WWII Toy Soldiers Progress - Part 2

 

I have started working on a map for amongst other things the WWII Toy Soldiers. This is the outline I am working from and there is a lot of changes I will be making, but this is the starting point. 

I got some more figures completed and am close to having enough ready for the first play test. My target is to have that ready early next week. No new troop types like Machineguns and Mortars added yet, but those are next on deck. I thought while I was posting I should add some better pictures of the Republicans. 

Royalist First Line Infantry

Royalist Second Line Infantry and High Command.

Royalist Artillery 

Royalist Army

Republicans and Royalist Side-by-Side View. 

Republican First Line Infantry. 

Republican Second Line Infantry.

Republican Artillery. 

The Republican Army. 

Royalist Defending a Border Town Against a Republican Attack. 

Republicans Storm the Town. 

Republican and Royalist Second Line Infantry Clash Outside of Town. 

WWII Toy Soldiers Progress

 

I have gotten a bit farther on both the world design and the painting sides of my game. The two sides are now the Royalists and the Republicans, not very original, but it covers the immediate needs of describing them. If you know anything about my style it is that I like Civil Wars with both sides being similar, with only slight variables. 

Background: After the Great Wars the victorious Nations dictated the abdication of all their adversaries' ruling families and their replacement by elected governments. The losing Nations would also have their territories broken up to prevent future wars. This all seemed grand to the victors by promoting democracy around the world, and self-autonomy to the various "repressed" peoples. It was not viewed as well by the people who had lived together for hundreds of years and whose cultures were split apart and given a form of government they know little about. Needless to say, things did not go over as expected. All the reforms did was replace a well governed kingdom with a group of small, self-serving countries. 

Coming: The Return of the King.

Here are additional pictures of the progress. These are not the best, and my wife the photographer would chastise me for taking the group shots facing the sun. I got it right on the rest. 

Republic Army First Line

Republic Second Line Troops

Republic Field Artillery

Republic SMG Troops

Republic Line Officers 

Royalist Test Figures. Still Undecide on the Helmet Color. 
Left side is Brown Violet, Right side is Olive Grey. Opinions Welcome. 

Same as Above, just a more Distant Look. 

A Comparative Look at Royalist Tests and Republican First Line. 
The Royalist Figures are not yet Satin Sealed. 

Republican Army in the Field. 
Note to Self. Keep the Sun at Your Back. 

HISTORY - IN THE BEGINING

 When Suddenly…

Having no access to this other blog anymore, I decided to repost parts here in a kind of history lesson. 

About a decade ago I decided that rather than build numerous armies for the Horse & Musket period I would simply build a pair of armies that would be used for all the rules I wanted to game. Having chosen this radical approach I knew that gamers being gamers, I would encounter those that could not wrap their head around the idea of Seven Years War figures being used for Franco Prussian Wars, or Napoleonic’s being used for the Glorious Revolution. That drove me to my second radical step. I would build armies from Eureka’s Toy Town line. When asked, “What are you playing?” I would simple answer, “Toy Soldiers.” I knew this would not be to everybody taste, but if you have read this far then you must be one of those that this appeals to.

 The idea was liberating. I could paint figures in any uniforms I could dream up. I could pick flags I liked and even create new ones. No one could ever come to my game and say, “Sorry, but that is the wrong color for the 43rds turnbacks, and they had seven buttons on their gaiters not five. How can you play with them knowing that?” When asked, what are they painted to be? I simple say, “They are cool uniforms.”

One of the Earliest Games 
The Armies of Otherwhen (Foreground) and Nodd on the Fields of Mars

 Since I was not using historical forces I needed to create ImagiNations. For my inspiration I first chose an army from one of my favorite stories/movies, The Wizard of Oz. I have always had a soft spot for the Wicked Witch and so was born Otherwhen. I based my second army on the idea that as a youth the prince of the neighboring kingdom, Nodd had been betrothed to the princess of Otherwhen, but had fallen in love with another beautiful fair-haired maid and married her instead. This insult would put the two nations at war for all eternity. Thus was born the Toy Soldier wars of Nodd and Otherwhen.

