All,
I've embarked on a new project, "The Hakuna-Matata Wars," and established a blog just for it (like I did with my Cuba Libre project). The concept is a former British colony wins independence in 1946, but then tribal affiliations lead to strife and ultimately the former colony splits into two separate countries, Hakuna and Matata. The former is Western backed, the latter supported by the Warsaw Pact.
The two countries will fight about a dozen wars between 1952 and the present, upgrading their armies and air forces each time. I anticipate each war will consist of about ten tabletop battles, played on a 2' x 2' or maybe a 3' x 2' table using Ivan's 5Core Company Command. Each ground fight will be preceded by an aerial dogfight, with the winner having air support in the subsequent ground fight.
The forces for the first Hakuna-Matata war are prepared, and I plan on starting the fights this weekend. Here's a look at our antagonists:
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-THgBBOuQU0g/V6KSQnM6UFI/AAAAAAAAXe4/vEVRWbaEecUUHqJvH-ZmzazMy0L29v-LgCLcB/s1600/IMG_7178.JPG)
The whole shabang: each side has four fighters, two bombers, fifteen tanks, fifteen transports, fifteen infantry stands, three anti-tank vehicles, three recon vehicles, three heavy guns/launchers, and an anti-aircraft gun.
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Di56EMaYxgw/V6KPuP2ckrI/AAAAAAAAXeA/FUOJD3Ci0P4WNXdMpiVVm6rhNOLgKXXPgCLcB/s1600/IMG_7172.JPG)
A Firefly and Halftrack from Hakuna.
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N3p59zyba9I/V6KPrntvzgI/AAAAAAAAXd8/xqsaTMoAQyINHRT5rhU5pr7VbgHgXrAhgCLcB/s1600/IMG_7171.JPG)
And a T-34 and truck from Matata.
To see a bunch of closeups of all the gear, please check the blog at:
http://hakunamatatawars.blogspot.com/2016/08/forces-for-1952-war.html
Also, please check the preceding blogposts, where I introduce the concept, the tables of organization and orders of battle, the overarching timeline and equipment upgrades, and I walk you through receiving my order to getting these little guys ready for the table.
Stand by for the beginning of yet another war.
V/R,
Jack
Very nicely prepared campaign. I have really started to appreciate the idea of preparing figures for a battle or a campaign, rather than just painting what I fancy. I should have done this five years ago. Wishing you success with this project.
what a cool idea, and well executed.
T34/85s vs Fireflys is going to end up with a lot of burning tanks!!
Course Sherman crews have always beaten T34 crews.
IanS
Cool idea, but which side are Timon and Pumbar on?
Quote from: Leman on 04 August 2016, 06:10:20 AM
Very nicely prepared campaign. I have really started to appreciate the idea of preparing figures for a battle or a campaign, rather than just painting what I fancy. I should have done this five years ago. Wishing you success with this project.
So should we all, he says looking despairingly at his overflowing but somehow unfinished project strewn desk and shelves...
Looks good, Jack!
Nice stuff, Jack.
Cheers - Phil.
Well Done, Jack! It appears you are once again having a lot of fun. Looked at your OoB, was kind of disappointed not to find a General Simba or a Field Marshal Scar - oh well. :)
Quote from: mad lemmey on 04 August 2016, 09:30:47 AM
Cool idea, but which side are Timon and Pumbar on?
Pan-African Concil observers?
Rafiki is probably the UN Judge of the Change.
Holy Cow, seems you fellas are interested. I wasn't sure how my concept was going to go over.
First, let me say thanks to all that commented. Then:
Leman - Yeah man, campaigns are all I do anymore. It doesn't 100% keep me away from the 'ooh, shiny,' but it helps. And when I do succumb, my first questions is 'which campaign will I slip these into?'
Fred - Regarding T-34s vs Fireflies, that's the plan! :d :d
Ian - Usually, but those T-34 crews didn't have my son rolling dice for them ;)
Lemmey - I haven't decided yet.
TP - It's the only way to go!
Phil - Cheers backatcha.
D - I do my best to maximize my playing time, and campaigns are what motivate me to stick with it, to see how the characters do. And don't worry about Simba, Scar, and Rafiki (as well as Timon and Pumba). These wars span 60 years, they'll fit in.
V/R,
Jack
Loving this as well 8)
#goodskills
Well, you've got depth and breadth, potentially - now, can you get all that lead done and on table?
If not, then at least we're both stimulating the economy by instilling high velocity money across techical & creative industries :D
Speaking of which, anyone want a matching pair of 2mm Baroque armies on 60mm base widths :D
Thanks Nik!
And TP, I agree. I've certainly done my share to keep various wargaming companies in business.
V/R,
Jack
Quote from: toxicpixie on 05 August 2016, 12:20:57 AM
Speaking of which, anyone want a matching pair of 2mm Baroque armies on 60mm base widths :D
Free ???
IanS
Sadly, no! Sorry Ian :D
well Ise 'ad to ask.
