The 3 inch mortar was the main form of artillery in the jungles of New Guinea. The Australian Jungle Division contained two full platoons of medium mortars. The medium mortar was much more effective than the light mortar, whose rounds would often burst in the air.
My Jungle Division Platoon for Bolt action has the option for both. The medium mortar would always be the weapon of choice, however if you only wish to use it for a smoke barrage or if you have a few points remaining the light mortar can be useful.
In addition the Light mortar has the capacity to move and fire so can be an advantage if you are the attacker in a scenario.
The medium or 3″ mortar:
Tomorrow actions speak louder than words, unless you have this fellows connections.
The normal “tow” for the Australian “short” 25pds was man power or a Jeep if the terrain permitted.
A jeep towing a 25pdr (location unknown). The short 25pdr did not have the front shield as this one does.
Short 25pdr being manhandled uphill through the jungle!
The jeep is only used for towing so is completely unarmed, except for the drivers rifle!
Tomorrow, all being well, I should finish the Jungle Divisions mortar contingent. I say “all being well” because it is that time of the year where “rugrat wrangling” becomes a priority. We have some Lego “clone” Battle Mechs to put together and fight a game with. Should be fun, well I think so!
Three mechs for each of the boys and one for grandpa! Well I have to have something to play with don’t I! Sure I bought them for the grand kids!
The 2 pdr anti tank gun was the standard anti tank gun of British and Australian forces at the beginning of the Second World War. Australia manufactured a quick firing 2 pounder anti tank gun mounted on a Mark II carriage. As I have only one artillery slot in the Bolt Action list for the “Jungle Division ” I have opted for the “short 25pound howitzer” already posted on. Given the lack of enemy tanks the anti-tank shells were rarely used if at all.
From a game perspective I have painted both a Boys anti-tank rifle team and a PIAT team. This is a significant weakness of the Australian list as most others have an option for standard troops and often inexperienced troops to carry anti-tank grenades. There are two units that regularly carried these – Commandos (but not in all sectors) and Engineers. This means that an Australian player needs to purchase additional specialised troops to deal with tanks that he might encounter at a considerably higher points cost,
This weapon system was developed in the mid 1930s by the British Small Arms Committee and was one of the principal designs of Captain Boys. The Boys rifle is an enlarged bolt action weapon feeding from a top mounted magazine.
VX18855 Gunner Jeffrey John Coombe of Launceston, Tasmania, behind his Boys anti-tank gun.
The barrel was permitted to recoil in the stock and the butt was heavily padded – both measures to reduce the heavy recoil. The rifle fired a steel cored and later a tungsten cored armour piercing projectile.
It was basically obsolete at the beginning of the Second World War in Europe as the armour protection of tanks had outpaced the penetrative ability of anti-tank rifles and was replaced by the PIAT. The Australian Army continued to use the Boys against Japanese armoured vehicles with some effect.
In the absence of much enemy armour they were more often deployed as “bunker busters”. From a game perspective they are a cheap dice option that can be useful against light tanks and as a “sniper’ to cause casualties and pins on enemy infantry.
They were universally disliked by all Commonwealth forces due to the large recoil,
The Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank (PIAT) replaced the Boys after 1942, a green painted open trough affair with a spring rather like the suspension spring on a car that re-arranged the shoulders of soldiers but certainly did sterling work.
So, was this the end of the Boys? In theory, yes, in practice, no. There are some splendid photographs taken of British Commandos at the end of the war, one of them holding a Boys rifle.
Australians using a PIAT in Borneo
Maintenance work on the PIAT
In 1945 when 3 years of supposed obsolescence would have swept the thing into the scrap bin, there were these incredible troops posing with this rifle. British Commando’s still continued to use the Boys as they were brilliant for blowing holes in walls without applying for planning permission!
This Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank, Mark I (PIAT) was issued to Australian troops during the Second World War. The projector was designed as a light self cocking anti tank weapon which is fired from the shoulder and projects a bomb with considerable armour piercing effect.
Four types of ammunition are used with this weapon. 1. bomb H E A T (high explosive anti-tank) colour green. 2. bomb, practice inert/ A T (anti-tank) colour black. 3. bomb, drill/ A T (anti-tank) colour black with a yellow band. 4. shot, practice/ A T (anti-tank) colour white.
Only a few more support weapons teams to complete before I can start on the PBI.
A while ago I received a little parcel of goodies from Maenoferren and have just finished a few more items from the bundle.
A wolf and a large boar.
I am very happy with how the boar came out but will probably repaint the wolf’s head some time in the future as it didn’t turn out the wau I would have liked. The problem of doing things late at night.