TANKSGIVING - Toy for Tots

 This past Thanksgiving week there were a number of games played in support of the Toy for Tots Charitie. The Bulge games were run on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The North Africa games on Wednesday and Saturday, and to round it off a massive Team Yankee game on Saturday as well. Credit goes to HMGS Midwest, Games Plus in Mount Prospect and the Wednesday Night Historical Group who provided the games, space, models and a host of participants. They raised over 80 toys for this worthwhile endeavor.  

I personally participated in the Wednesday North Africa game on the British side, but no others as my work schedule required me elsewhere. I did get to glance in on the games throughout the days, and it looked like a good time was had by everyone. 

North Africa was a Meeting Engagement with the British Vs the Italians in 1940. There was a large mix of armor on both sides. In this timeframe the Italian armor is very good compared to the British. Both sides launched drives from their respective right flanks. The British was tied down until late in the game when they finally started making headway, but too late to be decisive. The Italians did much better and were only stopped at the last moments by the British pulling reinforcements from their center to stem the tide. 

British Starting Point. Australian Mixed Armor, Infantry and Artillery Support on Each Flank Stands British Armor. 

In the Center the Italians Held a Dominate Ridgeline That Held Up British Forces.

British Bring up Australian Reserves to try and Break the Center Deadlock to no Avail.  

On the British Left the Italians Advance with Massed Armor Supported by 90mm Anti-tank Guns.

This Proved Very Effective with Only a Last-Minute Reinforcement from the Center Stopping the Advance Short of Their Objective (Burned Out Tank Bottom of Picture).  

On the British Right Italian Light and Medium Tanks Stall the British for Most of the Game. 

Finally, in the Last Few Turns the British Make a Breakthrough, but it is too Late to be of Any Real Effect. 

In the end the game was a draw with both sides heavily bloodied.

British Command Observes the Carnage Safely from the Rear. 

As this Bulge game was going on simultaneously with the North Africa event, I was unable to get details. The Americans were tasked with holding off an attack by the Gross Deutschland forces along a wide front. In the end accurate German artillery fire and superior tank tactics won the day, giving the Germans a minor victory. 

Start of the Game Showing the US Center.

On Their Right US Tanks Await Behind Cover for the German Advance. 

German Center Advances

And is Slowed by some Accurate Fire. 

German Advances in the Center Continue as US Casualties Begin to Mount Up. 

On the American Right More Disaster Continues. 

On the Left Having Secured the Town the Germans Begin Turning the Flank. 

Near Games End and the Grim Harvest of the American Defense on the Left. 

IT HAS NOT ALL BEEN ABOUT THE DOGS

 Over the past months there have been many other games and projects I will try and get to here. These are some examples.

Epic 5th NY for On to Richmond Project

Epic Union 1st Brigade

Epic Confederate 1st Brigade

Preview Leviathans 2022

Leviathans French (left), German (right) Cruiser & Destroyer

Leviathans Germans & French 

AWI Test Paints Figures from Rank and File 

AWI Rebels and Patriots Game

Dog Wars – Battle for the North - Battle of Northbrook

 

The first battle of the Dog Wars Campaign sees the might of the Wolfenstein Empire advancing into the Union of Packs Commonwealth’s northern lands. The Empire having secured the County Line Bridge and nearby crossings the previous day are preparing to continue their advance in the morning. During the night an advance force from the UPC has taken control of a small hamlet at the crossing of Salt Creek. As dawn approaches both forces prepare for the days coming battle.

Empire Forces Beginning the Crossing of the North Ford

The Union of Packs Commonwealth (UPC) Garrison of Milton Defending Against the Initial Empire Combined Arms Assault

The UPCs Main Body of Troops Arriving

The Empires Initial Assault Being Checked with Little Gained

The Empire's Forces Advancing Across the County Line Bridge

Empire Forces Beginning to Mass in Front of the Town of Milton 

Artillery Exchange Volleys as Empire Grenadiers Begin the Advance  

The UPC Advance to Defend Against the Empires Flanking Attempt

The Empire Begins the Second Assault on Milton Garrison

Empire Heavy Cavalry Sweeps Around the Northern Flank

The Empire Attempt to Turn the Southern Flank

In the end the Empire found itself check across the line. The Empire Command found it difficult to coordinate its three-pronged assault, while the UPC seemed to arrive just in time to hold off each new attack. At days end the Empire was forced to withdraw and seek a different avenue of advance.   

Victory Points Standing: Empire 0, UPC 1