1 BC (One Brain Cell) Toy Soldier Rules

 

1 BC (One Brain Cell) Toy Soldier Rules

The rules

The 1 BC (One Brain Cell) Toy Soldier Rules by Pete Kautz, can be found on his website or directly downloaded. Note that the range for the HMG on the website is too short, but on the download its correct with 36".

The scenario

I've placed this skirmish to the United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65, when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement' with force.

Situation:

This skirmish is finding place in fictional place of Lumbaya in the early January of 1963, when the UN during operation 'Grand Slam' are turning their attention to the remaining Katangese strongholds in Southern Katanga after after securing the Katangese capitol of Élisabethville.

Place:

Lumbaya is a very small village located 80km south west of Élisabethville, and are made into a stronghold by a small platoon of Katangese Gendarmes. The village is one of several strongholds in the area to trying to hold the UN off while trying to keep the self-proclaimed president Tshombe by power of the self-proclaimed Katanga state.

Forces:

• Katangese:
• 2 rifle-squads each of 10 soldiers, a LMG and and a bazooka/flame thrower. Each squad can operate as 2 fireteams independently. 
• 1 HMG-detachment of 3 soldiers
• 1 sniper
• HQ-section with platoon-leader and 2 medics
• After turn 12: A QRF consisting of 1 truck with a HMG and a section of 10 'veterans' armed with assault rifles, a LMG and a bazooka arrives from the next village. Only if Lumbaya is still held by Katangese forces. These rules doesen't include vehicles and the truck must stay stationary with it's HMG if used.
• UN:
• 1 Platoon of 3 rifle-squads each of 8 soldiers and a LMG. The squads can operate independently.
• 1 Light mortar-detachment of  2 soldiers and an observer
• 1 bazooka-detachment of 3 soldiers
• HQ-section with platoon-leader
• 1 Jeep with HMG and 2 soldiers. These rules do not include vehicles, so the Jeep must stay stationary with the HMG.

Mission:

• Katangese: To hold the strongpoint of Lumbaya. Can request QRF-support as mentioned in the force-section from turn 12 if still holding whole or part of the strongpoint.
• UN: To take and hold the strongpoint of Lumbya, preferably within 12 turns, and take control on as many Katangese gendarms located there as possible.

AAR

Time:    2,5 hours

Turns:   12 

Result:   UN victory

Since these rules doesn't include vehicles, I just let the UN-Jeep act as part of the scenery and cover and a static emplacement for the UN HMG. This time I kept the UN-support weapons on the left side of the table, and let the UN forces advance towards Lumbaya through the dense vegetation.

The UN Forces lost their HMG support in turn 1, and that slowed the advance until the the Katangese HMG was finally taken out in round 12 (!). The mortar did'nt provide much support either as it missed it targets every time (!)

Not much support in these support-weapons...

So the UN-troops just had to advance slowly by 'Fire and Maneuver', getting closer to the village a little at time.

Fire and Maneuver between covers...

The Katangese sniper wasn't very skilled. He was more likely to miss, than to hit. Perhaps first day at work??

In turn 12 the UN-forces had entered the village of Lumbaya with 2 reduced squads, and taken control of the few remaining Katangese there, who all were either dazed, stunned or unarmed.

Pros

• It's a very simple and easy game to play, and a great introduction for new wargamers. This was actually the first game I cracked on, and also got my oldest son to play.
• It's very simple and can be played with easily available and cheap army men or toy soldiers. The rules are so easy and generic that it easily can be used for different periods and conflicts as well.
• Even though these rules doesn't have any rules for wounded and disabled, they differs hits with another roll of dice from casualties or just being stunned or dazed, and makes it possible to pin down other units for a turn or more.
• The rules include a morale test.
• Have rules for overwatch/On Guard.
• I liked the advanced turn sequence, moving one unit at a time decided by the roll of a dice, instead of moving all units before any action takes place simultaneously. Sometimes some units are just more offensive than others, and that may influence the order actions takes place in the battle.

