Canadians and general stuff for Team Yankee 6mm

First pictures of my Canadian force for Team Yankee in 6mm.  Models are a combination of 3d-printed and GHQ outstanding minis.  All 3d-printed models were 15mm scaled down, so the quality sucked.  I was also fighting a bad print head on my printer at the time, but didn't know it.  I'm sure now I could get much better quality.

First is some LYNX recon guys.  These are 3d-printed models, scaled down from 15mm, and also printed directly on the base as one model.  Worked great for a solid print, but I couldn't detail the treads.  The cupola with MG has also turned into a generic blob.

Here's a couple M1A1 models.  You can notice the crappy print quality.

I found a nice Leopard A2 model online, and printed a bunch.  Then I found out the Canadians used the Leopard A1.  So I got these guys sitting around.

The Canadians run vehicle-mounted TOWs.  This model was close enough.  This is another 3d-printed model.  You can still see some stringing, but they were basically free...

Next, the Canadians Secret Weapon.  Shouldn't even be showing these here.  

The ADATS.

Glad I found this to 3d-print, as I couldn't find a model anywhere else.  

Of course, we have some vehicle-mounted mortars.  These point out the back by random happenstance of glueing.  If you break out a magnifying glass and tell me my mortars are pointing in the wrong direction, I will nuke your board!  These are GHQ.

Canadians get their own M109 howitzers, so I introduce you to the "bent barrel" battery.  GHQ models.  

And of course, you need a shit-ton of M113 and tanks.  First the Mech company, in their M113:

And then the Leopard A1's, in all their glory:

I made my own bases.  

The idea was to stay similar size to everybody else's bases, but to provide a place for a label.  I'm tired of putting sticky-notes on the bottom of each vehicle.  So every base has a small raised edge at the back.  This will contain the unit number, once I figure out a way to neatly put them there.

Ooh, let's not forget our OPFOR friend the captured BMP.  Another 3d-print model I downsized for testing.

I also found some "Team Yankee 6mm Smoke Markers" and printed them.  Do they look the right size?

The Infantry are still on the painting table, look for them in an upcoming post.

Mein Zombie Solo Revisited

With all this talk of solo wargaming, I had forgotten the grand-daddy of them all.  The very first miniatures wargame I played at a Con as an adult:  Mein Zombie:

Although blessed with an astonishingly complex combat calculation system, it really does work well once you get the intricacies down.  And as it is normally played co-op against the zombies, it is perfect for a solo game.  So I dusted off the zombies, found the scenario I wrote several years ago, and started it up again. 

The Mission:  Crack British Commando Major Mallory and his team have just parachuted into occupied Europe.  The Germans are launching buzz-bombs daily.  But intel learned that this particular site was a special case.  His team was hurriedly sent to investigate.  Due to high winds, they arrive scattered around the target.  Due to lucky rolls, they all entered the same side of the board anyway.  It was the last lucky rolls they would see...

They approach the site from the South.  It appears as if it has already been attacked?  They must search for clues.

Why are the guns facing in?

I don't think it will launch that way...

The communications van looks extra-important.  I bet there's a clue in there...

Major Mallory, along with Brown, Stevens and Miller.  All are armed with sub-machine guns.  Except Miller, of course.  Him and his silenced 9mm...

They got lucky and all started at the same edge.

But what's this?  Figures are moving (well, shambling) around.  They appear to be wandering aimlessly.  Some in uniform, and some in local civilian dress.

Mallory starts by heading along the tree line, trying not to make noise.

A couple of the figures head straight for him.  One walks straight into the barbed wire and falls down.

At the start of the 2nd turn, it's time to roll for more zombies.  In Mein Zombie, rolling low is good.  Rolling a natural 20 is very bad.  So of course, we roll this for our first zombie spawn:

A pack of 5 zombies will spawn for each character (I'm not using "special" zombies).

Dusty Miller's group spawns off the board ahead of him, so they get moved closer:

Mallory's group gets spawned a comfortable distance away:

Stevens group spawns 12 inches away from him.  Whew, he's safe.  But wait...

That puts his group right on top of Brown.  Not sporting, mate!

Brown rolls last for his spawn.  He returns the favor to Stevens.

Oh shit.

Now it's activation time.  What more could possibly go wrong this early?  Of course!  The zombies activate first:

They move up and mob Miller:

They approach Mallory:

Brown and Stevens get mobbed too.

Now, if the 2nd zombie activation card comes up, people are going to get hurt. 

Fortunately, hero cards come up next. 

Brown kills a couple with his e-tool, and knocks a couple over.  He runs from the remaining zombies, taking a wound in the process.

Mallory has had enough of this crap.  He unloads on the approaching zombies with his SMG.  Downs them both, but he made some noise.  Other zombies will come to investigate.

