Ultramodern Wargaming – Ukraine 2024

Join Damon and Oriskany Jim as they sit down to a game of “Naval Command” by Rory Crabb.

Today’s game is “Singapore Showdown,” an imagined near-future scenario where the UK’s Royal Navy comes to blows with the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea. Singapore was once a key part of the British Empire, vital to British interests in the Pacific. Even now, the UK keeps a close watch on international developments in the region.

This is especially true given the strategic importance of the shipping lanes between the Persian Gulf and the heavily-industrialized economies along the Pacific Rim. Recent Chinese militarization in the nearby Spratly Islands has naturally caused a heightening of tensions in the region.

In today’s hypothetical game, a British “merchant ship” RMS Emerald Trident (in reality an electronic surveillance vessel) has been discovered eavesdropping on Chinese naval message traffic. A Chinese air strike has hit and damaged the vessel, which now limps south under pursuit by Chinese intelligence vessels intent on boarding her.

Chinese warships have also been sortied, and a Royal Navy destroyer and two frigates have been sent to cover Emerald Trident’s escape. A

n “international incident” is inevitable.

Piotr and Oriskany Jim finish up their game of Panzer Leader recreating one of the opening engagements in the Battle of Gazala (May-June 1942).

Piotr and Oriskany Jim sit down for a game of Panzer Leader, this time recreating one of the opening engagements in the Battle of Gazala (May-June 1942).

This meeting engagement of between German and British tanks formed part of the the opening of what would become the biggest desert victory for Erwin Rommel and Panzerarmee Afrika.

This was also an important battle for “Lend Lease” armor, featuring two models of early American WW2 armor, the M3 Stuart / Honey light tank and the M3 Lee (converted to Grant in British service).

Tonight we’re running a short mini-demo of how our Sitrep Skirmish system might be used in a post-apocalypse setting … such as AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

Being a badass, elite paramilitary operator is all well and good, but when it comes to “walkers” … you only have so many bullets. And of course, the more you fire … the more walkers are drawn to your noise …

Then there’s the REAL threat, the other survivors who are all to willing (and capable) to kill to take what you have.

Apologies – everyone … 

Something unexpected has come up and I won’t be able to run this stream today.

Join us as Oriskany Jim takes a couple members of the Sitrep Community through a spin of “Sitrep Skirmish,” our own ultra-modern special forces combat game.  This time it’s different, though … we’re experimenting with how a “real life” tactical spec ops game system might behave in the zombie apocalypse like “The Walking Dead.”

How long could tier-one operators survive in such an environment?  Badasses or not, they only have so many bullets.  Then of course, are the post-apocalypse threats who are very much still alive …

Sunday, 2PM ET / 7PM UK

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Here is the edited replay of Sunday’s stream, where @elessar2590 and @oriskany sit down for a game of Valor and Victory: Modern Expansion recreating part of the Second Battle of Fallujah (November 2004)

This was recognized as the bloodiest and most intense battle of the Iraq War, and the worst urban Battle US forces had been involved in since Vietnam.  In the annals of Marine Corps history, comparisons were drawn to places like Tarawa and Hue City.

@elessar2590 has played Modern Expansion Valor & Victory many times, so we have a “veteran” player and a good, intense fight!  I won’t spoil the outcome, but suffice it to say it gets very close.

Might make a fun listen while hobbying or painting!

If this kind of content interests you, please consider checking out our Sitrep Podcast Discord: https://discord.gg/hbHHD5Mcbg

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It’s back to modern wargaming for the Sitrep Podcast.  Tomorrow afternoon we kick our 2022 content with a live stream with community member @elessar2590 (Dylan) – when we’ll take a look at the Second Battle of Fallujah.

Part of Operation Phantom Fury, this was a US Marine Corps attack into one of the deadliest strongholds of the Iraqi insurgency, with support of the US Army’s 7th Cavalry and British forces providing perimeter security.

Second Fallujah is widely considered the “height” of the Iraq War (after the initial invasion in March 2003), and the bloodiest battle in the Iraq War for US troops.

@Elessar2590 and I will be using my modern-era expansion oif Barry Doyle’s Valor & Victory wargame system to take a company of US Marines (3rd Bn/5th Marine Regiment, 1st MARDIV) into the Jolan District of Fallujah in an attempt to approximate the action during this hard-fought battle.

Sunday, 2PM ET / 7PM UK

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In the winter of 1776, the American Revolution flickers at the precipice of oblivion.

Having suffered a staggering string of defeats and with only about 2000 soldiers left under command, General Washington hatches a last-ditch, do-or-die plan to buy the Revolution just a little more time.

On Christmas night, Washington takes the starving, barefoot remains of his army across the icy Delaware River, out of Pennsylvania and into New Jersey. This risky crossing is made at night during a snowstorm, followed by a nine-mile forced march.

Their target is a garrison of German troops – commonly called “Hessians” – fortified at the town of Trenton. The assault takes place at daybreak on 26 December. It is a spectacular success, often lauded as the “Christmas Miracle of ‘76”.

For the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Trenton, we built a 20mm wargame, played live on stream.

This video highlights the table and armies set up for our recreation of this fateful historical event.