28MM BOLT ACTION: ALSACE 1914

This Sunday I went to Falkirk Wargames Club for their 20^th Century Warfare event.  I put on an early World War 1 Bolt Action game.  It was a small scale action set during the first week of the Battle of the Frontiers in Alsace with a French force attacking a German blocking force at Altkirch on the road to Mulhouse.

Altkirch and its defenders - note the MGs in the buildings

The French had 2 more infantry squads than the Germans who had an extra MMG.  It was their first game for both the French players (Dave and Peter) and the German Player  (Marco) had only played once before.

French prepare for the attack - En avant mes enfants!

Here is the OB.  The extras for each side proved to a cavalry troop – Cuirassiers and Uhlans - which came on from reserve once a unit had been lost.
 

GERMAN FORCE

1 HQ  +1 TO UNITS WITHIN 6”
3 INFANTRY SQUADS EA OFFICER WITH PISTOL AND 9 RIFLEMEN
1 DISMOUNTED UHLAN TROOP – OFFICER WITH PISTOL AND 9 CARBINES
2 MMG EA 3 CREW
1 77MM FG WITH 5 CREW

PLUS EXTRAS

German artillery about to fire

 

FRENCH FORCE

2 HQ  +1 TO UNITS WITHIN 6”
6 INFANTRY SQUADS EA OFFICER WITH PISTOL AND 9 RIFLEMEN
1 MMG WITH 3 CREW
1 75MM FG WITH 4 CREW

PLUS EXTRAS

How the game played

The French suffered quite heavy losses from the German fire as they closed with the Germans defending the edge of the town losing 2 of their infantry squads.  The French 75 proved to be fairly ineffective with lots of rolls of 1 and 2!  The Highlight was when both sides cavalry appeared.  The French cuirassiers won the cavalry melee on the main road and then charged and broke a German infantry unit before sweeping into town to get out of the arc of fire of the deadly German MMGs.  By that time the French had worn down and broken the other 2 German infantry units.   The cuirassiers then circled behind the dismounted Uhlans who turned and missed with all 6 shots!  We ended the game at that point as it was a clear French victory.  Who says that cavalry has no role in 1914!

French cuirassiers advance to support the infantry

The cavalry melee- cuirassiers emerge triumphant

Everyone agreed that it was an enjoyable game.  Most of the figures are by Renegade but the Cuirassiers, French command, French 75 and dismounted Uhlans are by Great War Miniatures.  I allowed cavalry units which had not acted to countercharge as a reaction.  The other changes to the rules are below with the weapon chart.

Mein Gott!  French cavalry where are our horses Fritz?

 

WEAPON	RANGE	SHOTS	PEN	HE HITS	HE PINS	HE PEN	SPECIAL
Rifle	24	1	n/a
Carbine	20	1	n/a
Pistol	6	1	n/a				Assault
German MMG	36	4	n/a				Team, Fixed
French MMG	36	3	n/a				Team, Fixed
French 75mm	0-60	1		D6/D3	D2	2	Team, Fixed, Howitzer
German 77mm	0-60	1		D6/D3	D2	1	Team, Fixed, Howitzer
ALL TROOPS ARE REGULAR
CAVALRY IN HAND TO HAND GET 2 ATTACKS VS INFANTRY AND 1 AGAINST CAVALRY
ARTILLERY - D6/D3 - D6 HITS VS TARGETS IN THE OPEN, D3 HITS VS TARGETS IN COVER  (SHRAPNEL EFFECT)
FRENCH SPECIAL RULES
ELAN - INFANTRY AND CAVALRY GET +1 TO COMMAND/MORALE WITH A SQUAD LEADER IF ADVANCING/RUNNING TOWARDS THE ENEMY
FRENCH INFANTRY ARE POOR SHOTS SO GET A -1 WHEN SHOOTING A few more photos with descriptions at https://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157648126188221/ I am putting a version of this game on as the SESWC display at SKELP in Forfar on 18 October.

