28mm BOLT ACTION: MANCHURIA 1945

On Thursday I went to Colin Jack’s for a Bolt Action game set during Operation August Storm in Manchuria in 1945.  All the 28mm figures, terrain and scenario were supplied by Colin.

Mr Ray Neal and I commanded a Soviet force tasked with clearing small town held by a Japanese and Manchukuo rear-guard commanded by Colin Jack and Dave O’Brien.  The Soviet force consisted of 4 T34/85 tanks, 2 rifle squads in M5 halftracks, an assault engineer squad and a scout SMG squad.  The Japanese force had a rifle squad, a grenadier squad, some sniper teams, a Manchukuo rifle squad all supported by a Chi-He tank and a HO-NI tank destroyer.

T34/85 hit by sniper fire

We used some house rules to reduce the effect of the tanks due to the Japanese sniper squads.  The commanders of unbuttoned tanks were vulnerable to sniper fire.  If a commander was hit the tank suffered a pin and was then permanently buttoned up.  If a tank was buttoned up it then needed to be commanded to make an advance move.

HO-NI on fire....

Mr Ray attacked on the right flank with 2 T34/85s with the assault engineers and scout squads acting as tank riders.  My force with the 2 other T34/85s and the 2 squads in M5 halftracks advanced down the central road to the town.   All the Japanese units were hidden  in ambush and we used the recon by fire rule from the rulebook however the Japanese units were not placed on the table.

CHI-HE about to ambush the T34/85s

Our forces crossed the bridges and came under fire from the snipers who hit 2 of our tank commanders.  On the right flank Ray’s tanks and the scout squad eliminated the Manchukuo rifle squad.  We then attacked the town with all our troops.  My force eliminated the rifle squad but only after they had assaulted and knocked out one of the M5s.   My tanks eliminated the HO-NI and Ray’s dealt with the Chi-He but only after it knocked out a T34/85.  Heavy fire from our tanks and a blast from the assault engineers flamethrower wiped out the grenadier squad holding the main defences of the town.

T38/85s and assault engineers clear the defences

It was a good fun game.  I forgot my trusty camera this week so all photos courtesy of Colin Jack.

28mm AWI MAURICE CAMPAIGN GAME 3 - ACTION AT QUEENS MOUNTAIN

On Saturday Dave Paterson and I played out the 3rd game in our Maurice AWI campaign.  Here are the forces for this game.  Given my victory last time my Patriot army now had 8 trained and 4 conscript   infantry so was better quality than the British.  Dave decided that dropping Lethal Volleys in the last game had been an error and we agreed that he could get it back by dropping  A La Bayonette and his second unit of irregular infantry.  After the last game I had been joined by the Notable Richard Chaffee.

British left advances onto the hill

PATRIOT
8 TRAINED REGULAR INFANTRY
4 CONSCRIPT REGULAR INFANTRY
2 TRAINED REGULAR CAVALRY
2 ARTILLERY
2 IRREG INFANTRY

National advantages
OBLIQUE ORDER
Notable Richard Chaffee
Army Morale 16

BRITISH
1 ELITE REGULAR INFANTRY
3 TRAINED REGULAR INFANTRY
4 CONSCRIPT REGULAR INFANTRY
1 TRAINED REGULAR CAVALRY
2 ARTILLERY
1 IRREG INFANTRY

National advantages
OBLIQUE ORDER, RALLY TO THE COLOURS, LETHAL VOLLEYS
Notable Reverend Whitehead
TOTAL Army Morale 11

Advanced Rules in use – Oblique Order, Light artillery, All Guns bombard, Honours of War

I won the scouting contest and decided to be the defender.  Dave as the attacker took an additional  unit of regular infantry for his mercenary supplement raising his army morale by 1.

I deployed my Irregulars on the far left flank, 8 infantry units in my centre, with 4 units of infantry on the right flank and the cavalry on the far right.  The main body in the centre was deployed covering the objective my camp on a low Hill.  Dave deployed his 5 elite and regular infantry plus both guns on his left with his Loyalist conscript infantry held back in a defensive position at a fence on his right.

