15mm Canadian Platoon

Kicking it with the Homies

The feared El Taco Cartel homies are kicking it Southside, plotting and scheming on ways to get product across or under the border.  Figures are 28mm Spectre Miniatures.

I’m Back!!!

Hi to anyone who still follows my blog.  It’s been aboiut 3 or 4 years since my last post.  Any pictures in between those times were posted to show miniature scales etc to people who wanted to know.  A lots gone on.  I went to the war game show Salute in London in 2016 and was overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that was available to buy.  My wargaming interests remain the same, but add Team Yankee to the list.  I’ll start posting pics again soon when I finish a particular model.  I look forward to rejoining the community and following your blogs again.
Cheers
Paul

Eureka 15mm v Peter Pig 15mm

Size comparison. Peter Pig next to Eureka 15mm.

400pt Bolt Action

Getting ready for a Bot Action escalation league.  First army of a massive 400pts.

Camels

Objective markers on 40mm bases.

Wartime Miniatures 28mm Kokoda Australians

Wartime Miniatures in Australia are crowd funding to complete a full range of 28mm Australian Militia for the Kokoda Campaign.  Click on the link below for details.
http://wartimeminiatures.com.au/index.php?cPath=90

Pictures from the Bolt Action Spring Offensive tournament held in Perth on Sunday 8 September, 2013.  I came in a respectable 6th out 12.  I came away with 1 win, 1 draw, & 1 loss.

Battlegroup vblog

Hi guys.  I am going to start doing a weekly vblog on youtube documenting my journey with a new WWII rules system called Battlegroup which is designed to be played in 15mm or 20mm.  If your interested in the rules, follow along.
Cheers
Paul

Wounded

Hi all.  I am not dead, just wounded.  I snapped my left arms bicep muscle whilst holidaying in Italy.  After that I had to endure a painful return to Australia for extremely painful surgery and an even more painful recovery.  I did get to visit Monte Cassino in Italy.  It was a great experience.  But due to the injury I had to cut our holidays short and I missed battlefield tours of the Somme and Normandy.  And a visit to the Bovington Tank Museum and HMS Belfast.  I have started using youtube as my blog now which is the main reason I have not been posting.
http://www.youtube.com/user/pbeccas
Please visit and subscribe.  There is an awesome group of guys making short simple vids with their iphones.  Its a great way to "blog" miniatures.
Cheers
Beccas

Achtung Bolt Action Tournament

I am running the Achtung Bolt Action Tournament which will be held on March 17, 2013 at the Perth Miniatures Gaming Group in Western Australia.  Below are the prizes the combatants will be fighting for.  Many thanks to Ian at War and Peace Games Australia, and to Adam at 4Ground UK.  You guys are legends and true gentlemen of the wargaming world.

BEST PAINTED ARMY - Prize value $220.00
*Trophy
*Army Painter Mega Paint Set - Sponsored by War and Peace Games
*28mm SD.KFZ 251/1 Half track - Sponsored by War and Peace Games

1ST PLACE - Prize value $230.00
*Trophy
*28mm 1000 Point Bolt Action US Starter Army - Sponsored by War and Peace Games
*28mm Damage Detached House - Sponsored by 4Ground

2ND PLACE - Prise Value $150.00
*Trophy
*28mm British Infantry Box Set - Sponsored by War and Peace Games
*28mm Ruined House 1 - Sponsored by 4Ground
*28mm Damaged Detached House - Sponsored by 4Ground

LAST PLACE
*Special Trophy

WINNING FACTION - AXIS or ALLIED
*All players will receive a victory plaque


In addition there will be spot prizes awarded for round by round challenges such as first to kill an officer, or first to destroy a tank.  Prizes include 28mm ruined buildings from 4Ground, Bolt Action accessories and an Osprey book.  Total value of challenge prizes is $150.00 (approx).  Prizes sponsored by War and Peace Games and 4Ground.

Bolt Action Pacific Video

Part 1 of 4.
Aussies v Japs

Part 2 of 4

Part 3 of 4

Part 4 of 4

My first attempt at making a movie.  Will get better in the future.  We played Hold Until Relieved.  I was defending, Youngy was attacking.  The game went to turn 7 and ended in a draw.  My Australians came off worse, losing about 70% of platoon.

My 2012

The end of the year is a great time to read peoples blogs reflecting on the year they had.  Here's some of my thoughts.

