1/300 Battle of Britain Planes: PSC

I found these lurking in the PSC Battle of Britain Game Box when I was looking for a 1/300 Stuka of all things (yes, I was doing another random loft traverse). I do like them, or rather the way they have turned out [I painted the roundels free hand - but squadron "lettering" has so far has defeated me] .. and I need to finish off the German 1/300 kit that came in the box, Spitfires and Hurricanes being long "done" (see below, the RAF lesser known and unappreciated "odd ball" fighters of the Battle of Britain: Gloster Gladiator Boulton Paul Defiant and Bristol Blenheim Mk I Fighter version): 

Note: I also have this "collection" to make in 1/72 .. which as you may guess is a longer term item on teh wargaming "bucket list".

Plastic Soldier Company: 1/300 Plane Pack

Something I could not resist buying (sorry Mum it's in my blood) - a party pack of what I can only think of as "surplus to use for PSC" .. but 100 planes for a tenner (and £3.50 P&P) - there has got to be a great glorious wargaming use for them somewhere! Plenty of Stukas (27) for sure, Gloster Gladiators, Me 110s, Bristol Blenheims and various Luftwaffe Medium Bombers (see below, pass me the spray can, I got this!): 

I am thinking tactical formations of bombers to give a certain "mass" in the tactical element of the (Plastic Soldier Company remake of the original Airfix) Battle of Britain game. More visual that individual, as I am not keen on fiddly moving parts!

WWIII - Somewhere in Belgium in the late 1980's a Cold War Goes HOT [Part 2 of 2] The Battle

The Soviet player made very obvious pushes on the far right and centre of his line but almost unnoticed  there was a subtle (BTR Battalion sized) end-around left. "Bear Two's" report had not gone unnoticed or unheard, its importance had been digested, understood and the opportunity was tantalising. The Soviet General committed his fifth BTR battalion to his far left. Although slow in its move up across rough ground but its significance is huge, as it was the key to unlock the Belgian back-door and completely break the line of defence (see below, quietly the the fifth BTR moves up in company column and line): 

In the middle of the battlefield, what seemed to be destined for a bloody tank-v-tank slug fest, frittered away into a long range sniping duel. After a worrisome moment where the Belgian Abrams could have been caught in the open, it changed to professional calm as the M1s acquired the safety of hull down positions - which meant it was (very, very) prudent for the Soviets to retire their "gun line of tanks"; leaving both sides covering a "dead zone", one that either side could only move through at its peril. A Mexican stand-off. Suddenly this part of the battlefield was static. Note: The best Belgian unit was held in check, fixed into a defensive position. The battle would circulate around the M1s rather than them being an active part of it (see below, the T-72s prudently move back after firing a last Parthian shot):   

Meanwhile Soviet infantry swarm into a Belgian town sector. The Soviets have mechanically and efficiently de-bussed a whole battalion into an urban sector defended by a single company of Belgian infantry. The supporting Soviets tanks, and there is always a bunch of supporting Soviet tanks wherever you look, roam the perimeter of the urban area, like frustrated dinosaurs taking pot shots at targets of opportunity. Burning Belgian Cavalry recon M113s burn like Roman candles (see below, the Belgians were clearly caught off guard, displaced, pinned and unnerved in this isolated town quarter. A very bad start to the day - local reinforcements are called up and the Belgian Divisional Commander commits his reserve, but will it get there in time to be of use. The Russians are pressing everywhere): 

Although the town fighting is abstracted in Modern Spearhead/Battle Group Commander, you get the sense of the Belgian's dire predicament; they are outnumbered 3:1 and the enemy is bringing down indirect fire assets to bear. It is only a matter of time before the outermost town sector falls, retreat is impossible because the boulevard is covered by those damn T-72's main guns. What is more worrying is fact that the Belgian right flank is now hanging completely exposed as miscellaneous Soviet AFV's bypass the town. The only Belgian hope is another frantic rushed commitment of reserves to plug the gap (see the Soviet pressure below, one Soviet battalion in the town, another flanking left, yet another rushing right [into the larger "centre" of the main town] - the Belgian infantry defensive line is crumbling and their powerful M1 Abram tanks are hull-down in the wrong part of the battlefield so cannot help and could they even help in an urban environment?):  

