Often disguised in this blog as “Roberto” I have painted another figure in his honour
The Saga of the Wargamer Rob
Poor Rob, no longer all bright eyed, At the tabletop, he’d often preside. His die rolls were vile, He’d just terribly rile The foes he was trying to snide.
His armies, all painted with care, He’d deploy with a haphazard glare. “A flank attack!” he’d yell, Then his forces all fell, Leaving his heroes quite unaware.
He’d forget all the rules of the fight, Misread every movement in sight. “Those tanks move too slow!” His opponent would show The chapter heโd studied all night.
His opponent, a slim, guru like chap, Would spring every well-thought-out trap. Rob would moan and heโd sigh, As his regiments did die, Then reach for a chip or a snap.
So he’d lose every battle, alas, With less skill than a worm on the grass. But Rob didn’t mind, Left the war far behind, And enjoyed the cold beer in his glass.
Hi all just a quick note to let you know that the second in a series of wargaming rule books is out now on Amazon
Written in “pirate speak” this is a fast play set of rules for up to a dozen pirates a side. The winner is the one at the end of the game with the most chocolate doubloons!
Scurvy Dogs ain’t yer grandpappy’s ponderous ruleset, no sir! Forget the dusty tomes and endless charts. This is a treasure map to swashbucklin’ action, built for small gangs of up to a dozen of yer most scurvy, cutthroat pirates.
Whether ye be fightin’ a rival captain for dominion over the high seas or teamin’ up against a landlubber invasion, these rules be quick as a sea shanty and sharp as a cutlass! Dive into fast-paced skirmishes where every decision matters, from outflanking your foes to seizing vital strongholds. “Scurvy Dogs” strips away the unnecessary, leaving only pure, unadulterated pirate combat designed for quick setup and thrilling, dynamic gameplay. Grab your crew, roll the dice, and let the cannons roar โ adventure awaits!
Hellfire Heroes is another Guru Pig rule set in the midst of play testing.
Thus time we using British army 2009 versus Tier 3 Insurgents.
Scenario: Checkpoint:
Narrative: Your squad has been tasked with establishing a new checkpoint along a known insurgent supply route. Your goal is to secure the area, show a presence, and deter enemy activity. The insurgents, however, have no intention of letting you disrupt their operations and will attempt a quick ambush to drive you off the road.
Modern Force Objective: Secure the checkpoint. The game ends in a Modern Force victory if they have at least one figure within 2 inches of the center of the checkpoint marker and have no enemy figures within the same radius for two consecutive turns.
Insurgent Objective: Disruption. The insurgents win if they have caused at least two casualties to the modern force and successfully withdraw at least one of their teams off the board.
Forces:
Modern Force: One Section, consisting of two Fire Teams. All teams are Regular quality.
Insurgents: Three Fire Teams. All teams are Irregular quality.
Battlefield Setup: A 3’x3′ board with a dirt road running through the center. The road has a checkpoint marker in the middle. The rest of the board is open desert with scattered rocks and dunes providing light cover.
Deployment: The Modern Force deploys within 6 inches of a board edge. The Insurgents may deploy their teams anywhere on the board outside of 12 inches of the Modern Force’s deployment zone.
Special Rules: Standard ROE and Collateral Damage rules are in effect.
British Squad 1 manning the checkpoint.
Second British squad on over watch on a hill behind the checkpoint.
Insurgent Squad attempting outflanking maneuver.
Insurgent Squad ready to provide fire support.
Insurgent MMG support squad receives two suppression points from shooting.
More firing and additional suppression tokens effectively eliminates the squad,
The British at the checkpoint receive a casualty seriously jeopardizing the mission
The rules required a few more tweeks but the core mechanisms are working well.
