More VC

Three more VC finished this morning. For the first time ever, I am trying to paint all the Vietnam figures I have before buying any new ones. Crazy, huh? This is helped slightly by the fact that Northstar are not expecting to stock the new Black Sun packs (which I desperately want) until the lock-down is over.

These are the next three packs of Black Sun that I wish to get my grubby mitts on! I need Bill Kilgore with his surfboard.

I am also thinking about getting this pack. But I would paint them in green fatigues and use the three with hats on as US special forces, gone a bit 'rogue'! I think the female with the rifle could double-up as a VC fighter and the guy top-left looks like CIA to me.

Easy Company inserts into Cambodia

A cross-border mission for Easy Company, with their embedded photo-journalist, Scarlett O'Hare.

Unbeknown to Easy Company, the VC are aware and are observing the LZ.

Yet more 'Nam

Another grunt for Easy Company and another VC guerrilla.

A Pilot for the Hook

Having got the Chinook, I had to paint a pilot this morning for it!

A Hook for 'Nam

My Newray Boeing Ch-47 arrived, very pleased with it for the price. I have the Ch-64 on order for the USMC as well.

Here are the last known photos of Easy Company before they took off for a secret mission in Cambodia. Seen here being photographed by Scarlett O’Hare before they board a Hook piloted by an Air America crew.

More 'Nam

Two more grunts and two more VC for my 'Nam project.

A Civvy for 'Nam

A civvy for the 'Nam project this time. This is Scarlett O’Hare, a photo journalist from Newsweek.

'Nam - Another Occasional Project

No background story for this yet. I am just enjoying painting a few minis for a Vietnam game. So, just a few photos of progress so far.

Yes, I know Sergeant Rock is WWII. However, he has been reincarnated in the '60s!

Congola - An Occasional Project

As the title says, this is a bit of an on/off project. I paint a few figures and then put it away until I feel like getting into Africa again. I would like to build an airfield for this game but other things are demanding my time and money at the moment. I have two Tabula Rasa buildings from Knights of Dice which I want to make into the Congolan Police HQ and Interrogation Centre.

So, without further ado, I present to you from right to left; General Muangamizi Ndofa, President for Life of the People’s Republic of Congola, Colonel Koko ‘Simba’ Ndofa (so young to be a Colonel but his Dad insisted), son of the General and Mma Precious Ndofa née Ramotswe (originally from Botswana). Seen here outside Katanga House, the Presidential Palace.

A special day for the General as a BBC film crew have flown out to Congola to interview him. On the left is Austin Powers who works at the British Consulate in Congola, Moira Stuart next to Precious and on the right, General Ndofa’s Close Protection Squad. The General insists on female-only bodyguards and no-one disagrees with the General!

I am planning three main factions plus some civilians and war reporters.

• Ndofa’s eldest son by his first wife, Kubwa Mvulana Ndofa ('Big Boy') who wants to be President. He is supported by the British who want the rights to Congolan copper mining which Kubwa has promised them. In the game, Kubwa is supported by a deniable SAS force.
• Ndofa and his forces, mainly female soldiers and three bodyguards. Couple of mercenaries perhaps, ex-Spetsnaz and Black Wasps.
• Communist guerrillas led by a rival Congolan tribe Mangbetu-Azonde, maybe supported by the Russians and Cubans. Their leader will be Mkate wa Kubanika.

This is Kubwa Mvulana Ndofa.

General Ndofa's elite regiment.

WIP on the police station. Two police guards and in the centre the expert Police Interrogator.

Operation Chastise - The Dambusters Raid

77 years ago today, the Dambusters Raid took place through the night of 16th to 17th May, 1943.

On the night of 16-17 May 1943, Wing Commander Guy Gibson led 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force on an audacious bombing raid to destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley, the industrial heartland of Germany. The mission was codenamed Operation 'Chastise'. The dams were fiercely protected. Torpedo nets in the water stopped underwater attacks and anti-aircraft guns defended them against enemy bombers. But 617 Squadron had a secret weapon: the 'bouncing bomb'.

