The Tactical Painter
@tacticalpainter.bsky.social
It's that time of year again and a look back at 2025. This time, rather than a review of everything, this is a focus just on Chain of Command. #spreadthelard #chainofcommand #wargaming
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/chai...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/chai...
Chain of Command in 2025
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:41 AM
It's that time of year again and a look back at 2025. This time, rather than a review of everything, this is a focus just on Chain of Command. #spreadthelard #chainofcommand #wargaming
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/chai...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/chai...
This is a story about a trip down memory lane that was less about nostalgia and more about testing my current modelling skills. My childhood love affair with @Airfix never ended it appears.
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/airf...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/airf...
Airfix, nostalgia and modelling madness
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com
December 22, 2025 at 5:59 AM
This is a story about a trip down memory lane that was less about nostalgia and more about testing my current modelling skills. My childhood love affair with @Airfix never ended it appears.
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/airf...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/airf...
Far too hectic festive period to have any hobby time, so won’t be able to take part in this year’s #FestiveTankChallenge2025 despite having a Sherman awaiting construction in the stash. However, 2025 didn’t pass without a Sherman being made….three in fact. All for Indian tank brigades in Burma.
December 21, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Far too hectic festive period to have any hobby time, so won’t be able to take part in this year’s #FestiveTankChallenge2025 despite having a Sherman awaiting construction in the stash. However, 2025 didn’t pass without a Sherman being made….three in fact. All for Indian tank brigades in Burma.
Looking back over the year’s new additions for my Second World War 20mm collection and I think this is my favourite. A Lanchester armoured car for the Far East, a 3D print.
December 20, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Looking back over the year’s new additions for my Second World War 20mm collection and I think this is my favourite. A Lanchester armoured car for the Far East, a 3D print.
Nick’s recent video on the TFL Patreon site reminded me that I still have the first hex and counter wargame I ever owned - Avalon Hill’s Afrika Korps. Bought for me by my dad, so we could play together. The start of many years of happy gaming. Still has the £4.60 price tag, a princely sum in 1973.
December 18, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Nick’s recent video on the TFL Patreon site reminded me that I still have the first hex and counter wargame I ever owned - Avalon Hill’s Afrika Korps. Bought for me by my dad, so we could play together. The start of many years of happy gaming. Still has the £4.60 price tag, a princely sum in 1973.
Lard Magazine 2025 is now out. Pleased to say it includes a mini campaign - ‘On Nunshigum Ridge’ that I wrote for Chain of Command, set in Imphal in 1944.
As always the Lard Magazine is packed full of stuff for a host of TFL rule sets and is excellent value for the price.
As always the Lard Magazine is packed full of stuff for a host of TFL rule sets and is excellent value for the price.
December 14, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Lard Magazine 2025 is now out. Pleased to say it includes a mini campaign - ‘On Nunshigum Ridge’ that I wrote for Chain of Command, set in Imphal in 1944.
As always the Lard Magazine is packed full of stuff for a host of TFL rule sets and is excellent value for the price.
As always the Lard Magazine is packed full of stuff for a host of TFL rule sets and is excellent value for the price.
We reach a key game in the Scottish Corridor campaign. If the Germans can win this one, then they've won the campaign. Failure and there's a chance the British can earn a victory themselves. Much to play for then as we come down to the wire! thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
The Scottish Corridor Scenario 11: The Outskirts of Colleville
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:04 AM
We reach a key game in the Scottish Corridor campaign. If the Germans can win this one, then they've won the campaign. Failure and there's a chance the British can earn a victory themselves. Much to play for then as we come down to the wire! thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
Used some figures left over from one of the Victrix 12mm sets to make up a few stands to represent dug-in squads for my O Group games. Simple enough to make - Milliput for the base and figures cut in half. Good way to use up the additional figures.
December 6, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Used some figures left over from one of the Victrix 12mm sets to make up a few stands to represent dug-in squads for my O Group games. Simple enough to make - Milliput for the base and figures cut in half. Good way to use up the additional figures.
Adding a few support options to my US Marines. The bulk of figures are from Eureka but the range lacks most support options so I’ve filled gaps with Kelly’s Heroes and Britannia. A decent fit in terms of size and sculpting style. Although not sure why all the Britannia have a full backpack load.
December 3, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Adding a few support options to my US Marines. The bulk of figures are from Eureka but the range lacks most support options so I’ve filled gaps with Kelly’s Heroes and Britannia. A decent fit in terms of size and sculpting style. Although not sure why all the Britannia have a full backpack load.
Hearing new players wondering how to deal with double phases in Chain of Command, so thought I'd put together a blog post with a few tips and thoughts. thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/deal...
Dealing with double phases in Chain of Command
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Hearing new players wondering how to deal with double phases in Chain of Command, so thought I'd put together a blog post with a few tips and thoughts. thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/12/deal...
A few years ago, before I got back into miniatures, I was doing a lot of model making in 1/35. On a whim, I decided to see what I could do with the 1/76 Airfix models of my youth using my current modelling skills. This led to moments of sheer madness. Like rebuilding the engine deck of the JSIII….
November 30, 2025 at 9:00 PM
A few years ago, before I got back into miniatures, I was doing a lot of model making in 1/35. On a whim, I decided to see what I could do with the 1/76 Airfix models of my youth using my current modelling skills. This led to moments of sheer madness. Like rebuilding the engine deck of the JSIII….
Lovely table for a big four player Sharp Practice game set during the Peninsular War. French gendarmerie chasing down Spanish guerrillas on a magnificent 18’x5’ table.
