Bolt Action: Soviet Union 'Maxim HMG Team'

Well I did not think I was going to be able to get another model finished this month, but Friday night I squeezed in my Soviet Maxim HMG Team.

I've got two boys graduating next week (one in High School, one in Jr. High) with family flying in.  Then taking the extended family off to Disneyland the week after.  Gonna be busy.

Once June come around, I'll be busy with the modeling/painting.  A bunch more models for Bolt Action, then need to finish out some units for Warhammer Fantasy.

Soviet Union: Maxim HMG

Soviet Union: Maxim HMG

Soviet Union: Maxim HMG

Painting Points: 3

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Battle Report: 5/9/2014 Warhammer 'Dwarfs vs Skaven' (2500 Points)

Friday night May 9th, I played my first game of Warhammer Fantasy in a few years (I did get a quick 1000 point game in the weekend before with my son, but that was more of a refresher on the rules).  I've been working on a 2500 point Dark Elves list, since I did not have everything quite done with them, I decided to break out my Dwarfs for this battle and enjoy some 'Hatred' vs the Skaven.

I met up with 'SkavenInAz' at Empire Games for our battle.  Seeing how I have not played in a few years (and he knew that) it was more of a 'learning' type of game where I had asked a lot of questions and tactical decisions.

Unfortunately I did not take any pictures of the game, but 'SkavenInAz' posts all his battle reports on his YouTube channel.  Below is his battle report.

The Dwarfs did take a beating from the Skaven, but not without taking out quite a few of those dirty rats.  It was good to get out and get a game of Fantasy in again.

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WFB: Dark Elves Dreadlord w/ Great Weapon

I was on pace to go the whole month without painting a single model, I could not let that happen, I had to get at least one Painting Point in for the month.  The next few weeks will be busy with 'life', so I am not sure how much will be painted in the next 2-3 weeks.  I would like to still get a few more models completed this month.

It has almost been 4 years since I last painted a Warhammer Fantasy model.  For some reason lately, I had the urge to get back into Fantasy.  It may be because of the recent release of the new Wood Elves book.  When I first started into war-gaming back in 2002, it was with Warhammer Fantasy, and I had just about every army available.  Through the years most of them have sold off, but I did manage to hold onto four armies, Dark Elves, Dwarfs, Empire and Wood Elves (my son also has unpainted High Elves).  Seeing how most of my armies/lists are pretty old, I'll need to update some of the armies to be competitive.

With my Dark Elves army, my previous Dreadlord was mounted on a Cold One.  With the recent Dark Elves book, they removed most of the magic items that made him viable.  So now I needed a Dreadlord/Master on foot so he can join one of my rank and file units.

So I present to you, my first Warhammer Fantasy model in four years, Dark Elves Dreadlord.

Dark Elves: Dreadlord with Great Weapon

Dark Elves: Dreadlord with Great Weapon

Dark Elves: Dreadlord with Great Weapon

Painting Points: 1

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Battle Report: 5/11/2014 Bolt Action 'Soviet Union vs Germany' (1000 Points "Maximum Attrition")

With yesterday being 'Mother's Day', my oldest son and I headed out to our local game store (Empire Games) while the wife was with the youngest two, afterwards we were all going to meet for a late lunch.  Usually my son and I play in the garage, but since we are still lacking in some terrain we decided to play at Empire Games.

Sunday 5/10/2014
Points: 1000
Scenario: Maximum Attrition
Objective: Destroy the enemy.
Armies: Soviet Union (Dean) vs Germany (Dragi)

Lately I have been really loving the 'flamethrower' on the tanks, so of course I had to run the OT-34/85 again.  I ran a more balanced list this time around from the last time I tried this tank, dropping the ISU-122 and Veterans for more regular Infantry.