With Guy Gibson's Lancaster flying above to attract anti-aircraft fire, Henry 'Dinghy' Young drops his 'Upkeep' mine on the Möhne dam.

The Ruin of Mimsie Hawley - Turn 9 - The End!

Due to wavering morale, Sir John has now to throw a dice to see if he will engage, but the great man makes his throw, turns from the body of Sir Miles and takes on Lord Melchett. Will the big man be able, single-handedly to turn the tide of battle? Read on! As Sir John turns to face Melchett, Bottom runs into the fight swinging his matchlock. Stirrup runs towards the fight but is still some distance away.

So once again, Sir John fights for his life against two opponents. The previous combats must have told on Sir John, though. Melchett is able to pierce not only Sir John's defence but also his heart! Bloody Lane claims another victim in this feud without a cause.

'Sound trumpets! let our bloody colours wave!

And either victory, or else a grave.'

Lord Melchett and Bottom step away from the gore-soaked ground and look to the south and the solitary figure of Stirrup at Hanging Cross.

Stirrup, observing that he is the only one of Sir Jaspar's original party still alive, decides to make a run for Fannys Bottom and safety. The cart is still loaded with booze so Stirrup elects to take the cart with him and gets Muffin the mule moving at a good pace to get home in time for tea and medals.

...and there our story has to end as sadly as it begun with many a good man dead including our two main protagonists, Sir Francis and Sir Jaspar, not forgetting dear Mimsie as well! The tale may now changed from The Ruin of Mimsie Hawley to The Death of Mimsie Hawley.

There was, back at the beginning (which seems so long ago) a table of Victory Points which I will remind you of here. Relating to this we find Sir Francis scored 12 points and Sir Jaspar 10 points. But as you survey the field of battle, dear reader there appear to be no winners today.

In war whichever side may call itself victor. There are no winners. But all are losers.

I must thank Doug em4 and Vagabond for taking part in this game and playing like gentlemen (with a straight bat to the wicket) and making it so enjoyable. Even at a distance, we managed to make each other laugh. As Eric and Ernie always said at the end of their show, 'Bring me Sunshine, in your smile, Bring me Laughter, all the while,'. Adieu.

The End.

The Ruin of Mimsie Hawley - Turn 8

At the start of turn 8, Sir John Falstaff challenges Lord Melchett to a Duel. Should Melchett accept this challenge, no other figure would be able to interfere following the En Garde! rules. Melchett declines the challenge and Bottom shoots at Falstaff. Bottom has obviously not been carrying out regular weapon maintenance as his ball goes flying over Sir John's head, narrowly missing the Hawley banner that Melchett so proudly carries. Falstaff charges Lord Melchett shouting "Refuse a challenge, eh? Shoot at me, eh? Well, have some of this my son, you have as little honesty as honour!"

Stirrup (remember him?) reloaded last turn and takes a long shot at Sir Miles Cholmondely-Warner. The wind must be blowing in the right direction as Stirrup scores a hit on Sir Miles and causes a light wound. Sir Miles limps in to join Melchett in combat against the massive figure of Sir John Falstaff. It was to be said (particularly in the Boars Head Inn) in later years that this was Sir John's greatest moment since hiding in the laundry basket (see The Merry Wives of Windsor). Adolf Schrödter captured Sir John in oils, showing him at his best with his page in attendance.

But I digress, back in Bloody Lane, Wrench runs at Lord Melchett and tries to cleave him in twain with his halberd. The stage is set for another round of combat in this already blood-soaked drama.

To resolve this combat, the fight was divided into two separate combats with Melchett fighting Wrench and Sir Miles taking on the mighty Sir John. Sir Miles lunges at Sir John, but the big man is able to parry. Sir John steps forward, strikes and Sir Miles sinks to the ground breathing his last. Another death in Bloody Lane.

