Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Great War => Topic started by: Plynkes on 11 October 2009, 09:23:43 PM
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(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/01Title.jpg)
The postage-stamp-sized German colony of Pogoland (famous only for the export of delicious sausage and the energetic vertical dancing of the natives) is insignificant but for one key point. It has a naval wireless station housing a powerful radio transmitter. To hamper communications between Berlin and the bothersome ocean-going commerce raiders such as the Elke, it cannot be allowed to remain in German hands.
A scratch force of those troops that can be spared from British Central Africa is quickly assembled under the command of Lord Cut Glass of Sweet Lamb (He's the best we've got! - But that ain't saying much!). The expedition is named CUTFORCE and is landed at Wursthaven, the colony's only port. All that is facing them are the local Polizeitruppe, under the command of Polizeirat von Sickers. The landings are not opposed, rather the police retire into the interior and prepare to defend the wireless station. The docks, government buildings and sausage factory are soon in British hands.
Meanwhile the Germans dig in on Station Ridge, overlooking the approaches to the transmitter...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/02Station.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/02aTheRidge.jpg)
Two units of police and a Maxim gun prepare to face the attack.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/03StartLine.jpg)
Sgt. Ifor "Dancing" Williams is first over the top, and leads his boyos forward with gusto.
CUTFORCE assembled on their start line behind the railway embankment, ready to assault the ridge. The force consisted of the Brecknock and Radnorshire Rifles, stiffened with a detachment from the famous KAR, whose bush-fighting skills would provide a useful addition, it was thought.
"Now then, chaps. I don't want you to worry at all, but we've got quite a lot of open ground to cover before we can get at the bloody Hun, so it's inevitable that quite a few of you aren't going to make it. But be not downhearted, it's time to show your King that true-hearted Welshmen know how to die well. Hip-Hip-Hoorah! Off you go, now. See you at the finish!"
Indeed, previously such attacks in German Central Africa had always ended in horrible slaughter as the attackers were mown down like so many hay stalks (in our games at any rate). So this time some support was provided in the form of...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/04Mortar.jpg)
They've got the mortar, borrowed from the neighbouring French colony of Côte de Stupidité, but can these Welsh lads figure out how the damn thing works?
...A trench mortar,
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/05MountainGun2.jpg)
...and a mountain gun from the 1st Kaffiristan Mountain Battery, in addition to the B&RR's own Vickers HMG. Hopefully this would be enough to suppress the defences. Fingers crossed!
Now here's the thing. Sickers has developed something of a phobia about artillery. He's convinced that whenever he faces it in a game it always strikes with deadly accuracy, and yet whenever he has command of any himself, it is always next to bloody useless. How would the gods of Arty treat him today? Well, the trench mortar began "warming up" the German position. Its main use is to suppress the enemy, only having a 1 in 5 chance of actually causing harm. But it scored direct hits two turns in a row, causing a few casualties. This convinced Sickers the gods were against him again, and he made a decision that would have a decisive effect on the outcome of the battle...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/06MG.jpg)
He withdrew all his infantry to the reverse slope of the ridge, where their tormentors could do them little harm. Only the Maxim was left in the firing line, as it was doing good work scoring hits on the enemy infantry at long range.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/06aMountainGun.jpg)
But now the MG was the only available target, and so all the British support weapons concentrated on it. It was quickly silenced.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/07Dryditch.jpg)
The Brits couldn't believe their luck. They advanced unmolested to the cover of the dry ditch. Von Sickers intended to reoccupy his defences to pour fire on the attackers, but when was the best moment? He hesitated and procrastinated. Would it prove fatal?
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/08Sailors.jpg)
On the British left flank, a long range exchange of fire began as the KAR had now advanced into view of the navy crew of the wireless station. They were determined not to give up their post cheaply. Both sides started taking casualties.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/09Dryditch2.jpg)
Still no sign of the Germans on the ridge, so the order came to advance.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/10Vickers.jpg)
"Organ Morgan" opens fire. Previously chapel organist in Llandod, he now plays his tune on an altogether more deadly instrument.
With nothing else to shoot at, the Vickers was brought forward to the termite mound to support the KAR, and its presence was soon felt. The sailors would not be able to stand this for long.
