Ultramodern Wargaming – Ukraine 2024
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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
Battle of 73 Easting Game Video - Part 2
We’re back to finish up our miniature wargame approximating the Battle of 73 Easting! (Desert Storm / Gulf War, 1991)
Using Seven Days to the River Rhine (Great Escape Games) in 15mm.
Battle of 73 Easting Game Video - Part 1
We’re back to modern-era wargaming with a look at the Battle of 73 Easting, probably the most famous engagement of the 1991 Gulf War. This time we’re doing it in 15mm miniature, using the Seven Days to the River Rhine system by Great Escape Games.
The initial clash at 73 Easting saw Eagle Troop, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment collide with entrenched elements of the “al-Talwalkana” (In God We Trust) Division of the Iraqi Republican Guard. This turned out to be one of the most one-sided engagements in recent history, but that just means the Americans face a very steep slope to climb when it comes to victory conditions. Can the Iraqis squeak out ANY measure of success against 2nd ACR on our tabletop?
Battle of 73 Easting - 1991 Gulf War
Ran a bit of a mega-game of Seven Days to the River Rhine today, recreating part of the Battle of 73 Easting, Gulf War 1991.
Elements, Eagle Troop, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Calvary Regiment vs. Elements, 18th Armored and 37th Mech Brigades, al-Talwakana Republican Guards.
80th Anniversary Wargame - Iwo Jima (Elessar2590 vs. Oriskany)
We’re back to finish last week’s tactical wargame recreating and commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the US Marine Corps’ landing on Iwo Jima. Even eighty years later, the name Iwo Jima still echoes with courage, determination, and sacrifice, where “uncommon valor was a common virtue.”
Join Oriskany Jim and Dylan (YouTube channel: Another Historian Wargamer) as they try recreating the opening day of Iwo Jima in a detailed, historically-accurate wargame. We’re using a modified version of Avalon Hill’s “Panzer Leader,” with unit scale cranked up to better represent the number of troops engaged. Each company is marked where they landed historically, but of course our result could veer wildly off the historical outcome.
80th Anniversary Wargame - Iwo Jima
On 19 February 1945, one of the most brutal, costly, and bitterly-fought battles in World War II began on a tiny volcanic island called Iwo Jima. The US Marine Corps would secure this island, a key staging point for the American advance in the Pacific. The Japanese garrison would die almost to the last man to stop them. Eighty years later, the name Iwo Jima still echoes with courage, determination, and sacrifice, where “uncommon valor was a common virtue.”
Join Oriskany Jim and Elessar2590 as they try recreating the opening day of Iwo Jima in a detailed, historically-accurate wargame. We’re using a modified version of Avalon Hill’s “Panzer Leader,” with unit scale cranked up to better represent the number of troops engaged. Each company is marked where they landed historically, but of course our result could veer wildly off the historical outcome.
Savage Hill Fights at Khe Sanh (Vietnam 1967) - Panzer Leader Tactical Wargame P2
Join Damon and Oriskany Jim as they finish up their experimental scenario of “Panzer Leader” – adapted for the mountain jungles of Vietnam.
It’s the spring of 1967. The North Vietnamese Army has seized control of the high ground overlooking the air field and fire support base at Khe Sanh, intent on setting up an artillery siege like the one that destroyed the French at Dien Bien Phu. To prevent this, the leathernecks of 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division launch Operation Prairie IV to retake this high ground, particularly Hills 881 North and 881 South.
So far, @stilldamon made a strong advance to the north, and has the summit of Hill 881N in sight. Can the Leathernecks retake the high ground and ensure the safety of Khe Sanh?
Oriskany vs. Damon - Khe Sanh Hill Fights, Vietnam P1
Join Damon and Oriskany Jim as they square off in an experimental scenario of “Panzer Leader” – adapted for the mountain jungles of Vietnam.
It’s the spring of 1967. Located near the DMZ and the Laotian border, the vital Marine Corps airfield and fire support base at Khe Sanh threatens the Ho Chi Minh Trail, lifeline of communist supply and communication. Now the North Vietnamese Army has seized control of the high ground overlooking Khe Sanh, intent on setting up an artillery siege like the one that destroyed the French at Dien Bien Phu.
To prevent this, the leathernecks of 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division launch Operation Prairie IV to retake this high ground. This will lead to battles at Hills 861 and 881, savage engagements we attempt to recreate in our tactical wargame scenario.
Can the Marines take the high ground and ensure the safety of Khe Sanh?
Build Video (28mm M3A1 Half-Track)
Time for my Americans to get some light armored support! Today we’re building the M3A1 Half-Track kit from Warlord Games in 28mm. It’s my first time with a 28mm plastic kit, so be gentle. In the end she doesn’t look too bad. And did I mention machine guns? LOTS of machine guns?