Battle lines engage - my attempt to flank British on hill and attack Loyalists at the fence line

At the start of the game Dave moved his left flank rapidly forward and occupied the large hill facing my right wing.  I decided to move 2 units from my left to reinforce my right – this proved to be my first error as once the fighting began these 2 units never got into action.  I then moved my centre forward to flank the British on the hill and also engage the conscripts.  My attack in the centre bogged down due to the heroic resistance of his Elite Hessian fusiliers who held of the fire of 2 units and a gun for repeated turns.  My attack on his conscripts was fought of and the 3 units I committed to it were all broken.    It became an even more messy action as I lost both of my guns in the centre.  I even threw my cavalry into a heroic charge against a steady British battalion on the hill.  Amazingly they won and the British broke but both cavalry units were then flanked and shot down by the 4th of Foot.

Dave studying the rules - a useful and dangerous move as my attack on the fence line falters



Hessian elite fusiliers taking the brunt of my attack

Dave was down to 5 morale points when my morale broke – a few more lucky dice in my last volley phase and a long held Action card might have won me the game.  I had lost 10 units and Dave 5. Once again it was a good close  game.  Attacking to widely, not getting all my units into the battle line before the action got underway and appalling dice rolling all proved fatal to my cause.  We did not even get through the first card deck!

28mm AWI MAURICE CAMPAIGN GAME 2 - THE BATTLE OF MIDDLETON HILL

On Saturday and Monday Dave Paterson and I played out the 2^nd game in our Maurice AWI campaign.  Here are the forces for this game.  Given my crushing defeat last time my army largely consisted of militia (conscript) infantry.  Dave decided that his national advantages last time were too effective and decided to drop Lethal Volleys and took A La Bayonette and an extra unit of irregular infantry in its place. Dave had also been joined by the Notable Reverend Whitehead.

Patriot main body occupying left centre - tent marks the objective

PATRIOT Me

5 TRAINED REGULAR INFANTRY   
7 CONSCRIPT REGULAR INFANTRY
2 TRAINED REGULAR CAVALRY
2 ARTILLERY
2 IRREG INFANTRY

National advantages

OBLIQUE ORDER
Army Morale 16

BRITISH Dave

2 ELITE REGULAR INFANTRY
4 TRAINED REGULAR INFANTRY
2 TRAINED HESSIAN REGULAR INFANTRY
1 TRAINED REGULAR CAVALRY
2 ARTILLERY
2 IRREG INFANTRY

National advantages

OBLIQUE ORDER, RALLY TO THE COLOURS, A LA BAYONETTE
TOTAL Army Morale 11

Advanced Rules in use – Oblique Order, Light artillery, All Guns bombard, Honours of War

Using my Spy notable I won the scouting contest and decided with my low grade force to be the defender.  Dave took an additional 2 units of irregular infantry for his mercenary supplement as the attacker.

I deployed my Irregulars on the far left flank, 8 infantry units including all the trained in my centre left, with 4 units of militia of the right flank and the cavalry on the far right.  The main body in the centre left was deployed with the 3 militia units and the guns forward with the 5 trained units in 2 lines behind them covering the objective on Middleton Hill.

Dave deployed his 4 units of irregulars on his far right facing my 2 units. In the centre 6 infantry units with his 2 elites units in the front rank faced my main body. His 2 guns were deployed in the gap between his centre and far right.  While on his left flank he positioned a force of 2 infantry units with his cavalry in support.
 

Main bodies clash - first British attack

At the start of the game I moved my main body up to occupy a fence line   and they became engaged in a fire fight with the British infantry.  My 3 militia units and their 2 guns stood firm and fought of this British attack.  Dave eventually using retrograde movement to withdraw his troops out of musket range to reorganise.  Whilst covering this withdrawal his elite grenadiers broke and ran.  Dave then threw his 4 irregular units supported by his 2 guns against my 2 units of irregulars who were partly occupying a wood.  They fought of this attack and Dave withdrew his troops back into the cover of the wooded terrain.  Both his guns were destroyed by fire from my centre and the victorious irregulars though one of them broke and ran.

