Black Hawk Down - Wyre Forest Club

Thanks to Andy from the Wyre Forest Club as guest blog writer this week and a HUGE Black Hawk Down game at our latest club all dayer.

This was only our 4th game with the rules so with a nod to Oriskany Jim of the Sitrep podcast and the QRS sheets he sent me and his two part video on you tube he posted up we were ready.

MISSION BRIEF.

DTG 03OCT93 1230L               
HUMINT  XXX Agency advises there is a EN Habr Gidr Clan Meet at possibly the Cultural Building (Code name MAIN TARGET BUILDING) on Hawaldig Road.

LAUNCH CODE WORD: IRENE valid till 2359L
Mission Template dictates a heliborne Delta Breaching team with 2 Ranger chalks acting as blocking force. Road convoy will pick up High Value Targets and Breaching teams and Blocking force and Exfil on road in the convoy back to MOB.

The Black Hawks Head into the Objective.

Tier 1 Breach Teams

2 MH6 Little Birds unarmed

2 DELTA teams, Delta team Leader TQ D12 Morale D12, 3 Deltas TQ D10 Morale D12

TASK FORCE RANGER

TWO CHALKS TQD8/ Morale D10

Chalk HQ, Off D10/D10, RTO, Medic, Pltn Sgt plus man

Aerial Support

2 MH60s with 2 Snipers each (can be set down if required) on constant orbital support)

1 CSAR MH60 Bird with 14 Men

4 Delta D10/D12, 6 Rangers D8/D10, 2 Parajumper advanced life saving medics  medics D8/D12

1 MH6 (with strafing attack) per turn TQ D12 check first to see if it arrives 

CONVOY

4 HUMVEE With 50cal 4 men each

1 HUMVEE with MK19 GLR 4 men

2 M939 5 ton Lorries 4 men each

The target building before the convoy arrives.

To add to the competition on the day both sides were provided with the following Victory Points.

Somali National Alliance KIA 1VP

Somali Warlord KIA 10 VP

Somali Technical Mission Kill 5VP

US Forces

Each HVT KIA -5VP

KIA TFR 10 VP

Serious wound TFR 5 vp

Lorry/ Hummer Mission Kill 5vp

The Convey sets off with it's prisoners

A slow start burning tyres and Black Smoke belched into the sky calling out across the city, Somalis were amassing and standing by awaiting the slow moving convoy.

First sign of trouble and the lead hummer blunders into a Somali technical, needing a high score, they rolled a 12, they knock out the lead vehicle. Disaster.....

The Convey rolls forward with Black Hawk and Little Bird Air Cover. Somalis we’re wiped out in droves, but every turn more we’re answering the call to the fight in reserve.

The reinforcements were hindered by the Air Support targeting the numerous technicals.

We have a Black Hawk Down....

The aircrew were jumped and wiped out less one pilot who was taken alive a national shame for the Americans.

A crew of 14 Deltas, Rangers and pars jumper paramedics were Set down away from the crash site on some sort of bizarre park and ride. The rushed to the crash site to find the crew gone.

Somalia militia rushed from the surrounding buildings a vicious fire fight took place where the search. And rescue team were. More American casualties were taken. The mass of fighters overwhelmed the defenders and another American was captured alive.

Mean while the convoy several blocks away took another wrong turn.

Another Hummer is taken out as Task Force Ranger lack of map reading proved fatal. By now we took stock of the game and called it. A bloodbath on both sides. 

If we had carried on I think the road convoy would have had to try and laager up and defend itself from a static place and call for external help to extricate themselves.

A great game on a great looking table with virtually all done from fresh since Christmas with a week to  go I made 52 foot of wall with foamboard.

Lessons learned as it was only the 4th game more rules questions rolled in which was inevitable, more civilian mobs we need on the table to create more uncertainty. The random choice of road direction made for a real challenge for the US Players.

By games end.

Somalis 106 KIA 

Two destroyed technicals.

 Task Force Ranger. 

