NVA vehicles

Thanks to Brent from Company B joining the 'Board of the living lead' zombie forum I have been taking another look at what Company B has for sale.

I noticed in the news section on the Company B web site that a BTR-152 & BTR-40 are nearing release.

I have always wanted some vehicles for my enemy forces so I did a bit of research and discovered that both were used by the NVA. It seems the BTR-40 might have been used a bit more than the BTR-152, but that could just be due to the what I turned up in my research.

 So, when it is released for sale, I think I will get myself a BTR-40 to include in my games for scenario purposes and to use as a juicy target for calling in artillery and or an air strike.

 I do have a US figure with an M72 LAW that I didn't paint up as a LRRP due to the fact the figure doesn't have a back pack, but if I make it part of a ready reaction force I can explain it away conveniently.

BTR-40 in the service of a non NVA user

 It shouldn't be too hard to create stats for Bolt Action as the vehicles are fairly basic in those rules, and Iron Ivan Games has stats for them in "The Long Road South" supplement.

So, as soon as the BTR-40 is released for sale I will look at getting one for my game.

City building

For the last few days I have been scratch building with my Gangster campaign in mind.

I drew up some plans and came up with this:

Note the shadowy figure lurking on the roof top

 The design has the building mounted on a MDF board that also acts as the side walks for the city.

 By placing the model onto a dark surface it automatically makes the roads, thus removing the need to make roads completely.

 I sketched out a map and between nine and twelve of these in various forms will give me a decent sized bit of gang turf to fight over.

 I am in the process of designing some shops with apartments above them that will go together to created an alley way to skulk in. These buildings will be shorter but wider as they will take up the space of one of the side walks to accomplish what I have planned.

 At this stage I am thinking of painting all of the buildings the same grey colour to give it a gothic type of feel, but this could change if I manage to find other colours I like.

 The great thing about keeping the designs simple is that I can use these buildings for my Gangsters, my planned Super hero game and even zombie games set in a city.

 I also want to find some fire hydrants, post boxes and street lights to fill out the city.

2013 - what will it hold?

In my last post I reviewed my wargaming efforts for 2012.

 Now it the time to project what I would like to do for 2013.


 A few project will be continued over into this year, namely my 28mm Vietnam campaign and the one I started at the end of last year, my 1920's Gangster setting.

 I still have a Vietnam game set up waiting to be played - hay fever saw my plans for playing on boxing day go out the window and the next thing I know it is the first of January.

"Mad Dogs with Guns", the 1920's Gangster game, will progress as I paint more miniatures and make some scenery. I am currently making a building for the game, a kind of prototype, and it if works I will not only be able to make scenery for the Gangsters, but also use it for zombie games and even super heroes.


 I will post photos of it once I have finished it.

 Strange Aeons is a must - lots of figures actually painted up, so I just need to play the game.

 I would like to get a game or two in of Wild West, but I really want to make some sandy based tiles for the game first.

If I can get a big enough playing area I would like to play with the Modern jets I have, and even get some WW2 dogfights in.

 WW2 in the form of Bolt Action skirmished is on the cards. I can probably put up a section vs section game already, or at least come close to it, so that is something to work on.

Sci-Fi - one of the big fails for last year was the purchase of some Defiance games Marines and Bugs.  After about three months my order arrived, but the bugs were missing parts. IF the replacement parts that were promised ever arrive I intend to do a 28mm Bug hunt game.

I should probably focus on the figures I already have, but I am tempted to put together a 15mm sci-fi skirmish game. I think I might resist this one for the moment.

 I do have the makings of an 18mm Seven years war Prussian army lying around, and I might paint these up as an Imagi-nation, but that isn't a priority. I might consider selling the figures.

What I do want to do is to go through my pile of lead and sell off anything that isn't really a feasible project. This will not only give me some cash to splash on the hobby, but tidy up the place a bit.

No doubt something shiny will come along to distract me, but my key focuses will be 28mm game for Vietnam, 1920s (gangsters and strange aeons) and WW2. These three are fairly realistic and achievable for the year.

 Oh, and if I can't get a zombie game in I am planning another "Play By Blog" zombie game. Anyone interested can read about it on my Zombie wargame blog; the link is in the side panel.