Cons

• There are no rules for using Sub Machine Guns.
• There are no rules for including (fighting-) vehicles in this game.

Conclusion

This is like the names indicate, a very simple game. Still it's interesting enough. Therefore it might be a great introduction for new members to wargaming. It was the first wargame I ever played with miniatures.

Maybe it was a lot of bad die-rolling here, but I think these rules make it slightly harder to hit and kill the targets by any weapons, and especially by support- and automatic weapons, than the previous rules I've been previewed so far. Since the casualties also get to roll for a saving, the mortality is not so high, so you don't loose all your troops early in the game, but it pins down units though. I played the exactly same game and scenario again with my oldest son a little later, and got about the same result the second time as reviewed here.

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Fighting Plastic

 

Fighting Plastic

The rules

The Figting Plastic rules by Corey Butler were hosted by the late Thor Sheil on his Army Men website, where I first saw them. I found them again on his restored webpages. Here is an direct link to rules. I've also seen another similar version of this game on the web earlier called 'Burning plastic' by Mitch Nexon, but the link to it seems to be inactive now. Maybe some of you have it? If so, Please share it in the comment-section below.

The scenario

I've placed this skirmish to the United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65, when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement' with force.

Situation:

This skirmish is finding place in fictional place of Lumbaya in the early January of 1963, when the UN during operation 'Grand Slam' are turning their attention to the remaining Katangese strongholds in Southern Katanga after after securing the Katangese capitol of Élisabethville.

Place:

Lumbaya is a very small village located 80km south west of Élisabethville, and are made into a stronghold by a small platoon of Katangese Gendarmes. The village is one of several strongholds in the area to trying to hold the UN off while trying to keep the self-proclaimed president Tshombe by power of the self-proclaimed Katanga state.

Forces:

• Katangese:
• 2 rifle-squads each of 10 soldiers, a LMG and and a bazooka/flame thrower. Each squad can operate as 2 fireteams independently. 
• 1 HMG-detachment of 3 soldiers
• 1 sniper
• HQ-section with platoon-leader and 2 medics
• After turn 12: A QRF consisting of 1 truck with a HMG and a section of 10 'veterans' armed with assault rifles, a LMG and a bazooka arrives from the next village. Only if Lumbaya is still held by Katangese forces.
• UN:
• 1 Platoon of 3 rifle-squads each of 8 soldiers and a LMG. The squads can operate independently.
• 1 Light mortar-detachment of  2 soldiers and an observer
• 1 bazooka-detachment of 3 soldiers
• HQ-section with platoon-leader
• 1 Jeep with HMG and 2 soldiers.

Mission:

• Katangese: To hold the strongpoint of Lumbaya. Can request QRF-support as mentioned in the force-section from turn 12 if still holding whole or part of the strongpoint.
• UN: To take and hold the strongpoint of Lumbya, preferably within 12 turns, and take control on as many Katangese gendarms located there as possible.

AAR

Turns:       13

Time:        2 hours

Result:      UN forces defeated when entering the village of Lumbaya at the same time as the arrival of the Katangese QRF.

All ranges are longer in 'Fighting Plastic' than in the previous rules I've reviewed so far. Therefore I needed a slightly other tactic than I've used in earlier games. It was still an UN-attack on 3 axis though, but now the UN Jeep with the HMG provided best support behind cover on the left side of the gaming-table. It managed to take out the crew to the Katangese roftop-HMG at the same time as it was taken out it self. The UN Mortar got a direct hit and finished it off:

Direct hit!
The Katangese HMG is now beyond repair and use.

When the threat with that Kantangese HMG was eliminated, the UN-attack could go on. The Katangese forces only got a couple of direct hits, desimating the UN-forces, but was not able to hold back.

But the Katangese hit back with a direct Bazooka-hit and taking out a half squad.

The UN mortar team gave good support for the advancing forces:

Seems like this building has been targeted with several Mortar-grenades.

Nice addition to the rules that medics can get casualties into combat again. -At a roll of 7, so it didn't help these guys though

The UN Forces finally reached the Village of Lumbaya and was entering it, when they was pinned down by a hidden sniper.