We now turn to Melchett whose skill it seems, is more than able to overcome Wrench's mighty weapon. A well-placed thrust from Melchett and Wrench is an ex-servant, he is brown bread. Morale is tested due to the amount of bodies piling up in the road. Sir Jaspar's men start to waver but Sir Francis's men remain steady (this is where the banner comes in handy).

To be continued...

The Ruin of Mimsie Hawley - Turn 7

The slaughter continues. Enraged by the sight of his leader falling to the ground, Sir John Falstaff charges into the fray to confront Sir Francis.

Lord Melchett moves around behind Sir John and attempts to take Lord Percy Percy from the rear. No doubt Percy has experience of this sort of thing, you know what these aristocrats are like! To Percy's front, Sir Miles Cholmondely-Warner gamely tramples over the body of Sir Guffington Shortcake with a cry of "Have at you, Sir!"

Wrench runs to join the combat but is too far away to engage anyone. Puck on the other hand is close enough to join his master in the combat against fat Sir John.

So, at the end of turn 7, there are two combats to resolve, both two against one in Sir Francis's retinue's favour. Sir Jaspar's men had priority and chose to resolve Sir John's combat first. Sir John gains the initiative and strikes a mighty blow at Sir Francis. Sir Francis if you recall, already has a light wound from Sir John's ball in his arm. With this affecting his fighting, Sir John runs him through and Sir Francis will never strike again, he is an ex-swashbuckler. Puck strikes with his halberd at Sir John but the fat man blocks his attack and strikes back. His rapier passes right through Puck and out the other side. Puck is mortally wounded and expires gracefully. The odds have changed rapidly with this startling development. Both leaders now dead, the side-kicks battle on. Lord Percy is facing Sir Miles but before he can do anything, Melchett has struck from behind and killed him.

The butcher's bill now stands at one dead cardinal, one dead daughter, two dead leaders, three dead side-kicks and one dead servant. Sir Francis's men need not test for morale this turn. Sir Jaspar's men need to test but with Sir John's inspiring attribute, they automatically pass their first morale test. The fight continues.

To be continued...

The Ruin of Mimsie Hawley - Turn 6 Conclusion

The slaughter continues. We left Sir Francis and Sir Jaspar face-to-face with rapiers drawn about to engage in mortal combat. Both felt that their lives had been leading up to this moment, such was their enmity for each other.

I was thinking about bringing Capitaine-General Kenwood-Chef into the game in a sort of RPG interlude but I saw that the 'red mist' had descended on both players and they were likely to slaughter anything that moved. Kenwood-Chef and his company, thinking discretion the better part of valour, observe the tragedy from behind the front gate to Gusset House.

Although hampered by a ball in the arm, Sir Francis struck first and although Sir Jaspar riposted he received a grievous wound. Sir Jaspar has the attribute 'Lucky' which forces a re-roll making it a light wound. Sir Francis attacks again and runs Sir Jaspar through. Sir Jaspar will strike no more, he sinks to the ground and with a final twirl of his moustachio, shuffles off this mortal coil! Sir Jaspar has expired and gone to meet his maker.

...and now, after that cliff-hanger we turn to see how the side-kicks fare in this clash of the titans. Lord Melchett, the banner bearer is facing Sir Nathaniel Toastrack. Winning the initiative roll to go first, Lord Melchett strikes a Mighty Blow and using his Powerful attribute disposes of Toastrack in a very business-like manner. Toastrack joins his leader on the ground, stiff and bereft of life, now at peace and very soon to be pushing up the daisies.

...and we turn to the last combat this turn being fought in what will become Bloody Lane in villagers memories. Sir Guffington Shortbread is up against Lord Percy Percy. With a frightening display of swordsmanship, Lord Percy finishes Sir Guffington with a single attack. Sir Guffington has passed on, he is no more, he has ceased to be. There we temporarily leave this sad tale as turn 6 ends I feel sure that more slaughter will ensue before this story draws to a close.

To be continued...