Germantown 1777 (with Battle Command)

 Being Father's day, of course my daughter suggested that a wargame was in the offing, and being an anniversary year (well 1776 is key, and that means it's almost 1777), I suggested an American Revolution game...

'NO taxation without multi sided dice...don't tread on my D4!!!'

 A pastiche of Germantown was therefore in the offing - with some semi-serious pre-map movement to sort out proper Generalship in light of Mr Washington's obvious mistakes (yeah..I went there).

"Steady...steady..."

 Played with 'Battle Command' (Field of Battle with new card mechanics/flexibility/choices). 

 To quote her - 'These rules are really quite clever...', as I continued to roll 5 x '1's on a d12 during the game. (Needless to say, said D12 has been paraded in front of the other dice and gone under the hammer...so that they all learn the rules...). I was soundly defeated - of course I blame the dice!

Chew House on the American right, will face significant pressure, and the British place far too much stress upon holding it, as the centre begins to fall

'Don't worry none Zeke...the commander seems quite sensible on this occasion...'

With the pre-emptive map movement, lots of Americans in the centre...

Armstrong's militia in the British rear, actually give good account of themselves

American dragoons attack the guns ...successfully, damn their eyes!

...too many Continentals

Pressure on the British left, but they can not get enough troops to the centre, fast enough

British guards falter on their right flank, and then the centre starts to collapse

Too many British units with faltering musketry - I blame the fog!

In the thick of it...

In the thick of the action, due to rallying rolls, Howe is at risk - and falls dead from the saddle due to a well aimed rifle shot - this has major effects on initiative and Army Morale (you won't see this D12 again, trust me).

The new nails...oh and some figures too...

In the end, American pressure, and tremendous shooting, managed to rout the British centre, and it was all over on the next morale card

Foy-Noville 1945 (with less snow...)

Using the next level down of the Field of Battle hack (Goose Green had bases as platoons) - where one base is a squad, and maneuver elements are platoons/companies, we tackled the 'Foy-Noville' scenario - free at the 'Little Wars TV' website - written for Crossfire and of course featuring the famous attack on Foy, made famous by 'Band of Brothers' - both book and TV adaptation.

...some unexpected close assault action in Foy

   Great rules - sequencing and covering fire that gives a real ebb and flow of battle, with many surprises and a tight narrative.

German defences: 9th SS with armour in the centre of town, with Volksgrenadiers...and yes, not snowy enough

Easy company make a direct approach - and interestingly, I Company make a flanking move to their right (not a big company - more a platoon strength unit - but manages to do very well...and not around the back of the village this time...)

I Company flanks the 'building with the caved in roof'

Easy take plenty of casualties, stumbling into a minefield

Intense fire from the buildings, with heavy HMG assets

The flanking move by I Company works! ...initially

Easy Company start getting pushed back, quickly reduced in strength in the open...some make it to their right flank to support I Company

That Panzer IV has its engines revving for something - adding to infantry fire from the Volksgrenadiers - who have managed to flank Easy Company!

Remnants of Easy and I Company close assault the right of the village...

...in a fairly bloody action...

They manage to take it ...but

...a turn of initiative and close assault comes across the street from the German units straight into the shattered remnants of Easy 

with armour in support

Outside Foy - both sides are now deploying reinforcements - the side that gets to the town first will win the battle...

...as I Company retreat to the churchyard - after having been forced out of the town sector

US reinforcements however, have not only managed to move more quickly, G Company have ambushed the advancing German reinforcements in the flank, and in the open...hitting their morale deck hard"!

REmnants of Easy Company seize their chance, and ambush the German armour

..and it's all over - as the German's morale deck is tipped, and they fail their morale roll when it comes...another great game...except...more snow needed.

Goose Green 1982

 This is a scenario that I have been wanting to do, at an appropriate scale, for quite a few years. 

 It is very closely based upon that scenario appearing in the 'Command Post Quarterly' - the old Command Decision magazine, in the 'Compendium 1-3' edition of 1995, edited by GDW's Greg Novak. Command Decision however, would not be my rules of choice in this regard. 

Mid-battle, with British Paras having taken multiple Argentinean positions on the crest lines

The scenario is superbly written however, with all sorts of nuances (including provision for British Recce unit, armed with Stirling SMGs, who swapped them for Argentinean SLRs at first opportunity, during the battle, amongst other British units who preferred the auto-fire variant).

 The article/scenario ' Goose Green - New Orleans with Assault Rifles' was penned by none other than Frank Chadwick.

The scenario is of course based upon the assault by 2 Para at Goose Green on May 28th 1982, during the Falkland Islands campaign (with notice of the advance given out rashly, by BBC Radio, the night before). 

I used a very exciting variant of my favourite 'Field of Battle: WW2' - of which more to say in later posts. 

I mean yes, they look good - but these bloody hexes literally took 'years' to sort out...Airfield and Goose Green at far left of picture - but most of the fighting will be on the ridges in the centre.

A great scenario, with asset management being a key feature of this variant - including choosing when to use mortars and HMGs - and the difficult assaults on Argentine positions, becoming a key feature of the battle. 

Having laid out some 'water feature' for the Shipwreck game, I planted my hexes along it to illustrate the coast along Goose Green

Features included Goose Green, Darwin and Bocca house, with Argentinean companies both emplaced and acting later as reinforcements from the south in terms of 'walk-ons' and airborne (via helicopter but staying well away from British movements). 

A view looking south-east across the Argentine defensive foxholes, toward the airfield and Goose Green itself

Determined progress, punctuated by defenders' MG assets

B Company makes its way toward Darwin, whilst A and C Cos take the ridgeline on the British right

The battle develops into a full battalion attack

Argentine reinforcements arrive at the airfield. The cardboard was lovingly cut to suit at the last minute, when I discovered my old airfield model, with authentic tarmac, had been lost...

Attempts to reinforce the hill positions will be for naught - the British are moving too fast, and making early gains, despite heavy casualties

Part of Argentine 12th Infantry Regt - well ensconced along the ridgeline

B Company, on the move toward Darwin

Savage close assaults all along the Argentine defensive positions

Argentinian infantry makes it to Darwin, but is likely to be outnumbered unless they re-take the hills

Multiple close assaults go in

A bloody affair...

the battle for Darwin - 2 Para takes the well defended heights, at great cost. Luckily, a turn of dedicated infantry close assaults really paid off for them, as Argentinean defences simply caved in.

By the time Argentine morale runs out, the British are ready to move, rallied, and intent upon moving straight into the airfield...it's all over.

 A great little scenario, with many ways it can play out...