Memorial to Andreivian Police 1918

For those players who took part in Crisis Point 2018 you may remember on Sunday the massacre of Tom's Andreivian Police at the hands of Mark J's Cossacks. At the time it was commented that I should make a war memorial to mark the occasion and to remember the brave policemen who defended Andreivia's capital against the invading hordes. So as soon as I returned on Sunday night I set to work. It's now finished and will be added to the Tcherbevan layout for subsequent games set it in 1992.

Wish me luck, I'm going over the top...

Prior to last year's Crisis Point (our first exploring the history of Andreivia at the end of the Great War) I attempted to build a box of HaT soft plastic German cycle troops.

I still bear the emotional scars of the experience.  The figures come with separate arms that should in theory connect shoulders to handlebars but in fact are almost impossible for anyone with fewer than three hands to attach securely. In the end, pressed for time to get forces ready for the event, I gave them up as a bad job and returned them to their box.

However, I'm damned if I'll let them beat me again.  With a little more time to go at them surely they can't be that bad?  Can they?

More reports to come but, please, stay away if easily offended; I suspect bad language may ensue....

Crisis Point VI - AAR (Richard P)

The first two parts are up on my blog.

http://atomicrenegade.blogspot.co.uk/

Cheers

Richard P

Trenches Part 5

All textured ready for painting once they are dry. These plus Richard C's trenches will form the centrepiece of one the tables at this years Crisis Point.

Trenches Part 4

As you have probably already read Richard C (The Oracle of Andreivia) and myself have spent the weekend working on some trenches for one of the tables for Crisis Point. Richard C's are pretty much complete and mine are still in the WIP stage but a bit more work today and they will be ready for painting.

WoosterForce Supply Train

These mules will be carrying the vital supplies that keep WoosterForce going during its long march from Mesopotamia to Tcherbevan.

Unit Activation System

I ran into Mark Kniveton at Vapnartak at the weekend and we discussed plans for Crisis Point.

Mark mentioned that he has in the past struggled with the Arc of Fire activation system because he had trouble remembering which unit was which when comparing the units sheet with what's actually on the table. The next card's a red Ace... yes that's one of mine... Oh yes, it's second infantry squad... now which one was that...?

I was able to reassure Mark that this wouldn't be the case this year because I've adopted an alternative system from elsewhere.  I've adopted and indeed adapted it, in fact, from Buck Surdu's Combat Patrol as described on the Meeples and Miniatures podcast.  The system uses a modified activation deck.

The New Activation Deck

There will be an activation deck for each table. This deck will consist of the following cards:

• Red cards 1 to 6 (one of each)
• Black cards 1 to 6 (one of each)
• Blue card 6
• Red Joker
• Black Joker.

Unit Activation

Units will continue to be defined as previously in Arc of Fire - roughly squad sized (though representing companies in our bath-tubbed game.

At the start of each turn a d6 is rolled for each unit.  The unit is marked with the resulting Activation Number (either with a numbered counter or by leaving a die next to it).  Let us suppose our unit has scored 6.  

When the Red 6 card comes up, the unit activates and wounded and non-wounded figures (the latter having red markers) can act.

When the Black 6 card comes up, the unit activates but only with non-wounded figures.

When the Blue 6 comes up the unit may activate (with wounded and non-wounded figures) but only if the unit is designated as "aggressive" in the army list. 

The Jokers continue to have the standard Arc of Fire function. If the Red Joker comes up first, a random event follows the draw of the Black Joker.

If competing units have the same Activation Number, the unit with the lower TAC score gets to choose whether to go first or second.

Optional Additions

If a tank or armoured car has the an Activation Number of 6 and the Blue 6 card comes up, it is subject to an additional effect depending on the vehicle type:

• Whippet - make an additional move activation
• Renault FT - make an additional move activation
• Mark IV - immobilised by engine failure
• Mark V - crew must abandon the vehicle for two whole cards due to heat exhaustion
• any armoured car - make an additional move activation if on-road, bog down if off-road.

1918 - Andreivian Infantry

I'm on a bit of a roll, now, building up towards Crisis Point (8th and 9th April 2017).  The theme is Andreivia: Dawn of Liberty?  - Andreivia in 1918.

I'm really looking forward to trying out an alternative Russian Civil war version of Andreivia.  These guys form the first part of my Andreivian Army forces.

Enthused!

Great chat at the Cold War Commanders' event at Broughton over the weekend. I'm inspired to get back to planning for next Spring's Crisis Point game.

We'll definitely be exploring the history of Andreivia during the Russian Civil War. Look out for cunning Arab merchants, perfidious British political officers, decadent Turkish officers, cruel White Russian princes, and fanatical Bolsheviks.

Left Social Democrat militia on the Krupsky Promenade, Tcherbevan

I plan to have the exact time period nailed down soon but probably some time between the Turkish armistice in October 1918 and the Russian invasion of Georgia in 1921.

Edit: I've since decided that the dates will be 8th-9th April 1918.  The Turks and the Russians have signed a peace treaty at Brest-Litovsk but fighting continues in the Caucasus and on the Black Sea coast.

WIP - Mill

WIP for Crisis Point V in three weeks time, a railside Mill located somewhere in Andreivia.