Benghazi 2012 – Designing Buildings for Transit Game
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About the Project
This project will outline projects, media content, and hobby work pertaining specifically to the Sitrep Podcast. Minis, video work, playtesting, "Present Arms" hobby work, "Breach and Clear" unboxings / product reviews, etc.
Related Genre: Historical
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Design Stream - Buildings for Benghazi 2012
Design Stream – Virtual Terrain! As part of our “13 Days to 13 Hours” project (“What-If” games for the September 2012 attacks in Benghazi), we’re making buildings for our upcoming “Transit Game.” This part of the project will track the GRS operators’ harrowing journey from the CIA Annex to the Embassy Outpost complex that fateful night. I’ll have to create about a square mile of Benghazi on a virtual game table, so that means BUILDINGS! Lots of buildings. Let’s build a few with an assembly template I have staged in Photoshop.
YouTube channel and Twitch.
Benghazi 2012: Militia and Vehicles Mostly Complete
As part of our ongoing 13 Days to 13 Hours project here on the Sitrep Podcast, I’m finishing up a portfolio of “virtual figures.”
These will be used in the “Transit Game” – tracking the GRS operators’ journey from the Benghazi CIA Annex to the Ambassador Outpost Compound that was under attack on the night of 11-12 September, 2012.
The outcome of the transit game will impact the starting scenario and win conditions for the main tabletop “Compound Game,” played in physical 28mm miniature.
Following that, there will probably be another short “Transit Game” to get the rescued ambassador staff back to the relative safety of the CIA Annex.
Start off with sketches, for one-handed and two-handed shooters, because why not? These are VERY roughly drawn on typing paper, iPhone photographed, and ported over to Photoshop.
Here are the completed samples for one-handed shooters. There are three styles for hat, three styles for beard, two styles for hair, five-six styles for shirts, pants, three styles for shoes, three choices for weapons (pistol, SMG, assault carbine). I don't even know what this all works out to, something like 1000 possible combinations. The rather outlandish color schemes are because many of these insurgents were football / soccer fans and there was a game on that night.
A similar layer structure was used in the PS template for two-handed shooters. Only two choices for weapons here ... RPD light machine guns up top, and AKM family assault rifles. 
There were vehicles here, as well. For sure we have the Toyota Land Cruisers (armored, I'm assuming) for the GRS. Militia technicals (pick ups with a DSHK 12.7mm HMG) might make an appearance. I'm told we'll also need an armored Mercedes ... so I may have one more vehicle to make. 
A quick look at all the "virtual figures" created so far. Again, there are hundreds more possible combinations for GRS operators, one-handed militia, two-handed militia. Of course we won't need them all, but the options are ready nonetheless.Black Hawk Down - Elessar2590 vs. Oriskany
Here is the re-play from the live game shared between myself and @elessar2590 yesterday. We took a swing at playtesting new expansions for Barry Doyle’s Valor & Victory WW2 squad-based infantry combat system, pushing the system into the 1990s with a “Blackhawk Down” scenario from the Battle of Mogadishu, Operation Gothic Serpent, October 3-4 1993.
YouTube channel and Twitch.
Sitrep Design Stream - Militia Figures for Benghazi "Transit" Game
We’ve just had a nice little stream in Sitrep Podcast (Twitch and YouTube) where we were continuing our creation of militia “figures” for our upcoming 13 Days to 13 Hours Benghazi 2012 Project.
YouTube channel and Twitch.
Map for the Game, US Medics.
Realized I didn’t have medics for my US Rangers, so I have created counters for them now. Now built up the beginnings of a scenario for today’s game, with some forces drawn up and a map prepared.
We’ll be aiming at 3:00-3:15 for this stream on Sitrep Podcast’s YouTube channel and Twitch.
The American force (75th Rangers, +HMMWVs of Lt. Colonel McKnight's battalion), medics added.
The map. The Rangers will be entering from the southeast corner, charged with getting to one of the Blackhawk crash sites in the northwest. Somalis, Technicals, HMMWVs, Civilians
Put some more work into tomorrow’s “armies” recreating part of Operation Gothic Serpent, 1993 “Day of the Rangers” Battle of Mogadishu. Added Somali SNA militia (Mohammed Farrah Aidid’s insurgents), technicals, US Army M1025 HMMWVs, and civilians.
We’ll be aiming at 3:00-3:15 for this stream on Sitrep Podcast’s YouTube channel and Twitch.
Aidid's SNA Militia, including two choices for MG (LMG, GPMG), RPGs, grenades. Full and half "squads" and some leaders. 
Civilians are "neutral" units controlled by neither player. However, the insurgent can take advantage of them to screen movement and fire, per US rules of engagement. I also added Technicals with a DShK 12.7mm HMG, and US M1025 HMMWV "weapons carriers" (Hummvees with M2 "Ma Deuce" .50 cal).Expanding Valor & Victory into 1993
This Sunday afternoon / evening we’re hoping to stream a playtest of new counters, units, and scenarios for Barry S. Doyle’s Valor & Victory, pushing this great WW2 system further into the modern age. We’ve done 1967-68 Vietnam, 1982 Lebanon, and 1982 Falklands.
So the next step seems to be the 1990s. Accordingly I’m building US Army Rangers and Somali militia / insurgents for a partial recreation of Operation Gothic Serpent, and the fateful firefight of October 3-4, 1993 made famous by the book and film: Black Hawk Down.
