In light of recent events...

I'm sure my astute readers have all heard of the events in Canada this week. Two soldiers were run down (one later died) in Quebec by a person believed to be a radical Islamic militant, who was later killed by the local police. Yesterday, a young Army reservist was shot and killed while standing guard at the Canadian War Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa. The shooter then entered the Parliament building and was himself shot and killed by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Parliament, a former Mounted Police constable, in an exchange of gunfire. This morning there have been shots fired at vehicles along Highway 401 east of Toronto. This third item may not have anything to do with the first two, but the timing alone makes it suspect, if the event is real at all. I cannot offer any confirmation at this time.

Some ask "What is happening?" This is the reality of the modern world. Some voices blame members of certain religious groups. Others see a plot by governments to limit individual rights and gain more power and control. Some are jumping to horrendous conclusions with meagre evidence. I don't wish to do any of these things.

I'm glad to note that the Canadian Parliament is back in session this morning and is taking care of legislative business as much as it ever does. That is probably the best thing that could happen in that place. Refusing to be disrupted is an act of resistance and business as usual is a defusing of terror. Things will not be the same as they were before all this and yet there is no reason to panic. (I've been told that some schools in the US are closed for fear of the ebola virus. A comedian jokingly and realistically reminded us that more Americans have married Kim Kardashian than have died of ebola. Note the emphasis on Americans; for Africa, this in no laughing matter. For the USA, panic is far less realistic.)

Why am I saying this? Speaking out of a black mood, I remind myself that whatever I might say is of little worth in the great scheme of things. My musings on painted bits of metal, resin, and plastic and how I push them around a table-top is a self-indulgent exercise. Important things happen around me and I surely have little awareness of them and even less control over them. I am a small person in the midst of much larger events. I will continue to "blog" what I usually do but always with the memory that what I write about is... less important.

I wanted to say this before I blog anything else so that anyone who reads this will know that I take serious things seriously and I'm as confused as anyone else.

God help us all. God be with us all. I pray for ALL those who have lost their lives and for their families.

Rest in Peace, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo
Argyl and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada

Boot Camp Continues

   For the third week in a row, a portion of the Hamilton Road Gaming Group practiced their Disposable Heroes skills. Andy and I faces off (Soviet Russians vs. German SS) in an experimental match. Robby faced Tyler (Americans vs. Germans) while Martin and DJ did a training scenario (Sikhs vs. Canadians.) Actually Robby and Tyler got two games in. Our restriction was 1000 points on a side, which might include vehicles. My wife and daughter ate lunch with us and then went to the London Dog Show. More on that later.
   Tyler and Robby had two close fought games, Robby's M4 Sherman dying in both outings.

Robby's GI's take cover behind the stone walls and among the dogs.

This dog show "the better part of valour."
(There's a theme developing here.)

Tyler's 8cm mortar doing what it usually does - NOTHING!

Andy and I tired an experiment. He'd been reading an article on the ability of better trained/veteran troops to make better use of cover. He came up with a fairly simple way to do that, using small chips showing the movement of the element. (sneaking/standing still in cover = -2 DM to enemy fire, Maneuvering = -1 DM, running = 0 DM, elite troops = +1 DM additional) The background for this was the idea that paratroops/rangers/commandos/Panzer Lehr were as easy to spot and hit as Home Guard/Volksturm. This didn't seem right to Andy and DJ agreed. I was willing to experiment. It worked to an extent, although it slowed the game down to a degree. The chips helped to keep track. More on this later as well.


We chose a fairly congested urban fight. Houses by the Dollar Store;
cobblestone square from Christmas village supplies at Canadian Tire;
fountain/monumnt is a Roman soldier atop a plactic communion cup in
a medicine bottle top. The Pz. IV was a wreck so it was scenery.



Andy's Russians pinned in a house.



Martin's Soviet appartment block. "Such a view, Tovarich!"




A lone LMG was actually in the house. Photos of the new SS figs in
"Erbsenmuster" cammo togs are to come later.




Soviet  house party! I got slapped around in the large  ruin.
It was a knife fight.



My MG-42 team in that two-storey ruin.

The Russian 76mm AT gun which ventilated a house or two... and a squad.



The mobile artillery... which didn't move all game. Why should it?



The Maxim team hiding and damaging my morale. The chip shows the
element is in "cover" with a +2 DM meaning those firing at them fired at a
further -2 to their accuracy. Nice figs in any case.

Well, I lost. That's not unusual; I lose far more often than I win. (A spiritual director once told me "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.") but it wasn't all in vain.

Lessons learned:

• Elite troops are great, but EXPENSIVE. My 1000 points of SS was 'way out-gunned by the less-expensive and therefore, more numerous Soviets. Lots more rifles, HMG's, armour, and artillery for the same amount of points. My morale was better but morale doesn't turn away bullets in this game. This is one of the reasons for our experiment.
• The jury is still out on our experiment. It worked and has value, but it slowed the game down noticibly. There is also the inescapable equation of combat: more shooters = more hits = more casualties. An expensive SS Sturmmann/Guard Grenadier/Paratrooper can be laid low by a shot from a Volksturm/militiaman/conscript just as easily as from a trooper of equal game morale quality. Quality will make the difference in equal numbers... but remember "Patton's Law": There are more Shermans than Panthers here, and more on the boat. We're going to continue the experiment later. {I hope this experiment is not taken as dissatisfaction with the Iron Ivan rules. We're just trying something. Who knows? Maybe the game designers tried the same thing and rejected it?}
• The dog theme continued. Dogs ran all over Robby and Tyler's game. Beth and Katie went to the dog show. Later that evening, we received our first foster dog, Dakota. He was rescued from the local pound and had been placed in a home that didn't work out. Now we're part of the rescue movement in this area. So here he is:

Dakota

Next week, we cannot attend the Gaming Club. It is the annual meeting of the King's Company of Historical Reenactors so we'll gather for meeting, drill, and lunch at the Elgin Regiment's Armory in St. Thomas, ON.