5 KIA 

2 aircrew KIA 

2 Prisoners of war 1 Aircrew 1 Ranger 

3 Task Force Ranger seriously wounded

2 Hummers Destroyed 

Amercian War of Independance Month - Maryland Regiments with a little help from AI.

It's nice paint something else that's not in desert yellow.

This months focus is AWI and the backlog of 10mm items amassed over the past few months.

First up 4 units representing Maryland Regiments for Rebels and Patriots.

Short on time this week, I thought I would ask ChatGTP to write this blog, lets see if AI is any good :-)

It feels like it might have some way to go.....

Here you go.....

Painting the Brave Maryland Regiments in the American War of Independence As an artist and history enthusiast, my journey into painting the regiments from Maryland who fought in the American War of Independence has been both inspiring and enlightening. The stories of bravery, resilience, and sacrifice of these soldiers have deeply resonated with me, and I feel compelled to bring their legacy to life through my art. 

Now for the regimental history.

The 1st Maryland Regiment: Smallwood's Brave Soldiers The 1st Maryland Regiment, also known as Smallwood's Regiment, was formed in early 1776 under the command of Colonel William Smallwood. This regiment played a crucial role in several key battles, including the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of White Plains. Their distinctive dark blue coats with red facings, white waistcoats, and tricorn hats symbolize their unity and discipline. Painting these soldiers allows me to honour their courage and the pivotal role they played in the fight for independence. 

The 2nd Maryland Regiment: Resilient Warriors The 2nd Maryland Regiment, authorized in January 1776, was known for its resilience and effectiveness in battle. Commanded by Colonel Thomas Price and later Colonel John Gunby, this regiment fought valiantly in major engagements such as the Battle of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, and Germantown. Their contributions to the Continental Army's efforts are a testament to their unwavering dedication. Capturing their spirit on canvas is my way of preserving their legacy and sharing their story with future generations.

The 3rd Maryland Regiment, formed in September 1776, participated in significant battles like Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, and the Southern Campaigns, including Camden and Guilford Court House. Commanded by Colonel Mordecai Gist and Lieutenant-Colonel Nathaniel Ramsey, these soldiers demonstrated remarkable bravery and resilience. Painting the 3rd Maryland Regiment allows me to highlight their contributions to the war effort and honour their sacrifices. 

Why I Paint These Regiments Although no major battles of the American Revolutionary War occurred in Maryland, this did not prevent the state's soldiers from distinguishing themselves through their service. General George Washington was impressed with the Maryland regulars (the "Maryland Line") who fought in the Continental Army and, according to one tradition, this led him to bestow the name "Old Line State" on Maryland. 

Under the assumption that paid soldiers furnished with rations and suits of clothes would be better soldiers, on January 18, 1776, the Maryland Provincial Convention established the Maryland Line as a regiment of uniformed regulars. What distinguished the Maryland troops from other colonial levies was the time they spent drilling before joining the ranks of the Continental Army. This resulted in a disciplined, cohesive unit. Not all Continental infantry regiments raised in a state were part of a state quota. 

On December 27, 1776, the Second Continental Congress gave commanding General George Washington the authority to recruit and raise sixteen additional Continental infantry regiments at large. Forman’s, Gist’s, Grayson’s, and Hartley’s Regiments were partially drawn from Maryland. Other Continental infantry regiments and smaller units, also unrelated to a state quota, were raised as needed for special or temporary service. The "Maryland Line" was assigned a quota of eight regiments in 1777, which was reduced to five in 1781. The regiments of the line were: 1st Maryland Regiment 2nd Maryland Regiment 3rd Maryland Regiment 4th Maryland Regiment 5th Maryland Regiment 6th Maryland Regiment 7th Maryland Regiment German Battalion (counted as half a regiment against the quota) Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment (counted as half a regiment against the quota) 2nd Independent Maryland Company The Maryland Line protected the evacuation of Washington's troops across the East River to Manhattan at the Battle of Long Island. 