The Soviet BTR Battalion that was called up to exploit the hanging gate explodes onto the Belgian left flank. Just a single company of Belgian infantry are hunkered down on the edge of the woods, in cover holding this flank. The Belgian infantry faces off against a composite Soviet armoured infantry force, very wary of the deadly NATO AT LAWs. Recon "Bear Two" is called upon once more to advance and flush the Belgian infantry out 'by being too tempting a target' not to fire at. The Belgian infantry is hoping they can buy time for a company of AFV "Tank Hunters" to deploy and make a mess of the Soviet armour (see below, the infantry combat here is critical to the outcome of the wider battle, a time for the NATO troops to show their professionalism, hold their nerve and hold the line): 

Firing is simultaneous and represents an extended firefight for over a period of fifteen or so minutes of direct and indirect fire (the blue markers on the NATO forces are player aids to assist remember who is still to fire). The advantage of defensive terrain for the Belgians is partly offset by armour and more heavy calibre weapons of the Soviet mechanised infantry and the Soviet advantage in numbers. Each stand represents a platoon of infantry or troop (4-5) vehicles, casualties represent KIA, wounded, troops temporally incapacitated and lack of cohesion. Vehicle hits represent KO, non-runners and abandoned vehicles (see below, "the dice will have it" all hangs in the balance): 

The close combat is brutal and as the guns speak the Soviets take a terrible 20% casualties but the Belgians take a horrific loss of 50% combat effectiveness. That means unless there is a miraculous intervention the Soviets will likely overrun the Belgians, especially as the Soviets too have additional troops moving up. The sounds of the Belgian armoured "Tank Hunters" moving up through the woods gives cause for some hope, but the terrain is too poor for these ersatz tanks to make quick progress (see below, the Belgians will need (or be blessed with) a massive amount of luck next turn or face a crippling blow from which they may not be able to recover):  

"Fate" is not kind to the underdog. The plucky Belgians are overran. They lost the initiative and the Soviets unleashed a second wave, of this time newly dismounted mechanised infantry, which broke the Belgian infantry company into pieces. What is even more worrying, the ersatz tankers who hurried up a break-neck speed are now completely without infantry support, which means the "hunters" are going to become the "hunted" in very short measure (see below, the fate of the whole battle is hanging on the outcome of this small micro-battle on such a small plot of real-estate): 

The Belgian "hunters" become trophy "hunted" by dismounted Soviet mechanised infantry, the Soviet BTR Battalion commander duly reports success back up the chain of command. The Soviet system is brutally simple - reinforce success, ignore failure, in fact punish failure by taking away assets that can be more usefully deployed elsewhere. The only black mark for the Soviets is that valiant "Bear Two" was lost by straying too close to an ersatz tanker and finding that the cannon was more than good enough for despatching a BRDM2 armoured car with. Still I am sure that the Soviet Divisional Commander has a posthumous medal in a tin box waiting for his widow (see below, the significance of this reverse it dawning on the Belgian Divisional Commander, as 'one-by-one' his units on his right flank are going "off net" unexpectedly): 

Crunch! With the last defending Belgian back stop removed the Soviet General can sense blood and the potential of a huge Divisional breakout. A radio frequency is dialled and the Regimental Tank Commander's voice is heard expectantly asking, "You have orders for me Comrade General?" "Yes Yuri. You are to lead the divisional breakthrough in Sector Four Two, there is no meaningful resistance left. The BMP Regiment will be close in support behind you. Punch through the woods to the left of the town, we have the Belgians on the ropes, show them no mercy! Speed Yuri, speed is of the essence. May the devil run with you! Overrun their headquarters and rear area!"

WWIII - Somewhere in Belgium in the late 1980's a Cold War Goes HOT [Part 1 of 2] Ebb and Flow

The Sunday morning quiet of a sleepy Belgian town is rudely broken by military diesel engine revving noises as camouflaged armoured reconnaissance vehicles trundle inconsiderately into its sleepy suburbs. Recon is wit, speed, aggression but tempered with enough caution to live long enough survive and report. The Soviets thus win the opening moves with their aggressive thrust (see below, the Soviets advance across two thirds of the table whereas the Belgians are content in gaining local objective points around the town, the consequences of which means that the Soviets can spread and seek out the weaknesses of the Belgian defence):    