The plucky Welshmen had by now nearly reached the ridge. Von Sickers to his horror realised he had left it too late. The B&RR would be able to snap fire at his men as they tried to reach their trenches again. In desperation, and not knowing what else to do, he ordered his constables to fix their bayonets and...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/11Banzai1.jpg)
...Charge! They piled down the hill into the squad of unlucky Llangunllo postman, Sgt. Attila Rees. They would surely have been swept away, but for the quick thinking of fellow-sergeant Evans the Death, coffin-maker and funeral director of Penybont; whose squad was in range to give support. Screaming "Up the Rifles! Give it to 'em, ye unruly young buggers!" in his booming bass-baritone voice he led his men crashing into the German police's flank. As in civilian life, Evans' gruesome nickname was once again most apt.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/12Banzai2.jpg)
At the other end of the ridge, a similar desperate fight was taking place. It was time for Dancing Williams' boys to show the enemy that a Welshman with a bayonet was not something to be taken lightly.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/13Banzai3.jpg)
And so it proved. The Politzeitruppe were cut down in a bloody melee, and now virtually nothing stood between the British and their goal. And they had achieved this with remarkably few casualties.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/14Flightfromdanger.jpg)
Von Sickers, whose dreadful mishandling of his troops had caused this debacle, fled for his life across the corn fields. If he ever made it back to Germany, he would have some serious explaining to do. He had managed to serve up the kind of gargantuan military cock-up the Brits usually specialise in.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/15ManAlone.jpg)
The single remaining brave defender of the station could see the writing on the wall, and he reluctantly gave up possession of his post to the enemy. So that was that. The brief, doomed resistance put up by the German colony of Pogoland was over. It would become The British Mandate of Pogoland in 1919. In thanks for the loan of the trench mortar, the French were given charge of the sausage factory, which became France's smallest overseas possession, Pogoland Français until independence in 1963. After a plebiscite of the population (i.e. the factory workers) it merged with the newly independent British Pogoland to become the Pogolese Democratic Republic in 1965. It remains the producer of the best Rote Wurst outside of Europe to this day.
Well, that's it. A bad day for Sickers. His artillerophobia really contributed to his downfall this time. Two lucky hits and he lost his nerve, convinced he would be slaughtered by the shelling. In withdrawing to safety he gave up his only advantage: The ability to cause crippling casualties as the British advanced across the deadly open space. Had he stuck it out and held his nerve, I believe the result would have been much closer. As it was the Brits only lost eight men, while the Germans lost almost all of theirs in their foolish "Banzai" charge.
A series of sort of time-lapse shots of the game in progress, documenting the British advance...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/16Timelapse1.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/17Timelapse2.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/18Timelapse3.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/19Timelapse4.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/20Timelapse5.jpg)
Rules were Price of Glory. Figures by HLBSC, Copplestone, Brigade, Old Glory and converted Great War Miniatures.
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A fantastic looking game, thanks for posting.
Oddly enough, I can't say I've ever heard of Pogoland...
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Very nice indeed!
Who makes the building and the antenna (tower)?
I need some for my Pacific Ocean german colony (Pogoland? or better Bismarcksland!)
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excellent!
in fact, the true reason for the landing was surely the sausage factory, because HRM got sick of british sausage and wanted to have some of the good stuff from home...
and since Willem wasn't visiting any more....
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Once again a lovely narrative Mr P.
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Not heard of Pogoland? That is a sad indication of declining standards in the Somerset education system. At least it had better be. If it is an accusation that I am telling fibs, then I shall have to take steps, and my seconds may have to call on your seconds.
To prove I am not a purveyor of falsehoods, here is a postage stamp retrieved from a letter from my penpal Kwesi Okeke-Fleischer, who lives in the Pogolese Republic:
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/Pogoland.jpg)
Never heard of it, indeed... ;)
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so it is Hippo sausage in fact....
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Argsilverson: Hornby Model Railway pack of three electrical pylons, with the tell-tale electrical pylon parts left off...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station%20Ridge/Pylons.jpg)
Link found at random, you may be able to get them cheaper elsewhere. I'm sure mine didn't cost £12:
http://www.newmodellersshop.co.uk/skaledale/r530_pylons_kit.htm (http://www.newmodellersshop.co.uk/skaledale/r530_pylons_kit.htm)
In fact I don't need three, Arg: So if you PM me your postal address I shall send you one free of charge (if I can find it in my mess of a spares pile).
The building is from Ainsty, now sold by Old Crow. Google ought to find them for you.
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Interesting conversion. never thought of it.
BTW: Pogoland was a german colony surrendered to the Australians, given to french! They should have a far better education system than EU nowdays!
Another question:
Where are those natives performing "the energetic vertical dancing"
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Australians? Sorry, you've lost me there. The B&RR come from Wales, not New South Wales. Pogoland isn't a Pacific Island, it is a tiny slice of West Africa.
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Sorry, I did not follow well the story. Delete australians and replace the word with "Welsh" or "Welshmen".
It seems that our education system is very bad indeed, never heard of Republique Pogolaise before. And I thought I was a geography expert!!
Too bad for me!
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Me suspects Sickers was a victim of Pogoland's failure to develop alcoholic libations. The courage, coupled with the sausages would have filled his belly and helped him tipple his way to victory.
