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. 

Another New Project - WWII Toy Solders

 I have started another small project, this time it is Between the War/WWII era using toy soldiers. The figures are from Mark Coppelstone's Little Soldiers, which he refers to as pseudo-nostalgic Neo-Retro. What I call them is simple cool.   

This is more of a quick side project as I gear up for the new REALLY big thing, more on that in a future post. I have built two, as of now, unnamed forces, both organized along similar lines of four units of rifleman with a supporting LMG and officer for every other unit. There are two HMGs, a mortar group, anti-tank rifle and artillery gun with crew of four. There is also a second line pair of units, along with either and LMG, or HMG depending on the side. 

This is Army A Awaiting Painting. 

Here is Army B. 

I am envisioning these forces as something along the lines of Balkan's nations, or perhaps something like the opposite sides in the Spanish Civil War. I will be trying out a number of different rules sets such as Xenos Rampant, The Portable Wargame, Command and Colors WWI, or even something of my own design. 

I am also doing something different, at least for me, with all of these figures getting a Satin Varnish coat instead of the normal Dullcoat I use. This to me really changes the look from Historical Figures, to Toy Soldiers. 

First Basic Test Colors Based somewhat on US Regulation Uniform of the Era. 

A More Comple Version that I Rejected. 

The Final Unform for Army A. You can See the Shiny Effect of the Satin Coating on These Vs the Previous Image. This is the Standard Squad of Four Riflemen. 

DOG WARS BARKING MAD 2

 

It has taken me awhile to get this latest post up. I have had a bout of COVID that knocked me for a loop, and even afterwards left me rather lethargic for nearly a month. 

In preparation for the Fall '23 Dog Wars Campaign I have been running a number of battles that are both unlinked and do not influence the following games but will have an effect on the forces at the start of the Fall Campaign. 

This is a revisit of the Honors of War scenario Surprise at Spittelwitz, but heavily modified on the terrain. The river now only offers protection on the UPC right flank and no longer needs to be crossed by the entire Empire force. Victory still lies in the Empire capturing the Village of Spittelwitz and and hill line defenses. Any other result is a UPC victory. 

Initial Assault of the UPC Forward Redoubts. Slink's Lights can be Seen Evacuating Their Position to Reinforce the Town. 

In Short Order the Left Most UPC Redoubt is Overrun by Empire Line. The Begsforth's Lights are in Serious Trouble and Their Commanding Officer Moves to Rally Them. 

On the UPC Right the Cavalry Reserve Moves to Counter the Advance of the Empire's Cavalry Seen Crossing the River upper right. 

On the Empire Right Whine's Battalion Reforms After Taking the Redoubt as Woofing's and Yowler's Regiments Begin Their Advance Against the UPC Lefts Trenchworks.

In the Center the Shakesalot Rangers Continue to Holdout Against Combined Infantry and Artillery Fire. 

The Village of Spittelwitz Under Attack from Empire Grenadiers, Artillery and Light Infantry. The Defending UPC Grenadiers have been Reinforced by Light Infantry. 

Midpoint in the Battle and the Empire's Flanking Force Arrives. The UPC is Under Extreme Pressure with the Last Redoubt Having Fallen and Their Cavalry Engaged Against and Equal Number of Empire Cavalry, Supported by Light Infantry. 

With the Village of Spittlewitz Cleared of UPC Grenadiers the Empire Begins the Advance to Control the Village and Launch Their Assault on the UPC Main Hill Defenses. 

On the Empire Right Their Infantry Begins Maneuvering for the Assault on the Second Hill Position. 

The Empire Center Working Past the Woods on Their Way to Assault the Right-Side Hill Position.
In the Background can be Seen the UPC Infantry Preparing to Faceoff the Empire's Flanking Attack. 

Empire Cuirassier Rushing into the Kill Box of the UPC's Main Hill Defense. As Can be Seen by the Casualty Markers They Have Paid a Big Price for Their Effort.  

UPC's Reserve Cavalry Smashed by the Empire's Cuirassier, with Empire Grenadiers and Light Infantry Bringing Pressure to the Rear and Flank for the Main UPC Hill Defenses. 

Empire Forces in Full Control of Their First Objective with the Village of Spittelwitz Flooded with Empire Troops. They Main UPC Hill Defenses can Clearly be Seen Nearly Surrounded by Empire Forces. 

The Empire's First Assault on the UPC's Left Hill, a Combined Force of Line Infantry with Artillery Support. 

The Empire's Center Forces Beginning Their Approach to the Main Hill.

