Ultramodern Wargaming – Ukraine 2024
Recommendations: 13004
About the Project
Lately, I've been running war games every weekend with members of the community via web conference. Players log on and play wargames with each other in real time, regardless of location, and we usually have at least a couple spectators as well. Many times it’s been Darkstar, but we’re also running wargames in Panzer Leader, Arab-Israeli Wars, and now Valor & Victory.
BoW/OTT community members @brucelea, @damon, @davehawes, and @rasmus have taken the plunge, leading battalions across thousands of meters of desert, starfleets in pitched battles across the heavens, or vicious firefights in the jungles of Vietnam, all without leaving the comfort of their home.
Hard-core, old-school command-tactical wargames can now be run (complete with spectators and recordings) in real time, with BOTH PLAYERS moving pieces across THE SAME virtual game board, thus maintaining player agency, speedy and instant results (no play by e-mail), interwoven turn sequences, any questions / feedback instantly received and addressed, and with the game being virtually recorded as it goes, a ready-made battle report can actually be created as we go.
All of this without the players having to install any new software on their computer, on any platform (PC or Mac). All that's needed is to agree on a time, a handful of dice, and a bellyful of courage!
Every weekend can now be a boot camp! All without costing me thousands of dollars in airfare, too!
Related Game: PanzerBlitz
Related Genre: Historical
This Project is Active
Hobby Video and Announcement
Here’s a quick, low key hobby video, where we also make a brief announcement regarding our Seasonal Break here on the Sitrep Podcast.
We’ll be on break with our Podcast and Wednesday night content until November 1. Sunday afternoon content will continue unabated.
Thanks for all your support!
AirWar C21 Game Video: Jenn vs. Oriskany Jim
Here is the gameplay video for this week’s like stream game of AirWar C21, depicting a dogfight in the infamous “MiG Alley” during the Korean War of 1950-53.
My girlfriend Jenn plays the (cough, cough) “North Koreans” (read: Soviet VVS pilots in the small, nimble, and deadly MiG-15 … while I take the US Air Force in the big, bristling F-86A Sabre.
Although World War II saw the first use of combat jets, Korea was the first time opposing jets actually met each other in air-to-air combat. Specifically, Korean War dogfights between F-86 Sabres vs. MiG-15s is one of the iconic matchups in aviation history, given how closely matched the two fighter types were. The American USAF and Soviet VVS pilots (who of course “weren’t there”) were also pretty evenly matched, resulting in a wartime kill ratio of about 1.3 to 1.
It also makes for a great game, where planning, tactics, and appeasing the dice gods really makes the difference between victory and defeat!
Hopefully this stream might be fun to listen to whole hobbying or painting.
Thanks, and I hope you like it!
Dogfight in MiG Alley! (Korean War 1950 – AirWar C21)
Oriskany Jim and his better half Jennifer climb in the cockpit for a duel in the skies set in the Korean War of 1950-53.
Although combat jets had seen active service on both sides during World War II, Korea would be the first time opposing jets actually fought EACH OTHER in live combat. One of the most dangerous parts of this aerial war was so-called “MiG Alley,” a section of northwestern Korea near the Chinese border.
Like the Messerschmitts and Spitfires of the Battle of Britain, the MiG-15 and F-86 Sabre is a classic historical fighter matchup, with pilots and aircraft more or less evenly matched in this deadly contest.
Tune in! Be part of the show! See how it turns out!
Live Sunday at 2PM East US Time, 7PM UK Time
Some very quick background material for today's game, showing the very broad strokes of the Korean War. I added some basic information about where "MiG Alley" actually was, where the major air bases were for these particular fighter types, and where the game will actually be taking place. There's also some quick photos for viewers not familiar with the period or the aircraft involved.
The map for tomorrow's game, with deployment areas. These planes are VERRRRY slow compared to the ones we usually use with AirWar C21, so I made the deployment zones very deep so the first three turns aren't the two sides droning steadily toward each other. :) 
The playing pieces I have made for tomorrow's game. The stock images were easy to find, I added some shadows, highlights, the white outline, changed the canopies, and updated the markings. These are formatted as transparent-background .png images so they "float" on our virtual gameboard. The text is also editable so we can track aircraft status, ammo, damage, airspeed, etc.
Here's a small sample of the kind of action we might see in today's game. The MiGs have initiative, so force the Americans to move first. The first Sabre pair move up from the southeast, where they are charged for a head-on gun pass by the second pair of MiGs. The lead pair of MiGs waits, while the second US pair tries a Split-S Manuever to "get on the 6" of the MiGs who just bounced the lead pair. Two problems: One of the Sabres fails the split S roll, whole the second pair of MiGs executes a Barrel Roll (the Barrel Roll counter is beside the wrong pair of MiGs) to make a gun pass at the new Sabres. It's a high-deflection shot, which isn't great, but that lead American F-86 Sabre could be a in a peck of trouble all the same.Germans Assault the Red October Steel Works
By late October 1942, the German Sixth Army had, street by street, house by house, room by room, stone by stone … clawed almost all of Stalingrad from the disintegrating defenders of the 62nd Army. The southern residential district and central civic district had fallen. Only the northern factory district remained, and even this had begun to crumble with the fall of the Dzerzhinsky Tractor Factory.
