Day of Infamy-Infamay,infamay.They've all got it infamay

IWed 7th December

Pure class

                       Well it is Pearl Harbour day and getting into the pantomime season.

                    Pre Xmas game in Sleepy Hollow-sorry Garvald,the one Xmas tree town saw us being true to the day indulging in a Bolt Action game involving Japanese,Chinese and Americans.
  Five of us turned up including young Isaac Neal who obviously needed a bit r&r before his maths exam at Edinburgh University the following day.

                           

 Sides were chosen with Dave o'Brien taking charge of the Manchukuo infantry(Chinese allies of Japanese),Bill taking care of the Japanese infantry leaving me to care of Japanese naval infantry backed up by some light armour.The opposition was provided with Colin's Seebees supported by armour and the Neal boys taking charge of the remainder which consisted of an awful lot of Chinese

The Neal boys make a plan

                              The game plan was for the Japanese to take over an airfield being built by the Seebees.Dave and I were going to attack the airfield whilst Bill's hordes would deal with the reinforcements.Sounded like a quick evening.How many times have you heard that from me.

The object of our desire

               

 Our forces moved up to the treeline where we stopped hoping to soften up the defenders with gun and mortar fire before heading across the open ground and victory.

Our plucky armour

                                   It started well for us with the American mortar being eliminated by our own mortar and the defenders taking a few casualties-but not enough.I decided to charge as I had noticed that Colin's defenders had a dice that statingthat  they had already moved but it turned out that was a dice from previous turn that hadn't been moved so being a gentleman and it was his dojo I gave him benefit of doubt which cost me dearly.

                             

Banzai

 My infantry were whittled down by gunfire before I even reached the target and in the ensuing scuffle were eliminated.

Hand to hand(but a wee bit blurred)

                                   Dave's infantry were being the object of desire from the airfield's other defenders and went down never to play an important part in this evening's festivities apart from being cannon fodder.

"Oh the grand old duke of York"

                          Bill's plan were to storm through the village albeit at a snail's pace hoping to get to grip with Mr Ray and Isaac's forces but it turned into a slogging match with hardly any ground being taken or given.

Bill's boys

                       

More of Bill's boys

Meanwhile my armour was driving up and down the road keeping to cover,looking for an ideal shot before the heavier tanks got their beedy eye on me.
                             

Looking for a gap

  This was how the game was taking shape with a hard slog all around and something was needed to turn the tide which came in the form of air support from both sides.

Bandits at twelve o'clock high

                           

The good guys arrive

  Firstly the allies call on air support but this was delayed so we thought that we had better reciprocate.Our airsupport was called for but not before Colin had called the support down on Dave's infantry who threw caution to the wind and charged towards Colin's defenders but were interrupted by the machine gun fire from the American aircraft being decimated in the process.

                             

Target rich envirnoment

The Neal boys diverted some of their forces to attack our defended treeline and once they came out into the open provided our plane the opportunity to strafe them but didn't do them to much trouble.

"This is how it's done boys"

                       Bill's forces had made slow headway through the town and apart from destroying one of Colin's vehicles we were heading for stalemate and the final whistle with a score draw as the result.
                   

Kaboom!

    A nice game to finish our year of Garvald struggles.
                    All figs ,scenery and scenario provided by Colin Jack as well as a scrumptious Biryani complemented by some haggis pakora-an unusual combination.
                             This brings the shutter down on our 2016 figure games but I'm sure I can fit in a game of something before the end of the year.

Black day for the All blacks

Thursday 1st Dec

                          With Lady Watson still knocking the cherry vodka back in Warsaw I decided to head for the club to see what was on offer.The usual suspects were playing a Napoleonic game which for me was an instant turnoff.

Lull before the storm

                                  On offer at the next table was a game called Spectre Operations which raised my eyebrows but alas it wasn't a James Bond game that I hadn't heard off but a game involving New Zealand special forces against insurgents in some mythical state on the Arabian peninsula.Obviously although the game sounded like some real scenario taking place in another part of the middle east the names had been changed as the actual skirmishes might have felt a bit to close to home.

Typical downtown Thursday evening.

                               Jack Glanville who was playing against Michael Charge offered to let me take on responsibility of one of the spec op squads as they ventured into a hostile village with the the intent of nullifying arms caches.Sounded straight forward and for the most part of the game it was with the All Blacks taking care of the insurgents with ease including a sinister looking heavy machine gun crewed by a sinister looking guy.

