Turning Point: Stalingrad board wargame played

Played a session of the ever excellent Turning Point Stalingrad game with my Dad (who is thankfully much better after problems with stomach ulcers prior to Christmas period).
A tense game with Dad managing to secure a win with 8 VPs at end of first week aided by my cocking up Russian reinforcements (I limited them for a couple of turns to 3 units per turn instead of per impulse) leaving me rather weak on left flank.
Once an area is lost to Germans its tough for Russians to take back especially if Armoured or Flak units manage to invest the area.
Conversely I caused Germans a lot of grief with a breakthrough on my right as my Dad left too few units in Zones to cope with marauding Ivans.
A great game and hard to believe this came out back in 1989 !!!!

Catching up again.......

Busy again so a brief catch-up on gaming activity.

Managed a couple of plays of Combat Commander with my Dad.
Both scenarios from the original CC:Europe set.
First set in Ste Mere Eglise and the second an anti-Partisan sweep in the east.

Also managed to catch up with a few ongoing Vassal Pbem games.

Hannibal: Rome Vs Carthage (vs Vita)

No Peace Without Spain (vs David Pentland who is going for the jugular at Paris !) 

 The Dark Valley (vs Mike)

 Turning Point Stalingrad with last stand of Red Army (vs Stefano)

And an EBay purchase of a title I have been looking for

Turning Point Stalingrad played and some AFVs painted (yesyou heard correctly paint applied !!!)

Managed to play a live game of this classic title with my Dad last evening. Great stuff with Russians hanging on to riverbank aided by a couple of short days for the Germans.
Love these area/zone games as lots of anguishing decisions to make as to where to take an action against a ticking clock.
Stalingrad has an added twist in that units which are involved in combat can be Disrupted for 1 - 4 days !! This means a good deal of planning required to plan each days actions especially for the German player (Russian more reactive).
The map board (mounted) is a joy to the eyes and so many evocative locations thereon.
The counter are old school compared to modern games but perfectly functional and good large size.
The rule book is comprehensive but boy is it badly laid out with important rules 'hidden' in blocks of text or in an unexpected section.
Game ended after first week with Germans coming up short of the 7 VP required (tournament scenario) achieving only 5.
I have tried this on Vassal but as ever so much better in live and tactile environment as I tend to miss things on biggish maps in Vassal at times.
Good time had with an older title from the late great Avalon Hill stable.

Also managed over course of past few weeks to paint (gasp ! shock !!) up several 15mm AFVs that have been languishing unloved.
Just need some decals/numbers applied.
I had planned a game of Battlegroup Overlord but sadly work got in the way again.
Note these are sitting on a newly acquired gaming mat which is quite nice being of a 'tea towel' type material.
Needs a good ironing and maybe the white edging hidden underneath otherwise good to go.

Board Wargames ongoing online................

Just a few screenshots from several (ie too many !) Vassal (and one Cyberboard) PBEM games I have going at present.
Vassal has really helped rejuvenate my interest in Board Wargames however to the detriment of my figure painting and bank balance !!

This is Paths Of Glory (Cyberboard version) with Western Front situation in 1915 with Germans mounting an assault on my British and Belgiums at Brussels

Age of Napoleon game circa 1807 against aptly named Greig Goodfellow with me upholding Allied cause against the Ogre

WW2 Barbarossa To Berlin (one of my favourite games) in which my Allies are getting royally duffed having lost North Africa the Caucasus and at one point Moscow !!

Bitter Woods an Avalon Hill (RIP) game my first time playing. I am US forces having a hard time stemming Nazi tide (good luck spotting US units !!)

Southern sector

 Northern sector (with Liege in trouble)

Kingdom Of Heaven against ex-pat Norman playing as Crusaders in Third Crusade scenario. I have suffered a lot from attrition and disease but both Richard and Saladin have powerful armies heading for a showdown.

Northern region

Southern region where I am besieging Jerusalem and suffering awfully to epidemic disease !

Liberty Roads another first time try with me as defenders of Third Reich. Renny my fresh opponent has invaded in Brittany and is firmly ashore. An interesting game this one with no ZOC !! and some nice 'chrome' such as Support Counter draws.

Turning Point Stalingrad another old Avalon Hill (RIP) title I had for years but now playing for first time in anger !! Tough situation for Ivans (ie yours truly).

Soviet remaining 'strongholds' in the northern enclaves of the city

The overall situation with Nazis having cleared southern Stalingrad

And last but not least Hannibal: Rome vs Carthage another AH title I have not played in years. Note this Vassal module uses the newer Phalanx Games Edition board and counters (which I find a little cluttered and indistinct on Vassal)