Oh well, perhaps another day... ;D
Pretty pretty....
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Lucky it was that His Majesty sent WELSH troops to do the fighting, see you. I don't think that ordinary English, Scottish or Irish boyos would have been BRAVE enough. And I have heard say that English soldiers are AFRAID of the word "sausage" and so they would bloody run away as soon as they even heard mention the word, wouldn't they?!
At least that's what they do tell me back in the Valley.
;)
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Great report and some great minis.
really good inspiration, thanks alot for sharing
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Lovely report and pictures.
Hah, the Welsh? I bet you could have just sent in the Bloch-head and he would have stormed the place and taken it single-handedly. The man loves his sausage.
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Great stuff Plynkes. It's always fun to read one of your AARs.
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Thanks Dylan for an excellent gaming report.
Helen
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Splendid, splendid!
Dylan, you may have answered this before but the chain link fence, is that car repair mesh?
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Really well done! I love all the fun little details! :-* :-*
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Not heard of Pogoland? That is a sad indication of declining standards in the Somerset education system. At least it had better be.
Too true! We are but simple country folk.
I'll just go and check the Atlas...
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I always love reading your game reports Plynkes.
Your writing style is very entertaining - there is always a story and the best of your reports is the humor.
Thank you
Björn
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Really enjoyable thank you
just shows that you shouldn't trifle with boys from the valleys :D
VB
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From the Valleys? Hardly. How insulting. They're worse than the bloody English down there. These brave boyos come from the uplands of Sir Faesyfed and Brycheiniog. :)
Hammers, I'm not sure about that. Could be. I didn't make the fence, but picked it up cheap at a show many years ago. No idea who the manufacturer was, just a bloke selling his stuff on a table.
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By the way, those pylons are dead tidy. They really *make* that table.
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Lovely game and lovely figures :-* :-* :-*
Looks like fun.
Is that a green blanket you use to cover the table or is it something special. It appears to have a brown tinge to it?
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It's a Mat-o-War gaming mat bought from Antenociti's...
http://www.barrule.com/workshop/gaming%20mats/gaming%20mats%20for%20wargamers.html (http://www.barrule.com/workshop/gaming%20mats/gaming%20mats%20for%20wargamers.html)
You are right, it is made up of several colours of grass (if you look at it closely it appears to be made of a static grass-like material, compressed into a slightly rubbery mat), and is a little more pleasing to the eye than my older plain green felt ones.
Supposedly, if you brush it with a wire brush you can make it even more "grassy" as the grass will stand up a little. Haven't tried that yet - a little nervous of ruining it. The thing is the same on both sides, though, so if I make a mess of one side I can still use the other.
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awsome stuff
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It's a Mat-o-War gaming mat bought from Antenociti's...
Reading the linky page they really sell it as if was next great thing since pre-sliced bread. Is it? My static-grass-on olive felt is quite good mix of colours but is running a bit scrofulous from wear, especially along the fold lines. As I understand it you get no fold lines with the Mat-O-War.
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I like it, but I don't think it is as amazing as they make it out to be. Actually when it first arrived I was rather underwhelmed by it, and said so on TMP (in a thread where someone was asking for opinions on them). The Mat-o-War chap was not very happy, and got a little defensive about it. The ones in their pictures look much more "grassy" (as if you had a whole table covered with static grass) than the thing I received, which didn't seem all that different to an ordinary felt mat, apart from the nice mix of colours. It is also not long enough yet too wide for our table, so there is lots of wasted area. But that isn't their fault, I should have checked the dimensions better.
There are fold lines. Whoever said there aren't is fibbing. In conclusion, I think a lot of the talk about the things is pure propaganda, they over-sell it. It is a nice gaming mat, but that is all it is.
I must say though that I have revised the initial response that I had when opening the package for the first time. I've grown to rather like it and cannot say I'm disappointed with it any more. It is certainly much nicer than my older plain one-colour felt tablecloths.
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Thanks Useful information :)
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Thanks Useful information :)
Yeah, ditto. I may go for that rubber matt instead or perhaps repair my old grass-on-felt matt if I can find the right kind of glue.
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Another spiffing report Plynkes old chap, always look forward to these.
Although you say the painting muse as left you it is nice to see that the entertaining AAR muse is still strong :)
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Brilliant report & game :D :D :D :D
Keith :?
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Brilliant, as always! Can you fill me in on the mountain gun? Since (as you know) no one makes 10 lbers for WWI I'm assuming you did a conversion.