It actually had more bark than bite.

                                Although the bad guys were well armed they were just one step up from an armed mob and even although they were indulging in mob heavy charges the spec ops guys were holding their own with just a few grazes.

My squad leader just about to fire a well placed grenade into the onrushing horde.

                               

The result.

 This set the pattern for the evening with Jack and I fighting of the hordes with ease until the game changing moment came when Campbell wandered over from his own game and mentioned to Michael that his sniper had a clear shot at my squad who were hunkered down safely behind a concrete barrier picking off bad guys with ease.

A few well placed shots

The one shot that turned everything upside down.

                                    One shot changed the game plan with one of my men going down with a serious injury and being true to western philosophy I decided to drag him back into cover in order for us to fix him up.
                      This changed the whole outlook of the game with forces pounding our guys with machine gun and rpg fire most of he time unchallenged as the focus of the insurgent fire was concentrated on my second squad as the first squad were out of the line of fire.
                           

Jack heading for a bar room brawl

  Meanwhile Jack's squads had made their way around the side of the village without any problem and had made their way into a side street only to get invoved in a firefight with the depleted horde that had been on the end of my grenade and lmg fire.
                                       His squad ended up going toe to toe with insurgents in some buildings where shotguns and grenade were used with abandon.

A balcony with a view.

                             As the evening wore on it was obvious from our casualties it was time to get out of Dodge but since we had no helicopters it was going to be a long walk home.Luckily the final whistle went and no more damage could be done to us.
                                    A very good game where the rules balanced out the difference in numbers.

                         Figures and scenario were provided by Michael Charge with Jack Glanville providing the NZ Special Op forces(although I think he is away to paint some with shotguns) as well as scenery.
                      Also thanks to Campbell Hardie for letting me use some of his photos.          Thanks for the game boys.
                       

Retro Evening

Wed 30th November

         Since most of our motley crew were otherwise engaged I decided to put on a game of Necromunda at Casa el Watson as Lady Watson was enjoying the delights of Warsaw with her fellow colleagues or so I'm led to believe.

Not bad for 20 year old scenery

                        Dave O'Brien was up for it drooling at the mouth at the thought of an evening's Necromunda whilst Mike was still shaking after being scalped by oor Bart.

Check out my red noodle shack open 24/7.

                             Necromunda suits my living room table well even with 3 games worth of scenery on display.A lot of the scenery hadn't been used for a wee while but surprisingly fitted into place without any real problems.I also added a few extra bits that we used all those years ago plus a few that I had built for a kung fu game.

Mike with the sheepdog look still recovering from his kicking from Bart.

                                Each player was given a gang and rules were kept basic so that Mike would be given an easy baptism into the world of 40k.The objecy of the game was last man standing so as soon as the whistle was blown for start of play we all rushed Necromunda style for the nearest cover.

Not a brain between them.

                  Mike's Goliath gang being in the middle ground immediately came under fire from the two other gangs who although were both of the Delaque house there was definitely sibling rivalry between the two gangs.

Smile you are about to be vaped.

Target acquired even through the polluted haze of the underhive.

                                My plan was to force Mike into bottling out before concentrating on Dave's gang.The best plans of mice and men rung a bell as my plan began to unravel when I came into contact with Mike as Dave had given him two guys armed with big guns and although I skewered one with a beam from my lascannon I couldn't maneuver into better positions to get the drop on him.Meanwhile Dave is edging his way nearer Mike taking shots when he could and also picking up some of the secondary objectives which were cases of loot which were scattered around the table.Some were profitable and some were booby traps as I found out to my dismay when one exploded in the face of one of my gangers who was just going about his unlawful business of shooting and looting.

This lad was up and down more times than a tart's knickers.

                                 

  Revenge was swift as my leader had edged his way round the other flank bringing him into bolter range of Dave's gang.As I was looking for targets I was literally bodychecked by Dave to stop me seeing his men but to no avail his leader was duly dispatched making Dave take a bottle test which he failed-shame.

                                           This left but Mike to be taken care but alas due to Mike's lucky shots my men followed suit and bottled out giving a very amazed Mike victory in his initial game.
                       

"Don't trust him Mike!"

 A good game with hopefully the precursor of many to come.In my opinion this was Games Workshop's best game and as usual once they get a good thing they drop it and leave us with more very expensive games.That's me off my soapbox.

