Returning to see an old friend "Squad Leader"

And it came to pass that I brought it down from the dark place in the loft and opened it in the presence of friends and a battle for Stalingrad suddenly emerged (see below, The Guards Counterattack - say no more): 

Familiar SL friends of a different sort (see below, berserking Russians that no morale test will diminish but a bullet can still KIA): 

Ah, home again (see below, a "possible" set-up but is it optimal? Please readers stop squabbling, consult The General to find out and see what the wise sages and prophets say):

How we laughed when my splendid well oiled German Spandau machine guns all broke (see below, I ask you of all the times to throw double six - when hoards of ravenous Russians are approaching!): 

And you know what - I did it again (see below, what is worse than two broken German Spandau, would you believe it if I told you four Spandau?): 

My friend, there is always one watching (and he had no idea what was going on because he had not played SL before) kindly calculated the odds of that happening for me (see below, but seasoned SL players expect the unusual as a matter of course): 

I knew it, sooner or later I was going to make one of the Russians go berserk (see below, at least he has an open road to cross in line of sight (LOS) of a German machine gun nest):  

Meanwhile - when rallying a broken leader don't roll a 12, especially when you have other squads in teh same hex also in a perilous state - it is all happening tonight):  

The Guards make a spectacular attack across an open space to try and get to some broken Germans (see below, what can that German squad in the building do? Save its comrades?): 

No (see below, a prime killing chance goes begging and it looks grim in Close Combat [automatic kills on broken squads]) for the broken Germans (see below, but wait what is this, read the sequence of play, rout moves before close assault - run away Fritz, which makes sense to me): 

Meanwhile the berserkers annoying run across the road (another dismal German MG roll) and successfully close combat some Germans - I knew it, it's those red counters that do it!): 

But alas the Guards are hammered by some "good German MG" dice (see below, SL can be oh such a cruel, cruel game): 

We left it there, happy to play a few turns - the Germans probably in the winners enclosure but you never, never know for sure in SL!

Blood Red Skies

 I finally gave in. With copies of the original becoming scare and my Blood Red Skies wargaming friends constantly buzzing with enthusiasm I had to jump onto the train before it left the station (see below, "my" copy of Blood Red Skies - I am now officially a BRS person): 

The classic 1940 Battle Britain dogfight starter kit, soon I believe to be replaced with version 2 Midway(?) if my sources are to be believed (see below, the unboxing): 

1/200 scale planes. Another scale I have a Spitfire in. Well they also match my Skytrex Action 1/200 .. but I cannot see a cross over (yet). Games will come but I need to do the first thing all new BRS players have to do - even before reading the rules - paint the planes

Happily clicking away .. Freeblade

Happily blasting Orcs (or should that be Orks?) and Chaos Space Marine things to multiple bits, reaching an impressive level 45 (whatever that means) without spending a penny (you can hear the developers and marketers weep). It is fun and gives a basic amusement (see below, I have gone back to a menacing light "off green" look):  

Note: The GW marketers may have the last laugh yet though, as I have discovered a not-so-silly bur still silly miniature in the GW range (still big and impractical to have on a sensible table top) that might go on the Xmas shopping list [if I finish the game - setting that as a discrete challenge to myself].

Reading "Generals: British Commanders Who Shaped the World" by Mark Urban

I finally got round to reading this book that I have had for years. An interesting read and not what I had expected. Rather than promoting the "good bits" it is a "warts and all" review of significant hinge points in history (see below, the story so far Monck (positive though side-switching), Marlborough (positive though politically complicated) and Howe (mainly negative - we did lose the American colonies after all) and currently reading about the Duke of York (frustratingly bad in battle but used his royal position to push through organisational change of the staff  and officer training) .. Wellington next):  

A good read in these Covid times.

