Just 'spruesing' around

 Inspired by videos on clever uses of left-over, ready for the rubbish bin, throw away plastic sprue frames after removing all the possible useful bits, I gave it a quick thought and came up with using sections as iron beams in construction of a bridge. 

My newly made “iron” bridge.  Scratch built (obviously!!) 

All the girders?, joists?, umm, the ah?…well, the iron bits anyway…. are cut from discarded plastic sprue frames and the bolts/nuts are thin sections of unused plastic medieval spears.  Note the use of “discarded”, “unused”.  While I might say it is to see what creative uses can be made from scrap, one could also say that I be just too cheap to get a good model.  But then, I can say that I had good fun for only a few pennies of cost.

The photos show some of the construction.  The length of the bridge was limited by the longest frame available.  I was not willing to try to shave down all the nobbly-nibbly bits  (see his YouTube vids for more ideas: youtube link   )  as this would compromise their widths and thus construction - and frankly a real pain in the *blank* to do!  So only certain lengths could be used.  Also, only half way through the cutting did I notice that the outer frame and inner connecting sprues could be different widths.  Hmm. 

The construction was done for effect and certainly not to any engineering specification.  It is sort of a cross between Bailey Bridge, a Tress Construction, and an Iron Girder form.  Civil engineers might have a chuckle but it does bear the weight of a tank, so it can’t be that poor a design! 

the napkin might be there to soak up any blood from cuts. Went unused ...this time.

Like the news anchor who is all suit-and-tie above the desk, but out of sight of the television camera is wearing comfortable sweatpants beneath, I don’t usually bother about painting that which is not normally seen.  But the following photo does show my use of discarded sprues.

I hesitated about using the rather glossy and very non-military green plastic primer but managed to cover with a dry brush of a lighter matt color then matt varnished (twice!).

The deck was made by using wooden coffee stir sticks on a card backing.  I used PVA/white  glue down the middle and a slow settling epoxy along the edges;  an idea to limit warping.  While it worked, I used too much PVA which, once touching the top surface of the wood would not take any staining, and the epoxy seeped through to the surface creating a yellowish stain.  Well, darn.   So I just used some earth-coloured paint and covered up the stains and dry-brushed some tread wear on the surface.  Quick and easy and looks OK-ish.  I think of it as a newly built bridge so not much wear on it yet.

The width of the model is about 7.5cm or 3 inches, wide enough anyway to take a 1:56 tank

Three very different Napoleonics

When one thinks "Napoleonic" warfare the huge battle comes to mind. But of course one can do smaller engagements also. Different style of basing and sizing for different warfare.

My skirmish level Napoleonics has units in small groups of 6 or 12 using currently the rules "Rebels and Patriots" (yes, yes, designed for American wars but really suitable for any Horse and Musket era) 

The latest unit for any skirmish actions are the Brunswick Advantgarde Jagers of the Waterloo Campaign.  Created from only two poses of the original Perry ACW plastics box,  I did some minor scraping, chopped off heads, glued on some arms and added the Corhut style headwear.  With the pike-grey uniform color, the ACW look is hopefully less obvious.

Next unit completed (actually, I just added to it) is the 13th Foot, ex from the Caribbean thus the white shakos.  They were given the standard black ones within a short time after arrival in Canada for the War of 1812, but that shan't deter me from painting up such a distinctive unit.  I use units such as this for the "big battalion" games/rules ('Black Powder' is a better known of these) with units utilizing 24-36 or more figures in each.

Finally we have an example of the "big battle" unit.  . Each element is a representation of a brigade of troops. Yes, we do use a high ratio of figures! 10 = 2500 or so.  Past posts of our large Napoleonic battles will see that on the table this actually works visually also even with 28mm. 

