Wargames Illustrated 290 - Otto Carius

Here are photos of the Otto Carius special rules in the Red Bear / Grey Wolf issue of Wargames Illustrated #290 that arrived at my doorstep today.

Also, head on over to the Flames of War website. The Thursday post is up and the new point totals for the new Hen and Chicks rule and ROF 1 vehicles is discussed.

It's a whole new ballgame on the Eastern Front in Late War!

They've Killed Fritz! - The Fear of Losing your Favorite Unit on Gameplay

If you're reading this blog, I'd wager the majority of you are very familiar with this scene from Wizards. In case you're not, you'd hear the "They've killed Fritz!" line echo across gaming halls and in stores over and over whenever a player lost a unit. I know my friends and I did, especially with our favorite units.

What does this have to do with miniature wargamming?

I'm glad you asked.

SoCal SmackDown 2011 - Game 3

Well now, I've played two games and lost 1-6. One more game to go for the day. One more chance to redeem myself. One more chance to get a win.

I'm in a slump. I need a Slump Buster. I channel Tony LaRussa. I swap out the CiC and Pz III platoon leader for the panzer-grey Panzer III's painted by Sentinel. Yeah, I benched two toy models. C'mon, it's not unheard of. People line dice up and smash the offending dice for failure to roll good numbers.

We all gather around the TO's table at the center of the hall and breathlessly await our assignments. Hugo! Hugo? Wait, Hugo only plays German. Wait...erm...argggh! Blue on blue. Again? Le sigh.

I shake Hugo's hand and get a peek at his army across the table.



Le Gulp.

Two Tigers? Again!?

Hugo's playing a Grenadier Company.

Along with the two obligatory platoons of Grens, he has the aforementioned Tiggers, a couple of Marders, Nebs and an AA platoon to get to an even six platoons.

In case you've forgotten what I'm running-

11.PD Line-Up

HQ 1x Pz III L/M, 1x PZ IV F-2
P1: 4x Pz III L/M
P2: 3x Pz IV F-2
P3: 1x Tiger 1E
P4: 2x 8-Rads
P5: 3x Nebelwerfers with staff and obs

Mission: Hasty Assault. It's a new mission for me. This was the ?? on the mission listing before the tournament. The TO made his decision on the final mission added to the rotation.

I get to be the attacker! Hurray! No? Yes! You don't want to be attacking in Hasty Assault? Why? I place everything on the table. Hugo's Tigers go into ambush. Rot roh.