Gearing up for RECRUITS

It's official. I posted my games on the RECRUITS website. So now I have put something on. I'll be running a 6-8 Pulp Alley game Friday night and Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon will be an 8 player Flower of Chivalry game with Yours Truly and the rest of the Basement Generals, stop on by.

Pulp Alley Leader- Pecos Pete

Yes, that star of Radio and the new Talkies, Pecos Pete. Using his status as movie star and hero to millions of children, Pete, along with the Giddy Up Gang, can get into places others can't.
That's right, Pete is actually a spy. And, with his Network of Supporters, the brave Pecos Pete can get the job done. Thank goodness he's on our side.

Waiting on one more figure to flesh out the Giddy Up Gang in true Hollywood fashion.

Heavy Metal

The Arch Duchy of Volborg gets some artillery. Four stands of 10mm to be exact. These fine lads will be doing double duty for both Might & Reason and Maurice. Does that mean I decided on a scale? No, not really.

Black Powder ACW in 15mm

Don't get me wrong. I love Fire and Fury. It is my rules of choice for the Civil War. But, when you have 6-8 people over, unless you have a Saturday afternoon and possibly evening, you're not going to finish. So, we needed a solution to have an enjoyable game in the 3 hours we have every Thursday.
For this game, I used the ACW scenario in the BP book with a few modifications. We had 4 commands a side instead of 3. I halved all measurements for the 15mm scale.

My group is used to F&F, and the slow slog it takes to break a unit. So, the careful management of troops you need in BP took some getting used to. Units can blow up quick. Flanks can fall in a turn. But, that's what we needed for a game.
The scenario involves an army of Rebs catching the Bluebellies napping. The Union troops have to get their scattered forces together really quick if they want to hold off the Rebel horde. The Confederates have three objectives: the foundry, the town and the camp. Any one is a minor victory, but all three is a triumph of generalship.

Union picket troops sounded the alarm by turn 2. Meanwhile, both Rebel flanks (except my troops, of course) maybe huge gains. It looked like it would be a quick game, with the Northern forces unable to get their troops on the table before they were swarmed.
But, you know where this will go.
THose pesky skirmishes managed to slow the Reb center for half the game. The foundry fell, but it took forever to get the Reb left flank swung around to hit the town. The Confederate right wing commander got hisself outflanked by bypassing the camp, and shot all to hell. What looked like an easy victory was become possibly a draw at best.
After 2 1/2 hours we called it. A minor Southern victory.
Yes, we missed things, and did things wrong, but Black Powder turned out to be what I wanted it to be. A quick, fun game with a definitive outcome. Now, if only Lead Addict will finish his Nappies...
More at Curio Clashes

The Fort

I like to alternate between history reading and Sci-Fi Fantasy. I had finished Red Country so it was time for some history. Okay, historical fiction, brought to me by an old favorite, Bernard Cornwell of Sharpe, Saxon Chronicle and other fame.


The Fort is set in the time of the American Revolution, or the American War of Independence as it's now mostly called. A British force of fewer than a thousand Scottish infantry, backed by three sloops-of-war, sails to the desolate and fog-bound coast of New England. Establishing a garrison and naval base at Penobscot Bay, in the eastern province of Massachusetts that would become Maine, the Scots—the only British troops between Canada and New York—harry rebel privateers and give shelter to American loyalists.

In response, Massachusetts sends a fleet of more than forty vessels and some one thousand infantrymen to “captivate, kill or destroy” the foreign invaders. Second in command is Peleg Wadsworth, a veteran of the battles at Lexington and Long Island, once aide to General Washington, and a man who sees clearly what must be done to expel the invaders.

But ineptitude and irresolution lead to a mortifying defeat—and have stunning repercussions for two men on opposite sides: an untested eighteen-year-old Scottish lieutenant named John Moore, who will begin an illustrious military career; and a Boston silversmith and patriot named Paul Revere, who will face court-martial for disobedience and cowardice.

John Morre would go on to be instrumental in creating the Light units, like the 95th Rifles, famed throughout the Napoleonic Wars. He faced the green coated Marine units at Penobscot Bay, the only effective ones on the American side. Hmmmm, maybe that's how the Brits got their green coats? Moore would die in the Pennisula and Corunna. 

