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2023 Year in Review

 

Bit of a gap in my blogging (too much time spent miniature painting). But I will start 2024 with a rundown of the last 12 months.

 

Time (and monies) Spent:

I got into miniature wargaming at the end of August. Since then I have painted;

Ø  > 1x 15mm Carthaginian army of around 30-40 bases

Ø  > 1x 15mm Greek army of around 15-20 bases.

 

Have at it you fools!

These are for any classical rule set I can lay my hands on but so far I have just played L’Art De la Guerre. Which is Ok, see my review.

 

Ø  1x 28mm Goths / Saxons / Vikings army. These I have not used for Saga yet, which was their original purpose. They have been hosed by dwarves ( I killed one dwarf and lost half my army) in a game of Warlords of Erewhon. Erewhon gets a tentative thumbs up. Need some more games and fewer rules mistakes before I decide on it, but I had fun.

 

Ø  > 1x 28mm late Roman army – these mostly still need painting.

 

For the Emperor!

Ø  > 1x Mordheim Possessed Warband

 

Ø  > 2x 6mm Great Northern War armies, swedes and Russians. Unpainted as yet

 

Ø  > 2x 15mm French and Indian war force – painted but not used as yet.

 

So that’s what, 9 forces bought, and of those 5 painted. Lots of buying and painting, some playing.

 

Best Experiences

 

1.       Altar Of Freedom.

This is a really great game. The kind of thing I got into miniatures for. Top marks Greg Wagman of Little Wars TV. These rules are for American Civil War and are 90% a conventional game system with a neat mechanical twist / mini game for unit activation. They work well with 6mm and generate the feel of the Ultimate General video game series. I may do a full review at some point. I’ve played the smaller First Bull Run scenario twice, and a modified version of the Rules for a Peninsular War battle. It’s not an ideal rule set for Napoleonics but it’s so easy and fun its worth it.

A brief word on the activation system. Each general generates points. At the start of the turn you dish these out on to the division on your ORBAT. The more you spend the higher the initiative of the division and the more likely it is that it will actually move. It’s a simple way of simulating General McClellan and it encourages gambling and second guessing your opponent.

 

How many Feds can fit across a bridge?

There stands Jackson like a stonewall!

Morning at Fuentes de Onoro



2.       1/2400 naval pre-dreadnoughts with the Tsushima Ruleset.

Already written about this several times. It’s great.

 

Worst Experience(s)

1.       I Ain’t Been Shot Mum

I quite liked Chain of Command and I quite liked Bolt Action (I’d rank them fairly close to each other!) but was less enamoured with this. Few interesting decisions and I don’t think the card based activation works very well.

 

Reads

Wargame wise I read; Napoleons Campaigns in Italy by Burton – reasonable account, lacking in maps, The Roman Emperor Aurelian: Restore of the World by J.F.White – probably best read of 2023, an engaging account of the 3rd century crisis. The English Resistance; the Underground War against the Normans by P.Rex – also very solid. And Cartage’s Other Wars by D.Hoyos, also good but lacks maps. Lots of other fiction to. IN 2024 I will start with Eastern Approaches, the classic Memoir by MaClean.

 

Looking forward to 2024

 

1.       Mordheim!

There are two Mordheim campaigns starting up in Sheffield and I intend to flitter between the two with my Possessed. Played two warm up games this eve. Mordheim is very dumb and a good game for those who don’t take life to seriously, enjoy a good story and a good beer. I like it but it will break down if played by rules lawyers. Tonight’s game gives me high hopes but we shall see.

 

The Possessed hunt their prey

2.       Saga

I have built 2 warbands for this and I am starting work on some Samurai I may use for Age of Magic down the line to. I think it looks very interesting but probably requires repeat play. I also have the rules for Lion Rampant which I could switch over to.

 

3.       Warlords of Erewhon

This is fantasy Bolt Action and I picked it after deciding Bolt action might work better in a fantasy setting. The authors stated intent is to allow you throw together armies from what miniatures you have so hopefully I will get some games in of this and stretch my creativity.

 

We couldn't access the terrain cupboard. The dwarves had a 9/10 chance of saving and I didn't bring heavy weapons :(

4.       Twilight of the Sun King

This is the ruleset I’ve picked up for Great Northern War. I doubt I will play it much before the summer due to the above list and the time it will take me to paint the armies.

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