The Mad Baron in Fabulous 28mm

I myself love the Back of Beyond, and must give proper shoutout to Over Open Sights for their work on a command base featuring the man himself, the Mad Baron, Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg! 

(Painting) Russian Train Crew by Brigade Games

Now that #RPGaDay2024 is over, we're back with our regular programming, at least until my October to September end-of-year wrap up at the end of the month.  

In one of those mini-miracles, something I picked up at Historicon is already painted up!

This is a Russian Train Crew from Brigade Games

I gotta get back to the tiny eyes, although these guys have obviously seen some shit. 

These guys are obviously allies of the mythical Alexander Mikoyan, the rogue Soviet agent keeping the Motherland safe.  These three, the "Temnye Relsy Okkultizma" are frontline scouts on the war against against inhuman creatures.  They scour the trains, looking for relics and nefarious folk, all in the propped up authority from Moscow.

And going through my "Zombie" case of minis, I remembered that the Armed Jews from Battle Valor should probably get a place in the lore, as allies, enemies, or both. 

I don't foresee myself painting up the Chinese Henchmen I also got from Brigade anytime soon, but I can at least say I have some Asian Pulp figures.

Next in the Queue:   28mm sci-fi, 1/285th sci-fi, and fantasy round out the items I'm trying to clear off the painting bench until my next year's projects change everything. 

Project 350:   This project, with the goal to keep my blog drafts and scheduled blog posts behind the scenes at 350 or fewer is, of course, horribly backlogged.  The blog is currently at 516 (319 drafts /197 scheduled posts) significantly up from 506 (327/179) after Historicon, when the project goes on hiatus due to all the posts for #RPGaDay.    I'm not too worried by the uptick remaining in scheduled posts.  The next week's worth of posts are already ready to go, a number of the Georic Gazetteer entries are complete, plus a few more future holiday posts.   While I probably won't clean off my notes until the end of the month, I think we're making some significant progress working through some of these drafts/ideas/etc.

And, for my own future reference, the posts I already have in the can, waiting to be released over the next five months: 

Rest of September 12

October                 10

November              8

December              8

January                 16

Back of Beyond Campaign and the Fate of Baron Yevgeny Lytton

So I did a thing....  and I think it's safe enough to finally talk about it.

I had fate offer me an invite to play in an online wargame... with a twist.  

Tim from Saskatoon from Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog invited me partake in a Back of Beyond Campaign that was an interesting mix of Diplomacy and Tim gleefully killing himself each weekend. 

While the full rules are here, here's the low-down.  Each player was a faction in Central Asia.  White Russians, Red Russians, Western Interventionists, and local warlords ruled the day, with the goal to obtain more territory, grow your armies and eventually dominate the region.  After spirited communications to each player, or the group as a whole, orders were given by Friday night, and Tim would resolve all battles and sieges over the weekend, using One Hour Wargames, and a write-up by Monday.  Outside of a weekend with an aging man and his ukulele, things ran smoothly.

THE MAP

I ran a group of White Russians, based in Bakunin... with the adjacent cities as my territories. Lodged between both Bolshevik players guaranteed constant battle... and despite not knowing who was playing a particular side, I believe the referee may harbor Bolshevik sympathies.   Ultimately, I was forced to dissolve my army, but not before sending my traitorous units to their deaths and finding my loyal Cossacks a position under an independent emir.  

Despite getting ground down into a fine powder I enjoyed the campaign and its rules.  Tim did an excellent job administrating all the communications and even throwing some 1's in combat for the Bolsheviks to keep the appearance of impartiality (I kid... I kid.)

Once I work on my map-fu skills, I can imagine myself setting up a Gnome Wars campaign, or even a planet/kingdom based Planet 28/Brutal Quest game.  

Here's hoping self-proclaimed Tsar-in-the-East Yvegeny Lytton can enjoy the quiet life in an oversized apartment in Tashkabad, enjoying warm creations from his ancestral samovar during the cold winters.

Artwork by Tim from Saskatoon

Bloody White Baron by James Palmer

I was first introduced to the "Back of Beyond"  warfare in Central Asia and Mongolia during the 20's, largely associated with the Russian Civil War, from the Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog, but it was episode #239 of Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff that sparked my interest in the period again, and specifically Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg (Ungern for the remainder of this review).

For my recent cruise, I got a copy of James Palmer's The Bloody White Baron to read, and was not disappointed.