Officer:
1 Jr LT w/SMG
1 Infantry w/SMG

Infantry Squads:
 
Guards Squad 1
1 NCO w/Rifle
1 LMG
1 LMG Loader
3 Infantry w/SMG
4 Infantry w/Rifle

Guards Squad 2
1 NCO w/Rifle
1 LMG
1 LMG Loader
3 Infantry w/SMG
4 Infantry w/Rifle

Guards Squad 3
1 NCO w/Rifle
3 Infantry w/SMG
5 Infantry w/Rifle
 
Guards Squad 4
1 NCO w/Rifle
3 Infantry w/SMG
5 Infantry w/Rifle

Free Rifle Squad
1 NCO w/ Rifle
11 Infantry w/Rifle

1 Medium Mortar (Inexperienced)
1 Flamethrower Team

Artillery:
1 ZiS-3 Divisional Gun

Tanks:
1 OT-34/85 Flamethrower Tank

The German list my son was playing was also a very 'balanced' Late War list.  2 Veteran Squads of 10 men with 5 assault rifle each, 2 Regular Squads with 2 assault rifles, Flamethrower Team, StugIII, MMG, 2nd LT and Soldier with assault rifles.

Since we were playing at the store, I really loaded up the table with terrain to make it feel more real.

Middle of Turn 2

OT-34/85 knocks out the German StugIII and flames a Veteran Sqaud.

Soviet Medium Mortar hits the German MMG and takes them out.

Soviet Free Rifles could not do any damage from an 'outflank', but the OT-34/85
comes in and flames the German Veterans.

Soviet Guards Squad finishing the last unit of a German Heer Grenadier Squad.

Lone German soldier, the 2nd Lt, failing his morale check.

This was a blowout for the Soviet Union.  8-0  'Maximum Attrition' seems to really be my game.  The MVP of the game was the Soviet OT-34/85 which by itself took out 4 German units. 

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Battle Report: 5/10/2014 X-Wing

It has been a little bit since I last posted a X-Wing battle report (I did play one or two more games since the last report), but this past weekend was all about getting some games in.  Friday night I got in a game of Warhammer Famtasy, Saturday morning, a game of X-Wing and on Sunday a game of Bolt Action.

So on Saturday morning my son and I threw down a quick game of X-Wing before he headed off to work.  I really like playing with two YT-1300's, so I went back to one of those lists.  I ended up playing with APL on both of the YT-1300's, but I may make a tiny change to this list next time I play.  I ended up using APL only once, and no damage was recorded.

Rebels: (Dean)
Han Solo
(Marksmanship, Millennium Falcon, Anti-Pursuit Lasers)
Lando Calrissian
(Veteran Instincts, Nien Nunb, Anti-Pursuit Lasers)

Rebels: (Dragi)
Wedge Antilles
(Marksmanship)
Rookie Pilot
Rookie Pilot
Jan Ors

Deployment

For the first time I was actually able to fly the two large bases without running into one another, but my son also did a good job flying and like mentioned above, only got to use APL once this game.  My son's Rebels concentrated their fire early on Lando knocking out his shield quite easily.  I made quick work on taking out Wedge and then the Rookie's, but not before the Rookie Pilot's were able to finish off Lando.  It was then down to Han and Jan, and Han easily won that match up.  It was a victory for the double YT-1300's.

The change I am thinking about doing is replacing the APL's and Millennium Falcon upgrades and giving Gunner to Han.  Still debating that option (even though in this game I would not have use Gunner either as Han was on fire with his shooting)

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Painting Points: April 2014

April was a so-so month for painting points.  Being caught up on the majority of my models for Bolt Action, most of my time was then spent actually gaming with Bolt Action and X-Wing.

The upcoming month of May will also be a very slow month for me.  There is a chance that not a single model will get done, but I may not let that happen.  The end of May will see an influx of models coming in for Bolt Action, so my month of June looks to be another busy month.

Right now I am enjoying some down time and actually playing with the models.

Total Painting Points for the month: 59

Total Painting Points for the year: 347

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