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
Ultra-Modern Fighter Combat: Live Community Wargame (PLAAF vs. USAF/USN)
The year is 2028. After nearly a decade of continual escalations of tensions in the Straits of Formosa, the unthinkable has finally happened. The People’s Republic of China has committed to a conventional-forces invasion of Taiwan, and as the United States and her allies respond, full scale war erupts throughout the battlefields, skies, and seas across the western Pacific.
Join Bernhard and I as we imagine the opening air clashes of such a war, wargaming a scenario “AirWar C21” by Wessex Games. We’ll be looking at some of the most advanced fifth-generation, stealth-capable fighters that could participate in such a conflict, like the Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force and the Lockheed Martin F-35 “Lightning II” of the United States.
Sunday, August 15 – 2PM East US Time, 7PM UK Time
An expanded and more detailed overview of our hypothetical war, showing the situation on Day 5 of the imagined invasion. We certainly hope this kind of war never actually takes place, but (God forbid) if it did, these really are some of the units that would almost certainly be involved. Note the initial airborne drops (blue) have mostly failed, per design. These were diversions to spring Allied reponses prematurely, the real assaults were Army and Navy/Marine landings in red. Supporting landings are shown in yellow. Again, even most of THESE have failed, but two lodgements have been secured by invading PLA/PLAN forces.
The four types of aircraft that will feature in today's game. There are widely-varying levels of capability here, and each of these types have their own strengths and weaknesses. Well, except those poor J-11s... they're based on a 30-year old former Soviet design, but trust me ... given the updated missiles they carry, they still pack a deadly little punch.
Here's the map for today's game. It's an 8-foot by 5-foot table, with each grid measuring about 1 nautical mile.
The combatants for today's game. The Chinese certainly have an edge in numbers, but those J-11s are not fifth-generation stealth-capable craft like the J-20s, the F-22s, or the F-35s.Model Kit Rescue: Revell "Snap-Tite" 1:72 A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog)
Sometimes we don’t have access to the best, or most advanced, model kits. Sometimes we don’t have our airbrushes, the best paints, or a lot of time. Sometimes we just want to crush out some hobby, and make the best of what is on hand.
Oh, and sometimes the model is a RE-PACK … where some poor kid chopped the pieces out of the model with a chainsaw, put the model half-way together, gave up, and his mom threw the mangled ruins back in the box and returned it to the store …
And then I buy it … get home, take it out … and realize its time for a “model kit rescue!”
RED DRAGON 2028: Live Stream "What-If" Community Wargame
The year is 2028. After nearly a decade of continual escalations of tensions in the Straits of Formosa, the unthinkable has finally happened. The People’s Republic of China has committed to a conventional-forces invasion of Taiwan, and as the United States and her allies respond, full scale war erupts throughout the battlefields, skies, and seas across the western Pacific.
Join @Damon and I as we imagine the opening ground battles of such a war, wargaming a Modern Era Panzer Leader scenario with a joint task force of US Army and JSDF forces – rushing to relieve beleaguered Taiwanese defense troops. The Taiwanese battalion doesn’t have long, crumbling beneath a gigantic armored spearhead of China’s People’s Liberation Army.
Sunday, August 8 – 2PM East US Time, 7PM UK Time
Here is the scenario, at least on the northern coast of Taiwan. The Chinese are Taiwanese forces involved are actual units that would almost certainly participate in a propsective conflict like the one we are imagining. The US Forces are also real, 2nd Striker Brigade Combat Team / 2nd US Infantry would almost certainly be involved (2nd US Infantry is earmarked for defense of South Korea), the deployment of 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team / 1st US Infantry (Mechanized) is a little more speculative. Most speculative is the Japanese 42nd Rapid Deployment Brigade / 8th Division. As an RDB deployed in the southernmost part of Japan, it's a solid guess ... but Japanese troops deployed into other nations presents significant Constitutional issues for the Japanese government.
Here is the map for today's game (Panzer Leader / Tactical Combat Middle East - with new units created by myself)
The American forces, two reinforced companies, basically, with some additional support assets. Note the heavy deployment of the "Stryker" combat vehicle in a wide array of variants. These are largely replacing the traditional idea of the "tank" or "APC" in many mission profiles of the US Army since 2007.
The Japanese and Taiwanese allies ... Again, small numbers, but the JSDF is a pretty advanced force.