Baron Ungern is indeed a colorful character, but he is also a brutal, sadistic man, who perpetrated, or at least allowed his men to commit, horrible crimes against the local population, Bolsheviks, refugees, as well as the Jewish population.  Even the most fervent Ungern fan/apologist who can explain the atrocities were simply more direct and efficient than the same acts committed by the Bolsheviks at the time, should have great difficulty explaining his actions towards Jews in Dauria and Urga that rival, or may even give pause to those orchestra the atrocities in Nazi Germany decades later, albeit on a much more localized scale.

Palmer spends adequate time covering Ungern's background and the eccentricities of Buddhism in Central Asia at a slower pace, before delving into the madness in a Post-Great War world.

Reading Palmer's book will allow me to venture into the original "source" material of Ferdynand Ossendowski's Beasts, Men, and Gods, which creates the initial legend of the Bloody White Baron to the world with more legend than impressive and honest truth.

(Review) Back of Beyond for Contemptible Little Armies 3rd Edition

Most books going over the "Back of Beyond," the conflict in Central Asia and Mongolia in the 1920's, have a background piece that covers the ten-thousand foot view the campaign.  It's a good view for an interested party to start, because if descend down onto the bloody battlefields themselves, one has trouble discerning the atrocities of the various sides, and the moral high ground might only be a shovel-full more of dirt.

Sinister Laboraties, in collaboration with Rattrap Productions, published their third sourcebook with Contemptible Little Armies 3rd Edition (CLA) as Back of Beyond.  It properly covers the conflict at the 5,000 scale, admitting some horrible details with bloody mechanical efficiency, while allowing a vibrant background for campaign play with a wide variety of forces.

When dealing with settings, both historical and fantastical, the one thing that really piques my interest beyond playability and multiple factions, is the idea of effective campaign play.   Warhammer 40,000 has a wide variety of armies great for one-on-one play, but group and campaign play seems to bog down.


The first twelve pages covers background, including the Russian Civil War, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Tibet, Chinese Turkestan in enough details to whet your appetite, along with a bibliography to expand your research.

There are six pages of army lists and troops, just stats and special abilities, that fans of CLA can easily put into their games.

The bulk of book is the listing, breakdown, and explanation of the armies available.  Nineteen possible armies are presented, with variations available:

1. Bolsheviks
2. White Russians
3. Czech Legion
4. Baron von Ungern-Sternberg's Asiatic Cavalry Division
5. Regular Chinese Warlords
6. Regular Chinese Bandits
7. Tching-Kai
8. Mongolian Tribesmen
9. Ngoloks
10. Basmachis
11. Japanese Army
12. Central Asian Bandits
13. Afghan Army
14. Army of British India
15. Turkish Army
16. Tibetans
17. Army of God (a unit of Indian Muslims)
18. American Army
19. Dinosaurs Hunters (let's call these guys the "fun" factor who could fall into the conflict

The one great thing of the Back of the Beyond is the wild, varying armies with weird rules, including in battle desertion, and the fact that it distinctly states that two like armies CAN fight each other.  History is chock full of confusing storylines.  

Outside true fantasy skirmish games, Mordheim, original Necromunda, and Frostgrave,  it's difficult to assemble something with a long range story with multiple players.  Back of Beyond seems to handle it with style.

The ultimate goal in the campaign rules is to have one army reach the city of Kashgar first.  Even if you don't wish to use a map, a simple grid can be used to document the twelve steps towards victory.  A step is made by either conducting battles and making your army travel by forced march (a 50/50 proposition in the Central Asian weather).  Casualties and forced march results in prevent units from appearing in future engagements, or may make them delayed deployments.

In addition to the prepared scenarios from the main rules is the ability for baggage and looting to take place.  So, beyond a traditional ambush, forces hit the limited supply lines (re: pack mules and camels), sustaining the rival army.

The other new rule they add is that for individual characters.  Hearkening back to the days of Chainmail with unnamed masses and unique, evolving characters leading them, you can pick a variety of characters to supplement your army.   They can certainly help you, but they are also independent, so they could get separate, they could get lost, they get captured (and executed), they could even join a rival army.  There's twelve characters in total, which makes unique painting opportunities

Twenty-five bucks for a 45 page book is not a great deal, but since I'm interested in the topic, each page seems far informative than a book double its size.

On the Five Gnome Gaming with the Gnomies Rating System, I give Back of Beyond four out of five gnomes.

Back of Beyond for Contemptible Little Armies is available in print and pdf through Brigade Games.

Khurasan Releases Bolshirats & Menshimice!

