Panzer Is and Jagdpanthers

We gamers today are very lucky, we have ample supplies of quality figures for any scale and period (yes. I know someone out there is looking for a 15mm version of the Independent, but really now). The Internet and print on demand has given access to a wide assortment of technical knowledge on, well everything. But I save the best for last, the Internet has connected gamers 50 miles away or 4,000 miles away. This world allows gamers to ask any question of experts often getting an answer in under an hour. Recently I asked Guy Bowers a question and he responded quickly and the author of the piece responded to Guy's querie in 16 minutes. Amazing.

If you have a question this community will help. So when I was interested in a new period back in 2006ish, I was introduced to TOOFATLardies and Richard Clarke. A great resource and friend to all. He in-turn connected me with Guy Bowers, editor of Wargames Soldiers and Strategy (see above). And what a publication it is.

If you are interested in miniatures or gaming, you need to get a copy. What to improve you painting, well here in the US you can find it on the shelves of Barnes & Nobel. Looking for original writing on WWII, Ancients, American Civil War or fantasy, well you need a subscription. And it is the holiday season, so treat yourself. :-)

In the last two issues there was not only original writing on the battles in Holland other than Operation Market Garden. Piers Brand wrote about battles that allows the gamer to put on the table Panzer Is and Renault 35s along side Shermans and Jagdpanthers. His historical research is first rate and reinforces the idea is you can take a battle like Caen or Arnhem and never run out of engagements. Add in the German use of training equipment and kampfgruppen and well there will always be something interesting on the table. Right now I have three Renaults on the painting bench. They will be painted in three different paint schemes, German grey, yellow and forest green.

So does this have you thinking about picking up an issue. Good, as WSS is the best magazine on the market, and I have purchased a lot of them. 

Two Awesome WSS Articles #84

Being on the other side of the Atlantic, I received the recent issue of Wargames Soldiers & Strategy (issue #84) a little latter than most, but I was pleased to dig into this one. The articles on the Normans are interesting, but it was two articles that caught my attention.

The Four Pillars of Wargaming by Warwick Kinrade covers not only what makes a good wargame but also how to have a healthy outlook when taking part in this social hobby. As we add to the membership of our band of brothers (and sisters) it is good to not only put on the best games possible but to teach that we are always growing our collections of models and terrain. And to me terrain is something I will never have enough of. The general consensus is we have to have it all but to be balanced we just have to understand that our collections will grow (in a healthy manner) and the look on the table will also improve over time.

Not surprising the pillars are miniatures, terrain, the game and opponents. I will not go into great detail, as I hope you will read this and maybe Guy could post this article on the website. Just a thought.

Richard Clarke’s piece in the Up Front section deals with The Politics of Wargaming. With the 2016 US Presidential election in full ugly swing politics is often a dirty word, one not talked about at family gatherings. For me wargaming is the dirtier word, as it is a hobby I find hard to explain to coworkers and family. But Richard jumped in with both feet and touched on the Confederate battle flag, Nazi re-enactors and bad plumbing at HMGS convention. What an article.

Within the hobby, I have commanded southern troops in a few games as well a few Nazi units and I even have a PLO/Lebanese militia force. But I do not dress the part and while I am knowledgeable about their politics I am not an apologist for them. The combat history of Normandy and Lebanon interests me as does the history of the 21st Army Group and the IDF.

Re-enactors can bring a historic interpretation to a convention but some periods are to politically and racially charged. We need to be able to explain history to the general public and just like history to the lower school grades is watered down we need to feed to the public what they are ready for. For most Waffen SS is the same as the German Heer and they are not. For one, I do not want to be lumped together with the Nazi re-enactors at a con. Well done Richard.

Now about that HMGS shoddy plumbing...

Look What is in the Mail!

This came in the mail yesterday and it is just in time. The club is looking at doing 100 Years War campaigns and this is a similar and possibly more colorful addition to the period.

My initial force is ordered and should come out at about 12-14 stands. A rather large Free Company. Not sure of the rules but that is not stopping me from moving ahead. (Thank you Tony.)

I will look at doing a full Italian Condottieri force towards the end of this year. Playing the rules and doing some more research will make the final decision easier.

I am a big supported of Guy and WSS and think it one of the best magazines out there for anyone interested in history and/or gaming. This new project may have me looking at subscribing to his medieval magazine.  This is all in the name of research.

Latest Addition to the Zoo

I have added to my animal farm having finished up this morning two Panthers and a Stug courtesy of a contest held by Chris Stoesen last September. I am a slow painter at times. Thank you Chris, I hope you like the results.

These goodies will be seeing action both in Normandy as well as the streets of Berlin in 1945.  The Berlin reference comes from “Mohnke business at Berlin Zoo” in the recent article in Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy. I am a big fan of WSS and it is one of the few gaming magazines I subscribe to. It is well balanced in its coverage even in theme issues. This gem, “Mohnke business at Berlin Zoo” is a great example of balance in an issue that covered a theme dealing with the conquest of the New World.