Friday Photo: Yes! we are calling that Bocage hard cover.

First impressions of my new custom print (cheap) gaming mat. Its vinyl (so yuck) but it was half the price of "the real thing". Ill let you know how it works out, I can already see that there are + and -, its really an exercise, I wasn't sure what to expect.

Also check out this podcast for more detail on mats

Getting started in Bolt Action Part 1: Army selection

This article is a work in progress, feedback and suggestions would be appreciated. The basis of this was written for a friend who is getting into Bolt action with his kids. Well done Ash, looking forwrad to playing you.

https://www.valhallagames.net/index.php/home/2-uncategorised/3-getting-started-in-bolt-action-part-1-army-selection

US rocket launching tank, if you arrive late make an entrance...

Web site: http://www.back2base-ix.com/battle-frame-5000.html

See below for my first impressions video of the Knights Of Dice miniature wargaming case. The "Campaign Case". 

Spoiler: I love it!!

Link: https://knightsofdice.com/product-category/foam-trays-bags/bags-cases/

Friday photo: Tanks in disguise, If there isn't any cover, bring your own...

Bolt Action: Campaign: D-Day: Overlord new book reported. This is available today on a couple of sites for pre-order for mid next year.

"Normandy, 6 June 1944. The Allies undertake the largest and most ambitious amphibious landings in history to return the fight to Western Europe. This new Campaign Book for Bolt Action allows players to take command of both Allied forces assaulting the beaches and inland defences and those of the axis manning such fortifications. New, linked scenarios, rules, troop types, and Theatre Selectors provide plenty of options for novice and veteran players alike."

https://www.mightyape.com.au/product/bolt-action-campaign-d-day-overlord/28505200

and 

https://www.bookdepository.com/Bolt-Action-Campaign-D-Day-Overlord-Warlord-Games-Peter-Dennis/9781472838964

Well; the work was on Italian terrain in any case! I had a full weekend off and spent it tying up some loose ends and making progress on some tasks.

​These are 90% done now, and looking good to join their buddies in a future scenario. 

The modes are from the Charlie Foxtrot Pantile Buildings range. These ones being; Pantile Tower and Pantile Hermitage. as with previous models ive built from the range these were a great build and very satisfying as a minor craft project too if im honest! Its probably the sort of project a modeller could get the kids involved in too.

  I was quite suprised at actually how big the tower is, and i think it like the rest of the range represent good value!

  Tomorrow i should be receiving my Warlord/ Italeri Italian Church in the post. ...as listeners to the podcast will know, i have had reservations about the model due to its 1/72 actual scaling...BUT I have some plans to amend that after watching Kens youtube vid of the models build on 'The eccentric man ' youtube channel, and his subsequent assistance with some questions of mine.

   More info to come on that! meantime...ill just finish the hermitage door and the bell repaint, and these are table-ready! Hope you like the look of them too,

 Gaming table phase 2. It begins with detailed panning and military precision, subscribe to this post for all the excitement, photos and progress report (not really excitement). Its my goal to progress quickly to a good result so I can move on to the next terrain project.) Materials have been purchased the opp is a go.

[Check the comments for progress photos]

Friday photo: Cheese(?)

Come along with us as we go off to battle in the premier Sydney miniature wargaming event of 2018. Spending the weekend at MOAB "Mother Of All Battles" (not to be confused with a mother who constantly asks about your homework or Mother-In-Law) Will Dan's tropical Fallschirmjäger flown in from Sicily and Rex's Fallschirmjäger hurried redeployed from off the line from defending against operation overlord save the day. 

Will the fuhrers fire brigade prove up to the task or will they be pushed back licking their wounds. Pull up a sandbag, pass around the bully beef (or sauerkraut)... and listen in as we talk about the MOAB 2018 Bolt Action event and bring you (almost!!) up to date on what we have been doing wargaming wise... almost-ish!!

Subscribe to us by searching for valhallagames in your podcast app. You can also play this episode in the web player by clicking the image.

Friday photo - North Africa 8th army

Friday photo (on Sunday) "never surrender", um anyone know what this is about looks like wallpaper? Perhaps in a museum somewhere?

Friday photo - join up...
 

I'm about to buy the new Kings of War - Vanguard rule set. It's on special half price about $20 for the next few days however before I bought it for use by my sons gaming group I thought I would have a quick look through and just make sure that it's a sort of game that I would like to play. As I began to read through the individual units with their classes, statistics and abilities, moves, attacks and "armour class" it began to remind me of the 1980s in the 1980s there was this little product called Dungeons and Dragons

I was given my first copy of Dungeons and Dragons by my mother who has I have mentioned in a previous podcast thought that it might suit me because Dungeons and Dragons was apparently appropriate for "boys that walk to the beat of a different Drum". Yes I'm still not sure what that really means however from the moment that I open the red box and looked at the bazaar dice and began to try to work out how to actually play this game I was hooked.

