Crossfire Smoke & Close Combat Video

Following on from the “Crossfire: Movement & Reaction” video is another good introductory video by Nikolas Lloyd, covering Smoke and Close Combat in Crossfire. This gives a great quick introduction to basic infantry movement and reactive fire in Crossfire. Continue reading “Crossfire Smoke & Close Combat Video”

Crossfire Movement & Reaction Video

Following on from the “Operation Crossfire: Introducing Crossfire – World War Two Wargaming” video is another good introductory video by Nikolas Lloyd, covering Movement and Reaction in Crossfire. This gives a great quick introduction to basic infantry movement and reactive fire in Crossfire. Continue reading “Crossfire Movement & Reaction Video”

Miniature Wargaming: The Movie

A new project in the hobby that is underway is Miniature Wargaming The Movie looking to “explore the fascinating world of miniature wargaming; a hobby enjoyed by millions of people across the globe”. This will include “exclusive interviews & stories from industry leaders such as Rick Priestley, Alan & Michael Perry, John Stallard, Paul Sawyer and many more.” Furthermore several key wargaming industry businesses are getting behind this, including Warlord Games, Perry Miniatures, 4Ground, Wargames illustrated, Hawk Games, and more… Continue reading “Miniature Wargaming: The Movie”

Crossfire Introduction Video

Operation Crossfire is a fantastic set of introductory and training videos for Crossfire – put together by long-time Crossfire gamer and aficionado Nikolas Lloyd. They are highly recommended to all, even experienced Crossfire gamers (as a nice to watch) – and if you have not seen them previously then be sure to take the time to watch them, especially if you have heard about Crossfire but not seen the game in action. Continue reading “Crossfire Introduction Video”

The Impact of Terrain in North Africa 1940-43

From Tobruk to Tunis: The Impact of Terrain on British operations and Doctrine in North Africa, 1940-43 is a new book by Neal Dando, published just recently by Helion & Co. The author/publisher states “This book focuses on the extent to which the physical terrain features across Egypt, Libya and Tunisia affected British operations throughout the campaign in North Africa during the Second World War. One main theme of the work analyses the terrain from the operational and tactical perspective and argues that the landscape features heavily influenced British operations and should now be considered alongside other standard military factors.

Continue reading “The Impact of Terrain in North Africa 1940-43”

Steven Zaloga Says Fury OK

Stumbled across an interview with Steven Zaloga (c/- Mad Padre Wargames Blog) and it’s discussion around the movie “Fury” and the performance of the Sherman (and Allied Armour in general) in North-West Europe 1944-1945. Zaloga criticises some of the accepted truisms on tank warfare in NW Europe (namely about the Sherman’s vulnerability and the claimed 5 to 1 ratio of how many Allied tanks it took to destroy one German tank) – he also cites a disproportionate reliance on British authors describing their experiences of Normandy, which obviously is not representative of the campaign as a whole (in Normandy Montgomery used his armour as a battering ram to (a) keep infantry casualties down, and (b) ensure German armour and other resources were continually drawn to the northern sector in preparation for the breakout in the centre & south). Continue reading “Steven Zaloga Says Fury OK”

X-Wing Miniatures Game Community

Star Wars X-Wing & Tie Interceptor

There’s a new community blog about for fans of the (Star Wars) X-Wing game from Fantasy Flight Games. X-Wing Miniatures Game CommunityEverything about our passion called X-Wing Miniatures Game from Fantasy Flight Publishing Inc. and promises to deliver fan support for X-Wing. Continue reading “X-Wing Miniatures Game Community”

Don Featherstone Memorial Trophy

Today I received the following communique from Chris Scott: “This is to let you know that the first Don Featherstone Memorial Trophy was played for at an old-school style wargame of Gettysburg at the Wargames Holiday Centre, Basingstoke. It was part of a Donald Featherstone Tribute Weekend sponsored by Miniature Wargames Magazine and involved a hotel stopover and a splendid dinner. The game was competitive of course, but the whole thing was conducted in a very friendly manner with the emphasis upon playing for fun and enjoying the social side of the hobby.” Continue reading “Don Featherstone Memorial Trophy”

1866 And All That

1866 And All That is the blog of well known New Zealand Wargamer & Sculptor Mark Strachan. Mark has been involved in Historical wargaming since 1972. He is most well known as the sculptor behind many (or most) of the figures and/or models produced by the now defunct New Zealand wargaming manufacturer Military Miniatures (the business eventually ceased operating as Military Miniatures, but then morphed into the current Battlefront/Flames of War business). Many a New Zealand Wargamer has buildings, terrain (rivers, roads, scenery), or figures, designed by Mark in their collection. Continue reading “1866 And All That”

Miniature Addiction!

Roundie, from my local gaming group (the Auckland Wargaming Club), has recently launched his own website & blog of his wargaming & modelling work – he’s one of our area’s most prolific modellers & painters and has built some amazing terrain boards and scratch-built buildings & terrain… He’s also running a local SDS (Song of Drums & Shakos) Napoleonic Skirmish Campaign at the AWC. Continue reading “Miniature Addiction!”

Stunning M42 Twin-Forty Night Shots

A friend recently sent me a link to these stunning Vietnam War photos of an M42 Twin-Forty “Duster” in action at night against a ground target in Vietnam in 1970 (The image is © James Speed Hensinger / Rex Feat).

A Vietnam War veteran has released incredible night-time photographs he took of American troops opening fire on a Viet Cong sniper who had been firing on a U.S. Army camp.Continue reading “Stunning M42 Twin-Forty Night Shots”

More Secrets Of Wargame Design

Following on from Wally Simon’s SECRETS OF WARGAME DESIGN: A Tabletop Toolkit of Ideas, Analysis, and Rule Mechanics (Volume 1), Russ Lockwood (of MagWeb fame and now the Center for Provocative Wargaming) has now published a second work in the series entitled: Wally Simon’s MORE SECRETS OF WARGAME DESIGN: A Tabletop Toolkit of Ideas, Analysis, and Rule Mechanics (Volume 2). Wally Simon was one of the founders of the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society (in the USA), and as a statistician he used his mathematical skills to analyse probabilities within wargame mechanics. With 25 years of work to draw on, this is the second in a series of ‘best of’ booklets that explore the nuts and bolts of wargame design as seen through his eyes, via the articles he wrote over the last 40 or so years.

Continue reading “More Secrets Of Wargame Design”