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
Conflict: Ukraine - Tomorrow's War?
Join us as we take a look at a possible scenario for open conflict between the ground forces of the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The system used is Panzer Leader (TCME Edition Rules), with updated research for orders of battle, available equipment, and troop types on both sides.
Scheduled players: Oriskany and Damon
RFA vs. UAF – Hypothetical Future
Battalion Level
Sunday, April 11
5PM UK Time, 12 Noon US East Time
Overall map, showing the countryside just north of the industrial town of Adviika in Donetsk Oblast. This was the site of major battles in both 2014 and 2017, so it stands to reason this site may see action again. It controls the northern approaches to the region's capital city, and its infamous airport which has also seen two savage battles in the course of this war. 
Elements of the Ukrainian Mechanized Brigade (reinforced) that is actually charged with defending tis area. Note the drones, to be used in surveillance and calling in artillery and rocket strikes.
The Russians, and some of their local separatist allies. Yes, they are vastly stronger than the Ukrainians. But the Ukrainians are on defense, they only have to hold at least three of five specificed objective hexes at the end of the game. In short, if they survive, they win.Recommended Reading List for Historical Wargamers
Hello everyone! In this video, we discuss a beginning list of just a few great military history books or military novels that draw a direct line of sight to the wargaming table.
Depending on what periods and conflicts you like to recreate, I hope you find at least one book in this list that might add a little context, background, or inspiration to your game!
Of course, this list is far from comprehensive. What military historical books would you add to enhance, inform, facilitate, and inspire your historical wargames?
Oh, and yes. There will be a quiz! 
Video Replay - Ukrain War (Battalion-Level Meeting Engagement)
Here is the video replay of Wednesday’s battalion-level meeting engagement – part of a theoretical “hot war” between Ukrainian UAF and Russian Federation Army. In this scenaario, Russian divisions actually invade Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of the eastern Ukraine, intent of re-annexing these ethnically Russian regions back into the Russian Federation.
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Does the Ukrainian Armed Forces finally find a backbone? Are they finally supported by their corrupt government in Kiev?
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Find out!
What-If Scenario: Full Scale Warfare, UAF vs. RSA in East Ukraine
Civil war in the Eastern Ukraine has been alternating between states of threatening simmer and outfight conflagration for at least six years now.
Russian involvement in supporting separatist factions in Donetsk and Luhansk is undeniable, but what if the situation finally came down to a full-scale, contested invasion?
Using TCME Edition Panzer Leader, we take a look at an imaginary battalion-level meeting engagement between the famed Ukrainian 95th UAF Brigade, and the 4th Guards Tank Division (veterans of the Second Chechen War).
Check us out and see how things unfold!
Here's the map, centered on the small town of Kamyanka in the Luhansk Oblast, east Ukraine.
Lead elements of the 95th UAF Brigade. This scenario gives the UAF a lot of credit, usually these better tanks (especially the T-84 Oblat) are sold off to foreign arms buyers rather than sent to their own soldiers actually in combat.
Lead operational maneuver group of the 4th Guards Tank Division - note the Tunguska air defense platform and the Mi-28 Havoc gunship.
Meanwhile in the streets of Kamyanka, separatist rebels are already locking horns with local volunteer battalions (militia). These are the kinds of units that are fighting 90% of the current Ukraine War since mid 2014.Finishing up 15mm West German PAH Attack Helicopter by Battlefront
In this video we finish the PAH / B0-105 Bundeswehr attack helicopter with a gloss on the canopy, pin wash, and some detail work on the missile tubes and rotor hub assembly.
15mm Build and Painting Videos, West German PAH Attack Helicopter by Battlefront
Here are two videos where we do an on-camera build and an on-camera paint for the 15mm West German Bundeswehr PAH / Bo-105 attack helicopter by Battlefront, also used in Gale Force Nine’s “Tanks” modern armor skirmish game.
This was originally sent to me by community member Rasmus – now lets see if I can get this new addition to match the birds already in my Bundeswehr fleet!
Hobby Build Stream: West German PAH Attack Helicopters by Battlefront (15mm)
Hello, all – join us tomorrow at 3PM East US time, 8PM UK time, for a quick hobby video … where I will build the West German 15mm PAH antitank helicopter produced by Battlefront, and sent to me by community member Rasmus!
So tune in and see if I manage to build this model and keep all ten of my fingers!
Here's the sprue we'll be working on today. :D Hope to see some of you there!Highlights of Gulf War / Desert Storm 30th Anniversary Coverage - Wargaming
As we finally pass the end of February and the official end of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, I thought I would take a quick look back at some of the recent highlights of the recent wargaming, video coverage, and discussions that have been offered … all condensed in one or two project system posts.
More than a few of us in this community were actually around for this conflict, and yes … there are a handful of us on OTT that were actually in this war to one varying degree or another. It was for this reason above all that I wanted to make sure this coverage was done objectively, and try and cover all the nations that were involved.
Most of all, I wanted to try and show (in some small way) how historical wargaming really can be done with an eye toward respect, objectivity, and maybe even learning a little about how the world we live in was actually created. The Persian Gulf War was the first wide-scale use of what we would soon call “the Internet” and definitely the field large “field use” of GPS. So the very fact that we’re on this internet website, perhaps on a GPS-synced smartphone, shows how this war effects our everyday life.
WARGAMES: Now, some of the great wargames we’ve had, usually with OTT community members, where we’ve tried in our own small way to bring the fire and fury of the the Persian Gulf War to the tabletop as best we can, overcoming oceans and pandemics to keep our hobby alive.
1. Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars v. 52nd Iraqi Armored Division – Panzer Leader / Tactical Combat Middle East by Toshasch Miniatures.
2. USAF F-15C v. IQAF MiG-29As at H3 Airfield – AirWar C21 by Wessex Games.
3. Scud Hunters, British 22nd SAS Rgt v. Iraqi 224 Brigade – Sitrep Skirmish system – British SAS fight to destroy a Scud missile before it launches at Israel.
4. USMC v. Iraqi 5th Mechanized Division at al-Khafji – Battlegroup (modified) by IronFist Publishing / Plastic Soldier Company.
5. USMC v. Iraqi 5th Mechanized Division at al-Jaber (Part 1) – Battlegroup (modified) by IronFist Publishing / Plastic Soldier Company.
6.USMC v. Iraqi 5th Mechanized Division at al-Jaber (Part 2) – Battlegroup (modified) by IronFist Publishing / Plastic Soldier Company.
7. Brigade-Level Game – 1st US Marine Division v. Iraqi 5th Mechanized / 3rd Armored at al-Jaber / al-Burquan Oilfields – Panzer Leader / Tactical Combat Middle East by Toshasch Miniatures.
8. Battle of 73 Easting, 2nd Armored Cavalry vs. Tawalkana Republican Guards – “Battle Carry Sabot” modern tank skirmish system by Sitrep Podcast.
9. Marines at Kuwait International Airport (Part 1) – Battlegroup (modified) by IronFist Publishing / Plastic Soldier Company.
10.Marines at Kuwait International Airport (Part 2)– Battlegroup (modified) by IronFist Publishing / Plastic Soldier Company.
11. Battle of Medina Ridge, Task Force 1-35, 1st Armored Division vs. al-Medina Armored Republican Guards – “Battle Carry Sabot” modern tank skirmish system by Sitrep Podcast.
