Cauldron 2014 RDU Gameday

Hi Kids,  I've been slack!  (Shocking, I know)  I totally forgot to post the pix from the not-so-recent gameday the Raleigh lads set up at the Atomic Comics store in Durham!  Since everything in gaming has to have a code name, this event was dubbed "Cauldron." This was the second gameday this year.  These gamesdays are a recent phenomenon, the idea at this point is to have 3 or 4 every year, depending on how many people are interested.  We had about 15-20 gamers show up for the historical games, there were also a like number of guys doing Infinity, a large group of Magic types, and a few 40K'ers.

The first few shots are of all the different game setups, this one is 20mm Low Level Hell in Vietnam.

This one was a pulp game.

This one was 28mm Pulp archaeology based somewhere in Eygpt.  Indiana Jones returns!

This was a 40mm Indian Wars game.

The lads from Magic outnumbered everyone else combined.  What a shock.

And there was an Infinity Tournament going on that Saturday, too.  I didn't even know there was such a thing in the area.  Guess I should get out more.  Some of the tables looked real cool.  Some of these shots were taken during the games, so don't be surprised to see some figs sneaking around.  I've always liked the figures for Infinity, but have only bought a couple and have never played it. 

 

I like the look of this table!  Not sure what those green walker mechs on the left might be.

I played in Famous Bruce's game of Low Level Hell.  This thing was my chopper.  Yeah, if I had thought of it I'd have been Big Duke 6.  The point of the mission was to rescue some downed pilots.  You can see some VC below my ship.

The choppers buzz around blasting everything in sight except each other.  I really like these games when all the players work together against a common foe, in this case run by Bruce.

Turn one and our scout chopper gets shot down!  Charlie is on the spot!  Bruce said that was the second time the scout had been shot down, the other time was 10 years ago.  Some guys are just lucky I guess.  The gamer got a new chopper and rejoined the game, with blood in his eye this time.

Meanwhile the Indians are getting too close for comfort out west.

And the pulpers are getting their camels out of the free fire zone.

Holy Smokes!  Somebody rubbed the wrong lamp in a big way!

Meanwhile its mission accomplished in Vietnam, a slick picks up the jet pilots.  Now we just have to rescue the helicopter pilots.

 



An F100 Super Saber in the weeds!

The Chuckster gives 'em both barrels!

Infinity in progress!

Whoa!  Who showed up for 15mm WW2?  A German Assault Gun moves through the rubble.

More Infinity in progress.  I really, really like this table.  I can see myself coming up with stuff like this for my Giant Stompy Robot set up.  Project #847.  I'll have to get back to you with the details.  I wish I had more time to eyeball this setup!  And somebody's finally getting some use out of those horrid squeeze bottle paints!

And a final shot of a desert town for Infinity. 

 

It looks like gaming is alive and well in the RDU area of NC.  (Too bad  Winston-Salem has become the black hole of culture, but thems the breaks...)  The RDU lads are trying to figure out if they should continue putting on two full sized cons every year (Spring Fever, Southern Front; attendance in the 150+ range) or do a bunch of these gamedays instead, or a combination of both.  It just depends of who wants to do what.  For the up-to-date skinny just check the TSS ("Triangle Simulation Society") yahoogroup or forum.  If you live somewhat locally, feel free to put in your two cents.  Its about 70 miles from here, and I made the trip!

Spanish-American War Bulgarians Tiger Minis

Hi kids,  Once again I have actually painted something!  WOW!  (Not that the paint jobs are wow-inspiring, but the fact that I'm painting might be.)  These Tiger Miniatures have been lurking in the Basement for a couple years, maybe 5 or so, and it just seemed like they were ripe enough to go ahead and get 'em combat ready.  Got a tub more of 'em still waiting.  Maybe someday....  Yes, the title of this post is a little misleading; as far as I know no Bulgarians were in the Spanish-American War.  Tiger makes both.  Painting makes strange bedfellows.

