Tuesday 21 May 2024

THE BUNKER - Alfa Zone/Rogue Stars Project (Part 3)

I'm lucky in that three times a year there is a very good wargames tabletop sale not that far from me. I usually book a table and sell my wares which keeps me busy but I always try and make time for a wander round to see what bargains can be unearthed under the mountains of Warhammer! 

The last one was at the beginning of May and was very busy but after the initial rush I managed to find time to grab a bacon and sausage sandwich and head off for a quick scan of the other stalls to see if there was anything suitable for my current projects. One stall was selling a lot of old MDF buildings, mostly 15mm, but buried among them was a bag containing two sets of the Red Vectors 28mm Sci Fi Doors currently available from the marvelous chaps over at Pendraken. So this meant I know had six double doors and six single doors to add to the Bunker Project. 

After assembly I noticed there was slight damage to the keypad on one of the single doors but after painting them up it just looks like a damaged keypad. Maybe a stray shot destroyed the panel? 

So know I have twelve doors ready to go. 

Six double doors complete with added rust. The keypad and little screen are a great addition to an otherwise very simple design.

Six single doors again with added rust. The door bottom right has the damaged keypad and I just painted what buttons were available on the panel. 

As always thanks for looking.


Wednesday 1 May 2024

THE BUNKER - Alfa Zone/Rogue Stars Project (Part Two)

A quick update on the Bunker project. A couple of rooms starting to take shape and some ideas for future areas for the Bunker.

L-R Two computer stations made from computers from Ainsty Castings plinths with added Actual Size Miniatures computers. Ice machine, washing machine and fridge again from Actual Size Miniatures.

Idea for another room is a small workshop complete with lathe, milling machines and pillar drills. All from Anyscale Models.

Rough idea for a room layout. Plan is to add a couple of workbenches.

Two completed wall sections for Computer Room A showing the doors I have decided on from Blotz.

Computer Room A starting to take shape. The flooring is some left over roofing felt from a bike shed.

Another view of Computer Room A.

Computer Room A again showing the Blotz door which I'm really pleased with as I think they match the feel of the Bunker.

WIP Hover Truck from Oshiro Models. I have a trailer section for this as well. Going for the industrial yellow scheme.

Another corridor section added.

Computer Room A leading out into the new corridor section.

As always thanks for looking. 


Wednesday 3 April 2024

THE BUNKER - Alfa Zone/Rogue Stars Project (Part One)

 Over the Easter break I have finally taken the plunge and started a project that I have been thinking about for many many years. I have been collecting bits and bobs at Bring & Buy sales, eBay and various other places for a long time with this project in mind. After a false start a few years ago I have finally got a plan mainly thanks to my good friend and wargaming buddy Richard C introducing me to Rogue Stars and then later coming across Zone Alfa. 

So here goes. First up is a collection of bits from Ainsty Castings and Actual Size Miniatures (eBay) that I have been collecting over the years plus a few more recent purchases from the same suppliers.

Two Nuka Cola machines from Actual Size Miniatures. Fantastic little additions. Obviously Fallout inspired. These will take pride of place in the Barracks area.

Nice detail on the reverse of the models.

Again from Actual Size Miniatures. This is part of a set of 4 similar items. Bill at Actual Size has very kindly done me 4 extra of these as I plan to use them throughout the Bunker as a communication system.

All Actual Size apart from the cupboard unit which is from Ainsty Castings.

Beds and chairs are from Scotia Grendel.

Table and chairs from Scotia Grendel.

Good view of the added Nuka Cola bottle in the machine.


Some scatter terrain rubbish piles for the entrance to the Bunker. Again mostly Actual Size.

Computer Room WIP with Ainsty Castings. Not sure where the bookcase is from, possibly Fenris Games.

The walls are made from 10mm Insulation Foam for underneath laminate floor painted up to resemble concrete slabs. The floor is an offcut of roofing felt that came with a small bike shed. The roll was enormous and after using what I needed for the shed roof I have a load left. 