The figures are great and an excellent addition to my “funnies” collection. Thanks again Maenoferren!
After my disappointment with yesterday’s review I knew this one would deliver.
In a full colour, well produced and proof read 192 page rulebook with great art and illustrations (fantastic art by Michael Doscher) throughout, you get a ruleset that’s easy to pick up and difficult to master, astonishingly broad and flexible army selection rules, a campaign system, multiple scenarios and even examples of genres and settings to let you get started exploring the game in several different ways.
Xenos Rampant is a setting and miniature agnostic, large skirmish, miniature wargame for fighting science fiction battles using 28mm figures. Developed from the popular Lion Rampant ruleset, the core mechanics are instantly recognisable to those familiar with the other Rampant systems. Xenos Rampant contains all the rules, army lists, and scenarios required to fight science fiction battles as well as a whole host of subgenres including: post-apocalyptic, weird war, near future. So, whatever your science fiction preference, the rules can cover it – just let your imagination run rampant.
There are some major advantages in these rules, a games system that just works well and we are familiar with, an army building system that is flexible, and capable of copying with killer bunnies versus Neanderthals. So you can take any model or group of eclectic models and they will fit within the framework of the game system. The possibilities are almost endless, and is a real seller.
The activation system is great allowing shooting units to activate easily to shoot but very hard to get them to charge. Units designed for close combat will find it easier to charge. Troops therefore need to be used in the right way for success.
The book has a large amount of space dedicated to the various genres mentioned above providing sample unit options for each one that will allow the novice to get started quickly.
I have developed a sample 24 point list to give you an idea of how you can incorporate your existing figures into Xenos Rampart.
A Deadzone Plague army:
A stage 1A Plaguelord Commander counting as a heavy infantry unit atv2 points. I will give it “assault doctrine” increasing close combat by +1 and make it “mobile” because of its size and exoskeleton increasing movement by 4″. Total 4pts.
Two units of 5 stage 3A Ghouls counting as heavy infantry at two points each.
One stage 3A ghoul mortar team. Counts as support infantry for 5pts and give it indirect fire for 1pt totalling 6pts.
One unit of 5 Leapers counting as Recon. Infantry for 2pts and will make them a veteran unit for a further 2pts for a total of 4pts.
One Abberation counting as a Xenomorph for 4pts
and to round of the 24pts a unit of five zombies, increasing them to ten for an extra point for a final total of 2pts.
The force consists of two large monsters, 2 units of 5 heavy infantry, a mortar team, a recon unit of 5 figures, and a large unit of ten zombies. Not a bad little skirmish force.
I have not been able to get this as completed as I would have liked, as the two sets of rules just reviewed arrived along with great weather for bike riding and impinged on its completion. So this is instead a WIP post.
I started making a fifth building (of seven) and realised that the deck and floor board were plain mdf. So I unpacked my trusty soldering iron and went to work scoring the floor boards. See another “Work in Progress” post for more detail.
I tried another roofing method with a large pot scourer but am not really happy with how it turned out. One side was meant to overlap but “shrunk” when the glue dried. This would have avoided the channel on top. I will provide some “tiling” to cover it. I do like how the various spray colours have turned out on it though.
The walls on the other four have been lightly sprayed and just need some washing and dry brushing to finish them off.
The corrugated roof still needs to be painted a dull metal and “rusted up”. I will also put some other “tin” sheets on as some DIY patching.
Overall I am pleased with how the village is looking.
Reminds me very much of the poorer parts of Mount Hagen when I went to build a maintenance hanger for Missionary Aviation Fellowship some fifty years ago. It is now Papua and New Guinea’s third largest town.
The town at the entrance to the Central highlands
The airport very different today.
Travelling with us was a friend from seminary college whose missionary father had been killed by cannibal tribes from the region in the late 1950’s. He was going back as a missionary to the same people.
They have a proud warrior tradition.
Also, during the Japanese invasion a total of 333 church workers including Papuans and visiting missionaries from a range of denominations were killed by the Japanese from 1942 to 1943.
“Pulp is a set of wargames rules covering heroic adventure and dastardly villains during the early 20th Century.
Enter a world of perilous adventure and explore steaming jungles, desert canyons, and arctic wastes! Brave the perils of nature and discover lost ruins, ancient treasures, and the secrets of forgotten civilizations! Race against rival adventurers and face off against diabolical villains! Take to the city streets and fight back against gangsters, spies, and sinister cults!