 The sealant is barely dry!  These 10 guys are Tiger Minis US Rough Riders from the Spanish-American War.  Its a project I've been haphazardly working on for awhile now.  I have enough to put on some games, but who knows when I'll get a chance to do so?

 A little farther out, so we can see the entire mob.  Tiger makes a Teddy Roosevelt fig, too!

Long time readers might remember the world famous East Transdniesterian* Border Police, my Pulp Imagi-nation unit from way on back.  I bought these Tiger Minis Balkan Wars figs cause they looked the part.  Now they have officially joined the ranks as gunners!  I think they were originally Bulgarians.  They come in groups of 5, but the others were posed to sit on arty pieces and I haven't decided if I want them permanently glued to guns or not yet.  After all, my guns have to serve many masters.  You never know what time period or part of the world you'll be playing!

 

*Yes this country really exists, sort of.  Part of Moldova went rogue, not sure if anybody bothered to recognize them or not.   I think they were printing their own money.  Maybe Putin has already taken them over. 

Battle at Burma's Bagan Temple part 2

We return to Bagan Temple as the battle rages. The East Transnestrian Border police still hang on to the temple even though besieged on two sides.





Officer Degreas'e of the East Transnestrian Border Police frantically tries to patch up fellow Officer Kowalski and get his tommy gun back into the fight.

Officer Friday's handiwork one bandit down, wounded in both arms and the other wounded in both legs, crawling away, firing back at the drummers.

John Marco G-man stands over Tran-do preparing to make sure he never gets up again.

Fashoud heads around the the temple enclosure with the last two bandits. They see John Marco about to give Tran-Do a coup de gras and fire. All three shots hit and Fashoud's killer instinct knocks Marco unconscious, who falls onto Tran-Do.

The bandit wounded in both arms flees the temple and into the jungle.

With John Marco down, the two surviving bandits charge toward Ansleigh to try and capture her.

Ansleigh runs like the wind, leaving the bandits behind. Gustav runs up behind the bandits swing his handy baseball bat.

With a CRUNCH, Gustav caves in the skull of one bandit, killing him instantly. The other bandit makes a run for it.

The East Transnestrian officer regroup around their half tracks.

The Turkish anarchists break cover and bring their rifles to bear on the Border Police.

Gustav chases down the bandit who keeps sprinting away.

Ansleigh claims another kill and drops another bandit with her .32 cal pistol.

Fashoud returns fire and wounds Ansleigh but doesn't put her out of action.

The government team gets back in their half track and head for Fashoud aiming to run him down.

Te'ador breaks cover daring the Border Police to shoot him.

Teador mounts the wall stunning the Border Police so they are unable to fire.

Fashoud calmly shoots out a tire on the half track before it hits him.

Fashoud survives with both legs broken and the half track swerves out of control. Fashoud slings his rifle and starts to crawl back into the jungle cover, Tran-Do was own his own.

Stunned by Te'ador's presence the border police back away as Te'ador shoots at them.

As two wounded officers fall back, the two Turkish anarchists cross the wall and fire on the Border Police. Kowalski gets his revenge and guns down the anarchists with his tommygun. His minions down Te'ador makes good his escape.

The government half track careens out of control and crashes into a temple wall. Gustav is injured while Ansleigh is knocked unconscious.


The East Transnestrian Border Police once again succeed and defend the cultural artifact. They use parts from both half tracks to get one working and decide to pack the artifact and all the wounded and head toward civilization. They drive into the jungle, uncertain to what dangers lie there while the sun starts to set.

Some game notes. We played this game Super Bowl Sunday using the 45 adventure rules for two fisted pulp action. El tonio played the G-men, Big Roy played Te'ador, Chuckaroo ran the ETBP and I played Fashoud and the Chinese bandits. The game was a blast and was a very close run thing but the mvp of the game has to go to Chuckaroo's Officer Degrea'se. His medical skill kept several of Chuckaroo's ETBP to keep coming back into the fight. Next time Degrea"se takes a dirt nap first.

ColKG