1938 AVBCW with BKC 2

[Sunray]

The AVBCW is a wargame orphan.   Its a bit like African Bush Wars.  99.9% of the kit and figures are proxy from other ranges.  (Yes, I know some dedicated figures exist in 25/28 mm (Irregular and others).  Pendraken have a few figures in British WW2 range made with a wink and nod to AVBCW.

But it is fun !  You escape Army Lists and have a resonable degree of licence with regard to weapons and kit.   You have an unfair advantage as a time traveller in how armour should be used. You have to resist this and be 1930s minded.

The local scenarios, familiar town names etc add to the enjoyment.  And you get to play those ECW buildings as quaint villages.

It all adds up to a memorable war game experience on a budget.  Way to go.

[mmcv]

The AVBCW is a wargame orphan.   Its a bit like African Bush Wars.  99.9% of the kit and figures are proxy from other ranges.  (Yes, I know some dedicated figures exist in 25/28 mm (Irregular and others).  Pendraken have a few figures in British WW2 range made with a wink and nod to AVBCW.

But it is fun !  You escape Army Lists and have a resonable degree of licence with regard to weapons and kit.   You have an unfair advantage as a time traveller in how armour should be used. You have to resist this and be 1930s minded.

The local scenarios, familiar town names etc add to the enjoyment.  And you get to play those ECW buildings as quaint villages.

It all adds up to a memorable war game experience on a budget.  Way to go.

Agreed, there's something quite fun about that hodgepodge aspect of it and being able proxy in bits from all over. Flicking through Pendraken the Spanish Civil war range looks like it would have some good proxies too as well as the world wars.

[Fenton]

Could British 8th army figures be used for Roderick Spode's brown shorts?

I reckon most of the SCW  vehicle stuff could be used in VBCW

[Ben Waterhouse]

Black shorts surely...

[Fenton]

Black shorts surely...

Yes my mistake I was thinking of their name after they had been in combat for the first time . That's my excuse anyway

[Fenton]

While sort of still on topic has anyone played the Brigade 38 rules?

[Sunray]

Yes my mistake I was thinking of their name after they had been in combat for the first time . That's my excuse anyway

  + 1

[mmcv]

Yes my mistake I was thinking of their name after they had been in combat for the first time . That's my excuse anyway

[Raider4]

AVBCW seems to work as a setting because no one seems to take it too seriously.

It's all very Dad's Army crossed with Wodehouse, Just William and the Famous Five, and probably a bit of Python thrown in ("What happened to Popular Front?" "He's sitting over there!"). There's a ready made pantomime villain - the BUF - as the comedy bad guys. It's all terribly "English", for want of a better word.

I've seen discussions on other forums about doing something similar in an American setting - they never end well.

[Terry37]

A really enjoyable report, and great looking game. Very interested to know what brand and color green you used ot paint the Vickers MkIIs? I've got one to paint for my "Things to Come" army and am having trouble deciding on the right shade of green, and yours look very nice.

Terry

[sunjester]

Sorry Terry, I painted those about 6/7 years ago and, as far as I remember, I just browsed my paint pots until I found one that looked right!

[sunjester]

Agreed, there's something quite fun about that hodgepodge aspect of it and being able proxy in bits from all over. Flicking through Pendraken the Spanish Civil war range looks like it would have some good proxies too as well as the world wars.

That's right, most of my AVBCW are a mix of Pendraken's SCW, WW1 and WW2 Home Guard/Civilians (the upper class civilian pack is great). Part of the fun is coming up woth uniforms and finding figure to fit in.  One of the guys at Tring has painted up a bunch of WW1 British in caps as a unit of RAF apprentices from Halton for his Tring-based force.

[Sunray]

AVBCW seems to work as a setting because no one seems to take it too seriously.

Perhaps that's the secret to a good war game experience.  No silly gamesmanship of exploiting grey areas in rules.  Just a couple of mates indulging in a fictional scenario and enjoying the chance of the dice.  I have to confess I never really liked "serious" wargames".

Its a hobby. A pastime. A few hours of escape from a miserable winter, depressing news.....and Brexit blues.