                         Dave provided a gang for Mike as well as for himself.I think it is time for me to finish my new Orlock gang before the big February game as part of Colin Jacks stag do.Ah we're geeting old.
                              See you soon with a game report from the the club involving New Zealand spec ops once I can get the photos of my phone.

Shug and the volcano.

Saturday 26th November.

Pieces of eight-chocolate flavoured

                        A great gathering for the 2nd memorial game for our good friend Shug which  was put on at the Gothenburg tavern in Prestonpans today.

Honest they had a great time.

                 The planning for this had been in the planning for a few months and it was great to see it come together and be enjoyed by one and all.The rules and the gameplay were the same as the inaugural game played in May.The only absentee was Black Angus Konstam who seemingly came down with the black spot.Personally I think it was gout but I'm not a doctor even although I have the perfect name and handwriting for a doctor.

"Are you an honest broker Donald?"

                                      Everybody turned up pretty promptly for once and after a small repast of bacon rolls and coffee the gangs and boats were divvied out and the sport commenced.Since we were all experienced gamers we got down to the lovely task of shooting and looting and I'm afraid political correctness was thrown out the window as anything be it innocent or guilty was classed as fair pickings.Every village,boat,island and tree were searched for treasure with some being profitable and some being as useless as smelly underwear.

Dave M getting a sneak preview.

A lost soul.

Mr Ray has just been told he has been given the French and Mike is saying "and you are?"

                                 My mate Mike came along for what he hoped was going to be a nice peaceful day but ended sitting next to Oor Black Bart.Mike thought that since he was Polish and that you don't get many Polish pirates life would be rosey-Wrong!Bart as usual went for the jugular and Mike was lucky to keep the shirt on his back at the end of the day.

Well we are all children at heart.

                               

Colin contemplating the navels of his gang.

 Donald was chief mc and in control of handing out the random turn cards and also the man with his hands on the kitty.I think he likes to bring his work home with him.

My Cornish village-home from home.

                             

Campbell contemplating some backstabbing and Bill wondering if there is any card higher than a six in the pack.

  Amongst the other conspirators were Colin Jack who very unusually brought an all female crew with one member looking an awful lot like a 17thc Lara Croft.Now there is an idea for a game.His plan was to raid and pillage Squire Trelawny's Island,doing away with the locals on the way to which he succeeded before coming to a Cornish standoff with Bill "I've never had a card higher than a 5"Gilchrist's men who after scaling the Cornish cliffs,getting shot up by the local squire and his band of smugglers decided to set up residence in the local inn.

Some of Colin's babes-sorry for the blurring.I was thinking about the lack of flesh on these young ladies.

                     

Watch your back Bob.

"We're not open yet"

Bob arrived a wee bit late due to the vagaries of the local transport but quickly got stuck in to the task of accumulating some booty by searching the local island but alas came up with nothing more than smelly underwear.Not to be put off he next took over a larger ship which was anchored in the bay and was going to use it to head for Skull Island but he didn't allow for Campbel's redcoats who after finding himself being a bit bored cooped up on Mysterious Island( named as such because it had a Wizard's tower on it) headed for pastures new,first skirmishing with Bill and then deciding to go for a boarding action against Bob.

Wizard's tower on the Mysterious Island.

                   

Dave M's gang going a hunting

Dave Mitchell in his usual indomitable style first looted the south end of Skull Island,sparred with Mr Ray's Frenchies and then headed for the sunnier climes of Trelawny's Island hoping to pick up some rich pickings all the time watching over his shoulder at Mr Ray's Frenchman who like Campbel's redcoats had decided to go foraging elsewhere.

Skull Island and its inhabitants.

                         Dave Paterson was being a bit to quiet sitting in the corner slowly making his fortune from the capturing and selling of slaves and livestock and building up his resources for the inevitable battle that was going to come between Bart and himself but that was still more slavetrading and lunch time to come..Speaking of which lunch time had arrived so we all headed down to the bar for some excellent grog and fare which was definitely not hard tack with some nice homecooked food and home brewed beer which went down very well with this band of evil(well semi)_cutthroats.

Can't get enough boats

                            The delicious lunch was finished and the pillaging recommenced and along the way we had picked up that scurvy knave Ian Carter and suitably kitted out with a gang and a boat joined our happy throng hoping to recapture the title he won back in May.

