a day-to-day basis the
invasion of Ukraine has a direct
62 Miniature Wargames February 2023
impact on everyone. For those of
us fortunate to be outside of the
conflict zone the ongoing tragedy
in Ukraine is increasing the cost
of living, itself another source
of anxiety, albeit not a lethal one
for most. The UK for instance is
predicted to have its sharpest cost
of living increase in recent memory
during 2022. Across Europe and
the rest of the world further price
rises in food, energy and services
are inevitable. Coming so quickly
on the back of COVID-19 the
economic hit is significant.
From a hobby perspective it is
inevitable that this will impact the
wargaming industry as companies
need to pass on these price rises to
their customers. Some wargame
manufacturers have even made
public statements condemning
Russia’s actions, withdrawing their
services from customers living in
Russia in protest. It goes without
saying that most of us reading
this are incredibly privileged to
be in a situation where we do not
have to fear for our lives on a daily
basis, that our greatest concern
might be the impact this war has
on our leisure pursuit. For people
living in Ukraine the situation is
unimaginably worse.
Since the start of the Russian
invasion some of my wargaming
friends have been talking about
how they have started to feel guilty
for enjoying their hobby due to
the association with the violence
ongoing in Ukraine. Many have
shared their discomfort about
discussing or playing wargames
involving Russia, or just wargames
in general. While acknowledging
the fortunate position most of us
reading this are in that we are not
in the conflict zone, it is useful
to examine how we view and
engage with the hobby in times
such as these when our pastime
“It is firstly
important to
remember
that
from a hobby that portrays, even
in the abstract, the violence we
so abhor when we see it in the
when we media could be viewed as a
wargame dichotomy. Recognizing this issue
as something worth addressing
we are not may seem a little absurd to some
glorifying in the wider context of what is
war. Our happening, but it is nevertheless a
concern we should examine given
enjoyment of how many wargamers have raised
our games is the issue.
underpinned When looking at our hobby in
the context of the war in Ukraine
by the it is firstly important to remember
research we that when we wargame we are
have done to not glorifying war. Our enjoyment
of our games is underpinned
understand by the research we have done
the conflict to understand the conflict being
being portrayed on the tabletop. This
can only be a positive thing. To
portrayed on repeat the oft-quoted axiom, those
the tabletop.. who forget the past are doomed to
those who repeat it.
Nonetheless, some wargamers
forget the have said they feel guilty or
past are ashamed for sharing their hobby
doomed to in public spaces during this time,
especially online on social media.
repeat it. ” While we are free to do as we
wish behind closed doors, when
our leisure activity is shared
with others. In today’s age of
social media our audience can
be international and varied in
both its beliefs and core values.
It is undeniable that the way in
which the hobby represents real-
world conflicts is a topic often
talked about. When the conflict
is in living memory or has a
particular contemporary relevance
then such debates can become
understandably intense.
Next month David will
conclude his thoughts on this
tricky subject. ■
“ALL SPACE MARINES ARE CREATED
EQUAL BUT SOME ARE MORE
EQUAL THAN OTHERS...”

INTERGALACTIC
MARINES
LIGHT BRIGADE

i Weapon interchangeability options

i Unique base for each miniature
i Optional backpacks
i Super detailed
i 32mm scale
NOW
AVAILABLE
TO ORDER
£29.95 FOR
SET OF 10

We are pleased to announce the launch of the first miniatures in our Terra Alien Sci-Fi range.
The Intergalactic Marines are the elite troopers of the far future, cruel and cold hearted.
They are the instruments of Sardar Khan’s oppressive regime. Their appearance is designed
to intimidate and frighten. They are mobile, aggressive and highly skilled killing machines.

Head Office tel: 01327 368 498 Gaming Centre tel: 07856 893685
ail: info@valkyrx.com
ema email: birmingham@valkyrx.com

@Valkyrx_Gaming Valkyrx_Gaming @valkyrx_gaming

 INTRODUCING

We’re excited to announce the

launch of the first phase of a new
endeavour for us: producing
high detail miniatures as 3D files
and prints! We have partnered
with MyMiniFactory.com to
offer 3D files for sale and also
make them available through a
monthly subscription service!

Each month we will be releasing

a mix of full multi-part figure
sets, conversion sets for our
existing plastics, characters,
vehicles, and terrain! We will
have something for all 11 of
our ranges each month as well:
a massive collection of new
models each and every month!
And soon we will offer the same
models as physical prints.

facebook.com/wargamesatlantic DESIGNED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POND

VISIT US AT WWW.WARGAMESATLANTIC.COM