History of Andreivia

Medieval times – Christian nation surrounded by Moslem neighbours. Slavic Andreivians share the territory with Moslem Turks and, in the eastern mountains, a smaller Armenian community.

19th century – successfully avoids integration into the growing Russian Empire but is a battleground during the Russo-Turkish War.

early 20th century – the Armenian population is swelled by refugees fleeing Turkish persecution. There is some inter-ethnic violence.

WW1 – sends a small expeditionary force to fight against the Germans on the Eastern Front.

Russian Civil War – King Alexei V is deposed in a coup and Andreivia briefly joins the Trans-Caucasian Republic but withdraws before the Republic is swallowed up by the Soviet Union. In 1924 the King is invited to return.

1941 – Hitler invades the USSR. Andreivian Prime Minister Mishkin declares the Kingdom neutral and states that she will defend her borders against any attack. Mishkin flirts with the Axis side and a volunteer Andreivian Legion fights with the Germans in Russia. Many Andreivians also join the Red Army and eventually a Regiment of Andreivian Riflemen sees hard fighting in Hungary.

1945 – Soviet Forces occupy Andreivia and install a Communist regime under Istvan Sakhvashev, the highest ranking Andreivian in the Red Army.

Post War – Sakhvashev proves to be a skilled diplomat and successfully rebuffs attempts to integrate Andreivia into the Soviet Union. Subsequently, he even wins for the nation a special status in relation to the Warsaw Pact. Andreivia does not receive the benefits of a large Soviet military presence.

early 1990s – The death of President Sakhvashev and the dissolution of the Soviet Union trigger a scrabble for power within Andreivia and the resurgence of ancient ethnic rivalries. Ivan Dzhugashev is elected President but many Armenian and Turkish delegates boycot the Party Congress.

This year – Dzhugashev proclaims Andreivian to be the sole national language and calls for a renewal of Andreivia's national identity as an Orthodox Christian Republic. Andreivian-Armenian Deputy Serj Benkian declares the republic dissolved and calls for an uprising to establish an Armenian Republic in Eastern Andreivia. Achmed Karamanoglu, professor of art history at Tcherbevan University makes a similar call on behalf of Andreivia's Turkic people. Fighting breaks out throughout the country.

This month – On the strength of a hastily agreed UN resolution, NATO forces cross from Turkey into southern Andreivia. On Russian insistence, the UN resolution severely limits the strength of the NATO contingent.

This week – The charming, lake-side town of Tuzkhur sees heavy fighting. Benkian's Armenians hold most of the town but they are being shelled from the surrounding hills by Andreivian-Turkish artillery. Elsewhere, the main NATO effort is aimed at clearing a corridor to bring humanitarian relief to the capital Tcherbevan.

Today – A small NATO force is tasked with breaking through to Tuzkhur and rescuing trapped foreigners.

Disappearing pics

Sorry about the vanished pictures.  My photos are hosted at Imageshack.us which seems not to be working at present.  I may have to find an alternative if things don't improve.

An Intro to Arc of Fire

I thought it might be useful for anyone thinking of joining us for the game to have a brief outline of how Arc of Fire works.


Two Crucial Numbers

Units have a TAC score from 4 (the best) to 8 (the worst). TAC represents training and general tactical competence. In addition to TAC each figure has a Morale score. Again 4 is best, 8 is worst. Figures roll against their Morale to avoid being pinned down by incoming fireand to recover from being pinned down (Broken). Units also roll against Morale at the end of the turn. Morale is rolled on a d10 (or a d6 if the figure is wounded).

Two More Crucial Numbers

At a given range (in inches) a weapon has two factors, say 5/7. The first is against soft targets (people), the second against hard targets (vehicles including trucks, bunkers etc.). Roll as many d10 as indicated (e.g. SMGs roll 3 dice). With our factor of 5, a roll of 5 (the number required exactly) causes a Morale check. Rolling 6 also causes a Morale check but at -1 to the die roll. A roll of 7 is a wound and 8 or more takes the figure out of the game (either dead or seriously wounded).

Cards - Play Yours Right

At the core of AoF is its card activation system. The sequence in which units are activated is determined by turning over playing cards. Each unit in the game is activated on two cards. So, for example, it might be that the Andreivian Turk AAMG team is activated on both of the black Aces. In our case, any particular pair of cards will activate several units at different locations.

Moving Out of Turn

In AoF, units can act out of turn by one of two methods. A unit can use Opportunity Fire to engage enemy units that move within sight.  This is subject to three provisos - (1) the firing unit must be in Defence Mode, (2) it must spot the enemy and (3) it must have a card left to play remaining in the deck.   By using Opportunity Fire it sacrifices its chance to move on its next card.

Alternatively, a player may hold on to one card as an “initiative card” to be played later.  This can be used to interrupt another unit's turn but it requires a successful TAC to achieve.  In our game Initiative Cards are limited to one per player at any one time and they only apply to one unit at a time (any additional units activated on the same card are activated as usual).


Action a la Mode

Arc of Fire units are always in one of three Modes - Advance, Defence or Confused.

• In Advance Mode some of your figures can move while others fire.
• In Defence Mode, none may move, any or all can fire. You also get bonuses in cover and the ability to use opportunity fire.
• In Confused Mode you can move or fire. If any element of the unit fires, none may move. If any move, none may fire.
  

That'll do.  You'll pick it up easily enough.

Downtown Tuzkhur Real Estate

At Triples back in March I bought a couple of Shellhole Scenics Buildings. This is the first of them painted up.

I've been inspired by Rob Rowell's excellent work on the Esci Italian Country House kit as showcased on The Guild. Rob uses a combination of pale base colours, washes and dry-brushing. I can't compete with his quality but I'm reasonably happy with this.

Borrowed Buildings

My good mate Will McNally from Wills Wargaming Blog who is also a member of our club has offered us the use of some buildings he has constructed.

You can see the finished buildings at this page.

Gauntlet Webpage

Our club webmaster for Deeside Defenders has now updated the details of the Gauntlet show where this game will be put on.

Gauntlet 2008

US Forces

I've now got my part of the US Forces painted up. Again these are plastic figures. These are a few troops with the M1 from Mongoose (pre painted).



Here's more troops with cheap Hummers from local Asda toy store. They had to be re-painted though as they were green when bought.



I'm still ploughing through the trees, I have some SAS on the painting table which are in counter terrorist suits. Maybe we could have these dropped into towns along the way to clear housing.

Also today the Russian Federals and Chechen fighters arrived from Harfields. These will be painted up as the Andrevian Turks methinks.

I'm also looking at borrowing some buildings for the day, more pictures soon.