Khurasan Miniatures has always been just outside my radar.  Despite making some great products for 15mm Sci-Fi, I've always been snagged by one minor fact:

I'm not interested in 15mm sci-fi, and no one I know plays it.

Then, they just to turn my world upside down by releasing 28mm figures for their "Rodent Civil War"

Introducing the Bolshirats and Menshimice, scultped by Bob Olley.

These should look great next to any Swiss, German, or Russian gnomes.  In fact, it explains why the Russians have the great coats and are -1 to hit.  There not that thick to keep them warm, it's to keep the rodents from biting them.

(Cold Wars) The 2013 PEL is up!

Alright, time to come clean, the PEL has been up for a week.  It's just that I don't to make announcements during my 12 Days of Blogging, and the Mega Game was finalized on day 2.

For a full listing of the PEL, check them out here.

I've picked out a few "ViscountEric Preferred" games, with commentary.  Some of these games run more than once, so check out the PEL for even more options.

F-275 - Advance to Longueval, 14 July 1916
Fri. 10:00 AM, 4 hrs, 6 players GM: Phillip Gibbons with Joe Brimer and Ron Bingham and Battle
Barn of Williamsburg  Sponsor: U.S. Army Women's Museum at Fort Lee
WWI 25mm, Rules: Trench Wars modified for skirmish fighting
The advance starts in the early morning hours just after a quick, 5 minute barrage. The Germans are believed to only have a thin screen of troops in your sector. The 9th Scottish Div has assigned the 26th Bde the honor of leading the advance. Can elements of the 8th Black Watch and 10th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders takethe crossroads?
Gnome Wars was developed out of Trench Wars, so this should be an easy one to jump into.

F-307 - Duke Morrison and the Mounties
Fri. 10:00 AM, 3.5 hrs, 6 players  GM: Buck Surdu and HAWKS  Modern 28mm, Rules: GASLIGHT
Professor Nannini has developed an anti-gravity ray the Venusians and their gangster minions want. To convince the professor to share his invention, they have tied his daughter (also a physicist) to a log, which is inching toward a large saw blade. Nannini is the kind of girl wounded Marines crawl through broken glass and burning desert to catch a final glimpse of before they die. Duke Morrison and his companions, along with Sergeant Preston and a squad of Mounties, try to rescue the girl, defeat the gangsters, and break up the Venusian laboratory.
Venusians and Mounties?  THAT is what I've been waiting for to learn GASLIGHT!

F-336 - Fire in the Steppe: Raid at Hanacivka, 1676
Fri. 10:00 AM, 4 hrs, 6 players  GM: David Bonk and Triangle Simulation Society
Renaissance 28mm, Rules: C&GII Pike and Shot
Cossack, Russian and Turkish forces advancing towards Lvov aremet by a Polish/Tartar raiding party near the village of Hanacivka.
Not my normal thing, but this has got to look cool in 28mm.


F-266 - Gnome Wars: The Battle of the Bees
Fri. 11:00 AM, 4 hrs, 8 players
GM: Jim Stanton with Steven Stanton and Stout Gnomes   Sponsor: Brigade Games, Prize: Gnomes! Fantasy 28mm, Rules: Gnome Wars
After securing the beach the combined force of Indian and British troops will attempt to drive the Germans from the rail station on the outskirts of Tanga. The Allies must approach Tanga through a wooded area that is the home to some African Killer Bees. Let's hope loud noises don't startle them.
One of the "normal" gnome games

F-168 - All the King's Men Demo Games
Fri. 1:00 PM, 1 hrs, 4 players GM: Ken Cliffe with Dave Hoyt
Sponsor: All the King's Men Toy Soldiers  American Civil War 54mm, Rules: All the King's Men
Join ATKM as we demo our own rules and debut our new line of ACW 54mm miniatures! This is not skirmish gaming! Everything  is provided. Just bring your memory of what got you into wargaming in the first place. Demos run at the ATKM booth in the dealer area. Just walk up and play; no tickets needed. It takes about an hour.
Ken just posted pics of his ACW, and they are Saaaa-WEEET!  If you don't have a spare hour to pick up a demo, rearrange your schedule.

F-182 - Red Dawn: The Road to Los Alamos
Fri. 2:00 PM, 3 hrs, 6 players GM: Henry Kyle with John Currin  Modern 28mm, Rules: Force on Force
It is the dawn of World War III. Cuban and Nicaraguan forces, along with their Soviet masters, have crossed the border and are charging up I-25 for Los Alamos and its hi-tech labs. Their plan calls for scrounging fuel along the way, and the people of Desert Flats can derail the Commie timetable by denying the Reds the fuel in their town.
An Expansion of, dare I say, "Classic" Red Dawn!

