Partizan - Dulce et decorum est...

Earlier this year chum Martin sent me the show figure from 'The Other Partizan MMXVIII' titled Dulce et decorum est... The Great War 1914-1918

It's a beautiful figure sculpted by Martin Baker.

I based it on a 40mm Renedra round and then added some planking made from balsa wood to simulate the floor of a dug-out. The covered bucket is from a Great Escape Games 'fist full of baggage pack' Likely a temporary latrine, but probably not best to think about that!

The paint job was rather simple, mainly English Uniform, Khaki and Reflective Green. All washed then highlighted and then brown-lined with Windsor & Newton Peat Brown ink.

The Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge has given me a lot of impetus to finish off figures like this.

You can see this entry on there here.

Patrolling in strength

Last Thursday saw us playing Chain of Command using the 'Cocing up Mud & Blood' amendments from the summer special, plus some of the modifications James and I used in our own Bois De Caures campaign games.

The Bosche commanded by Drew consisted of a Senior Leader commanding four sections each of a Junior Leader, 8 Riflemen and 3 Bombers.

The Poilu commanded by Bruce consisted of a Senior Leader commanding 4 sections of a Junior Leader and D6+6 troops. For the French if an even number was rolled the unit had a VB launcher, 1/3 (rounded down) of the troops were bombers. When rolling for the French on the "Bad Things Happen" chart all rolls are at -2 making the French very difficult to shift.

We would play the modified Patrol scenario. Bruce had two points and added a Sniper. Drew had 8 points and added a MG/08, an Adjutant, a Pre-game Barrage with Feurwaltz.

Both sides started with a Force Morale of 8, definitely Advantage Les Poilus with their special rule.

The Germans had a very aggressive Patrol Phase and were able to get a couple of Jump-off Points well over the half way mark while the French were rather pegged back and only able to get a couple of theirs anywhere near their redoubts.

Fate swung back to the French though when Drew made the first Command Roll of the game turning up treble-sixes and ending the turn, cancelling the bombardment effect immediately.

The initial German push stalled when effective fire from the right-hand redoubt knocked over the  Unteroffizier leading one of the sections but the perfidious Hun replied by deploying their Maxim and raking the redoubt with a deadly fire.

With VB grenades falling all around the Maxim kept up its deadly hail and the French had to commit the Lieutenant to shore up morale among the troops.

Spurred on by the Leutnant and Obergefreiter seized the initiative and made a dash through a gap in the French defences, with the French Lieutenant already committed it was difficult to direct the reserves and the Bosche were able to break through the line and claim victory.

It was all over rather quickly, with a very light casualty count for such an engagement.

A few more shots from the game.

Cocking Up Mud & Blood

It's been a good few days since we played this game but a week past Sunday (Remembrance Sunday for my chums in the UK) Drew and Bruce joined me for a game of Chain of Command. We would be using my WWI collection of French & Germans from my earlier games with chum James. These have crossed the Atlantic with me and have languished in the boxes for six months.

I had bought all my terrain but not a cloth so I purchased a 'Partridge Brown' fleece from JoAnns in the Memorial Day sale and gave it a light dusting with some spray paints, it's not such a good match as my old cloth but looks rather better in the flesh than it does in these photos.

Drew arrived first and we had settled down to a beer when Bruce joined us, we rolled for a scenario and would be playing #4 'Attack & Defend' and after a little more randomisation decided Drew would be attacking with the French while Bruce would defend with the Bosche. I would try to ensure the game ran smoothly while keeping up a steady supply of beer and pretzels along with an interlude of tea and biscuits! 

The French would be using the standard 'Full Strength Platoon' but a lack of suitable models with VB launchers gave them another section with 8 riflemen. Drew spent his 15 points of support on a Bombardment with Feurwaltz and Gas, a FT-17 with MG (first time it's been out of the box since being painted), a Hotchkiss M1914 MMG, an Adjutant, two Snipers and two Trench Brooms. 

Monsieur Sniper

Bruce was using a standard Infantry Zug and spent his six points on a Maxim 08 MMG, an Adjutant, an extra Lewis Gun and an Anti-tank Rifle.

Force Morale went very asymmetrical, the French attackers would start on an 8 while the German defenders an 11, Drew would have his work cut out.

I ran the players through the Patrol Phase and both ended up with some good jump-off points, Drew well advanced on the German lines and Bruce ready to deploy his troops to stop them. The Patrol Phase can be difficult for new players but persevering at it and with a little guidance can give a great appetiser before the main course.

