Rapid Fire - Cristot scenario

Played Cristot scenario from Normandy Battlegames book today at mine with Stephen and again using Rapid Fire II.
Scenario designed for the rules but couple of unclear/inconsistent items in OOBs had us head scratching at start as not sure what size the 12th SS Recce Battalion starts at ? 1 Company or 2 ? and whilst a Panther is mentioned in scenario outline it is missing from OOB (but we decided it was an omission).

Stephen fielded the SS and I blooded some newly painted (yes indeed folks I have managed to paint some figures !! 100 to be exact !) British Infantry.
I bought a 15mm Late War Platoon pack from Forged In Battle several years ago as I really liked the figures but they have languished unloved until last week.

Game was rather enjoyable, at least until my Artillery got a lucky hit on the Panther and brewed it which led to much wailing on Stephens part !! now he knows how it feels :-)

To hit the Panther I needed a 5 or 6 for 1st round then a 4-6 for 2nd round then a 6 to brew it with 1-5 being No Effect so pretty lucky.

Artillery and indeed the whole 'damage' model in RF is rather 'lucktastic' but it works within the framework and fast play/decisive aim of the rules.
To get more granularity/detail a different but correspondingly slower set required.

Spotting the enemy as attacker is the main problem but anything that does expose itself is of course a magnet for Artillery (I had a 'full' Regt of 4 x 25pdrs so potentially potent).

In Normandy both sides access their Artillery on anything but a 1, but Stephen (thankfully) failed to bring his (2 x 105mm) in on several occasions (good to see dice demon suffer for once !).

Even so his Artillery (including a nasty on board 150mm) did inflict Morale checks on one of my 3 Battalions causing it in its entirety (this takes a bit of getting used to) to be Suppressed (essentially skip a turn) several times even though only minimal casualties.

Mortars are quite potent too as they tend to hit more often than Artillery, and cause a drain of casualties, but do not cause Morale Checks.

For Normandy this all seems pretty plausible stuff overall.

We managed to play 9 out of 16 turns (too much waffling about rules and other stuff as usual) and we both lost a Battalion each to Rout but game still in balance.

I am warming to RF for large games but still think that Panzer Grenadier Deluxe is my favourite overall (and look forward to release of 'O Group' by Dave Brown later this year).







The battlefield from German lines

Durham Light Infantry approach Brourary on my left (they Routed just prior to taking village)

Dragoon Guard tanks maneuvering (the Firefly lucky to survive a hit from Panther with only Light Damage). Green Howards Battalion arrives in support around Hill 102

The dagger plunged into SS heart !!

But 12th SS Recce holds the town and church steeple

SS PzGr hold hedge line (this Bttn also Routed)

Tough to whittle Elite troops out of built up areas

Bocage dominated the central area. SS reserves arrive including 2 x PzIVh.

East Yorkshire Companies are suppressed (yellow marker) by SS Artillery

The Sdkfz 251/9 on right later died in duel with a Sherman

SS Company on Reserved Fire

Reserve SS fan out.

The new Brits (mostly Forged In Battle but with several old Skytrex/Old Glory and couple of Peter Pig) prior to bases being 'dolled up'

The secret to renewed painting splurge a cheap 'Optivisor' from Amazon, which means I can again see figures sufficiently well to paint to reasonable standard.
The pains of growing old, but sexy too eh ??

Rapid Fire II scenario played at Elimination Club (and an ACW skirmish)

Attended Elimination Club tonight and brought along another small Rapid Fire Normandy scenario, this one set 18th July 1944 during Operation Goodwood entitled 'Olemers Counter-Attack'.
This pits elements of Coldstream Guards against 503rd Panzers, so 7 Shermans and 3 Firefly against 2 King Tigers, 1 Tiger, 1 PzIVh, a Pak 40 and a Company of German Infantry with a PzFaust and a PzShreck.
Both sides looking to 'threaten' to exit enemy edge to win in a 10 turn game.
As I brought stuff at last minute this was a nice small scenario with minimal terrain (I do like to support the club if possible putting on a game if I can).
I played as British against Chris again with command of Hun.
A short (played in less than 2 hours) sharp but very fun game it was to.
Shermans simply outclassed by the Big Cats (at best they need a 6 to hit the Royals often no possible hit if movement or cover involved) and even the Firefly struggles at range.
However the 88mm (both types) hit on basic 2+ so lot of brewed Shermans, I lost 1 Firefly with 2 others heavily damaged and 4 Shermans brewed with 1 on Light damage, but did take out the PzIV and the PAK 40 and on last shot of game the Tiger 1 and 1 Royal had heavy damage.
The German Infantry (who started hidden) had no real part to play once the British Armour retired.
Shermans were actually close to achieving their breakthrough but a 'Retire 2 Moves' Morale result put paid to that.
However all the defensive work by Germans meant they never threatened their Exit area so an honourable draw was result.
Another decent game with this fast play set which is perfect for a club game.




