This has nothing to do with the article but I thought it was a good attention getter! Just a piece of 28mm terrain I made several years ago...

Several months ago HMGS/PSW members Shawn Hendrix let me know that a new place to game was being organized in the San Fernando Valley, I having a lot of other things going on promptly forgot to check it out or mention it here until I saw Jeff MacArthur’s post here on a Flames of War game held there. So as they say “better late than never” here is the scoop on the place!

Name: Friday Night Dice

Location: 8125 N. San Fernando Blvd, Sun Valley, CA

Time: 5pm-12pm-? Every Friday night

Website: http://www.fridaynightdice.com

Now I have not been there but there is a nice video on the site showing the facility and a little bit about it. I hope to make it down there soon… possibly this Friday May 3! Shawn said they are trying to get more miniatures games going as at the moment the gaming is predominantly board games. I have posted a link to there site in the links section on the right of your screen.

Yours in gaming,

Bill Witthans

Don't miss the action this summer!

Here’s the fourth draft of the PEL for our upcoming Hit the Beach event on June 30. Some new games have been added; there’s something to interest everyone. Check it out and make your plans to start the summer off right with a great day of historical gaming!

I expect to have full details on the games in the “rumored” section soon. I’ll update the PEL again once I have them so check back often.

Summer Offensive 2012PEL in .doc

Summer Offensive 2012 PEL in .pdf

I’m hoping to do a lot more of these, so let me know if you have a preference of what you’d like to see.

Some galley pictures for the HMGS membership showing highlight action:

Direct Youtube links for the four commentaries:

Part I; Game dispositions and set up: Link

Part II; Turns I-IV commentary: Link

Part III; Turns V-XI commentary: Link

Part IV; Turns XII to XVI commentary: Link

Interested in join us for the next game? Contact information on “about the Wargamerabbit” blog page.

Cheers form the warren….. WR

Note: Pictures can be clicked upon to enlarge the view.

Battle of Center Hill 1813 (French & Allies vs. Austrians)

Named for the large central hill on the tabletop. The Austrians placed their artillery concentration on the hill…..spending the day shelling the Dutch-Belgian French allies at long range across the stream. In the foreground, the French flanking corps assaulting the farmstead complex and the Austrian open right flank.

General view of action, Austrian (left) French & Allies (right).

Close up of the marching French infantry while the attached chasseurs a’ cheval retire from the front lines. Farmstead in the distance.

Massed French columns surge forward.

Austrian reserves arrive to stem the French left flank attack. French conscripts form squares to repulse the Austrian cavalry.

Austrian reserves arrive to stem the advancing French.

Austrians artillery retires from Center Hill, so the French reserve cavalry (dragoons) advance to threaten the Austrian center position. Dutch-Belgians advance across the stream at top.

French reserve dragoon cavalry advance towards the Center Hill position as the Austrian batteries retire.

Complete game AAR can be clicked on the above Wargamerabbit link.

Battle of Two Farms 1815 (French vs. Prussians)

This game featured 1815 era French vs. Prussians with a flank assault by one of the Prussian Korps. The first photo shows the starting location using our block movement system. Full details on this block system can be found on the Wagamerabbit blog under the Napoleonic Game Rules, Videos and files section. LINK

Starting positions with each "block" representing brigades or divisions of unknown strength.

After some scouting by ADC’s and advancing the blocks toward the enemy, the armies are revealed. Prussian cavalry on the hill with some reserves while the flanking Prussian brigades advance on the exposed French left flank.

After scouting and both sides advancing, the fog of war lifts to display the rival armies.

While the French attempt to stem the Prussian flank assault, the center French divisions advance up the hill to the Two Farms sector.

French advance towards the Two Farms and Prussian cavalry retires on left. Blocks represent two Prussian brigades lurking as reserves.

Entering the Two Farms sector, the Prussian landwehr is deployed to contest the farms. A mixture of French musketry lines and columns assault the Prussian landwehr battalions.

Battle rages within the Two Farms zone. French columns and lines engaging Prussian landwehr brigade.

Complete AAR can be clicked on the above Wargamerabbit link.

The club members generally met on the arranged 3rd Saturday of each month. Games start at 9:30am and tend to go to about 6 pm. Any local gamers wishing to stop by or engage in miniature movement and dice work are welcome. Miniatures are not a requirement to join in, just a williness to toss dice.