So that was 5 years or so of my life that went by in a heartbeat. Along with ending school, getting my first job, going on many real adventures and expeditions, I also spend many, many nights staying up late with friends going on grand imaginary adventures gaming magical items and learning to work together and sometimes even how to work with the monsters rather than "just spooning them over" as I was reminder of the other day.

As I thought back to Dungeons and Dragons and the great times we had and the near impossible puzzles that we solved I began to compare this to the new version of Kings of War Vanguard I begin to wonder why it was that I was buying another game to really do just a cut down version of the existing game that I have, that I have purchased (and repurchased(and repurchased)) but I don't actually have any time to play. I began to ponder on ways The Dungeons & Dragons could be cut down somewhat from the all-encompassing monumental game that it can be to something more manageable that would be akin to the Kings of War type product and it occurred to me that this would be very easy just make it RPG light or RPG 'none at all'. (continued...)

Now I'm a computer guy and in my job I use lots of different software packages I often see cheap products that will do photo editing or video editing or do any manner of other things that I need to do on a daily basis however where possible and where budgets allow I always buy the full on professional product even though I only will be using a small part of that product to achieve the results that I need to achieve. This has held me in good Stead for many years as it has allowed me an entry into a new product or technology that I wouldn't otherwise have had experience with more often than not I will get the opportunity later to reuse and build on. Buying a full commercial product gives me something that has "legs" meaning that it will certainly suffice for my basic needs but as my needs grow and my expertise grows I don't find that I run out of whatever it is that makes that product good and have to go and repurchase and relearn another product from scratch. When I apply this though mentally to gaming I think I would rather play D&D at a reduced level than another product and be found left wanting if I decide to push on into greater depth of gaming.

This brings me to another consideration and that is the sticky question of motivation. What motivates someone to do something commercially vs. what's "best".

Hi All. So it was a long weekend here in New Zealand with our Labour weekend holiday this weekend. However; i spent a day and a half moving out of my current house...maybe ill share why in a week or so (!?!) but its because of working in a new location.

  That has meant my stuff is all in boxes this week so no ability to paint as that will require tearing everything apart..but what i DID get done was assembling some stuff. 

   Continuing with the theme of Primosole bridge in Sicily for more Bolt action scenarios, of course the story doesn't finish with the airborne forces fighting each other...the final scenario will feature the Durham Light Infantry and supporting British armour.  I had been thinking about this as we attended MOAB last month, and although one of the prizes left when it was my turn to choose a prize ( Thank you sponsors, Bryan and Andrew) was a Rubicon Sherman.. but i hadn't done my due diligence with research into which variant was present and yet something told me it wasn't the correct model i needed , so I put it back and got a fantastic Knights of Dice Jungle hut (MDF terrain) instead- thanks Viv & Team! 

  Anyway, my instincts were right, I needed the Mk3 ( diesel ) variant with small hatch & low bustle turret. These are the tanks that were used at the bridge by 3rd County of London Yeomanry ( 3 CLY-  " The Sharpshooters") in the battle. Rubicon make just such a variant;

 So, this is it! look at all those beautiful sprues...jam packed, right? NOPE!!!! Thats just the leftover bits after assembling the model i needed!!!! check this out;

​This taken into account i am REALLY impressed by the versatility of this kit!!! you can see all the same sprues in the background that were shown in the first pic- spare large hatch hull, high bustle turret and basically every main armament except the 75mm. By leaving the turret cupola unglued, and the upper hull just cliped into the lower hull, it opens the door to utilising these through being interchangeable..( although the colour schemes for the periods concerned will of course be various and undoubtedly different - but whos complaining here? Not me!!)

 I have yet to get online and check whether the extra armour about the bow MMG and other hatch 'bulge/protrusion' were present at the time of sicily '43. but thats a  2 second add before final clean up and painting;

​Here's the Sherman with the other two large things i knocked up this week...Why?!? because i reduced two boxes into the one carry case for tanks now for the move , haha! These two are the Warlord Tiger 1. Thoroughly enjoyed putting these together too. Note i have different things going on with the cupolas/pintle MMGs due to testing best ways for secure haulage to avoid breakages and also have 1 tank with a removable/interchangeable closed hatch and open hatch with panzer commander.

​lastly, ive been scrubbing the resin release agent off these bad boys!!...FJR and Brit Airborne casualties, and collapsed parachute canopys...all ready to paint up in my new digs!!

   Hope you all got something done this weekend..even if you didnt get a long one! :)

Friday photo - Row, row, row your boat:

"An infantry section from 'B' Company, 1/6th Queen's Regiment try out their collapsible boats in a farmyard in preparation for crossing the Volturno river, 8 October 1943" more details here
 

The next project, 28mm British 8th Army by Warlord games. Some quick images... Waiting for paints to arrive for the next step... Comment and subscribe to this *post* to get updates on this project.