Sitrep Podcast - Historical Wargaming

31/08/2025

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻'𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 - 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 (𝗣𝟮)

We’re back to finish up our speculative wargame, taking some guesses at how British armored forces might perform in a potential future conflict in Estonia.

In Part 1, we saw the British seize key terrain early on, forcing the Russians to assault entrenched defensive positions. But rather than attack the British head-on, the Russians flanked them to the north -- and when the British responded, the Russians also struck in the south and center, forcing the British into some very tough decisions.

Can the British hold against the onslaught? Or will Russian numbers pry them off their objectives?

We’re back to finish up our speculative wargame, taking some guesses at how British armored forces might perform in a potential future conflict in Estonia. ...

24/08/2025

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻'𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 - 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 (𝗣𝟭)
Once again we take our wargames into the near future, with a look at what Britain’s armored forces could possibly look like on tomorrow’s battlefield.

The scenario is Estonia in 2028-2030. Having closed the Ukraine War and taken a pause to recover, the Russians now push into the Baltic States. Here, Britain’s “Operation Cabrit” force finds itself amidst an Article V NATO response, deployed to check one of the spearheads of the 1st Guards Tank Army.

Using unclassified technical data, I’ve put together a “guestimated” Panzer Leader force including Britain’s upcoming armored vehicle programs like the Ares, Ajax, Boxer, and Challenger 3. Heavily outnumbered by older Russian equipment, will the Kings Royal Hussars and Yorkshire Regiment hold out against the 27th Motor Rifle Brigade?

Once again we take our wargames into the near future, with a look at what Britain’s armored forces could possibly look like on tomorrow’s battlefield. The s...

17/08/2025

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱 - 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗜 (𝟭𝟱𝗺𝗺 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲)
Once again we step into the boots of Marines of yesteryear with a wargame set in the historic Battle of Belleau Wood. The system is “Tactical Combat” – presented by Mark Ritchie in 15mm.

Belleau Wood was a ferocious battle in the last year of World War I, part of the Aisne Counterattack that stalemated Ludendorff’s Blücher Offensive toward Paris. The most famous part of the battle was fought between Marines of the 4th Marine Brigade (5th and 6th Marine Regiments) and the Germans (technically many of the troops were Bohemian in ancestry) of 237th Infantry Division.

Belleau Wood stands beside places like Iwo Jima, Khe Sanh, and Chapultepec, iconic milestones in the history of the Marine Corps, part of the bedrock of their history and traditions to this day.

Oriskany Jim once more steps into the boots of Marines of yesteryear with a wargame set in the historic Battle of Belleau Wood. They system is “Tactical Com...

27/07/2025

𝗟𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 - 𝟭𝟱𝗺𝗺 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 (𝗣𝟮)
Join us as we wrap up last week’s 15mm miniature wargame scenario set in the War in Ukraine.

Our system is 𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 by Great Escape Games, with some house rules for off-board artillery, battlefield attack drones, and first person view (FPV) drones.

Join us as we wrap up last week’s 15mm miniature wargame scenario set in the War in Ukraine.Link to Part One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0vgM6Jn-UwOur ...

20/07/2025

𝗟𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 - 𝟭𝟱𝗺𝗺 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 (𝗣𝟭)
Join us at the miniature gaming table as we return once more to modern military wargaming, taking another look at the ongoing War in Ukraine.

Our system today is 𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 by Great Escape Games. The engagement in hand might be the most recent we’ve tackled, fought just eight months ago at the time of recording.

We’ve got new tanks on the table in the form of Leopard 1A5s, sent from several NATO countries to support Ukraine’s war effort. We also have new rules for First Person View, or FPV, attack drones, bringing a new cutting-edge element into the 𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 system.

Join us at the miniature gaming table as we return once more to modern military wargaming, taking another look at the ongoing War in Ukraine. Our system tod...

13/07/2025

Starting in the fall of 2024, Russian forces in the Luhansk and eastern Khar'kiv regions of Ukraine started pushing from their positions near Svotove toward crossings over the Oskil River. Among these crossing point targets was the the small town of Khrukyakivka. Using the 𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 system by Great Escape Games, we tried to recreate some of the action in these engagements.

12/07/2025

Join Us for our next exciting video!

22/06/2025

𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹 - 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 (𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟮)
We’re back to finish up our 250th Anniversary wargame of the Battle of Bunker Hill!

Will the Knowlton Fence crack? Will the second British assault crry the heights of Breed's Hill?

We’re back to finish up our 250th Anniversary wargame of the Battle of Bunker Hill!Link to Part One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGq5oFPMI30The system we...

15/06/2025

𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹 - 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 (𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟭)
This week marks the 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, which we’re commemorating with a wargame using Oriskany Jim’s “Battlefield: Rebellion” system.

Widely considered to be the first set-piece battle of the American Revolution, Bunker Hill saw each side really come to a grim measure of the other’s ability and resolve. Fighting was bloody and ferocious, and the casualties lists left no one in doubt just what kind of war this was going to be.

This week marks the 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, which we’re commemorating with a wargame using Oriskany Jim’s “Battlefield: Rebellion” sy...

07/06/2025

In this engaging episode, we dive into a mix of historical reflections and hobbyist pursuits. Our hosts are joined by Chris Bennett from Phalanx Games and Sundries, introducing the exciting upcoming event, PhalanxCon 2025, where gaming enthusiasts can look forward to a celebration of all things tabl...

07/06/2025

𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝟯, 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹.
System: 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥: 𝘙𝘦𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯 (under playtest)

British first assault on Breed's Hill has been repulsed. Second assault is now in progress, and has managed a small crack in Prescott's Redoubt. Americans here have suffered one "panic kill" (unit routed with nowhere to flee).

Interestingly, British have also cracked Knowleton's Fence to the north along the north shore with surprising ease (this was a bloodbath historically), perhaps due to naval gunnery of HMS Falcon (repositioned from her historical spot).

Amercan artillery on Breed's Hill, is doing much better than historically - they've killed two of Abercrombie's grenandier units, even as they and Pitcairn's Marines wipe out American rifles and shove back militia on the outskirts of Charlestown.

Americans will soon have to start making ammunition rolls (historically, their whole force ran out of ammunition partway throught he battle).

However, British have already lost four units. If they lose ten, the battle is a draw, if they lose twelve, Americans win ... even if they (inevitably) routed off the Charlestown Peninsula.

Last one of these updates. Now that I've refreshed myself on the rules and made a few corrections, I will restart, this time on video, for a full battle report presented later this month - near the actual 17 June anniversary.

30/05/2025

This week’s podcast will run next Saturday due to family obligations this week. See you then!