Blaine Hardenโs King of Spies tells the remarkable, often overlooked, true story of Donald Nichols, an American intelligence officer who became a leading U.S. spymaster in Korea for over ten years. Born into modest circumstances, Nichols was a seventh-grade dropout who initially began his career by fixing jeeps in the military, showcasing both his hands-on skills and his strong work ethic. In 1946, his life took a dramatic turn when he was recruited into the Counter Intelligence Corps and sent to Korea, a country rife with political tensions and the aftermath of war. His impressive ability to make connections and build relationships allowed him to quickly ingratiate himself with powerful figures in the region, including South Korean President Syngman Rhee, who trusted him implicitly. This unique relationship bestowed upon Nichols significant power and influence, enabling him to navigate the complexities of military and governmental protocols with ease. As a result, he was able to circumvent traditional military procedures, ultimately creating his own clandestine operations group known as “NICK,” which operated outside the regular military command structure. Nicholsโ legacy would leave an indelible mark on U.S. intelligence operations in Korea and beyond, illustrating the intricate web of espionage and political maneuvering during a pivotal time in history.
โNichols’s intelligence operation was immensely successful, particularly during the Korean War. He was among the few U.S. officials who accurately predicted the North Korean invasion in 1950. During the conflict, his unit became invaluable, excelling at code-breaking, identifying targets for American bombers, and supplying critical real-time intelligence to U.S. forces. The U.S. military publicly lauded him, decorating him with the Distinguished Service Cross and other honors for his valor and resourcefulness. However, the book illuminates the darker, more brutal reality of his clandestine reign. Nichols operated without moral or legal restraint, running a world immersed in torture, executions, and extreme violence. He recruited agents from refugee camps and prisons, often sending them on reckless, fatal missions into the North. Moreover, his close ties to Rhee meant he was a knowingโand complicitโwitness to the mass slaughter of tens of thousands of South Korean civilians in anti-communist purges.
Nicholsโs remarkable career, marked by significant achievements and battles, came to an abrupt and shocking end in 1957. Despite his impressive accomplishments in combat, his increasingly odd, reckless, and sometimes cruel behavior ultimately became intolerable to his superiors, who struggled to understand the transformation he underwent. The U.S. military made the difficult decision to forcibly remove him from Korea and transfer him to psychiatric hospitals, first in Japan and subsequently in Florida, as they sought to address his troubling conduct. There, he was diagnosed with “deteriorating schizophrenia” and, against his will, subjected to months of electroshock therapyโan experience he believed was a deliberate attempt by the U.S. government to erase his memories and identity. Hardenโs book, meticulously researched and based on newly declassified records and psychiatric notes, not only reveals the shocking tale of one manโs tragic downfall but also serves as a critical piece of narrative history, offering a disturbing and profound insight into the complex web of foreign policy issues that continue to plague the Korean Peninsula today, echoing the impact of past decisions on contemporary geopolitical challenges.
An excellent if not disturbing account of a period of history that is often ignored. Worth picking up cheaply secondhand.
The Veteran Hunter is a highly valued and elite soldier option within The Silver Bayonet: A Wargame of Napoleonic Gothic Horror, a skirmish game that blends Napoleonic warfare with supernatural threats. This soldier type is explicitly defined by their extensive experience battling the creatures of the night, making them much more than just a regular line infantryman.
Their substantial recruitment cost of 30 points reflects their superior training and survival instincts, placing them among the most costly non-Officer figures a player can field, alongside unique national figures like the Russian Werebear. This high cost is justified by their reliably strong combat stats and their exceptional flexibility in a monster-heavy environment.
A core advantage of the Veteran Hunter lies in their excellent combat values, typically boasting a +2 to both their Melee and Accuracy rolls. This means they are equally dangerous whether firing a precision shot with a rifle or engaging a brute monster with a sabre and bayonet.
Furthermore, their Defence of 14 and Health of 12 give them respectable staying power, allowing them to absorb more punishment than lesser soldiers before becoming fatigued or falling. Crucially, the Veteran Hunter comes with the ability to choose an additional Officer Attribute, a rule-breaking allowance that players almost universally use to boost their access to specialized equipment, a necessity for confronting supernatural enemies with specific weaknesses.
The expanded access to the Special Armoury is the Veteran Hunter’s defining trait. While most common soldiers are severely limited in the esoteric gear they can carry, a Veteran Hunter can load up on essentials like Holy Symbols, Silvered Weapons, or Cold Iron shot. This means a single Veteran Hunter can be geared up to counter multiple monster typesโa vital tactical consideration when facing a mix of undead, were-creatures, and demons.
