Elvis Kosiascko vs. The Shining Path

Hi Kids, Time for another installment of the adventures of the Basement of Heaped Miniatures! This time it's a raid by the Polish Special Forces led by Elvis Kosiasko into the wilds of Peru, where the Dreaded Shining Path terrorists have gained control of the Unobtainium Mine. The GROM must seize the mine to prevent the mineral from being used for evil purposes. The latest intell says the (also dreaded) Che Guano, Agent Provocator of International Revolution, has been spotted in the area. A high value target like him is always worth the risk!
An aerial shot of the mine, with defenders from the SOCWAD Agentine Marines list. Could that be Che Guano standing on the left tower?

Air support for GROM provided by Little Bird. (Had to take at least one picture using a macro lense!)

The Little Bird lines up for a straffing pass, gunning for the HQ squad and heavy mortar set up on the mine. Underneath the overhead platform can be seen the only Shining Path armor support, an AML-90 (suspiciously similar to an M5 Stuart tank).

KA-BOOM!!!! About 10 rockets and 20 minigun dice blast everything near the target, but amazingly no one is injured! The helicopter is shot down by two HMG's at the end of it's run. (Turns out we did the AA fire wrong, we used twice as many dice than allowed!)

The Pathers push out a 90mm Recoilless Rifle and take a shot at the nearest MRAP. A hit and what do we get for the AP roll? A stinkin' ONE, that's what! The shot bounces off and the MRAP returns the favor and kills the entire crew. Che Guano screams, "Tacos to the men who destroy the MRAP!"

The view from the other side.
The GROM from the far side of the map close in on the terrorists fighting from the Dukey Hills, already taking losses from the attentions of two GROM snipers.

GROM assault teams dismount from the MRAPS, and approach through the woods. A lucky RPG shot destroys the AML-90. 505 points down the drain after only one shot!

Elvis Kosiascko, leader of all things GROM goes down hard to fire from the Pathers!

A GROM sniper displaces to get a better LOS, but is noticed by the mortar crew. He merges unhurt for the massive 120mm barrage!

A shot from a rifle greande knocks a tire off the 6x6 MRAP! Che giggles like a little girl and declares, "Burritos for everyone!"

The GROM close in on the mine, taking cover near the wreck of the AML-90. The sole survivor of a Path infantry squad runs toward the cover of the tower.

The squad-eye view.

Two GROM charge across the open space between the Dukey Hills and the short tower, defended by a few Pathers. No LOS!

The Pathers move out onto the gantry to get a better shot at the 4x4 MRAP, which has moved up to support the few GROM still alive near the wreck.

The two GROM climb the short tower and emerge within a few feet of the Pathers! Mayhem ensues!

The last large squad of Pathers and the two GROMers shot it out, Hand-to-hand combat is narrowly avoided when the two GROM are hit!

Last of the Ninja GROM gets hits in the woods! The mortar team has abandoned their mortar and used their rifles to good effect from the top of the tower.

The MRAP takes a hit in the tires, immobilizing it. The crew dismount only to be gunned down within inches of their vehicle. The GROM survivor keeps cool and stays inside the vehicle. On the gantry above, the largest surviving group of Pathers (4 guys) look for Che Guano to claim their Tacos! Where has he gone?

At this point we had to call the game due to time. I think the GROM were in a bad way but the Pathers were running low on everything. The HMG's, RR crew, AML-90, and one squad were wiped out, the remaining squads reduced to 1-4 guys, including the HQ with only the LT surviving. The GROM still had some snipers and a few guys runnning around, and the one MRAP still had it's weapon operational.

The Mine building is from Target Games about 12 years ago. The Shining Pathers were WW2 US Marines and Army from 19th Century Miniatures. The M5 was West Wind, the MRAPs Hobby Armor Depot. The GROM are from the Col's collection and I can't remember who made them. Using Disposable Heroes the GROM were Delta, and the Shining Path Argentine Marines from SOCWAD. GROM were 2000pts while the Pathers were 1400.

Disposable Heroes in the Far East, China vs. Brit/Sikhs

Hi kids, These are some pix from a 25/28mm game we played at the Basement of Heaped Miniatures a little while ago. It was Disposable Heroes. We had the Wretched Chinese Forces of Col. Kilgore vs. the Clean Living Always-Kind-to-Animals Brits officered by me. Here we have a shot of the unwashed masses massing up for the attack, using the huge swamp and elephant grass to cover their approach.


The yellow peril jumps off from their starting positions.


Off near the right flank, the Loyal Sikhs await the foe. That might be an ATR gunner near the unit.

The wiley Col has been reading the rules again! He's discovered the joys of smoke and mortars! That cloud is to protect his unruly mobs from the Rightous Gunfire of an M3 Stuart tank and some Anti-tank rifles (my own secret weapon).

The Col likes his new terror weapon to such a degree that smoke shells are soon raining down all over the battlefield, where ever an enemy heavy weapon is located! Here we have smoke clouds obscuring Boyes ATR's, snipers, HMG's, and a QF gun.

The Chinese creep closer to the defenders' positions.

Some of the Col.'s forces gather round their own tank, I think it's a Pz 38t standing in for a T-26 (still on order). The Stuart knocked out it's engine, but it's still dangerous!

The Sikhs holding the center and right flank from rocky hills and forest patches. Both sides take losses.

The long view down the Brit positions from the far left flank. The building is in the center of the battlefield, the Brits managed to get there firstest with the mostest. This is still early in the game, before the Brit left flank commander realized getting closer to the huge mobs of Chinese advancing through the swamp might not be a good idea.