 The sniper just halted the attack for one turn, but that was enough to reaching turn 12 and the arrival of the Katangese QRF from the next village.

The QRF just rushed in as fast and far as possible, and opened fire with it's HMG, hitting almost all the entering UN forces. Only one soldiers was left for the infantry, which took him out in the same turn.

Pros

• It's simple and can be played with easily available and cheap army men or toy soldiers.
• Even thou not including rules for wounded, the rules includes medics who can convert casualties into healthy again by a roll of dice.
• Indirect weapons get a -1 on every first attack on a (fixed) target.
• Have rules for grenades not hitting their targets and will hit something else instead.
• Have own rules for paras jumping into the gaming board whether they hit their Landing Zone or not.
• Rules include different skill-levels for the fighting forces. It doesn't apply for whole units, only for single heroes. I added one at each side, and they stayed alive and led their squads until the final stages of the battle.
• The rules are short. Just 2 sides, and it has easy reference boards/tables making shooting fast.
• I liked the long ranges for the weapons, thus there are a con as well when it doesn't differ between short-, medium- or long range within. It's just easier to hit a closer target than a target far away.

Cons

• The rules doesn't include any melee or hand-to-hand fighting.
• Since every shoot is rolled with 2 dice (D6) and some automatic weapons have up to 10 shoots every turn, at the same time as the rule recommend 30 - 40 soldiers on each side, I think there will be a lot of dice-rolling. I would actually consider to play this game with D12 dice or using a dice-app accepting separately D6-rolls in pairs.

Conclusion

These rules are very in the spirit of the rules made by Thor Sheil, and they naturally belongs in the wargame-section on his website. This was a very easy, fun and playable game, and it kept the excitement until the very end. Looking up references in the rules was easy and quick. It should have had som hand-to-hand combat, but again these rules encourage modifications and house rules as long as they're labeled as such.

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OMOG - One Man, One Gun

 

OMOG - One Man, One Gun

The rules

The OMOG - One Man, One Gun by the late Thor Sheil was actually the second (free) wargame-rules I ever read, and therefore a naturally continuation on these play-through blogg-posts.

The different OMOG-rules can be found for free on Thor Sheil's restored website with all the periodic rules and the supplements. I've chosen the OMOG - Advanced for 20th and 21st Century Soldiers for this game.

The scenario

I've placed this skirmish to the United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65, when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement'.

Situation:

This skirmish is finding place in fictional place of Lumbaya in the early January of 1963, when the UN during operation 'Grand Slam' are turning their attention to the remaining Katangese strongholds in Southern Katanga after after securing the Katangese capitol of Élisabethville.

Place:

Lumbaya is a very small village located 80km south west of Élisabethville, and are made into a stronghold by a small platoon of Katangese Gendarmes. The village is one of several strongholds in the area to trying to hold the UN off while trying to keep the self-proclaimed president Tshombe by power of the self-proclaimed Katanga state.

Forces:

• Katangese:
• 2 rifle-squads each of 10 soldiers, a LMG and and a bazooka/flame thrower. Each squad can operate as 2 fireteams independently. 
• 1 HMG-detachment of 3 soldiers
• 1 sniper
• HQ-section with platoon-leader and 2 medics
• After turn 12: A QRF consisting of 1 truck with a HMG and a section of 10 'veterans' armed with assault rifles, a LMG and a bazooka arrives from the next village. Only if Lumbaya is still held by Katangese forces. These rules don't include vehicles so the truck must stay stationary with it's HMG.
• UN:
• 1 Platoon of 3 rifle-squads each of 8 soldiers and a LMG. The squads can operate independently.
• 1 Light mortar-detachment of  2 soldiers and an observer
• 1 bazooka-detachment of 3 soldiers
• HQ-section with platoon-leader
• 1 Jeep with HMG and 2 soldiers. These rules do not include vehicles, so the Jeep must stay stationary with the HMG acting just like a static emplacement.

