Grant tanks close in from the South

The new Grant tanks hit the Germans with their 75s.

Ariete to the Rescue?

Responding to the distress calls, a platoon of Italian M14/41 tanks from the vaunted Ariete Division suddenly appears in the rear of the Grants. Could this be the salvation of the Axis side? Not this time! The plucky Italians inflict little damage on the well-armored Grants. Unfazed, the even pluckier Desert Rat tankers whip there vehicles around and pummel the M14s with their superior weapons. Someone heard that the platoon commander, Major Kennedy, has been recommended for a Victoria Cross!

The Cauldron is overrun

Meawhile the German infantry has been overrun by the other British tank platoons. The German panzerdrenadiers fought back desperately with their AT rifles, teller mines, and even some bottles of schnapps that had to be used as Molotov cocktails!

The Panzers fight on!

In previous battles the Mark IIIJ panzers have always saved the day. This time they strike back at the attackers but, being hit from all sides, the fight starts to go against them.

The Panzers Succumb

Before long the vaunted Mark IIIs are finished.

First Objective is taken

Before long the Desert Rats take the first objective.

Irish Guards take the second objective

Honeys from the Irish Guards surround the second objective. Hey, I thought I saw someone jump out of his tank to dance a jig!

Here's looking at you!

The Miniature Building Authority

One of the most satisfying aspects of miniature wargaming is recreating the world in miniature for your battle.

We gamers often make a good deal of our own scenery, however some folks come along once in a while to offer such great bargains in scenery that you can't pass it up!

See, if you are building scenery, you are not painting figures or models for your games. So, if you are busy with several armies at once, like many gamers, you don't feel like taking the time to make really nice terrain.

So something suffers. Either you get no terrain at all, or quickly made stuff that looks like quickly made stuff!

Enter one of the finest proprietors of pre-painted scenery: The Miniature Building Authority

At the last Fall-In Convention, I purchased "Middle Eastern Town Set A". It arrived yesterday!!

It's exactly as pictured at the above link! Amazing.

So, here is this lovely terrain, beautiful, true-color buildings that are already painted! I mean, what could be better?

You ask? What? Could? Be? Better?

The buildings come apart to show battle damage!!! Wooo hooo!!!

They are pre-painted (Did I mention that?) both inside and out and they break apart in pre-cut places to resemble battle damaged buildings.

These are beyond cool. I cannot recommend them highly enough! If you are a gamer, get some of this stuff! It saves time and looks great!

Online shopping V.S. Brick and Mortar shops

Many of us are lucky enough to have a “local” shop we can play at. These shops sell our favorite products, figures, paints, rules, and accessories. They provide all the goodies, for a price, but they also provide tables and space for us to play. That space could be used to sell goods; I’ll also put in here that there is no better form of advertisement than people involved in a game with beautifully painted figures and models, and they are having a blast! That draws crowds and sells product.

For those not lucky enough to have a “brick and mortar” shop near them, there are the online folks. Online shops also provide special deals periodically, and can also sometimes get difficult-to-find products or lines of product.

I will always support my local shop with my purchases, since they are kind enough to provide table space for me to play. This means I don’t have to build my own table or keep space for it in the basement.

So, for those of you not lucky enough to have “brick and mortar” shops, here are a few places online that I recommend.

Brigade Games

The WarStore.com

Grandiosity Historical Miniatures and Military Books (Warweb.com)

Now if you are in the Washington, D.C. Metro area, there are a few shops that are within driving distance.

Eagle and Empire (Virginia)

HobbyTown (Virginia)

Game Parlor (Virginia)

The Arena Sports Cards and Games (Maryland)

If you are aware of any local shops that would like a “shout” on the Internet, drop TabletopGamer a line and we’ll see what we can do!

Remember, we want to give credit to shops that sell Wargaming miniatures, paints, and other hobby supplies!

ZULU WAR: The Battle of Gingindlovo

I recently had the opportunity to participate in another playtesting of Mark Fastoso's collection of Zulu War scenarios. Mark is a talented scenario designer who will be publishing these scenarios in book format. He told me they will be available for purchase at the next Cold Wars convention in March 2006. This latest scenario represents the Battle of Gingindlovo. This was shortly after the disaster at Isandlwhana and British commanders were now in the habit of forming wagon lagers after every day of marching, and only fighting the Zulus from within prepared positions or by forming squares if they were out in the open. In this particluar scenario the British start out already formed into a square. They also have the benefit of a wagon lager and a trench! Needless to say, this is a very challenging scenario for the Zulu side. Although a Zulu victory seems pretty hopeless, Mark said that it can, and has, been done. It is the recycling of spent units that gives the Zulus a chance. Mark came up with an interesting concept here. (Mark has a lot of interesting concepts along with a system for using 8 figure units instead of 20.) He allows every Zulu unit that has been reduced down to 3 figures to be recycled as long as the unit was reduced in close combat with the enemy and not merely by rifle or artillery fire. This allows the Zulu side to keep coming and coming, and it also forces them to do what Zulus do best; charge and fight hand-to-hand! However, I am sorry to report that when two other gamers and I played the Zulu side we failed miserably! We were snookered in the very beginning by a clever and gutsy move by the British commander. I'm not going to tell you what he did because I don't want to ruin the scenario before Mark's book is published. For now I will just share some photos of the action.
Good Hunting!
Bwana Bill

Gingindlovo: Zulus deploying for the attack

Gingindlovo: The Zulus try to mass their attack effort in an area where the distance to the British square is minimal.

Gingindlovo: After successfully countering a threat to the kraal, a third of the Zulu impi is out of postion and vulnerable to artillery fire.

Gingindlovo: After repeatedly throwing themselves on the British square, the Zulus succeed in opening a gap but they are still driven back.

Gingindlovo: The British break the square and start "mopping up" the dwindling Zulu impi

Gingindlovo: Before long the threat to the square is eliminated.

Gingindlovo: The troops celebrate their victory. Time for an extra grog ration!

Gingindlovo: More Zulu Trivia from Bwana Bill

As you may know, there was a great class division between British officers and their soldiers that manifested itself in many ways. It has been said that this extended to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. British soldiers were fond of beer and gin (usually too fond!) and a proper officer would not been seen touching either one. Wine and brandy were their acceptable alternatives. As you may have noticed, many words in the Zulu language are hard for the English speaking tongue to pronounce. During the 1879 Zulu War the British troops could not help but notice the word "gin" in the name Gingindlovo. (It means "the place of the elephants.") They therefore jokingly referred to the place as "Gin, gin, I love you." Having read about this prior to my trip to South Africa I had assumed that Gingindlovo was pronounced with soft g's. During the trip, my guide and I drove past Gingindlovo and I told him the "Gin, gin, I love you" story which he thought was very amusing. I then asked him if it was pronounced with soft g's or hard g's he assured me that it was hard g's. Good to know, right?

17th/21st Lancers Cap Badge

I'm working on my 17th/21stLancers, often called "The Death or Glory Boys".

This cap badge is theirs. The unit history reaches back to the Crimean War, and the (in)famous charge of the Light Brigade.