Ian pondering whilst Bart tells Mike "This is how I'm going to kick you in the Nuts"in Polish of course.

                           When the afternoon's sparring commenced we gave everybody one more round of looking for treasure before that action was curtailed leaving the remainder of the afternoon for fighting each other and if more money was wanted it would have to be taken from other gangs.I could see Bart drooling at the mouth and Mike looking for a hole to hide in .He found it in the form of Skull island which true to its namesake contained a gorilla.In fact it contained several gorillas and I'm sure they were more easily to deal with than Bart's ravenous horde who seemed to be being replaced as quick as they were being potted thanks to our rule of buying more pirates which Bart used to the full.Once again he was getting himself ready for his eventual fight with Dave.

Colin's girls are up for a run ashore

And their easy pickings.

Meanwhile at the other side of the table Colin's forces had landed bodices and all onto Squire Trelawny's island and proceeded to pick of the locals one by one before heading inland for his final confrontation with Bill

Campbell wondering if he could slip any reinforcements in without anybody noticing.

Local reggatta

                               Right up his tale were Dave Mitchell's pirates hoping to pick off some of Colin's winnings and behind him were Mr Ray's Frenchies intending in their best Gallic ways to plunder the village leaving this island to be ravaged four times over.
                                  Campbell was involved in a boarding action against Bob's ship having an advantage since Bob's gang were to busy looting the ship.Even although they had been caught redhanded looting they still stood their ground and managed to see off the amorous intentions of Campbell's gang.After that they both headed towards the Cornish island.

No Bill you can't have an eight

                                   Meanwhile Mike had taken charge of a new gang as they had been whittled down thanks to Bart's intensive attacks.He then arrived ontoSkull island and decided that shooting at the gorilla tribe would be the best thing to do ok.Result one p****d off set of gorillas and he thought that Bart was bad.Ian Carter had after finding out that there wasn't much treasure on his island decided that his plan was to board and take H.M.S Bounty which had been moored beside Bart's gang but for some unknown reason Bart just ignored it.I think due to the time it was a ship to far meaning there was going to be a new winner.
                             I was finding out that even although their was not a bad man amongst us give them a gang of pirates and the world is their lobster.Dave Paterson was making a fortune from slave trading,Colin was thinking nothing of shooting civilians,Bill was happy holding the bar up,Mike thought nothing of shooting at defenceless animals,Mr Ray was ravaging sunny Cornwall with his Frenchies(and he's not overly fond of them in the first place),Dave M was being sneaky,Bob was enjoying resisting Campbell's advances,Ian was barely surviving and Bart was just being Bart.

Is that a cow in the main street?whilst Dave counts up his immoral earnings.

                    As the afternoon was drawing to a close the setting was made up for the last sparring matches of the afternoon with Colin.Bill,Campbell, Mr Ray,Dave M and Bob taking pot shots at each other.

"Must be opening time by now?"

                            The main sparring match was between that renowned slaver Dave Paterson and our favourite Pole,Bart.Their two ships came together and the two of them continued to lock horns and knock five spots out of each other until the only thing that came between them was the final curtain of this presentation of the Pirates of Prestonpans.

The final confrontation

                         

View from the flip side.

   After a barnstorming ending to the game we had just time to count up all our winnings and it proved that their is a profit to be had in slavery as the winner of our game was Dave Paterson who had accumulated an awful lot of money or had been in cahoots with Donald.Donald did seem to be handing out an awful lot of money which is unusual for an accountant.

Two old relics and a boat in between.

                    A great time was held by one and all apart from maybe Mike as I'm sure he will need counselling after coming up against Bart for the first time.Ach it'll make him a better man.
Thanks to everybody that turned up for a brilliant day and to all who weren't there-tuff!  Also to Ginty and her crew at the Gothenburg pub for providing us with bacon rolls and coffee on arrival and following up with an excellent lunch.I can thoroughly recommend the staek pie washed down with their own 80/- ale.
                       Most of the scenery was provided from Hugh's collection even though it had moved on to pastures new.Everybody else who were there provided scenery and figures so thanks to all of them.
                            We hope to have another game in a few months where hopefully we can put on a game as successful as the last two with maybe a venture into gangster territory or even Back of Beyond.Both two of Hugh's favourites.Watch this space.
                               See you when I see you.