Saturday Workbench

There’s been a lot of posts about Diplomacy (the game) and other boardgames on here of late, to the neglect of toy soldiers, so here’s an attempt to remedy that by showing what I’m currently working on.

28mm Foundry Union artillery, almost done!  After this I have a box of Perry plastic ACW artillery to work up.

 

Tamiya 1/48 scale Citroen car for my Weird War Two project.   I decided to assemble the Luftwaffe types that came in the box, they may prove useful, even if they’re a little larger than 28mm figures.

 

 

Eowyn, Gamling and Theoden, metal sculpts from the GW’s Defenders of Rohan set.  I had given them a very rough paint job years back when I played LOTR a lot with my son and never finished them, so now it’s time.

 

 

28mm Foundry Russian Cuirassiers for my SYW collection.   They’ll need a flag, and six more troopers would be nice, but it’s a downpayment on a badly needed unit of heavy cavalry for the Tsar.

 

Blessings to your brushes!

MP+

Diplomacy Game: Spring 1904 Retreat Phase Complete

The Russian army displaced from Romania has elected to retreat to Sevastapol.

As the Fall 1904 turn now begins, Turkey faces some interesting choices.   Will that Army in Constantinople be thrown across the Black Sea to reclaim Sev and consolidate its hold on Russia in the face of Perfidious Albion, or will it be launched across the Eastern Med for a winter vacation in sunny Naples (and how the Italian government must be regretting its decision not to invest in more sea power!).   If Russia wants to stay in the fight, it has a shot at retaking Moscow (unless England’s Army in St P intervenes again on Turkey’s behalf) although Germany (whose inexplicable survival  is testimony to the Kaiser’s luck and powers of gab) could make a play for Warsaw.  However, England and France could gobble up all three of the Supply Centres in Germany this turn in a sort of Gotterdamerung.

Well, those are my simple observations.  I am sure General Blatt will have more to say and better analysis.

Fall 1904 promises to be an entertaining and decisive turn!  Watch this space Sunday night or Monday morning for the results.

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Diplomacy Game Spring 1904 Turn Results

Here are the results for the Spring 1904 turn.  There is one retreat.  Russian player can retreat A Rum to either Ukr or Sev - please inform me no later than end of day  this Friday please Russia, earlier if possible.

Highlights:  France continues to fence-sit.  England throws a third army onto the continent.   Anglo-Turkish cooperation leads to the fall of Moscow. Italy again pockets Vienna but Turkish naval moves may have Rome worried.  Germany continues to lead a charmed if quixotic existence.  Hopefully everyone’s having as much fun as I am!

MP+

 

 

 

Results for Spring, 1904 (Movement)

General Notices:
Order resolution completed on 05-Nov-2014 at 10:35:48 EST


Order Results:

England:

A den - lie   Bounced with hel (1 against 1). 

A edi - nwy Convoy path taken: ed nth nwy. 

 F hel - kie Bounced with den (1 against 1). 

 F lon Holds;   F nth Convoys A edi -nwy

A stp Supports A sev -mos;  F swe - bal

France:

A bel Supports F hol;  A bur Holds;  F lyo -wes

F hol Holds;  A par Supports A bur;  A pic Holds  A spa Holds

Germany:

A ber -pru;   A boh - gal

A sil -war Bounced with war (1 against 1). 

Italy

A bud Holds;  A pie Holds;  A tri Supports A bud;  A tyr -vieI

F tys -tun;  A ven Supports A pie

 

Dislodged Units:


Russia: Army Rumania.  Valid Retreat Options:  ukr, sev

 

Supply Center Ownership:

England: Denmark, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, Norway, St. Petersburg, Sweden (7 total).

France: Belgium, Brest, Holland, Marseilles, Paris, Portugal, Spain (7 total).

Germany: Berlin, Kiel, Munich (3 total)

Italy: Budapest, Naples, Rome, Trieste, Tunis, Venice (6 total).

Russia: Moscow, Rumania, Warsaw (3 total).

Turkey: Ankara, Bulgaria, Constantinople, Greece, Serbia, Sevastopol, Smyrna (7 total).

