Charlie Don't Surf: Experience versus youth...

So, this week has seen me embark upon painting up a platoon of VC for Charlie Don't Surf, along with a couple of support weapons.  After an unscientific review of source material (in other words some DVDs were watched), I decided go for a more irregular look than the last time Charlie got painted.  Primarily this was to avoid masses of figures who look like they could "throw on some pearls and be ready for evening wear" (he misquoted in typing).  The plan is to finish them by the end of Sunday, with the incentive being that each stick of miniatures completed is a Peter Pig pack that can be bought at Warfare 2010. 

Well, that's the plan.

On the gaming front at Abingdon Wargames Club, Junior members Joe and Luke took on the role of the British at the second battle of el-Teb against the wily veteran Nick, and utter gaming newbie Andrew, for a game of They Don't Like It Up 'Em.  No-one left that night traumatised by the game, which is always a good sign. 

Joe clearly remembered from his previous game that charging cavalry up a rocky slope was a bad idea, and the British actually adopted a setup close to their historical counterparts.  However, their initial caution ("I know the card lets my brigade act, we're happy where we are!") allowed the main Mahdist body of troops to actually move up and join their brothers in arms on the central ridge dominating the battle field.  By this point the British finally had begun to advance, with Luke's cavalry spotting like men possessed.  Unfortunately, this merely prompted the Mahdists to rise as one, screaming "Allah Akhbar!" and hurl themselves at the Brits.  This was the most breathtaking use of that particular card I'd seen (certainly better than using it when the enemy are almost two feet away) with only one Mahdist Rub not involved!

It's perhaps best to draw a modest curtain over what then occurred, particularly given the fact that only two units of British had fixed bayonets.  Suffice to say, Big Men of the calibre of Fred Burnaby were low on the ground once the dust settled....

Work commitments (or should that be socials?  Oh, the curse of being in multiple departments!) mean I won't return to a Friday meeting until the 22nd of October.  However, there is the prospect of a one-day Legends Of The Old West Campaign on the 17th.  Already, the Grace Brothers' posse of lawmen are dusting off their six-shooters...

Betwixt wadi and jungle with rod and gun...

With a now semi-complete utility room, I've been able to transfer the sordid business of miniature painting and terrain creation out of the study.  Subsequently (and with the aid of the customary splurge at Colours), there is now a production line of sorts taking shape, of CD-based jungle terrain* and rows of miniatures awaiting undercoating before the inevitable painting procrastination. 

The magpie flitting from project to project seems typical of many wargamers, and I'm acutely aware of it at present.  On the one hand, the introduction of They Don't Like It Up 'Em with my Peter Pig Sudan collection to other club members has them keen on a second encounter.  Opinion is divided as to whether it'll be a different one or simply the last one but playing as a different side.

On the other hand, I'm also personally keen to crack on with upgrading my Vietnam kit (also predominantly Peter Pig).  Reading rules is no substitute for playing them, but repeated reading of Too Fat Lardies' Charlie Don't Surf (CDS) prompted me to undertake the insane step of rebasing miniatures for the first time, even though it isn't strictly necessary.  With the onset of the recent school holidays, this was undertaken with a vengeance, with both Mr. Neatherway and the Div kindly acting as the player guinea pigs to my refereeing.  With Asian take-out and beer consumed, plus an appropriate soundtrack on the iPod, havoc could commence...

Player work commitments meant the game unfortunately had to be curtailed earlier.  This was annoyingly at the point where US Lieutenants Monterey Jack, Bayley Hazen and "Blue" Vaquero had received a harsh drubbing, but would now be unable to take advantage of the fact that the VC (Lieutenants Banh Cahn and Cao Lau) had shot their bolt.  This was exacerbated by players and referee cocking up things as they played new rules, and the fact the action was squeezed on to a very small playing area.  Nonetheless, both Mr. Neatherway and the Div said they'd be willing to give it another try, now that they had a better idea of how CDS plays.  This is encouraging stuff, from players who are at the game end of the game-simulation spectrum.  

Torn therefore between wadi and jungle, it looks like the wadi wins out this weekend, as I attempt to get some Highlanders and Royal Marines ready to take on the Mahdists for September 24th's planned game at the club...

*No prizes for guessing the inspiration of this.