Thanks
Scott Pasha
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Yes, it is simply an Old Glory Victorian mountain gun (from their NWF range) with a bit of surgery to make it into a breech-loader (basically the same thing they did to the real ones :)). As you may be able to see in the photos, I cut the back end off and modelled the breech as open, ready to take a shell. The crew member with the sponge/ramrod was obviously discarded.
The whole idea (including the little portable shields) came to me when I saw this photo of one in action in East Africa:
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Tangagun2.jpg)
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The crew member with the sponge/ramrod was obviously discarded.
actually there wouldn't have been a need to do that, since similar devices are used today to oil and clean the barrel between actions - however obviously not in action
useful conversion btw - happen to have a close-up of the breech at hand?
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I don't have a close-up to hand, I'm afraid. Maybe I'll take a close-up next time I'm taking some photos if I remember. Probably just as well, really. It's a job from a couple of years ago and is a tiny bit wonky. If I did it now I think it would be better as my skills have improved a bit since then. Luckily you don't really see it much as that part of the gun is tucked away and not very noticeable.
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only interested in Your approach since I had to build some cannon myself
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Gosh!
That's a great report, super duper table and stunning minis.
Makes my head spin.
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Great Job! I am truly inspired.
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I have a feeling that sitting in on one of your games would be the highlight of many people's gaming career. I very nearly spent a load of cash I don't really have on a bunch of figures I don't have time to paint as a consequence of reading this. If I don't find someone to restrain me at Fall In I may still come home with a load of figures for WW1 Africa.
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find a club with people who have the figures and want to play ;)
I do not own a single colonial miniature and have played lots of colonial games the last 1,5 years
whenever I happen to get a figure with a pith helmet in a mixed pack, I give it away, cause I know it'll want to multiply
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nice pictures and reports as ever!
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From the Valleys? Hardly. How insulting. They're worse than the bloody English down there. These brave boyos come from the uplands of Sir Faesyfed and Brycheiniog. :)
Err Ladies and Gents I'm new here, pray tell how does one go about challenging someone to a duel? ;)
Do the duelling rules permit the use of wet fish as a weapon of choice?
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I think You can't go wrong with rubber chicken ;)
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Do the duelling rules permit the use of wet fish as a weapon of choice?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhJQp-q1Y1s
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I should hope so
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Another inspirational, rip-roaring report with some great figures and superb terrain - well done!!! Where did you get the railway banking from. Excellent localised cover!
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The embankment is home-made to fit the few pieces of track I had lying around. Simply constructed from several layers of cardboard glued on top of each other, covered with Polyfilla then textured and painted.
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The embankment is home-made to fit the few pieces of track I had lying around. Simply constructed from several layers of cardboard glued on top of each other, covered with Polyfilla then textured and painted.
Genius! Thanks
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Plynkes,
thank you for posting this inspiring report.
The Reverend
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Adroddiad brwydr ardderchog. Llyniau gwych. Da iawn frawd. 8)
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Look! Even the Klingons like it!
(Mae ddrwg calon twrchtrwyth!)
pa'vo' yIjaH Bezzo! >:D
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Klingon and Welsh are related languages? Who knew? :D
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Klingon and Welsh are related languages? Who knew? :D
Have you been to Swansea on a Saturday night?
A warrior race if ever there was. Even the occasional Bat'Leth. :o lol
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Great game and fine read - a true Plynkes!
:-*
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Great stuff Plynkes. For me, youre scenarios and reports are up there alongside the Maj Gen and Red Shadows, colonial I know but still!
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Blimey, that's high praise indeed. I'm touched. Thank you very much.
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I'm touched.
We know. ;)
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Stunning campaign!!!! Wooow :o :o :o :o
a question, mr. Plynkes, where I can find this minis?
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station Ridge/06MG.jpg)
thanks !!
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Stunning campaign!!!! Wooow :o :o :o :o
a question, mr. Plynkes, where I can find this minis?
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/Station Ridge/06MG.jpg)
thanks !!
I'm not Plynkes, however, the figures are Brigade Games. The officer nco pointing is from the German sailor command and the mg and officer/nco behind are from the Germans in helmet and both are from their East Africa range:
http://www.brigadegames.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BG-WIAG17&Category_Code=BGHMGWIA&Product_Count=37
http://www.brigadegames.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BG-WIAG10&Category_Code=BGHMGWIA&Product_Count=33
Helen
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Yes, that's it.
Mortimer asked the same question in another thread and I answered it there. I didn't realise he had asked it here too. Thanks, Helen. :)
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Lovely report some good pictures, really really nice figures and a stunning game board.
Really nice to look at.
Steve
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Me suspects Sickers was a victim of Pogoland's failure to develop alcoholic libations.
I really need to get some new glasses.
On a first read through I thought this said Pogoland failed to develop alcoholic librarians.
The stamp showing hippo sausage on a stick is a true collectors item.