Now the Germans … bloody, exhausted, but determined … went to work on the next factories in the norther district. One of these was the Red October Steel Works, which was hit by the full force of the 71st Infantry Division. The Soviets defended with elements of 39th Guards. Both sides had artillery support, including Russian “Katyusha” rocket batteries on the far side of the Volga River. The fighting grew so desperate at one point, a Soviet major had to call in a Kayusha barrage on his own position, which he survived, only to be killed a few days later.
On the gaming table, we’re playtesting more games for the ongoing Valor & Victory Stalingrad scenario pack.
Some larger-scale research maps that show the units and surrounding terrain of the Red October Steel Works. Note I am drawing from both German and Soviet sources.
More detailed resources, which dig into the individual regiments, battalions, workshops, and sutup of the Red October Steel Works.
The map I have drawn up for the scenario, showing most of the larger workshops and construction sheds of ths Red October Steel Works.
End of Turn 1 ... and the carnage is already horrific. Welcome to Stalingrad.Video Replay: Elessar2590 vs. Oriskany in Brigade-Level Modern Tank Combat
Here is the replay of Sunday’s live stream game, where @elessar2590 and I faced off in Modern Era Panzer Leader. This one starts off in progress, so the video gets to the blood-n-guts action in pretty quick order.
It envisions a hypothetical near-future war where Russia makes a shove across the Latvia and Lithuania, intent on reclaiming these former Soviet republics and re-establishing full naval and maritime access to the Baltic Sea.
Of course Lithuania and Latvia are NATO states, so lots of Western allies are rushing to their defense. In short, this one gets hot, and gets hot quick.
Might be a fun listen while hobbying or painting.
It has begun!
The Panzer Leader battle staged between myself and @elessar2590 is now underway. Because of his location in Australia (and the time zone considerations therein), and because of how long these Panzer Leader games can take, the first 2 1/2 turns of the game have been played out ahead of time.
This means we should be done with the “meat” of the game within 3 hours or so, resulting in a more reasonable stream for all involved.
The Russians are not playing around, that’s all I can say so far. Looks like they’re not stopping until those T-90As are knocking over Brandenburg Gate! The Lithuanian “Iron Wolf” Brigade have given them a good bloody nose, but they’re crumbling fast. The Poles are about to arrive with a powerful armored battlegroup, but has too much damage been done already?
TUNE IN in at 10PM UK – 5PM ET to find out!
The Russians strike hard, strike deep, slashing out of the northeast in three basic axes ... to the north with motorized infantry in BTR-80s, in the center with the bulk of a reinforced tank battalion of T-90As, and in the south with VDV Guards Airborne Assault troops in Mi-24 Krokodil attack helicopters.
Lithuanian light infantry with American Stinger MANPAD missiles knock down one of the Mi-24s!
Lithuanian infantry of the "Iron Wolf" Brigade, with "Vilkas" (Wolf) IFVs and Javelin ATGWs, take out a platoon of T-90As! The Russians take steep losses elsewhere as well. But it's not nearly enough ...
The Russians and Lithuanians are trading heavy losses in a vicious street battle here, with the brave (but doomed) Lithuanians trying to defend an objective hex from a determined SOviet assault. Assualts and counterassaults rip through the streets, but with the Russians folding up the south wing and now crashing down from the high ground to the north ... it doesn't look good.
The situation at the end of Russian Turn 3. The Lithuanians have given the Russians a good bloody nose, but aggressive Russian tactics have split the Iron Wolf Brigade wide open in the center. Russian tanks, airmobile troops, and helicopters are camped on overlooking the Polish entry zone. The Poles will now arrive with the main NATO force ... can they save the situation?NATO v. Russia in the Baltic States (Modern Panzer Leader - Hypothetical)
@Oriskany and community member @Elessar2590 bring Sitrep Podcast Gaming back to the modern era with a look at another potential trouble spot between NATO and the Russian Federation: the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
These three former Soviet Republics are actually member states of NATO now, a fact that has NEVER sat well in Moscow. This is especially true since these states block much of Russia’s maritime access to the Baltic Sea, a sensitive strategic issue with Russia since the days of Peter the Great.
A Russian move against the Baltic States would quickly overpower the small militaries of these countries, requiring the intervention of another recent and startlingly powerful NATO ally: Poland.
Swing by and top off your weekend with some ultra-modern, high-tech, community wargaming!