The field of battle with British objective the road on right visible.
British start in corner defined by other road

British armour appears

And try to use cover of open woods to advance

Big Cats appear enmass

Two Tigers showing 'heavy damage' late in game

British armour has advanced on right, note Sherman and PzIVh brewed up

Firefly under 'heavy damage'

Sherman brews on left flank

The zenith of British endeavours as a Squadron approaches the road 

But a failed Morale roll sees whole Regiment retire for 2 Moves (24") but Tigers pinned in defence of roadway

No way through this wall of steel.............

Bryn, Simon and Shane (later also Chris and Sam) were playing an ACW skirmish using 'Rebels and Patriots' and Bryns 28mm troops on a nice Cigar Box mat.
They had a quick first rattle in same time as my game but re-set for 2nd game (which I left part way through)

Rapid Fire II - Grainville scenario played again

Another outing with Rapid Fire today with a repeat of the small Grainville scenario this time with Stephen as he wanted to try the rules again (with possible view of use for big game in future).
I took British again and he took Nazis.
Another decent game with this fast play set.
We toyed with one of the alternative anti-tank system we found online but felt that it was not worth extra effort for the style and scope of RF.
Only thing we changed today was that we tested Morale by Company rather than Battalion as scenario has Companies operating semi-independently and we tested AFVs as independent vehicles, which all worked seamlessly.
The anti-tank/armour model is fairly basic with the Light/Heavy damage but works in context of fast play game style.
Everything works and integrates well and gives a decent WW2 game with minimal rules overhead.
Certainly may lack some flavour/detail of other sets but certainly does what it says on the tin.
The published Normandy scenarios are a big draw and we are already thinking of using them for other sets.

Fire In The Lake - or damn those damn VC !!

Another session with Fire In The Lake 2 player with my Dad (celebrating his 75th on Tuesday !).

Played the full scenario again with Dad as VC/NVA vs my US/ARVN.

I forgot how this scenario is fairly hard to lose with VC !
Just could not get their Active Opposition levels down quickly enough as it seemed every time I converted or neutralized the populace the VC popped up elsewhere turning the locals.
The wee buggers gained an auto-win on 3rd Coup card.

Great game as usual with I think maybe my favourite of the COIN games I have (by narrow margin however as all excellent).

Also set up the small Grainville scenario again with slightly 'dolled up' terrain for Rapid Fire, for Stephen and I for upcoming Thursday game.

Rapid Fire - Normandy scenario at Elimination Club

Game using Rapid Fire II (a set I have not used since before I started this Blog !) tonight at Elimination Club.
Very much a last minute venture as unsure if I could make club and then seemed as if no other games on (as it turned out a massive Black Powder League of Augsburg 12mm game took place).
I found a small (1 Battalion a side) Rapid Fire 'official' scenario for an action on 28th of July 1944 near Grainville during Op Epsom that I used my 15mm kit for.
Action sees 9th SS Kampfgruppe counter attacking elements of 15th Scottish Division dug in around a Chateau near Granville.
Was unsure of how so small a game would play with RF but twas fine.
I played with Chris who took the Germans and I the British (only right and proper of Brexit Friday !).
Game play is fast and furious with RF despite my struggling to recall several parts of it, especially Artillery which has changed a tad from initial version, with the 9 square grid being  no more (expect for rockets) and the standard 4" target circle used.
Game is still essentially '6 hits 1 misses' type deal but no 'worse' than say Battlegroup with less rules overhead or quirks/gimmicks.
A good solid WW2 game overall.
British held out against the SS who suffered from my off-board 25pdrs only managing to take 1 Objective whilst losing all their armoured support with 2 Panther troops, a Flamewerfer PzIII, and a Sd251/9 all falling foul of some uncharacteristic good rolls (has the worm turned !!??).
British lost several Infantry and 1 Churchill with another suffering Light Damage.
The Anti-Tank/Armour system is as basic as I recall but fine for what it aims to do (pardon the pun) and there are several alternative versions around but not sure worth complicating a simple system.





Churchill Squadron advances passing the Chateau

9th SS appear

Dark 'road' standing in for a railway line.

Table tennis table gave plenty of space for game

Defender dug in around Chateau (red marker indicate those on Reserve Fire)

A Churchill Troop brewed as another suffers Light Damage 

But SS Panther are now burning !

Germans occupy village on their left

As British do same on their left

The other club game was a huge affair (12' x 4' ?) with several players and a ton of 10/12mm figures (think a combo of Kallistra and Pendraken ?) on table along with some very nice wooded areas (courtesy of Shane I believe ?).
The 10/12mm stuff is getting very close to old 15mm in size but the animation and detail is impressive.
Black Powder being used although I thought they were building these forces for War Of Three Kings set ?
Impressive and all I know is Simon's wing held whilst compatriots centre and other wing collapsed, but as to who was how or what I am at a loss as too busy fighting Nazis !
Strangely these pics turned out better than those of my own game....................