Dusty Miller goes crazy with his e-tool and mows down all the zombies around him.

Stevens tries to do what Brown did.  He cleared out most of his zombies, then tried to run away.  One of them hit him!

When you take a wound from a zombie, you have to roll to see if you're infected.  He rolled bad:

Stevens is now infected!  How long until he turns into a zombie himself? 
Will the heroes even make it closer to the site?  Will more Germans show up to investigate?
Stay tuned for the next chapter!

FFOL Bigger Battles

First battle with Bigger Battles from Fistful of Lead.

Wiley Games

I've long been awaiting these rules.  FFoL is a great, quick skirmish game, expanded to many eras.  And now he's gone big!  Using stands from "the other game", I whipped up some quick units for an AWI skirmish. 

Scenario:  The British are moving to capture Edsel's Ford, a river crossing.  This time of the year the stream is fordable everywhere, but somebody decided it needed to be captured anyway.  Opposing them are some American regulars and Militia.

The battlefield.  British forces will enter from the close end.  Americans must prevent them from exiting the far end.

The American Forces. 
Leader:  Encouraging, Mounted, Invulnerable. 
 6 Riflemen from Morgan's Company.  Killers, Rangers, and Skirmishers with rifles.
Green's Company:  Quick, Nerves of Steel.  Muskets.
Blue's Company:  Steady.  Muskets.
Local Militia (12):  Stealthy.  Muskets.  (more on them later)

The British Attackers:
Leader:  Bodyguard, Encouraging, forgot a 3rd trait.
6 Skirmishers:  Skirmisher, cool headed, Quick.  Muskets with bayonets.
Company 1:  Blue cuffs.  Veterans, Killers. 
Company 2:  Red cuffs.  Defensive fighters.
Natives (12):  Ferocious.

Initial Deployment:  The British appeared marching down the road, skirmishers in front.  The Indians skulked off to the side.

The Americans deployed in line.  Green's Company held the road, with the militia sandwiched between them and Blue's Company.  The riflemen lined up against the Indians.

First moves:  The skirmishers stepped out, and the Indians took to the woods. 

 The Regulars hastily deployed into close-order.  They would move up on-line before advancing.

Skirmishers move up the center.

Riflemen move to address the skirmishers.  Time to put the rifles to use.

First shots.  Skirmishers drop.

The Indians rush forward and fire on the riflemen, with devastating effect.  12-man unit vs. 6-man, it doesn't matter how much better they are.

Another round of firing, and another Skirmisher goes down.

But what's this?  It was just a flesh wound, and he's back in the fight.  Love the card mechanic.

 The riflemen retreat but the skirmishers can match their movement rate.  Although only firing at half their rate, they deliver a shocking blow:

General Morgan will not be pleased.

Green's Company now sees their chance to act.  A well-aimed volley decimates the skirmishers:

Indians fire back wildly.  Meanwhile, the units on the right are now formed up and advanced at the double-step.

Knowing what they are about to receive, Blue's Company looses an initial volley at long range.  The one-eyed Jack will help them out:

"Advance and Fire!"  Both units attack (got 2 10 cards).  Blue's Company takes hits.  The Militia fire back, hurting Company 2.

It's hot work on the right flank:

The lone remaining skirmisher takes cover behind a stone wall, and the Indians advance.

More firing from the militia wipes out Company 2.

Nobody sees me, right?

Indians advance to close range to engage Green's company:

Right flank is very weak.

"FIX BAYONETS!"  Company 2 charges into close combat.

After a furious close-quarters combat, the American company is forced back.  The Brits choose not to advance, not wanting to be flanked by the Militia.

The Indians tried the same tactic in the center.  I couldn't find any advantage in the rules for one side having bayonets and one side only tomahawks.  I think Green's Company should have had an advantage.  But the didn't and were forced to retreat.

Now the Militia has a quandary.  They have a 6, so can reload and fire into either unit.  Who to shoot?  The British Company 1 or the Indians?  They choose to fire on the larger unit.
The Indians take horrific losses:

And run away, very far:

On the next turn, the Americans went first and took out more of Company 1.  Realizing it was a lost cause, the British officer ordered the retreat:

Run away!

I think we won?

And over on the left flank, the lone skirmisher quietly walked back to town.

Overall, the game went very well.  I was playing it solo using regular rules, until halfway through the game.  That's when I found the solo AI rules on FaceBook, and used them for the rest of the game.

The one problem I had was unit size.  Using basing from another game, my Militia and Irregulars were 12-man units.  That's too big without either Green or another negative trait.  Going forward, I think I'll make a new trait, "large size" - any unit larger than 8 must take it as a positive trait, or be forced to take Green instead. 

Definitely on the must-play list again!