Russo Japanese Naval War Rules: White Bear, Red Sun by David Manly (Part 1) Set-Up and Contact

Does this sound familiar?

I have a collection of 1/3000 RJW naval models that have been lurking in my loft (strangely all painted, which is the unusual bit), dormant since last century (or so it seems to me). They certainly took part in my "Attack on Port Arthur" and "Tsushima" wargames I staged pre-2000 [last century] at the Exiles Wargames Club (in London) but .. confession .. I cannot remember using them since.

However I found out that I am not alone in this RJW interest. My friend Renko found (or rather rediscovered) he had some some too. He found his in "his loft", naturally while looking for something completely different, however he also pulled out a stored memory from his vast data bank about David Manley's White Bear, Red Sun RJW Campaign and Pre-Dreadnought Rules. He then discovered they are still available through the Wargames Vault On-Line Store (see below):

Link: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/223354/White-Bear-Red-Sun

Being a clever man he purchased them and being 'ultra cool' when he was part of the next "gathering of friends" (ostensibly we were there to be talking about WWII 28mm Germans and Soviets in Stalingrad) lo and behold there appeared 1/3000 RJW "naval toys" (see below):

I found myself in command of a Japanese First Battle Squadron as Admiral Togo himself aboard the IJNS Mikasa (see my portion of the fleet above). Cutting to the end (game report to follow), the game was so good and I enjoyed the rules so much I immediately went and downloaded a set for myself (taking advantage of a cheap 50% sales price) and also took the liberty of getting a copy of David Manley's Spanish American War Campaign Set (for a future "small" 2018 naval project).

The Necron Fixation Continues ...

I have a few Necron kits that have been hanging around, unloved but assembled in the loft. Time for a spot of random painting. I use Sci-Fi to king of "jump-start" my painting mojo! These Necron monstrosities look harmless enough when assembled and coated in Airfix Grey (01) Acrylic Primer (see below, Necron Praetorian Nasty Killer Robot things looking rather bland):

But when you Vallejo Black Wash them they seem to spice it up a bit and turn all "nasty looking" (see below):

Then you do the same to some 'other' Necron Nasty Killer Robot sort of thing (you may sense I am not so up on the Necron OrBat but buy things sort of for their "look") and a "killer death-match" buzz sort of happens (see below, these being Deathmark/Lychguard Killer Robots [apparently]):

All this Killer Robot thing is fair enough but what I need is a leaders type. So I walked the walk to the GW shops and took the hit, knowing this to be a designated Dad present from the kids. Fearing the worst (a direct hit in the wallet region) I befriended the staff (they were excellent painters 
and we "jive talked" all around the hobby, from historical to Sci-Fi) who pointed "you can get a lot more plastic for your buck" if you buy a commander in a tank and base the Command Robot separately. Let me "take me to the Necron Leader" (see below, in dire need of Airfix Grey Primer and Vallejo Black Wash to "nasty" him [it] up):

Looking around my Necron Box of Evil I saw that I had some normal sized "Kill-O-Zap" Robots ("tee-hee"sneaked in a Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy reference in when nobody was looking) that were duly Airfix Primed and Vallejo Black Washed along with the ubiquitous scavenger mini robot droids (see below, I constantly use these in place of Space Gretchings in my Space Crusade Games  - being referred to as "cleaning/lavatory bots". They have taken out a surprising number of hardened Space Marines with their high powered "cleaning fluid jet and sharpie duster attachment"):

Even though I may moan about the price the derail on the robots is good. The more I look at the artwork the more I see I can return to the basic paint job and spruce it up a bit (see below, the Black Wash in particular is good at picking out hidden detail):

xxx

OK, I had a choice pay £17 for a figure (single .. I am sure its Combat Ratings were good, but seriously?) or pay £22.50 and get a Necron tank with a couple of Mega Cannon as well. Seeing that the mega Cannon configuration (sadly not shown below) reminded me of the things the baddies in Flash Gordon used ("Gordon's alive!) I was a sucker for the tank (see below):

The whole Necron episode painting lasted but twenty fours of "priming and washing" madness but it seemed to clear the air [or rather "painters block"] for historical stuff to come along and be fearlessly attacked (see previous Russian 28mm posts)