Pulp! is a scenario-driven skirmish wargame set during the interwar years of the early 20th Century. Players build teams of bold explorers, daring archaeologists, hardboiled detectives, and costumed avengers – or criminal masterminds and evil geniuses – and dive into a world of fortune, glory… and menace. Designed for both solo and cooperative play as well as the classic head-to-head mode, Pulp! contains all the rules needed to game globetrotting escapades in this rip-roaring era. ” From the publisher.
Regular readers will know that I like Pulp gaming, but forget these rules!
I was really looking forward to this one arriving but …………. I know the publications in this Osprey series are a bit hit and miss but I am not sure how you can get this one so wrong when there are some really good examples out there to learn from. This one is so bad I think its only claim to fame will be turning people away from Pulp gaming
What I don’t like (and I am being kind) :
chits and markers all over the table – you need five different sorts;
new rules need to bring something different to the table – these do not;
rather silly life experience tables;
scenario design takes up a lot of space but again adds nothing we don’t already do every “make up” game;
“creating a war band” is described in two paragraphs but gives the novice little detail on the “how to”;
vehicles and I quote “not accounted for in the standard rules of the game” – should say not addressed at all;
continuing melees are a separate phase in the turn – there should be none! Combats should be quick and decisive with heroes having a significant advantage;
Again I quote “designed for both solo and cooperative play” – Arnaudo’s idea of solo play is “play both sides”! Cooperative play is only mentioned in the preface! These needs separate sections.
What do I like. Hmmm it has a great front cover!
I am completely and utterly disappointed in this one. There is not one thing in it that would cause me to set up a game and try it. Give it a miss.
⭐
Rating: 0.5 out of 5.
Just to make it absolutely clear this was a complete and utter waste of hard earned!
I am gradually working through my Commando/Special forces Bolt Action figures. All I need to do is a few more Commandos and some SAS/LRDG and their vehicles. For now though, just ten more figures to complete the teams already started, with the leftovers being the start of the fourth and final Commando section.
A section NCO and two PBI with SMG’s for the fourth Commando section.
Three riflemen as Bren loaders (2) and flamethrower assistant.
Two SMG ADC’s for the Captain.
Two SMG ADC’s for the Lieutenant.
Tomorrow I plan on building some Pacific Island huts for gaming around. Although there were no large city battles outside of China, villages were strategic points, often containing airfields. They are essential for campaign games even in New Guinea where Buna, Gona Wau, Loribaiwa, Sanananda, and Salamaua to name just the important ones.
Sneak peek of the WIP, which is also an exercise in trying different roofing materials over the flat mdf.
The Australians were the first to realize the need for light weight howitzer for the heavy jungle and mountains of New Guinea. The heaviest weapon used in this situation was the 81 mm mortar. A small amount of 3.7′ (94 mm) mountain howitzers and 75 mm mountain howitzers given by the Americans did not improve the situation.
At the same time, the Japanese army was using mountain guns that could be disassembled and transported by pack animals or even human carriers.The main weapon of Australian field artillery was the 25-pounder Mk.II, produced from May of 1941 to the end of 1943 at the state factory in Melbourne (1527 units made).
The Australian Director of Artillery, Brigadier John O’Brien, proposed the creation of a maximally lightened 25-pounder gun that could be disassembled for transport by air. The Charles Ruwolt Pty Ltd company was tasked with this project.
The designers completed their task quickly. Design started in September of 1942, and proving grounds trials of the prototype were underway on December 10th. In early next year, the prototype was tested in combat conditions in New Guinea (with the 2nd battery of the 1st Field Artillery Regiment). In 1943 the gun was accepted into service under the name Ordnance QF 25-pdr Short (Aust) Mk.I on Carriage Light (Aust) Mk.I.
The figure gun and crew are from Warlord Games, the horse and limber are Minifigs Napoleonics figures, and the Native figures are from Eureka Miniatures.
The impressions from using the shortened 25-pounder were mixed. On one hand, the mobility of the lighter gun in the jungle surpassed that of the standard gun-howitzer.
On the other hand, the gunners cursed the poor stability of the guns while firing. A consequence of the poor stability was the low rate of fire (3-4 RPM), since firing knocked off the aim. The crewmen sometimes stood on the trail to prevent the gun from shifting after firing, but this could injure them due to the powerful recoil.
The introduction of the 25-pounders in August of 1943 was connected with the change in infantry divisions to «jungle» formations. According to the new TO&E, the division was equipped with one 3-battery artillery regiment, in which two batteries were armed with regular 25-pounders and one with the short versions.
Later, a part of the “jungle divisions” two more artillery regiments were added. The organization of short gun batteries differed from regular ones significantly.
A battery consisted of the HQ platoon (4 Jeeps and one light trailer) and two fire platoons: four guns, seven Jeeps, and one D6 tractor with a 1 ton trailer apiece. 24 rounds were carried in each Jeep and 88 more in the trailer.