Mission:

• Katangese: To hold the strongpoint of Lumbaya. Can request QRF-support as mentioned in the force-section from turn 12 if still holding whole or part of the strongpoint.
• UN: To take and hold the strongpoint of Lumbya, preferably within 12 turns, and take control on as many Katangese gendarms located there as possible.

AAR

Turns:    14

Time:      2 hours   

Result:    UN withdrawal

Since these rules didn't include vehicles, I made the vehicles part of the scenery and acting as cover and static emplacement for HMGs.

The UN forces advanced on 3 axis, but this time much slower than previous game due to the movement-rules. Again the attack was halted when the UN came in contact with with the Katangese HMG on the rooftop covering the road to into Lumbaya. 

It took so lot of efforts to eliminate the the Katangese HMG, so by the time the UN troops could finally start advancing again, their own support-weapons was almost out of ammo. Without support-weapons to give effective suppressive fire, the attack came to a halt, almost at the same time as turn 12 and the appearance of the Katangese QRF. This meant that the UN forces was outnumbered and outgunned. Due to heavy losses the only reasonable thing to do was to withdraw.

Kantangese HMG covering the road towards Lumbaya, end effectively pin down the UN forces

UN mortar team was giving cover, but was running out of grenades

When it was finally time to start advancing again, the UN troops was critically low on ammo.....

....so when the Katangese QRF appeared, there was no other option than to withdraw for the UN

Pros

• It's simple and can be played with easily available and cheap army men or toy soldiers from a lot of different periods.
• Have rules for mortars and hand grenades not hitting their target and added hit-probability for firing at the same target not moved.
• Ammo rules limits available shoots for mortars, hand grenades, flamethrowers, bazookas and HMGs.
• Have rules for different skill-levels for units, but only in the hand-to-hand fighting section.
• Have own rules to cover many different periods from ancient to modern.

Cons

• The rules doesn't include any vehicles.
• It doesn't have any rules for using sniper rifles. 
• When throwing dice' for almost all the (other) shooting, I think it would have been easier to handle automatic weapons as well with dice instead of 'burst cones'-templates for automatic weapons. Besides the 'burst cones' assumes that these kind of weapon automatically hits, if you're not in a cover and can roll for a cover-save.

Conclusion

The movement is slightly slower in this game, and I think it will be best suited for smaller gaming spaces and scenarios. I also I think it will be even easier to play for (earlier) periods not including automatic weapons (and the use of burst cones). I'm more likely to play these rules again for another and earlier era. I really liked the ammo-rule. Not many other rules have them. 

I'm glad for all the contributions to this hobby from the late Thor Sheil, and I'm very glad to spend some time playing his games. If you haven't tried them your self yet, I recommend you to do. 

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Jersey Shore Battle Games

Jersey Shore Battle Games

The rules

The Jersey Shore Battle Games, also called Sandy Hook Battle Games, by the late Thor Sheil, with whom I kept in contact and exchanged wargaming ideas with, was actually the very first (free) wargame-rules I ever read (but not played before now), and therefore a naturally starting point for these following play-through blogg-posts. 

The rules can be found for free on Thor Sheil's restored webpages with both the basic rules and the period appendix'. I've chosen the Operation Sandtrap with the Advanced Rules for this game.

The scenario

I've placed this skirmish to the United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65, when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement' with force.

Situation:

This skirmish is finding place in fictional place of Lumbaya in the early January of 1963, when the UN during operation 'Grand Slam' are turning their attention to the remaining Katangese strongholds in Southern Katanga after after securing the Katangese capitol of Élisabethville.

Place:

Lumbaya is a very small village located 80km south west of Élisabethville, and are made into a stronghold by a small platoon of Katangese Gendarmes. The village is one of several strongholds in the area to trying to hold the UN off while trying to keep the self-proclaimed president Tshombe by power of the self-proclaimed Katanga state.