Blitzkrieg Commander was the miniature wargame I played the most in 2012.  Although BKC gaming died off in the second half of the year.  Still a great game and I want to play more.  I still have a lot of Panzer IVs that need painting to take on Godders Soviets in 2013.

Bolt Action was released this year and it is now my favourite wargame.  It is such as easy game to learn and I really enjoy every aspect of game play.  The rule book and army books are fantastic, they are presented in full colour and set out in an easy to read format.  10 out of 10 for me.  In March 2013 I am running a 1000pt Bolt Action tournament.  Can't wait.  I have also set myself a personal challenge to paint a 1000 pt army with every army book release.  The pressure is on.

Painting was up in 2012.  In 2011 I only painted 89 figures, this year I painted 105.  Hopefully my Bolt Action challenge will allow me to do better in 2013.

Purchasing was up again and steadily increases every year.  Like all of you, I suffer wargaming ADD.  Big dreams when I see shinny new figures.

Combat Commander from GMT Games is my number 1 go to wargame outside miniature wagaming.  So much fun and chaos, and no-one wins until the last minute.  GMT Games are apparently developing this game for the Ipad so my excitement is high.  Combat Commander has two new releases in 2013, Battle Pack 5 The Fall of the West (Early War), and Battle Pack 6 Operation Sealion.  I have pre-ordered both.  Can't wait,

Podcasts remain a favourite past-time of mine.  I listen to them when exercising and painting.  My top three of 2012 - Number 1 : "Bolt Action Radio."  This podcast is top shelf, very well produced and hosted.  Good work Dano and Judd.  Number 2 : "What Would Patton Do."  Although this is a Flames of War podcast, the three hosts Steven, Jon and Luke are top blokes and make a boring topic such as FOW interesting.  Painting and modeling tips are fantastic and they also cover some new games like Saga and X-Wing.  Number 3 : "Hex Encounter"  This is a new podcast in 2012 and covers the world of wargames in boardgame format.  Really interesting listening and great interviews from wargame authors.  .

Epic Armageddon was the first ever Games Workshop game I played.  I liked it.

X-Box , I played too much Modern Warfare 3 this year.  I could have painted a 1000 figures.  My X-Box name is BeccasAnzac.  Feel free to add me as a friend and we can go to war together.

The Blog , I did a lot less blogging this year, mainly because I was playing too much x-box.

Whats is Store for 2013? Battlefront are releasing their full 15mm Vietnam range between April and June next year.  This includes Anzac infantry, Centurion tanks and Australian M113 variants.  This means Cold War Commander needs to be purchased.  More Bolt Action of course.  Maybe some Saga.  I like the look of X-Wing.  I bought into the Blackwater Gultch Kickstarter so some Wild West action is coming.  And who knows what other shinny releases will distract me next year.  I am travelling to Italy, France and England next year.  Battlefield tours of the Somme and Normandy, and a visit to the Bovington tank museum.  I intend to hug a Tiger tank.

Thanks for reading the blog in 2012.  Big game of Bolt Action Pacific planned for tomorrow so I will take some photos and maybe some video.  See you all in 2013. 

Pacific War Australians

Hi all, finished these ten Australian figures which are my last painting effort of 2012.  My total painted figure count for the year is 105.  A woeful effort.  Hope you enjoy these pictures, figures are from Brigade Games 28mm Diggers in the Pacific range.  Next on the painting table, a squad of German Mountain troops for Crete.  Hope you all have a great Christmas and an excellent New Year.  See you in 2013.

Panzer IV

Here's a picture of the Panzer IV for my Bolt Action army.  All hand painted.  I do have an airbrush but I find stripping, cleaning and assembling an assault rifle is a lot easier than cleaning my airbrush.  The tank model itself is 28mm from Warlord Games, and you do need to buy the commander separate.  The tank is a fantastic resin model.  Very well made.  Highly recommended.

This AT team is my entry into the WWPD painting comp.  From some of the other pictures I have seen this will be a participation entry only.

On the Bench Today

I am going to finish them.  They have been sitting around in this state for too long.  Picture posted for motivation.  Figures are currently block painted and washed.  Highlights, dry brushing and basing to go.

My 1000pt Bolt Action Army

Three minute vid showing my Waffen SS army for Bolt Action.