 

Russia:

A lvn -mos Bounced with sev (2 against 1).

A rum - bul Bounced with bul (1 against 1). Dislodged from bul (3 against 1). 

A war Holds



Turkey:

F bla Supports F bul/ec -rum;  F bul/ec -rum

A con Holds;   F gre - ion;  A ser Supports F bul/ec -rum

A sev -mos;    F smy - aeg

 

News From The Diplomacy Game: Daily Dissembler, Fall 1903 Edition

The Daily Dissembler, Special European Gazette Issue, January 15, 1904

We make sense of a complicated, far-off world so you, dear reader, can enjoy the Gilded Age.

A Note to Our Readers

The editorial board of the Daily Dissembler regrets that this edition of our quality journal is published later than we would like.   Unfortunately our attentions were diverted by a sudden need to audit the books of our office in Rome.

THE CURRENT SITUATION IN A TROUBLED EUROPE

 
 The status of forces in Europe at the end of 1903.

FROM LION OF TRIESTE TO DONKEY OF VIENNA!

The salons of Rome are agog with the latest developments in ‘De Graspi’s Great Push Northward’!

Rioters in the streets of Vienna in the days before the Communards seized power after the Italian army inexplicably withdrew.

Following the capture of Vienna, it was expected that the former capital of Austro-Hungary would be held as a great prize, but instead de Graspi pushed on to Budapest, leaving only a token garrison.  No surprise then that insurgents have been able to wrest control of the city and pronounced it a Republic under the Red Flag.  These Communards are reported to have declared Dr Freud the former mayor ‘an Enemy of the People’ and executed him.

Along with calls for de Graspi’s replacement following this humiliation, wild rumours are circulating about his reasons for leaving Vienna so prematurely.  Some talk darkly about a lust for conquest and glory, but evidence has come to me of a stranger truth.

A highly-place papal official has confirmed that he was recently contacted by de Graspi regarding certain artefacts held in repositories of the former Holy Roman Empire.  Apparently, among the Czarist spies rounded up in Vienna was a peasant monk, well-known as a mystic in his native Siberia.  Rather than being packed back to St Petersberg in chains, he has become an intimate advisor to de Graspi.   The Monsignor tells me that de Graspi’s letter contained ramblings about the ‘Lance of Longinus’ and the advent of  ‘a New Charlemange who will establish a Truly Holy Roman Empire’.  

De Graspi - Off His Rocker??

The Old Warhorse is finally in his dotage and amazingly, it seems that this madness may also have been behind the Kaiser’s ‘Tuetonic Dash’.  How many find Italian boys will die because of this?  Peace must come now!

COMMUNIQUE FROM THE BRITISH FOREIGN AND COLONIAL OFFICE

The King wishes to announces his deep regrets at the Bolshevik uprisings that are occurring across the great Russian Empire.  The King had thought to warn the Czar, his dear nephew-in-law, of the dangers of his autocratic ways and had felt that the continued abuse of the peasants and serfs would lead to trouble in the long run.  Excessive politeness precluded this advice, but when things became all too obvious, the path to the Czar was blocked by a most unpleasant individual called Rasputin.

The King called upon his nephew the Kaiser to see if he could get through.  The King understands that the Kaiser dispatched Messrs Lenin and Stalin, disciples of the leading social reform thinker, Mr Marx, late of London.  Their efforts seem only to have made things worse.

 As a result it has been necessary for forces of the King to occupy St Petersburg to protect the city from the ravages of the mob and save his niece, Empress Alexandra.  The King was also happy to help protect Sweden, the home of his niece Crown Princess Margaret.

All this protecting has stretched the home resources and the King has called on his loyal subjects in his considerable colonies for further assistance in keeping the peace and the Bolshevik scourge at bay.

ITALY CLAIMS “TOMORROW THE WORLD!"

Legionaries of the New Roman Empire?

A highly placed source within the Italian Government has claimed that the country’s military is set to recreate the Roman Empire.  Our source indicated that the Civil Government has effectively lost control of the Army and Navy to extremist elements.  “The Generals have become very unpredictable” he told us, “no nation is safe – not even our oldest allies!”