This one recently painted, represents the French National Guard of 1814 After years of massive losses, The French state/Napoleon, was reaching very deep in the conscription pool and young boys and civilians were called up to contribute mostly without uniforms or equipment.  These examples are from Old Glory's 1812 American militia pack which look to wear the common French blouse.  I have replaced with a spare shako or forage cap which might have been the only vestige of military dress they wore.  In the rear are two in baker's smocks made famous from actions in the 1814 campaign for France.  Based for our rules, which are similar to 'Blucher'.  

from F.-G. Hourtroulle's '1814'

Battle of Bunker Hill, War of 1812 style

“Sir, the American militia have occupied the heights on Breed’s Hill and have fortified that position”

“Again?! almost 4 decades later?” the British General Howe III decried. “Well let’s do it once more!”

Playing solo with rules I have created for my own benefit, I amended the scenario of this famous historical battle slightly by having naturally less troops but proportioned correctly) and the ‘landings’ as a bridge crossing.  The later ‘Third Wave’ historically landed on another beach closer to the action so on a ford in the stream, but in the game these were delayed (by dice rolls) and ultimately were not needed (spoiler!) 

The Right Wing consisting of the 1st, 49th (in my green-stuff grey greatcoats), and 104th Foot regiments along with a contingents of light troops formed up and marched straight at the Kentucky Militiamen arrayed along the stone and wood fences.  While inexperienced soldiers, the Americans historically produced a lot of firepower which I gave them in this game.  They stymied the British attack before it could be pressed home.  While the Lights and the 104th made most undignified exits from the field, the 49th and 1st, despite heavy casualties rallied to the rear to redress their ranks.  

Meanwhile the ‘Second Wave’ crossing the bridge/landing were a small unit of 95th Rifles, the 41st Foot, the 100th Foot and the 2nd West India Regiment   Forming a line from left to right, The Rifles were tasked to eliminate or neutralize the American skirmishers in front of Charlestown.  The 41st deployed in front of the Redoubt took some long distance fire which served to place much caution with its commander ( this became obvious from its poor dice for ‘motivation’!) .  The 100th Foot had no such hesitations and very swiftly advanced to the American entrenchments avoiding the worst of the musket fire and quickly overwhelmed the defenders!

With the West India Regiment following, the British promised to exploit this hole in the middle of the American position.

While this battle winning attack was conducted, the Right Wing, albeit severely depleted but in the spirit of the original British soldiers in the historical battle came on the American positions once again.  However, true to form, were shot up and were forced back once again.  

In the middle, reinforcements from Bunker Hill finally started to arrive (again dice rolled), one unit heroically advancing in the maelstrom despite casualties from British long range cannon. (during the AWI battle, this was from shipborne guns but I just had any rolled 1 create a stand loss).  With the seeing-off of these only troops available to plug the gap, and the troops in the Redoubt legging-it despite my ‘order’ to hold the fort! (love the dice) , the American Left Wing along the fences decided conduct an orderly withdraw.

Thus ended the 1812 version of Bunker Hill.  Rather like the first one actually.  

The British Right Wing advances

The Kentucky militiamen line the stone fence (most of the figures seen in this battle are Old Glory 28mm.  The British flags Colours are hand painted (before one can buy all those beautiful printed versions! Now I have to continue this for visual consistency)

Rather nervous looking militia holding the Redoubt

The British Left Wing readies for its assault on the American fieldworks

The 95th Rifles facing the US Rifles who are in this guise, mere militiamen

The 104th Foot advancing swiftly 

Crunch time and the battle in the balance.  The veteran British would quickly take the American works at the point of the bayonet.

Another unrecorded event…

The Bridge at Trabazos 

Long story short; I have been tasked to provide the battle narrative for an ongoing Napoleonic campaign - in other words, play out the battles with miniatures.

The Anglo-Portuguese commander wants the bridge destroyed, the French commander expects to deploy north of the town getting there via the bridge over the Druro River as part of a larger Peninsular War fictional battle.

Not really having the ‘proper’ troops for this engagement, I went small scale by using my ~40mm Flintloque figures to play out this portion of the battle as a very minor skirmish.