The Soviets are poking their noses around corners of fields, folds in the ground, trails through woods - constantly testing for gaps and finding out where the Belgians are and are not. This empty road seems to point straight into the NATO backfield (see below, a tempting  open flank is found that really needs to be explored by "Bear Two" - no Belgians in sight either, even better): 

The Belgian reconnaissance commander is bemused by so many reports coming in of enemy movement across the whole front, surely the Soviets cannot be here so soon? Small arms fire is heard from the outskirts of the town, looters or the enemy? The implied reported numbers mean that the Soviets are here in force, it must be a whole recon battalion which implies at least a couple of regiments will be following up behind. There is going to be some hot action starting here very shortly. Still the valiant Belgian is reassured in himself that the Belgian formation is tank heavy, so they should be well placed to stop the Reds in their tracks (see below, the morning solace is broken all hell is about to break out): 

 

Significantly a Soviet recon creeps quietly across an important river. The Soviet Lieutenant briefly reports, "Bear Three. Route Green Three is open, feet dry!" Back at the mobile command centre, a wry smile breaks across the face of a grizzled Soviet Motor Rifle Divisional Commander as he taps a Red BTR Battalion marker on the map, "Forward! Fast!" (see below, there is a fleeting opportunity to exploit the slow moving Belgians):  

Incredibly the Russian motor cycle reconnaissance platoon along with a BRDM2 armoured car support troop races around the sleepy Belgian suburbs without encountering any opposition. Not understanding how they are still alive they radio in "Bear Two. Route One Open. Repeat, Route One Open!" This generates yet more frantic activity at the Russian Divisional HQ. Three battalion markers, each representing a BTR formation is moved across teh map to the town. "Take the town!" barks the General, knowingly committing a full regiment of his best (BTR) infantry supported with their organic tank companies (see below, a Soviet Recon unit disbelievingly with an open road and no sign of any opposition): 

Meanwhile the Belgian recon is hunkering down behind a riverine and near a friendly town. They nervously expect to meet Soviet Recon elements at any time. They are hoping their powerful M1's will appear soon. The Belgian caution resembles more of a peacetime operation, following a known COA with NATO Allies playing Red, repeating a common TEWT pattern and a plodding ignorance of an active enemy stalking them (see below, the Belgian recon is far more content to watch across the river than actively probe beyond it, they are bivouacked and awaiting orders and thus vulnerable to unexpected "events"): 

"Events" such as a whole battalion of BTRs crossing an undefended bridge on the Belgian left flank, something which the peace loving Belgians are totally unaware of (despite the Belgian player being able to "see them" out of the corner of his eye). So, 'Bear Three' has the company it requested, is really happy and is ready to push forwards to create more mischief. The Soviets are flanking left in battalion force, even if jut to be a nuisance (see below, undoubtedly the Belgians will have to react to it and in teh process be "distracted" from teh defence of the central town): 

Speaking of which, the "town" has now become the centre of attention for "three" Soviet BTR battalions. The first of which runs into Belgian teeth, a formidable Belgian defensive formation, a battle line of M1 Abrams tanks deployed onto a key terrain feature overlooking the approaches to the town. The Soviet Tank Coy supporting the BTR Battalion starts a fire fight to cover the Soviet infantry deployment (see below, the BTR battalion is ordered to de-bus into the urban area to its immediate right): 

However, the two other BTR battalions find much less opposition barring their way into the town and push the Belgian reconnaissance units easily aside. A burning M113 tells the sorry tale. The last thing an armoured Belgian cavalry commander really wants to do is play "meet and greet" with a Soviet T-72 in a boulevard. One BTR battalion spreads out in deployment of a fighting line covering the third battalions column of attack into teh heart of the town (see below, deployed Soviet infantry are now advancing into the town and the Belgians find themselves on the backfoot and need to make an emergency deployment): 

The Soviet floodgates have been unleashed. Two full BTR regiments, the wheeled infantry complement of teh Soviet Motor Rifle Division, are set in motion. The broader plan if for the Soviet infantry to find a weakness in the Belgian defensive line. Then the Tank Regiment followed by the BMP Regiment can create a deep penetration. 

1/300 Russian Missile Troop

Classified as "Divisional Level" assets (certainly according to the Modern Spearhead OoB) for my Russian Cold War Motor Rifle Division (see below, a Frog-7 [conventional or nuclear armed] and four SA-6B Gainful): 

Heroics and Ross models.