They act as the unit’s specialized arsenal, ensuring that when the officer’s unit discovers that an enemy is immune to conventional lead or steel, the Veteran Hunter is the one who can step forward and deliver the one attack that truly counts. As such, they are often the most crucial figure to keep alive in campaign play, as their continued survival means greater flexibility against the escalating supernatural horrors.
The Highlander is a pivotal troop type specifically available to the British forces in The Silver Bayonet: A Wargame of Napoleonic Gothic Horror. Set during the chaos of the Napoleonic Wars, the game features elite, clandestine units from various nationsโthe Silver Bayonetsโtasked with hunting down the vampires, werewolves, and other monstrous entities that the bloodshed has awakened.
The Highlander represents a soldier drawn from one of the famed Scottish regiments, such as the 42nd (Black Watch), bringing a unique and essential skillset that balances the unit’s need for both disciplined soldiery and raw, fearless combat ability in the face of the supernatural.
The primary battlefield role of the Highlander is that of a tough, courageous melee specialist. Unlike standard line infantry, they possess a naturally higher Courage attribute, making them significantly more reliable when facing the terror and madness inflicted by the various creatures and occult forces encountered during investigations.
This bravery is crucial in a game where a failed check can see a soldier flee or freeze in fear. Furthermore, they are typically excellent in a brawl, excelling in close-quarters fighting where their strength and traditional weapons shine. A Highlander is often armed not only with a musket, but also a formidable weapon like a heavy claymore or a Lochaber axe, making them the ideal choice for anchoring a battle line or charging headlong to dispatch a monster that has closed the distance.
On the tabletop, the identity of the Highlander is immediately recognizable through the distinctive uniform of the Highland regiments, most notably the kilt. Players constructing their Silver Bayonet units often customize these modelsโsourced from historical ranges like Victrix or Perry Miniaturesโto represent their unique battlefield experience.
This customization can include painting specific regimental tartans or adding accoutrements such as bags of salt or cold-iron shot, reflecting the anti-supernatural gear their character has acquired. While other nations may field champions or berserkers, the Highlander provides the British unit with a disciplined, yet ferocious, man-for-man fighter who serves as the sturdy backbone for any monster-hunting expedition.
In the gothic-horror skirmish game The Silver Bayonet, the Doctor is a vital support specialist who enhances a squad’s survival and strategy. Although not a front-line fighter, their ability to heal wounded teammates is crucial, as permanent injuries can be devastating.
By keeping experienced soldiers in play, the Doctor helps maintain the unit’s strength during the campaign against supernatural threats from the Napoleonic Wars.Beyond healing in battle, the Doctor’s abilities enrich the game’s story. He can defend himself with a pistol and handgun if needed, but it’s best to avoid combat.
The thematic background of the Doctor can also vary, adding a personal touch to each player’s unit. A Doctor might be a hardened military surgeon, grizzled by the horrors of both conventional warfare and the terrifying supernatural entities that stalk the battlefield. Their equipment, typically a silver scalpel and a pistol, reflects their specialized, defensive role, ensuring they can protect themselves while focusing on their primary duty: keeping the squad alive.
Choosing to include a Doctor requires a strategic trade-off, balancing raw firepower with invaluable resilience, making the Doctor a consistently tactical and worthwhile choice for any Silver Bayonet force.
I like to include a doctor and the leader with Medic attribute sitting behind the main body of troops healing as required.
More Silver Bayonet characters over the next few days.
Britain: Bones of Albion is a captivating supplement for the Napoleonic-era gothic horror skirmish wargame The Silver Bayonet, created by the imaginative Joseph A. McCullough and published by the esteemed Osprey Games. This expansion delves deeper into the dark and mysterious landscapes of Britain during this tumultuous period, introducing players to an array of chilling new scenarios, eerie creatures, and sinister factions. With richly detailed lore and comprehensive rules, it invites players to explore not only the strategic elements of skirmish battles but also the haunting narratives that unfold in the shadows, making each game an immersive experience steeped in horror and intrigue.
