Leftists and Paramilitaries Squeeze Narco Gangs in Colombia
I ran my first ever Wars of Insurgency game set in South America at Advance the Colors 2022. In this 3-faction scenario with six players, Leftists and Paramilitaries are engaged in a turf war in one of Medellin’s squatter neighborhoods, or communas. A Narco gang just happens to be present in town on the day of the clash. Check out my Lead Legionaries blog for the battle report.
Kammebalango’s Capital Racked by Factional Warfare
We took Wars of Insurgency to Historicon 2022 and ran this fun, every man-for-himself scenario twice. The President of Kammebalango is trying to make it through the streets of his capital, but five other factions have their own opinion on whether that should happen. Check out my Lead Legionaries blog for the battle report.
The Great Airfield Raid (Nunawading Wargames Assocation)
Another wild and fun battle report from the Nunawading Wargames Association BushWars campaign. Different factions join in to repel or raid an airfield. I republished their battle report on my Lead Legionaries blog. For more photos, join the Nunawading Facebook page.
Holy Mackerel! (Nunawading Wargames Association)
Various factions from the Nunawading Wargames Association BushWars campaign are racing through town and countryside to commandeer a flying boat to escape the chaos. I republished their battle report on my Lead Legionaries blog. For more photos, join the Nunawading Facebook page.
Operation Hydro (Nunawading Wargames Association)
Pushing the rules to new heights, the Nunawading Wargames Assocation ran an 11-player game at their regular meeting. It was a bridge construction and assault across a defended river. I have re-posted their AAR and some photos on my Lead Legionaries blog. For more photos, join the Nunawading Facebook page.
Lots of Game Reports from Nunawading Wargames
The Nunawading Wargames Association (NWA) in Australia are avid players of Wars of Insurgency rules. They regularly run games on their club game days. To read their battle reports, and see the enthusiasm in their ongoing campaign, join their Facebook page.
Downed Pilot ‘Rescued’ at MOGG Meeting
The Mid-Ohio Gamers Group (MOGG) ran a large, multiplayer game using Wars of Insurgency at its monthly get-together. An airplance crash in the Congo leads a diverse group of factions to struggle with each other to recover the pilots. Read the report and check out the photos on this Facebook post.
Battle of Cassinga: AAR from Advance the Colors 2019
This is one of my favorite battles of the South African Border War. The scenario spotlights the rearguard action fought by the anti-tank platoon of the paratroopers against an approaching Cuban/Angolan armored column. Helps shows up for the RPG-armed platoon in the form of a Buccaneer and Mirages from the South African Air Force. This scenario was run as a further test of the upcoming air support rules for Wars of Insurgency. Read the report on my Lead Legionaries blog.
Nunawading Wargames Association Locomotive Attack
The Nunawading Wargames Association in Australia is running a Imaginations campaign using Wars of Insurgency. They are very active and play frequently. Their AARs, including this one featuring an attempt to destroy a locomotive, are posted on Facebook. So you may need to request to join their group to see it. Check out the short description and dozens of photos in this Facebook album.
CLICK HERE FOR ANOTHER ALBUM FROM THEIR JULY 15, 2019, BUSH WARS GAME
Review of Rules plus Quick Playtest on Dust, Tears & Dice Blog
Stuart, a wargamer and blogger from the Worcester, England, purchased the Wars of Insurgency rules and wrote a review. He followed this up with a quick playtest of a scenario. A Russian Tank had broken down at a petrol station, and the crew had to defend it until reinforcements made it to the village and they called in the mechanics. Meanwhile the local Chechen insurgents move in for the kill. Read the full review and report here on Stuart’s Dust, Tears & Dice blog.
MOGG game group runs a Bush Wars game with Wars of Insurgency
The local MOGG gaming group put on a 6-player Wars of Insurgency game in Africa. It was a free-for-all with each faction struggling for control of a fictional African country. This set of photos from their game is on the Facebook page for First Command Wargames. Check out the post here.
Smokin’ Some Cubans: Scenario Playtest
Playtesting a scenario is always important. So, I decided to playtest my hypothetical engagement from the Cuito Cuanavale campaign twice — the first time at the montly meeting of the Central Ohio Gamers Association (COGA). The second time was in Dayton for some friends of Randy Miller. Read the combined report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
Smokin’ Some Cubans at Cincycon
“Smokin’ Some Cubans” is a scenario that features a South African force invading into Angola. They are following up the defeat of a Cuban/Angolan thrust against UNITA positions, so have an allied force of UNITA guerrillas with them. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
Red Army and Blue Army Clash in this Forum Post
Scott Salisman posted this game report on the Wargaming Drop Zone forum. He discusses the rules and then sets up and plays a scenario between the Red army and Blue army. Check out the post here on the forum.
Little Wars 2018 - War-Torn Village in Angola
The First Command Crew took their games to Little Wars 2018 for one of our most successful sets of demos, yet! I ran my “Smokin’ Some Cubans” scenario that features a South African force, augmented by UNITA guerrillas, encountering a rearguard action in Angola. Their job is to take and destroy the village that Cuban and insurgent forces are holding. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
Rhodesian Bush Wars at Cincycon
My attempt at replicating a Rhodesian Fire Force action with my rules. The players take on the role of the Rhodesians, while the GM and assistants run the ZANLA insurgents. This game continues to playtest my helicopter rules, with both a Rhodesian Alouette III K-Car and G-Car orbitting the battlefield. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
Wars of Insurgency at Advance the Colors
Set in the Congo during the 1960s, this scenario features 5 factions squabbling over a container ship bringing in food and medicine. It is a free-for-all, with the United Nations peacekeeping troops trying to guard the supplies, while two rival military factions and two rebel factions try to take possession of it. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
Running Games, Games, and More Games at Historicon 2017
“That’s My USAid: Congo Chaos” is the scenario. The scenario was run twice each on Friday and Saturday, with wildly different results. This free-for-all always involves some wheeling and dealing among the factions. Those factions who try to go it alone often suffer. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
Game Reports from the 'Chaos in Kammebalango’ Campaign
This is a link to an entire blog created to document our first attempt at a campaign using Wars of Insurgency rules. Each player controlled a faction attempting to expand its control and work its tendrils into the capital. They fought non-player government factions run by their opponents, or other players. Click on the link to read the campaign’s background and some of the battle reports.
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
In a sendup to the classic song by Warren Zevon, my friend Joel staged a scenario set during the breakdown of the Congo in the 1960s, featuing characters from the song. The game opens after the ambush of Roland’s force, with his rival Van Owen and other factions investigating the cargo the convoy was carrying. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
The Congolese army, aided by the United Nations, is invading the breakaway province of Katanga in an attempt to end their rebellion. In this six-player scenario, the Katangans were stiffened by a force of mercenaries (as historically) recruited from Belgian, Britain, and other places. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
Three rebel factions raid a police compound in Africa, attempting to free political prisoners belonging to their movement. The GM — once again, my friend Joel — played the police attempting to hold off the rebels’ uncoordinated assault. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
Ambush of the Minister’s Convoy
Four players clash in this Wars of Insurgency games with smaller forces. The Minister of the Interior is on his way back from an OPEC meeting when two rebel groups spring an ambush. The convoy guards and a local commander try to battle them off and save the government bigwig from kidnapping or death. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.
Ethiopians vs. Somalis using Wars of Insurgency
This interesting scenario has two players facing off in a pair of battles played out over two nights. A GM provided players with maps and the mechanized Ethiopians squared off against a mostly foot Islamist Somali militia. Read the full report on Mike Demana’s Lead Legionaries blog.