Forces:

• Katangese:
• 2 rifle-squads each of 10 soldiers, a LMG and and a bazooka/flame thrower. Each squad can operate as 2 fireteams independently. 
• 1 HMG-detachment of 3 soldiers
• 1 sniper
• HQ-section with platoon-leader and 2 medics
• After turn 12: A QRF consisting of 1 truck with a HMG and a section of 10 'veterans' armed with assault rifels, a LMG and a bazooka arrives from the next village. Only if Lumbaya is still held by Katangese forces.
• UN:
• 1 Platoon of 3 rifle-squads each of 8 soldiers and a LMG. The squads can operate independently.
• 1 Light mortar-detachment of  2 soldiers and an observer
• 1 bazooka-detachment of 3 soldiers
• HQ-section with platoon-leader
• 1 Jeep with HMG and 2 soldiers. 

Mission:

• Katangese: To hold the strongpoint of Lumbaya. Can request QRF-support as mentioned in the force-section from turn 12 if still holding whole or part of the strongpoint.
• UN: To take and hold the strongpoint of Lumbya, preferably within 12 turns, and take control on as many Katangese gendarms located there as possible.

AAR

Time to play:    1.5 hours

Turns:                7 (so I wasn't able to bring in the Katangese QRF)

Result:               UN withdrawal 

The UN forces advanced on 3 axis supported by a light mortar and a vehicle mounted HMG. When hitting contact with a Katangese HMG on a nearby rooftop, almost all the UN forces got pinned, and they lost their Jeep with their support weapon. With 10 shots each turn, I think both HMGs and LMGs potentially causes too much damage each turn. One burst can take out a whole squad. The attack carried on, supported only by the UN light mortar, but it didn't hit one single time.

The UN troops advanced slowly through the dence vegatation

But in Lumbaya they're ready and awaiting the UN attack. The Catangese HMG is located on the roof in the background, and the HMG is going to take out a great number of UN troops and their supports before being taken out them selves.

First the gunner was sniped down, and later the Catangese HMG finished off the whole vehicle

So the only support-weapon left for the UN was their light Morter-team.

...But they did'nt hit much.

When reaching the outskirts of Lumbaya The UN forces had lost so many troops that according to the advanced rules, the UN had to withdraw. They wouldn't have any chance to take Lumbaya and the remaining Katangese Gendarmerie there.

Pros

• It's simple and can be played with easily available and cheap army men or toy soldiers from a lot of different periods.
• Have rules for consequences of mortar, grenades and bombs not hitting their target, as they are going to hit something else instead.
• Rules for morale.
• Rules for concealed units and movement.
• Have more rules on the website for covering other periods

Cons

• Since you have to roll 2 dice for every shot to determine hits, and there are a greater number of shots for different automatic weapons and at the same time suggested about 30 soldiers for each side, I think it's going to be a lot of dice-rolling. I would actually consider to play this with a D12 dice instead.
• Even with the advanced rules, there are no rules for using sniper rifles. Since the rules encourages adaptions, I used the same rules as for Infantry rifles; 1 shoot needing a 7 or better to hit, but can throw dice 3 times into the same target and choosing the best of them and giving it a Range 2.
• Infantry movement is not actually mentioned in the 'Sandpit-rules', so I had to use same rules but  the 'Showdown Wild West' for reference. Infantry movement is a Range 1, which is 12" in this scale.
• I think the hand-to-hand combat rules seems unclear. Now I didn't get to get close enough to engage my troops in any hand-to-hand-combat, but it it seems like there is no dice-rolling or anything. Just outnumbering.
• I miss an easy and quick reference board/table in the rules. Now I had jo do a lot of rereading when battling. 

Conclusion

I think the cons outnumber the pros in this game as written. But it surely have some nice aspects other rules doesn't have. Besides Thor wrote on his pages that the rules were to serve as a basis on which to develop your own particular games. He encourages that you can add your own special conditions, such as morale, command, specific attributes for certain weapons, etc. Because as he said; "The rules may be mine, but the game is yours and thus should reflect what you consider essential".

I'm a great fan of Thor Sheil, and have a lot of respect for him, and I'm very glad I took the time to play one of his games.