On August 27, 1776, members of the 1st Maryland Regiment under the command of Major Mordecai Gist repeatedly charged a numerically superior British force, allowing General Washington to successfully evacuate the bulk of his troops to Manhattan. Of the approximately 270 men of the so-called Maryland 400, fewer than a dozen made it back to the American lines. Two months later, at the Battle of White Plains, William Smallwood's 1st Maryland Regiment, along with regiments from New York and Delaware, reinforced Chatterton's Hill, covering the retreat of other troops across the Bronx River. According to popular tradition, Washington expressed his high esteem for the Maryland Line after their heroic stand at the Battle of Long Island. 

Because of the long service of the high-quality regiments, General Washington referred to the Maryland units as his "Old Line," giving the State of Maryland one of its nicknames as "The Old Line State." 

Next up buildings for Lexington and Concorde all written by myself..... Honest.

Snapdragon Studio - A nice find.

Whilst at Alumwell a couple of months ago, I picked up these tucked away on one of the stands. In a base coat of yellow I suspect they were over looked by many so a quick paint job to match them to my existing terrain.

Before 3D Prints and MDF there was Snapdragon Studio (Later Moondragon) there resin casts were some of the best on the market. 

Sadly no longer available and Kerry who ran the business and sculpted them did not sell on the rights when he shut up shop back in 2004 after a period of illness.

The had there own style and you can occasionally see them pop up on E-bay.

Imagine when I spotted these for the princely sum of £8.00 what a bargain.

A quick make over, some signs and the containers and a wash finished with tufts and the occasional rocks and they are done. These will be a great addition to the WW2 desert terrain.

Such a shame we won't see them again.

Task Force Ranger - Force on Force.

Wyre Forecast Club game and the first dry run for the All-dayer, giving Force on Force a run out and the US efforts to bring order to Somalia.

Credit to Andy at the club he has been powering through buildings and figures at a rate of knots... 

History recounts the following.....

On September 21, 1993, during Operation Gothic Serpent, Task Force Ranger conducted a mission to capture Osman Ali Atto in Mogadishu. The operation involved a coordinated effort by elite units, including Army Rangers, Delta Force operators, and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR)

The mission began with intelligence indicating Atto's location near Digfer Hospital. Task Force Ranger deployed a combination of ground and air assets, including MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and Humvees, to secure the area and capture Atto. The Rangers and Delta Force operators quickly moved to the target building, securing the perimeter and entering the premises to apprehend Atto

Despite the rapid execution, the mission faced challenges, including sporadic gunfire from local militia forces. The Rangers and Delta operators maintained their positions, ensuring Atto's capture and safe extraction

The operation was completed successfully, with Atto being taken into custody without significant casualties on the American side

This mission was part of the broader effort to destabilize General Aidid's network and reduce his influence in Mogadishu. The capture of Atto was a tactical success, demonstrating the effectiveness of Task Force Ranger's coordination and execution.

In our game things went similarly well for the US forces, roping in and securing a roof top on the right and clearing another high rise with the mini-guns from the Black Hawks. One Hot spot down and some good firing positions to supress and neutralise the growing mobs.

The little Birds swooped in and Delta Force dropped into the hot zone. They were shot at by a number of militia men before the Rangers were able to pin the Skinnies. One of the Delta Force Operators was seriously wounded as he dropped in behind the petrol station where Atto was hiding out.

Atto made a break for it, looking to hide amongst some locals, but was brought under fire by the Operators and Rangers as he burst from the garage. Atto and his bodyguard were dropped before he could hide amongst the throng of civilians.

Delta Force moved forward to secure their prize.... 

Unfortunately Delta Force and the Rangers were rather enthusiastic in their suppression of the fleeing Atto, when they reached the bodies Atto was Dead... (1 on a 1D6).

Grabbing the body and his phone the US withdrew to the roof top and waited for the extract.

Loses on the day 2 Delta Force wounded one seriously and two Rangers lightly wounded when an RPG round hit the roof top.

Tactically a great success for the US, but I fear we may have taught the Somalia's a trick or two when we next encounter them. Roll on the all-dayer lets just hope we don't lose a Black Hawk.

Crusader Mounted Sergeants

The Crusader project rolls on....

