Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Looking to thin the Bookshelves

I have a bunch of books that I need to clear out. Most are from my research on the East Africa Supplement that I did a while back (They Call this a Picnic).

I am looking for $20 a piece for these plus shipping. If interested, please e-mail me off list cstoesen at corecard.com. Any interesting offer will be considered.

Michael Glover. 1987. An Improvised War: The Abussinian Campaign of 1940-1941. Leo Cooper: London.

Great overview of East African Campaign.

Guy Campbell. 1986. The Charging Buffalo: A History of the Kenya Regiment. Leo Cooper: London.

Covers the unit history up to 1956.

Peter Cochrane. 1977. Charlie Company: IN Service with C Company 2nd Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 1940-1944. Chatto & Windus.

Covers from the Desert to East Africa to the Gothic Line. Good Book.

Denis Bloomfield-Smith. 2005. Fourth Indian Division Reflections: Memoirs of a Great Company. New Delhi: Reliance Publishing House.

Various reflections of the division that include Operation Battleaxe, East Africa, Cassino and even Peacekeeping operations in Greece.

James Ambrose Brown. 1990. The War of a Hundred Days: Springboks in Somalia and Abyssinia 1940-1941. Johannesburg: Ashanti Publishing House.

Fairly detailed account of the South Africans in East Africa.

R.T. Kerslake. 1997. Time and the Hour: Nigeria, East Africa and the Second World War. London: Radcliffe Press.

W. V. Brelsford. 1990 Reprint of 1954 edition. The Story of the Rhodesia Regiment. Bromley: Galago Publishing Ltd.

Covers both world wars.

John Nunneley. 2001. Paperback. Tales From the King's African Rifles: A Last Flourish of Empire. London: Cassell & Co.

Covers East Africa and Burma.

Brayton Harris. 1965. The Age of the Battleship: 1890-1922. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc.

Thanks for the commercial interruption.

Chris Stoesen

Friday, November 16, 2012

Plans for 2013... Already!?!

Recently on the TooFatLardies Yahoo group someone floated the question on plans for the year that folks have been providing all sorts of answers to that have been fun to read. My first thought was "shouldn't this be done in December right after Christmas?" Like seeing Christmas lights out and ON before Thanksgiving, it just felt too early. Then the more I read the more I realized how little I will probably accomplish on my 2012 to do list before this year runs out. Hmmmm.....

With that terrible thought, I was left with what should I try to have done by next year.

Number 1 - Finish writing the CSIR campaign for IABSM and Troop, Weapons and Tactics. I have nearly the whole of the historical section done. It follows the Italians from August 1941 all the way into December of 1941. It is up to but not including the Christmas battle.

Number 2 - Finish off my 15mm Terrain for the East Front. In the past month I have done more towards this than ever before. I have painted a burned out isba and a ruined shop. I still have the JR Miniatures ruined cafe and some other JR miniatures ruined building to go. All of my painted buildings need "dipping" and some more detail work before they are really table ready. What I really want to do is add to this. Ultimately, I would like another three burned out isbas and at least 3 more burned out buildings plus a rail station and a warehouse/factory.

Number 3 - Take some pictures of my East Front stuff and some of Mark's 6mm East Front stuff to go into the supplement. Yep, I am looking to add pretty pictures to it this time. Actually, this may be a good time to mention it. I would be willing to take submitted pictures from any of your collections to go into it if you are willing/interested. I will give you full credit for it as well. While I am on it, I could use a play tester or two as well....

Number 4 - Self publish my CSIR campaign. My goal it to sell 150 copies this time. That would hit a record for me personally and I would be thrilled to see that happen.

Number 5 - Play more games. I spend so much time researching and painting, but not nearly enough time playing games. I say this every year.

Number 6 - Submit another article to SOTCW. Not sure what about. Number 7 - Finish painting my Dux Britanarium Picts. Well, that is plenty. If I can get 1 through 4 done by the end of the 1st Quarter 2013, it will be a success.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Christmas is coming!

The call has gone forth for the TooFatLardies 2012 Christmas special. Looking around at what I had to offer, I found some work I had done on one of the predecessors of Dux Britannarium.

I put together three scenarios with some minor adaptions for Dux in the Viking age. Two of the scenarios are historical/legendary in nature. The first features a terrain element that I am sure everyone has laying around their garage - a beached whale. The scenario features combat on top of the beastie.

The second is the for the Battle of Heavenfield in the 600s AD. The last is a completely fictional encounter between two Viking bands on the high seas.

I love the TFL specials. Click here for past specials. It gives anyone a chance to be creative and get published. It also provides wargamers with a wealth of information, scenarios and in some cases whole rule sets. Always a fantastic value.

I must be slacking off. Last year I had 2 articles for the special. This summer, I did not submit anything. Oh well. I guess I am slowing down.

So come on. Dust off your pens. Contribute to the effort. Write something for the special.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Isba's and things

I managed to break out the paints again and got most of a burned out Russian isba painted up. I will get some pictures up of it soon with those Italian motorcyclists that I have been working on.

The bulk of my hobby time has returned to writing again with the CSIR supplement at the top of the list. I have the bulk of the history portion blocked out. The trick has been getting enough details for the scenarios that I am including.

The supplement will be a mix of scenarios for both Troops, Weapons and Tactics as well as IABSM3. There were some really good descriptions of small unit actions on the islands of the Dniepr River that I could not pass up.

I am also thinking of including more than just actions taken by the 80th Roma Regiment. The siege of Petrikovka has some perfect encounters where a group of L3/35 tanks are being supported by a company of infantry through the town. Also in the relief of Nikitovka, there is an opportunity to include some Italian Cavalry troops. It should add some fun to the campaign.

Anyway, while poking around I found some fun pictures.

The first shows the Italian trucks (of which there were far too few and many were civilian trucks) moving through the Ukraine. I like the attempt at camouflage that attempted.

The next is from the Book La Pasubio sul Fronte Russo by Vittorio Luoni, published in 1977. The picture is after the text on page 113. This shows how badly equipped they were for their first winter on the Russian Front. Here in October, they stand out like sore thumbs. Their uniforms do not blend into the snow.

Anyway, it has proved to be very interesting reading.