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.

Other Gamer Blogs

I've recently discovered that several other gamers have also started "Blogging", so I've linked to their pages! Have a look at Little Wars, Miniature Gamer, and Little Lead Heroes.

I'm certain there are more Blogs out there about miniature wargames; If you know of one, or you run one, drop me a comment here and I'll check it out and link to your Blog!

When you check out the three blogs listed, drop a them comment to let the authors know you popped in, and give them a shout from the Tabletop Gamer blog!

Roll bones, push lead, have fun!

Still More Action from Fall In: Scenes of a spectacular castle siege

Here is view of the moat and drawbridge

"Flames of War" Action at Fall In: A horde of T34s rolls toward the enemy!

A really neat Stalingrad set up.

A huge horde of Russian infantry descend on the tractor factory at Stalingrad

Every nook and cranny of the tractor factory is bursting with Russian troops!

Italian M14 tanks prepare to move out. Hey, looks like they borrowed a German 88mm gun. That should give the enemy more trouble than all those tanks!

British tanks try to screen advancing infantry. Too bad that trick won't work with the Flames of War rules! They're in for a rude surprise!

U.S. tanks fighting a rearguard action in North Africa.

Blogmeister Keith's Desert Rats make another appearance! Man, I see them everywhere these days!

U.S. halftracks unlimber an anti-tank gun battery.

More Action at Fall In: A British film crew was on hand to film Lee and Meade fighting it out again at Gettysburg!

Civil War soldiers "making time" with the Film Crew Girl

Lee and Meade discuss tactics after the battle, hey wait a minute!; why is Lee using his hands like he was a fighter pilot? Did I miss something?

Action at Fall In: Blogmeister Keith fires his "random number generators" during a Flames of War game.

Keith is shocked by the results (the other chaps snicker)

Desperate, he calls for air support, but he is playing the U.S. side, isn't his cell co. owned by Deutsch Telekom? What will respond; P47s or Stukas?

Desperate Rearguard Action in the Burning Sands!

This time we tried the Hold-the-Line scenario in the Flames of War rule book. It has a lot of good special rules that work really well. The Reserves and Ambush rules are particularly effective in making for a tense game!

A German panzergrenadier company in a rear-guard position is charged with holding back a victorious British advance while their “komeraden” are in full retreat. They are on the defensive and dug in. Half of their units will arrive randomly as reinforcements. Two are being held in ambush positions. The question is; will this be enough to hold back the British Desert Rats tank company that wants to block the German retreat? "Tune in" below to find out!

"The Thin Feldgrau Line"

Panzergrenadiers are dug in and waiting, the sound of tank treads grows stonger and they see dust plumes all across the horizon!

Enemy sighted; Tally Ho!

British Grant tanks maneuver around the escarpment

The Desert Rats Prepare to Charge!

The panzergrenadiers hunker down on the objective

A concealed 88 battery reveals itself by spitting hot lead!

The attackers start taking losses

A tanker's life can be short and brutal!

The Grants try but fail to silence the 88s with machine guns

Meanwhile the Stuarts and Bren carriers hit the left flank

The furious British charge breaks through and reaches the objective!

Overdue panzer reinforcements finally arrive...

...and make their presence felt, decisively!

Objective in flames!

The last of the British Armoured squadron dies on the objective.

Armored Forces Clash in the Desert

A panzerkompanie of the 7th Panzer Regiment is sent forward to retrieve a missing tank recovery vehicle. They are looking in the right place but what they don't realize is that a British tank company has already found it. Both sides are surprised by the sudden apperance of a strong force to their fronts. A meeting engagement in the open desert between armored forces! This is going to be fast and furious! The orders "Button up, Action Front" are passed down the line on both sides. The German Mark IIIs open fire at long range while the British commander sends his light tanks barreling toward the advancing German infantry in an atempt to cut them down before they have a chance to go to ground.

Panzer IIIs at the jumpoff point. These are pretty solid little tanks, with the L50 5.0cm gun. Rate of fire is high enough to make up for the lack of power.  

Grants lined up on the right flank preparing to move forward. And die.  

Grants lined up to protect the lost German recovery vehicle. 

Turn one, the Grants and 'Honey' Stuarts prepare to do their thing. The 'Honeys' will move forward like lightening, while the Grants hold the objective.  

Second blood to the Brits. A Panzer III burns. 

On turn one, the British Bren Carriers speed forward to shoot at the unprotected infantry. Along with the three 'Honey' Stuarts', they killed all but two stands and the commander of the Panzergrenadiers. On turn two a combination of the StuG IIIs and the SdKfz 221/222 recon squadron hosed down the Honeys and the Bren Carriers. The Brens all died, one Honey died, and the command Honey bailed.