2nd British attack goes in on my far right - British grenadiers just about to break

I moved the 4 units of militia on my right forward to support my centre.  This tempted Dave to shift his main body against them and he also brought forward the 2 infantry of his left wing.  This new British attack broke 3 of the militia.  The fire from my centre and guns broke 2 of Dave’s units and the surviving right flank militia unit broke a British regular unit by their steady firing.

Overall positions just before final British attack in far distance

This last success broke the British army’s morale having lost 6 units.  Their regular infantry was reduced to the 4^th of Foot and 3 Hessian and Brunswick units. I had lost 3 conscript units and a unit of irregulars

Last hurrah - British go in against my right while 2 units screen my main body

It was good game with action across the whole battlefield as the British launched their successive attacks.  For a time I thought I might lose despite the success of repulsing the first 2 British attacks. Dave has decided that for the next game he will go back to using Lethal Volleys!

 

More photos and descriptions on Flickr at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157635546751824/

MAURICE ANOTHER 28MM TEST GAME

I did not get to the SESWC again this week so I setup another 28mm AWI Maurice game in my garage this time with Colin Jack, Dave O’Brien and Mr Ray Neal.  It was all their first game of Maurice.

Patriot artillery firing the first shots - they not fire again until the last turn!

I altered the armies that I used in last week’s game to those shown below.

PATRIOT
10  TRAINED REGULAR INFANTRY                         60
2  CONSCRIPT MILITIA INFANTRY                            8
2  CONSCRIPT REGULAR CAVALRY                          8
2  ARTILLERY                                                                  3
2 IRREG INFANTRY                                                        6

National advantages
OBLIQUE ORDER                                                            6
TOTAL  91 points Army Morale 16

BRITISH
1  ELITE REGULAR INFANTRY                                        8
5  TRAINED REGULAR INFANTRY                                24
3  TRAINED HESSIAN REGULAR INFANTRY              18
2  TRAINED REGULAR CAVALRY                                   6
2  ARTILLERY                                                                       3
1 IRREG INFANTRY                                                             3

National advantages
OBLIQUE ORDER, LETHAL VOLLEYS or RALLY TO THE COLOURS   6, 12
TOTAL  92 points  Army Morale 13

Advanced Rules in use – Oblique Order, Light artillery, All Guns bombard

View from Patriot artillery as British close with the fence line

Colin supported by myself commanded the British army and having won the scouting role Colin decided that we should be the attackers.   The British should always attack he told us – what a gentleman! He also decided that the British should use Lethal Volleys.  As the attackers we added 2 extra irregular infantry units to the army.  Colin’s plan having seen the Patriot deployment was to attack on our right with the British infantry and artillery while on our left the Hessians, irregulars and cavalry would screen the Patriot right.

Patriot irregulars close up on British right flank - but quickly seen of with the bayonet

The fight on our right took a long time to make headway as the Patriots moved forward to take the cover of a fence line.  Eventually we broke the bulk of their infantry holding the fence line and occupied it.  There then followed a few moves whilst both sides reorganised by passing to draw more cards.  Colin then threw the irregulars against the Patriot right where they broke the 1st Maryland.  Following this success the British right finally crossed over the fence line and broke a further 2 Patriot infantry.  At that point the Patriot army’s morale broke having lost 7 units whilst our British morale was down to 4 points having lost 5 units.  So it proved to be a close hard fought action.

With the fence line gone the Patriot commanders consider their options - Mr Ray (L), Dave (R)

I must say that some of the players were not at all convinced with the mechanisms of Maurice.  The main problem is that once you are engaged in a major firefight then all yoru command effort goes into Rally actions to keep those troops in the fight.  I think the Patriot artillery which was deployed to the rear on a hill only fired twice in the entire game while the British artillery that we moved up with our attacking infantry caused great execution with their canister fire.  The cavalry on either side never moved throughout the game.