I am a super nerd -the shame

My first attempt at film making.
Apologies too.  I had to turn the word verification on in the comments section because the blog has been getting absolutely hammered with spam.  Word verification is a pain in the butt. 

Bolt Action near Caen AAR

Hi all.  Another snap shot of a Bolt Action game played this week.  I travelled to Guido HQ with my Waffen SS and I had a crack a Guidos British infantry in a small village setting near Caen in 1944.  We played scenario 1 - Envelopment.  I was the defender.  Defending my base line from the attacking British.  Left side of the table above.  I get 2 points for every British unit destroyed.  The attacker gets 2 points for every German unit destroyed.  2 points for being in my defensive area.  And 3 points for exiting a unit off my base line.

The British start off with a Preparatory Bombardment.  Every unit I have on board is targeted.  The British have a special rule where they get to throw 2 D6 in Prep bombardments and pick them highest result, effectively giving them a double chance at hitting my units.  The attacks left my SS in disarray.  Men blown to bits and everyone pinned down.  My units were spread out evenly across the base line not knowing where the British would come from.  And from the left flank they all came, in a hoard.

 The British set up their medium mortar.  I rate this weapon as one of the best in the game.  The British drop smoke and conceal their advance from MG42s.

The SS mortar crew lost one of their crew in the prep bombardment and took a pin, but they fight back and target the British mortar to no effect.

 A squad of SS are hidden behind a wall.  But no British can be seen because they are going all out on the other side of the board.  Time to redeploy.  Will there be time to get there?

 The British reach the safety of soft cover but are still concealed from a huge smoke cloud out of shot.

 The British dash for the dead ground at the base of the hill directly underneath a MG42.  Bolt Action being true line of sight means the SS cannot see them and the British are now in assault range.

Very blurry picture of the British taking the hill, wiping out a mortar team, HQ team and causing the MG42 to flee for their lives.  Nothing can now stop the British leaving the battlefield and claiming big game points.  The game ended.  British 16.  SS 0.  Big win to the British and I have hell respect for bombardments and British Forward Artillery Observers.  Deadly.  Great game.  Thanks to Guido for whipping my butt and his son Jake for being the rules expert and dice drawer.  Bolt Action is a good game.

Bolt Action AAR

I have been playing a bit of Bolt Action lately.  The rules are the new wargaming hotness from Warlord Games.  Godders came over for his first go at the rules and we set up the desert board for a round of Australians v the Afrika Korps.  Pictured above is the table.  I took control of the Australians as the attackers, Godders commanded the Afrika Korps as the defenders.  We played Scenario 4: Hold Until Relieved.  Basically, defender has two units on board holding the centre objective which was a water well.  The defender can bring on his remaining forces from turn 1.  The attacker starts on board and can deploy anywhere 18" away from the objective or any enemy unit.  As this was Godders first game, I came from one side only to keep it simple.  The game goes for 6 turns.
 

Three Australian units on the hill.  Above consist of a 10 man squad, 3 man command team, and a medium mortar team.  We gave units on a rocky hill +1 cover save.

 Medium Mortars.  The best killing unit available in Bolt Action.  If you can range in on an enemy unit they will be in all sorts of pain.  My mortar team took a direct hit from the Germans and was wiped out in turn 4.

Godders has a squad of Afrika Korps infantry in the centre guarding the well and a HMG on the small hill to the left.  He has a squad just forward of the centre which in this photo has been whittled down to three men from my fire.  This squad was later charged and wiped out in close combat.  His command team is behind the olive bushes and he has a mortar team on the hill in the lower left corner.

The Australian 1st Lieutenant lost his two offsiders and has a pin marker but he still functions.  He was mowed down shortly after this picture was taken.

The most heroic moment of the game.  Last turn.  Australian squad has 6 pin markers.  I had to roll a 3 or under on a 2D6 command roll to issue a run order.  If successful I have a chance to contest the objective and force a draw in the game.  I roll and get 3!.  Unit runs forward, but just short of the objective.  And I loose the game.

Godders successfully holds the well.  The Afrika Korps are victorious for today.

I am really enjoying Bolt Action as a game.  Its fairly simple to play.  You don't need many figures.  The missions in the rule book are excellent.  The game has a definite ending at about a 2hr mark, theres no all night gaming required.  The rule book is full colour.  Great game.