Operation Compass: Attacking Tamar West

In preparation for my Beda Fomm game Martin from the Sheffield "Zoom" wargame kindly group laid on an Operation Compass battle for Tamar West, a little known quadrant of death that was an Italian fortified strong point in 1940 that Wavell's Western Desert Force had to take down. Appearing out of cover of a convenient desert sandstorm [for the British] were two columns of lorry borne British infantry and the sound of clanky tanks of Matildas [still off table in the photograph below] approaching from the the brown track, bottom left in the photograph. One British column of infantry drove straight up to the base of the Italian camp, dismounted and close assaulted the Italian across the barbed wire - heroic stuff (see below, a fortified patch of three hexes in the centre of the set-up and the road leading off to the right were the British objectives - a tight task to do in only nine turns):  

The Matilda's make good use of the road but the battle always seemed to be in the next hex away. Meanwhile both British columns of infantry are getting stuck into the Italians, although the latter column got shot up on the way in while riding on the trucks. Time was expedient so the risk was well taken IMHO (see below, British trucks are seen wisely getting out of the way of this "fighting stuff"): 

The Matildas make it to gates of the camp to find it already in British hands (again the battle is always one hex away) as the British infantry relentlessly punch over the hills trading blow-for-blow with the Italian infantry and Italian Gunners, who die by their guns (see below, only turn three and the British are half way over the first objective - it is a fast pace but it has to be for the British to win in nine-ten game turns): 

Consternation as the Matildas have to go off road (they are very slow) but the inside of the camp is being pummelled by Italian Artillery (coming in danger close) and already over-stacked with assaulting British Infantry (see below, a target rich environment with little cover): 

The final fort hex is assaulted and the fort of Tamar West is now in British hands with Italian infantry trying to regroup in a wadi outside, despite being ineffectually machine gunned from the light Besa MG's of the British Matildas - at least they are close enough to shoot (see below, the Italian infantry has to be eradicated before the British move on to secure the exit - but what is this, Italian reinforcements appear on the very table edge hex the British are after): 

The regrouping Italian infantry are caught by a storm of steel as the British Infantry charge out of the newly captures fort and destroy them entirely before they can fully regroup. The British pay a hard butchers bill, now down to two companies from an original force of two battalions (see below, the Matildas advance into the fort with intention of driving on the the exit "through" the Italian L3 MG carrier armour): 

The bravery of the British infantry literally  know no bounds as they pin the Italian L3 MG carriers in place, dropping 25 pounders in amongst the antiquated armour causing mayhem (see below, the game will rest on the sequence of randomised activation and and whether the Matildas can travel three hexes in two turns): 

The L3 MG's take away another British Rifle Company away but the combined effects of the British artillery (including I am told some antiquated museum piece WWI era sixty pounders appearing in the British Order of Battle) and Matildas have quiet ruined them as a fighting force (see below, the Matlidas are two hexes away with the very last turn to come): 

Turn 9 and the "victory exit hex" falls into British hands, for a narrow win - with the British artillery induced (and Italian failed) morale check, along with the menacing sight of the untouched advancing British Matildas just being too much for the last Italian infantry unit. You can understand it, bereft of AT guns [and therefore subject to "tank fright" in the rules], under nasty artillery fire and to crown it all out in the open - but they have made the British have paid a very heavy price in infantry for Tamar West (see below, the only surviving Italian unit being the battered L3's lurking two hexes away from the road and trying to rally): 

A very historical outcome, though close run thing, with the Matildas next tasked to trundle on to guess what? Yes, the next Italian strong point, presumably picking up some fresh infantry on the way. 

