A Mixed Bag

Today's offering is a bit of a mixed bag.

To start off, Matt (Wargames in the Dungeon) joined me in a remote game on Friday.  We fought the Battle of Zallaqah with Matt taking command of the Muslim army.  For those taking count, this is Game #4 in the Zallaqah refights.  Not unlike Alfonso VI, I learned an important lesson in this battle.  Hope I can commit this lesson to memory for next time!  Details for another day.

Spanish cavalry's inglorious retreat!

On the painting front, December painting productivity has really picked up.  Not unexpected given my seasonal painting tendencies over the years.  Completed units are stacking up at the light box like cordwood before winter.  Some units from projects not seen in a long, long time are moving out.  Well, a few, never!  I may be winding up the year on a high note on the painting front. 

First out from the workbench is a bit of a clean-up.  That is, a few miscellaneous figures were pulled out and sent into the painting queue for a quick win or three.  What emerges are three units from three different projects.  Mustering out are a three-figure command stand for the Reconquista (BTD and Crusader), a two-figure command stand for the SYW (Eureka), and a Norwegian two-figure machine gun stand (Peter Pig) for WWII.  Whew!  Glad to have these out of the way in order to tackle some bigger units.    

On Tuesday, I expect to see Pharsalus return to the kitchen table in 6mm using Commands & Colors for a series of games before Christmas.  Have not had Caesar v Pompey out in a long time.  Should be fun.

Pharsalus

On the big table, downstairs, Zallaqah will be cleared away and a new battle contemplated.  Current thoughts point to the anniversary of Wakefield on 30 December.  I need to design a scenario and get busy.  Wakefield poses some challenges for a scenario design and requires careful thought.  Wakefield may be the first game to see action in the New Year.  We will see.  My mind and motivations wander.

Next time, either more painted figures, the last Zallaqah battle report, or something completely different!

Tretten in Flames - Batrep #2

With the Germans narrowly missing a victory in Game 1, the table was reset to exercise the scenario a second time.  In my post-game notes from the earlier battle, I wondered if changing initial deployments would make a difference.  Also, would playing the Germans more aggressively in the center aid their cause?  Those are two of the tactical changes made in Game 2.

11:00 Both sides deploy their forces with a few changes from Game 1.  The German MMG is placed behind the wall in the center so as to bring under fire much of the British positions.  The rifle sections having the extra LMG firepower are circled (these extra LMG wielding rifle sections I note as heavy).  Note the British place one of these teams in the deep snow on the high point of the battlefield.  This ought to improve this section's LOF to the German positions.  The risk to this position is that in deep snow, this unit may not be able to extract itself if pressed hard. 

Initial dispositions

At the start, the Germans lay down a covering fire from the MMG, infantry gun, and mortar and then step off on the assault of Tretten.  Both British heavy rifle sections are pinned in this initial fire.  On the German left, infantry advances under the cover of smoke toward the unoccupied building.  

Laying down fire before the advance

The British counter by placing the two heavy rifle sections in command.  The section on the heights recovers but the section in the building remains pinned.  This is a dangerous result for heavy rifle section in the building since another pinning blast from the enemy and it will be gone.  As the British advance on their right, covering fire pins the German heavy rifle section. 

British advance

11:10 German sections reach the southern most building unopposed and one of the mountain rifle sections eliminates the British rifle section on the heights.  The extra LMG is left to be picked up by another British rifle section if possible.  The MMG finishes off the pinned rifle section in the building in the center of the British positions.  Ouch!

Action heats up in the south

Destruction of two British heavy rifle sections

The British rifle section holding the building at the base of the hill, moves quickly up the slopes to take up the position vacated by its departed comrades. 

Quick reposition onto the heights

11:13 While fighting is intense all across the battlefield, not much noticeable damage is done.  Both sides have a bout of bad luck in scoring hits.  

A lot of fire but nary a scratch

The Germans use this brief lull to prepare their troops for an assault against British positions on the southern approaches to Tretten.

Preparing for the attack

11:18 In preparation for an assault on the southern buildings, the Germans soften up the defenders holed up in the walled garden.  One British section is pinned from the fire. 