28mm Soviet Project Progress (Part 2)

The WWII Russian 28mm Infantry Project Box (see below, a very useful [and posh] box from a birthday present from last year "Hotel Chocolat" now home to 40 unpainted Russian WWII 28mm Infantry, as it said on the tin - dividers were cut out of an old beer box, a winner all round!):

Next "Primed by Airfix (Acrylic 01)" some of the 24 Soviet infantry (more on how that number came about later) I needed for my "initial order of battle" (see below, note the height of the box lid on the table allows me to get just a bit closer than usual):

And from the side (see below, already it is apparent there is so much more detail in 28mm, they do have great character):

Now "Washed Brown by Vallejo" (see below, this LMG ammo carrier is 'full of don't mess with me attitude"):

Obviously fed up of carrying all this heavy ammo about (see below, he is so "odds on" to be shouted at by a NCO):

Pity then the poor Soviet Rifleman who depends on the LMG fire to keep the MG42s at bay (see below, a nice classic pose):

Although I trimmed the figures as I assembled them the primer, then the wash helps me spot the "bits I missed". So there will be a need to file a bit here and there - but no matter it is better to do this now than at the Khaki paint stage. Notice also I have been fairly fearless with the Vallejo Brown Wash, but I like the result. Admittedly most of this will be painted over but it helps my "painting eye"and I will take all the help I can, when I can!

28mm Soviet Project Progress (Part 1)

Shades of GW Space Marines "snipping" body parts and various things or rather pieces of equipment off numerous plastic sprues. They are very nice, have lots of character but my fingers do ache after many hours snipping. Interestingly this lot was all put together with one tube of Airfix (Humbrol) poly glue 'liberated'from an Airfix starter kit I picked up from Aldi in the £5 bargain bucket. Anyhow I now have the beginnings of a Soviet Rifle Platoon '1942 Stalingrad Era', my first squad is seen below (see below):

Some time later (bleeding hands not visible in this photo but please remember I was also on Xmas washing up duty too). 37 figures required for the basic platoon although I had to borrow one additional LMG from a fellow Soviet player (he had the bigger Soviet Starter Box). We ended up swapping a couple sprues, his troops were Summer mine Winter. The aesthetic mix of uniforms seemed well worth it. I suppose that is my only complaint that Warlord were generous (5sprues of infantry) slightly miserly (3 sprues with one LMG per sprue but the Platoon needs 4) with LMGs. In fact in the later 1942 Orbats a Soviet Rifle Platoon is short on manpower but upped on LMGs from "four" to "six". It is as if the recruits and reinforcements were asked to take an extra LMG with them. My basic platoon plus three extras [see bottom right in photograph]: a PTRD shooter, a pistol carrying officer and a "Crazy Ivan" SMG with a flaming "Molotov cocktail"(see below):

In close-up you can see the character of the figures coming through quite well (see below):

The next phase is to prime everything in Airfix (01) Grey Primer, them Vallejo Brown Wash them before looking out my Russian paints from my 20mm painting days.

Happy New Year (2018)

Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy New Year!
Hope you have a great Blogging Year ;)

Interesting Board Game Blog: Post looking at specifically Modern Air War and another Blog's post that made me laugh out loud ;O

http://hexsides.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/nato-air-commander-designers-thoughts.html#comments
His other stuff is of interest too!

This on the other hand is too close to the bone, but I laughed anyway:
http://www.repiquerules.com/page2/files/388975efb93ad3417c72ac1310622d0c-89.html

Xmas Present Haul (Part 1) WW2 Soviet Infantry (Winter)

Egged on by a local club whose members are about to start a 28mm WWII Summer to Winter Stalingrad Campaign using the Chain of Command rule-set I hinted to my wife a nice new shiny box of toys might be needed. I dutifully walked away and "imagine my surprise" when Santa had left a special pressie (see below): 

It took me a (tortuous) while before I could "open to touch and assemble" them as I first had to assemble a "stand alone [but for how long will it be left standing?]" child basketball hoop and then configure a couple of mobile phones (the devil's toy!) not to mention helping look for (as in Search and Rescue mission) "lost Lego parts"!

They look really nice (he says as he yet again descends into WWII multi-scale madness), watch this space fpor a progress report or two in the near future ;)