Favourites... ("Not that anyone cares.")

One of the blogs I follow ("Don't Throw a 1" by Ray Roussel in the UK) engaged in a little deep background work. I usually hesitate to do this, since I often discount my opinion, yet what are blogs for? Ray quoted another gamer/blogger: "We all  have favourite games, periods, inspirations and so on, the challenge then is to document what they are so we can all see what drives us....." So here goes.

Periods -    I reeeeeealy like the Napoleonic period. I started out in the early '70's with Airfix conversions, and moved to Minifigs, and beyond. Presently, I push 15mm Austrians, Swedes, and Turks, usually fighting against my wife's Italians with their French add-ons. We also do the War of 1812 in 15mm ("large" battles and battalion level) and 28mm (skirmish.) 7-Years War in Europe (15mm) is always a load of fun for me. I've added ACW (28mm skirmish and 15mm battalion level), WWII (28mm Skirmish), Spanish Civil War (15mm large skirmish), French and Indian War (25mm skirmish) and Ancients (25mm large armies - Gauls, Early Imperial Romans, Late Romans, and a Hebrew army.) I played WWII Battalion level but moved away from it. On occasion, I play 1/1200 sailing ships and Wings of War WWI aircraft, and once in a while some Sci-fi space craft. I'd like to get back into Renaissance/30-Years War/ECW, but lack the time.

     One game I really enjoy is Traveller, an RPG based in the far future. I still succumb to the lure of D&D once in a while.
      I've also played fantasy gaming with a certain large company's game and 40K and Epic Space Marine, too. Oh, I forgot a favouite - Warmaster!



The Vatican Hit Squad for
Where Heroes Dare



 Rules -

     I cut my teeth on Column, Line, & Square, moved to Empire II & III, suffered through Eaglebearer, a computer based set of rules, and now do Shako for large battle Napoleonics. I truely enjoy the Iron Ivan games with we use for F&I, 1812, WWII, ACW, WWI, SCW, and Pulp games. Their stuff has to be among the best, most playable, and well thought-out rules around. I would recommend them to anyone. Although I've played Warfare in the Age of Reason, I prefer KoenigKrieg for the 7-Years War. I'm very much interested in using Mr. Lincoln's War for ACW larger battles. Warhammer Ancients, Don't Give Up the Ship, Wings of War round out the stable. I'm looking to introduce Clash of Empires and General de Brigade (for battalion/brigade level 1812) sometime.
     In the past, I'd also done Spearhead, Command Decision, Newberry Fast Play for Ancients and Renaissance (a misnomer, sorry.), and a few others, some of which I don't remember... or don't want to remember.
     Oh, I played Flames of War... once. I still itch.

Figures -
     I get the feeling that we are in the Golden Age for figures. I don't remember any time when there were more manufacturers! (Of course, I was out of communication for quite a few years and out of money for many more.) For Napoleonics, I prefer AB Figures, Battle Honours, and Minifigs (especially for 1812 in North America). 7-Years War - Freikorps15 and Essex. Ancients - Old Glory (affordable and acceptable) and Foundry. SCW - Peter Pig and anything I can scrape together. ACW - in 28mm, Perry Miniatures; in 15mm, Old Glory 15s, Essex, and some Falcon Minis for the odd stuff (Garibaldi Guard and such.) WWII - 28mm-Warlord plastics, Black Tree Design, Battle Honours, and Bolt Action (very nice.)
     Obviously, I don't have a favourite manufacturer. Often it depends on what I can find. I still like to see the figs I'm purchasing. I'm old fashioned that way.

Influences -
    One of my biggest influences was my father. He didn't care for my staying in and painting or gaming. He wanted me to be more athletic, but he tolerated my foibles and did answer my questions about his military service. In World War II, he was regimental supply sergeant for a US coastal artillery (anti-aircraft) regiment sent to North Africa, Corsica, Sardinia, and southern France. When they disbanded the regiment (to convert most of the personnel to infantry or transportation corps), he transfered to the Transportation Corp and ran the port of Marsailles for a while. He retired after 20+ years service in the Army Reserve with the rank of major. I suppose that set up some of my interest in history.
    My family's interest in re-enacting has been an influence as well. Learning the 1812 US Manuel of Arms and standing in a firing line is something to be experienced. You see your games in a whole different light.

Books -
   Let's see... Cornwell's Sharpe series, Laumer's Bolo sci-fi books, The Lord of the Rings, Glen Cook's Black Company fantasy books, Anderson's Flandry books, the Osprey and Hippocrene books I've been collecting since the 1970's (I've got some OLD ones.), Forrester's Hornblower series, the Honor Harrington series (without the soap opera), Heinlein's Starship Troopers, my crazed interest in history and my wife's degree in history. Not much history, I know but what can I say? I should read more of Adrian Goldsworthy's stuff; supporting the family, y'know. (We're not related, as much as I might pretend.)

Movies -

    The Last of the Mohicans, Glory, Gettysburg (thought to be a mess by many, but I have a buddy who was in the Signal Corps portion of the film and I've walked the battlefield a few times, so I like it.), Saving Private Ryan, Enemy at the Gates, Das Boot, Michael Collins, Sparticus, The Lord of the Rings, A Walk in the Sun (That's an old one.) I really can't remember any more. 

    Well, that's enough. I know I've missed a lot, but I'm out of patience. I've come a long way from fighting Robin Hood vs. Sheriff's Men in the Sherwood Forest playset ("by Marx!), throwing the Maid Marian figure to knock down the enemy. Good gaming to all of you!