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
Knightsbridge - Desert Tank Clash 1942 (15mm Battlegroup) - Part 2
Oriskany Jim and Mark Ritchie finish up their game of Battlegroup by IronFist Publishing and Plastic Soldier Company.
The scenario is the Libyan Desert of 1942, where Rommel’s Panzerarmee Afrika is concluding its historic victory at the Battle of Gazala. The bulk of two German panzer divisions and a light division are deep in the flank of the British 8th Army, which is now counterattacking with all its reserves in a frantic attempt to contain the threat.
This final clash comes near a fortified position called Knightsbridge, historically a German victory which marks of the high points of the famed Desert Fox.
Chill Hobby Stream Replay
Greetings, all! Here is the replay from yesterday’s hobby stream! Nothing galactic, just taking a look at a few completed items and completing one more, a few convention stories, and conjecture about future games and events. Very mellow, perhaps to have on in the background while you work at your own hobby table. Hope you like it!
Swordpoint - US vs. USSR in Iran, Alternate 1990
A few table photos (okay, really video snap pics, so apologies for the slightly poor quality).
From this past Saturday’s game of Seven Days to the River Rhine (15mm) at Das Krieg Haus (South Florida Miniature Gaming Club)
Scale: 15mm
Table 6′ x 8′
Scenario: US vs. USSR in Iran, alternate 1990, Harold Coyle’s Swordpoint novel.
Table was 48 square feet,so it was tough to get the whole thing in one still frame.
1980s Soviet Motor Rifle infantry
Eagle Troop, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
That Avenger was a salvaged "wrecked" HMMWV originally intended as junked terrain. Salvaged, cut the back off, and scratch-built the quad Stinger launcher and sensor array on the back. Magnetized for rotation. Also, 1990-91 "chocolate chip" camo is a pain in the ass to paint in 15mm.
First Abrams coming on to lower right. I like the small scenarios in 7DttRR, smaller model count avoids the "tank parking lots" we see in other systems. Of course, an 8 x 6 table helps. :D 
Bring in the Hinds! 
It took about six hits, but finally an AT-5 Spandral on the flank of Abrams' "Chobham" armor got through and crippled the first VERY expensive M1A1 Abrams. 
Americans reply with an AH-64D "Longbow" variant Apache. This one's for you, Gaz! 
Soviet force has taken a hell of a beating, judging by the mass of wrecked and exploded tanks and APCs (in 7DttRR it DOES matter which tanks are just knocked out and which are actually EXPLODED). Is this Iran or Ukraine?
Americans certainly don't have it all their own way, as we see with the crippled M2 Bradley. At least the infantry escaped the wreck. Knightsbridge - Desert Tank Clash 1942 (15mm Battlegroup) - Part 1
Oriskany Jim and Mark Ritchie square up for a game of Battlegroup by IronFist Publishing and Plastic Soldier Company. The scenario is the Libyan Desert of 1942, where Rommel’s Panzerarmee Afrika is concluding its historic victory at the Battle of Gazala.
The bulk of two German panzer divisions and a light division are deep in the flank of the British 8th Army, which is now counterattacking with all its reserves in a frantic attempt to contain the threat.
This final clash comes near a fortified position called Knightsbridge, historically a German victory which marks of the high points of the famed Desert Fox.
Hobby Stream Replay: Assault on Lead Mountain Continues
Here is the replay from last night’s hobby stream.
Rants on bad military vehicles, conjecture on Leopards, Challengers, Abrams in Ukraine.
Why “All Quiet on the Western Front” on Netflix actually *isn’t* any good.
Oh yeah, some hobby as well. 😀
Australians v. Viet Cong (1968 Valor and Victory Modern Expansion) - Part 2
Oriskany Jim and Dylan finish their “double blind” scenario of Valor & Victory Modern Expansion. Except it’s not really so “double blind” anymore, the two sides have come to grips with each other and it’s time for one HELL of a shoot-out!
In the wake of the Tet Offensive, withdrawing elements of the 9th NLF (Viet Cong) Division, hoping to escape their defeats at Long Binh and Bien Hoa, are blocked by elements of 2nd Royal Australian Regiment as part of Operation Toan Thang I. Valor & Victory was originally developed by Barry Doyle for World War II Infantry Squad scenarios.
The Valor & Victory Modern Expansion (VVME) was published by myself to facilitate the same kind of game in more recent decades and conflicts (1960s-2020s)
Australians v. Viet Cong (1968 Valor and Victory Modern Expansion) - Part 1
It’s back to the jungles of Vietnam, where Oriskany Jim and Dylan face off in a “double blind” scenario of Valor & Victory Modern Expansion.
In the wake of the Tet Offensive, withdrawing elements of the 9th NLF (Viet Cong) Division, hoping to escape their defeats at Long Binh and Bien Hoa, are blocked by elements of 2nd Royal Australian Regiment as part of Operation Toan Thang I.
Valor & Victory was originally developed by Barry Doyle for World War II Infantry Squad scenarios. The Valor & Victory Modern Expansion (VVME) was published by myself to facilitate the same kind of game in more recent decades and conflicts (1960s-2020s)
Starship Troopers Miniature Games (28mm) - P1
Got to take part in a great game of Starship Troopers today, hosted by John and Jean Sowerby at the South Florida Miniatures Gaming Club.
The mission was to get to a Navy crash site, where Carmen Ibanez was among the wounded. We had to rescue her (she’s our platoon leader’s highschool sweet heart, after all) and as many Navy aircrew as we could.
We had six Mobile Infantry players, with two players (John and Jean) playing the bugs.