One of the consequences of this great armed expansion is a tight squeeze on the Italian economy.  Posters advertising War Bonds are everywhere one looks.  One wonders how much longer this can go on.

By our Special Correspendent ‘Vlad the Impaled’.

ALL IS WELL SAYS TSAR

The Russian Royal Family in Happier Times

News just in from Moscow:  In a statement issued yesterday, Czar Nicolas II made it clear that he is still in full control of the country.  “All this nonsense about revolutions is just enemy propaganda” he claimed, adding that “I can’t think of a country where a revolution is less likely!”

We canvassed opinion in the streets of several European cities.

“The Tsar is not treacherous but he is weak. Weakness is not treachery, but it fulfils all its functions.” – W Hohenzollern, Berlin

“There is no justice among men.” – Mr N Romanov, Moscow

DATELINE ST. PETERSBURG:   MISS AMELIA ROOSEVELT’S VIEW FROM RUSSIA

 Story filed by the Daily Dissember’s own Miss Amelia Roosevelt, Intrepid Girl Reporter and niece of the Vice President.

It has been two months since General Monash’s Colonial Expeditionary Force traced its long and arduous route from Norway across the frozen steppes and into Russia and I have only lately started to feel warm again.   I have travelled on Arctic expeditions with the likes of Perry and Amundsen, and have never been as cold as I was on that long trek.  The sepoys and soldiers from Down Under suffered terribly on the march, but their spirits were indomitable  We were fortunate that the Imperial troops included Canadians from the wilds of the Rockies and trappers from Quebec, who together with our Finnish and Lapplander guides were able to handle the sleds and dog teams that led the way into the Tsar’s capital.   

General Monash’s headquarters have been established in the Winter Palace, which were empty and undefended.   The Imperial Court was gone, though an aged Duchess told us that they were believed to have taken train for the Urals.   It is a pity that the Tsar was gone, for in my meeting with him last year, he expressed an interest in meeting Red Indians.   My bodyguards, courtesy of General Monash, included an Albertan Blackfoot and an American Mohawk, both accomplished marksmen and trackers.   

Of late two dashing cavalry officers of my acquaintance, an Australian major and a Canadian captain, left the capital with an escort of mounted rifles headed south “to talk to some gentlemen”.   When I inquired as to their mission, they winked and merely said “Chaps with turbans.”  I remain mystified by these comments but expect that events will soon reveal their purpose.
I expect shortly to take train for Berlin, in the hopes of getting an interview with another elusive and cryptic leader of Europe, Kaiser Wilhelm. 

Insightful commentary on the European situation by General Sir Erasmus Blatt (ret), geo-political and military correspondent for the Rioters News Agency, on contract to the Daily Dissembler..

taly at the Crossroads.

A commentary by General Sir Erasmus Blatt, geo-political and military correspondent for the Rioters News Agency. 

Where to now for Italy? Europe has undergone a major transformation in the last twelvemonth, and Italy has been a major beneficiary of the collapse of the Two Teutonic Reichs. But Italy's besetting strategic problem appears the more starkly. Between even more burgeoning States of France and Turkey, Italy looks set to become... not so much the meat in the sandwich, as the sandwich between the teeth.

Without taking into account the friendships, treaties, alliances, promises and other contractual obligations Italy might feel towards its neighbours, I might make these suggestions to King Victor-Immanuel. First, cement as concrete (if not cast iron) a deal with France as you can to keep the Republic off your back. Guarantee Marseille, promise support in her ambitions in Northern Europe - anything. Then, at once to seize Vienna, and conquer Serbia as well. Do not wait until the fall season: do it now, in the New Years' spring, and then hang on through to the autumn and the end of the year. 

If Germany remains passive (or if she is led to believe French forces might after all invade the Rhinelands and Bavaria (Munich)), an Italian army might simply march into the erstwhile Imperial capital. Meanwhile, the Turkish army in Serbia is completely isolated from all possible support. So the combined operation between the armies in Hungary (Budapest) and Croatia (Trieste) ought to be able without undue difficulty to wrest from the Porte that most valuable Balkan province.