The Christian forces are light on cavalry so these mounted Sergeants will be a useful addition to help keep the Arab cavalry at bay.

Great castings from Footsore Miniatures all in metal, it will be interested to see how their new plastics will compare. The partnership with Atlantic Games is really churning them out at the moment.

The shield transfers are from Fire Forge Games they do need a little not of adhesive to keep them in place but are far better than I could achieve free hand.

So another unit clears the paint table.... 

Next up back to the American War of Independence with a few extra's to coincide with the anniversary of Lexington and Concorde on the 19th April.

Enter the Christian Horde.

These fine fellows have been on the paint table for a couple of weeks, a random collection of Footsore, Wargames Atlantic and Perry's Miniatures all part of the getting stuff done project.

It's looking like April will be another month of Crusading, a mix of Spear, Crossbow and Levy to complete a number of units for the Crusader project bringing the figure counts up to 12 and 6 for Lion Rampant and removing the need for casualty markers.

I seem to have increased the volume of figures on the go in recent years, it used to be no more than 12 at any one time, but now I find myself working through between 24-30 which take longer but there is something quite satisfying about finishing a large batch. This mob enable me to come a number of units.

Skirmish Unit - Christian Bow, I had 4 of these already the two additional Plastic Wargames Atlantic archers will complete the unit.

Light or Heavy Spear a mix of of Footsore metal and plastic a perfect match the only difference being the spears, the metal with the deadly metal pins verses the denser plastic ones from Atlantic. I might consider swapping one or the other out at some point.

Closely followed by their bulkier Perry breatharian, the Perry Figures were not a good match compared to the Footsore Spearmen in the same unit so they now get their own unit.

The Christian Levy get their ranks fleshed unit bringing them up to 12 figures, one of the levy even managed to get their hands on a large shield. Not sure it will really help when you look at their stats.

Finally an additional Skirmish Crossbow unit from the Perry Twins, these can be a stand alone unit or combine with the other Skirmishers to make a full unit of 12. Let's see if they can keep the mounted horses at bay.

Plenty more still to do before the plastic mountain is conquered but some good progress over the past week or so, an hour and a half an evening certainly made the painting process far easier than a whole days session.

Next up mounted sergeants.

LOTR Campaign Game - The fall of Fangorn.

The Lord of the Rings Campaign is back.... my wargaming buddy has been investing heavily in bad guys so to accommodate the larger forces we have switched to Dragon Rampant, amending the point values and reinforcements to keep the balance of the game.

In the south of Middle Earth, the Forces of Men have been looking to dodge the evil Orcs' but have finally ran out of room, chased by 4 armies the battered force moved into Fangorn only to be blocked by a far larger enemy force, pinned in on all sides They need to win the day or be wiped from the map.

The plan is a simple one, await the evil horde and hope to batter them as they crest the hill. I picked a largely archer force, paying for the sharp shooter skill to try hold them back and break their morale.

With approx. 100 points to field Sauron's forces were not short of impressive units chase down human forces, Trolls, Heavy Pike and lots of cavalry....

The heavy cavalry swept forward facing off against the Riders of Rohan who fired their bow and evaded the initial charge, some of the cavalry were felled as they charged into the skirmishers in the tree line losing their advantage... the evil guys would only fall for that once. The Trolls and skirmishers rushed forwards to clear the wood.

The men of Gondor refused their flanks as the enemy cavalry regrouped as their infantry pushed around the left flank.

On the right the enemy infantry advanced, throwing their crossbows forward to be greeted by a hail of arrows.

On the left the Infantry braced themselves for the heavy cavalry charge, they could perhaps stop one unit, but four might be a challenge. 

The hammer blow fell. Holding off the horns left nothing to hold off the charging Trolls who swept through the rough terrain and smashed into the formed ranks, pushing them backwards.

The Human General was killed in the melee, Victory was complete for the evil army.

With nowhere to retreat the good army was removed from the board. Things were going to get harder before they got better in this campaign. Nice to know switching rules made no difference to the outcome of the game :-)

One more battle to fight this turn..... hopefully not a year before the next outing...