40K Games Workshop - Aeronautica Imperialis - Orc Dakka Dakka Jet

The current state of the "Painting Tray" (see below, a 15mm Persian War Tower and a GW 40K Orc Dakka Dakka Jet primed and undercoated with Airfix Acrylic Grey (01)):

My experimentation with Citadel Contrast Paints continues, the 'Skeleton Hoard' is used as a deep wash as I don't think it gives much colour paint coverage (see below, the detail of the Dakka Dakka Jet panelling comes out very nicely): 

The "Shade" colours are applied. One of the things I am doing with this model is trying to apply the principle of "two milky layers of paint is better than one thick layer" (see below, Vallejo Game Colour Gory Red [fuselage], Gun Metal [engine, guns and shiny bits] and Orange Fire [highlight trim]):

The Citadel Contrast Paint 'Skeleton Hoard' is applied to dull down with a dirty brown wash on the jet (see below, somehow dull and dirty is very Orc, leave the shiny stuff to the Elves): 

The "Base" colours are applied (see below, Vallejo Game Colour Scarlet Red - Gun Metal (again) - Golden Yellow triplet, with sight concern that the yellow looks "too fresh"):

A slightly closer look at the model at this stage (see below, the metal and red look good though - still concerns about the yellow): 

Repeat the Citadel Contrast Paint 'Skeleton Hoard' is applied again to dull down the model with a dirty brown wash (see below, once again better): 

Highlighting the yellow but trying to do it subtle, also doing it now as if it goes wrong I can quickly dull it back down again with my favourite Citadel Contrast Paint (see below, Vallejo Game Colour Sun Yellow):  

WIP with the "red layer". The process of applying the highlight, or should I say an "extensive highlight" as it begged to pretty much cover the whole model again, is influenced with the several milky layers of paint approach as it tends to encourage subtle blending and it successively tones each layer into another - but it takes time (see below, the Vallejo Game Colour Blood Red is half way through the red layer and I am really liking the look of the "final" red layer):  

OK the "red" is done! I like it, it says a big "Orc jet statement" to me, as if it is yelling "come and take me on if you think you are hard enough" (see below, just the metal bits to bring out in a final, more subtle, highlight): 

With the metal shined up we have a "factory fresh" Orc Dakka Dakka Jet (see below, most shiny metal got a final Gun Metal retouch, but the side protrusions got a Vallejo Model Colour Old Gold):  

Taking the now staple Citadel Contrast Paints 'Skeleton Hoard' pot, watering it down lightly the "factory fresh" is turned into "operational dirty" (see below, that will do for now as it is mounted on its flying base and put on the "wargame ready" shelf):    

Next: Calling out for some Orc Dakka Dakka Jet friends to make a flight of three. Note: I chose not to attach the rockets and bombs at this stage to keep all areas accessible, after all it was a small (but perfectly formed) model.

Respect and kudos to this You Tube inspirational video, many thanks as after seeing this the idea of the painting this model became irresistable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22elLsWjHxk

The Blackstone Fortress: Heroes, Adventurers and Rogues

The unboxing moves onto the assembly phase of a new "Game in a Box" present ;) 

One of the constants of GW "Games in the Box" is the large collection plastic sprue that comes with them.  Some of the Heroes, Adventurers and Rogues I can recognise from existing races and existing "plastic runs" from the GW 50K Universe, other are well more exotic (see below, two halflings [or are they dwarves?], a Kroot, a navigator(?), an impressive heavily armed robot, a "Ranger" with "sniper rifle" plus other characters who would probably not buy you a beer in the Hobbit's Armpit): 

All begging for a coat of paint. 

Keeping Sane in the Covid-19 World - Ancient Warfare Podcast

This podcast has helped me recently keep sane and also learn somethings about the ancient world during the Covid-19 "lock-down era". Following on from the "Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy" Podcast I found please see the link to the "Ancient Warfare Podcast":

 https://ancientwarfare.libsyn.com/

A big thank you for its educational content and 'sanity assisting company' during the lockdown period :) 

I need to follow up on the magazine content too, though tis might have to wait until post-Covid world starts afresh again and I can get to a decent sized WH Smith or the like (if we still have shops that is)!