Conan the Pirate

 In the last few days I've had myself some games of Conan...

Here are a few pictures of today's homemade scenario, I am using some figures that don't come with the game...

The chief baddie is this Warlock who has wronged Octavia in the past. She is out for revenge and her mate Conan is along for the ride.

The man of the moment Conan, the pirate version is my favourite figure.

Conan's latest flame is a lass called Octavia, she has a pair of sharp daggers and she must kill the evil Warlock to win the game.

Conan already fatigued by killing cultists has to fight the Snake Demon.

After filleting the evil Warlock Octavia is set upon by his cultists.

But Conan met his end!.

The Overlord board controls the baddies. My homemade tiles are a bit too small but they work.

Having had her revenge Octavia flees into the night.

Victory for the Heroes at the cost of Conan's grisly demise, good fun though.

Down in Flames

 Last year and this year I have been lucky enough to discover three wargames that have become firm favourites of mine. SAGA and X-Wing I have featured in recent blogposts, the third is Down in Flames which is a card game I got for Christmas last year.

It's a cracker, I played it exclusively for four months solid, it isn't a solo game but I can manage it with a few house rules.

There are several iterations of the system, this one is from 2008 and is simpler than some of the other versions. link I went to town with it a bit and bought a couple of expansions, I then photocopied cards and downloaded anything I could. In a dogfight game I like to use four cards for a "squadron" which is the sweet spot for me, six a side is too many to handle for me playing solo.

Some of the images I found only had the front "undamaged" side of the card so I printed off numbers and flame images and used a marker pen for smoke, see the Chaika on the left. The unofficial SB-2 I did digitally.

Here are two of my homemade Spitfires flanking the published card.

Finding images on t'internet let me expand the game and provided a lot of fun.

It wasn't all plain sailing though I don't know what caused the ghost image on the left, I had the same problem with some of my early SAGA dice images too.

I made a "Red Tails" P51 squadron.

I introduced Tank Busters and nightfighters.

I added some of my own pilots real and made up and gave them a chance to parachute to safety.

I added bomber crews to the game too.

There are campaigns included in the box and they're OK but I prefer setting up my own scenarios so I made target counters and cards for the bombing missions, I like to use a squadron of four to eight bombers with two or three escorts against a squadron or two of defending fighters.

Then I added some postwar jets.

Then off to Korea, I don't know how accurate my stats are but it's a bit of fun.

Great fun, the game is very abstract but the cardplay feels more like the cut and thrust of a dogfight than any other air wargame I have played.

Old School Tactical - Partisans

 While awaiting the arrival of a Tie Bomber for X Wing( I thought I heard it approaching earlier but it was just a plane) I made myself some boardgame counters.

I designed and printed off these counters months ago and finally set to and made them yesterday. They are Partisans for Old School Tactical and Partisans are not at time of writing produced by the publishers. So fancying some for my OST set up I got stuck in...

I had a short game tonight and set them up against some 2nd line German troops defending a small village. I used a pair of maps from another tactical boardgame The Last Hundred Yards.

They are nowhere near as good as the real I am but they're alright for me.

Hold on, is that my bomber I can hear...

Retro

 I had a grand game with my ASL stuff, it was very loosely based on the battle for Oosterbeek in 1944.

This home made scenario featured British Paras with a full company with MG support and a hidden 17pdr AT gun defending five key buildings from the SS with 15 squads, 6 mounted in halftracks and a pair of Panther tanks, whoever held the majority of the buildings after nine turns would be the winner.

For rules I used Retro, I loved ASL rules but they can be hard work so nowadays it has to be Retro with a few house rules. I find them easier, quicker and just as exciting. 

After three turns I took a few photos...

 At the end of my first session the Germans had lost both of their Panther tanks and a Hanomag from a hidden 17pdr before the crew were defeated in close combat. The Brits were largely holding firm but the SS had made some progress on the eastern side of the town.

The second session saw the  British slowly withdraw towards the objective buildings under steady pressure from the SS who had now taken heavy losses. I never have much luck with Satchel Charges under either rules, it is much easier to place one in Retro but a roll of eleven won't do any damage!.

The SS took an objective but were struggling to make much headway, their attack in the east failed very badly and the Brits were sitting pretty.

Then with my British hat on I blundered, I got carried away and squandered my squads mopping up defeated units who didn't pose a threat. I left a key building unguarded on one side and against the odds a bold German move paid off for them.

Then the Brits were dashing back in an attempt to hold off three SS squads one of which had just rallied. The Germans broke cover braving MG fire and managed to capture two more key buildings on their last turn!.

The Paras had one last turn but only managed to retake one of the buildings in a very risky assault, the Germans had won the game 3-2.

What a thriller!.

The situation at the end of the game...

Retro

Another very entertaing game.

Old School Tactical

 Old School Tactical is a fine addition to my tactical wargames collection. I am lucky enough to own the first two volumes and the Airborne expansion.

Here are a few shots of tonight's Eastern Front game.

The maps are beautiful, here are a few close ups.  

There are info cards for the units and they are very useful.

The game plays very well solo and the back and forth impulse point system gives you some tough decisions.

Smashing!.

"Into the Breach", battle for the Barrikady Factory

 Last night I played another CC: Stalingrad scenario set in the Barrikady weapons factory. This is a big scenario with many units, a complex set up and special rules to cope with.

Although I was a little intimidated by it I soon got stuck in and had another cracking game.

I took these photos at the end of the game and they show the Germans achieving a victory condition by outnumbering the Soviet units within the factory.

Casualties were very high for the Russians and most of the fighting was desperate close combat.

Here is a shot of one of my homemade Molotov Cocktail counters as I don't own Combat Commander: Mediterranean but needed them for this scenario. The one that was used did no damage in this game though.

Another smashing game, I have had hours and hours of entertainment from this game, I even dream about it.

 Sad lad?, nah, happy lad.

I had a go again tonight and had pretty much the same result with the Germans taking the factory with numbers. The game played differently though and the factory was well ablaze, that's what you get hoying Molotov Cocktails around.

Here are a couple of pics.

The Russians were massing to finish off these two squads but it was too late, the Barrikady was lost!.

Another good evenings entertainment, what could be better?.