| Russian tank pressed into German service |
| Above tank is generally known as P40-painted as used by Germans in anti-partisan actions and at least once against Brits in 1945, originally an Italian vehicle. |
In a previous post I showed my US Cold War Battlegroup (BG) which I had finished and was then hoping to get some other non-completed NATO BGs completed without getting distracted. So in order to give myself a little encouragement I listened to the "Team Yankee" book. All was going well until they described the attempt by a US Armoured Cavalry Squadron to act as a speed bump in the face of the Warsaw Pact armoured advance. Spoiler - it didn't go very well for the US. Then the troubled started. "I'd like a Armoured Cavalry Squadron" I said even though it not on my list to do. However, I summoned up all my will power to keep to my original plan, failed and here it is.
Its not to big as I left out the artillery battery as it the same as the other US BG. The figures etc are all 15mm Battlefront.
The HQ - MG, Stinger, CO and a M113 (20pts)
Armoured Cavalry Troop
There are 2 of these each consisting of 8 men and a M113 ACAV. (24pts x 2 = 48pts)
Support
M113 ACAV for the Recce Unit and 1 M106 with a 120mm mortar. (16pts and 4 for the mortar crew (20pts)
Two Armoured Cavalry Tank Troops (Each of 2 M60s) (32pts)
So the US Armoured Cavalry Squadron = 120pts
Then I thought I wonder if I could add a US Air Assault BG. I have a Russian one and a British one.
Never really sticking to a painting plan due to my butterfly issues, here is my US Air Assault BG.
A A10 Warthog, a AH-1 Cobra and 2 Chinooks (32pts) (the Cobra is Battlefront, the Chinooks are 3D printed and I have no idea where the A10 came from.
The Ground Forces
HQ and the 3 Infantry Companies
This was before the entry of the Humvees so most of the transport is Mutt 151 jeeps (From Army Bits)
(2 vehicles and 34 figures, including crew for the jeeps) = 84pts
Support Company - M151 with TOW (2 vehicles and 6 crew) = 28pts
Recce Platoon - M151 and 7 figures (22 pts)
Airborne Tank Sqn - 3 X M551 Sheridans (Army Bits). Apparently the 82nd kept their Sheridans during this time period. (24Pts)
The Artillery Battery (2 Guns, 3Vehicles and 12 figures) = 56pts (all Army Bits who make some wonderful US Infantry) I think the guns are a bit late for 1984 but they will do.
So that the US Airborne BG at 246 Pts.
Right back to the Plan
West German BG
West German BG (most of the infantry was already painted so just the vehicles)
HQ and two Sqns of Leopards (7 vehicles) 56pts - Battlefront
Leopard Recovery Vehicle (8pts) (Army Bits)
4 Marder 1s for the HQ, if not an armoured BG and three Infantry Coys (Battlefront) (32pts)
Second Part of the West German BG.
The Artillery Battery - 2 X M109s and a M113 FO (Battlefront) (24pts)
Support Company - 2 M113 (for the Milan Teams) and a M106 with 120mm Mortar - 2 crew. (28pts)
AA Platoon - a Roland (this was suppose to be a Gepard, but that model has been drafted into the Dutch BG) (8pts)
Recce Plt - a Luchs (8pts)
Any then the Butterfly Syndrome hit again 😒
West German Fallschirmjager BG
AT Company - 2 Wiesels with TOW and 2 with 20mm *Butler 3d printing) (32pts)
Pts = 112pts
I need 5 KraKa transport for this unit. These are little go-kart things but I can't find any in 15mm. Anyone know of anyone who produces these please let me know?
| French 1st Battalion of four companies and an MG Platoon. |
| Attacking French Zouaves, accompanied by their attached Artillery's FOO |
| More of the Zouaves with a view of Ollie's battalion in support to their right |
| A wider view of the central attack by Mike N & Ollie's forces |
| And a close view as Artillery takes its toll on the gallant Zouaves |
Following the success of last week's game, Mark was able to re-run a much larger version of the game on Friday 14th October. This saw 3 German A7Vs pitted against 6 British Mark IV tanks - 2 x Male and 4 x Female. He was again using the 'What a Tanker' ruleset, with some added complications.
| A good view of much of the table-top battlefield, with German & British destination markers clearly on show |
| Close-up of one of the German A7V vehicles. |
This wasn't as unfair as it sounds as the Female Mark IVs only had Machine Guns to fire, so it put 3 x 57mm German Guns against 4 x British 6lbrs. Additionally there was the complication that the British had 6 independently minded Tank Commanders in John, Rupert, Dave, Mike W, Phil & Nigel, whilst the Germans only had to co-ordinate the Prussian minds of Mat & Steve, along with the lone Saxon - Paul, visiting us from Somerset!