Under the cover of the bombardment the French began their advance, the FT-17 pushed up the centre while the main infantry attack comprising the Grenadier-Voltigeur from each Demi-Section advanced cautiously on the left.

The effect of the barrage was telling on the French and for the initial phases of the battle they were only able to counter with the MG-08 which although putting some suppression fire on the Grenadier-Voltigeurs was soon under the cosh itself from the telling shots of the two French snipers.

To preserve the now pinned MMG Bruce had to chance a Rifle Gruppe into that position to avoid losing his supports while Drew pushed on his attack on the left redeploying a jump-off point right behind his troops and within striking distance of the empty German trenches.

Bruce had been slowly collecting his Chain of Command points and now had enough for a Chain of Command dice with it's ability to end the turn, cancel the effects of the barrage and also remove the Tactical markers from the Grenadier-Voltigeurs closing on his position, well, it would be silly not to!

With the barrage lifted it was an easy matter of deploying the Light Machine-gun Gruppe into the position and open up on the advancing French, it was all so damned close and much damage ensued, The French Lieutenant rallied his troops summoned up the extra rifle-men at his disposal and under a flurry of grenades launched one of the Grenadier-Voltigeurs at the enemy position.

An almighty scrap ensued, with heavy casualties on both sides the initial round was a draw so the protagonists set to again, this time it was so bloody both sections were completely wiped out! The French and the Germans both lost four points each of Force Morale, but having only started on eight it was more telling for the Poilu.

Drew was now up against it with only four command dice but he still gamely pressed his attack but was unable to offer much support from the FT-17, Hotchkiss and snipers as all the points were used pressing the attack in the teeth of a stiffened German resistance.

Again the French managed to occupy a trench section before the Germans had scrambled into it and this final combat was to doom the French their Force Morale collapsed to zero and the Germans held on to the field, both sides had suffered enormous casualties!

Bruce, Drew and myself

The final 14 Bosche for James before we leave

In two weeks time Victoria and I shall be on our way to the airport and starting a new chapter in our lives when we relocate to Wisconsin. As you can imagine, I have been pretty busy with sorting things out for that, but, I wanted to wrap up a few painting commitments before we leave.

James and I have done rather a lot of work together over the past 18 months on our Battle of Verdun  project and those of you following our posts will know that although James has done the bulk of the French I have provided all the Germans. So that he has some opponents while I am in the USA I have been painting a platoon of Hun for him, wrapping up the last 14 with a coat of varnish this morning.

Six German Infantry in Assault Packs

Six German Officers and NCOs

A flame-thrower from the German Specialists pack.

Here are a selection of close-ups. That German Officers and NCOs pack especially has some really characterful models.

In the corridors of Fort Vaux

A couple of weeks ago James and I attended the Burton and District club to play Simon at a game of the Fort Vaux tunnel fighting game that James demonstrated at Hammerhead the weekend before.

The premise of the game is that it plays out very much like the historical events of June 1916. The Germans have taken the two forward ditch bunkers and have to break into the fort. The French have four days in which to stop the Germans else the cistern had been depleted and they must surrender.

Each day is divided into four phases and both sides have resources, determined by the draw of a card, to use for that days fighting. At the start of the next days action both sides bring their section back up to strength and start again from where they left off the previous day. 

The games each take approximately 40 minutes an we were able to play out three games that evening with enough time to spare to play 'The Grizzled'

In the first game I played the Germans and successfully penetrated the fort on day four after a hard slog. In the second game I again played the Germans and had a torrid time of it, by the end of day four I had hardly broken out of the ditch bunker!

For the third and final game I played the French. On day one I did particularly well and the Germans were hardly able to get a foothold. However, on day two, Simon attacking from the west bought up a particularly effective FlammenWerfer and cleared the tunnel in a single bound. Bugger!

A great game, and James shall be running it at a few shows this year, if you get the chance do give it a go.

The fort was built by James and the French from his own collection, painted by himself. I painted the Germans and they are part of my own collection.

Another dozen Germans for James

I am continuing to work through some WWI Germans for chum James and have added another dozen to the six I did a few weeks ago.

All are Great War Miniatures and are painted in my standard WWI German scheme.

Here are a few more close-ups. You'll notice I'm experimenting with a new blue backdrop instead of the familiar green, what are your thoughts?