Deep Dish Lard Day 2: Tentative Schedule

Tentative schedule for next month's Deep Dish Lard Day, email me at wharding91@gmail.com if you are interested in running another game, as we may have space for one or two more tables. Or if you would be interested in helping out GM the What A Cowboy demos!

Morning games (10 AM):

• What a Cowboy demo games!
  
  
• Midgard: 100 Years War, Your chance to try out the soon to be released Midgard rules by James Morris. Can the English Longbow prevail against the French nobility? GM: Paul Scrivens-Smith
  
  
• Sharp Practice: The Battle of Culloden, command Jacobite or Government forces to skirmish on Drummossie Moor, can the Highland forces win the day or will Government volleys end the hopes of the Young Pretender. GM: Ed Harding
  
  
• Chain of Command: DMZ Attack on Firebase Airborne, early morning of May 13th, 1969. The 6th NVA Regiment supported by units of the K-12 Sapper Battalion launched one of the Vietnam war's bloodiest assaults on an American firebase. Paratroopers of Alpha Co, 2/501st alongside the gunners of Battery C, 2/319th Artillery must fight tooth and nail to prevent their positions from being overrun and destroyed. GM: Liam Harding

Afternoon games (2 PM):

• What a Cowboy demo games continue!
  
  
• Chain of Command: Espana, Last stand at Palacio De Ibarra March 18th, 1937 elements of 1st Dio Lo Voule lead by Commander Alberto Montanari are holed up inside a hunting lodge known as the Palacio de Ibarra. Republican counter attacking forces including the Garibaldi Battalion supported by Paulov's Tank Company need to clear them out to get into position to retake Brihuega. GM: Liam Harding
  
  
• Chain of Command: Aubigny France, May 24 1940:  As the Dunkirk evacuation began to unfold in May 1940, the German 2. Inanterie-Div (mot) seized bridges on the Somme River with  lightly armed recon units  At Aubigny  the 4e DIC (Colonial Infantry Division) immediately launched an attack with the 24e RTS (Senegalese Tirailleur Regiment) to retake the bridge.  Can the Germans hold the  bridge until reinforcements arrive or will the ‘Senegalese’ secure the bridge to defend against the inevitable German Offensive? GM: Jim Heniff
  
  
• O Group: Attack on Saint Manveiu, June 26 1944 The opening attack put in by the 6th Royal Scottish Fusiliers and the 9th Royal Tank Regiment against the village of Saint Manveiu, and its environs, which were held by a thin line of the 21st SS Panzer Grenadier regiment. GM: Ed Harding

Richmond is a hard road to travel - Seven Pines

This past week, myself, Chris, Ed and Mark got together to re-fight Seven Pines/Fair Oaks from the Peninsular Campaign. We used Altar of Freedom, a brigade-level ruleset intended to be used for big battles, we've been using this recently and it is definitely rewarding to play an entire battle in a 3-4 hour span. In the case of Seven Pines we got through both days, May 31st and June 1st of fighting. 

Mark took the reins as the Union commander, Brig. Gen. Heintzelman with myself acting as Brig. Gen. Sumner, arriving to support his Corps. 

The Confederates were run by Ed as Gen. Joe Johnston and Chris handling Maj. Gen. Longstreets corps that started on table leading the attack.

Although Altar of Freedom always for ahisotrical deployments, we kept to a general historical deployment of forces to see how it would play out.

Beginning of May 31st, 1862

Heintzleman and Keyes' Corps deployed on table to begin with Casey and Couch's Division forming the front rank of defenses and Kearney's division beginning in reserve, quickly deploying to the Union left in anticipation of a Confederate attack. 

In Altar of Freedom Generals have traits tied to their historical performance, in Longstreet's case he risked not activating on any given turn with a Roll of '1', when the battle stepped off at 1 PM, Longstreet blinked and failed to advance. This allowed the Union forces to begin to dig in and adjust their line. 

Anderson's division advances on the Union right 

Throughout the first day of fighting the Confederates focused their attack on the Union left, guarded by a Couch's division of Keye's command, stationed near Fair Oaks station. Numbering three brigades and a battery of guns, the Confederate division under Anderson had six brigades and a battery operating against them.

Anderson smashes through Couch's line

While the Union left remained relatively quiet in the opening hours, Anderson decisively smashed through Couch's division, routing one brigade and throwing back two more.

Sedgwick's Division arrives

By 4 PM on the 31st, Sedgwick's divsion had arrived on the Union right and began to deploy in support, this forced the Confederates to pause their assault. Meanwhile, Johnston arrived on table alongside Gustavus Smith's Corps.