The book does not paint a pretty picture of Paul Revere. He would go from local hero to legend thanks to the famous poem. But, like so many legends, history paints a different picture. I have read several several articles that back Cornwell up on this.

IT also makes you rethink the idea of the citizen soldier. The patriot of legend. When this book takes place, most of those soldiers were conscripted or shanghied into service. Very few volunteers. It wouldn't be until later, we had decent enough troops to stand up to the British.

It was a great read, and it takes everything in my power now not run out and buy enough AWI stuff for a Black Powder game.

St Valentine's Day Massacre

Last night's game was a take on the Bruce Willis movie "Last Man Standing", which is remake of Clint Eastwood's "A Fistful of Dollars", which in turn, is a remake of Kurosawa's "Yojimbo".
The Lumpino crime family, led by Louie "the Lump" Lumpino, has fled to a Dustbowl ghost town to hide out.

Hicksville USA

Louie "the Lump" Lumpino

No Neck Nicky Vitelli

The long arm of the law is not far behind.

State Police Inspector O'Reilly

G-men

We used my Fistful of Lead western gunfight rules with a few additions to cover vehicles and submachine guns.
Fistful of Lead is always bloody and fun. Maybe it was because it was Valentine's Day, maybe because only a few guys showed, but this had to be flat out the nastiest, bloodiest game I've ver played. Only two times was there a "pinned" result. Only once a "wound". The rest were "dead".
I ran Louie and his bodyguards. I started with 5 guys. By turn 3, only Louie remained, and that was because he took off save his mistress.

One G-men goes down under a hail of SMG fire.

"Take that, copper"!

"You dames best stay outta the way, see"

The same happened with a group of cops. I came down Louie's righthand man, No Neck Nicky, and his men vs. the G-men. In one turn, Nicky and his crew were gone.
That left the Lump to face done three feds. The G-men dropped him with one shot, but he was still alive. Then, one G-men took an impossible shot long range with a Tommy-gun and ended reign of the Lump.

Moments before Louie gets an oversized coffin.

Special thanks to Scott who provided all the minis. I great time was had by all.

Happy Heart Day

All you poor suckers out there buy a ton of Valentine's Day cards today. You'll keep the Baron in miniatures. Yes, I work for THAT company. The one that tells you that if you don't shower your significant other in flowers and candy today, you don't really love them.
The Baroness and I made a deal long ago. I would buy her gifts and flowers on any other day than today. And though I am literally surrounded by cards all day, I do not buy them. With little effort on my part, I tell her everyday of my undying love and devotion to her. Because it's true. A woman who bought me a FULL SIZE metal Captain America shield and Thor's Mjolnir hammer and lets me hang them proudly in the living room, ids a keeper. When asked about the room next the bar, that in any other household would have been a pool room or lounge, she said "this would make a great game room." Last week the Basement Generals asked, loud enough for the Baroness to hear, "will there be a game on Valentine's Day?" She laughed and said "why wouldn't there be?"
Gentlemen, I am truly blessed.
But, in response to Lead Addict's post of what he loves, in no particular order:
- The lovely aforementioned Baroness and the children she has given me.
- I love my Thursdays. Half the time I don't play but ref. But, I get to drink with my buddies and see the fruits of labors march across the field to their doom.
- I love history. Nothing can get my gamer ADD going more than a good period book or movie. But I hate how most people no nothing of it.
- I love how the internets has expanded our hobby. What I thought was a crazy niche a small community, is a bright, vibrant place. Whenever I need inspiratu I just check out my favorites.
- I love a good cigar, good booze (be it beer or liquor), and a nice sausage.
- I love shooting stuff online. When I was little, my whole neighborhood turned out for "war" or "guns". Now I can still do it with a giant online community. Back then, I "died" a lot too.
Tonight, we'll game. I'm doing a take on the St Valentine's Day massacre. But, lacking 1930s buildings, this will be more like the movie "last Man Standing".
Enjoy today, poor suckers. And like Lead Addict said, it's okay to love your toys, but you can't take them with you. UNless you're a Chinese Emporer.
Note: the above image was used for the invite to our 1st Wedding Anniversary party, with the words "The Honeymoon is over".