Battle of the Denmark Straits, in 1/700!

 A friend of mine put together four beautiful models of the Prinz Eugen, Bismarck, Hood, and Prince of Wales. Using a old set of Bismarck Game Rules, and two 4x6 tables set about ten feet apart, we recreated this historic conflict...

We began at range 28,000' and had to plot our movement prior to the judge accepting them. I personally was "onboard" the Heavy Cruiser (CA) Prinz Eugen, and decided to push all ahead flank speed to close range for my 8"guns, while the commanding Admiral decided to begin a slow turn to starboard. The British ships, Hood and PoW pushed ahead as well, and we soon closed the range.

First strike went to the Germans as the Hood took a hit!

What made this an unusual game was not knowing exactly what damage we were doing unless a flash and smoke appeared. (which it did in this case).

Prinz Eugen had the bad luck to take the first hit doled out by the British, a 15" shell destroying my aft Dora turret! 25% of my big guns gone! On the next turn I took another, forward. Bismarck itself dodged all shells sho far...

As the range closed for Prinz Eugen, I opened fire on the PoW, and scored a hit! And only after the game did we learn that the PoW was suffering some malfunctions to her guns! (historically, some unfinished work was still being done by civilian work crews!)

Bismarck scored yet again on the Hood!

Unfortunately for my CA, as I began a turn to starboard, numerous shells crashed onto her, including secondaries from the Hood. The Eugen lost two secondaries and two 8" guns. Hull hits were also scored as well as a hit on the engine room! Things were not looking good...

As Eugen was absorbing all of the British hits (Bismarck had yet to be struck!), the Hood took more hits, but at least she hadn't blown up! 

Believing discretion was the better part of valor, and so as not to screen the LOS for Bismarck, I ordered a turn to port. My idea was to lay smoke on the next turn and break away. As the Eugen did, I fired my three secondaries on the starboard side (their firsts shots), and a salvo from Bruno, my last 8' turret. The Hood was punished...

But Eugen's luck had run out. There was to be no next turn to hide under smoke. PoW scored two 15' hits while Hood added several secondaries. With my hull penetrated and fires all over, the valiant Prinz Eugen slid under the cold waters to port...

Pow now opened fire on the Bismarck, but all missed. The Hood however, soon scored some hits...

Then suddenly, a 15' shell penetrated the Hood's deck armor, and she disappeared in a massive explosion (just as had happened that black day for the Royal Navy...

Missing yet again, the PoW was then struck by the Bismarck, scoring serious damage. The British Captain decided to fight another day, and withdrew...

Quite the game. Even though my ship went down, I had some amazing luck shooting, only missing one complete salvo. The Bismarck and Hood's luck went pretty much like history. Future plans now see my friend working on Tirpitz and Warspite so who knows where this will lead to!

Aegyptus Battle for an Oasis

 Combining figures from CrocidileGames (Aegyptus) and WarGods, the club put on this fight. Anubis Children were investigating rumors of a rising darkness from the west, while Thoth Children had arrived to keep an eye on their brothers. They worry that the Anubis Children sometime endanger Maat by delving too deeply. The local Nomarch, had his local forces, including Axemen, Militia Javelin-men, and two Hunter Archers. Then numerous ravens began appearing from out of the western desert...

The view from the east. The oasis itself is seen in the lower left, while the Nomarch's Palace, nearly center. The Temple of Ptah is located upper left, and the Necropolis is upper right...

Flipping the view...

The Anubis scattered through the Necropolis...

Thoth near the entrance to Ptah's Temple...

Peaceful at the Nomarch's Palace...

First the Ravens, then a cloud of dust...then from over the ridge line, the unknown!(actually a line of Horde Mummies led by their Captains...

The mummies sweep over the Anubis, inflicting casualties, and suffering their own...

Thoth archers not only take down numerous Mummies, but one of their Captains who failed all six of his rolls to save! Another group is swinging around the western edge of the Temple...

The first Militia Javelin-men rush up to protect the priests who are preparing to carry out the Sacred Bark...

After moving up to guard the side entrance to the Temple, the Javelin-men prepare ...

