December 2021 – Jim’s SF novels and wargame rules

They’re probably foreigners with ways different from our own. They may do some more… folk dancing.

New Year, new project. Or something like that. This venture rather crept up on me. I’d been pondering Martians and HG Wells; even doing a blog post about them. Then Ali Doğan Sayıner mentioned that he thought that it would be interesting if the Martians had landed earlier, and in a more martial country. AfterContinue reading “They’re probably foreigners with ways different from our own. They may do some more… folk dancing.”

Really Close Air Support. Or ‘Ho, Ho. Ho.’

The idea of this scenario is that it’s pretty generic, to be played in any scale. But it does give you a chance to make the aircraft the main protagonist rather than being relegated to the part of a bit player providing support of dubious value. Basically you can set it in any period afterContinue reading “Really Close Air Support. Or ‘Ho, Ho. Ho.’”

Rear Echelon

A solo game for the Viet Cong Now we have the world turned upside down. I know people who like to play Americans because you have lots of nice toys and get to hit the table with heaps of artillery and air support. Similarly you have players who like to be the VC because theyContinue reading “Rear Echelon”

First Contact

A scenario for Hell by Daylight The scene is somewhere perhaps ten miles from the coast of SE England in September 1940. The threatened invasion has happened. In one small town the Home Guard have been called out and have deployed to defend their community. The ‘problem’ with 1940 is that the Home Guard don’tContinue reading “First Contact”

Merchant Caravan

A solo game/campaign for Hellfire. The caravan prepares to march out. At the head a drummer sets the pace. Behind him come the beast wagons laden with the produce of the city of Tizzan, bone combs, delicately ornamented, flutes made from the leg bones of flightless birds, loaded dice and hookah pipes of wondrous complexity.Continue reading “Merchant Caravan”

Supporting the Armoured Train.

In October 1899 the siege of Mafeking was just getting underway. The forces were gathering and Baden-Powell had made his preparations. One asset the defenders had was an armoured train with two carriages and an armoured engine. It mounted two maxim guns and was manned by fifteen troopers of the British South African Police. OnContinue reading “Supporting the Armoured Train.”