Stockton Battleground (2021): Battle of Britain "Double Blind Game"

Stockton Battleground Wargames Show 2021

Cinderella you shall go to the "ball" (well it is actually a "wargames show"). Myself and fellow wargamer Ian took the relatively recently released PSC "Battle of Britain" Game (which older Grognards would recognise as a revised [and I would say much improved] version of the game from the earlier Airfix 1980/90's (?)edition of the "Battle of Britain" board game) off to the show to play it "double blind". This meant a partition board between the players and a slight revision to the rules. Rather than relying on the random shuffle of the deck of mission cards to provide intrigue and chance - the German would be allowed to choose or rather "determine" his targets and use an appropriate force composition - but he [as in "me" on the day] was playing fair and hitting targets in historical order (radar, airfields and then cities). The forces were selected to player preferences (although the Germans followed the rule of thumb that 50% Fighter and 50% Bomber in his formations - with at least one Ju87 Stuka and Me 110 squadron (until they ran out)). The RAF likewise controlled their force composition, naturally holding the Blenheims, Defiants and Gladiators to the "last line of defence". The German was playing with Fog of War - the RAF player being a semi-plumpire by virtue of handling all combat - the Luftwaffe player passing his cards over the wall to do "combat" and generally receiving "fewer" back. It worked really well (IMHO), as the Luftwaffe was deprived of th eobvious board game "tells" of how well (or bad) he was actually doing, so he had to do a bit of guesswork and bad guesswork often leads to bad mistakes.

The video of the Stockton Battleground 2021 event is here, with at 9:20 is a quick fly-by of the Battle of Britain Game: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEf3XkKugI8

Right at the start of the action and the "view" from the German side of the Battle of Britain board (see below, a lot of Red bombing missions to perform, with the Luftwaffe intent on eating them up, by nibbling from the south coast upwards in order of: Radar - Airfield - Cities): 

Kanalkamf and the bomber formations are 'mysteriously' intercepted and bounced by formations of RAF fighters (see below, in the game the RAF player tries to "intercept" rather than "dogfight" his German opponent wherever possible, by this tactic he stands a good chance of getting to those juicy bombers without having to tangle with those nasty Me 109s): 

The first wave returns after a partially successful mission strike. According to Luftwaffe intelligence estimates of 50% of the RAF radar stations have been destroyed [explousion markers denoting dead radar stations, or so the Luftwaffe player thinks]. The second mission wave with be sent to take out the remaining stations of the Home Radar Chain Defence Network (see below, a cunning trick of the game is that the German player cannot return to a "completed mission", so to his utter amazement he keeps getting intercepted by the RAF - annoying "detected" markers appearing on his fighter/bomber formations as if the destroyed radar stations and airfields had somehow been repaired [something that didn't happen in Poland and France]): 

With the radar chain taken out it is now time to move onto the RAF airfields (see below, the RAF radar stations on the coast are burning now so the historic name of Tangmere comes to the top of the German bombing list, this is going to be the "crux of the battle" RAF fighters defending their home turf, a bit of a "sticky wicket" as they say in cricket): 

The Luftwaffe target list is slowly creeping up the board. Despite the (very) heavy losses optimistic reports are being sent to Goering about significant RAF losses and numerous infrastructure targets totally destroyed. The RAF airfields are now to be put out of commission and as a final insult Luftflotte 5 will attack from Norway (we [the German player] expect only to meet the decrepit Gloster Gladiators and outclassed Blenheims). This is now the "tussle of eagles" (see below, the south coast is burning, one more push and the English surely will be on their knees):  

Alas, the Englanders have other plans. Luftflotte 5 reports disastrous losses. They found Spitfires and Hurricanes waiting for them - the converted long distanced Me 110s stripped of the rear gunners for extra fuel tanks could not protect the bombers. There losses were irreplaceable, tLuftflotte 5 are now a spent force. Meanwhile the fighting over the southern English coast is simply ferocious. "How are the Tommies still intercepting us?" A final wave of fury is unleashed on 10 and 11 Groups airfields, the Port of London and naval towns of Portsmouth and Southampton are also targeted. Another attempt to take out Tangmire is launched. The destruction is wanton, but the Luftwaffe is down to its bare bones of bomber formations, the crews are tired and dispirited. The London Docks blaze savagely and are totally destroyed in game terms, Portsmouth and Southampton are damaged, RAF airfields smoulder but somehow 11 Group, Keith Parkes boys, rise like a phoenix rises from the ashes, a punch-drunk boxer raising himself defiantly from the canvas one more time and slugs out at the arrogant Aryan. He lands a  body blow, a body blow, another body blow and then solid punch to the jaw. The airwaves are full of Polish chatter, Heinkels fall from the skies and dogfights mesmerise Londoners. Luftwaffe suffer terribly (see below, their bombs land and buildings fall, Luftwaffe pilots confidently tell their superiors of the destruction reeked.If this is true then is it time for Sealion? Tomorrow will tell):  