So here are my US Army Rangers so far. Note there are no M249 SAWs or M203 grenade launchers among the support weapons. This is because they are backed into the squads and half squads (fire teams) - as each fire team had these weapons integral to their "load out." I'm also not 100% sure of the GPMG options, so I have M60E3 and M240s to cover my bases. Tomorrow I'll start the Somalis. I honestly don't know if I'll include vehicles like US HMMWVs and Somali technicals ... at least not for the first run-through of this new expansion.E-figures completed (GRS)
Includes M249 Para-mod SAWs, Marksmen sniper rifles, HK grenade launcher, M4/M18 assault carbines, and one unarmed interpreter.Live Stream: Oriskany and Gaz - 13 Days to 13 Hours
Oriskany and Gaz are getting together for a quick stream, where we’ll be building virtual playing figures for the upcoming “13 Days to 13 Hours” project on Sitrep Podcast. We’ll also be going over the historical events of the September 11, 2012 Benghazi attack, and kicking around rules ideas for how to handle upcoming games that will try to recreate parts of that event.
We hope you’ll check out our live stream on our Sitrep Podcast Twitch Channel or on Sitrep Podcast YouTube!
Sitrep Stream Replay: Swordpoint - The "Other" Team Yankee
Everyone knows Team Yankee, Harold Coyle’s WW III novel and basis for the Team Yankee wargames. Of course he wrote other novels as well, including “Swordpoint,” postulating a possible 1980s or 1990s war between the US and USSR in the sands of Iran. What would such battles be like on a Panzer Leader board?
Sitrep Hobby Stream: 1991 Iraqi Armor for Desert Storm games
We had a great hobby stream last night, getting the Sitrep Podcast Channel warmed up again after the holiday break. Made some progress on my Iraqi armor, getting them ready to face off against my 1991 Desert Storm US Marine Corps task force.
Results: SitRep Playtest of Contact Front Gods Eye Games
This past Sunday, Gianna ( @stvitusdancern ) and I had the chance to playtest Contact Front – the new modern skirmish wargame system from Gods Eye Games. We had to use a virtual table, of course, but this was scaled at 6’x’4′, at 28mm. We also abbreviated some of the objective and support options, and again, this was our very first run of the system so we were definitely “leaning to crawl before we tried to walk.”
The complete playthrough is available on the Sitrep Youtube Channel here:
Our 6x4 table, scaled for 28mm miniatures (bases just under 1" wide), showing initial Taliban set up positions and US Army entry. Taliban has a four-man fighter cell, an RPG team, a PKM GPMG team, and a command team. US Army has a squad (two four-man fireteams, M4, M4, M16/203, M249 SAW), and a sergeant squadleader. Again, baby steps here. This is a VERY small game.
Close up of the "miniatures" I made for this game. US troopers carry M4 assault carbines, M16 assault rifles with attached M203 grenade launchers, and M249 SAW (squad automatic weapon) light machine guns.
Taliban figures. AKM assault rifles, PKM GPMGs, RPG rocket launchers, and a local warlord for a Taliban Command Team.
The Americans enter the table to secure at least two of the three buildings on the table (again, VERY abbreviated objectives for this first play through). Just to get the stream started and try out the combat system, I rush Gianna's "Fireteam Bravo" and "Sergeant Rock" with my PKM team. She has them in "Watch and Fire" posture so she fires as I approach the edge of the roof - her M203 grenadier puts an HE-FRAG right between them and rolls very well on the blast damage. Both Taliban fighters are immediately eliminated. Not only do theynot get to shoot, neither does the rest of Fireteam Bravo!
Fireteam Alpha moves up along the left flank, using low mud walls and construction debris as cover. To screen further advance they put down two smoke grenades from the M203. These smoke screens will actually expand on the next turn.
My Taliban "freedom fighters" try to use American smoke screens against them - moving all units down against Fireteam Bravo as fast as I can. If I can hit HALF of Gianna's force with ALL of my force while the infidels are still divided, especially an RPG gunner at point-blank range, even one or two casualties can really slow down the American advance. But Fireteam Alpha is going to get a few shots as I race across that road. One AKM gunner takes a Tier 3 and Tier 2 wound (slight and moderate).
The end game. My aggressive Taliban strategy (taken as much to entertain the stream ... why else RUSH the infidels when I am in fact on DEFENSE) ... pays off ... but I am let down by the dice. Yes, my first rush against Fireteam Bravo is pinned down by "Section Fire" - but the RPG gunner is then set up for a perfect shot, and drills one right in the middle of Fireteam Bravo. Between bad dice and perhaps we didn't do this correctly by the rules (not sure on this) ... the Americans are pinned and take no wounds. The cost, of course, is immediate. My pincer against Fireteam Bravo instead becomes and American pincer and crossfire as Fireteam Alpha comes in to take the pressure off Fireteam Bravo. American firepower and accuracy is just too much, and once untrained militia start taking losses they don't recover very well at all. A great INITIAL playtest, there are TONS of rules and options we didn't get into with this, including hidden objectives and support options.Playtesting CONTACT FRONT by God's Eye Games - 8:30 PM UK Time
Here on the Sitrep Podcast Team, we’re looking at Contact Front by God’s Eye Games. It’s a new new modern warfare miniature game set in the earlier phases of the War in Afghanistan in 2002-2006.
Sadly, Gianna and I cannot meet over a table right now, so I’ve adopted a table and “minis” for virtual tabletop play, scaled at 28mm on a may 6 foot by 4 foot. We’ll just be playing a small introductory game, learning the rules as we go, but we wanted to give this game an honest try before we gave a formal, final review.
We hope you’ll check us out either YouTube or Twitch, where we’ll be streaming this game live at 8:30 UK time (Sunday December 8).
Still making "miniatures" for this playtest. :D But I should be okay for an INTRODUCTORY test of an American squad, now finishing up my Taliban fighters, with a leader and RPG gunner on the cards.
This map is sized for 72" by 48", with the circular bases for my "miniatures" being just under 1"
