40th Anniversary of The Sword And The Flame!

This year will be the 40th Anniversary of the iconic colonial skirmish rules set "The Sword And The Flame" written by the venerable late Larry V. Brom, USMC. In my humble opinion these are by far the best colonial wars rules set ever written! The fact that I consider Larry and his daughters Lori & Christy my friends has nothing at all to do with my thoughts about these rules. I'd first found these rules at an old Historicon convention at the Penn Harris Inn about the mid 1980's. Larry was running an Egyptian vs Brits game and I instantly fell in love with the flow, game speed, period specific nuances, exciting melee phase, and the user friendly game mechanics.

I've been playing these rules ever since. I've tried many others, but none came close to the fun, excitement, and adventure of these rules, for me personally at least. The fact that the mechanics are set up for skirmish type actions and not competition has led the faithful followers of these rules to have one very common awesome trait among them, that all games must be FUN! The fun aspect has always kept me locked into these rules and I have made some of my best and life long friends while rolling dice around a rip roaring fun TSATF games table.

Larry's inspiration for writing these rules came from movies like Gunga Din. Here is a photo of a Gunga Din TSATF game run by Devon Start and played at our SMG clubhouse Das Krieg Haus in Fort Lauderdale Fla.

The epitome of colonial gaming, pictured are The Sergeants 3 and Gunga Din by Bob Murch of Pulp Figures (Code: PBT-5) https://pulpfigures.com/products/view/149, and painted by Devon.


Now with the 40th Anniversary Edition of this masterpiece rules set on the horizon I can't wait to see what Larry's daughters have done to celebrate the rules and Larry. Lori had told me that the 40th will contain updates, corrections from the official addendum, scenarios, and some surprises. Count me in!

Check out the official The Sword And The Flame Website: http://www.sergeants3.com/

Setting up my Sudan game table for HMGS-South's Recon-2019 convention in Orlando, Fl.

Devon Start's Gunga Din TSATF game table at HMGS-South's Recon-2019 convention, Orlando, Fl. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/hmgs_south/info

I hope to see you around a TSATF table soon! Carry on, and have fun rolling them bones.....
Cheers,
Sgt. G.

Larry Brom - 1958

Recon-2007, Orlando Fl. Kay Bar & Bayonet play test crew.

From Left to right:

 Mark Stevens, Larry Brom, Jeff Baumal (Sgt G), George Carr Sr., Big Red, Mike Lucas, Marc.

PBT 26 - A  1930's version of The Sgt's 3, by Pulp Figures painted by the very talented Stan Johansen, https://www.stanjohansenminiatures.com/

https://pulpfigures.com/products/view/186

"Larry Brom Memorial Gaming Weekend at HMGS-South's Recon 2016"

Good day hive,

A group of us are planning to run a memorial gaming event for Larry at the upcoming HMGS-South Recon 2016 convention in Orlando Florida from 28 April to 1 May. The weekend will feature no less than (7) games based on The Sword And The Flame and its variations. Please see the list below for the games and game times. I have left the GM's names off to protect the innocent...LOL

If you are interested please check out the HMGS-South's website for details. Last Stand Dan and I will also post various tidbits on our blogs about our planned games. Do check out Dan's blog as you will see some of the amazing pieces in his Sudan collection, most notably his Awesome custom made gunboats!

"Larry Brom Memorial Gaming Weekend at HMGS-South's Recon 2016".

Thursday night:  The Village, a "The Sword in Africa" scenario  from TSATF 2000 Scenario Book.

Friday AM:  The Mine, a "The Sword in Africa" scenario  from TSATF 2000 Scenario Book.

Friday Afternoon:   TSATF - 1917 "With Lawrence at Shahm”

Friday Night:  San Juan Hill - TSATF - Spanish American War
Saturday AM:  The Battle of Newtonville - ACW - The Sword to Secession

Saturday Afternoon:- TSATF Sudan - "River Operations In The Sudan".

Saturday Night:  The Patrol - a take off on a NWF Gunga Din scenario from TSATF 2000 Scenario Portfolio.

Welcome to HMGS-South

			Welcome to HMGS-South Historical Miniatures Gameing Society South.
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Last Stand Dan

			Last Stand Dan So I have to say that the last two gunboat battles were a lot of fun.  Both Colonial Barracks V and at our Colorado Military Historian (CMH) club meeting a week a...
			View on laststanddan.blogspo...	Preview by Yahoo

Cheers,
JB

The 1st Colonial Barracks - 2011 (A Blast from the Past)

 

 Prepping for: Colonial Barracks V - Nov 6th - 8th

With the immanent approach of Colonial Barracks V at the Sheraton in Metarie New Orleans some of us have been getting forces ready for the con. I have been getting a Highlander unit ready for the "Mad Guru's" Charasiab Epic NWF game and my buddy "Last Stand Dan" has been producing awesome Dhows for his Sudan Game. While checking them out on Dan’s blog I had found this little gem from the first Colonial Barracks back in 2011. The following is pulled directly from his blog.