F-238 - Zombie Cardio
Fri. 6:00 PM, 3 hrs, 8 players GM: Chad Miller and Woodbridge Area GamerS (WAGS)
Modern 20mm, Rules: Zombies!!!
Remember the 1st Rule of Zombie Land, Cardio. You want to make it out of Mid-Town safely, then you better Run, Kill and make it to the Chopper in time before it moves again. 6 Players can come and try their luck at running through Central Park. Pick up weapons and aids to get out of town, but you gotta know the
Rules from Zombieland in order to pick up the special cardio boost. Come kill some Zombies and test your luck at the apocalyptic die rolls.
I hope no pretentious Napoleonic player signs up for this accidentally.

F-291 - Clash near Regensburg - April 1945
Fri. 7:00 PM, 4 hrs, 6 players GM: Jim Mackey and HAWKS WWII 54mm, Rules: Battleground WW2
It is April 23, 1945, US forces are driving into Germany. Patton's 3rd Army is approaching Czechoslovakia. One approach to the Czech border is through the town of Regensburg. This town and road leading into it must first be taken. All this in 54mm!! Yes, it is true, bigger is better!!
54mm WW2 is just so frickin' sweet to watch, much less play.

F-175 - Wooden Wars Demo Games
Fri. 8:00 PM, 1 hrs, 4 players GM: Ken Cliffe with Dave Hoyt  Sponsor: All the King's Men Toy Soldiers
Napoleonic Wood Soldiers, Rules: Wooden Wars
ATKM debuts Wooden Wars! Command armies of sturdy wooden soldiers, cavalry and artillery on a floor battlefield. Win by knocking over the enemy army by shooting (tossing small rubber balls) and rolling dice, all in the spirit of HG Wells. No tickets needed. Just walk up and play throughout the session.
I've mentioned Wooden Wars here.  Awesome that ATKM has offered to help promote it.

F-265 - Gnome Wars: The Joust
Fri. 8:00 PM, 2 hrs, 30 players  GM: Jim Stanton with Steven Stanton and Stout Gnomes
Sponsor: Brigade Games, Prize: Gnomes! Fantasy 28mm, Rules: Gnome Wars
Come try to win the jousting tournament. Rules taught. Quick, easy, FUN!
The joust is back!  So making a custom mount for this bad boy.  If I get embarrassed in the first round, I will be jumping into Wooden Wars.

S-242 - Trench Wars: Treat Them Rough!
Sat. 9:00 AM, 3 hrs, 8 players GM: Steve Robinson and Woodbridge Area GamerS (WAGS)
Sponsor: Acheson Creations, Prize: None WWI 28mm, Rules: Modifed Trench Wars
Tommy is facing the formable Hindenburg line. Can the shear bravery of Tommy and the steel behemoths punch their way through Jerry’s defenses? Or, will a sea of wire entanglements, bunkers and non-ceasing hail of machinegun fire defeat Tommy’s juggernaut? Come and pick a side and taste once again the rotting, acidic smell of the western front. I know for sure that lead figures do not bleed, but allot will have to wait until the afternoon to be played with again.
Another early morning Trench Wars games.

S-395 - Rorke's Picnic
Sat. 12:00 PM, 2 hrs, 7 players  GM: Jim Reynolds with John Brennan and WNPG  Sponsor: Eureka USA, Prize: Bears  Colonial 28mm, Rules: Teddy Bear Picnic
It is picnic time for the 24th Bear Foot, but visitors have rudely interrupted. With the boys have their picnic or will the Zulu bears ruin tea time.
Eureka Bears,'nuff said, even if it is for kids.

S-145 - Battle of Tanga - German East Africa, 4 Nov. 1914
Sat. 1:00 PM, 4 hrs, 6 players GM: Mark Kinsey with Jonathan Yuengling
WWI 15mm, Rules: Too Fat Lardies - If the Lord Spares Us
The Battle of Tanga was an attempt by the British Commonwealth to invade the colony of German East Africa through an amphibious landing near the town of Tanga. Players will command 8,000 British Indian forces against 1,000 German Sharpshooters and Askari. But whose side are the African Killer Bees on?
Someone else running Tanga?In 15mm? Inconceivable!