There is much to like and also some significant disapointments.
The plot is awesome and centres around a Druidic circle of stones prepared on the isle of Anglessey to repulse the Roman invaders. The story begins on the isle of Anglesey, the heart of Druidic power in Britain. A powerful Druidic circle of stones has been meticulously arranged for a devastating ritualโa spell intended to utterly destroy the invading Roman legions.
โHowever, before the Druids can complete the ceremony and unleash the magic, the Romans launch a swift and brutal attack. The Druids are slaughtered, the ritual is halted, and the Romans, fearing the latent power, dismantle the circle and scatter the stones as spoils of war across the length and breadth of the captured province of Britannia.
Two hundred years go by. The stones are forgotten, covered by Roman towns, forts, and fields. Then, one stone is discovered, maybe during a local dig or when an old building falls down.This act breaks two hundred years of peace. The stone quickly releases a small part of the original ritual’s power, marking its possible return to its true purpose.
โThe urgency and power of the original spellโto destroy the foreign occupierโis now awakened, not just in Britain, but upon an unprepared, fractured Europe struggling with the decline of the Roman Empire. The discovery sets off a desperate race to find and reassemble the remaining stones, either to complete the destructive ritual or to contain the unleashed, ancient magic before it tears the continent apart. a spell to destroy the Roman invaders.
The scenarios are much the same as we have come to expect, but because they are based on actual locations in Britain such as:
Medibogdum
A Roman fort in the lakes District. Had a large following of Mithraism which unfortunately was not included in the scenario.
The Ferns
The Fens, or Fenlands, are a large, flat, low-lying region in eastern England that was once a marshy wetland and well known for its spooky legends. Common myths surrounding the Fens include will-o’-the-wisps (like the Lantern Man), which lure people to their death, and creatures such as boggarts, phantom dogs like Black Shuck, and spirits of the Viking Great Army. The scenario is located in the marsh near Ely Cathedral.
Tre’r Ceiri
Tre’r Ceiri is one of the best-preserved Iron Age hillforts in Britain, located on the eastern peak of Yr Eifl (The Rivals) on the Llลทn Peninsula in north-western Wales. Known as “town of the giants,” it was built around 400-200 BC and continued to be inhabited during the Romano-British period (c. AD 150โ400), with around 400 residents at its peak. Its main features include extensive stone walls and the remains of about 150 stone houses, showcasing the ancient communities that lived there.
Lud’s Church
Lud’s Church is a deep, mossy chasm in the Back Forest at the Peak District National Park in Staffordshire, England. This 100-meter gorge was created by a massive landslip and is rich in history and mythology.
Lud’s Church is a deep, mossy chasm rich in folklore, with legends stretching from history to myth. It is most famously associated with the medieval Arthurian tale as the likely location of the Green Chapel in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Historically, it was a secret meeting place for the persecuted religious group, the Lollards, which led to a tragic local story about a girl named Alice being killed during a raid. Other myths suggest it was a hiding place for outlaws like Robin Hood and Friar Tuck and Jacobite leader Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Brough of Birsay
The Brough of Birsay is a dramatically situated tidal island off the northwest coast of the Orkney Mainland, only reachable on foot via a causeway at low tide. This windswept spot is a vital historical nexus, containing the layered remains of a high-status Pictish settlement (7th-8th century) and an extensive Norse village (9th-12th century), which includes the ruins of longhouses, a sauna, and a 12th-century Romanesque church. Furthermore, the site is steeped in folklore, most notably as the traditional, temporary burial place of Saint Magnus Erlendsson, the martyred Viking Earl whose cult turned Birsay into a major pilgrimage site in the 12th century, with tales of miracles and heavenly lights surrounding his grave before his relics were moved to Kirkwall.