Click here to check out both of their great blogs:

http://laststanddan.blogspot.com

http://maiwandday.blogspot.com

Click here for the Colonial Barracks and the official “The Sword And The Flame” web site:

http://www.sergeants3.com/

Cheers,

JB

 

Colonial Barracks Convention - New Orleans Nov 4 - 6, 2011 

When I heard that Larry and Lori Brom putting the first The Sword and Flame at Colonial Barracks I decided right away I was going.  If it wasn't for Larry Brom's Rules and the movie "Khartoum" I never would have been a war gamer.  So it was a pleasure seeing Lori and Larry after seeing them at Historicon in 2004.  This is the 32nd year that TSATF has been around and has stood the test of time.  

"The Train" Battle by Dr, Mark Stevens.

The convention was at the Sheraton Metarie which is only about 25 minutes or so from the French Quarter.   I took Julie and her son Aaron and we had a blast.  For this first visit I took most of my time with sightseeing and playing in the evening.  I am ready to go again next year.  This is a perfect trip to bring your family and everyone will be happy.  I took the opportunity to vista the French Quarter, eat some great food, visit the WWII National Museum, road the Street Car, etc.  Great fun.  Of course I kept sending pictures and text message to Tony Fryer, just to rub it in.  

WWII National Museum

French Quarter

The convention was also a fundraiser for the Creutzfieldt-Jakob Diseasse which took Sara, Wife and Mother in 1999.  It is a worthy cause.  

I met new friends there and ran into a fellow Californio, Ethan Reiff.  Well he lives in California but is from the east coast.  I will be definitely visiting him in California to play in some games or conventions on the West Coast.   Now Ethan drove all the way from California and put on the nice looking terrain of the battle of Maiwand.  I added Ethan's Blog in my Favorite Blog sections, check it out.  Here are some pics from his Maiwand Battle.

Maiwand Troops

More Maiwand Troops

Battery on the move.

Maiwand

Maiwand

Ethan's beautiful Maiwand Table!

Besides seeing Lori and Larry I got to see Jeff Baumal whom I have not seen for many years at a past Historicon.  He put on some great battles and I was fortunate to play in his "The Wind and the Lion" battle.

But if anyone has played the Sword and the Flame before you know the mechanics.  It is a blast, especially in the Wind and the Lion battle where the Raisuli got away but Pedecarus was wounded and taken down.  It almost went according to our Berber plan.  The terrain as I have mentioned is fantastic and I hope to play in another of Jeff's battles at Recon in Coco Beach in the Spring.

Here are some pictures of The Wind and the Lion Battle.  "Mrs. Pedecarus alive or Railsuli dead!" (The Wind and the Lion 1975.)

Jeff's Beautiful Wind Lion Market!

Wind Lion Defenders

 Jeff Far Right next to Ethan

Market Place

Berber Cavalry

Pedecarus goes down!

Raisuli Breakout

Marines!

Germans.

Berbers ready to start the Charge!

Berbers on the move!

Germans, French and Moroccans defenders

Building where the Raisuli is being held!

Germans just made it to the walls!

The Honorable Larry Brom. 

The Wind and the Lion Battlefield

French Cavalry ready to charge the gates

Larry overlooking the battle

Berber Cavalry swarming everywhere through the defences.

Berber Surprise attack on the left flank gate.

French Cavalry defend the gate by charging into my Berber mob.

Berbers taking rifle fire from the walls before contact is made

Oh is that Frenchie on the ground...haha!

If you saw the movie, the Marines start the Fire Works!

Larry Brom 1958

Happy Belated Birthday Larry Brom

                                Happy Belated 85th Birthday Larry Brom!

What can be said about the man that gave us so many wonderful years of gaming fun. Like many of you some of my best friends have been found while gaming. On that note, some of those have only been found because of one of the many rules sets Larry has written and developed, my personal favorite sets of rules, "The Sword And The Flame"! Thank you Sgt. Brom for the many wonderful years gaming and for the awesome fiends I have made and continue too make because of TSATF!!!!

Three cheers to the man, the myth, the legend, (LOL) Larry Brom, Huzzah, Huzzah, Huzzah!

                              Larry, Lori, & Christy ar Colonial Barracks IV.

The Sword And The Flame 1979 Cover.

Larry at Colonial Barracks I looking at Ethan Reiff's (The Mad Guru) awesome Maiwand table.

                   Larry Brom & Ethan Reiff, 2011 at Colonial Barracks I.

Recon 2007,  Larry Brom & Mike Lucas discuss strategy about the NWF over my STATF NWF game at an HMGS-South con in Florida.

                 Recon 2007, Larry Brom, Mark Stevens, & Mike Lucas.

 Larry receives an achievement award from the HMGS-South's BOD at Recon 2007 in Orlando Fl..

 Recon 2007, Larry Brom, Mark Stevens, and George Carr Sr. Larry discusses his new rules with us, a WWII Pacific game called K-bar & Bayonet. He asked us to be his first con play testers.

                    Recon 2007, the K-bar and Bayonet play test group.

I know there are more pictures of Larry lurking in my various PC files. I will continue the search at a later date as family responsibility now pulls me away.