S-214 - Gnome Wars: The Battle of the Bees
Sat. 2:00 PM, 4 hrs, 6 players
GM: Kevin Jacobi with Jim Stanton and Stout Gnomes

S-215 - Gnome Wars: The Landing in East Africa
Sat. 2:00 PM, 4 hrs, 8 players
GM: Eric Jacobson with Jim Stanton and Stout Gnomes

S-216 - Gnome Wars: Storming the Town of Tanga
Sat. 2:00 PM, 4 hrs, 8 players
GM: Steven Stanton with Jim Stanton and Stout Gnomes
The MEGA-GAME!  No Pre-Reg needed if you bring your own 300-320pt unit.  Last Cold Wars was a  blast, this should be even better.

S-204 - Wooden Warriors capture the Flag - sometime in 1815
Sat. 5:00 PM, 1 hrs, 8 players GM: Jeff Wiltrout and Potomac Wargamers  Sponsor: Skull and Crown Strategem INC.Napoleonic 80mm, Rules: Wooden Wars
Time to get the games off the table and back on the floor where it all began. 2 armies of Wooden Warriors battle it out on the floor capturing objectives and knocking down opponents. Thrown rubber balls are the objects of destruction here. Kids over 12 only accepted with a younger player.
EXTREMELY KID FRIENDLY. Not recommend for those with bad knees.
More Wooden Wars daring to go where few would venture:  the floors of the Lancaster Host!

S-209 - Haitian Slave Revolt
Sat. 7:00 PM, 3 hrs, 10 players  GM: Brian DeWitt Colonial 25mm, Rules: The Sword and The Flame
The Haitian Slave Revolt started in August 1791 with central leader Voodoo Priest Boukman. French forces loyal to the French Crown and Colonists battled back and forth with the Slave Army. In 1793 many French units were called back to Europe and the Slave Army took to the offense. Here Haitian national hero Toussaint L'Ouverture leads the way.
Great obscure, under appreciated action, a plus to use TSATF to play.

S-355 - Carnage and Glory: Russia 1920--"The Commissar's in Town"
Sat. 8:00 PM, 2 hrs, 12 players GM: Tom Cusa with Frank Luberti, Jr. and Connecticut Game Club
Sponsor: Carnage and Glory  Inter-War 28mm, Rules: Carnage and Glory II
Baron Waxtel's White Russians clash with Red Army forces under Comrade General Spiess. Regimental level game. Novices, children with adults, rules lawyers and GMs looking for revenge welcome. CGC members, family and friends always welcome.
The Russian Civil War always deserves some support, in my book.

Brigade Games Preorders Open for Aerosan

My first question everyone has... what the heck is an Aerosan?

Here:

Borrowing the descriptive text on the Brigade Games website:

Aerosans were used for communications, mail deliveries, medical aid, emergency recovery and border patrolling in northern Russia, as well as for recreation. The Soviet Army used them during the Winter War and World War II. They were found to be useful for reconnaissance and light raiding in northern areas, given their high mobility in deep snow (25-35km/h). They were often employed in co-operation with ski infantry and troops carried or towed by transport Aerosans. Fire support was provided by machine gun-armed models.

I never knew that such a thing existed, and now I want one. No, make that a squadron! fleet? What do you call a group of things that look like the bastard child of a swamp boat and a bobsled? Regardless, I want a bunch for a yet-to-be-determine Russian campaign that I just decided this minute I wanted to run, and I want a bunch of these to convert to Gnome Wars. I don't know if I can insert a gnome torso in the cockpit without kit-bashing, but want to try.

Resin and metal model kit 1/56th scale - $29.00 each

http://www.brigadegames.com/Aerosan-RV6-156th_p_2891.html for more info.

Czech Legion!

As announced from Company B on www.theminiaturespage.com, they are releasing a line of 28mm Czech Legion, perfect for giving Bolsheviks headaches, and stealing the Tsarist gold...

No, I'm not getting into the Russian Civil War wargaming (yet), but it has been one of my guilty pleasures since my Senior year of high school. If you've never heard of the Czech Legion, I'd recommend starting with the wikipedia page that barely does them justice, then hit the library for some diverse reading.

I can imagine an overblown Hollywood production, turning the 65,000+ troops into one lone passenger car of largely American soldiers, fighting its way across the Trans-Siberian Railway, allying themselves with the White Russians, only to stab them in the back to get safe passage home ( with all the Imperial gold, in proper Hollywood fashion). It could be gloriously bad, like a good version of Pearl Harbor.

*ahem*

I apologize for that moment of insanity, but the figs still look awesome!