The invading Chinese, part PLA (People's Liberation Army) - and some Marines of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). J-16 fighter-bombers (Chinese version of the SU-27 Flanker) for tactical air support. Notice both sides also have drones for additional air capability. The scenario:
The date is August 8, 2028. After a series of escalating incidents, a disastrous trade war, and diplomatic failures, the People’s Republic of China sees no choice in launching a conventional-forces war into Taiwan.
American intelligence, along with their allies throughout the Western Pacific, have some warning against the impending onslaught, but not nearly enough to stop it in its tracks. Still, the initial Chinese assault and lodgement across the Straits of Taiwan is one of the costliest maritime military operations since the Seconde World War.
The initial phase of the Chinese assault comes as a series of gargantual airlifts, striking at three points up and down the eastern Taiwan, coming at Kaohsiung in the south, T’aichung in the center, and near the capital Taipei in the north. These are, for the most part, costly failures, resulting in a catastrophic loss of aicraft and paratroopers for the PLAAF and airmobile forces.
However, these were largely feints, sacrifical openers to trigger response protocols for the Taiwanese military and the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet. The real shove comes just hours later, a massive sealift operation by enormous fleets of PLAN and PLA amphibious assault and Marine forces, largely spearheaded by heavy-lift hovercraft.
Even these assaultys run into serious trouble, hammered by the American and Taiwanese … and later Japanese … naval airstrikes. However, the northern lodgement at Hsinchu secures a viable (if embattled) beachhead.
Meanwhile, surviving PLA airborne units have secured a tenuous foothold at Kaohsiung in the south. And here is the one lucky break the Americans and her western Pacific allies have caught so far … while the Chinese have indeed landed two solid and growing lodgements on Taiwan … they are spaced far apart, and thus remain vulnerable if a counterattack can be mustered quickly enough.
Forces, however, remain scare, and even for the US military, air- and sealift capability across the vast Pacific remains limited. Nor can the allies send all the forces they would want to … South Korean forces (and many American units in South Korea as well) are cannot freely deploy to Taiwan … given the threat still posed by North Korea. Suffice it say that as the invasion of Taiwan gathers steam, the situation along the 38th Parallel is … tense. Also, Japan’s constitution strictly limits the degree to which the JSDF can deploy combat assets to other countries, and the Japan’s Diet remains locked in furious debate over expanding their response to the crisis.
In this scenario, we find ourselves entering the fourth day of the war. Leading elements of two American Brigade Combat Teams (TF 1/35 of the 2nd Armored BCT / 1st US Infantry Mechanized) and 1/17 of the 2nd Stryker BCT 2nd US Infantry) have been formed into Task Force Rapier, which you command. Having landed in Taiwan, orders are to push west with all possible speed to head off gathering PLA armored spearheads breaking out of the Hsinchu beachhead, threaten the southwestern approaches to Taipei. From the north, you are joined by Task Force Kumomoto of the JSDF.
Ahead of you, somewhere in the chaos of the battlefield, the crumbling remnants of the Taiwanese 234th Mechanized Brigade is sacrificing itself in a desperate delaying action againt unbelievable odds. Your communications officer reports they have been screaming for help for the past two hours …
… And for the last few minutes, they have been screaming for orders.
Just then, your XO delivers the report from Brigade, Chinese “heavy rocket regiments” (IRBMs – with conventional warheads thank God), have annihilated most of the Taiwanese command and control network. Their military is now effectively leaderless.
As your lead units draw close to the survivors 234th Mechanized, still locked in a death grapple against far superior units, your communication officer manages to raise them on an allied frequency. You ask who is in command up there.
In frantic but perfect English, the reply comes back:
“You are, sir.”
Good luck.
HK Ops: Modern Military Role-Playing Demo Video
Here is the replay from Sunday’s stream, where we ran a quick refresher, overview, and intro for HK Ops, the modern military RPG developed for virtual on-line play for the Sitrep Podcast. Myself and @gladesrunner went through the basic premise of the game, how to create a character, how to spend XP, and a sample couple of turns in a typical firefight.
Might be a fun listen while painting or hobbying!
A blank character sheet. Note the formatting is LANDSCAPE for best on-screen play (as opposed to A4 / 8.5 x 11 portrait for print-out).
Completed new character, with a little "start up XP" to join a more experienced party. Note the equipment list, filled in "automatically" with some simple drop downs to reduce bookkeeping to an absolute minimum.
A sample background map.
A sample "campaign" map of the actual operational area where the mission takes place. 