But even such a coup might not be sufficient to place Italy in the position to resist the likely Turkish wrath to come. The Porte's Mediterranean naval presence is enough to give pause to give any potential enemy. So a round of summit talks with Germany and Russia are certainly indicated, but, probably of even greater import, an earnest conversation with England is just about mandatory with the view to a long-term military alliance. It will have to be that strong - a 'non-aggression' deal will simply be meaningless to Italy, and impose no obligation upon England to do anything to Italy's advantage.

As already noted, these observations are contextless except insofar as they might be inferred from the present geopolitical map. Suppose the Vizier and the Prime Minister have already agreed a Treaty of Alliance? Neither will have any present reason to dishonour it. So Italy might find a working alliance with Britain simply unreachable. So much is uncertain.

Equally uncertain is the attitude of France. Nevertheless, it seems to this writer that the time has come for Italy to choose its course, choose it now, and pursue it with all vigour. There will be no going back. Like many observers, punits and commentators, I shall be watching with interest the future fortunes of the Italian Kingdom.

This day: 1 January, 1904.

Diplomacy Game: Fall 1903 Build Phase Complete

Here are the results for the Fall 1903 Adjustment Phase.    We now move to the Spring 1904 turn.  Since the Adjustment Phase took a lot of time and most players have been active with Diplomacy, the deadline for S1904 orders will be Tuesday, Nov 4th at midnight EST.   

MP+

Results for Fall, 1903 (Adjustment)

General Notices:

Order resolution completed on 01-Nov-2014 at 07:58:42 EDT


Order Results:

England: Builds A edi   England: Builds F lon

France: Builds A par

Italy: Builds A ven

Russia: Removes F bal  Russia: Removes A gal

Turkey: Builds A con  Turkey: Builds F smy

 

 

Making Trees Out of Twigs, or, Scenes From a Wargamer's Marriage

I never have enough trees for my gaming table.   Either they all look the same (cheap railroad trees from a bag) or just forlorn and mangy (Woodlands Scenics armatures missing foliage clumps), and they never look like a forest, maybe a copse or a spinney (the English language has a surfeit of words for “small group of trees”).

Last winter, on a frigidly cold night, Madame Padre and I were leaving the local library, and she stopped, as she often does, to examine the garden beds.  The fact that she will do this, even in the dead of winter, is one of her more endearing traits, in my opinion.   “Can you use these for trees?”  she asked me, showing me a twig she had snapped off a bush.   It was hard to see in the dark, but it looked rather spindly.   “I could try,” I said, so we snapped off a bunch more and headed home, where the twigs then sat at the back of my painting desk for much of the following year.   

“What do you think of this face?” I asked her the other night, holding up my latest masterpiece.  She glanced at it for all of a second.  “Too dark".  Madame Padre will be the first to admit that she’s not much interested in my “little men” and I knew that was all the feedback I’d get from her.  Then her glance wandered to the back of my painting table.   “You’ve never done anything with those twigs I found you” she said, her tone somehow both hurt and accusing, as if to say, “You never listen to my ideas".   “No”, I said, lamely, “but they’re working their way to the top of my to-do list”, which was sort of true and I had been looking at them the week before.  

 

Legolas is (pardon the expression) dwarfed by the spindly trees of Mirkwood.

So, the following week, I went to a craft store, found a spray can of dark green paint, and blasted the four most useful-looking of the twigs.   Once dry, I took some dark brown craft paint and brushed it onto the “trunks” and those of the “branches” that I could easily make.   Then I put some children’s plasticine on washers, and stuck the ends of my “trees” in.    They are too tall for anything but 28mm or larger figures, and even then they would be big trees, 40-60 feet tall or so in proportion to the figures.   I suppose they could pass as poplars … I think there are some kinds of poplars that don’t have white bark.  I don’t know.  I’m not really that good with tree spotting.

I’m not even sure what plant these twigs are from, exactly.  Madame Padre thought they were from Sorbaria, sometimes called False Spirea.   If you look up close, the green clusters are more like dried up seed pods than leaves, but from a distance they look ok.

