Winter Offensive.....

but some tidying up first!

KISS My Arras! At long last I have finished the scenario instructions after much thought and tweaking. Very happy with the result. This is one of my designs that can be played as a map and counter game or just set up on a table and play with toys. Revised map and rules (v2) can be found here.

Dragoons Rampant Another little job I have had hanging around for a while is revisiting the the artillery ratings in this adaptation of Dragon Rampant for the Peninsular War. These tweaks make the artillery units more like those in Pikeman's Lament but still with the need to order a re-load activation. I still like these rules a lot and have plenty of Hat guerrillas to paint up (at some point in the future I think!). Latest version of the rules and unit characteristics can be found here.  

Next project! Underway now. A not very good possible cover picture. More soon.

Ambassador, you are spoiling us....

or you must need the box for something!

A slight bit of R&R today with just enough time to catch up with my Zvezda backlog. Well, not all of it but at least the vehicular element.

Spot the new guys.......

Nice new Matilda I and II by Zvezda to join my A&A Miniatures Matilda II. Quite a good match. Arras era heavy tank platoon.

Another A13 for the  cruiser tank platoon. Again, for Arras. A Crusader hiding at the back and pretending to be a cruiser.

A good job I got some Ferrero Rocher for my other half at Xmas. Especially since I have also acquired 2 KV1, 1 KV2 and a new Tiger I. All of these for my Plan B rules.

Tank park nicely installed. 
  

Hey, there's room for more. Quick, pass the credit card!

Personal self-satisfaction announcement 

Well, I don't make many of these so I must be due one about now! This weekend, after a year of on-off staggering around the countryside trying to get fit I have passed a personal milestone. I have successfully run two 5ks, one yesterday and one today. Due to a major bit of uncertainty about plans I did not manage to do the Sport Relief 3 mile run today, although I had assumed I would not be ready for it just yet.

The satisfaction lies in the fact that I am nearing 58, have had a serious back operation and developed diabetes type 2. I'll now celebrate with four pints of Stella and a nice curry. The best thing is that I enjoyed both runs, I had got my pace right, breathing spot on and my brain in the right sort of neutral (which doesn't happen often). I'm therefore very chuffed. Will I give up wargaming and take up sport? Not bloody likely. However, I think the exercise should be just the ticket to keep an old bastard on the road to Moscow for a good few years yet. Hurrah! 

On to Arras!

Nearly there.....

I have had man flu and a dose of hard work, neither of which are good for me. Emerging this weekend with a sore head I have determined to get back into action at Arras.

I say, is that Arras?

Order of battle

I have had another go and am happier with the improved version.

Invading Germans in Krupp-Protze carrier

Scenario map

I am now officially happy with the map and don't plan to change it unless play testing reveals something weird. The next job is to markup the starting locations and reinforcement hexes. 

Counters

I have really enjoyed putting together some counters. 

Infantry Tank Mark 1 Matilda

These icons are modified Junior general images. I plan to play test using these rather than new toys.

Light Yank VIB

Rules

I now have a working draft set of rules, hurrah. So very nearly ready to go!

My Arras page now has the latest version of the files so please have a look and let me know what you think. I'm looking forward to getting some counters sorted out this week and perhaps a first go next weekend.

Ho Ho HO!

In a very jovial fashion...

Well its Christmas Eve and almost everything is done. One last job, fit a new toilet seat (don't ask) then some hobby stuff and cooking before helping Santa with the presents.

The reason for the joviality is that I have found long lost stuff in the garage during the Christmas preparations. To wit....

My wooden town models (has Arras written all over it).

Wooden trees, H&R metal trees and 2mm terrain.

A box of bases (East Riding and FoW).

And lastly, some extra green procured from Joto Hobbies in Rugby today after a nice trip with my eldest son.

Santa will have to go some to make me feel any happier than this. Lots of food, my family and some old stuff from the garage, top!

My festive wishes to you all, I hope you have a safe, happy and joyful holiday.

PS I must remember to watch Norm's Christmas post tomorrow after the presents.

Its a long way to Arras

Further than I thought!

Work doesn't slow down for Christmas these days so hobby time has been at a real premium. I have, however, made good progress with my Arras game. Long experience with my foibles and lack of delivery has convinced me that, once I have a good and workable idea, I should go for it hell for leather. This way I at least get to a complete product for play testing rather than ending with a big pile of books on the floor that stay there for several years until I can't remember what I was doing with them.

The story so far:

1. Troops. I have had a go at the OB. Having done some more reading I know now that I have to revisit my first draft.

2. The narrative. I have found a great Marine Corps publication about 7 PD in France and Russia that gives the "other side of the hill" so I'm looking to get a proper grip on the German perspective.

3. A map, nearly completed! I can play on my prototype foam hexes.

4. The rules are KISS Rommel (how appropriate!) with some slight adjustments for scale.

5. Toys. I have looked out some 6mm troops. I have some British and German infantry (H&R) but no suitable tanks. I'm really looking forward to putting in an order for Matildas, Somuas and Pz38ts. That's not to mention the 88s and 2pdrs.

I'm enjoying preparing this game so much that I'm tempted to put together some counters and try it as a board game as well. However, I have also found my 2mm terrain in the garage and its now back in the house (but don't tell the wife). This will go really well with the new shiny tanks. Roll on January!

KISS My Arras!

Initial thinking

Apart from going arf arf about the title I have doing some thinking. This is largely based on the account in Julian Thompson's Dunkirk book (Sidgwick & Jackson 2008) which seems to follow the official history very closely. So we have a very uncoordinated attack by a composite British force, supported by the French, against the flank of 7th Panzer Division and SS Totenkopf. This lasted a short time before being stopped by a German gun line.

Much has been made of this fairly primitive episode. It certainly wasn't the major counter-attack that some histories present it as. Nevertheless, it does show how both professional and dedicated the pre-war BEF was but also its limitations on a modern battlefield, especially its very poor communications.

From my point of view it has Matildas I and II. I have only just realised that the Matilda I was produced in very limited numbers (139) and this was its major outing. It also has the "what if" possibilities that make for a great game, just like the Bulge!

A foggy Matilda I

I want to use my 8 by 6 hex grid and some 1/300 tanks. This looks like a job for KISS Rommel with some hex grid type adjustments.

First go is the attached OB for the battle, leaning very heavily on Bob Mackenzie's Bathtub Command Decision scenario. Next may well be a happy 1/300 shopping experience.