The Australian’s in Bolt Action are able to use horse drawn limbers to tow their guns in bolt action games. Despite this I can find no actual evidence of this occurring in any theatre during WW2. Like the British, the Australians mainly used vehicular transport for their 25psr guns. As they were initially supplied by the British and later produced in Melbourne, this is understandable. The vehicle most often used was the standard US jeep, but also Quad Tractors, Universal Carriers and the Morris 6X4 CDSW tractor was used.
More often than not, in New Guinea, the gun was manhandled by porters and diggers, especially on the Kokoda track were vehicular movement was almost impossible.
Basically I think this is because where a jeep could not traverse, neither could a horse limber.
There are many reports of guns being dismantled and being transported by horse or ass. The picture above clearly shows this.
In game terms limbers are not often used to transport artillery around the table, especially howitzers, but they do provide a cheap order dice and are used regularly by players for this reason. I will provide my short 25pdr and later my 75mm mountain gun with the jeep, pack horse/ass, and horse limber options.
The Jeep kit is from Rubicon and the Mule team is from Empress Miniatures.
Tomorrow I hope to have more of my Commandos finished.
I had my first game of F28 last night. The rules looked interesting with my first quick flick through of the rules during the week. I am very impressed with the activation system which overcomes the majority of problems with the UGI/IGO systems of rules. Jason, Rod and I played each other withJason trying to destroy me, Rod trying to destroy Jason , and myslef trying to destroy Rod. needless to say it ended up a free for all with me destroying more of Jason’s figures than Rod’s. Hey “war is always changing”.
I liked Jason’s terrain as the line of sight, lack of ladders and various heights of the terrain added to the tactical decisions you had to make. Great effort over the last few weeks to put it together Jason.
In the end it was very clear that Jason had lost and that i hadn’t won leaving Rod the victor.
I cannot believe I just put that in print!
“F28 is a tactical level miniature wargame intended for use in the 28-32mm scale. It allows you to recreate vicious conflicts ranging from small skirmishes where each model fights on its own, to larger battles where models are grouped into larger units.
The system also supports light RPG-style narrative play where players command only a handful of models each and fight semi-cooperatively versus the forces of a Game Master. F28 supports a multitude of settings, but aims for the fantastic rather than the naturalistic.
We’d like to think that there are several things that makes F28 stand out from other miniature rulesets, but we’d like to highlight a couple of things in particular:
Speed and Simplicity F28 is designed to be simple when it comes to mechanics and play very, very fast. Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that games are short – rather, it means that the amount of “game mechanics per player decision” is kept as low as possible.
We still believe that we have managed to create some tactical depth, it is just that it is more “chess like” in nature rather than being overburdened with tables, dice rolls and statline lookups.
Simultaneous action In F28 play is semi-simultaneous, meaning that it is always in a sense “your turn”. When your opponent takes actions, you are constantly able to respond with reactions. This keeps you involved and engaged in what is going on, and people taking longer turns is less of a problem. There is no or very little downtime.
F28 is designed to support “narrative” gaming where actions make sense (or as much sense as possible) in the setting of the game, avoiding overly “gamist” mechanics. We have tried to make sure that choices in the game will generally revolve around what would be a sensible action in the game world, and not only what would be sensible according to the game mechanics, such as “attacking a unit that hasn’t had its turn yet” or placing models to exploit squadron or line of sight rules.” Information taken from Wargames vault.
Stories and Simulation
Scale and Scalability F28 can be played in three different formats, depending on your taste. These are not entirely separate entities, and it is possible to mix and match as you like. Some combinations of rules might however yield strange results! Battles are huge clashes between armies; several squads of models with accompanying vehicle support, alongside legendary characters and monsters. The implicit scale is somewhat different and the rules are less detailed in order to facilitate smooth play. There is very little bookkeeping.
Skirmishes take place between bands of individual models, vying for supremacy and constantly evolving as a result of their many clashes. The scale is toned down, but some rules are added for additional detail. There is a bit more bookkeeping, as we keep track of the traits and equipment of individual models.
Narratives introduce a narrator, or “GM”, which opens up a whole new world of possibility. Players command small tactical teams of roughly three to six models, where every model is a special character with its own story. Additional rules cover such things as skill use and limited information. Since each player only keeps track of a few models, more bookkeeping is less of a problem.“
Had a great time, enjoyed the banter, pizza and of course the game. I think this game has a lots of potential, but will need to play it a few more times. The entry price for the pdf is a bit step if you just want to have a look at it. I suggest if you are interested have a game with someone like I did before you make the investment!
