Wednesday, January 4, 2017

So… Vimy…

As I alluded to in the recent Game Plan 2017 post, the whole Vimy Project has been kind of up in the air for the last few weeks. Since my last project update/planning post I have gotten a fair bit of painting done, but not nearly as much as I’d hoped to have done by this point… I also kind of got stalled on the terrain making and there has been very little work on that front (no pun intended). I lost steam in December and work on the project pretty much ground to a halt…

After a bit of a break, some budget crunching,  a bit of soul-searching, and an existential crisis or two, I have come to the conclusion that I could, in fact, still get it all done in time... I have three months, a fairly flexible life/schedule and a preternaturally patient and accepting wife and family. So, it could happen…

For those that just wandered in or any who haven’t been paying very close attention, I have been working on and off over the last 10 years or so on a project to sort of commemorate 100th anniversary of the Canadian Corps assault on Vimy Ridge on 9 April 1917. I have been working on a roughly scale model of the ridge that will be about 12’ long and 8’ wide at the widest end – complete with the German defensive trench network. I’ve also been collecting and painting enough miniature figures to make 48 Canadian battalions and 18 German battalions – at 15 figures/battalion. With the additional command and staff and support models (machine-guns and trench mortars) it will total well over 1000 figures. With this, on the 100th anniversary (Sunday, 9 April 2017), I am going to orchestrate a massive miniature war game of the Canadian Corps attack.

To make it happen, however, I do have a fair bit of work to complete and will probably have to spend every spare moment working on getting it done. Stay tuned for more updates!


Looking For a Few Good Men 
(16, actually…)

One thing that would be very handy to know (and help with motivation!) is if anyone is actually going to show up to such an event…? Three of the four fellows that played in my Regina Trench game at ToonCon in September seemed keen enough. For this game though, I am going to need 12-16 participants to commit to showing up on the 9th of April to make it happen. Ideally I’d like 3-4 “helpers” to help me run the German and another 8-12 warm bodies to take on the role of Canadian Brigadiers – each commanding 4 battalions of Canadians (and perhaps a machine-gun company and a mortar battery…). I can probably count on a few of my regular gaming friends to show, but I will need, at the very least, a few more.

So if there’s anyone out there in the blog-o-verse that happens to be free on the afternoon (and possibly evening) of Sunday, 9 April 2017, and are willing and able to make his or her way to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and help live out my megalomaniacal epic gaming dream… please let me know! You could leave a comment below…?

Or drop me a line…? (I am loath to publish my email address online. The last time that happened I was inundated with messages offering me penises from Nigeria or novel ways to lengthen my money – or… perhaps it was the other way around…?) 

15 comments:

  1. I wish I could!
    Maybe do this at your local library or in conjunction with your local Reserves Regiment?

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    1. One of the libraries was one of the options I was considering.

      I hadn't considered the armouries. I've had kind of mixed reactions from current or previously serving members of the armed services on the topic of miniature wargaming. Some get it. Others seem offended by the notion and seem to think it somehow trivializes their service by making a game of it with little toy soldiers...?

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    2. Call it a "Map Exercise" and there you go! :)

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  2. I've watched the progress of this project for ages (used your trenches as inspiration) and I'd love to join in. Unfortunately I can't afford the flight costs for a wargames weekend :'(

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    1. Thanks James! Completely understandable - I wouldn't be able to fly anywhere to do participate in something similar someone else was doing either! I'm certainly not expecting that every follower is going to show up (there'd be WAY TOO MANY if they did!?). I'm just putting it out there in case there does happen to be anyone sitting around who COULD make it here (whether because they live closer or have way more disposable income that you or I have!) and would be interested to do so!

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  3. Hi Tim I can likely be available, subject to sleeping quarters (food I can manage myself, still being a carnivore). I do have another buddy who would be interested should space be available for him to crash as well. He is retired & after speaking with him about your Vimy project, was interested.
    As for military members poo-pooing the miniature wargaming, they can always scrub toilets & practice marching up & down the square

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    1. "You know, if there's one thing I've learnt from being in the Army, it's never ignore a pooh-pooh. I knew a Major, who got pooh-poohed, made the mistake of ignoring the pooh-pooh. He pooh-poohed it! Fatal error! 'Cos it turned out all along that the soldier who pooh-poohed him had been pooh-poohing a lot of other officers who pooh-poohed their pooh-poohs. In the end, we had to disband the regiment. Morale totally destroyed... by pooh-pooh!"

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  4. I wish I could be there! Good luck for April.

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  5. Living on the Eastern side of the country I can only offer e-moral support with some focused online lurking...good luck.

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    1. Thanks Stanley - I will be posting lots of pics for those who can only be here in spirit!

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  6. If only I could be there! I've watched this grow almost since inception I think and am chuffed to see you intend to try and finish it off. Best of luck Tim!

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  7. The thought of taking the train 1/2 way across the country to go to war(game), the reverse of the trip so many took to go to real thing back then, is oh so tempting. Haven't done the trip by rail in decades. But its not going to happen so add me to the list of well wishers and wanna be e-viewers of the reports.

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  8. Good luck with the khaki! I'm afraid I'm just cheering you on from the other side of the pond.
    Best Iain

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