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In Memoriam Thor Sheil

Thank you for your service

Prelude to battle

The beginning

I've been into a lot of different modelling hobbies for a while, but tabletop wargaming was not one of them, until quite recently. Actually it was my very good, and late friend Morten who first gave me the idea and gave it a spark. Unfortunately we didn't get to game together...

Knowing about nothing about this hobby, I turned to the internet in my search for information and wargaming-rules. I was actually put off a little when I saw the complexity, thick books and price on some of the games and miniatures, but I also found some easier ones which could be downloaded and printed for free and played with ordinary affordable army men. 

Since I was new to this and didn't know if this was something for me, I didn't want to spend a lot of money or time reading thick rule-books. Therefore I decided to test-play some of the free rules I found on the internet, to see if I liked it, and what kind of rules I preferred. Fast, very simple, D6-mechanics, 1:1, skirmish, playable and fun rules seemed to be the thing for me. The very first game I ever played was Pete Kautz' '1 Brain Cell Wargame', just using what I had to hand in the household, nothing fancy:

This is where it all started with my very first game; unpainted army men, Momin's house from my kids' old toys, folding ruler, tape-measure, books and magazines making up the terrain and scenery

Where to find them

After I while I found many different free rules on the internet that I could play with easily available and cheap Army men. My favorite sources for free wargame rules are:

• The late Thor Sheil's Army men homepage where there are sections for wargaming and a lot of Thor's own rules.
• Free Wargamesrules Wiki
• Miniature Wargaming
• FUBAR wargames

Actually I found more rules on these pages that I'll have ever time to play them all. While trying to obtain even more information and others experience with some of these rules, I was searching the internet again for some battle-reports, AARs, playthroughs and feedbacks on them, but didn't actually find so many. Does anyone play them at all, or is it just seldom that wargamers post AARs on such rules??  Please share your experience in the comments. 

Therefore I plan to play some of  those free, fast, simple, skirmish, playable and fun rules I find most apealing and post a short AAR on them here in this blog, and perhaps someone might find it helpful. To easier to compare the different rulesets with each other, I think it's fair to play them with the same scenario.

The scenario

Unlike the free wargame rules, I did not find as many free and ready skirmish wargame scenarios to base my coming games upon. Some of the rulesets them selves often contain some very easy 'scenarioes' and winning-conditions, but they're just too basic. Therefore I got inspired by one of  The United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65 (United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC)) ,when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement' with use of force and had several clashes with the breakaway state of Katanga.

Situation:

This skirmish is finding place in fictional place of Lumbaya in the early January of 1963, when the UN during operation 'Grand Slam' are turning their attention to the remaining Katangese strongholds in Southern Katanga after after securing the Katangese capitol of Élisabethville.

Place:

Lumbaya is a very small village located 80km south west of Élisabethville, and is made into a stronghold by a small and imrovised platoon of Katangese Gendarmes. The village is one of several strongholds in the area trying to hold the UN off while trying to keep the self-proclaimed president Tshombe by power of the self-proclaimed Katanga state.

The road to the fictional village of Lumbaya

Forces:

• Katangese:
• 2 rifle-squads each of 10 soldiers, a LMG and and a bazooka/flame thrower. Each squad can operate as 2 fireteams independently. 
• 1 HMG-detachment of 3 soldiers
• 1 sniper
• HQ-section with platoon-leader and 2 medics



TheKatangese Gerdarmerie



• After turn 12 if the rules include vehicles or skilled troops: A QRF consisting of 1 truck with a HMG and a section of 10 'veterans' with assault guns, a LMG and a bazooka arrives from the next village. Only if Lumbaya is still held by Katangese forces though.



The QRF

• UN:
• 1 Platoon of 3 rifle-squads each of 8 soldiers and a LMG. The squads can operate independently.
• 1 Light mortar-detachment of  2 soldiers and an observer
• 1 bazooka-detachment of 3 soldiers
• HQ-section with platoon-leader
• 1 Jeep with HMG and 2 soldiers. If rules do not include vehicles, the Jeep must stay stationary with the HMG at the deployment-zone. 
  