IanS
Quote from: ianrs54 on 05 August 2016, 02:07:36 PM
well Ise 'ad to ask.
IanS
(http://www.quotesfrenzy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/effort-life-trying-nothing-bettertimes-times-cute-meme-random-adorable-Quotes.jpg)
He's very trying ;)
All,
Recently I posted about my new blog covering the Hakuna-Matata Wars, a pair of African Imagi-Nations fighting through a series of wars from 1952 to the present, all in 3mm. Two weeks ago the war began, but it's taken me forever to write the batreps up as work has kept me busy, then I got sick as a dog. But the first battles are in the books, and here you go. If you're wondering why I keep saying 'battles,' it's because every ground fight is preceded by an aerial fight to determine who gets air support in the ground fight.
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IPExSze_Jo0/V6arvr44RUI/AAAAAAAAXow/W5ou_yGZ77kBjxpSUPVcFgo2gw7MROgPgCLcB/s1600/IMG_7319.JPG)
The aerial fight saw two Corsairs of the Hakuna Air Force and two Spitfires of the Matata Air Force square off; oddly enough, not a single aircraft was shot down. But the boy managed to damage both my aircraft to pull off the win, so he got ground attack aircraft in support for the ground fight.
Here's a link to the dogfight:
http://hakunamatatawars.blogspot.com/2016/08/1952-war-dogfight-1.html
This was followed by tanks of Matata pushing hard to cross the Mashandane River, with air support, against a numerically inferior Hakuna force.
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-boRQlkredJo/V6awhhAsGHI/AAAAAAAAXss/6oaLtwUYFnoU9b26Uhd2huQtw37DzPiCQCLcB/s1600/IMG_7374.JPG)
I won't say who won, but there were a lot of burning T-34s ;) To see the whole thing, please check the blog at:
http://hakunamatatawars.blogspot.com/2016/08/1952-war-ground-fight-1.html
We've played the next two games (air and land) last weekend, I'm working on getting them written up. The first air fight wasn't as fun as we'd hoped for, so the second one we went with a simplified version of the Lardies' "Bag the Hun," and it was just what the doctor ordered, we had a great time. On the ground side, the only issue I'm having is, with the amount of vehicles on the board, I'm wishing I'd have element based them rather than single based them (i.e., put 3 tanks on a stand, rather than putting one tank per stand).
More to follow.
V/R,
Jack
Quote......"My dice were incredible".
You haven't done what I suggested, have you, Jack ? ;D ;D ;D
Great reports.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 19 August 2016, 06:51:06 AM
Quote......"My dice were incredible".
You haven't done what I suggested, have you, Jack ? ;D ;D ;D
Great reports.
Cheers - Phil
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Nice report jack!!
About the element basing, what are those bases on the tanks? Might be worth getting some thin steel bases in a rectangular shape. For example if your bases are 20 mm , you could get a small base of 60x20 and just put the 3 bases on that.
Personally i like them single based so i wouldn't bother!
This is looking like great fun.
What a great pair of fights! ;D
Phil - I'm not doing anything YOU suggest, particularly while my dice are hot ;)
Peter - Everything is based on US pennies, very economical ;) I've thought about sabot basing, but there's already a lot of 'dead ground' on each penny, and sabot bases would eat up even more, more than I could probably live with. I'll be fighting lots of wars with these, so i think what I'll do is simply move to element basing as I go to the next war. I also assembled my new 4Ground stone walls and lined them up on the "Boots on the Ground" map; still not enough, even with all the walls I already had! I'm still working on the best way to move forward, but it's coming.
Thanks Leman and Lemmey!
V/R,
Jack
Might take a bit more work, but perhaps use a thin sheet of blue/pink insulation foam (the stuff that's @1cm thick) cut into strips of appropriate length & height? You can "texture" it with rolled up tin foil and splash a couple of shades of brown for desert/grey for granite across them?
TP,
That sounds cool, I'll have to take a look. Though I must admit I'm not very skilled when it comes to scratch building stuff, and I quickly lose motivation ;)
V/R,
Jack
Keeping them standing might be the most awkward part, but either a slightly wider MDF base or making sure they're all "L-shaped" or similar would do it?
Should be quick, and look OK in scale :)
All,
I'm going to try posting a dogfight by itself and see how interest is, as opposed to simply pairing it with the ground fight. The first skirmishes of the 1952 war have taken place earlier this morning; it's 1000 on 4 March 1952 and Hakuna's Tiger Brigade and Matata's Umpulu Brigade are preparing to clash again at the Mashandane River (which serves as the border between the two countries in the east). The Hakuna Army got the better of the early morning fight, but as the opposing armored formations propel themselves at each other once again, each country's Air Force sends a four-ship flight over the battle-space to clear the way.
We are now using a modified, largely simplified version of "Bag the Hun," with each individual aircraft on its own shoot and move cards. We are still not using altitude (don't worry, I'll get the boy there, give him time, he's only six!). ;)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IO8gnRFeftY/V7J7JlLprPI/AAAAAAAAXzI/RyKiVZRIplI4K4P0R5ILL7vr2G7wmIOIgCLcB/s1600/IMG_7424.JPG)
This fight actually featured airplanes getting shot down, with some pilots managing to bail out. And some not...
