25mm Miniatures

Sudan – The Sword and the Flame

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Sudan game using The Sword and the Flame colonial rules (20th Anniversary Edition) and the Gunboats and Dhows rules. British forces were tasked with recovering captives, a river steamer and supplies taken by the Ansar. Ansar units were hidden on the table and more arrived on turns 3 and 6. The boats used were made by Last Stand Dan.

The captured river steamer and supplies are in the foreground. The captives are in the fort.

The British advance by land and water.

British infantry moving fast in open order.

Ansar infantry reinforcements arrive and clash with British cavalry.

The remains of a British platoon forms square and protects the wounded. The British gunboat safely passes the fort and shoot down many of the Ansar defenders.

Infantry lands from the British gunboat.

The small square survives against great odds.

The gunboat and its infantry shoot up the Ansar attempting to move the supplies.

After about four hours of play we needed to quit so the hobby shop could close for the Memorial Day weekend. The British recaptured their river steamer (2VP) and some of the supplies (1VP) but did not get into the fort to rescue the captives (2VP for the Ansar). A hard-fought British victory.

Bolt Action Marine Landing

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Bolt Action game. This was the largest Bolt Action game the group has played, with about 60 units. US Marines landed on a beach defended by the Imperial Japanese Army.

Pins keep some Marine units from advancing.

A flamethrower takes out an objective bunker.

A Japanese tank is destroyed from the rear by a heavy MG on a halftrack.

With two of three objective bunkers destroyed and the third under effective artillery fire, the game was ended after seven turns.

Bolt Action – Eastern Front Late War

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Bolt Action game. It was a meeting engagement on the Eastern Front.

Both sides advance onto the table, leaving mortar and heavy MG units in woods at the table edges.

View from the Russian right flank.

A Russian squad twice attempts to knock out a German tank by close assault, and fails.

Mortars destroy each opposing side’s heavy MG. A German tank is set on fire twice. The second time the crew bails.

After six turns the Russians led with four enemy units destroyed to one.

Pig Wars AAR

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a game of Pig Wars. The scenario was set around the sleepy little village of Chelsea, located somewhere on the east coast of Britain, sometime after the Romans left, but before the Norman conquest (history can be so fuzzy on these events).

The local priest watches over his flock.

The market ready for a day of peaceful barter.

The ox wagons plod through the village unhindered, thanks to careful diplomacy.

Something frightful in the village church scares off the potential looters, so they burn it.

The Norman foot is eliminated and the mounted warriors beat a temporary retreat.

Two bands fight it out until one is eliminated.

In the end a couple of the players met their primary objectives and one left town with substantial loot.

Space Hulk AAR – Nursery

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a game of Space Hulk using the 4th Edition rules but with game parts from earlier editions. Two Marine squads supported by a Librarian and two close assault terminators were tasked with destroying two Genestealer nurseries in the hulk.

The Marines advanced to the next crossroads beyond the large room where most of the early fighting occurred. The auto cannon armed Marine advanced behind the Librarians prep ‘blast’ to cover the central hall. The Librarian bravely gave his life allowing a Marine advance to within reach of the northern most nursery. Three more ambushes were popped but didn’t amount to any real threat, being screened by a single Marine each. The genestealers were gathering in the halls before the nursery for the final battle………the store was closing and the game had to be ended at that point.

The photographer left early so there are no photos of the end of the game.