I gave the French two fine “companies” of infantry to approach the bridge while the British Engineers prepare to blow it up.  Each turn the Engineers roll a d6 until 16 is reached and it will be wired for detonation (and upon a die roll, of course!)

Defending the Engineers are a ‘company’ of the 9th Foot of the 5th Division. While a veteran regiment, the Captain is a martinet hated by the ranks. (a bad roll for his ‘personality’)  Alone in an isolated village away from the army commanded by an officer who had no idea what he was doing, with the temptation for loot and discovery of drink it was too much for the soldiers who, despite the efforts of their sergeant, left their post by degrees.  However the captain, excited by his first meeting of the Napoleon’s army (he had purchased his position and had absolutely no military experience), did not realize about the desertions.

The 'martinet' of the 9th. Note the sergeant with the halberd to the left of the officer already turned around to chase after the would be looters. 

However some defence of the town came from a small band of Guerrillas defending their homes who were of sterner stuff and fired upon the first company of French halting them and mortally wounding their officer.  This confident action (rolling 12(!) for activation) and subsequent roll of 6, activated a small contingent of Portuguese.

The  "Portuguese" 

Early in the action showing the French. The 9th Foot is across the river, the British Engineers on the bridge.

Meanwhile, as the French advanced, the 9th’s Captain marvelled at the French Colonel’s uniform and his flowing hair astride his charger galloping on the bridge in the glory of war. “Fire!” he yelled.  The loud percussion he expected was met with silence. 

“Now, sir?” was the only sound. The single trooper left with him looked up from his knelling position in a questioning frown.

The Guerrillas switched focus to the stagnant first company to the company lead by the mounted officer, but these French did not react to the resulting casualties. Ensconced behind a shielding wall, the raw soldiers of Portuguese remained in place and unwilling to engage in gunfire. But the large Engineer sergeant, a huge Irishman, declared to the oncoming French officer, “You be not stopping us you Froggie bastard!” and using a rusted shovel as a club, engaged with the Frenchman.  Seeing the following French soldiers, he looked over his shoulder and exclaimed, “Work faster!” to his fellow engineers.(my dice rolls were good but still 1 short!)

The Engineer sergeant on the bridge

Alas, his heroism was in vain, the horse evaded the shovel and a well-placed sabre met his brains. A following French soldier toppled an engineer into the water below and another used his hanger blade to cut the cords to the barrels of artillery powder suspended under the bridge. The Guerrillas and Portuguese then melted away.

Of course this story will never make it into the history books.  All that may indeed be mentioned is…the French IV Corps, 1st Division crossed over the Druro and deployed north of Trabazos…. 

Actually my "Calabrese Legion" troops.  Converted from Flintloque figures into something resembling the proper Napoleonic War troops..sort of... Full of 'character' they are.  ~40mm scale (ish). So outrageously cartoonish as to be cute.

No ordinary evening, WaT with The Wife!

So we were having a nice dinner when my wife says “I know I suggested we could play cards tonight but let’s play a wargame”

I sputtered, bits of food came out of the mouth, my jaw remained slack, my brain unable to compute. I just stared at her in numb confusion. 

“Yes, really” she merely confirmed.  “But something simple.  I don’t want to spend the entire night for you setting it up.”, she said with a grin.  

The rest of the meal, I was trying to think of simple rules, simple scenario, easy set up. After finally settling on the game and stating so, she says,”Perhaps What a Tanker?”  I had not even thought of THAT one!  Brilliant suggestion. I then had an inner voice debate on how the heck she came up with that.  I thought she never listened to me as I rambled on……

Dishes cleared, I put down my ashen snow mat and a couple of terrain pieces on the table.  “Dictatorial Fascist German or Dictatorial Communist Russian?”, I ask her.  So I brought out a nice Pzkw III for her, and a rather poorer T-26 for myself.  