The RAF is ready and waiting in the morrow, in far better shape than the Germans think. Yes, the Germans will come but they will see the RAF still in the skies, not down the their last fifty Spitfires as Goering boasted. No, it is not the time for operation Sealion, disperse the invasion barges, send the infantry to the East ready for Russia. More bombing missions will follow, different towns will burn but the RAF has not been cracked or broken (see below, German intelligence cannot simply understand how the radars, how supplementary airfields have been used so effectively and how pilots are trained so quickly to replenish British losses. It is "the few" who stopped them by their persistence and doggedness "To keep buggering on" as Churchill said (see below, although seriously damaged the RAF are not down and out. 10 Group are reeling more than 11 Group, 12 Group supporting them on the South East coast. The constant  problem for the Luftwaffe player is that they do not known what to try and hit next - it really played well as a double blind game, particularly as the German had to "estimate" rather than know the RAF losses): 

Honourably mentioned in dispatches, the "other few", spare a thought for the "other" British fighters of the Battle of Britain. Along with the Spitfire and the Hurricane there were a fews RAF fighter squadrons who flew twin engine Bristol Blenheim Fighters, the twin seater Boulton Paul Defiant (a rear facing turret but no forward firing guns) and even the famous Gloster Gladiator biplane (see below, painted up in 1/300 from the PSC expansion pack): 

Other spoils from the Battleground show. Next year we plan to do the Battle of Gazala, so these 10mm Pendrakon Italian CV33s, British 8th Army Infantry and A13 Cruiser tanks (maybe not, too early in teh Desert War but I have a soft spot for them) are but the start of a long term painting project (see below, a small lead mountain to attack in the winter months):  

These will reinforce my previously purchased and now painted Pendrakon Italians. I wa hoping to pick up the tiny Italian L6s, but alas that will have to come in a later postal order.  

Footnote: Apologies as it was rude of me not to thank the many members of the wargaming public who popped by and helped with the game (drawing random cards from the Luftwaffe Player's hand (as in me)) plus engaged in fascinating conversation, passing on fascinating Battle of Britain comments. I learnt a lot .. thankyou! 

PC Game - Flash Point Red Storm - WWIII "The War That Never Came"

This is my latest PC obsession, which has already caused the wife to pass caustic comments on my hobby and her hubby's strange sense of priorities. It hankers back to my teenage youth (the late 1980's) and the threat of the Cold War going "Hot" was in the back of everybody's minds (see below, never mind "Nina and her 99 Red Balloons" .. what about those T-72 Tanks? There are thousands of them!): 

What I love about this game is the WEGO system (something that would mentally kill you if you tried to umpire something like it on a tabletop, as the computer must slice a turn into so many little segments and hold tract of who goes first etc on a huge list of actions) and the "hands off AI" for a lot of the minutia (stuff the troops would be doing without you having to tell them to do it .. for example, indirect weapons repositioning themselves after a shoot is a case in point). The double bonus is the classic FOW (Fog of War play .. which leaves you [peeing] on "the seat of your pants") during play. The triple play bonus whammy for me is that it is breathing a bit of life back into my modern 1/300 scale collection (which seemed stopped at Modern Spearhead about a decade ago) as a few little extra models would not go amiss. I may look to expand it is the direction of some Americans and British (BOAR) - already having some Russians/Warsaw Pact and West Germans. 

The red rings around my eyes tells you all you need to know for now ;) 

Cruel Seas - US PT Boat

I almost dipped into "What to do Projects Bag" today, I was literally on the verge of "random number" for inspiration .. then I spied a sprue of US PT Boats donated to me by a friend (Renko). So out with the glue and a member the "Ghost Fleet" (aka models still on the sprue) became "one ready for painting" (see below, armed to the teeth and ready to have a go at a Japanese Transport, Submarine Chaser, Destroyer or Battleship):

Intend to actively play "Cruel Seas" (or at the very least use the models) but may have to pay a trip to David Manly's blog to crib up on some torpedo and spotting ammendments.

My First Cruel Seas: Italians versus Royal Navy & Russians?

