USMC vs Iraqi Republican Guard in modified Free-for-all

USMC Airmobile units deploy into the Iraqi rear supported by a Cobra gunship

Matt Varnish from the Dice Devils and I played a game of a modernized Flames of War game using the Stopping the Red Tide rule set. If you haven't checked out www.stoppingtheredtide.blogspot.ca I highly recommend it.  Both Matt and I were more interested in having a thematic game where we could get a ton of cool pictures more than anything else.  We definitely made some mistakes while playing but as you can see from this battle report it looked stunning.  The mission was a modified Free-for-all with both of us holding some units in reserve and with 3 objectives in the centre of the table.  Basically whoever held the most objectives at the end of the game would win. We used a variety of models from converted Battlefront, QRF, Peter Pig and some scratch builds.

Matt Varnishes Iraqi Republican Guard (Confident Conscripts)
OC in T80 with reactive armour, 2IC in T72
3 x T72s
3 x T72s
3 x T72s
3 x T55s
3 x T55s
Infantry platoon in APCs
2 x AA guns (SP)

Big Willie's USMC (Fearless Trained)
OC and 2IC in HMMWVs
Infantry platoon in HMMWVs
4 x M60s
Infantry platoon in Sea Knights (Chinooks)
2 x TOW HMMWVs
1 x Cobra Attack Helicopter

Set Up

The USMC spreads out along the South side of the border town of Nisab ready to capture key points and reinforce the Recce element who had been engaged earlier in the day.  Against them was some of  Saddam's favoured tank forces.  The MC would have their work cut out for them.

USMC and Iraqi Armies

The USMC ready to roll into Iraqi after freeing Kuwait

On Tuesday night Matt Varnish from the Dice Devils and I had the chance to play a game of Stopping the Red Tide.  If you guys haven't seen the rule set, it takes the Battlefront Flames of War rules and modernizes them to 1986.  You can check out his website at www.stoppingtheredtide.blogspot.ca We took it a step further and played with USMC and Iraqi National Guard Armies.  I'm working on the battle report of it now but figured that everyone would like to see just how awesome the models look.  I hope you enjoy.

The entire Iraqi tank army

PanzerKompanie vs Russian Tankovy in Counterattack

Panther's in the killing fields surrounded by burning hulks!

Game 2 of the Paths of Glory 1500 MW tournament was against Ian.  Again it was tank company against tank company but this time I won the roll to be the attacker.  Ian was running Russian tanks that had a Canadian connection based on the Valentines that were produced in Montreal and lend leased to Russia.

Ian's Tankovy (I'm not sure what some of the names are so if you know them let me know and I'll update)
OC in T34
6 x T34, 2 x T34/85
6 x Valentines
4 x ISU 76 (I think)
3 x Assault guns
3 x Recce cars

Big Willie's Panzers
OC in Panther
2 x Panthers
4 x Panzers (2 x III Ms, 1 x III N and 1 x IV G)
2 x 8-Rads
2 x AA guns (SP)

Setup

T34's are in the field and on the hill on the right side of the board.  The assault guns are held in ambush.  Objectives are in the wheat field and beside the rocky hill bottom right.

PanzerKompanie vs Aussie Div Cav in Fighting Withdrawal

RAF Hurricanes rock the Panzers!

Game 1 of the Perkins 1500 MW tournament was Fighting Withdrawal and it pitted me against the Dice Devil's own PhantomRescue.  He was playing Aussie Div Cav and I was playing a PanzerKompanie.  He won the roll to see who the attacker was, so my Panzers were going to be playing defence this mission.

Aussie Div Cav (from North Africa)

OC and 2IC in Crusaders

3 x Crusaders

3 x Crusaders

3 x Shermans

3 x Shermans

3 x Universal Carriers

1 x Rifle Platoon

Limited Hurricane support

PanzerKompanie (from Eastern Front)

OC in Panther

2 x Panthers

4 x Panzers (2 x III M, 1 x III N, 1 x IV G)

2 x 8-rads

2 x 2cm AA (SP)

Setup

Panzers lurk along the left with the Aussie ready to advance on the right.  Objectives are in the field top left, by the canal and bridge in the centre and in the open by the ruins bottom left.

Paths of Glory 2014

Xander's MW Americans (ok this wasn't from the tournament but it's awesome!)

Today Perkins held a MW 1500 tournament for FoW.  It was 3 rounds and a special thanks to Luggs for running the event.  The only hang up was the delayed start time, but that was because of Hydro One and nothing the tournament organizers or Gary could have helped.

I played 3 games which will becoming as battle reports shortly but I wanted to show the armies.  They were fantastic!

Cold war!

With my basement renovations nearing completion I'm finally getting the chance to get back into doing some hobby stuff.  The guys from the Dice Devils showed me an amazing blog called Stopping the Red Tide.  It's run by Mwnciboo and he and his team have developed a rule set based on Flames of War and Tropic Lightning for the Cold War.  He has rules, and source books for US, NATO, Independents and USSR.  I'm totally digging it and have gone into my modern collection and have a functional USMC army.  I'm really looking forward to playing a game with RKelly or Matt Varnish.

With the Battlefront sale on Vietnam which is 40% off until the end of March, I've ordered 2 Huey Cobras and 6 x M60s.  I'm looking at getting some M113s, M109s and parts I need for a Chinook project that I'm planning on.  With this and soon to be purchased M1 Abrahams, I will be able to field almost every list the US has.  I can't wait to try it out both in Europe and in the Middle East (think Iraqi in the first Gulf War).

Now for something a little different

A while ago I picked up a bunch of moderns in a trade.  Its about 2 platoons with of Marines in MARPAT and it came with a bunch of HMWVs with .50 Cals, TOW and Mk 40 grenade launchers and 4 AMTRACs.  With Battlefront releasing both Tropic Lighting and Fate of a Nation I found a home for my latest project.  Here is what I'm planning on using and the models I've found as Battlefront doesn't make moderns to go with my Marines.

There is a manufacture that does called QRF and you check them out here.

M60 tank used by the Marines up until Gulf War 1

My plan for these guys is to use them as M48s for Vietnam or Magach 2 or 3 for Fate of a Nation.

M1A1 tank was the front line tank for the USMC during Gulf War 1 and some were still used in Gulf War 2

I'm planning on using these guys as Centurions or Sho't for Fate of a Nation and perhaps as the Company Commander for Vietnam.

The BlackHawk helicopter is seen in every army movie but the SeaHawk is the USMC equivalent so I'm going to model up a couple of refueling booms and I now have my Dust-off and arty observers for Vietnam.

Finally I wanted to have some gun ships and the USMC still uses Cobra gunships and Battlefront makes those models so I will be using them but painting them the Navy Grey with USMC markings (just like the SeaHawks).  I'll be positing WIP shots as I take them.  The plan is to use them against some of the other Dice Devils.