To compensate for her confusion about which dice are for which action, her dice rolling was very good as each turn’s rolls usually had a good combination including the always useful ‘6’ Wild.   While a bit frustrated with the jargon (“Two d six? You just said I need a seven!”)  she began to be more tactically aggressive. “Yes, I want to shoot you from the flank.  Better yes?” she would state.  “But if you do not roll high enough to reach that position, you will need to turn your Wild to a Move dice thereby not able to change it into a Reload for another shot at me”, I dutifully explain. “I will do it anyway”, she firmly confirms as she then rolls 11 on the dice gaining the position easily; fires her two shots into my side causing my Command Dice to run out and thus my crew legs it, abandoning the shot ridden Russian hunk of junk.  

Earlier in the contest, my poor T-26 had a nice flank shot but....couldn't roll enough for it.  The Wife had no problems with the dice or Command.   

a Roman Fantasy

Purist historical players specially followers of Napoleonics, ACW, War of 1812, English Civil War, …well, all except perhaps those for the love of anything Roman, please look away now as I introduce my second only fantasy army…converted skeletons.

Frankly, the only fantasy army I can really tolerate are skeletons; probably because they are still human, albeit without flesh.  (Yes, yes, so some may consider zombies, but have they not essentially become a different species?? And they are more apocalyptic than classic fantasy anyway) 

Sitting in a box for years has been a Warlord plastic Early Imperial Roman collection together with accompanying Foundry metals (nice match those), but having already seven other Roman armies which I don’t play with, so it sat.

The idea started thumbing through an old war-game magazine had an article on “Broken Legions” showing skeleton/zombie Romans which looked interesting.  I had just a couple of old skeletons of unknown providence which were made as a ballista crew for fun. (see  previous post)

Anyway, one thought leads to another and so sorted through the box of plastics and metals to divide between those who should go to perhaps (??) a new “Infamy, Infamy” Roman army and those plastic types I could “sacrifice” for conversion into skeletons and for their equipment.

Careful counts were made to insure I had enough shields and heads (!) for the I,I Romans should I do those later.  

New Wargames Atlantic Skeletons were selected for the fantasy Romans (*)

I suppose with Jason and the Argonauts old movie skeleton scene in my head (see: short YouTube  ) with the remaining pile I went to work carving, gouging, removing, adding…

Used old wood dowels I had around for years to create a ruined temple.  Originally made for just one of the units but liked it so much I spread the wealth so having each unit have a bit of temple for its bases.  I found I could stretch the numbers a bit for a fourth unit.  Running out of dowel pieces for columns, I made "more temple" with a spare metal Foundry Roman officer becoming a statue atop a cork stopper with its head toppled to the ground.  ( …return of the Legions after the fall of Empire?…)  

The emerging legionaries is again inspired by the movie scene.  The four units are supported by a battery of ballista.  Surprisingly had two more ballista in metal in the box thus the other army has enough and so could use all the plastics for this contingent. 

As is becoming usual with my recent endeavours,  no idea when I might employ this new army, but, and while my wife hates this expression, it is not the destination but the journey is the true purpose of life’s travels. I had much fun (and time!) doing up this collection. However the more I look at it the less skellie and more Roman it becomes.

---------

(*) Timing is everything.  I mentioned my interest in this to my buddy WillB, who offered a bunch of half-done Warlord plastic types (nee-Wargames Factory) but then immediately thereafter the LFGS contacted me that the long awaited product ‘I ordered’ finally came in.  The two brands I consider not compatible so WillB’s have become medieval versions some with new 12th Century helmets/heads attached to be done later. A more traditional skeletal force to be sure. 

( Although two of the emerging legionaries are indeed originally his creations as he was inspired by the movie and lead me in that direction.)

Petr and Vasili go hunting...

Petr: I am wolf!

Vasili: I am cold.

Petr: Cold hard hunter?

Vasili: Neyt. Frozen.

Petr: Too frozen to take out the Fascists. We have these molotovs for them!

Vasili: Rather use to light a fire.

A long period of silence fell between them as the noise of a lone German tank became louder.

Petr: And not be a brave comrade of the Motherland?