Introducing the Italian fleet:

Italian E-Boat lookalikes (see below, very nice paint jobs with the diagonal red and white stripes):

Italian (very light) MAAS Boats: Strikingly fast because they have a mega Italian engine inside but little around it protecting it (see below, think Molotov Cocktail on the water waiting to be lit):

Italians enter bottom-right in two flotillas, while the Allies appear top-left (RN) and top-middle (Ruskies). I had relinquished my naval command in favour of trying to get a more holistic grasp of the rules, which meant I became "bottle top puller outer of a bag" to determine who goes next - a very important job and for "a suitable inducement I may be able to help you sir" (see below, please note the aesthetic placement of islands cunningly blocking line-of-sight):

Speed boats seemingly scattering about to the four corners of the board. Apparently there is a plan somewhere (see below, one rule that seemed strange to me was that there was little concealment - maybe we were just going in "Gung Ho" for a quick game (see below, the "wake markers" create a very nice atmospheric feel to the watery table-top - the Russian forces have divided into two to cover both sides of the right hand island which means they are outnumbered 2:1 against the Italian E-Boats, with blue splash markers denoting that short-range "gunnery" has started):

The Italians fearlessly sallied forth against the combined Allied fleets in this "What-If" scenario, sending the pseudo E-Boats against the Russians and the "bonny wee fast things" against the heavily armed RN contingent - which turned the "fast things" into match sticks in pretty short order (see below, disturbingly everything is "visible" as long as you can trace LOS - no "dummy markers" here or fear of friendly forces being in the area! One Italian E-Boat was lost in exchange for a Russian "flak-boat" [my made-up word not really historical]):

The Russian stuff blazed away and then started to burn, then something exploded and sank. The Italians definitely had the upper hand here, but the RN are coming to help out (see below, a bow pointing skyward denoted the resting place of one of Stalin's finest gunboats with a tank turret on it):

An embarrassingly "run aground and burning Italian E-Boat" is surrounded by Russian and RN "men-o-war". The crew have disembarked on dry land and have been spared the fate of a watery grave (see below, the other two Italian E-Boats seeing nothing to torpedo but lots of shiny RN MGBs to lose a stand-up fight against decided that discretion was in fact the better part of valour and "bugged out" 0 nobody blamed them):

The remaining "little fast things" of the Italian Fleet spotted a design flaw in the scenario in that their main armament was primarily a torpedo and there was nothing to torpedo. The signal flags to "bug out" were duly hoisted. And so end'eth my initial exposure to Cruel Seas, "First Thoughts"? ... it really was meant to be an exposure to activation chit and basic LOS combat, so in that sense it worked, but I would like to see a scenario that required guile, suspense and "hidden movement".

Dagga Dagga Orc Jet

In classic GW over production of tiny parts and pieces I present a beautiful little Orc Fighter Bomber (see below, Orcs flying in the 41st Century - I ask you, but it looks fun):

One down, several more to build!

Aeronautica Imperialis - Orcs in Space?

OK so know it is not really anywhere near historical, I mean Orcs in Space, really .. but the game pays homage to the best WWI Aerial Combat Systems, GDW Blue Max and Canvas Eagles, I've played, so it hit me in a soft spot right between the eyes (and it was classed as a birthday present from my brother so I had an excuse). The models are also very, very cool in a Steam-Punk sort of way(see below - an un-boxing to follow methinks):

The models remind me of Warlord Games latest Mig Alley Korean War selection (see Renko's superb rendition of Soviet silver camouflage) and immediately after writing that I can see myself falling towards Blood Red Skies (BRS) and the Jet-Age expansion (see below - Note: I could do that because I am not committed to any "jet age scale", whereas BRS WWII has the 1/144 to 1/300 scale "Why am I doing this again in a different scale?" question bobbing around in my head!):

It is also a "game in a box so you don't have to expand out and besides it's "Fantasy-Science-Fiction" so anything goes you can bring your own stuff in. If you get a game from it then what's the problem, otherwise I will be forever the collector and never the player. Maybe I should do some 1/300 aircraft as after all I have always played with the kit Renko has "coerced" (like I needed much pushing) into getting!

Afterthought:
Besides it is another one of games that the father can be shot down by his son (or daughter, or wife) with no loss of prestige (that noted I still don't forgive that dodgy rule call in X-Wing called by my [so-called] friends that lined up my TIE Fighter in front of that Rookie Rebel, being the exception to the rule - Unforgiven)!