and the work goes on

Sorry folks, no battle report but it was a useful day.

Game 2, Turn 4. A French counter attack has recovered a captured section of improvised trenches atop  a vital hill.

 I started out with a test of a new system but after four not very interesting turns, both sides had lost so many stands that the game was essentially over. I'm not trying to do the  Somme or bore the players so I pulled the plug, updated the Square Brigadier, reset the table, and started again.

Game 2 Turn 4. The first British reinforcements have reached the front line.

After playing four engaging turns, there has been some to and fro action, some tense die rolls and the need for both sides to keep making decisions. There were still a lot of turns to play but  I was out of time. Hopefully I will be able to pick it up and finish tomorrow or maybe even reset again from the begin and play a game from start to end.

(OMG there is a LOT of work to do, troops, bases, scenery, markers,etc etc)

Trial by Battlegame

Next Saturday, weather permitting, I hope to run a live test of a smaller version of my Huzzah game  with a few of the lads from the valley. I figure I should test it at home first though.

The allied HQ prepares for battle. The frontline is composed of a battalion of Zouaves and two squadrons of Chasseurs supported by a howitzer battery but British reinforcements are arriving.

 My initial thought was to use the Square Brigadier rules but I have an itch to try a different approach.

Three battalions of German infantry prepare to attack supported by two batteries plus cavalry.

Stay tuned!

The Ross Machine Gun

Don't worry, no one else has ever heard of it either. The Ross Machine Gun was developed by me in 2014, so, no connection with the Ross rifle at all.

The original prototype.
(Archive Shot from 2014)

I have been contemplating how many  40mm MG's I will need for my Great War and trying to recall just why I have been too cowardly to attempt any more since the 2014 prototypes. It was in my mind that it might be best to make  mould of one so I could spit out as many as I need. It would be a very tricky mould to make though and I don't need dozens of MG's so I had a closer look at the old ones.

Toy style MG08's before painting (Archive shot from 2014).

It didn't take long to remember that the original issue was with making the sledge for the MG08. It was fiddly and annoying to make and both are a bit wonky, something sort of hidden by the crew now. The basic Toy Vickers  was relatively easy, it was the seated gunner conversion that was hard. A kneeling crewman will serve just as well for my purposes. As for the MG08, it did come with a  tripod option and the Turks at least used them and I intend to add Turks so, there we are!

Hopefully practice will help, as may some proper dowelling instead of bamboo skewers.

So there we are, one universal, handmade, wonky naive, Toy MG pattern can serve all nations and be made as needed.

Two full, 4 company German battalions attack the now up-to-strength Baluchs.

Time for a game to get the feel.