Ultramodern Wargaming – Ukraine 2024
Recommendations: 13001
About the Project
Lately, I've been running war games every weekend with members of the community via web conference. Players log on and play wargames with each other in real time, regardless of location, and we usually have at least a couple spectators as well. Many times it’s been Darkstar, but we’re also running wargames in Panzer Leader, Arab-Israeli Wars, and now Valor & Victory.
BoW/OTT community members @brucelea, @damon, @davehawes, and @rasmus have taken the plunge, leading battalions across thousands of meters of desert, starfleets in pitched battles across the heavens, or vicious firefights in the jungles of Vietnam, all without leaving the comfort of their home.
Hard-core, old-school command-tactical wargames can now be run (complete with spectators and recordings) in real time, with BOTH PLAYERS moving pieces across THE SAME virtual game board, thus maintaining player agency, speedy and instant results (no play by e-mail), interwoven turn sequences, any questions / feedback instantly received and addressed, and with the game being virtually recorded as it goes, a ready-made battle report can actually be created as we go.
All of this without the players having to install any new software on their computer, on any platform (PC or Mac). All that's needed is to agree on a time, a handful of dice, and a bellyful of courage!
Every weekend can now be a boot camp! All without costing me thousands of dollars in airfare, too!
Related Game: PanzerBlitz
Related Genre: Historical
This Project is Active
USMC AAV-7A1 Amptrack rescue and conversion
I’ve been having a blast lately “rescuing” and restoring old miniatures and adding them to my “first line” 15mm table forces.
These were old LVTP-7s, rather beat up, with missing turrets and in the old 1970s-80s configuation where honestly they weren’t that useful. I wanted to update them to the newer USMC AAV-7 variant so I could use them in Desert Storm or OIF scenarios from the 90s and 2000s.
Picked them up in a “twenty bucks for the box” buy/swap at the local club.
Original state (three big green ones in back). The smaller sand one in the front is a Fields of Valor toy, but in 10mm. Basically, I want to make those three 15mm greens look like the 10mm sand.
First thing to go were the turrets. One was missing anyway. The original LTVP-7 turrets are also only really useful in Beirut 83, Grenada 83, and in Argentinian service in Falklands 82. 
Scratch-built turrets to the AAV-7 model. Hatches, commander, and .50 cals from the bits box. everything else (including the Mk19 AGLs) are scratch-built from scrabble tiles, plastic broom bristles, toothpicks, and electical tape.
After first airbrush.
Final result. A lot of mold bubbles to fill in, flash to shave / sand down. New stowage is scratch built. New front heasdlight plate scratch built. Surf propellers at rear were missing, scratch-built. Side armor upgrades scratch-built. New commander added in new hatch / turret. For $1 a piece, I'm not too displeased with the result.
Seven Days to the River Rhine: Harold Coyle's "Sword Point" (US v USSR in Alternate 1990s Iran)
Join us as we try using the Seven Days to the River Rhine (Great Escape Games) system to recreate a scenario from Harold Coyle’s Sword Point novel, imagining a US-USSR conflict in an alternate 1990 Iran.
The Soviets have sent in three Combined Arms Armies into Iran, a move the Americans must counter with a Rapid Deployment Force quickly reinforced by two further corps. It’s T-80s vs. M1A1 Abrams, BMP-2s vs. Bradleys, Mi-24E Hinds vs. Apaches … but in the Iranian desert instead of the meadows and forests of Germany.
Hold on, only the 5th item in the project page and this never appeared on the front webpage for the site???
Hobby Video - Tank Miniature Rescue!
Here is the replay of yesterday’s stream where we made some great progress on restoring some Cold War era Soviet armor (T-64, T-72, T-80). Probably going to put these in Ukrainian markings to put up against my large pre-existing Soviet / Russian force. Might make for some mellow listening while working on your own hobby.
20mm Force-on-Force, Second Battle of Fallujah - Iraq War 2004
A few more table photos from today’s set up of Force-on-Force, Second Fallujah, Nov 2004.
2nd Plt / Kilo Co, 3/5 Marines vs.
“1920 Revolution Brigade,” Mahdist insurgents
Air support from USAF, Blackhawk support from US Army 2/7 Cavalry (engaged to the northeast)
Fury at Stavelot - 15mm Tactical Combat in Battle of the Bulge - Video
Once again Oriskany Jim sits down with friends of the South Florida Miniature gaming Club at Das Krieg Haus, where played a real knock-down, drag-out game of Mark Ritchie’s Tactical Combat in 15mm. The scenario this time is one of the Battles of Stavelot, Belgium, fought during the chaotic opening days of the German 1944 Ardennes Offensive.
Forward German units have passed through this town but not garrisoned it, allowing American combat engineers and tank destroyers to re-occupy it behind him. Now, when heavier German armor attempts to pass through the town and over the vital bridge they believe is secured, they have a very rude surprise in store for them.
20mm Force-on-Force, Second Battle of Fallujah - Iraq War 2004
Some table photos from today’s set up of Force-on-Force, Second Fallujah, Nov 2004.
2nd Plt / Kilo Co, 3/5 Marines vs.
“1920 Revolution Brigade,” Mahdist insurgents
Air support from USAF, Blackhawk support from US Army 2/7 Cavalry (engaged to the northeast)
More photos and full battle report video soon to come!
Hobby Video: Scratch Building Middle East Urban Terrain
Greetings, all! Here is the the replay from last’s night’s hobby stream, where we get started on scratch building a little urban terrain useful in MENA (Middle East / North Africa) theaters for 20mm Force-on-Force (Ambush Alley Games / Osprey).
Grinding Down the ole' Lead Mountain
Continuing to chip away at the lead mountain, chewing down on the sudden surplus of 15mm miniatures on hand. Most of these are from a “buy box of old bits” purchase, so conflicts and eras are all over the place. All 15mm / 1:100, though. Also, a fair amount if replacement / repair on some of these.
- x2 T-55 MBTs
- AH-64 Apache (pre-Longbow “D” variant)
- FlakPz IV “Kugelblitz” armored AA vehicle
- German Maultier HT transport
- StPz IV “Brummbär” assault gun
- A-10 Thunderbolt II
