Author: fvianello

Yesterday we had a BBQ Party to celebrate the success of the 1985: Under an Iron Sky adventure!
Thanks to everyone attending, and to all the Grognards who supported us during these months!

Kev Sharp from Big Board Gaming brings us a detailed report of the heavy fighting in West Berlin:

Checkpoint Charlie

From Thomas Gaul, Grognard Emeritus, another chapter in the world of deception and subterfuge of KGB’s Colonel Fabrizio Leonidovich Vianello!

Time: A couple weeks after the beginning of the war against NATO Neo-Fascist Capitalist exploiters
Place: KGB Colonel Vianello private office, secret KGB location deep within the Kremlin

KGB Colonel Vianello sat deep in contemplation. His keenly honed sense of danger, which had served him so well in the arcane and deeply complicated, interwoven, maneuvers of Party, KGB, and Kremlin politics, was going into overdrive. The meeting of the Committee for Review of Analysation and Planning, headed by General Beriaski, had just been completed and all was in flux.

The war itself was fluid, as all military situations were in the beginning. Some successes, some less than that. The launching of the preemptive strike to deter NATO aggression had struck the Capitalist Swine hard and viciously. The beauty of “The Plan”, his Plan, or at least the parts that had gone well, had been acknowledged by all. Normally, this would be the time when he would be basking in the glow of the accolades, taking credit for the goals reached, pinning the failures on the less talented or less well connected.

And yet, and yet….. There had been an admittedly major shortcoming. The amount of ammo, supplies, oil, replacements, spare parts, etc…. had been vastly underestimated. Reports of glorious Soviet advances had been soured by major and (in KGB Colonel Vianello’s mind) strident and shrieking complaints from the front lines about “running out of essential materials”. Demands had been made for war materials that were simply not available.

Questions were being asked. Worse, investigations were being launched. Talk was that “heads would roll”. Such talk was treasonous but there it was. But, far, far more dangerous was what would actually be found. And, most important of all, who would be blamed.

Continue reading August, 6th 1985 – In the Middle of the Storm

This is a contribution to the “1985: Under an Iron Sky” background by Thomas Gaul, old Grognard and reader of my “The Next War – Operation Attila” AAR. 

Time: June 01, 1985
Place: Deep in the secret bowels of the Krelim, KGB section

Comrade KGB Colonel Vianello signed with the contentment of a well stuff pig. The meal, wine (vodka also, of course), and cigars of the late night repast were the justifiable reward for all the hard work he and his team had put into the war plans for the coming destruction of the Capitalist-Neo-Fascist NATO powers. As such, his team and especially himself had earned this splendid feast. Yes, the workers might have to worry about a poor harvest but, after all, some of the masses were more equal than the other masses and as such should not have to worry about such mundane matters as the price of bread. When victory came, as it must, there would be plenty for all. Just plenty more for him.

All was in readiness. The plans, down to the most minute detail of mis-information given to the corrupt Western media had been prepared. Logistical, propaganda, rail movement plans, strike sights, airdrop zones, training, reserve call-ups, and all the thousand and one details that constituted the greatest military operation in history were all completed. Victory to the Glorious Socialist State was assured!

And, to himself only, Comrade KGB Colonel Vianello allowed himself his secret smile, the one he let no one, not the party elders, not his children, his wife or even his many mistresses see. For, though anything other than complete victory was inconceivable, it was the nature of the KGB to conceive even the inconceivable.
The “plan”, which, of course, would become “his” plan when it overran Europe, with the inevitable errors easily able to be fobbed off on incompetent underlings (some of whom might have to be shot as “wreckers” if it was an especially bad error) was never complete without the secret “out” clause he built into all his plans.

Continue reading June 01, 1985 – a few weeks before the storm

At 20180423 0006 ZT last ditch defenses crumbled, leaving disengagement and retreat as the only choice.

“1985: Under an Iron Sky” is officially out of stock.

Hello everyone,
first of all thank you for the unbelievable success. Really. The first hours after shop opening at April, 9 have been surreal 🙂

Now, some info about the latest developments!

SITREP at 20180419 0914 ZT:

• As most of you already knows, US Inventory vaporized in 7 days
• We have a strategic reserve of 17 copies in US, to be used only on SHAPE direct order
• We have 60 copies left at POMCUS sites in Europe, to be used for other orders

New Rules Of Engagement

We’ll have 2 different procedures for acquiring “1985: Under an Iron Sky” combat equipment:

1. Reserved Copy Owners from US / Canada

Contact me directly at FVianello@TRLGames.com.

2. All other combat units

Proceed to order normally from our Shop.
US / Canada orders will be shipped from Europe (Sorry for the extra costs!)

Kev Sharp from Big Board Gaming published one of his traditional “unboxing” videos centered on 1985…here it is!

THIS IS NOT A DRILL

DEFCON Level has been raised to 1. Move to combat position.

Latest developments of the situation in USSR and West Germany can be found here:

THIS IS NOT A DRILL