On the Workbench: More use for Rubber Steel sheets and Dirt Roads update.

Casting my eye around other uses for the recently purchased Rubber Steel sheets (see previous posting) my attention was drawn to my collection of 6mm rail tracks. I always intended to base these at some point but had not settled on what sort of base.

As with the dirt tracks they proved to be simple and quick to produce, in fact even more so. Cutting them in 15mm widths the track was merely pushed onto the adhesive side of the material. 

I did not trust the adhesive to adequately hold the Woodland Scenics blend turf so painted PVA glue along each side before application.

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On the Workbench: Dirt Roads

Over the Christmas holidays I noticed an interesting Facebook posting on how to make roads. The poster cut his roads from a thin rubber steel sheet. He attached felt to the self-adhesive surface which he then painted. The result was impressive and not something I had come across before.

I am in need of dirt tracks/roads and had it in mind to make them from decorators caulk as I had done for my existing roads. The downside with caulk is maintaining a consistency in thickness and can be messy. My thicker pieces are less flexible and therefore more difficult to bend over terrain. Some have also frustratingly developed a camber.

This method looked tempting so a couple of 'Self Adhesive Rubber Steel Ferrite Ferrous A4 Sheets' were purchased from Amazon. They are 0.5mm thick and magnetically-receptive (magnetised versions are available but thicker).

 The reverse side is adhesive and the material is easy to cut.

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On the Workbench: Pony Wars Dismounted US Cavalry

The first batch of figures have been completed this year which consists of all I need of the dismounted US Cavalry for the Pony Wars project.

This is the entire pack supplied by Baccus and consists of 80 dismounted cavalry in 4 troops of 20 each and 20 horse holders with 60 horses.

The dismounted cavalry are based in a mix of pairs and plenty of singles to allow for casualty removal, a breakdown into sections of 5 figures each, and ease of placement within terrain features.

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Plans for 2022

With the arrival of 2022 it is time to reveal my plans for the year! This will be broken down into Battles, Campaigns and Painting/modelling. 

There is potential for disruption this year with what should be my final house move - all being well in late March / early April. 

I will no longer have the benefit of a room within the house dedicated to wargaming although I have secured the smallest bedroom as my painting room and library. It will be back to the garage but I do not intend to endure the cold dusty environment of old. There are restrictions in our neighbourhood forbidding a full garage conversion to accommodation. They have to be retained in their primary purpose of car use (even though almost nobody uses them as such!). However, I have found at least one company that will insulate it and install a decent floor and ceiling. The garage door will have to be retained but that can also be insulated with all gaps sealed still allowing it to be used.

If all goes according to plan, I should be able to increase the maximum size of table to 8'3" (possibly even 9') x 4'6". The downside will be the time taken to complete the works which could halt my wargaming. If that proves to be the case I am considering a stop-gap of playing skirmish games such as Chain of Command which recommends a board size of 70cm x 50cm for 6mm. I may just be able to squeeze that into my painting room! 

With all that in mind on to my plans:

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Review of 2021

With the end of the year approaching it is time to review how my wargaming year progressed. Text in italics are taken directly from the year's plans. 

BATTLES

ANCIENTS:

Early Imperial Roman 16th Legion v Ancient British Trinovantes tribe in East Anglia.

Played and a Roman victory - AAR on the blog.

2nd Punic War - Battle of Trebia (Both sides need painting so 50:50 if achieved this year).

Complete failure! Figures acquired but that is as much as I have achieved.

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On The Workbench: Pony Wars US Cavalry & Dismounted Braves

An absolute barnstormer of a cold has disrupted my wargaming! Any thought of putting something on the table was out although I did manage to keep some semblance of figure painting ongoing. 

200 more Zulus were completed before I ran out of steam - my goodness do I find them boring to paint! Pony Wars though pulled me back and very much looking forward to getting some games played. 

I have been getting in the mood watching old John Wayne films such as 'Fort Apache' and 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon' along with the more recent non-Wayne 1967 film 'Custer of the West'. The latter film I first saw as an 11 or 12 year old soon after it was released at our boys school cinema club. At the time I thought it was fantastic although a little dated now. 

First up was a batch of 96 dismounted braves:

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Zulu Wars - The Men Who Would Be Kings test battle

In preparation for Rorkes Drift (followed by Isandlwana) I have been on the look out for suitable rules. Until recently the front runner has been The Sword and the Flame which I used in days gone by for my 15mm Sudan collection.

Recently though, two more have materialised that have caught my eye. One is a Pony Wars conversion but I am holding on that until I become more familiar with them.

The second is The Men Who Would Be Kings.

Inspiration for this is down to Little Wars TV who used them for a 6mm Isandlwana game. This piqued my interest being a skirmish game written for larger scales and how it could be adapted for large battle small scale actions. If this worked I could see all sorts of possibilities in other periods, in particular Ancients which my own rules are really only intended as a stop-gap until I find something I like.

There are actually very few changes, in fact really only one - distances. I have opted to simply convert from inches to centimetres as I have done in other rulesets.

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WW2 Operation Compass: Turn 2 - 11th December 1940 Air Phase

The result of the air phase will determine who has air superiority in the land battles of this turn. Dice rolls ascertain who is doing what.

In this case, 2 squadrons of Blenheim bombers escorted by Hurricanes are intercepted by Italian fighters. As before, each of my aircraft represent 3 and Bag the Hun rules will be used.

Orders of Battle:

RAF
274 Squadron        4 x Hurricane I
45 Squadron          4 x Blenheim IV
113 Squadron         3 x Blenheim IV

Regia Aeronautica
1st Sqn 2 Stormo        2 x Fiat Cr32
4th Sqn 50 Stormo    3 x Meridionali Ro37 bis
5th Sqn 50 Stormo    4 x Caproni Ca310

A view during the first move as the Italians move to intercept the British (top right). The sun was shining from top left. The Italian's intention to approach the British from out of the sun but at this stage had failed to spot them.

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ACW Warplan Campaign: Map Moves 4 - 5

I have tidied up the maps which were a little messy in my attempt to represent many of the formations. Where several are now in the same square the topmost counter indicates the senior commander with the total number of troops under his command. 

On to the maps:

MOVE 4

As the Union forces push north, the Confederate units in reserve are called forward.

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ACW Warplan Campaign: Battle of Krell

Before I begin the AAR of the next ACW battle in my campaign I will recap the circumstances leading to this action.

As the Union forces drive north into Confederate held territory, Ewell with two brigades sees an opportunity of giving them a bloody nose. He intercepts Caldwell's Union division in the area circled.

Zooming in on the area shows that Ewell is taking a risk of being surrounded.

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