Heating up in the garden

Wanting to concentrate on the northern sector, the British commander puts the pinned section and the heavy rifle section into direct command.

Taking command in the north

In the southern sector, the German defenders suffer casualties having two rifle sections pinned.

Payback!

In the center, the heavy rifle section on the heights pins one of the German infantry sections before it can make much headway across the open ground.

Caught in the open and pinned

11:27 After several minutes of hard fighting, both sides take a breather as the firefight finds no new targets.  The Germans in the south pull back to recover before assaulting the British positions yet again.  It was not so much that the firefight reached a lull by mutual agreement but that the many out of command units failed to pass their initiative command roll.  Fatigue must be setting in.  

Battlefield lull

British outnumbered in the south

11:35 As the German attack presses on, the British give the Germans a bit of a sting.  Both sections in the southern-most building are pinned as is the ski troop in the woods near the northern-most building.  The British on the right are holding firm in the walled garden with support from three rifle sections to their rear.

British holding firm

Close up of the action in the southern sector

British reserve is ready

11:42 Still in a quagmire on the German left, the German command puts its emphasis on the center and right.  While the enemy advances upon the heights, the British heavy rifle section falls back in search of better cover.  

Germans advance in center and right

11:54 With a time advance of 12 minutes, Random Events are triggered.  For the Germans, they roll an Infiltration.  With that result, the Germans push a rifle section into the building at the base of the heights.  For the British, Sniper result is rolled.  The sniper immediately pins the section that just occupied the building.  Take that!

Random Events

With only two of the five objectives in German hands and time low on the clock, the Germans make a last ditch effort to secure two more objectives.  They target the northern-most building and the walled garden.

Heavy fighting in the south

Firepower from multiple sources pins both British rifle sections in the walled garden.  Not yet destroyed, they fall back into the adjoining house.  The Attackers move up to occupy the walled garden.  In the north, the ski troop is repulsed from its attack on the defenders.

The walled garden is unoccupied

Having run out of time on the clock and having taken only three of the five objectives needed, the Germans fall short of victory a second time.

Final tally

Looking at the table, with three objectives in German hands, the Germans really are close to victory.  Having pinned British in two remaining objectives, one more turn may decide the issue.  With attackers in place to assault both remaining objectives, I opted to play one more turn. 

In that final, extra turn, the Germans took both of the remaining objectives in their part of the turn only to lose both southern and central objectives in the British half of the turn.

Another very close battle that went down to the end.  The battle turned into another nail biter.  With a little better shooting and avoiding a twelve minute clock advancement at the end, one more turn could have been squeezed into play.  As my extension demonstrated that extra turn did not bring a German victory but it may have.  Casualties were much lighter in the second game than in the first. British lost three units to the Germans' two units. One facet of Tigers at Minsk, a player cannot do everything with each unit each turn.  The primary effort for the turn must be decided and those three hexes put into command.  Everyone else is on the his own to act or stall at the whims of the initiative command die roll. 

Having a loss for the Germans in both games, is play balance off?  No, I do not think so.  In both games, the German could have reached the five objective count within the 60 minutes on the game clock.  If not for some poor rolls from the MMG in the center, the outcome could have been much different.  Still, the PzII barely got engaged in the action.  Perhaps, its arrival timetable should be advanced so that it can have a chance at participation?  Also, an earlier arrival for the tank provides something for the ATR to focus on.  All in all, a very challenging contest that suits solitaire play well. 

75mm German IG in 15mm

Having recently completed a BTD German infantry gun and crew in 25mm (See Distractions), I pushed a 15mm Peter Pig German IG into the painting queue.  This little piece jumped ahead of a long line of figures awaiting a slap of paint.  The gun and crew found themselves, suddenly, at the front of the line.

Why the upset in the painting queue?  Well, I have been pondering Norm's Tigers at Minsk (TaM) rules after playing several games of late.  With the rules still relatively fresh in mind, I am interested in giving the rules another run-out before my memory fades.  Following the multiple playings of the introductory scenario, I am ready to try something different.  Different in the sense of presenting a different tactical problem and in introducing armor, infantry guns, and anti-tank weapons in the form of an AT rifle.  Not having any of the mid-war Eastern Front ToE, thoughts have centered on Norway, 1940.