Vasili just grunted “Time to die” as he arose from the snow and ran toward the tank.

Petr mumbled: “Bugger”

Inside the tank, they were also cold.  Cold with fear.  The wind blowing snow, so blinding, had finally gone… but so had everything else; the others of his platoon, the infantry, the sky and all a grey bleer.   The commander was still hammering on the radio and yelling into the mike: “This is Reimer! Eins, Zwei, Zwei!  But no use; static only.  He hammered his fist on the useless radio for the final time.  “OK, Hans, turn aroun….Scheis! Russki!

The game of ‘What a Tanker’  using two Russian infantry with “Molotov Cocktails”  an incendiary weapon vs. a German PzIII.  With a couple of modifications, I am using anti-tank infantry much like one would play a tank in this game. 

Tank: The commander’s yell halted them all, the tank did not move.

Vasili: Ran quickly despite the snow to a position where he could take careful aim on the tank.

Petr: Did not move but perhaps just imaged his heroic actions (rolling 5 of 6 command ‘Shoot’ Dice but of course he could do little with those)

Tank: Better composed now, the driver quickly reversed the tank but the commander nor gunner could seem to acquire the Russian.

Vasili: was now chasing the tank to get into range.

Petr: Finally could see (acquire) the retreating tank through the swirling snow and covered the space between his foxhole very quickly (now having rolled 4 ‘Move’ dice!)

Tank: The crew now completely composed, rolling a perfect 1,2,2,3,4,5.  The tank backed up further, acquired Petr (needing the extra ‘acquire’ [2] Dice to do so as Petr is a small infantry target), aimed the main gun, fired, and reloaded successfully.  The shot, however, missed Petr. The hull machine gun could not fire.

Vasili: Not having the distance to throw his incendiary, moved to the side hoping the tank would lose sight of him.

Petr: Moving nearer the tank, he lit the wick and threw.  The ball of fire struck the armour but did little else.  He reached into the deep pockets of his great for another bottle (‘Reload Dice’) and as he looked up, he did not have the time to light the wick (no ‘Aim’) and his last words may have been “Bugger” 

Tank:  The crew did not have a shot at the Russian but the one ‘move’ did the trick and the Russian fell under the tracks.

Vasili: Now ran up to the tank and threw his first Molotov and was already getting his second when the explosion warmed his face. The second one also hit.

Tank:  The tank was on fire having lost 2/3rds of their “composure” (4 of the 6 command dice temporary lost)  but the driver managed to pivot in place to face the Russian.

Vasili: Not want to just stand in front of the tank and suffer Petr’s fate, could only follow the turning tank to keep to its side.

Tank:  Panic set in and it would do little.

Vasili: Lit the last bottle, threw it, and then ran.  The bottle fell short in the snow. But he had survived.  Yet so did the Germans.

Armoured vehicle "prototype"

The development of the DSM-720 AFV.....

"Here are some parts", says WillB as he presented me with the remnants of his model building of 1:56 vehicles.  "Tracks of a half-track option I didn't use, some miscellanous bits and pieces, and the double turret of the Russian early war t-26.  Have fun and lets see what you come up with....."

No particular engineering plan.  Rivet-counters might cringe...

I did buy a package of various thicknesses of styrene sheets and had some thin 'L' angle.  The latter I indented with a sharp tool so to look like the existing rivets in seen on the turrets.   The rest is just what I could get off the sprues except for the 'engine top' which is a chunk of 'supports' I kept from the 3D models awhile back.  