November 29, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Lovely table for a big four player Sharp Practice game set during the Peninsular War. French gendarmerie chasing down Spanish guerrillas on a magnificent 18’x5’ table.
Good to get my 10/12mm kit on the table for some O Group action at the club last night. Been playing a lot in 15mm with my opponent‘s former FoW collection, so a nice change to use my stuff. Several comments about how great this scale is for playing WW2 at company level.
November 26, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Good to get my 10/12mm kit on the table for some O Group action at the club last night. Been playing a lot in 15mm with my opponent‘s former FoW collection, so a nice change to use my stuff. Several comments about how great this scale is for playing WW2 at company level.
A batch of German snipers from AB Figures. I've mixed it up with uniforms to give me choices for which units I can use them with. Nice to have a WW2 painting project that's not repeating the same drab colours repeatedly over and over.
November 19, 2025 at 9:11 PM
A batch of German snipers from AB Figures. I've mixed it up with uniforms to give me choices for which units I can use them with. Nice to have a WW2 painting project that's not repeating the same drab colours repeatedly over and over.
Looking forward to getting these bad boys out for a game of Infamy, Infamy at the club tonight. A bit of interest in the rules at the moment, after a good game a couple of weeks ago. Hope it continues, because this mob doesn't see enough action.
November 18, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Looking forward to getting these bad boys out for a game of Infamy, Infamy at the club tonight. A bit of interest in the rules at the moment, after a good game a couple of weeks ago. Hope it continues, because this mob doesn't see enough action.
The British attempt to buy time as we near the end of The Scottish Corridor campaign and launch the 'Skirl of the Pipes' counterattack. There's an opportunity to cause delay and even push the Germans back. But it's no easy task. thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
The Scottish Corridor Scenario 10: Skirl of the Pipes
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:35 AM
The British attempt to buy time as we near the end of The Scottish Corridor campaign and launch the 'Skirl of the Pipes' counterattack. There's an opportunity to cause delay and even push the Germans back. But it's no easy task. thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
I asked Chat GPT to create an image of British soldiers in Normandy 1944 in the style of an IWM photograph. One should have a Bren gun and they should be in action. WTF is this…
November 14, 2025 at 7:32 AM
I asked Chat GPT to create an image of British soldiers in Normandy 1944 in the style of an IWM photograph. One should have a Bren gun and they should be in action. WTF is this…
We are drawing close to the end game in our Scottish Corridor campaign for Chain of Command. It's coming down to the wire, with victory within grasp of either side. First, the Germans must try to take Colleville....can they do it as the first attempt?
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
The Scottish Corridor Scenario 9: Capturing Colleville
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:25 AM
We are drawing close to the end game in our Scottish Corridor campaign for Chain of Command. It's coming down to the wire, with victory within grasp of either side. First, the Germans must try to take Colleville....can they do it as the first attempt?
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
I ran four participation games of a Chain of Command scenario set on Saipan in 1944 back in January in the Lard Zone at CanCon in Canberra. Pleased to say, it's now available as an article in the most recent issue of Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy #138.
November 10, 2025 at 9:09 PM
I ran four participation games of a Chain of Command scenario set on Saipan in 1944 back in January in the Lard Zone at CanCon in Canberra. Pleased to say, it's now available as an article in the most recent issue of Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy #138.
We are back to The Scottish Corridor campaign. This is the eighth game of a possible twelve, so we are coming down to the end game. Much hangs in the balance, but the Germans must make progress in this game to keep up a hope they can stay on schedule.
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
The Scottish Corridor Scenario 8: Exploiting the Gap
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:25 AM
We are back to The Scottish Corridor campaign. This is the eighth game of a possible twelve, so we are coming down to the end game. Much hangs in the balance, but the Germans must make progress in this game to keep up a hope they can stay on schedule.
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
Been a bit quiet lately, with my regular opponent travelling overseas, but it doesn't mean I haven't been beavering away on a few projects.
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/10/proj...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/10/proj...
Projects just ticking along
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com
October 19, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Been a bit quiet lately, with my regular opponent travelling overseas, but it doesn't mean I haven't been beavering away on a few projects.
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/10/proj...
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/10/proj...
I’ll be running four Chain of Command games in the Lard Zone at CanCon in Canberra in January. If you fancy some gritty, late-war urban combat on a 20mm table, this might be of interest.
October 1, 2025 at 11:17 PM
I’ll be running four Chain of Command games in the Lard Zone at CanCon in Canberra in January. If you fancy some gritty, late-war urban combat on a 20mm table, this might be of interest.
Great looking house. Just saying 😉
Today on Instagram: Want to learn how to makes some very cool Jungle huts? Read the article in WS&S 137 - follow the team on Instagram #wargaming
September 22, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Great looking house. Just saying 😉
Appropriate time of year to be reading this. Entire forests must have been consumed printing it, but to call it comprehensive would be understatement. I think it’s in 9 point and at 500 pages, that’s a lot of words. Half way through and excellent so far.
September 19, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Appropriate time of year to be reading this. Entire forests must have been consumed printing it, but to call it comprehensive would be understatement. I think it’s in 9 point and at 500 pages, that’s a lot of words. Half way through and excellent so far.
The next game in The Scottish Corridor campaign for Chain of Command sees the Germans take a second crack at pushing the British out of Mouen. They have the numbers, but it didn't help them last time. Full game report here: thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-...
The Scottish Corridor Scenario 7: Second Attack at Mouen
thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com
September 17, 2025 at 5:02 AM
The next game in The Scottish Corridor campaign for Chain of Command sees the Germans take a second crack at pushing the British out of Mouen. They have the numbers, but it didn't help them last time. Full game report here: thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-...