Live at 5PM East US Time, 10PM UK Time
The background and setting for the imagined campaign in which this game will take place. In summary, Russia is making a push across the territory of small NATO member states to re-establish a permanent land route to their Kaliningrad enclave on the Baltic Coast. With forces on both sides of the battle area and with only small NATO forces available to mount an immediate response, Russia is gambling on a quick win before NATO can muster a more resilient defense.
The map for today's game. We'll be using 200 meter hexes here (two standard 33x10 Panzer Leader boards), with the Russians coming down from the northeast. They will be met by a force of the Lithuanian "Iron Wolf" Brigade. Although this is the best real-life unit in the Lithuanian Army, they won't hold up the Russians (138th Mechanized Brigade and 76th Airmobile Assault Brigade) very long. Fortunately there is a relief force of the Polish 9th Armored Cavalry Brigade (16th Mechanized Division) coming up from the southwest to relieve their NATO allies. 
Here is 2nd Battalion, "Iron Wolf" Brigade of the Lithuanian Army. They're mounted mostly in "Vilkas" (Wolf) wheeled IFVs with 30mm autocannon amd "Spike" Israeli-made ATGWs. Their support infantry also carry American Made Stinger MANPADs and Javelin ATGWs, JTLVs, HMMWVs, and other assorted equipment. A respectable mechanized infantry force, but it's not going to stand up to the four battalions of front-line MBTs the Russians have (in real life) facing the Baltic States as part of 6th Combined Arms Army and its various constituent units.
Poland is of course a much larger NATO member state with a much larger and more powerfully-equipped military. Even American and British units currently deployed at Orzysz (2Bn / 2nd ACR and "S" Squadron, Royal Scots Dragoons) pale in comparison to the firepower Poland could be able to bring to this particular theater. Having purchaed Leopard 2 MBTs, upbraded their own Cold War fleet of T-72s, and with M1A2 Abrams soon to be added to their force as well, Poland is the only real hope of defending the Baltic States should a full-scale conventional Russian invasion actually come (exceedingly unlikely, to be honest). We're also including drones, Hinds, and mechanized infantry. Currently they are midway through a massive modernization program, and the Polish Army is a fascinating blend of cutting edge Western tech and upgrades of old Cold War-era Soviet gear.
And here comes the big Russian bear. We're looking at the bulk of what used to be a Motorized Rifle Regiment, in the wake post-Soviet reforms this now this is probably the leading half of the 138th Mechanized Brigade, reinforced with some army-level assets live that company of Guards Air Assualt troops in Mi-24V "Krokodil" (Hind-E) gunships. This is going to be a very tough force for the NATO defenders to stop, especially since not all NATO forces even start on the table.Stalingrad Playtesting Continues
Just a few more screen shots of ongoing playtesting, scenario revision, and more playtesting grinding away at the ongoing Stalingrad Campaign Project for Valor & Victory.
The map and opening set up for Scenario 04, Mamayev Kurgan. This is a small hill overlooking the center of Stalingrad, that actually dominates the otherwise flat surrounding elevations (where the massive "The Motherland Calls" memorial statue currently stands). This map shows the southeastern slopes of the hill, where repeated attacks and counterattacks on both sides came so frequently in late September 1942 that soon they were more or less colliding into each other head-on.
When one of the playtest games is almost over, we finally see a Soviet SNIPER appear on the table. Snipers appear somewhat randomly in Valor & Victory (they are rarely under the command of the the company-level commanders on the field), and only if they included as a POSSIBILITY in your force pool. This is the first time we're including them in our campaign, and only for the Soviets. The reason is simple. This is the 1047th Rifle Regiment of the 284th "Tomsk" Siberian Rifle Division on their first day in the battle, the original regiment of the historical Senior Sgt. Vasily Zaitsev. He "personally" makes an appearance here long enough to eliminate a German mortar team before he is driven off the field (possibly wounded)..
Scenario 07: showing part of the massive Dzerzhinksy Tractor Factory, definitely one of the most blood-soaked battle sites in Stalingrad (itself arguably the worst battle in all of World War II). Note the map (a detail only) can only show part of the factory, the whole complex would never fit "true-scale" on this map. Also notice the building is drawn with partially-destroyed "tunnels" dug through it, allowing tanks to enter the building (otherwise illegal in Valor & Victory). With 14th Panzer Division and 84th Tank Brigade among the forces that locked horns in this death-factory, it's conceivable you will have INDOORS tank-on-tank duels in this gargantual structure, as some accounts claim did indeed happen.
The German assualt begins. Off-board artillery knocks out one of the M1910 Maxim positions while tanks lead the way into the factory, with German infantry and "sturmpioniere" assault engineers make their first deadly rush.
Your eyes do not deceive you, the Soviets have flamethrowers in this scenario, confirmed by the historical presense of 100th and 104th Separate Flamethrower Companies in the defense of Dzerzhinsky Tractor Factory.
![Battle It Out In The Early War With New Flames Of War Set [Updated]](https://images.beastsofwar.com/2026/10/fow-barbarossa-cover-600-338.jpg)
