In the jungle...

 In the jungle, the peaceful jungle ... 

Well actually the first outing with my Japanese in a game of Crossfire with Andy, and the first table top outing for Andy's US Marines. Our armies are modelled using 20mm figures.

We got many things wrong, as we play it so rarely (unfortunately). Those errors skewed the outcome to look like a Japanese victory. It actually wasn't. Just a few photos.. we were too busy playing, drinking beer and coffee, eating savouries, and yarning, to take enough photos for an AAR.

Japanese Crossfire force

Last of the Crossfire Japanese for the Pacific for now is the completion of the solitary Type 97 Japanese medium tank. This entire project has been a bit of an impulsive one. It began with inspiration from Brett Simpson's work exhibited on the Crossfire Fb page, was fuelled by the impulsive purchase of a box of Airfix Japanese infantry, and then supported with some Eureka support weapons, and an Airfix Japanese Type 97 tank, all in 20mm. Finally I took the time to create the terrain scatter pieces to give a better table to aesthetic.

There would be a lot more to do if I wanted 'go the whole hog', but this will do for now. There are five Crossfire platoons (if I used them for Spearhead -which I am tempted to do - that would be not quite two battalions), three HMGs, three 50mm Grenade Launchers, and the tank. Who knows when they might actually see action on the table.

The completed selection

The Type 97 Chi Ha tank

Japanese support weapons

Another small step forward in the 20mm Crossfire 'Pacific Theatre' project: some Japanese support weapons. I'd originally intended to buy some of the SHQ infantry sourced from 'Grubby Tanks', as these were recommended as the best fit with the Airfix Japanese infantry I have painted with respect to size. However the comms lines went dead after a couple of emails (I hope everything is alright for him) so I looked around and finally settled on the Eureka 20mm figures, which are not too bad as an overall fit. I'd just put in a plug for Eureka here .. when the figures arrived they must have ranked amongst the best packaging for despatch for figures I have ever received.  I write and told him so!!!

So, three HMGs, and three small (50mm) mortars ( called 'knee mortars' but actually more of a grenade launcher from what I have read so far.. always open to correction!!). The mortars theoretically don't need to be on table in Crossfire, but.. hey.. who can resist.

Next up, I bought a Japanese tank for Crossfire... as they are an infantry rules set pitched as the squad/platoon/company level of command, there's not much need for tanks, but they can be incorporated so.. what the heck.

A bit of 'gaming variety

I think I may finally starting to get the hang of this 'retirement' thing.. albeit that I have to agree with a journalist who recently wrote that the word retirement, implying as it does a withdrawal from something, is not be the best word to use for this new stage in life offering up as it does enormous freedom to do what gives us jou.

Anyway, last week saw four different wargames/genres/rules sets, and this week has seen two .. a Volley and Bayonet game run by Adrian and set in the Indian Mutiny, and a NW Europe Crossfire game with Americans and Germans. This is not an AAR, merely a small selection of photos from each.

The Indian Mutiny game used Adrian's beautiful 15mm armies and terrain.

The Crossfire game with Jim used my own 20mm armies and terrain.

Progress with the Japanese infantry for Crossfire

It's been a while .. the whole 'painting mojo' thing comes and goes. Finally I've finished the Japanese infantry I undercoated a month of two ago.  I opted for a more open basing aesthetic for these.. the jungle style bases may be a little overcrowded, and anyway not everyone would be fighting in dense jungle all the time, and there would be clearings in the jungle.

This adds another two platoons to the force, designed and intended for Crossfire (although they could be used equally well for Spearhead, as they share a common basing convention. In that case this would offer another two companies.

The net result of the Crossfire Pacific painting project so far

The troops in amongst the scatter terrain markers I created a few months ago.

The force lacks the support weapons. I have been trying to order some SHQ miniatures from Grubby Tanks, as others better in the know recommended that they are perhaps the best size fit with these Airfix infantry which are on the small size for 20mm figures. However I received no response at all from Grubby Tanks, who seem to be the sole supplier, so I have ordered what I think I'll need from Eureka Miniatures... they have confirmed the order and it is apparently on its way.

Crossfire in the Pacific

 Stage 1 of the Crossfire project completed - a company of Japanese infantry.

Aerial view of the company, with the jungle terrain markers I have completed so far.

I have yet to source the heavy weapons (HMGs and 2" mortars) to actually complete the company. Not sure yet what stage 2 might be, as we rarely play Crossfire above a company, but maybe an expansion to a battalion, with one or two AFV's .... maybe.

Jungle terrain markers, and platoon commanders, for Crossfire Japanese

Having returned to full time work for a term (as Acting Principal in a lovely rural school) my hobby time is a little more limited. I realised that I'd made an error in basing the Japanese for Crossfire. I'd based platoon commanders on normal 1.25" square bases. Now that's not critical, but in my other 20mm armies, PCs are based on 5/8th x 1.25" rectangular bases. It's not an OCD, but I like consistency. So, I plucked the officer figures from their larger bases, and rebased on to the rectangualr bases.