D.H. Hills' Division comes to life

Knowing their time is running out on the first day, Longstreet decides to finally send D.H. Hill's division forward against Casey's division around Seven Pines. A brutal fight for the Union breastworks follows with the Rebs being able to push the Union back before nightfall.

Evening falls on May 31st

During the night phase, the Union shore up their line, and Hooker's division arrives in support of Heintzelman while Richardson's division along with Bullhead Sumner arrive on the Union right. Confederate reinforcements during the night is Huger's division under Longstreet, who followed his historical failure to arrive on the first day. They deploy on the Union left, ready to attack at dawn.

Confederates renew the assault on June 1st

Sumner gallantly leads a charge...and is grievously wounded!

As dawn breaks on June 1st, the Confederate forces launch an all-out assault against the Union left, pushing back Heintzelman's division and almost killing Heintzleman multiple times! Mark rolls well and manages to keep his General alive in two back to back combats. 

Meanwhile, Sumner attempts to pressure the Confederate left near Fair Oak's station while they are preoccupied with Seven Pines. His progress is limited and manages to break one Confederate brigade, but a swift counterattack by Chris' forces stops the advance and wounds Sumner causing him to be removed from play.

Dispositions at the end June 1st

Into the afternoon of June 1st, both forces remain locked around Seven Pines and Fair Oaks station. The result of the battle is a Confederate tactical victory, three Union brigades and one artillery battery were broken at a loss of only one Confederate brigade from D.H. Hill's division. Johnston avoided being wounded in our refight, meaning Lee will not be taking command of the Army of Northern Virginia for the time being...

Seeing Little Wars TV tease their Peninsular Campaign series inspired me to put on Seven Pines, and I am hopeful I can get the forces together by this Summer to refight the Seven Days Battles for their 160th Anniversary as well.

2019 Deep Dish Lard Day Game Schedule!

We have created our draft Deep Dish Lard Day schedule, this could still be subject to change but we are really happy to have 13 games being run across seven tables!

In total, the games being run will have space for 62 players, hopefully we will be seeing you in October at Noble Knight!

To sign up, please contact me at wharding91@gmail.com, for now we are going to try and reserve 50% of game slots in order to allow walk ups on the day of. I will try and update with which games have RSVPs as soon as I can.

Deep Dish Lard Day 2019 Schedule - October 12th, 2019

9:45 to 10:15 AM - Game 1 Setup
10:15 AM to 1:00 PM - Game 1 block

•  Mr. Lincoln Sees the Elephant
  • 28mm, Sharp Practice 1, Terry Mayne, Four players (One of two RSVPs)
  • Blackhawk War, 1832, a Young Abraham Lincoln experiences combat for the first time.

• Save the Whisky lads!
• 28mm Sharp Practice 2, Ed Harding, Four players (One of two RSVPs)
• Jacobite Rebellion, 1745. British government forces have stolen the local clan's Whisky, the Jacobites must prevent them from escaping with it!
• Burma WW2
• 28mm Chain of Command, Paul Scrivens-Smith, Four players (One of two RSVPs)
• British vs Japanese in the jungles of Burma during World War Two.
• A Hard Day for Charlie Company
• 20mm Chain of Command: DMZ (Vietnam Variant), Liam Harding, Four players 
• C Company of the 187th airborne is tasked with probing Hill 900, just east of Hamburger Hill
• 1944 - Western Front
• 28mm Chain of Command, Phil Roberts, Four players
• Americans vs Germans somewhere in France, 1944

• Brody, Russia 1941
• 15mm, What a Tanker! Al Muelling/Clyde Holmes, Six players
• The Battle of Brody tank battle fought in the triangle formed by the towns of Dubno, Lutsk, and Brody between 23 and 30 June 1941. It is known in Soviet historiography as a part of the "border defensive battles".

1:00 PM to 2:00 PM - Game 1 breakdown/Game 2 setup
2:00 PM to 6:00 PM - Game 2 block

• Brazen Chariots
• 28mm What A Tanker! Mark Huml, Eight players. 
• Western Desert melee, Italians, Germans and British involved.