Finding a likely candidate scenario in an old ASL Journal, work begins to convert the situation into one suitable for TaM.  The first scenario under investigation is primarily infantry only with the Germans having an infantry gun and a Panzer II showing up later to bolster the German attack.  Being set in Norway in late April 1940, maneuvering through snow with ski troops with come into play.  

While early war armor and weapons are not included in the original TaM, Norm was kind enough to provide stats for the PZII, H-39, and an infantry gun.  In addition to the IG coming off the painting table, work progresses on fielding some early war armor.  Off the workbench are a few each of PZIIs, H-39s, and Panhards.  All vehicles are 15mm Command Decision models from Old Glory with the exception of one H-39.  That exception is a Peter Pig piece.

Scenario development may take time as forces and timelines are modified to provide a competitive game and new rules are introduced.  How many playtests are needed to get everything in proper working order?  This is a question for which I have no answer.  Once the situation and forces have been stabilized, three complete playings ought to provide a respectable baseline.  More details to follow once the scenario sees further development.

Until then, expect more work from the painting desk.

Norway for the Norwegians!

Following a large number of blogs, the temptation and urge to drift off onto other projects are a constant threat.  With an uptick in WWII-themed gaming of late, I could resist this temptation no longer.  While I have not pulled the long idle 15mm WWII project from mothballs just yet for a game, I was inspired to push some lead into the painting queue. 

The primary focus of my WWII project is early war in general and the 1940 Norwegian campaign specifically.  Looking back at my notes, it becomes quite clear that this collection has not seen action on the table in nearly ten years.  Ten years?  What possesses me to maintain a collection that is out of the box once per decade?  Well, my answer is that a steady stream of books on the 1940 Norway campaign continues to reach the market and I simply cannot help myself from picking them up.  With every book, I am re-energized to take one more look at moving the project onto the gaming table.   

Anyway, off the painting desk today are thirty Norwegian infantry including two machine guns and crew.  The figures are from the always excellent 15mm Peter Pig range.  Peter Pig Norwegians?  Those thumbing through the Peter Pig catalog will find no such range of figures.  What I used as Norwegian proxies are WWI Austrian infantry in greatcoat.  To my eye, at this scale, the WWI Austrian uniform looks very similar to the WWII Norwegian uniform.  Well, close enough for my use anyway.  The real purists will likely laugh at my substitution but, for me, these ersatz Norwegians work. 

Maybe I will resurrect my old Drive on Bjerkvik scenario and give it another game.  After ten years, I may have difficulty scrunching around for my game notes.  For that which is undocumented, I will fill in the gaps.

State of the Painting Desk

After more than a fortnight away scrambling around the Peruvian Highlands, I return to the painting desk.  In my absence, the painting desk lay fallow and the gaming table quiet.  With much activity on the home/work front following my return, I was unable to get in even one short painting session in this week.  Hopefully, I can make some time for a painting session or two this weekend after wrestling the yard back into shape following two weeks' neglect.

What is on the painting desk this morning?

State of the Painting Desk

Well, in the background are three battalions' worth (36 figures) of French Line infantry for the 15mm Risorgimento project.  After fielding a few French battalions of Freikorps, When the Navy Walked, and Lancashire Games, I turn to the large pile of unpainted Old Glory French.  The Old Glory figures are much more dynamically posed than the others and offer an interesting contrast.  Sculpting is quite good but many of the bits are molded fragilely.  Already, one officer's handgun has been lost.  I am interested to see how these figures fit with the three manufacturers mentioned earlier.  My Old Glory Austrians and Sardinians are very handsome and I see no reason why these French should not be as well.

In the foreground is a sample of five offerings from Zvezda in their 1/100th (15mm) line of plastic WWII vehicles.  The pieces snap together with only a bit of glue and the results are good.  The few other vehicles on hand for this project are molded in metal.  Once painted, I will make a comparison.  An assortment of fifteen such kits were picked up about a month or two ago when they were offered on discount.  

One-Two Tuesday

Two small figure groupings head off the painting desk.  With such small numbers of figures, why not combine them into one posting?