Next week I should be able to get back to the SESWC on Thursday nights.

BLACK POWDER HOUSE RULES UPDATE AND MORE NAPOLEONICS

I found some useful ideas for further house rules for BLACK POWDER in the Napoleonic House Rules posted by the Warlords on the Yahoo BP Forum. I have adopted two of their suggestions and added them to my BP House Rules page.  Here they are with my reasons for adopting them.

SKIRMISHERS

In the rules infantry skirmishers are unable to evade from charging cavalry and this has been a sore point in some of our games. In addition skirmishing units can almost completely halt the advance of enemy infantry by evading and then advancing.  Here are solutions to both these issues.

Rule - Infantry skirmishers can choose to evade if charged by enemy cavalry (note that skirmishers cannot not form square as a charge reaction). The charging enemy cavalry do not have to stop where they initially contacted the skirmishers, and can complete their charge move (which may mean they catch the skirmishers).

Rule - Evading skirmishers are disordered.   

LANCERS USEFUL RULE

Lancers I think are too powerful in the rules and should not have an advantage vs. enemy cavalry as they already get more hand to hand dice than light cavalry so this is the modified version.

Lancers Useful Rule - Infantry and artillery have -1 Morale Save versus charging lancers

 Also I finished basing some more Napoleonics.

Command for one of my new Old Guard Grenadier battalions - Elite Miniatures

Rebased Don Cossack artillery - Steve Barber models

 

28mm MAURICE AWI CAMPAIGN GAME 1 - BATTLE OF FINGLE'S FARM

I could not get to the SESWC again this week as I have problems with my right leg that stop me driving into Edinburgh.  So I setup a 28mm AWI Maurice game with Dave Paterson in my garage.  Dave has become an enthusiast for the rules and having tried the Lite version in a test game I thought I would give the full version a go.  We setup the game as the first action in a campaign using the Succession Wars campaign system in the rules.

Here are the initial armies.  You will see that my Patriots have a considerable numerical advantage but Dave’s British have some national advantages that make them very high quality.

PATRIOT                                                            POINTS
10  TRAINED REGULAR INFANTRY               60
2  CONSCRIPT MILITIA INFANTRY                   8
2  CONSCRIPT REGULAR CAVALRY                8
2  ARTILLERY                                                          3
2 IRREG INFANTRY                                               6
National advantages
OBLIQUE ORDER                                                   6
TOTAL  91 points Army Morale 16

Main body and cavalry of the Patriot army - official portrait



British contingent - official portrait

BRITISH                                                                   POINTS
1  ELITE REGULAR INFANTRY                               8
4  TRAINED REGULAR INFANTRY                       24
3  TRAINED HESSIAN REGULAR INFANTRY     18
1  TRAINED REGULAR CAVALRY                          6
2  ARTILLERY                                                              3
1 IRREG INFANTRY                                                    3
National advantages
OBLIQUE ORDER                                                        6
LETHAL VOLLEYS                                                    12
RALLY TO THE COLOURS                                       12
TOTAL  92 points  Army Morale 11

Advanced Rules in use –Oblique Order, Light artillery, All Guns bombard, Honours of War

Patriot artillery fires the opening shots of the battle

My army was the attacker and I decided to launch the bulk of my force across the fenced fields towards the objective of Fingle’s Farm whilst my cavalry and militia marched around Dave’s left flank.  Planning that flank move was my first mistake.  My main body became engaged in a firefight with the British far too early so I never had the opportunity to commit command effort to get the flank march moving.

Front rank of Patriots being worn down by British deadly volleys

The front line 4 units of the British army  - the Grenadiers,  De Lancey's, NY Loyalists and Hessian fusiliers – supported by their artillery simply shot my attack to pieces.  My army’s morale broke having lost 7  trained units whilst the British lost not a single unit which gave them a very decisive victory.  Some valuable lessons learned from that first campaign game - concentrate an attack and beware of launching your troops on a flanking attack.

2nd line of Patriots wilting under British fire - both units broke at the next volley phase!