Working on some wargames scenarios

No gaming this week as I'm far too busy getting a work project finished, including working over the weekend. Plus there's my forex trading book to finish. However, I'm also planning to get some wargaming activity in during the next couple of months, and while on the train am working up four scenarios from different areas of interest. These are as follows:

Battle of Linden Way (Bloodbath at Orc's Drift campaign, part iii, using Lord of the Rings): The third part of the Orc's Drift campaign is almost ready, and I'm hoping to have this up and running in time for the February half term here in the UK. There are a few minor painting tasks to still complete, plus some scenario notes and special rules. As before, it will use Games Workshop's Lord of the Rings rules, and results will impact the size of the final orc horde that appears at Orc's Drift. I'll probably only play this the once, unlike Ashak Rise, which I managed to run three times! There is scope for making this a multi-player battle, and I can envisage roles for four players with a minor role for a fifth.

Contracting Trouble (Ambush Alley): We had some great fun playing an Ambush Alley scenario last year. I'm keen to give it some more welly, using one of the other starter scenarios in the original rule book (wargamers will know Ambush Alley has now evolved into a more comprehensive rules volume called Force on Force). This is really a two or one player scenario, featuring Marines trying to rescue a couple of 'security contractors' pinned down in a hostile suburb of Baghdad. Those who have seen The Hurt Locker may recall a similar situation in that film.

Tempelhof Bahn Station 1945 (Disposable Heroes): We've also played some Disposable Heroes before, but last time I felt the Germans were a bit light in numbers compared to my Soviet platoon. I've since been expanding my Wehrmacht forces, including armour and some more infantry. This scenario features a Soviet assault on the German defenders of Berlin - it's the last days of the Reich really. It is an urban battle focused on the Tempelhof railway and subway stations, which were part of the German defence line protecting Tempelhof airport, a key Soviet objective in the early stages of the battle for Berlin. I see this as a two player battle with an umpire, as there is a degree of hidden movement involved.

Attack on the Camp/Myer's Drift 1879 (The Sword and The Flame): Finally, last year we also got in our first real game of  The Sword and the Flame. I thought it played well, but looking back on it, I thought entire units got wiped out rather too quickly, with the Zulus in particular suffering massive slaughter. It could be argued that this is historically correct. I'm planning on giving this another go, as I've since added to both sides, with more Zulus, some Boers and some Natal Native Contingent. Units will be a little bit more random in size. Using a scenario from the excellent Scenarios for Wargames book by Charles Grant, I'm hoping to get most of my currently painted colonial armies on the table. This scenario features a dawn attack by a Zulu impi on a British/Colonial encampment on the north side of a strategic ford/drift. It is loosely based on the successful Zulu surprise attack at Intombe against elements of the 80th Foot in March 1879.