| Rupert's Tank trundles onto eth Table-top being coaxed along by two crewmen |
| Dave & Nigel's vehicles crossing the trench lines via a convenient gap, meanwhile Mike W's tank is broken down with the crew desperately trying to get it going before the German Artillery spots it! |
Both sides had a designated position to be captured and they went for it from the off. Although order of movement was random, all the British entered the table (except Rupert's land ship - as it was dawdling at the rear without a successful move roll).
| At the top of the table can be seen Phil's 'Edge of the World' Mark IV being hunted by Saxon Paul's A7V. Meanwhile, Mat's Prussian A7V is closing in on Rupert's Mark IV. |
Then appeared the Germans!
| Another shot of A7V number 507! |
Ultimately a number of British Tanks were able to cross the Trench lines, despite many mishaps and breakdowns. In the end numbers told as the Germans were not able to stop all the British vehicles and finally two of eth three Germans were disabled and the other trapped by surrounding British tanks on their victory marker.
| Parting Shot! |
Just a quick post to highlight Mark's fabulous WWI tanks, used on Friday night in a 'right good game' at Mike N's venue, using the 'What a Tanker' rule set to refight a historic engagement at Villiers Brettoneaux.
| Classic German AV7 Tank |
| British Mark IV Male Tanks |
Just to pad out this post is a quick / cheeky photo of one of Mike W's British WWI Artillery pieces, maybe an obstacle for the German Tanks in future games put on by Mark.
Friday 12th & 19th August has seen us playing the next in Mark's sequential set of linked scenarios as Russian Forces fight their way towards Berlin on the Eastern Front in 1945. The photos below are from week #2 of the game, and as ever these will do most of the 'talking' in this post.
Rules by Mark, figures by Mark, Mike N & John.
Germans were being played by Dave, Ollie (sub for John who was on holiday for week2) & Mike N, whilst the Russians were being played by Steve, Rupert, Nigel, Phil & Mike W (sub for Mat who was unable to attend Week 2).
The Russians, under Steve, are forcing an attack along the length of the board and Wee 2 starts with a general Russian advance, pushing German Volkssturm forces back almost at will, with little of no meaningful resistance on the right flank.
| Russian advance on eth right flank, lead by tanks as they approach Volkssturm positions behind the hedgeline. |
| Close-up of the Volkssturm positions |
On the left flank, under Rupert & Mike W, the going is a little more difficult with wood s and barricades across the railway line slowing up the advance. Additionally an embedded tank turret caused some consternation, as did a Volkssturm Panzerfaust team that took out the lead Russian tank, before they were themselves destroyed.
| Rupert's Infantry & Mike W's tanks advance on the Russian Left, through woods. |
Switch to a squadron of low flying Stormoviks, screaming in low over the battlefield laden with rockets to attack two houses and a known German AA Position. The lead section was driven off by newly revealed German AA resources, saving one of eth houses. The second section unleashed all eight rockets on it's target house only to find four shots overshot by a wide margin, two more flew long and to the fight and one dropped short, leaving only one on target.
| The Stormoviks arrive on the table |
| The railway track on the left flank, with destroyed Russian Tank in view |
Initial Russian disappointment turned to celebrations when it became apparent that the four long shot had missed the house but landed square in a hidden German HQ, destroying the transport and admin staff. Just as the German CnC was dusting himself off and thanking his lucky stars that he'd survived another rocket came skidding over the house to land directly on his position and wiping him out
The final Stormovik delivered a wide ranging scatter of rockets on the AA position missing with most but then eliminating the target.
Later on the right as the Russians continued to advance they began to encounter elements of a Hitler Youth formation was again roughly handled by the Soviets.
| Russian T34 Mine clearing tank on eth Russian right |
| Western half of the board, with the two houses attacked by the Stormoviks, both remained untouched although a hidden German HQ unit behind the blue building (front right)was destroyed. |
| Off table German Supply Units |
| Start positions for Mike W's tanks Week #2. |
| T34 Tanks of the Russian right, rolling forwards. |
| Valentine tanks lumber forwards to the right of the Russian Centre |
| Russian Central start off positions, a heavily defended river |
| Behind the Russian Centre, a self-propelled artillery unit |
| Back on the Russian Left, a destroyed house from which a Volkssturm Panzerfaust unit took out a Russian light tank. |
| A cool Russian Command Vehicle |
| Final shot, from the Russian left, watching the Right Flank attack press forwards |