By Fire and Sword: Two training battles with my Swedes

Last Saturday, Max and I met up for a few games of ‘By Fire and Sword’.In the first game, my Swedes faced his Imperials and then Max's Ottomans; both games ended in a crushing defeat for me.Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun as usual, the rules are quick to play and easy to get the hang of and we'll...

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Chain of Command AAR: Clash of Patrols at Ponte Olivo

Saturday was our monthly CoC game, this time as an introductory game for Stefan, a CoC newcomer.Max took over a Platoon Bersaglieri, Stefan led my US Parachute Infantry into battle and I took on the role of game master and was on hand to answer Stefan's questions about rules and tactics.First of all:...

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Italian Bersaglieri Platoons: CoC Army Lists for the operations in the Mediterranean 1942-1943

I must confess that the research on the Bersaglieri was the most exhausting and contradictory so far for our CoC army lists.So many reorganisations, some of which were only ordered but never implemented, requests for changes from the divisions based on their combat experience, which were usually, but...

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US Armoured Rifle Infantry Platoon: CoC Army List for the operations in the Mediterranean 1942-1943

This list has been compiled for the combat operations in the Mediterranean region in mind, i.e. ‘Operation Torch’ and the subsequent fighting in Tunisia until the surrender of the Germans and Italians, ‘Operation Husky’ and the conquest of Sicily, up to the landing on the Italian mainland.It ends with...

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US Parachute Infantry Platoon: CoC Army List for the operations in the Mediterranean 1942-1943

The standard Platoon of US Parachute Infantry, as it was used during ‘Operation Torch’, ‘Operation Husky’ and after the landing on the Italian mainland too.They belonged to the 82nd Airborne Division and were organised into two squads which would only change with ‘Operation Market Garden’ (from then...

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Project Livorno in 15mm: squadra Mortaio d'assalto Brixia Mod. 35

As I wrote in my Blog posts regarding the CoC Army Lists for the divisione "Livorno" (https://utgaards-blog.blogspot.com/2025/01/project-livorno-chain-of-command-army.html) and the standard organisation of the Metropolitan Fucilieri platoons (https://utgaards-blog.blogspot.com/2025/02/project-italy-ww2-chain-of-command-army.html),...

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Chain of Command AAR: Reconnaissance-in-force

Max and I used our monthly CoC game last Saturday to further refine our self-designed scenario.It is roughly based on a reconnaissance-in-force in which a central object has to be captured - in our case a farm dominating an important crossroads.A normal patrol phase is played, followed by a reconnaissance...

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Italian Fucilieri Platoon outside Africa Settentrionale (North Africa): CoC Army List for the operations in the Mediterranean 1942-1943

After my CoC Army List for the different structured platoons of the "Livorno", "Superga" (and later "Friuli") was ready it's now time for an Army List for the remaining Metropolitan (in Italy itself, or stationed in Albania, Greece and so on) divisions.This includes the fanteria costiera (Coastal Divisions)...

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Project Livorno in 15mm: Fucile controcarro Solothurn da 20 mm (Solothurn S-18/1000 Anti Tank rifle)

Next Support Option ready to fend off enemy armor ... at least a light weighted one 😎These are 3D printed with the STLs coming from 3D Bre...

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Chain of Command AAR: Counterattack on Piano Lupo

Saturday was the day again: we met for another game of Big CoC at my home - the scenario was ‘Attack on an Objective’.Max took over a platoon of the 2nd US Armoured ‘Hell on Wheels’, which was supported by a troop of 3 Shermans.Opposite them was a platoon of the Italian ‘Livorno’ led by Daniel and a...

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