Battle Systems Kickstarter live 1st Nov

I am looking forward to the Battle Systems Kickstarter. I saw this terrain at Derby and spoke to the guys about their plans and it looks and sounds great. I like the fact the terrain is 2 storey and I can just click it together with out having to print it out first and assemble it. I'm lazy that way.

I can see Doctor Who, Blakes 7, 7TV, 7ombie TV and modern pulp playing on these easily. Well that's my plans for it anyway if I can russle up the readies. Swapping out the futuristic furniture I can see this being used as a shell for Victorian Scifi to Cold war games using the nice resin scenery that's available, of which I own a set of (in the 'I'll paint one day' pile).

The Battle Systems blog has more info:

http://battlesystemstws.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/launch-day-is-friday-1st-november/

Here's a pre-kickstarter look at the terrain I've seen below. I picked a picture from Battle Systems' blog as a taster. As this is a taster picture the kickstarter may differ so we'll find out what is included for sure tomorrow.

Great weekend gaming

I've managed to play a WW2 Villers Bocage scenario using Battle Group rules twice this weekend. Once against my regular gaming chum and once against eldest nephew. I'm pleased to say I won't 1 and lost 1, you can guess against who till I write up the AAR. Britain won both games huzzah! Although I think Wittman won his laurels in the second game played excellently by my nephew. In my role as German I got him knocked out half way through the game.

War gamers nightmare

While putting away figures to get ready for Saturdays game the unthinkable happened. In slow motion 2 really useful boxes slid from their precarious perch down a hill and off the edge of the board. Both boxes hit dislodging their lids. The air was still as I stared quietly at the results. Gathering myself I crawled on the floor to the nearest box. All was OK. Phew. The next box was carnage. My collection of original womble space marines were in smithereens and my Platoon 20 Aliens were either snapped off the base, wait for it... at the LEGS or their mouth/tongues were snapped off. Aaaaargh.

I recounted this sorry tale of youth destroyed to my wife. I ended on a positive that they could be fixed. She heard 'only played with about 3 times' and pointed out that meant I had too much stuff.

Moral of this story, do not mention frequency of play regarding items you will not part with. Feeling misunderstood we sat down for a cuppa to discuss her day. Moral fibre restored!

Next Battle Group game

My next game is in a week and I'm host so I've mulling over what to do. It's a day game so something of a moderate size will do. The Napoleonics are still set up but having been trounced 3 times a break from the big battalions of Black Powder is in order. I also want a game that I could use with my nephews who arrive the same weekend after the game without me having to reset the board. My gaming buddy and I have been enjoying Battle Group Kursk games and have yet to try out Battle Group Overlord. So Overlord it is, but what scenario?

I've been longing for a while to play Villers Bocage and have an excuse to play some of my Tiger Is (of which I have far too many to be sensible). I've avoided it so far as I do not have enough Cromwells for the City of London Yeomanry. I have now had a brain wave and realised all those Comets I own, purchased in my youth and added to by my Dad before we both realised they were hardly used, could be stand ins. So that's the tank issue resolved what scenario to actually play?

 

Battle Group Overlord doesn't have it as a scenario but the Warwick Kinrades' previous rules, Kampgruppe Normandy do, as does not surprisingly my Flames of War Villers Bocage book. Looking at both books and reviewing the scenarios offered I've decided to translate the Kampgruppe Normandy (KGN) scenario to Battle Group Overlord.

 

So far I've decided I love the scenarios and maps in the Battle Group books as they tell you table size and are very clear, better than KGN's. I had to draw a map to work out the KGN table size and make sure I understood the N, S E, W references.

 

Writing up the roster sheet has been straight forward. I made Wittman a Panzer Ace to add to the fact he's in a Tiger as is the senior officer, makes him 133 points compared to the normal 85 points for a Tiger. Next job is to add vehicle stats to the roster and ammo to make the game flow better. I do like this prep side of the hobby!

 

 

Catching up with AARs

I managed to miss my blog anniversary, but I've been blogging for over a year now. I must say I have quite enjoyed it. I find writing quite cathartic and I enjoy the feedback from fellow enthusiasts. It has also allowed me to discover that there is so many enthusiasts out there all as nutty as me. Brill.

In celebration I've gone back in time and written up the AAR to go with some of photos I posted around this time last year.

First up is 7ombie TV Series 1 Episode 2 Zombiegeddon - Transit Camp