 

 

 

WILD WEST AND PIRATES

It has been a week for varied games.  On Wednesday evening I went to Dave Paterson’s shed for a game of Dead Man’s Hand.  Once again Dave amazed me with the quality of the terrain he puts out for his games.    My posse of 3 lawmen did not do that well in any of the 3 scenes we played losing a character in each of the first two games and two including my Sherif in the 3rd game.

View over the town

More of the town

On Thursday I took my collection of Pirates of the Caribbean ships along to Hugh Wilson’s and the 6 players played a series of 4 rounds of 2 player games each.  I umpired. The factions I can put out are the English, Americans, French, Spanish, Pirates and Cursed

Americans vs Spanish- Spanish won

Pirates vs French - French won

 

It was the first time I have used the ships.  I bought them several years ago when they were being sold off in my local discount bookshop.   I spent a few days last week building about 50 of the ships.  Over the series of games I added in more terrain and mysterious islands to the setups.  The Spanish and English both won 3 of their games. Everyone seemed to enjoy the simple rules and the ships look good.  We will try it again – next time I will add in unique treasures, crews and possibly personalities.

This Sunday I am putting on an August 1914 Bolt Action game.

28mm AWI BLACK POWDER: BREEDS HILL 17TH JUNE 1775

Last Monday Colin Jack and Ray Neal visited for a game and I decided to start my long term project of playing all the scenarios in the Black Powder Rebellion Supplement with Breeds Hill 17^th June 1775.  Better known to history as the Battle of Bunker Hill which is actually the next hill along the Charlestown Peninsula.

Howe's brigade closes on the rebel redoubt

We used the troop ratings and rules suggested in the scenario except for one change in that I reduced the stamina of the British Line units to the standard value of 3.  The rebels in the redoubt have a +2 morale modifier, ignore retire results and count as sharpshooters when shooting downhill.  All the British infantry are Superbly Drilled whilst the Elites are also Elite 4+.  We used full scale ranges but as suggested due to the rough terrain reduced infantry moves to 8”.   We used the alternate turn sequence.

Bunker under ineffective howitzer fire - militia are steady

The long struggle for Charlestown

Colin and I commanded the British while Mr Ray commanded the Patriots as he is from Connecticut.  The Patriots deployed as per the scenario with the 4 large militia units and their gun  holding the defences and the 3 tiny detachments deployed in the 3 building elements representing Charlestown.  My brigade Howe’s deployed on the British right to attack the left front of the redoubt.  Colin deployed 2 of Pigot’s battalions to attack Charlestown whilst the others were to move on the right front of the redoubt.  My brigade made good headway up the hill but Colin’s command never got more than a single move in its command rolls.  His units attacking Charlestown got bogged down in a long melee attempting to take the first built up area from its tiny unit of defenders. 

First British assault goes in - wins next round!

Mr Ray considers the worsening situation at the redoubt

Meanwhile my command had closed with the redoubt and my first unit charged in – it drew with the defenders - but next turn the militia broke and fled.   Mr Ray had to move the unit defending the fence line to face the breakthrough.  The broke the British unit which had entered the redoubt but the redcoats had then flanked another defending unit which also broke.  Colin’s units advancing on the left front of the redoubt had finally got into action and shook the militia facing them.  Mr Ray’s rolls for reinforcements were very poor and only a single unit arrived to support the redoubt.  His command was broken and he conceded the game.  The British lost 2 units in the battle.

End situation at the redoubt - rebels shaken and disordered

The Patriots were extremely limited in their manoeuvrability/flexibility due to their large units once the British broke into the redoubt.  I think it would be better if they had 4 standard units and 2 small units   

Here is the OB for the game

REBEL FORCES

COL WILLIAM PRESCOTT 8

BREEDS HILL

Connecticut Militia                 1 Regiment
Massachusetts Militia              2 Regiments
New Hampshire Militia           1 Regiment
Massachusetts Artillery           1 Light gun