Contact details can be found at “About the Wargamerabbit”. LINK

Cheers from the warren…..WR

General information:

1.   The following are common repeated articles in the Old Messengers:  Messages from the Front, Secretary’s Corner, Feedback, Calender of Events, Club News, Fearless Leader report or speaks, Letters to the (Brave) Editor, From the Cardinal’s Pulpit, HMGS-PSW Meeting notes, New Members list, Want ads… etc. I didn’t identify this information besides each issue number.

2.   Codes used below: TOM = The Occasional Messenger, TM = The Messenger, TMM = The Mini Messenger. Each followed by the Issue # and date of publishing.

3.   There are several clubs with old meeting information posted in the Old Messengers. Known updated information as follows:

Northridge 25mm Wargaming club new contact information: Michael aka Wargamerabbit (WR). Direct contact at mrverity58@yahoo.com, phone 818 742 5228 or check out the wargaming warren at Wargamerabbit.wordpress.com.  Link

Drum Barrack’s Civil War Battle Group: Steve Phenow. Direct contract at 818 281 5481. Meeting TBA for 6736 Ben Ave, North Hollywood CA. Check out Yahoo Group at DBCWBGROUP@yahoogroups.com. Link

List of .pdf imaged HMGS-PSW old Messengers (click on color link (at left) for scanned .pdf image).

TOM #1 to #9  missing in collection….do you have a copy for scanning?

TOM10 Dec92 Articles: How Many is a Horde, The Orphan Brigade 1861, Battle of Hradok, On Terrain part I

TOM11 Feb93 Articles: Somalia 1993, Dicemanship, Painting horses, On Terrain part II, Leuthen day, Question of Standards, Crisis of lead

TOM12 Apr93 Articles: Napoleonic Tournament OccCon’93, Light Infantry in 1806, Emperor’s Headquarters review, Spring Campaigns report, French Frontier 1870

TOM13 Jun93 Articles: South Mountain 1862, Wagram 1809, Korea July 1950, Panzer Grenadiers

TOM14 Aug93 Articles: Mons, August 1914, In the Trenches: Brandy Station 1863, Historicon report, Unchained Demons

TOM15 Oct93 Articles: Unchained Demons part II, Salamanca 1812 re-fought, Violation of Josephine 1807, In Defense of String 

TOM16 Dec93 Articles: Those Magnificent Men WWI, DBA for SYW, A Funny Thing Happened, HMGS-PSW Bylaws part I

TOM17 Feb94 Articles: Prussian Column Charge (Nap), Euro Fury 1870, Turret Layouts of the Grand Fleet 1916, HMGS-PSW Bylaws part II

TOM18 Apr94 Articles: Austrians at Bay (Nap)

TOM19 Jun94 Articles: Small Boat Action WWII, My Friend Chase, National News, Guns, Guns, Guns part I (Nap)

TOM20 Aug94 Articles: Renaissance Tournament, Euro-Fury at Origins 1870, My Favorite Attacks, Guns, Guns, Guns part II (Nap), WWII Small boats

TOM21 Oct94 Articles: Combat boxes (WWII aerial), HMGS Nation news, Plague & Pestilence

TOM22 Dec94 Articles: Lord Cochrane in Chile 1818, Into the Cornfield 1863

TOM23 Feb95 Articles: Snappy Nappy…It’s a Snap, Kilts on the Continent (Fontenoy 1745), Neither Magic nor Minis Dixie

TM24 Apr95 Articles: Re-fighting the Metaurus 207 BC, The Guns at Antietam 1863, Short Canter in Germany 1743, Solo Wargaming, Review of Mare Nostrum, Report on Spring Campaign

TM25 Jun95 Articles: Re-fighting the Baecula 208 BC, the Guns of Antietam part II 1863, Short Canter in Germany 1743, Command at Sea review, Mare Nostrum part II, Chuck Duggie’s Naval column

TM26 missing in collection….do you have a copy for scanning?