While I did suggest no particular engineering plan I did think of some of the ergonomics of the design.  The machine gunners would be standing,  all the better to be able to spin around,  and with the driver seated tightly between for example.  As the two turrets are directly from the historical t-26 I need not justify that arrangement. 😏

The angled 'iron' plates at the front were added as "initial tests showed additional armour was required from direct rifle fire and the angle of the armour plates increased protection. The angled plates also will assist with incline maneuvering." { actually I thought the model looked kinda like silly box....so I altered the look of it }

 The 'report' further states "the weight of the added frontal armour is countered by the attached cooking stove having three separate lids for each of the crew to boil meals at the same time using the heat of recent engine heat."  { Don't have a clue what the original part was but explains this bit of addition }

As usual I made this fictional AFV  just for the creative exercise. 

a 'Gain the Hay' Campaign engagement

…despite two small ‘victories’ against the French in the previous 'few hours of this campaign' played out using the Osprey "Rebels and Patriots" by WillB as the French CO,  the Nassau forces (historically a small German state adding its military force to Wellington’s Allied Army in 1815)  had decided to fall back to this picked second position defensive hedge position beside a small woods to protect the hay of the nearby field from French use…

The French dismounted cavalry advance against the Nassau defensive line along the hedge. The Nassau Lights are in the woods off-camera to the right.   The hay stacks can be seen in the distance. 

The French...well, me actually...decided on the direct approach, to forego any firing as their carbines were less effective and not having the range of the Germans and their muskets, and lead with his two weakened dragoon companies; with the under-strength Elites - from previous casualties- on the right to face the Nassau Lights ensconced in the woods;  and the 'foot' cuirassiers positioned close to the rear to be the ultimate fighting force to penetrate the Nassau line at the hedge.

The assault goes in

The cuirassiers are in morale trouble indicated by the heavier strapped knapsack marker indicating permanent negative modifier and the plainer knapsack of a second negative.

His elites were met with strong musket fire and quickly put hors-de-combat.  The other French units advancing until, as a body, they all halted. (for all three units I failed their activations); however, the German musket fire was very ineffectual during this time (my 36 dice with no hits at all!). 

 While the dragoons finally took the low hedge, the Nassau 3rd Line Company calmly and without disorder, put a volley into the poor dragoons, all but destroying them. The remaining French were forced to concede due to casualties sustained overall, and had to withdraw.  

Their horses will not dine on the hay tonight.

Foot Cuirassiers

 No big write up. Just a test of the new Blogger interface....

My French Napoleonic dismounted cuirassiers - converted from Perrys plastic offerings of the dismounted poses from their Dragoon box set. A photo shot of the foot cuirassiers, most of whom are without their heavy armour. 

1815 cavalry photos

Some shots of my cavalry from the 100 Days/Waterloo Campaign

All are plastic Perrys [with the exception of the Dutch horses which are Fireforge medievals] and with the Dutch and Belgians heavily converted by me.

Trying to come to terms with the new Blogger interface.  However I did discover new edit tool which allows type directly on the photo.  Very old, but new to me ...I am still a Luddite I must admit.   

Losing My Head(s)

a quick retelling of the head(less) unit of plastics… 1. I had 9 Perry Napoleonic French plastics as a unit ready to paint primed in black….but then I tweaked to the Portuguese Legion in Russia used a version of the Bardin lapel and had crossbelts for all members AND were in the unique brown uniform. Cool! .....so off with their heads and new ones glued on.... 2. But I already have the Portuguese well represented in my big-battle army, and they were only in Russia and if mounted as a skirmish scale unit, does not solve my need for an opposition for the dismounted dragoons. Looking at the picture books of uniforms, I spot the Neapolitans. How about representing the “elite” unit to be beside my existing Neap. Lights in the big-battle collection? Excellent. ....so off with their heads….and new ones glued on...... 3. Whoops, further research shows that they did not wear the shako with cords - the selection I had glued on. ....so off with their heads.... [the French guillotine didn't chop off this many heads, did it?] 4. The Neapolitan heads are now with covered shakos - so I didn't need to depict their shield shaped badge! I even did a color list for this unit. But then I saw an illustration of the Nassauers at Waterloo. My mind raced. If I used the ones I have already have for the big-battle games, re-basing them and adding these nine, I could get a decent number to make a “Rebels and Patriots” force and face them against my dismounted dragoons! .......so, yes, off with their heads, once again........ 5. But hold on, the numbers don't quite work. I am missing one to make a complete unit. Darn. However, I thought, I do need a commander and the opposing French commander is mounted. So, find a spare mounted figure. Luckily I had been gifted a sprue of Warlord British heavies. With no small amount of scraping, a new pistol carrying arm and a new hussar fur-cap wearing head leader. I had my unit done so no more removing of heads and this time I actually painted the buggers. The photo shows the Nassauer grenadiers with the new figures blended in.