  
  

Mission:

• Katangese: To hold the strongpoint of Lumbaya. Can request QRF-support as mentioned in the force-section from turn 12 if still holding whole or part of the strongpoint.
• UN: To take and hold the strongpoint of Lumbya, preferably within 12 turns, and take control on as many Katangese gendarms located there as possible.

Let the Game(s) begin!

In Memoriam Morten Melsnes

Generic scenery and wargaming terrain on a budget

Time to finally do som painting

It's been quiet from the 'blog-front' here for a while now, but as already mentioned in an earlier blogpost; 'Even more about protective covering' I had 3D-printed a lot of different scenery items, and had even more in the making at the time of writing, that needed to be painted. Even thou we're still fighting Covid-19, we do not have as many restrictions as earlier like home isolation and quarantine anymore. -So it was time to go to go back to work and catch up, resulting in less time to 3D-print new items, painting them or gaming.  Besides I got into a diversion of military modelling, and spent some time by the lake with my new RC boat. 

But finally I got around to do some painting. So what to paint my newly scenery items like, and where and when should they represent???

Generic approach

Despite I'm quite new to tabletop gaming, there are a lot of different eras, conflicts, scales and games (both historical and sci-fi) I would like to play. I don't have unlimited space at home for all my modelling hobbies, so I can't just go ahead and make scenery items for every game, battle or period I'd like. So I've decided to make and paint scenery items so generic that I can combine and use them for as many different games, settings, eras, scales and conflicts as possible.

Since I've already got 54mm miniatures for gaming in the old west, Sci-fi, and for post WWII conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, it was clear that I had to go for some kind of scenery they all have in common. Besides, the Middle East might be a suitable 'theater' for future wargaming projects as well, since it's the most war thorn region of the world through the whole history. 

I decided to go for a desert-like, sandy, dusty wasteland scenery, as it will be suitable for different eras and conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, as well in the southern parts of the 'Old West' or in a Sci-fi setting on a Mars-like or 'Tatooine' planet.

The painting it self was straight forward; Solid layers of tan color(s), washed with dark brown, and drybryshed with 'Titanium Buff'. All painted with cheap craft acrylics.

By just adding some craters to the rocks make you have a Middle East/African battlefield or a Sci-fi setting

For vegetation I selected plants and trees I don't think would look out of place in a sandy and dry habitat 

This was 3D-printet in black PLA and simply drybrushed with various 'browns', starting dark followed by lighter shades

Adobe style buildings can be found in The MiddleEast, Africa and in southern parts of Northern America

With generic scenery further period and location can be set by adding periodic or geographical items. Here is some detail to set the scene to Middle East or African wargames

I also made some terrain pieces with other bits and pieces I had laying around.

When 3D-printing you sometimes add 'Rafts'to your print to make your model stick better to the printbed. When done printing you separate them and usually throw the raft away. I found some of the rafts from my previous 3D-prints to be so sturdy and of irregular shape that I would try to use them as terrain bases. The greenery is just lichen for Christmas decorations found in craft stores. Thanks to Rick Astley for providing one of those circular bases in the middle. I knew he was never giving me up...

Circular CD-bases again. I think this is one of the Mrs' 'Game of Thrones' seasons...
The rocks are made by cutting blue and pink extruded foam to shape and painted.

This is made by adding pieces from 'The Force' and 'The Corps' playsets to a raft for 3D prints. A CD or any other suitable base will work as well

Even stationary vehicles can act as periodic gaming terrain, and add some cover for your troops. The toy car was to correct scale, but looked a little too pristine  at first...

The 'battle mat' is made by a tan piece of inexpensive cloth simply stippled with different browns and greens acrylics by a coarse sponge. Roads, rivers and lakes are just fabric in a different colors, and are loose to change the scenery for different scenarioes

There are still a lot of interesting and available free 3D-files ready to download and print out there, but in this scale I'll just have to limit myself as I already have challenges with storing it properly. Besides I should have enough scenery and terrain by now to make up interesting games.

Now it's about time to let the (war-) Game(s) begin, so please follow the blog for updates!