TM27 Oct95 Articles: Killer Katanas review, Adapting KK for earlier periods, The Naval Column, HMGS Spring Campaign

TM28 Dec95 Articles: Early Roman Armies, Modern Warfare corner, The Naval Column, Arty Conliffe’s Stand Games…Armati & Shako, Scenarios Busta Gallorum 552 AD, La Souffel 1815

TM29 Feb96 Articles: Roman Legion part II, Ask Etiquette Eddie, Don’t at Conventions, Scenario Fornovo 1495

TM30 Apr96 Articles: The Empire’s Last Gasp Vienna 1683, High Cost of 25′s, Return to Rosters, Filming Braveheart, Spring Campaign, Le Petite Emperor review, Gettysburg 1863

TM31 Jun96 Articles: The Empire’s Last Gasp Vienna 1683 part II, Blairwood, Armati Changes, The Naval Column, Battle of Najera 1365

TM32 Aug96 Articles: Ironic Victory-Apaches 1698, Scrutinizing Advanced Armati, The Naval Column, Nigel’s Painting Corner, Battle of Bouvines 1214

TM33 OctDec96 Articles: NashCon’96, US & German Small Unit tactics, The Naval Column, Advanced Armati Errata, Nigel’s Painting Corner, Drive to the Vistula 1939

TM34 JanFeb97 Articles: French Intervention in Mexico 1861-67, The Naval Column, Siege of Vienna part III, Armies at Vienna; the Turks, Armies at Vienna; the Imperials, The Vicksburg Campaign; three battles in June 1863, Antiquities; a Glance back through Wargaming history, Report on Fall Campaign

TM35 MarApr97 Articles: New Challenges for Chariots, Review of “Chancellorsville”, Spring Campaign schedule, Antiquities part II

TM36 JunJul97 Articles: Armati vs. DBM, Spring Campaign’97 debriefing, Introductory Etiquette, Variable Victory for DBA, California Chronicle ACW, the “Wild West” scenario

TM37 SepOct97 Articles: Historicon 97, Lighting Wars ’97 Con, Labor Day ’97 Con, the Wild West part II

TM38 OctNov97 Articles: Battle of Eutaw Springs 1781, this Old Workbench, Convention Schedule, Another Warpaint Skirmish

TM39 FebMar98 Articles: Third Silesia War 1756, HMGS Miniatures Exhibit, This Old Workbench, Great Military Disasters, Convention report, OrcCon 21 schedule

TM40 AprMay98 Articles: Celebrate History, This Old Workbench, Convention information, 

TM41 missing in collection….do you have a copy for scanning?

TM43 Feb99 Articles: The Good, the Bad and the Unpaintable part II, The Third Silesia War part IVa, Do You Remember?, Convention report

TM44 Apr99 Articles: The Third Silesia War part IVb, Greatest Generals, Wargaming Addiction, Convention line up

TM45 Jun99 Articles: Spring Convention Mini-Wars 99, 

TM46 Oct99 Articles: Historicon 99 report, Convention lineup

TM47 Dec99 Articles: APOT & ANVA Spring 63, The Russians are Coming 1942, Third Silesia War part V, Spring 2000 Convention

TM48 Apr00 Articles: 20 Questions with Tom Dye (Minifigs) part I, Four 15mm M3 Half tracks, Third Silesia War part VI, Fall Convention info

TM49 July00 Articles: 20 Questions with Tom Dye (Minifigs) part II, Arrogantly Unprepared Korea 1950, Third Silesia War part VII

TM50 missing in collection….do you have a copy for scanning?

Michael aka Wargamerabbit

mrverity58@yahoo.com

818 742 5228 m

Don't miss the action this summer!

Over the past few months several of our members have talked and worked at putting together a summer time one day con like the very successful summer offensive held last year at the Knights of Columbus hall in Anaheim California.

 HMGS/PSW is now proud to announce that another summer offensive is scheduled for this summer and its going to be down in a new area for us Manhattan Beach! This will be a great opportunity for some of us to get out of the HOT valleys and down to the beach area for some great gaming.

This one day event already has several vendors and games lined up already and will also include other types of games as well as miniatures. Historical board games and other historical hobbyist will be invited as the venue has room for all.

Check out the current info under the “Convention/Events” tab at the top of the page.

Yours in Gaming,

Bill Witthans

President HMGS/PSW

Store entrance view of the long "six games" table.

The other end of the long gaming table.