A tactical map, where a firefight is playing out. Jenn, playing a vehicle expert formerly from South African special tactics and rescue police, has just run over two ISIS terrorists in her JTLV. 
That BMP-2 just missed us, but Jenn spun us around the building (taking loads of fire along the way) We're both wounded, but I'm out with my M4 assault carbine and grenade launcher to at least pin down those incoming insurgents, while she clambers into the turret of the JTLV and puts a 20mm burst in to the back of the BMP-2. That BMP is damaged ... but not out by any means ...HK Ops: Desert Strike Mini-Mission
Join me as I take a player through a very quick, very small mini-mission in HK Ops, our Modern Military RPG system, custom-made for Sitrep Streaming and online play.
Sunday, August 1 – 2PM East US Time, 7PM UK Time
Video Replay - Colombian Jungle Raid (Policia Nacional de Colombia / DEA vs. Medellin Cartel) - 1989
Good afternoon: Here is the game playback video from yesterday’s live stream, where Oriskany Jim and Sitrep 6 faced off in a jungle raid during the height of the “Escobar Era” of the Colombian Drug War.
In summary, the Polica Nacional de Colombia’s “Seach Bloc” has found a network of Medellin drug labs and processing centers in the jungles of the Zaragosa Highlands, northeast of Medellin. Mounting up in an American DEA-supplied UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, Colonel Carillo gets a squad of his Colombian assault troops and a criminal informant (Jorge Noreña) and heads off to wipe out the target. Two US DEA agents are along on the op. The primary tango is Talabera, a prominent Medellin lieutenant running this local lab network.
Can Bill conduct the raid and capture /destroy all the drug labs in time, while keeping his own losses down and capturing / killing Talabera? WIll other cartels get involved? AUC right-wing paramilitaries? FARC Marxist rebels? It’s a free-for-all in the Colombian Jungle, listen in to see how it plays out.
Might be a fun listen whil hobbying or painting.
Hope you like it!
Colombia Jungle Raid 1989: Sitrep 6 vs. Oriskany Jim (Community Wargame - Sitrep Skirmish system)
Join Bill (Sitrep 6) and Oriskany Jim as they head into the Colombian highlands circa 1989. It’s the height of the “Escobar Era” drug war against the Medellin Cartel, and law enforcement is headed into the jungle to root out another of the Cartel’s labs. Government forces will include troops of Policía Nacional de Colombia’s “Search Bloc” – backed up by Americans in the DEA.
But will they be facing Cartel thugs? AUC right-wing militia? Marxist guerrillas of the FARC movement? Innocent farmers? All of the above? Tune in and find out as the Sitrep Podcast pivots back to our “Modern Warfare” roots.
Sunday, July 25 – 2PM East US Time, 7PM UK Time
The main foci of the 1980s-1990s phase of the Colombian Drug War. All factions were heavily active in the country's capital Bogata, while the Medellin and the Cali Cartels were the most powerful narco factions at the time. Other factions include the Colombian government, the United States, smaller cartel factions, ultra-right wing paramilitaries like the AUC, and remnants of Marxist groups like FARC. Yeah, it's a free-for-all.
The map for today's game, in the Zargosa Highlands northeast of Medellin. Drug labs, processing stations, and trucking depots are marked as government objectives.
The assault squad of Nacional Policia Colombia's "Search Bloc". They also have two American DEA agents with them and a criminal informant who may be able to convince cartel members not to resist, surrender, or even turn against their former bosses. In modern "non-kinetic" warfare, you rarely know who your friends or enemies truly are.
The Cartel "troops" assigned to protect this part of Escobar's narco-empire. Talabera is the kingpin here, the government player gets additional points for capturing him alive.Video Replay: Brucelea vs. Oriskany - Operation Goodwood (18 July 1944)
Here is the video replay of a true beast of an epic Panzer Leader game, over four hours of tank duelling in the deadly “bocage” terrain of Normandy. This game recreated the eastern half of Operation Goodwood (opening phases), where elements of 11th Armoured Division collided with counterattacking elements of 1st SS “Leibstandarte” Panzer Division and Tigers of schewere Panzerabteilung 503.
Can @brucelea ‘s more numerous Brits get the upper hand on @Oriskany‘s deadly SS panzer force of Panthers and Tigers (and oh yeah, King Tigers)?
It’s a long one, with some great moments of brigade-level WW2 tank action. Might be a fun listen while painting or hobbying.
Thanks very much!
