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 !!!!

Some VASSAL and PBEM action

Been a while since I posted any screenshots from ongoing Vassal and Pbem games so......





Turning Point Stalingrad with Ivans barely holding on during 29th Sept (VASSAL)

The Dark Valley Nothern regions (Vassal)

Southern portion

CMAK a tough crossing of Volturno for 36th Texans

Campaign Series Western Front a Spanish Civil War bash

PBEM Catch-up

Managed to get several turns of ongoing Vassal and Cyberboard Pbem games done (I have been very slow of late with all these)

Barbarossa To Berlin opening gamut versus David

 Hannibal Rome vs Cathage versus Vita

 Stalemate on Western Front in Paths Of Glory versus Marc

 Stalin orders futile counterattacks in The Dark Valley versus Mike

Death throes of Soviet defenders in Turning Point Stalingrad versus Stefano

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.

Vassal games catch-up

Been very slow with my Vassal games this past few weeks but did manage a few turns this morning (prior to late shift).








Kingdom of Heaven with large battle unfolding at Jerusalem between Richard and Saladin

Paths of Glory (via Cyberboard)

Hannibal Rome vs Carthage

The Dark Valley as Barbarossa unfolds

Turning Point Stalingrad with Ivans grimly hanging on