• Kidnapped!
• 28mm, Sharp Practice 2, Ed Harding, Four players (One of two RSVPs)
• Jacobite Rebellion, British Government forces have captured Jacobite General Alan Breck Stewart. The Jacobites must rescue him!
• Bag the Hun!
•  Bag the Hun, Paul Scrivens-Smith, Six players
• Air combat above Britain, World War Two.
• Stretched Thin
• 20mm, Chain of Command: DMZ, Liam Harding, Four players
• After a friendly fire incident, US Paratroopers work to evacuate wounded under a Vietnamese assault.
• 1944 - Western Front
• 28mm Chain of Command, Phil Roberts, Four players (One of two RSVPs)
• Americans vs Germans somewhere in France, 1944
• Overloon, Holland 1944
• 15mm, What a Tanker!, Al Muelling/Clyde Holmes, Six players
• Largest tank battle fought in The Netherlands during World War II. Seeking to destroy the German threat that was centered on the crucial crossroads town of Overloon, the British 2nd Army launched a series of offensives. The battles that occurred were often fought in torrential rains and marked by heavy casualties on both sides.
  
  
• Battle at Turks Head Tavern, 1777
• 15mm, Sharp Practice 2, Jim Heniff, Four Players
• American War of Independence, Chester Co. Pennsylvania. After his defeat at Paoli, "Mad" Anthony Wayne sends a detachment to Turk's Head Tavern (modern West Chester, PA) seeking revenge against supposed Tories in Chester County Penn. Meanwhile a Loyalist and Hessian force learn of the Rebel's movements and try to intercept Wayne's forces and interrupt their plans, whatever they are?

Pavlov's House - Version 1

The Scenario:

Over last few years have been putting together forces for 15mm Barbarbossa, using Mark Fastoso's Fireball Forward! rule set. Last year I had the idea of trying to create a Pavlov's House terrain board, considering most FF scenarios can be played on a 4x4 or a 3x4 board.

This was first test of a Pavlov's House scenario with three platoons of Germans supported by armor attacking two platoons of Soviet infantry dug in the apartment complex and surrounding buildings. James and I commanded the Germans, while Lt. Pavlov was played by Fil supported by his Comrade Commissar Eric.

Reference Map

If you are interested in a scenario breakdown, please comment and I can send you forces/ratings, feedback is welcome!

Initial table layout (3'x4') is trying to remain close to the reference map. I still need to purchase some more apartment blocks, as ideally Pavlov's House should be multiple stories high. But for now, a destroyed factory was a placeholder.

Shell crates provided cover for infantry advancing as to not get gunned down easily crossing the square leading up to the House. The tram and rail lines both provided cover for infantry as well.

German infantry prepares to come on

Turn 1 the Soviets stayed hidden, while Germans poured onto the board. Both German infantry platoons, supported by light mortars pushed in from the Milk House, supported by a platoon of Pioneers in half-tracks to their left.

As soon as Germans attempted to push into the craters the Soviet infantry opened up and getting enough hits to slow down the first German infantry platoon. The German's quickly attempted to lay down smoke to cover their advance, but the eastward blowing wind only helped the Pioneers advance, while leaving the infantry in the open.

Smoke attempts to slow Soviet fire

Mad dash across the square!

Getting held up on the push towards the house, James, the German commander on the right flank pushed his armor down the main street hoping to put pressure on Soviets to reveal their positions. One Soviet 45mm gun quickly appeared in a crater outside the mill, but its shots ricocheted off the Panzer 4, which quickly returned fire and destroyed the gun and its crew.

Russians appearing in the apartment block across from Pavlov's House were quickly pinned down by fire from the armor as well as the second German platoon who shifted positions to try and advance.  This German advantage was quickly countered by a hidden Soviet sniper who killed one German squad and made the German's think twice about advancing.

Sniper gets a crossing German squad

Being stuck on both flanks, the Germans pushed forward aggressively, and their Panzer 3 quickly discovered the second 45mm gun hidden in the rubble of an apartment block. This gun did not miss its opportunity and quickly set the Pz3 aflame.

The pinned Russians quickly rallied from a good roll on their Commissar table, that allowed them to rally all units in their second platoon and obtain a free action.

Za Rodina Comrades!

By this point the Germans were close to admitting defeat, having their left and right flank advances stopped by relentless Russian fire. The Pioneers managed to make one last assault into the trench outside Pavlov's House and one brave squad even managed to get inside, but it was too little too late and comrade Pavlov and his platoon were able to hold off the German assault in the end.

Final Positions

Take Aways:

Scenario obviously needs tweaking as this was the first attempt, but think Germans could either use more armor support or another platoon of Pioneers, as the infantry was quickly pinned down trying to cross into the buildings.

Soviet forces felt good overall, but the sniper was very effective, I may consider removing him scenario as they do slow down advances very quickly.