First game of 2021 and first game of WoG with my son.

 Today I introduced my 6yo son to Wings of Glory. He has expressed a growing interest in gaming with me since I returned from my deployment. For our first game we each had one, very maneuverable, fighter. I was very impressed with how quickly he picked up the rules and figured out the maneuvering. For the second game I let him pick two aircraft from the same side and he went with 2 German heavy fighters. I took a British heavy fighter and an Italian sea plane. That battle went on for quite a while until finally he was left with the only plain still flying.

Game 1:

The first 5 hits I scored on him where all Zeros! but his luck ran out when he drew the explosion card. He put up a good fight for his first game and was a good sport about the lose. He immediately asked for a second game with two aircraft each.

Game 2:

I managed to focuses fire down one of his heavy fighters but my Italian sea plane had taken a beating in the process.

It didn't take him long to pay me back by going after my damaged plane and shooting it down.

Our last two aircraft spent a great deal of time spiraling around trying to get in good positions. It was a real challenge since they are both the same size with the same movement deck.

Finally my luck ran out and with only 3 HP left for each of us I drew the explosion card and he drew a 1. Second game was a victory for him and he was a gracious winner.

I really love this game and highly recommend it for getting anyone into the hobby. Normally I would suggest waiting for most kids to start around the age of 10 but some, like my son, are perfectly ready to start younger. I was honest with him and told him up front I was going to play to win. He was proud to beat me.

4 Grounds WW1 Terrain

One of the Black Friday deals I took advantage of was a sale at 4 Grounds. Got their Eastern European collection and a Ruined House for use in my WW1 games. Never had much terrain for that theater but with 2 respectable armies I thought it was about time.

The largest of the 3. Nice thing about all of them is the exterior doors all work.

The roof is not quite done. I need to go over it with some watered down PVA glue and put the chimney on.

And finally the ruined house, just to add a feeling of combat to the battle field. 

Rest of the Germans

Also finished up the rest of my WWI German infantry:

Some snipers that I will use as both German and Russian

NCOs and Officers

Rest of the trench coats

All the new ones:

I'll get some photos of all my WWI models here soon.

Trench Coats

After nearly 3 years of sitting on a shelf waiting for me I have finally returned to my First World War project. As the project stands I currently have:

Russians
Painted:
36 Infantry
1 HMG
1 Artillery
1 General
2 Aids

Un-Painted:
10 Cossack Cavalry
1 HMG
1 Sniper

Germans
Painted:
27 Infantry
1 HMG
1 Artillery
1 General
2 Aids

Un-Painted:
9 Infantry
14 Cavalry
1 Artillery
3 Aids
1 Radio Operator
1 Armored Car
1 Sniper

This weekend I added 9 more German infantry and 1 Aid which is included in the count above. Here are their pictures:

(left) Infantry leader and Aid (right)

Wings of Glory

I recently got Wings of Glory after my wife had played it at a game fair back in England. I got a starter set with just two plains and have had so much fun that we already have two more on order.

Took a couple photos of us playing:

And just so you all know I am still working on a few projects. Just have not found a group to game with
yet.

More WWI Germans and an Armored Car

Warhammer 40K Tau Empire

Though I tend to play more historical I figured having a 40K army in the US will give me more gaming opportunities.

Retreat From Mons AAR

For February's club game, Gareth, Peter, and I got out our WWI minis for a game of Mud and Blood.

Rules:
We used the Too Fat Lardies 'Through the Mud and Blood'. I had never played the rules before and generally shy away from card driven rules sets, however, I have been more open to them since playing Muskets and Tomahawks (which we will be playing in March). In this rules set every individual unit has a card that is shuffled into the deck along with a card for each user. I think the shooting and mele mechanics are more realistic the Contemptible Little Armies though they are a bit more complicated. Over all, without going into more detail, I really enjoyed the rules and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a WWI rules set.

Scenario:
Gareth had set the game up based of an actual battle during the British retreat from Mons. A small British Expeditionary Force was holding a small farm and some shallow trenches in the path of the advancing German army. The British where to hold their position long enough to delay the Germans and then pull back.

Overview:
According to Gareth our game went along perfectly with the historical outcome. The Germans (commanded by myself and Peter) where significantly delayed in our advance. The British (commanded by Gareth) fought bravely but where eventually overrun my the Germans larger numbers.

German 1st Platoon

 German 2nd Platoon

 The German deployment. The BEF was spreed out and hidden in and beyond the gully.

 2nd Platoon moves to the near by hedge and spots a BEF unit in the near by gully.

 2nd Platoon fans out and the BEF unit starts to fall apart under the hail of gunfire.

 1st Platoon advances in line and stumbles upon to BEF units either side of the bridge. 1 of the German sections is forced into a fierce mele with the BEF.

 The mele is intense and the German section is beaten back. 

 Despite the mele victory the BEF are forced to withdraw under the hail of German gunfire.

 After pushing back and nearly wiping out the BEF unit, 2nd Platoon surges forward to occupy the recently vacated gully.

 The rest of the BEF units take up positions in the trenches and farmstead 

 1st Platoon now occupies the gully as well.

 A BEF unit tries to fall back to the farm complex.

 The Germans did not manage to push beyond the gully before time ran out. All BEF units within 18in of the Germans where captured though few remained till that point.