Having dispatched a few French light mortars off the painting desk a few weeks back, I remembered that a few packs of Peter Pig heavy French mortars were in The Lead Pile.  To keep pace with the German escalation, heavy mortars were needed.  Built up were two stands of mortars with three crew each.  The Peter Pig WWII figures are always well sculpted with good detailing.  A little on the chunky side but some of that could very well be due to the greatcoat.  Excellent figures and useful additions to the project.

After the arrival of the first snowfall yesterday, thoughts turned to winter gaming on the arctic front and battling among the fjords and mountains of Norway.  With mortar team reinforcements, perhaps, the French will have more success?

The rummage through The Lead Pile also surfaced several packs of Minifigs' 15mm AWI figures picked up from eBay for a pittance.  With a renewed interest in the 15mm AWI collection spurred by recent work on Land of the Free, one pack of natives was withdrawn.  The project has seen no natives fielded, thus far, so high time to add at least one unit.

Compared to the Peter Pig French just finished, the Minifigs' natives are quite delicate little models.  The detailing is very good and despite the delicate detailing paint quickly.   While I will not be able to recreate Oriskany yet, this unit is a start for building a small native contingent.

The paint desk is full of an assortment of figures once again.  Next off the paint table will likely see an addition to the 28mm Punic War project.

Old Glory French Mortar Teams in 15mm

I alluded to a French painting binge in an earlier post and to show that I am following through with that threat, below are a few Old Glory/Command Decision French mortar teams for the Narvik project.  Since I do not see French mortars listed in the Old Glory catalog, I must have used French artillery crew to build these stands.  For me, they will do.  To compliment these light mortar teams, two packs of Peter Pig heavier mortars are available to call up into the painting queue.

Four stands are shown in deployed or firing status while two stands will denote movement mode.  Only one such stand (either firing or movement) will be placed on the table at any one time.  When combat mode changes, the stand will be picked up off of the gaming table and replaced with the correct model.  Yes, I know that two move mode models cannot cover for four firing models.  There may be additional suitable figures in The Lead Pile.  I must make a dig and see what is unearthed.

Besides the Elite Miniatures French line infantry soon to march off the table, four French guns and crew for the 1799 Suvorov project are on the workbench.

Old Glory German Paratroops

The Narvik project has certainly been on a back-burner for a long time.  No games using this collection in longer than I can remember (I could look it up) and very little painting activity.  The beginning of the year saw the addition of British mortars, AT guns, and a company of infantry.  Since then, nothing.

Well, my recent trip to the fjords of Alaska got me thinking about Norway which led to thoughts on the "Battles at the Top of the World" which led to a rekindling of interest in the project.  Perhaps this is a corollary to the Butterfly Effect?  Probably a good thing that I do not get out more!

Since German paratroops were present in the Norwegian campaign and only one company can presently muster for service, why not field a second?  Why not, indeed!

Off the painting desk are a handful of 15mm Old Glory paratroops complete with support weapons.  In a painting mishap, I lost the 81mm mortar tube during staining and the tube was replaced by a small length of coat hanger.  Not having the original tube dimension, I guessed as to suitable size.  For me, it works.

Having a number of books on the campaign, I may dig out a small action from one to recreate on the table.  In the last game using the collection, the guys were coerced into trying the rules, 1943.  I recall them not being too enamored with the system but the level of abstraction produced an enjoyable game (to me, anyway).  I thought they worked better than Battlefront but I was likely alone in that assessment.  The collection should get a dusting and given another chance on the field of battle even if only solo.   

British Infantry for Narvik Project

Despite activities on the Home Front this weekend including a reorganization of the Game Room, I managed to push a few 15mm figures for my WWII Narvik project off the painting desk.

Off the workbench are 26 15mm Command Decision British infantry.  This force represents one early war company and includes:
6 x 3 figure stands of riflemen
2 x 2 figure stands of 2 inch mortar (one stand showing deployed status; the other showing in move mode)
2 x 2 figure stands of LMG (one stand showing deployed status; the other showing in move mode)

British company with weapons teams

Riflemen

Weapons teams

The addition of this company brings my one British battalion up to its full complement of four companies.  With the recent efforts on the Narvik project, I am very tempted to develop a small scenario to get this project back onto the game table.  For rules, I will likely give WTJ's 1943 a run.