Thursday, 30 April 2026

Waterloo Refight - Waddington's Solo Book Game to Tabletop

The Worthington, Waterloo Solitaire Book Game just keeps on giving good fun games and by now must have repaid its cover price to me. Having converted it to tabletop via using Warlord Games Epic Scale Napoleonics it has become a big favourite of mine. It is one of those "one hour magic" wargames, creatively fun, not overly taxing but yet satisfying is a non trivial way (see below, the original cover of the book depicts the frantic fighting around Hougoumont): 


I present it in the style of a certain Airfix Waterloo Wargame Set (all Red-British, Blue-French and even Black-Prussian [although you would have to add them yourself later from the Airfix product line]) for those of a certain 1970's "as a young kid" age (see below, I remember having one of these in 1975 courtesy of my two older brothers - as a youngster I honestly did not know what to make of it at the time, or how precious it really was): 


Meanwhile our Napoleon [Renko] prepares to meet his Waterloo - note, poker chits represent Napoleons command capability and time, once you have spend all your chits you have no more command capacity or time left, a beautifully elegant system): 


Napoleon is taking no chances and the KGL are evicted from Le Haye Saint in brutal fashion (see below, after a desultory few turns of bombardment with the British successfully hiding on the reverse slope d'Erlon's 1st Corp are ordered to attack. A ferocious British Cavalry charge decimates the infantry attack, but the survivors still manage to storm the Sand Pit and take the famous farmhouse at the point of the bayonet [Napoleon had a huge sigh of relief on that one]): 



Reilles II Corp was now set upon Hougoumont the key to opening the door to Brussels. Despite taking losses too this savage infantry fight went well for the French (see below, Napoleon took care but spent time in reinforcing both battered Corps from his Reserve [good move as Prussians were starting to appear in the woods on his right flank]. Reformed the French Infantry performed excellent "combined arms" attacks that "broke" poor old Picton): 


With time running short it was the turn of the Imperial Guard to help smash the last remaining British and Dutch-Belgian infantry formation on Wellington;s right flank. The Young and the Middle Guard perished in the attempt, but it was the Old Guard who carried the day for Napoleon, with precious little time to spare on the clock - or rather a very small pile of poker chits remained (see below, the British retire [rout] to Brussels, but it was "a close run thing"): 


Another great game and Abba will now have to pen alternative lyrics for their song, as (still) Emperor Renko Napoleon reigns! 

Note: In the true SCRUM vein of "continuous improvement" (as no wargaming project is ever truly finished) - I think I need to add some pretty national flags per formation. I should also paint the Riflemen units Green instead of Red. I need to substitute a unit of Epic Highlanders into the British line of battle and likewise substitute in some Epic French Imperial Guard units into their line of battle. Perhaps also named movement trays for all the Corps too. All can be done in good time!

Wednesday, 29 April 2026

Note to Self: Tamiya/Warlord Games 28mm King Tiger Assembly Instructions Link

The "big cat" beast - the German King Tiger tank (see below, another "why on earth not" Warlord Games "sprue sale" purchase):


Although  a relatively simple build - instructions help (see link below): 

https://www.chaosbunker.de/en/2018/07/23/review-bolt-action-king-tiger-with-zimmerit-plastic-kit/

Tuesday, 28 April 2026

Note To Self: Tamiya/Warlord Games 28mm Tiger I Assembly Instructions Link

 


Warlord Games 28mm Tiger I purchased in their annual/seasonal "sprue sale" (see above and below - please note cute but fragile aerial on engine deck that won't last long!):


Useful link to Assembly Instructions (see link below): 


It is a relatively simple kit but these instructions helped me from making "sad" simple errors that all modellers live to regret, I think the kit is originally the Tamiya 1/56 one. Nice clean lines and an easy assembly. Recommended, certainly in the "sprue only" sale at half the retail price of the boxed version! Better for the planet too - less packaging *he said grasping at straws").

Monday, 27 April 2026

Four Books on Midway

Stemming from an interest that was cultivated from an early exposure to XTR's (Command Magazine) Victory at Midway, I have been fascinated by this battle (see below, and still my most favourite wargame - that is a game plus an excellent reference magazine): 


Since then I have been collecting books about the battle. My four specific reference books being.

Book 1: Midway The Battle That Doomed Japan, the Japanese Navy Story. Albeit acquired and read late in the day (of my interests) but early in the literature review (1954), it is a classic - but suffers from deep political motivations (written for a post war Japanese and Western audience). Extremely interesting as it gave an insight into the Japanese view, from a surviving protagonist, but projected myths about the battle that are still persistent today.   


Book 2: Midway - Incredible Victory. A somewhat popularist follow on from the above, but from an American perspective, that is dramatic in its recounting of the battle. It seems to set the pace and scene for most wargames of the battle. A fight against incredible odds and patriotic American sacrifice, There was great patriotism but the actual combatants were more evenly matched than portrayed. Nevertheless it does convey the tension of the times,


Book 3: The Battle of Midway - The Battle that Turned the Tide of the Pacific War. To my mind not much separates this from Incredible Victory - but it is a different recount of the same battle, again from the US perspective, which fleshes the narrative and lists all the moving parts (essential for a wargamer). 


(The) Book 4: Shattered Sword - The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway. Quite frankly this book blew away the "I already know the story" cobwebs right out of my mind. "Myth busting" and with access to IJN archive material it gives a definitive account from both sides, explaining the who, what, how and why. It places Midway in the context of what it was, an USN "ambush" that the IJN sleep walked into. It also places the nature of the IJN wargaming into its correct context, a tick box exercise. The IJN set themselves up to fail because they expected the USN not to interfere with their (overly) complex plan. Amazing detail, surfacing truths that had already been exposed for years in Japan's academic world.  


Read it. The description above in no way diminishes the US heroism but frames the Japanese operations (because you cannot forget about the Aleutians). With the IJN so focused on Midway they gave the USN a "first strike" opportunity it so gratefully took. The relatively inexperienced USN pilots pulled it off, not in a prefect fashion, but the end results speak for themselves. Japan lost the strategic initiative - but there was much gruelling fighting still to be done.     

PS: Yes I also have the Osprey Midway book, and yes there are hundreds of other "good" books on Midway (it is a very popular battle), but these are the four on myselves. Please read Shattered Sword, it is far ad away the BEST and the most DEFINITIVE account of the battle - but this is only my humble opinion (as well as many better souls). Enjoy!

Tuesday, 24 February 2026

Been making some 28mm Kits

For my Chain of Command 28mm British Infantry the welcome sight of a Sherman Mk I (see below, the ubiquitous Western Front armour support): 


She came up nicely, less parts in 28mm than most 20mm kits (see below, looking ship shape and ready for battle): 


Keeping with the 1944 theme, my Crusader originally bought as a Western Desert AFV had a course change and became a AA D-Day+ addition to the British Armour inventory (see below, the Crusader had an extended career with the various specialist functions it found itself in): 


The Western Desert armour support was provided by the Valentine Mk II/III variant (another nice Rubicon kit). I did briefly toy with the idea of a Soviet version but decided that could wait for a 6pdr later variant (see below, 2pdr and 3 inch turret options shown):  


Assembly of 28mm kits is faster than 20mm! Painting might take longer though!

Wednesday, 14 January 2026

Happy New Year - 2026

The good news it that we are still here! I checked! 

Best Wishes and I hope 2026 is good to you. 

Tuesday, 16 December 2025