I still need to flock the bases, but last night I couldn’t resist leaving them out on the gaming table, which lives at the back of our TV room, and was pleased when she noticed them.  “My trees!” Madame Padre cried out happily, then looked at me and her eyes narrowed.  “Did you paint those just because I complained that you were ignoring them last week?  You do have free will, you know.  I’m not an ogre”.  I didn’t take that remark seriously, it’s a standard move in her repertoire of verbal chess moves that keep me on my toes.  “Of course not, darling, but it was a good suggestion, and I’m glad I took it.  They do look splendid, don’t they.”  She glanced at them again, her face going neutral.  “I’ve seen you do worse”, she said as she wandered off.   

Such is love.  And now I have four more trees …. and they are nice trees, I think.  Even if I’m not sure what sort of trees they are.

MP+

Diplomacy Game: Fall 1903 Turn Results

After several weeks off for several participants to take some holidays, we’ve moved the game forward.  I look forward to the General’s analysis of the game, but the brief result is that it was a bad turn for Russia, good for everyone else.

Current score:  England, Turkeyand France are tied at 7 SCs each, Italy has 6, and Russia and Germany both have 3.   One player (Austria) eliminated. I was a little surprised to see that Vienna still shows as Austrian, but then remembered that Italy captured it in the Spring 1903 turn but did not keep its army there for the Fall turn to secure possession.   I am sure Italy can remedy that in the 1904 turn.

We are now in the Adjustments Phase, and it will be interesting to see where the new units will go.   Scroll down to the bottom to see the Adjustment results.

MP+

 

Results for Fall, 1903 (Movement)


General Notices:
All dislodged units destroyed; advancing to next phase.Order
resolution completed on 28-Oct-2014 at 06:04:32 EDT


Order Results:

England:

A den Supports F ska -swe

F hel -kie Bounced with ber (1 against 1). 

F nth Holds

A nwy -stp

 F ska - swe



France:

 A bel Supports F hol

A bur Holds

 F lyo Holds

 F hol Supports A bel

A pic Holds

A spa Holds



Germany:

Germany: A ber - kie  Bounced with hel (1 against 1). 

Germany: A boh - mun Bounced with tyr (1 against 1). 

Germany: A sil - ber Failed because Germany: A ber - kie failed. 

Italy:

No order for unit at Piedmont. Hold order assigned. A pie Holds

 A tri Supports A vie - bud

A tyr -mun Bounced with boh (1 against 1). 

F tys Holds

Italy: A vie -bud



Russia:

The Army in Budapest cannot retreat; unit destroyed.

The Fleet in Sevastopol cannot retreat; unit destroyed.


No order for unit at Baltic Sea. Hold order assigned. F bal Holds

A bud Supports A ukr -rum Support cut by Move from Vienna. Dislodged from vie (2 against 1). 

A gal Supports A ukr - rum

A mos - lvn

F sev -bla Bounced with bla (1 against 1). Dislodged from arm (2 against 1). 

Russia: A ukr -rum

Russia: A war Holds



Turkey:

The Army in Rumania cannot retreat; unit destroyed.

A arm - sev

F bla Supports A arm - sev

F con - bul/ec

F gre Holds

A rum Supports A arm -sev  Support cut by Move from Ukraine. Dislodged from ukr  (2 against 1). 

A ser - bud Bounced with bud (1 against 1). 

Supply Center Ownership:

England: Denmark, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, Norway, St. Petersburg, Sweden (7 total).

France: Belgium, Brest, Holland, Marseilles, Paris, Portugal, Spain (7 total).

Germany: Berlin, Kiel, Munich (3 total).

Italy: Budapest, Naples, Rome, Trieste, Tunis, Venice (6 total).

Russia: Moscow, Rumania, Warsaw (3 total).

Turkey: Ankara, Bulgaria, Constantinople, Greece, Serbia, Sevastopol, Smyrna (7 total).


Adjustments

 

England: 7 supply centers, 5 units. 2 units may be built.

France: 7 supply centers, 6 units. 1 unit may be built.

Germany: 3 supply centers, 3 units. No units to build or remove.

Italy: 6 supply centers, 5 units. 1 unit may be built.

Russia: 3 supply centers, 5 units. 2 units must be removed.

Turkey: 7 supply centers, 5 units. 2 units may be built.