May 2022 review
Where April was a themed month of Stargrave (and we're not finished there, as I still have some posts in preparation), the month of may was focused on Bolt Action.
I covered three reviews, two of them D-Day campaign supplements British & Canadian Sectors and US American Sectors, as well as another plastic kit with the long awaited Inter-Allied Commandos review and some support my 8th Army and Afrikakorps.
Dino’s May 2022
Last month I asked you how the ease of the Covid measures had affected your hobby life and I received some interesting feedback. Overall, I could see from your feedback that the different views on the measures have partly led to a small split in the hobby community, between the more cautious and the less cautious hobbyists. In general, however, the changes have led to more contacts among those who already checked their health status before each visit anyway, and the number of tabletop games in private has increased again.
In my opinion, it is encouraging that we as hobbyists still show enough common sense, where we also pay attention to our fellow man and not only to ourselves. It shows that integrity and consideration are still present and lived in our hobby. Altogether the contacts have strengthened again somewhat - above all however online. During the period of increased precautions, the online community in particular proved to be a strong anchor for us hobbyists, so that most social contacts could be maintained.
In this regard, I also have to say a few words of thanks to the people who are always encouraging me to push my projects further in the Tabletopwelt forum in my thread and my known group of Tabletop Daddies. So I managed to paint the last hoplite for the Corinthians group that was left for Mortal Gods.
Heavy Field Car – Steyr 1500A for the DAK
With the first supply drop this year back in february of the Rubicon novelties, I did not only get my hands on some reinforcement for the British with the Morris C8 and a QF-25, but a nice heavy field car (at least that's the matching entry on EasyArmy) for my Afrikakorps as well with a Steyr 1500A/01.
Morris towing a field gun for the 8th Army
Covering the motor pool for my 8th army last november, and for certain guns you need a proper tow in Bolt Action. For that reason I got myself a Morris and the fitting QF gun by Rubicon Models via Tabletopper from the netherlands.
The Morris C8 "Quad" can be build as either the MK II or Mk III field artillery tractor. It's a compact kit, two sprues, two hulls and a few options for the different marks.
Bolt Action – British & Inter-Allied Commandos
With the two D-Day sector books that cover a lot of special operations, the need for British and Inter-Allied Commandos is certainly there. And Warlord Games delivered for this demand.
The first Commandos kit that was released around 2011, was based on the regular British infantry, with a recut of a part of the sprue. We did a review back then and you can not only see how far Warlord Games has progressed over the last decade, but our reviews as well (that was pre-bilingual coverage, so you'll only find the German one online).
Bolt Action Campaign D-Day US Sectors
In early 2021 Warlord Games picked up D-Day again and supplementing D-Day British and Canadian sectors campaign book with the US Sectors.
With 160 pages and a RRP of 20 GBP (roughly 25 EUR) Campaign D-Day: US Sectors marks the third and final instalment of Warlord Games D-Day trilogy. While the British and Commonwealth forces landed in Gold, Sword and Juno pushed towards Caen, the US Americans did so on the beaches Omaha and Utah and moved towards west and south from there, beginning with Carentan and further liberating the coast line and attacking armed forces along the Atlantikwall. The US-Sector book covers the actions of the US forces in the summer after D-Day, until August / September 1944.
Bolt Action Campaign D-Day British & Canadian Sectors
Warlord started the deep dive on D-Day with the campaign supplement of the same name - D-Day Overlord. But that is not all, the sectors receive more love, starting with the British & Canadian Sectors in this supplement and the US sectors in the next one, already released by the time this review went online.
Both, the British & Canadian and US D-Day sector books close the gap between the landing and the further actions around the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Market Garden. Because even after the successful landing in Normandy, the further operations were intense tasks, to bring in more troops, defeat counter attacks and fortify the bridgehead in Northern France.
Dino’s April 2022
There is always something refreshing about this month, as it is a common tradition in western regions to pull a prank at the beginning of the month. Accordingly, I also tempted Bunker Boss Dennis to post an April Fool's joke on the Chaosbunker.
In our persiflage, we've taken the mickey out of a few topics that have recently found their way into the hobby in a lesser good way, but that's a topic for a whole series of articles. For now, let's just say that sometimes it helps to laugh a little!
April 2022 review
A mixed month with a lot of 3D Printing of course, I tested out some files for projects where I am going to print the miniatures myself. But it is important for me to not drown in the new possibilities and get some structure in there. I didn't reduce my stock to fill it with printed stuff again, just because I can. So, this needs a plan.
These projects cover a protagonist and antagonist each, basically two forces for each system, so I'm more flexible to host games and such. What are these - well, according to my Tabletop Parking Lot theory, I still have open lots outside of the 28mm department. With my fascination for Adeptus Titanicus, and already having quite the stock here, Epic makes for a reasonable expansion, and covers 6-8mm along with a company level wargame (in distinction to the platoon level that 28mm Warhammer 40k - at least in 2nd edition is).
Spanish Crusaders vs Moors
In February a new Baron's War supplement or rather stand-alone was announced, named Outremer covering the Crusades. And with the range being sculpted by the talented Paul Hicks, I did take interest in that and went on with my decision covering some parts of my collection.
A while ago, I set up a Crusader force based around the Perry Miniatures former Norman range (now sold as crusaders), to build up an army around the Spanish and their fight to reconquer the Iberian peninsular. While I was thinking of which projects I would cease, these were of an unsure status. I didn't have the enemy force for them, and with them being initially thought to be used for Saga, I would like to open up the stock for Rampant and other mid-sized battle systems as well. In the end, as I want and need to reduce my stock, the Ancient warbands of Romans, Iberians and Germans would have to go.
The initial build was aimed at around 6 points of Saga, with a bit of side board. They are mostly build, and even partially base coloured. I added a bit more cavalry to cover a few templars of a Knight Order and build some characters.