CHARLESTOWN

Massachusetts Militia              3 detachments

REINFORCEMENTS

Massachusetts Militia              5 companies

CROWN FORCES

MAJ GEN HOWE C-IN-C  7
2 Elite Battalions
2 Line Battalions
Field gun
Howitzer

BRIG GEN PIGOT 7

1 Elite Battalion

4 Line Battalions

REINFORCEMENTS

MAJ GEN CLINTON 7
2 Line Battalions

TROOP RATINGS

PATRIOT UNITS	ARMAMENT	H TO H	SHOOTING	MORALE	STAMINA	SPECIAL
Militia Regt	Musket	4	4	5+	4	Large Unit
Militia Btn	Musket	3	3	5+	3	Standard Unit
Militia Coy	Musket	2	2	5+	2	Small Unit
Militia Det	Musket	1	1	5+	1	Tiny Unit
Lt Artillery	smoothbore	1	2-1-1	4+	2	--
BRITISH UNITS	ARMAMENT	H TO H	SHOOTING	MORALE	STAMINA	SPECIAL
Elite infantry	Musket	6	3	4+	4	Elite 4+, Superbly Drilled
Regular Infantry	Musket	6	3	4+	3	Superbly Drilled
Artillery	smoothbore	1	3-2-1	4+	2	--
Howitzer	smoothbore	1	2-2-2	4+	2	--
Elite 4+	Roll of Disorder at start of turn
Superbly Drilled	One action if order is failed

15MM SCIFI: FIRETEAM ANDROMEDA GAME 2

On Wednesday I went to Dave Paterson’s shed for another 15mm test game Fireteam Andromeda rules.  Once again Dave setup some superb terrain for the game including his new terrain mat from Lithuania.

NeoSov advanced mining station with technicians and garrisons

Federal heavy walkers advance on station 2

This time I commanded the Federal forces attacking a NeoSov mining complex.  My force consisted of command, medics, 3 infantry squads, missile squad, 3 light and 3 heavy walkers.   My opponents had similar infantry supported by 2 security droids and 2 assault hover choppers.  I managed to capture the first mining station, contest the second and knock out all my opponents’ heavy weapons.  My casualties were 1 infantryman.

NeoSov heavy equipment and infantry move to counterattack

Federal units advance on station 2- NeoSov security droid in trouble

Again an enjoyable game – the rules worked and this time I had read the rules.

15MM SCIFI: FIRETEAM ANDROMEDA

As my wife was away in London Dave Paterson invited me to the latest weekly Wednesday evening game in his shed.  This was a 15mm SciFi game to test the Fireteam Andromeda rules.  Once again Dave setup some superb terrain for the game.  Mark Taylor and I commanded the NeoSovs whilst Guy Hunter and Steve Caffrey commanded the Federals.  Dave umpired.

NeoSov APCs advance into the settlement

NeoSov troops parade before the action - the hovertanks did not last long

The highlight of the game for me was when my NeoSov hover APCs managed to knock out 2 of the enemy heavy tanks with flank shots.  An enjoyable game – the rules work but more than one of us should have read them first.

NeoSov commander watches his holographic tactical display

Federal heavy tanks fall victim to the flanking fire of the well handled NeoSov APCs

 

15MM ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

On Saturday I went to Shedfest 5 which Dave Paterson staged in his shed and garden.    It was a day of eating, drinking and gaming.  The game Dave setup was something very different for me - a superb 15mm Zombie Apocalypse game.  The objective was for the 9 player characters to run the gauntlet of the zombie infested Anytown to reach the heliport were a helicopter would take the first survivor to arrive to safety.  In 6 hours of play not one of us got to the helicopter – I was lucky my character was killed only once. 


View from the start point over Anytown - still strangely clear of zombies

A was a good fun game.  The rules Dave has developed fit on a single A4 page and cover special events, generating and moving zombies, weapons, combat, searching buildings etc.

Some of the 200 zombies wandering along North Street

Thanks to Dave for the excellent breakfast to dinner catering and the endless supply of zombie punch.  I walked home in a happy state.

Zombies surround the impressive mayor's house - my doomed character at the left on his red base

More photos at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157646713875170/
 
Roll on Shedfest 6 next year.