Some pictures from Saturday's Battletech Game!

The Stone Rhino before he got the PPC to the head!



Some of the Wobbies before the fighting commenced



Some of the Elementals who frustrated the designs of the WoB this day!



The Jade Falcon Executioner A who took a heavy toll of Blakists.

All 'Mechs were painted by Falcon Guard/Blackstone, with certain exceptions (the Stone Rhino and the Executioner, which are Dave Fanjoy pieces).

A little late, but here goes. DC Gamer Meeting this weekend.

The DC Gaming Group is proud to announce it's second meeting! March 20th at 1:00 PM at the Pallisades Neighborhood Library in Northwest DC. This is the last meeting at this location, Future meetings will be held at Victory Comics.

We'll be playing some Force On Force 20mm WWII, the scenario's set in the sunny seaside town of Anzio. The natives are showing their typical Teutonic hospitality. So come on by, it will be the Large PAL meeting room.

We'd be especially grateful if you happen to have a groundsheet. Mine is not going to make it in time from Hotz Mat.

Yesterday's Classic Battletech Game.and a review of Victory Comics

Well, I did promise to mention this...and frankly dear reader, I should have written this sooner. The game was held at a relatively new establishment called Victory Comics. Do not let the name fool you, it's planning to do more, a lot more.

The location is about 1 1/2 to 2 miles from the East Falls Church Metro. The location's nice, parking isn't too bad, and the location itself is airy, well lit (extremely so much to our very happy surprise). The owner is a nice, no drama guy who trusts his staff and the staff is knowledgeable and one even sat down and gamed with us for a short time.

I am planning on holding a DC Gamer's meeting there either the 17th or the 24th of April and I'm thinking this will probably be a switch from the library. It's very close to the bus lines from the metro, and the store closes at 9, so getting out of there isn't going to cause very much in the way of drama. Snacks and soda are sold for VERY reasonable rates on site and there are a few very good places to eat, Elevation Burger being one I highly recommend.

Selection of hobby materials is limited, for now, but the store owner and staff both told me that they do plan to get more stock in, depending on what people play. In short, I rather like this place, and I do plan to return as often as I can manage to get out there. The place has something FOR everybody.

Anyway, here's the address and POC information:

Victory Comics
586 S. Washington Street
Falls Church, VA
(703)241-9393
Ask for Jeff, he's the Big Kahuna there and a really nice guy.

Here are some pics of the gaming area to give you an idea of just how nice this place is.





As for the Battletech game, well it was a surrounded Jade Falcon unit being set upon by some Wobbies. Things went bad for the Falcons the first couple of turns. We had our Ryoken hit by a 'Mech taser...not fun, and our Stone Rhino taking a Heavy PPC to the head, hell of a way to get one's portrait taken, eh! And we had a Night Gyr down with an Engine and a Gyro hit. Well, things turned around, first, Blackstone nailed one of the offending bad guys with a series of AC/20 rounds from a Hunchback IIC...Hunchbacks in the city...never fun to deal with. And Blackstone proved why..He had two AC/20 carriers (the Hunchback and a Executioner), a Star of Elementals, and 4 Tyr Hovers. The Manei Dominei we found out, for all of their C3 advantage, which is not a good thing to begin with, don't do well in cities. And Blackstone is an artist with light units.

As for me, after losing the Stone Rhino, and facing down 2 100 tonners (An Archangel piloted by Beirith himself) and a Titan II, and a Raptor II. I collapsed the position as best as I could. I was under pressure on the other flank where I was using the left hand lower corner of the woodland map with the wooded hills as best as I could, but even with the cover I had, the shots were telling. But, the Clanners rallied and killed a Wraith the old fashioned way by coring a torso. We also crippled the Raptor II by the time we called the game. All agreed, as much as the Wobbies had lost two lighter 'Mechs to our one (An assault), neither side could claim a win. Yeah, we were shot up, I had engine hits GALORE, but the Wobbies were sporting a lot of 'Mechs with head hits and had taken a lot of missile fire from Elementals.

I learned a few things yesterday:

1. ECM is vital when going Wobbie hunting, don't leave home without it.

2. Faster Wobbies need to die first, they're going to spot for the C3 network and then you get the missile/PPC/VPL/god knows what at close range.

3. Wobbies have a tough time in close terrain, they're faster, but they don't pack JJs as much in the heavier designs, I know, they're Omnis..but take a look in the 3075 TRO sometime. They're very tight designs for the tonnage because all the bennies that make them hard to kill are very, very bulky. More often than not, you'll have the firepower advantage. Lesson to Wobbie players? Don't go ANYWHERE alone, just like the horror movies.

4. Wobbies die like everyone else in cities, and Elementals, like cats, may have most people believing they work well alone, but they work better in pairs..and SRM-20 on Wobbie 'Mechs that don't for some reason, usually pack AMS? Yeah, Clan players STILL have options.

These were hard won lessons, and I expect to learn more as I play them..but the number one thing, they're tougher to kill than any 'Mech you'll ever face. Big guns are a must shooting Wobbies..even the light ones..Pulses are also good party favors.

Our First DC Gamer meeting

Attendance was good, with three out of our six members being in attendance, myself, Jage, and an old friend of mine, Chris Hyland. I decided to run Fistful of TOWs because I had a lot less painted 6mm than I thought I'd had (With the exception of Battletech 'Mechs). So, onward and upward!

