Game preview for Sunday 3rd July.

Knowing virtually nothing about WW2 wargaming,I was asked (?) to prepare some terrain,and a scenario,so Brian could field his newly painted Russians(winter uniforms) against Germans(winter uniforms!) provided by Dave and Brian himself!!! I have come up with the following,and hope it suits the "brief".

 Top photo shows the scenario,bottom shows the table as the "boys" will see it on arrival.

View of the village from the Russian side of the table.

View of the Farm from the Russian side of the table.

Top photo shows the view of the Pill-Box from the Russian side of the table,bottom shows the view from the Pill-box over the road and farm area.

The prime objective-the village,Eisenhuttenstadt(real name of a town on the Odra river)

The Bridge(too far??) one of the Russian's entry points.Well,all set out and awaiting millions of troops ,tanks,mortars,machine guns etc.etc.-roll on Sunday.

WW2 game-rules test.

Last night we had a WW2 game to test our rules,prior to putting on a game at Stockton on the 24th November. I came up with the scenario and terrain,whilst Dave organised the figures and tanks etc.

Top photo is the scenario,bottom is the table before any American troops are put on it!
It all looks very peaceful-there's even a steam train...................

Carrying "broken" tanks into the town to be fixed!
Brian and Paul commanded the Americans,whilst Dave and Graham commanded the Germans.

The American troops advance-I had envisaged a rapid advance by the infantry,supported by the tanks-however my lack of knowledge of the period was put into perspective by "the lads",and a slow and cautious advance commenced!!-surely they would get shot to bits??

This shows Brian's advance being stopped by a most ferocious "gas attack"-nothing to do with the game-just a "gas attack"-we all suffered!!!!!
Paul is moving his command over the bridge,and across the stream,which prompted the German tanks to start moving-hurrah!

Paul's advance is well under way,and although he met stiff opposition from Dave's troops in the woods,he managed to keep going-what of Brian??

He has managed to knock out the FOP, and is occupying the railway bridge,and taking on the Germans in the field opposite-another hurrah!!-But,and it's a big but, the German tanks are now in a position to fire!

This shows the magnificent defence being put up by Dave-and is "hammering" the Americans crossing the open ground.At this point in the game the American Generals(?) seemed to have lost total control of their dice throwing just as the German generals gained total control of theirs!!!

A moment to reflect,by the Americans,whilst the German tanks rumble onwards.

Brian is sending his second wave into the fray-they look awfully "bunched up" to me-but what do I know??-I hope Graham doesn't throw some good dice,and knock the hell out of them.......

Oh dear-he did!!-and in the background Dave is doing the same to Paul's tanks and infantry!
All is lost and the raid has failed!
The lads seemed to enjoy the game,but to me it looks too easy to knock out a tank-maybe our universal use of "average" dice should be changed to "normal" dice(????)
Roll on next week,when we will be running through out proposed Stockton game!
A big "Happy Birthday" to Paul who was 63 years young last night-pity you couldn't celebrate your special day with a win-but there's always next week.

WW2 Winter Game.

Last night we had a more than 100% turnout as our mate Michael made an appearance!-and at his request Dave put on a WW2 game based in the Ardennes,during winter.

Top photo shows the map which Dave had made(and I coloured in-well it gives me something to do!) Bottom photo is the table before any movement.
Graham and I were defending the town and surrounding area with German troops,whilst Michael,Brian and Paul were attacking us with American troops,the objective for the Americans was to capture the town.

Brian started the "hostilities" by mounting a swift attack with three Infantry platoons mounted on half tracks,combined with an attempted out-flanking move by some heavy armour!-he ran into "ace" WW2 wargamer(me!!!) and lost alot of men and two half tracks in the first two moves-hurrah!!

On the other flank,Michael attacked Graham with some tanks and infantry(I can't be more specific because I don't know one tank from another!!)Graham responded magnificently and knocked one of the American tanks out-another hurrah!!!

The American "high command" take instruction s from Dave(referee)-Paul is yet to get his troops into action,but I think when he does we will be in a spot of bother!!!

This shot shows a "spot of bother" developing!!-against my infantry and an anti-tank gun position

The "Yanky Doodle Dandies"-attack is in full swing now,and the Germans are suffering horrendous casualties-my flank is retiring back to the town-things are not looking good,but then Dave gave us two more tanks-but he also gave the Americans some too!!!

A shot down the table,showing the state of the attack and the look of despair on Graham's face!!!

Our left flank and centre are being pressed-it is not looking good,but Graham is holding his own on the right,and he and Michael are having a good old "slugging" match

Brian is now making his presence felt,as is Paul-in fact the Americans are all over us like a rash(the kind you could get on a Friday night in Newcastle down the Bigg Market!!)