To see the whole fight, please check the blog at:
http://hakunamatatawars.blogspot.com/2016/08/1952-war-dogfight-2.html
That game was a ton of fun, and close as could be. I'm working on the ground batrep.
V/R,
Jack
Love the parachute!
Thanks Lemmey!
Guess the rest of ya aren't too keen on aerial fights? ;)
I'll see if I can post the ground fight this evening.
V/R,
Jack
All,
It is 4 March 1952, and the forces of Hakuna and Matata are once again clashing at the eastern border, along the Mashandane River. Hakuna won the earlier battle, then both sides recoiled to regroup and reorganize. But now it is 1030 local time, and two forces of equal size are racing towards each other, looking to breakthrough the frontier and push deep into enemy territory.
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-690Odo89qwU/V7J_xtwMSFI/AAAAAAAAX4I/qZ4Lat2OsU83FX9TyPQZquCZY5ZQiRmVgCLcB/s1600/IMG_7499.JPG)
Hakuna Baltimores pounce on Matata SU-100s.
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oXdS5m38rs0/V7KASMOpWoI/AAAAAAAAX5g/_deYw9HpyzU1lQ_mDCSm-lvhPzP4bwwpwCLcB/s1600/IMG_7520.JPG)
While all hell breaks loose on the Hakuna right flank, where Fireflies and T-34s burn mere yards from each other. To see how the fight went, please check the blog at:
http://hakunamatatawars.blogspot.com/2016/08/1952-war-ground-fight-2.html
Some very quick and fun fights, and we look forward to more! That's all the batreps for now, though I do have a bunch of force stuff to post (all the Vietnam stuff lumped together in my Vietnam gaming post earlier this week). Having lots of fun, but too many projects, and I'm already jonesing for some more 15mm modern skirmish action.
V/R,
Jack
The boy nearly nearly had ya! ;D
Quote from: bigjackmac on 23 August 2016, 09:27:13 PM
Thanks Lemmey!
Guess the rest of ya aren't too keen on aerial fights? ;)
I'll see if I can post the ground fight this evening.
V/R,
Jack
I dunno, it looked quite good! Lots of action :) Maybe caught us on a slow day ;)
Will have a read of the enxt land battle today.
No, keep the aeroplanes coming. I like the photos as well.
Thanks guys, glad you like the air and ground fights. The boy had a rough time of it this go round, and Matata is being pushed back from the border. We'll see if they can right the ship, or if a Hakuna blitzkrieg causes them to sue for peace.
Regarding the air fights, they will absolutely continue, I was just trying to figure out if I should post them together (like batrep #1) or separate (like this one).
V/R,
Jack
This reminds me of 20 years ago when my 7/8 year old son used to give me a rough time in Johnny Reb II games.
I think the next one who has air superiority should go straight at the enemy AA with his tanks ;D
Those things hit a lot!
Btw, where is your hex map from the last air report from?
Jebus Peter that's proper combined arms air-land integrated battle space thinking! It's a great plan but if there's planes overhead EVERYONE should just duck, you all look alike from 500mph at 2000ft ;)
We're kind of playing it that going after the lone AA is unsporting; and the AAA has been surprisingly effective, getting only 1K and 1S die to shoot with. I'm not sure what boardgame the hex maps came from, they were a gift from a used bookshop.
The boy has been having a rough time, but still having a good time and I'm sure my time will come...
V/R,
Jack
Just caught up on the dogfight.
Sounds pretty authentic. Damages but no downings. Were both sets of pilots novices in actual combat?
Also you used two of my favourite planes.
Quote from: bigjackmac on 25 August 2016, 11:57:37 PM
We're kind of playing it that going after the lone AA is unsporting
War is never fair ;)
But i see what you mean. Are the airplane strikes planned? or do they come in every turn?
We play they are available every turn, but only for three air strikes.
What!!?? No fair play in war? ;)
V/R,
Jack
Quote from: bigjackmac on 26 August 2016, 10:24:59 PM
We play they are available every turn, but only for three air strikes.
What!!?? No fair play in war? ;)
V/R,
Jack
Shocking isn't it :o :o :o
which is one of the reasons I like unbalanced scenarios and chance cards - war isn't chess.
Sorry FSN, somehow I missed your post. Currently all pilots are rated regular. As they get better they'll become vets, aces, and super aces (top aces in Lardies speak). Replacements will come in as rookies (sprigs). The fight was authentic, but I want kills, and game 2 did it up right for my dramatic flair for doing things.
Regarding fair, it's funny that so far all fights have had equal numbers on both sides. That's not by design; each fight we roll dice for force composition, it's just been equal so far. For example, the dogfights can be 2v2, 2v3, 3v3, 3v4, or 4v4. The ground fights are set up similar, but with a min of 5 units and a max of 8.
V/R,
Jack