Does anyone else do this or do you plan everything in advance? {smile} -------------------- Edit note: as Blogger has changed its interface and I am having technical difficulties trying to understand how to do what new to do [I am currently using the limited time 'old school version' which is why it reads so bad] I may end up quitting on this blogging thing. If I do, I hope you have enjoyed my personal recording of the recollections of my wargame activities.

Solo WaT in Japan

I had only a few full torso WW2 Japanese infantry left on the sprues and since a few weeks ago now I was still on the “What a Tanker” infantry anti-tank theme, I thought I use them to create essentially a suicide AT squad armed with some ‘lunge mines’ supplied. Two of them have those weapons on a long stick, one has his in the hand (I used the pole elsewhere!) and the fourth is using a rifle to keep the tank commander ‘buttoned-up’ making it harder for the target tank to see these infantry threats. So to explain these new Japanese warriors AND, more critically, the use of an old British Matilda tank, AND further, to show off my new Japanese Plasticraft building, I have this Alt-History story: April 1946, U.S. President Truman was not delivered the atomic bomb and so had to defeat the still defiant Japan the old fashion way. Operation Coronet is almost two months old with Tokyo and adjacent areas secured but pockets of resistance needed to be removed. While a relatively small part of this operation, the Australian contribution was tasked toward one of these areas. Sergeant Forlorn’s old Matilda tank had become separated from its infantry support and had entered a small village seemingly untouched by the destruction of war…. Inside the Matty stopped before the village, a conversation rages: “Where are the bloomin’ infantry?!” “lost them back a ways” “Why didn’t you bloody say?!” “you seemed happy looking at the cherry blossoms” “Well, step on it and get past this bloody village!”

The engine of the Matty sputtered and then roared to life (rolling doubled ones for first Move Dice followed by rolling 10 inches for the Second!). Hearing the tank, Ieko sprang from his position behind the house’s corner while yelling “For the Emperor!”, slipped on the wet ground [I only rolling 3(inches) with 2d6] yet reached the tank and aimed his thrust with the mine held in his hand to the side of the green monster.

His aim (double sixes! …my rather erratic and dramatic dice rolling trend continues…) adds 2 more Strike Dice to his attack.

“Its a Kamikaze!” is all the C.O. who was in the open hatch could say before the sharpshooter with the rifle put a bullet into his head. [ I must say my rolling of the dice in this case was perfect for this event to occur] The Matty is now down to three Command Dice but luckily the driver was composed enough [actually I rolled a Drive Dice] and the tank went into reverse and the gunner acquired the shooter but could not do more. Seeing that his chance to finish off the tank was fading as it slowly reversed away from him, Ichiro sprang from his hiding spot positioned behind the straw fence near the sharpshooter and ran up the road. “Bansai!” His sacrifice shook the tank crew further having one further Command Dice lost.

Kenso, in the door of the rice barn, needed to be much closer and so hoped to move into a better position without being spotted but his nerves …and my dice rolling…prevented his feet from moving.

Meanwhile the Matilda slowly moved backward from the village. Kenso finally called to the Emperor for help and I rolled a 1,2,3,4,5,6 combo! Kenso acquired the location for the tank, ran as few have [ I rolled 20 (inches) on 4d6 !] - having converted the Wild (6) into an extra “Drive/Move Die - which had him reach the distant tank and thrust his lunge mine [successful aim roll] but alas, the blast, while killing Kenso, did little to the armour of the Matilda.

The sharpshooter, lowered his rifle (not rolling the dice for him to fire) and mourned the loss of his comrades, as the green beast moved away….