That's it for Part One. Thanks for looking and hopefully Part Two will be along soon. More walls and scatter pieces. 


Monday 28 November 2022

SALE ITEMS - Having a Bit of a Clear-Out (Part One)

I have decided that I have far too much stuff and most of it hasn't seen the light of day for a long time. So it's time to concentrate on a few of my favourite projects and add to them and at the same time get rid of some stuff that I will never use. 

£18.00 inc postage UK only

£25.00 inc postage UK only

£25.00 inc postage UK only

£15.00 inc postage UK only

£15.00 inc postage UK only

£12.00 inc postage UK only

£12.00 inc postage UK only

£12.00 inc postage UK only

£12.00 inc postage UK only

£12.00 inc postage UK only

£30.00 inc postage UK only

£30.00 inc postage UK only

If you are interested in any of the above please email me at coldwarcommanders93@gmail.com



Tuesday 18 October 2022

BAG OF BITS - The Carrier Bag Project (Part Two)

So in between commission work and painting figures for Steel Lard in November, at which myself and my good friend Richard C are running a Sharp Practice game set in Riga in 1812, I have started on the Bag of Bits I bought at Penkridge for the princely sum of £3.00. 

After a good sort through I found several bits of Necron Warriors in various states of repair! From the bits I managed to make two complete miniatures. Now I haven't played WH40K since the original Rogue Trader, however Richard C recently introduced me to Rogue Stars, one of the Blue Books from Osprey, a great little Sci-Fi skirmish game which is ideal for utilising all sorts of miniatures. So these two chaps will be added to the Rogue Stars collection. 





Tuesday 20 September 2022

BAG OF BITS - The Carrier Bag Project (Part One)

On Sunday I headed over to the Penkridge Wargames Tabletop Sale. I had booked a couple of tables to get rid of some stuff that I've accumulated over the years and that I don't think I will be using now that I have opened The Unit. Most of my projects are related to future games etc. Had a really good morning and sold a load of stuff but as I was so busy I didn't really get chance to have a good rummage through all the stalls. I did pick up some 28mm terrain pieces for future games at The Unit and I'll post more information on those later this week. However one thing I did spot was a carrier bag on the stall opposite with a label saying 'Bag of Bits'! So when I had a minute I popped over to have a look but didn't get long as a customer at my stall appeared. What I did see where a few bits that looked interesting including some Warhammer Bretonnian horses which are always useful for Italian Wars etc. So after some hard haggling I managed to get the chap down to £3.00 from £5.00. Result! So today I have had a chance to have a look at what I have ended up with and I have to say I am rather pleased. Aswell as the horses there were quite a few 28mm plastic Landsknechts, 28mm skeletons and enough figures to make three groups for Rogue Stars. 

So I thought it might be interesting to document my progress through the carrier bag and see what I can create.  






Saturday 6 August 2022

SHARP PRACTICE II - ACW Somewhere Down the Crazy River

On Saturday 23rd July I headed back over the Peak District to my good friend Richard C's house in Storrs for a game of Sharp Practice 2. Followers of Richards' http://thelandofcounterpane.blogspot.com/ will no doubt have seen his recent work on converting some Perry ACW figures to represent the Mississippi Marine Brigade and for this scenario I was going to take on the role of Captain Daniel R Rosebush in charge of a unit from the Mississippi Marine Brigade tasked with thwarting Confederate operations along the river.