Games in progress: 

Germanic invasion of the Republic of France…..15mm “Crossfire like” 1940 game.

15mm ACW with the clash of Blue and Gray….and a touch of butternut. Johnny Reb rules I think.

The popular 15mm Flames of War, again early war with a 1940 theme. Also see Frank’s pictures on HMGS-PSW Yahoo group.

Check your 6 aerial combat….more on this game later.

Star Fleet fleet action amidst the lost rocks of space.

Before the “Flying Rabbit” makes his appearance (possible hint), some close up photos of the games. Note: Frank recently posted pictures of the FOW game on the HMGS PSW Yahoo group site. Link

Steve's 1940 German's vs. French game. German side entrance about to go "stage left" and engage the French.

Le French with their colorful tanks and armored cars.

Johnny Reb in action with Confederate view.

More Johnny Reb. Union holds the woods.

Star Trek amidst the rocks.... Harold....did you ground a Starship?

We come to the “Flying Rabbit”. Well, seeing Steve’s Check your 6 game, this WR don’d the leather helmet…tucking the long ears under the flaps, and gunned his engine. Flying Rabbit at the stick (FR).

After a solid 15 minutes with Steve….you too can fly this model with basic instruction, the FR was ready to fly his Corsair. First action. Defend the DD from a flight of Japanese kamikazes and Betty bombers with Oaka’s. No problem since the Navy destroyer figured out their lives will depend on their AA gunners and not the trainee flight. Steve never saw so many Japanese planes being blasted out of the sky (rolled three “12′s on 2 D6). The shocked Japanese remaining kamikaze was easy “meat” for the FR and his “hold down the trigger till you run out of ammo” attack.

Three Japanese Kame in flight. Two soon to drop from highly accurate naval AA. Rookie FR is flying the green post Corsair lining up the blue Zero.

Flying Rabbit scores while emptying his guns.

Ok…..first scenario done….next game. Massed Japanese assault on the fleet picket DD. As the naval AA is blasting half the Betty’s from the airspace (more 12′s), Flying rabbit is flying his two Corsairs (promoted!) to flank the pack of angry Zero’s. His co-player Ralph has his flight of Corsairs joining in. Opposition flights flown by veteran Japanese players Steve and George.

Ralph and Flying Rabbit. Rabbit's flight on right (green & yellow). 1st Betty in distance just got blasted by AA again by dice rolled 12 again.

Banking and turning....soon tangling with the Zero's after they dropped their bombs. (Rabbit grinning).

Firing his guns....Flying Rabbit breaks into the Japanese formation. Ralph goes for the surviving Betty as the other half of Zero (with bombs) head for DD.

Naval AA blasted two more Japanese planes as some sharp ship handling prevented all but one small bomb landing on the DD. Still, Flying Rabbit was shot down tangling with 4 Zero’s (claimed one more). Co-flight Ralph flamed one Zero and damaged the Betty but the Oaka missed the DD. Overall, much fun as Floating Rabbit found his rubber dinghy.

Third game…..yes three games in one afternoon. Flying Rabbit with George co-flight took on the Japanese Zeke/Jack fighters. No Navy in this game….Steve didn’t want to see the near impossible again occur (Naval AA downing planes everywhere on rolled 12′s). After some flying towards the two Japanese flights, George and FR went after the leading flight. This opened with a 4 planes on 4 planes “OK Corral” gunfight.

3rd Game...4 on 4 aerial gunfight.

Gunfight over....smoke planes and each side lost a plane. Those Japanese can shoot!

FR lost his co-plane, both George’s Corsairs have airframe issues, one Japanese shot down and another with engine damage. George’s flight had to pull away with FR after a brief tangling with both Japanese flights. FR found a local cloud formation to dodge chasing Japanese and disengaged with George’s damaged planes.

Hey….Diving, climbing, banking, pushing the trigger….and rolling the Naval AA. What else can a FR want…..watch Steve’s eyes as another natural “12″ is rolled maybe.

Thanks Steve, George, Ralph and others for the experience as FR paddles his rubber dinghy to the friendly DD.

Special note: Thanks to Aero Hobbies, Adam (organization) and Tim for actual (over seeing the event) gaming day. Good fun for all.

Other Wargamerabbit adventures can be found at: Link to Warren.

WR