I also created another four jungle terrain markers. Here are all of the markers so far, the Company Cokmand stand, and gthe three PC stands. Small steps, eh...

 

Developing the Pacific Theatre aesthetic (for Crossfire)

I'm still working on my 'prototypes' for the Pacific Crossfire project. I have made some changes to the figure bases I've already painted, and also trialled 5 terrain markers (for scatter terrain in sme way shaope or form yet to be decided).

I think I'm coming close.

The squad bases mixed in with the terrain pieces

Originally I thought I'd base the terrain markers on washers, but couldn;'t find anything in my garage that suited, so I tried a series of card pieces that were offcuts from my figure basing. This means that the marker bases vary in size, and I'm not sure I like that. I am also wondering if my original washer idea, which would have given round bases for the terrain markerts, might still be a better aesthetic.

It's stilll a work in progress.

Pacific War with Crossfire

 I've played Art Conliffe's Crossfire rules on and off for quite a few years. I've never got so into it that all else disappears from consciousness, but I do potter .. I think they are a very clever rules set. I have four armies painted and based for 20mm for Spearhead, and the same basing is correct for Crossfire (all infantry on 1.25" bases), and Andy and I have played a few Eurpoean Theatre games with these figures, and Andy's US marines, and Italians. 

I have however watched with considerable admiration the work of 'gamer Brett Simpson's work building and playing Pacific Theatre games of Crossfire, and have to say I have been inspired. I was pottering in our CBD last week (actually waiting for my car service to be competed) and happened into one of our larger miniatures retailers, where I came across a box of the Airfix Japanese infantry. I succombed, bought the box, and the sprues had been spray undercoated by the evening.

I have started with four bases that will be a company command, and three platoon commands. These are my 'prototypes', my 'proof of concept' bases. As I reflect on them, I think they need more low level vegetation (yes, I know the Japanese army also fought in China where the terrain is different, and also that not all Paficic Island terrain is dense jungle). Anyway.... here are the four prototype bases. I think I'll look to add a little more vegetation though.

World War 2 in 20mm: A nostalgic view (4)

This is the fourth and last part of my WW2 wargames nostalgia series in which I feature the accumulated German forces. The core of this army was a collection I bought from friend Scott who had built the base of a later war German army. 

I had mentioned that little if any of this kit has been used on the table. I realised that wasn't quite true, as I have been playing a few Crossfire games using the infantry of the various nationalities. I rate Crossfire as one of the best systems I have ever played - innovative, fast paced, giving a semblance of similarity to real world action that I've not seen in any other wargames rules. That said, I'm not very good at the game .... oh well.. and of course anyone is entitled to enjoy any rules set they like. 

 

In Spearhead terms, that's a regiment of infantry, and also an armoured (Gepanzert) infantry regiment.

 The collection contains equipment for early, mid, and late, war options.

Late war armour... this stuff really has never been out on the table under my command

Scott did a lovely job of this camouflage pattern

Mid and late war kit, Pz III's and IV's, and a range of StuG's .. oops, a gun barrel is off...

Air support - an Airfix Stuka. The canopy needs some repair work there.

Early war armour, including some PzI's. In Spearhead we found close assaulting enemy infantry was a good use for them, provided there was of course no enemy armour around which took priority under the SH target priority rules

The early war equipment has seen some limited table use .. see the AAR here and here

An additional box of sundry 'bits' .. again, never seen action on the table.

I began wargaming in 1971 with good friend Pete. This whole 20mm WW2 thing began at that time, with the first Russians assembled and painted that year. It's hard to think that it's been over 50 years of hobby'ing, with all of the painting and modelling challenges, and all those games. Some have been wonderful, some less pleasant. I'd have to say that 'less pleasant' I've found to be best defined by the nature of the opponent, not the nature of the outcome of the game. I've played bad losers, and bad winners, both equally repugnant. I played an opponent in a national competition who, on losing the game to me, through an entire bag of dice across the hall and stormed out. I'll bet more than a few of us will have equivalent memories to that. The people I game with now don't fit into either of those categories. They are simply good friends whose company I enjoy as we push miniatures around ever better looking table tops, often with a beer and a sausage roll. Some games even include collaboration as we see a move the opponent could make to our detriment, and share that with them Alastair, an opponent in a game just last night, did exactly that, twice. 

I've a few years of 'gaming still in me (well that's the plan). Continuing participation in a hobby that goes back to my childhood keeps me young in mind and spirit. As a secondary school Principal I kept a selection of Matchbox die cast military vehicles on the shelves in my study. They were there to remind me daily of what it was like to be a boy, to remind me of the fun and laughter, the insecurity, and the uncertainty, of adolescence. They reminded me of the constant need for empathy when dealing with the many troubled 'teens that I worked with daily. Similarly my 20mm WW2 collections remind me of all of these things, of what it was to be a boy filled with the prospect of a life ahead. Nostalgia is great, in moderation.

Hopefully as I grow ever more curmudgeonly my friends will remain tolerant of me. We all have our failings and our foibles. It's healthier and more useful to focus on what we have in common than on what could divide us, and to practice kindness, all in the spirit of good fun .. isn't that a great formula for life?