Wayland’s Smithy
Wayland’s Smithy is a highly atmospheric, two-phase Neolithic chambered long barrow in Oxfordshire, built around 3600 BC near the ancient Ridgeway path and the Uffington White Horse. Initially a smaller timber structure housing 14 bodies, it was later covered by the large, trapezoidal mound and impressive sarsen stone faรงade visible today. The name and enduring fame come from Anglo-Saxon folklore, which linked the mysterious ancient tomb to Wayland the Smith, a powerful, invisible smith-god from Germanic mythology. Legend holds that a traveler could leave a horse and a silver coin at the site, and the mythical smith would secretly re-shoe the horse by the next morning, a belief still reflected today by visitors who leave coins as offerings among the stones.
Alfred’s Castle
The history of Alfred’s Castle is rich with layers of occupation and later romantic association. Originally a defensive earthwork, the site began with Late Bronze Age linear ditches, followed by the main Iron Age univallate hillfort construction around the 6th century BC. After its abandonment, the enclosure was re-used by Romans who built a farmhouse within its bounds between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. Despite its origins in deep prehistory, the name “Alfred’s Castle” is a Victorian-era invention, stemming from the fort’s proximity to the supposed location of King Alfred the Great’s victory over the Danes at the Battle of Ashdown in 871 AD. This popular, though historically unsupported, connection links the ancient earthwork to the famous Anglo-Saxon king, giving the Iron Age fort its more renowned, legendary title.
Isle of Anglesey
Celtic Corner
The Isle of Anglesey, or Ynys Mรดn, holds a history stretching from ancient prehistory, being littered with Neolithic burial chambers like Bryn Celli Ddu, to its pivotal role as the “Mother of Wales” for its fertile farmland. Its most enduring historical fame, however, comes from its deep connection to the Druids; during the Roman conquest of Britain, Anglesey became the ultimate stronghold of the Celtic priests, known for their fierce resistance and sacred groves. Roman historians recount the dramatic invasion of 60 AD, where General Suetonius Paulinus’s forces crossed the Menai Strait to slaughter the Druids and destroy their holy sites, a decisive moment that broke the back of Celtic spiritual power in the west. Following the Romans, the island was a strategic target for Vikings, and later served as the capital for the native Welsh Princes of Gwynedd at Aberffraw, before falling under the control of English monarchs who constructed the imposing Beaumaris Castle.
All of these scenarios create a deep sense of atmosphere and heaps of opportunities for making very evocative terrain. I like this aspect of the book very much. I am disappointed with the scenarios themselves because they could have been tied with the myths and legends of the locations a lot more. The scenarios could have been in any location and are similar to the other expansions in this sense.
The choice of mainland Britain as a site for a supernatural crisis during the Napoleonic Wars is questioned, given the island’s lack of combat. I am a bit puzzled why a supernatural threat from the harvesters would arise in a peaceful area rather than a war-torn continent. It just seem to create an internal “historical” incongruity. The game tries to resolve this by introducing an ancient Druidic curse and a two-pronged invasion, blending gothic horror with historical elements but just does not fit with the overall them of The Silver Bayonet. Not a deal breaker but annoying as much more could have been done to address this.
The absence of a Druid option for the British faction is a significant missed opportunity, preventing the game from fully integrating its unique supernatural originโthe ancient magic binding the Albion undeadโinto the unit mechanics. Instead of a grizzled soldier, a Druid could be justified as a powerful Specialist unit: an eccentric expert, reclusive scholar, folk-magic practitioner, or even a miraculously long-lived descendant of the original curser. Including such a character would offer the British forces unique abilities focused on nullifying or manipulating the ancient magic, allowing players to engage directly with the cause of the horror rather than just the symptoms. This addition would create more dynamic, lore-driven tactical options and fully lean into the game’s “pulp horror” side.
I know you can get around this by paying the extra to include a “Follower of the old gods” but having special related Druid skills would have been nice.
I loved the setting, but disliked the formulaic scenarios that could have been more linked to the story and the locations. Not sure that I will be investing in other expansions as I think I can do better myself without the outlay. What about the exotic location of Haiti with vodoo practitioners, Iwa spirits, ancestor spirit worship, raising the dead, dru induced zombies, vodoo dolls – I could go on! More exciting than what we were fed this time around.
Setting and story line was great – but a real missed opportunity IMHO!