Michael has now brought his troops up to the edge of the town,heralding an end to the game!
The "boys " seemed to enjoy the game,and the rules(devised by Dave) seem to be working,so well done to all,but I still can't get excited about the period(too complicated for me!)
Roll on next Sunday,probably an Ancients game.

"Bull Dog Beach" 1944.WW2

As you all know,WW2 is not my "thing",but I decided that I would devise a different scenario for the lads,and then step back and let them play the game,whilst I acted as an "observer".

Top photo is the scenario,bottom is the table before any movement/troops-note the very expensive landing craft(actually Tesco Mushroom cartons!!)
It was a pity really that I had thought of this terrain,as most of the game was played in the 1/3rd of the table opposite hill "A"-in fact the town(Saint Marie sur Mer) was never fought over!!!

The British commanders,Paul and Brian,had decided to land all their troops on the left hand side of the "bay",and to do a left hook,taking out the pill box and hill"A",then sweep around to take hill "B" and eventually the Town-this photo shows the first wave of infantry and tanks landing,but under fire from the pill box,commanded by Graham.

The pill box firing on the landing craft(no expense spared-polystyrene and a bit of doweling!)
but can he hit anything????

Oh yes!!-a whole British platooon was lost with this shot!

The second wave has landed,and the British are moving cautiously through the woods against their first objective.

Action! and a tremendously lucky shot from one of Paul's tanks has knocked out the pill box!
Dave and Graham,the co-German commanders were unphased however,and stuck to their defensive plan.

Dave has now exposed his "hidden" Tiger(crouching Dragon?),but it must have been manned by Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles-yes,he missed a couple of sitting ducks,much to Paul's amusement and relief!-however the action is now coming thick and fast,and hill "A" is under serious pressure.

Oh look at their faces! as if things couldn't get any worse,a Typhoon appeared,swooping down the board about to target the Tiger!!

However,it missed the Tiger,but redeemed itself by "straffing" some infantry,causing multiple casualties!-Graham has now exposed his two hidden tanks,and is giving Paul a good fight for the hill.

Graham's counter attack was good,but not good enough,and hill "A" was taken,however Dave still had his Tiger and some infantry left on the board,and St Marie sur Mer was still in German hands(Hans!),so I think a draw was the fairest result!(hoy! you're supposed to be an observer!!)

A final shot of the table,with tanks galore burning niceley!!
Roll on next Sunday-no idea yet of what we will be playing-and we will have to give some thought to what we are putting on at Falkirk in May-busy,busy,busy!!

Battle of Krinkel WW2

As you all know,WW2 is not my period,but last night I watched as the rest of the "crew" fought an exciting and well planned WW2 game involving Germans attacking the British in defensive positions,in and around, the town of Krinkel.
Dave devised the rules and the scenario,and a damned fine job he made of it too-well done!

Top photo is scenario,and bottom is the table as the Germans,represented by Paul and Graham,saw it for the first time.Brian and Dave were in charge of the British,and devised some hidden positions etc. for the Germans to contend with!!

The game started tentatively by Paul sending a "recce" up the road to see if anything was in the emplacement-which had surprisingly appeared when the German high command was out of the room,planning their attack!!-do you think the British would be so sneaky as to put troops in the position??

You bet your life they would!!-a Piat did this,cleverly blocking the road,now what would the Germans do?

A classic "pincer" move on each flank,through the woods,was launched,with support from masses of tanks,that's what!!-would the British have any more surprises up their sleeves?

Tut,Tut!-as one of Paul's tanks rolled around the burning Puma,and onto the bridge,Brian threw the requisite dice and the bridge blew up!!!
In the background,Graham is slowly(and I mean slowly) advancing against the wooded hill-surely the British won't have any more surprises??!!

Graham has spent an awful lot of time concentrating fire upon that small bunker position,before attempting a crossing of the stream-however,as it turned out,the bunker was empty!!!-sneaky!!

Paul is advancing in this shot,but he is being pounded by mortar fire,small-arms fire,and a Cromwell tank-heavy pounding gentlemen!!-Brian(the most photographed person in the world) looks relaxed and in command-the Germans were asking themselves "where are all the British tanks??"-you'll soon find out!!

There's one!!-it soon became clear that the Germans were going to take the British positions one by one,and that their tanks were more powerful than the British ones,however the British were not beaten yet,and produced their secret weapon,just as Graham's tank turned it's flank to the wooded hill...........................

Graham's face says it all!!!-look at that for a shot,come on British,let's go out with a bang(no pun intended!)

PHUT!!!-the bloody shell just bounced off!!-oh dear,how sad,never mind!!
At this point the British decided that they had no chance and continued their retreat!
this was a good game,well done to Dave,and Brian and Graham and Paul.All the figures,except two tanks painted by Paul,were from Brian's collection.This type of game should "spur" the rest of the lads to get their painting brushes out,and I'm sure it will.
We won't be playing next Sunday,because we'll be down at York show(Vapnartak)-I'll write a report on the show next Monday.