Bolt Action - Gaming day in the Noppakerho -club

Last saturday we had open gaming day at the club. We set up four differently themed Bolt Action games and invited interested people to have game of Bolt Action on a ready table. On the table there was pre-set terrain, fine figures and special scenario for the game. We had some thirteen people gaming and it all worked very well.

The four scenarios were nice and the were really different to each other. One was about the final battle from the movie Saving private Ryan, the battle of Ramelle. Other had British para attacking german headquarters in belgium. There was also Winter war table, where Soviets were attacking defensive lines of Finns. And one was about fight in the Guadalcanal in the Pacific.

This concept will be continued, maybe next autumn. Here's some pictures from the day.

The tables were set in the morning before the show.

Winter War table.

German HQ in the Belgium which was the objective.

Village of Ramelle just before the fight.

Alligator creek in Guadalcanal.

Flak on the roof of really nice house model.

Soviet troops advance through icy forest.

Soviet infantry.

Soviet tanks push through the woods.

Finnish troops fight back-

Finnish ski troops.

Maybe it takes some skill to roll this.

End of the tanks.

US troops fight in the narrow streets of Ramelle.

Gaming at full speed in all tables.

German HQ under attack.

Japanese troops are about to cross the creek.

US Marines selling their lives dearly.

Nice day, new faces and good feeling through out the day. Bolt Action is really one of the best games there is.

Bolt Action - Banzai!

Final fight of our Bolt Action Tarawa -campaign is now over, and it went for the Japanese. This last fight got it's inspiration from Japanese hard counter attacks on the fourth day morning. When in actual fight desperate Japanese defenders launched series of counter assaults on US lines. They were all repulsed, but it wasn't so on our campaign.

The game was little altered Alligator creek scenario basically without the creek between opposing forces. The twist of the game, was the use of optional night fight rules from Warlords excellent web site. The night fight rules gave nice flavor to the game and made very straight forward scenario more cautious sneaking in the dark until the violent close range firefight later in the game. This was first try of this and there will be some changes in the actual version. Now the campaign has been fought once and I'll make some polishing some of the scenarios, and we will have another run soon.

Here's some AAR shots from the bloody game.

Starting deployment and the table with lots of soft cover.

US troops on the ridge.

Dug in positions.

IJA approaching and readying the attack.

Officer and gentleman.

Already so close.

Quick advance through the bush.

Americans redeployed under the ridge when facing wave of Japanese.

Japanse take the ridge.

Marine veterans fire at close range.

Until they got hit be the flamethrower and that was that.

Finally the day or night was Japanese.

The campaign was based on actual events on the battle of Tarawa. Every game had one theme and they were following the timeline of the fight. All campaign went for the Japanese, but I have to admit all scenarios weren't all that balanced and in most of them US troops were really struggling. But all in all it was nice set of four games linked together.

Oh yes, one more observation, flamethrowers are way too powerful, I Don't like them, thinking of banning them altogether.

Bolt Action - USMC update, last but not final

Back to Bolt Action painting and in to the Pacific, my favorite and best of all, US Marines. This Warlord Marines range is absolutely inspiring and fine set of miniatures. They are fine sculpts and characterful figures all through, and joy to paint. So no wonder there seems to be more of them coming,  than one can use in one game. But it's nice to have some variation.

This time I got finalized 37mm AT gun and Jeep tow as well as M5 light tank with some infantry reinforcements. So basically now I have full platoon with some serious support elements to field in the games.

New M5 tank ready to take Japanese tin cans.

Team of veteran Leatherneck in camo.

These guys are well equipped for the field.

With bayonet.

Another team to reinforce the platoon.

Every Marine is rifleman.

37mm AT gun, light but very useful in the Pacific.

And ubiquitous Jeep to tow the gun around, and maybe give some officers a ride.

 As I said there's now even more than I would need on a game, and yet I may be ordering some more...

Crescent & Cross - Campaign start and first games

Had our long waited campaign start this evening at the club. Four games of SAGA Crescent & Cross game and some six gamers. This was also first turn of our campaign Holy Land. I'm proud to inform everyone, Crusader took four victories to save sacred city.

This was also my first game of SAGA C&C and quite peasant one I have to admit. I have had some reservation of the game. I've always thought it bit too gimmicky, which it still is. It has certain board game flavor with all these battle board tricks, so in strict sense it is not true wargame. I know I'll struggle to learn all those things you can do with your battle board combinations not to mention ones your opponent can do, but maybe I'll live that. On the other had, game is fast and battle starts right away, at least with right kind of adversary. So it is very much in my taste. Rules are liberal enough to avoid all that stupid maneuver and inch arguments one faces in some games, not to mention any. And what's the most important part, is those beautiful armies and very very interesting and inspiring period of history, The Crusades!

Here's some photos of our first turn my army and my fellow gamers armies in action.

Deployment of the war.

Amir of the fanatics.

Captured by the cross.

The nemesis of the horse soldier.

Another deployment.

Hiding from the bolts.

Saracen cavalry at full speed.

The wave of true faith.

Wall of true faith.

Crusading heroes line up.

Camels about to take Turcopoles.

Taking cover.

Another Amir.

Trusted men of the Amir.

Daughter of the Saladin captured by Teutonic order.

Stand fast men!

This is my cross...

Nice gaming experience of SAGA C&C, there will be more...

Crescent & Cross - Troops from the past

With this my Crusades heat I've been digging my miniature storage and what discoveries I've made! Just recently found these absolutely lovely old old Citadel miniatures from 1980's. If my memory doesn't fail me I have bought these from local gaming store sale in early 90's, when they were trying to rid of these "old style" Warhammer Bretonnian figures. Well, I did my best to help them. And now I have sizable units of archers and crossbowmen. There is very nice and lively poses on these figures, especially archers. Some of them seem to have been looting. Archers are also nicely irregular bunch.

They have been painted some 25 years ago and the painting is very old style, even for me as old school painter. But hey, I like my figures in Technicolor. And actually this bright coloring is fit for medieval troops. Only thing I did , was give them light wash of earth shade and remade the bases from goblin green to light brown. And now I have units for Deus Vult as well as for SAGA.

Archers in white and blue livery.

Archers look very irregular.

Crossbow troop in colors of Spain.

This will hurt where it lands.

Once again I know they are actually bit too modern to be historically correct for the Crusades, but medieval troops are quite generic and who cares for about hundred years.