The game was a British Armor Battalion with elements of another one, plus some scratch Brit and German forces against a Soviet Regiment of T-64 and BTR-70, I had a shot up Polish Regiment backing them up (T-72 and BMP-1). Well, I led off with the T-64s on the right, and the Brits opened up at long range. Forced a platoon to run. I returned fire with AT-8 (Only thing that would scratch the paint on a Challenger), didn't even manage that...then the slaughter really began. In the next turn, the T-64 Battalion evaporated under 120mm fire. So, I brought in the Polish T-72s....they didn't even last that long. So, I tried to get the Infantry forward under cover of the hills...no dice, the Brits hung back, and shelled the Soviet infantry into submission. That battalion broke, then the regiment failed it's quality check, at that point, the Polish battalion wasn't going to go forward alone, so it was game over. Only Brit casualties was some Challengers forced off with 120mm Mortar fire. My one airstrike bombed the wrong target.

There was some thought about modifying the scenario, reducing the brits, which I think would have worked, or starting them further back, also a good suggestion, both from Jage, incidentally. I think I probably also should have had more Soviets. Probably two full regiments, or perhaps three. FFT eats battalions, especially Soviet ones like popcorn. Then again, that's not totally unrealistic.

Sadly, I forgot a camera. Do'h! Next time, I will remember!

Mark the Date! Feb 27th!

Hi all,
The DC Gaming Group is proud to announce it's first meeting! Feb 27th at 1:30 PM at the Pallisades Neighborhood Library in Northwest DC. This may not be a permanent solution due to time constraints and such, and I am looking into other options, stay tuned on that.

We'll be playing some Dirtside II 6mm stuff to kinda get to know each other and get our feet wet. So come on by, it will be the Small PAL meeting room.

New DC area Miniatures Group forming

Hi all,
I and a few like minded folks are forming a group to handle the gaming needs of folks who aren't up to making the drive out to either Fort Belvoir for Eagle and Empire or Game Parlor Chantilly for NOVAG nights. We're talking about the Palisades Neighborhood Library in NW as a place to meet. It's looking good for our purposes. And what do we need now? Members! So, if you live in Falls Church, Kensington, Northwest, Silver Spring, Wheaton and other places close in to DC that I haven't mentioned, come on in. We'll have a date decided soon! So, join the group here:

DC Gaming Group Page

Sorry about the hiatus.

Work and home have been slightly busy, but I have some in progress projects as well as an FoF WWII AAR I want to put up. Am bringing someone new into the fold and hoping all is well. It's been a lot of fun lately. In any event, look for more here soon.

Hording, part 2

Ok, now I am going insane...

We had the exterminators over last week...and they seemed to have helped somewhat. But, we need another treatment...I got to painting some more vehicles, and blamo...the wife threw a fit because she just finds out about this today...and it becomes a general "harangue PF about his choice in hobbies" discussion...Am I wrong to be feeling a mite put out? Yes, I have a lot of stuff, I have a long standing "FOR TRADE" post on TMP here, but after a certain amount of activity, it has been tough to move stuff.

But honestly? Why in the hell do I work my tail off to be told that my enjoyment is "taking over the apartment" when I spend most of our social time doing things SHE wants to do. Have I complained? No. Even when some of this has at times, made me a bit uncomfortable. Again, I am supportive and have kept my mouth shut. But dammit...my one outlet..my stress relief is somehow a problem? UGH!

What a difference a week makes!

Well,
I am very enthused about recent developments all around! I have found someone in N. Va who wants to get in a game or three..and we're in the process of planning something for this weekend. I know, better get a bloody move on on it! I have been working on some 15mm items for Sci-fi...I'll have the first pics up soon! Let's just say John Connor's going to need more firepower!

In other news, I am planning how to use Ambush Alley to reflect terminators and Xenomorphs ala Aliens. I know, I could wait for the Sci-fi expansion, and I think it's going to be Stargrunt good, but honest, I have never been all that good at waiting. Frankly..it's a shame 20mm Sci-fi never had quite the audience 15s did. But that's alright, with the 15mm sci-fi renaissance being what it is now, I am kept quite happy...methinks I will work on my Imperial Marines next. After that, who else, but Hammer's Slammers!

My main problem? Coming up with inspirations for all of the armies I have in 15mm. Frankly, I don't want to paint variations of the same, but to have some really creative ideas. So, fellows out in Blogland, send me ideas! Links especially.

A place to game in DC proper.

Well folks,
Here's where I ramble about something of interest to me. Namely? There's really not a decent place to game in DC that's not a bear to get to by metro. I really don't have driving as an option because I am an epileptic. It's just better I don't. So, I get rides from friends and or take metro. For my Classic Battletech group, it works well as we carpool anyhow. But for historicals...not so much. I've gone out to Game Parlor-Chantilly for NOVAG nights and getting back was an adventure, and expensive by taxi, not to mention it was somewhat easier when I worked in Falls Church to get there, Bethesda, not so much. So, what does a gamer in DC do? I am sure there are options that aren't occuring to me, so what the heck blog land? Are there options? Are there folks like me in DC who'd like to get together and work on this problem?