The Empire's Fortunes Begin to Fade. UPC Troops have Returned to Their Trenchworks and Their Fire Becomes Murderous. The Empire's Coordination Begins to Crack Under the Pressure. 

With Assaults Coming from All Sides, It Seems the UPC is in Dire Straits, but at this Critical Moment Four of the Empire's Generals Fall to Enemy Fire.  

As the Unprecedented Disaster Stikes the Empire Leadership, Dame Fortune Smiles More Brilliantly on the UPC as Across the Field Unit after Unit Rallies to Their Colors. 

As Can be Seen in these Pictures Empire Units are Near Breaking Point, while the UPC still Holds Both of the Hills in Strength. 

The Orange Tokens Tell the Grim Story. 

As time ran out it came down to a judgment call. The Empire forces had nine units weakened and near their breaking point, while the UPC had none. With the loss of so many Generals preventing the Empire's recovery I had to call this a UPC victory. 

ONE HOUR WARGAME SCENARIOS - Part 3

This third battle is OHW 23 Defense in Depth. Bob chose to defend, so I was on the attack. The objective was for me to exit half of my forces from the opposite side of the field I entered from, with the defense needing to delay me for the 15 turns of the game. There are a few special rules: The Defenders have 4 stands of Irregular Infantry that may move through woods as if it was open ground. The Attackers may not enter woods. These rules were significantly as it meant I could not use the ford at the central woods. It also meant I could not assault the Irregulars if they were inside the woods, and as they were at a -1 in close combat it would prove important. 

The Brown Markers Indicate the Ford Crossings. The Attackers Advance Directly to the Bridge with Infantry and Artillery as the Defenders had Chosen not to Start in the Town. The Defenders did Deployed Irregulars in the Woods that are Able to Provide Harassing Fire Against Both Fords. Their Artillery is Placed on the Hill and Able to Provide Supporting Fire Against all Three River Crossings. The Attackers Sent up Both a Significant Part of Their Infantry and All Their Cavalry to Force the Eastern Ford.  

With no Direct Defense of the Ford the Attackers Rushed Across Suffering Fire from both the Artillery on the Hill and the Irregulars in the Woods. The Defenders Moved Foward to Contest the Bridge Crossing and for the Time, Checked the Assault on the Western Side. 

At the Bridge the Defense had Strengthened, Including Throughout the Town. To the East More Troops Poured Across the Ford and Began to Assault the Irregular Defenders with Both Their Cavalry and Massed Infantry. A Company of Infantry was Sent to Pin the Irregulars in the Woods, Preventing them from Firing and Forced to Either Assault Out, or Maneuverer to a Different Location. 

At the Bridge Massed Fire had Forced the Defender Away and Back into Town, while in the East, Casualties were Build up on the Attackers, Forcing a Number of Companies to be Withdrawn from the Main Fighting. 

In the East Things Began to Turn Against the Defenders with the Attackers Cavalry Making a Successful Charge on the Artillery and Their Infantry Steadily Forcing Back the Defending Irregulars. 

At the Bridge the Attackers have Finally Crossed but are now Surrounded on Three Sides, However Reinforcement are Close at Hand to Continue the Advance as Time is Now Become a Major Issue. 

The Bloody Struggle for the Town can be Seen by the Number of Orange Markers that Indicate Hits Taken by Units.  

In the East the Final Struggle for the Hill. Once Lost this Would Leave a Major Gap that the Attackers Would Use to Race Off the Field. 

At This Critical Moment in the Battle Fate Would Take a Hand in the Way of the Much Needed "Rally Cards" for the Attackers. With There General Now in Direct Control of the Assault He Rallies Both Units for a Further Push. The Defenders are now on the Brink of Collapse Shown by the Three Hits They have, At the Forth Hit They Will Rout from the Field. 

In the East the Last of the Defenders is Overcome and the Attackers are Able to Exit the Main Body of Their Troops, but it is Still not Enough if the Defenders at the Town can Hold Just a Short While Longer. 

The End Comes Swiftly. With Two Defending Companies Routed the Final Defenders are Quickly Overwhelmed by the Attackers Numbers. With the Road now Open the Attackers are Able to Exit Enough Units to Win the Battle.

This was a real struggle by both sides. The Defense came within two turns of holding out long enough for the win. The attackers were aided in no little part by getting both of their Rally Cards back-to-back and able to use them to force the road through town open. Without these the battle could easily have swung to the defenders. 

We have now given these rules a good shake down. There are still some little tweaks we may try, but things are running smoothly. We will play a few more scenarios and if we don't come across and major errors a campaign is coming soon.