The climax of the game, one of the Chinese Big Swords units comes crashing through the tall grass and attempts to charge the Brit defenders! They are gunned down in heaps! If fact, gunning them down is what provoked this unit to charge ahead of the other units accompanying it through the swamp.

And that was the final event in a fun filled game. China's finest had taken a lot of fire going in, and didn't have the strength to push the Brits out of their positions. The Chinese started out with 2000pts, the Brits 1500. The Brits are Renegade Figs, the Sikhs are Brigade Games (US), and I'm not really sure but I believe the Chinese are Copplestone. I'm sure the Col will point out where his lads originated.

Battle Robot Found

I went to the local Goodwill store and scored! I rummaged through the one dollar toy grab bags and found this Iron Man action figure in a bag with a couple other super hero figures. I gave the other figures to the young master and set about planning the customizing of the figure.

I am debating on whether to base it or not, whether to add more armaments or just keep the ones it has and what sort of paint scheme to use. I will probably keep it mostly generic so I can use it across a range of adversaries.

ColKG

WWII Japanese 81mm Mortars

I have finally finished up a group of 28mm WWII Japanese 81mm mortars made by The Assault Group. I first received these models 25 July 05. I had given Chuckaroo a shopping list for Historicon. I had copied down the package numbers from the TAG website and noted the number of packages I would need. I had figured the numbers I would need to field a Infantry platoon with support but made a big mistake. The packs sold in the US were twice the size of the packs on the TAG website. Where I wanted two 81mm mortars I ended up with four, where I wanted three Type 92 machine guns I ended up with six and so on. The good thing is it gave me a solid base to build up my collection.
I had originally based the mortars and crew on fender washers but after mounting the Chinese field guns and crew on a base I decided to break the mortars and crew off their washers and mount them on a 60mm resin base I had cast up. I fielded the mortars glued to a base in a Disposable Heroes game without the crew and decided that I wouldn't do that again.

Here are the mortars in all their painted glory. It only took me five years and eleven months to get them finished. I have four more washer mounted riflemen to use for the fourth crewman but they are still a work in progress.

Here is a little closer shot. I used the Resistant Rooster Japanese painting guide for the troops in China. They will most likely be fighting or supporting my Warlord Chinese so I thought this the most suited color for them. Now I only need to finish the rest of the army.

ColKG

Fathers Day Zeppelin

After a weekend packed with family get togethers, We finally arrived back at Casa De Killgore and I recieved my Father's Day Zeppelin. It is a 1/245th scale Graf Zeppelin made by Hawk models. I had looked at the model at the local Ollies' store but didn't get it. I braved the "It won't be there when you come back curse." and when we came back, one was gone but I didn't notice.

Here is the Young Master holding the kit.

Here is a shot of the hull piece's. I thought the model would have more sprues but the two piece hull works for me. Now the question is a straight historical build or jazz it up and make the Armored Zeppelin of DOOM!!!

ColKG

4 June, Action at Lizardman Village, Resolution

This is the final episode of a VSF Sword and the Flame game played on 4 June at Heroes Headquarters in Mocksville North Carolina by some of the Basement of Heaped miniatures and Catawba Gamer regulars.

When we left the French were advancing on the Hill Village but on the other flank,

The Sikh machine gun has fell back to the edge of the engagement before rallying.

The parrotmen still using the swamp for cover advance to try and finish off the Sikhs.

The Legionaries enter the village and the Skink Chief is not fleeing, he is looking for reinforcements.

The other surviving unit of Legionaries advance with the last machine gun.

Two Skink Shamans direct the last Bombard to destroy the infantry.

The Skink Cheif continues to run as the Legionaries close.

The shamans are killed by machine gun fire and last Bombard is reduced to half crew.

The artillery duel. Both have range and rush to get their gun into action first.

The Parrotmen abandon chasing the Sikhs and run back to defend the village.

The surviving Sikhs charge the Skink regiment to protect the machine gun. The Sikhs lose their lives but their courage will be remembered forever.

The last bombard loses the artillery duel. The Lizard guns are done for.

The Skinks run into the Sikh machine gun fire.

The French machine gun sets up to mow down the Parrotmen as they swarm back to the village.

The Skink Chief decides to stand and fight after the French charge, His commanding presence cause them to fail to close.

Deciding that the French are not worthy enough an enemy to soil his blade, The Skink Chief goes to find one that is, while the french bullets zip all around him.

Not waiting for their stragglers the Skinks charge the Sikh machine gun. After more stragglers only two make it into contact and the Sikhs win, the surviving Skinks flee the battlefield.

This clears the flank and the Sikh start to advance.

The Last french machine gun destroyed the Legionaries form line at the top of the hill and volley fire into the Parrotmen.

Unopposed the Sikhs run down the road to help support the Legionaries.

The legionaries fire tells and the Parrotmen break and flee the field.

The French hold the field but I wouldn't call it a victory. The expedition is destroyed and they still have to make it back to more secure territory. While all the lizards have left the field a great many survived and once they regroup it will be a very dangerous return journey back for the French.

It was a helluva game. We almost decided to stop a couple times and just call the game but I am glad we played it down to the dirty end. The Mvp of the game for me was the Bombards. It also helped that my dice were so hot they were on fire! Several times in the game when I needed a 3 or 4 or less to hit on a d2o I rolled six hits on eight dice. While Chuckaroo on the other had needed a seven or less on a d20 rolled fifteen dice and only hit with two. My most memorable close combat was against Joe' Sikhs when he rolled a sting of ones only to be best my me rolling two's. Some would argue that I lost the game but I counter with I don't think the French really won it either.

I can't wait for the rematch.

ColKG