Union Briefing 

It is May 1863 and for nearly 12 months the Union has been unable to establish complete control over the Mississippi River. While the Confederates continue to hold the fortified heights at Vicksburg, the Union plan to cut the Confederacy in half remains incomplete. Despite patrolling by Union gunships, vital supplies from the West continue to cross the mighty river. However, difficulties in coordinating cross-river and overland traffic mean that supplies often wait in riverside warehouses and barns while onward transport is arranged. These temporary stashes of supplies represent targets of opportunity for the Mississippi Marine Brigade. It is believed that Confederate smugglers have been moving supplies across the river near Hackspit, Mississippi. A Marine Brigade unit under Captain Daniel R Rosebush is ordered to identify and destroy any supplies in the area. Union Deployment Between towns the river bank is pretty featureless. It’s not easy to be sure exactly where you are coming ashore. As a result you will roll a d6 to determine the location of your Deployment Point. The levee at Hackspit is steep-sided, impassible to mounted cavalry and an obstacle to deploying your artillery. When the artillery Leader’s card comes up they may be deployed as usual in contact with the Deployment Point but only if a non-artillery Group has previously had its chance to deploy onto the table and not done so (simply state that the Group in question are “assisting their colleagues”). The assisting Group may deploy as normal when its Leader’s card is drawn again after the artillery has deployed. 

Union Forces 

Capt D R Rosebush (Level III Leader) Blue 1 with Musician, Physic, Spirits & Tinderbox 2 Groups of Union infantry 1 Group of Union skirmishers 

Sergeant Walter Jones (Level I Leader) Blue 2 with 1 Group of dismounted cavalry 

Sergeant Wade Deeply (Level I Leader) Blue 3 with 1 Group of artillery

Ron took charge of the Confederate forces in the area as Sergeant Salmon A Wartner with a couple of units of Confederate infantry plus a large unit of cavalry that eventually arrived later in the game.

As I was slightly hampered by the fact that I was required to keep one Group of non-artillery troops off-table until they had used up an activation helping the artillery into position I decided to initially deploy a unit of skirmishers and push them up the Union right.

Sgt Jones and the dismounted cavalry were sent out on the Union left to take position on the edge of a small wood with a clear field of fire to the barn. 

Capt D R Rosebush  deploys on to the table with his drummer and physic.

View from the levee showing the two skirmisher units pushing out to the left and the right flanks.

Eventually I managed to get Sgt Wade Deeply and his artillery deployed along with the remaining two units of the Mississippi Marine Brigade. 

Confederate infantry move out from behind the barn and fire upon the Union skirmishers.

Another unit of Confederate infantry move out from behind the barn and start to fire on the Union dismounted Cavalry.

Luckily I had managed to get them into the woods before they were fired upon.

Return fire from both my skirmisher units start to cause casualties and also quite a lot of shock!

The Confederates were now coming under fire from all directions with the main infantry group and the artillery joining in.

After forcing the Confederate infantry on my right flank to retreat I immediately pushed the skirmisher unit towards the objective, the barn housing the supplies.

The artillery continued to lay down fire on the other Confederate infantry unit to the left of the barn.

It was at this point that a Confederate cavalry force that were in the area decided to put in an appearance and they immediately charged my main body of infantry. 

Despite causing a few casualties and some shock the cavalry came thundering onwards!

It wasn't looking good for the Mississippi Marine Brigade! One bit of luck saw a random event roll for the Confederates result in the barn containing the supplies catching fire! 

Slowly with continued fire from the skirmishers and the artillery I had begun to reduce the Confederates force morale but with the cavalry charging towards my main force I decided to try and take the Confederate deployment point and reduce their force morale even further.

As expected the cavalry charged forced my main infantry force back up the steep banks of the levee. Luckily the cavalry were unable to pursue. As you can see I had managed to inflict quite a few casualties on the cavalry but not enough to stop their charge.

As the Confederate cavalry tried to re-organise themselves at the foot of the levee my skirmishers continued to inflict casualties and shock on the two Confederate infantry units as well achieving hits on leaders further reducing the Confederate force morale.

A chapter end saw the roof collapse destroying the Confederate supplies within and my skirmishers, accompanied by Capt Daniel R Rosebush himself, were successful in capturing the deployment point.

At this point, with the Confederate force morale at 1 and the Union still on 7 Ron took the decision to retreat his remaining forces. A successful mission for the Mississippi Marine Brigade, although when the Confederate cavalry arrived I did fear the worst, but both skirmisher units proved invaluable in putting sustained fire on the Confederates throughout the game. 

Great game and I look forward to playing some more ACW Sharp Practice.