After the Thoth were overwhelmed by a Mummy Captain, the Egyptian Captain (center) races up to the Temple. The Thoth Captain (lower right), after his defeating the enemy, is moving towards the Necropolis to support the Anubis...

Unfortunately for the Egyptians, they failed with their javelins, then were destroyed in melee...

More Javelin-men (sorry for poor quality photo) moving up to take the place of their fallen comrades with a successful discharge of javelins... 

Meanwhile in the Necropolis, the Anubis Captain and the remaining soldier, are cleaving their way through their enemies...

Continuing their successful march through the Mummies...

The final Mummies fall to the Javelin-men and their Captain, saving the Priests, the Temple, and the Oasis!

Reports are being sent to leaders of the Anubis, Thoth and Asar (Egyptian). A fun little game, but more to follow!

An Egyptian Nomarch in His Palace

 Using brick molds from Hirst Arts, I formed mud-brick walled Palace for the nomarch. The exterior...

Removing the roof, his two sons are practicing their warcraft under the watchful eyes of their tutor (top-center). The Nomarch's bedchamber to the left; his wife's to the right, Two guest rooms lower left and right, and the eating chamber, upper right. All opening to the center open-aired courtyard with the garden at top...

Looking at the garden from another vantage point, the Nomarch located at center...

A closeup of the same...

Another view of the Palace interior...

The walls are painted and/or  decorated with downloaded images from the Net. Ive been pleased with the result

Men of Troy

 Here is my (and Wargods Aegyptus from Crocodile Games) take on the Apolonian Guards of Hector...

Men of KMT

 Combining Wargods Aegyptus from Crocodile Miniatures  with Mortal Gods, I'm getting prepared for a struggle for an ancient oasis, Using Foundry Ancient Egyptians for the Asar, here are some of the forces...

These are Warlord Games Egyptians...

And More Foundry...

More to come...

A New Take on the Argonauts

 Im like many who have enjoyed Jason and the Argonauts over the years. The club actually refought the "Hydra's Teeth" battle  earlier this month, but I wanted to upgrade a bit. So this time Heracles stays with the Argo, and the King of Chalkis deploys his army to retake the stolen Golden Fleece. 

So here is the battlefield. I don't have an Argo model, so I placed an Arab Dhow on the beach instead, seen at the top-left. The Chalkis King is seen in the lower right, along with his priest of Astartes. He has begun calling up his Army of Skeletons. The King's soldiers soldiers are seen in the upper left, trying to cut off the Argonauts on their way to the Argo. Heracles and some Argonauts are located just below the Argo, while Jason is to the right...

Some of the Argonauts fighting off numerous Skeleton warriors...

Chalkis warriors closing in on Heracles (bad idea!), center of photo with his famous club, and his Argonauts...

Jason and Heracles are holding off their enemies while the Argonauts reach the Argo...

Unfortunately my camera's battery ran low, so that ends the visual. But it was fun.

 

Ancient Kemet

 One of my favorite historical periods, and my incredible fortunate opportunity to partake in a Fulbright Travel Program to visit and study for three weeks has led to this. My take on the Temple Complex at Karnak. While my model is not an exact duplicate, it does I believe, capture the majesty of this massive religious site.

Ignoring the clutter on my gaming/work table, this is the view eastward from the Nile towards the Hidden One's Mansion. At the center is the Great Hypostle Hall of Ramesses II, while at the far end is Thutmose III's Festival Hall. The stand alone temple to the right is made fro kits from Hirts Arts (as are all the models),

The next view is taken from the north. The Shrine of Rameses III is right center fronted by the two massive statues of the Pharaoh (one hidden by the Kisok of Tahraqa)...

A closeup view from the south into the second courtyard and its gilded obelisk..

An update to the complex, Painted decorations added to the first Pylon and with the Docking Basin and two barges tied up...

The view changes to the eastern end of the complex with interior shots of the Festival Hall of Thumose III as seen from the south...

Next we are looking at the same Hall, this time from the east. The small chapel which is actually on the exterior of the Hall, is the Shrine of the Hearing Ear. It was here that average Egyptians would be allowed to leave their prayers for the gods!..

Final view of the Hall is from the north...

More to come as the project continues...