Back on track (hopefully)

Last time I wrote anything was just before a frenzied weekend (actually one evening and a night). I'd built numerous vehicles for the impending Bolt Action clash. We didn't play BA though just Chain of Command and it was excellent. We ran a mini campaign using a simplified "ladder system" found in the campaign book "At the sharp end" by Too Fat Lardies.

As you can see more pictures are pretty pointless as it's all bare metal (shameful)

I had intended to take ample, beautiful photos of our games but just got distracted. I'd intended to write up an AAR too but my notes seem incoherent. I was totally absorbed helping my chaps survive and do the best possible. I lost the first two games and was beaten back to my outpost as a last ditch to stop the red horde. I believed that my senior leader was considering a less angry, less russian soldiery way out from the barrel of his Luger. But then I managed to snatch back a victory due primarily to my asset choice: Off table mortar battery. They were awesome and due to blind luck, nuffle's blessing and an advantageous use of a command die they slowed and then halted the Russian advance. It wasn't all good however: sneaky ruskies with a flamethrower managed to close with me due to an overlooked blindspot. They destroyed a squad and it's leader and the leader was permanently dead in the campaign. He had a name and a background (admittedly I can't remember it but that's not the point). I believe the disgraced officer and his few remaining loyal troops have been re-posted to siberia.

So whilst I didn't play BA, but I did get better at Chain of Command and learnt a few things too:

• I now advance my Patrol markers into better positions and thus get better JOP's. Previously (and in the first couple of games) I'd advanced them as if they were my precious troops, sending them behind cover rather than in front of it, to secure the JOP. Stupid, I know, but I'm so used to sneaking my chaps and getting them the best cover it was automatic.
• The campaign system is simple and fun. It makes you take more care over people and not get into pointless squabbles over a random rock or terrain feature, throwing away your chaps lives for little gain (I am prone to this).
• Terrain is vital and so I'll be diverting some of my time to my terrain as I have to rely on my FOE's excellent scratch built stuff currently.
• If I'm going to AAR anything FOE and I do then I'll need better lighting and a simple record system to minimise my time away from the game proper.

The men of the final match: forgot to bring mortars for their light mortar but did sterling work as a two man rifle team.

 For the game I had put together a regular Heer platoon for CoC and BA but they weren't painted in time. They are now sat block painted and washed, waiting for detail/highlighting. I've also built some 4Ground buildings and more vehicles for my germans. In the time AFK I've also sculpted a 15mm chap and painted my first sculpted 15mm chap: a viking I made in a night last winter). So I need to get going and get some pictures up. I've also been following the 40K rules rerelease that's going on and I'm hopeful: which is weird.

Here's a picture of my (now finished) SdKfz 222 from Zvesda to finish with. I'm really pleased as with just the most basic of conversion work (tarp and jerry can rack) it has lots of charm and character.

Thanks for taking the time,

BALM