Hondeghem: May 1940, with Battle Command WW2

This scenario, again fought with Field of Battle WW2's  cantankerous little brother - who keeps putting chewing gum in his work-shoes - the superlative 'Battle Command WW2'.

'some of this armour, may not get to fire a shot...'

 This closely followed the original scenario in the 'Rapid Fire' 1994 classic 'Green Book'. with N.B.C.Teacher's F Troop of the B.E.F. defending the village from the determined German advance, with old school 18 pdr field guns.

'Ye can't park there mate!'

 Today, these were played by 76mm ATGs, and since moving rooms, I have lost my Pz 38Ts, so they were substituted with Pz IIs. 

SCENARIO unapologetically nicked from here

 Fantastic rules, which are written for bases as squads , through platoons, through companies, with the same base set with appropriate tweaks by scale - allowing you to fight a Squad Leader scenario, or Omaha Beach, with the same functional rule-set - tweaked to suit. 

Initiative and action moves between players, with rolls vs card draws dictating how far you can push your luck. Very bloody and yet in some instances a flank action can see carnage, while on the other flank, units sit and look at each other in frustration, unable to play a part.

This is by far the closest game we have played, with British units pushed back through the village, the game coming right down to the last army morale card, and a British win due to German units paying a heavy price in close assaults (despite having a single un-turned morale card in the British deck).

The Goods Yard at the centre of the British defence

Less than 15 units a side and still very VERY tense. Spotting, smoke, assets at squad level and the propensity for poorly armoured tanks to be brewed up - all tested today.

The planned armoured thrust and close assault with half tracks was much discussed, but fell short of expectations, due to poor planning... 

'Vait...we are all zat is left?'

'Feeling like an armoured assault on the British positions with infantry in half tracks?...I mean the rules allow it if the cover is class I'

German armour gets brewed up very quickly, making them hesitant to commit early on

Infantry pour across the open ground on the British left

the 4th wave of German infantry moves around to the British right

The first attack goes in; supported with ineffective smoke rounds.

'Rapid Fire Gentlemen...!'

The slow moving, flank busting, genius, German counterstroke...ho hum

Close assault action at the Goods Yard, held then lost, then a failed counter-attack, before the British pull out - bloodied.

The guns abandoned, the German attack is stymied as they move through, though the remnants of British force...is about to get flanked on their right

with the final German wave, finally completing their 'too bloody-long flanking action', they capture the now undefended gun, on the British flank. "It's about time Hans!'

British are pushed though the Goods Yard, into the village, costing the Germans dearly

'Verr zee heck did everyone go?'

They think it's all over! It is now...

'Operation Archery' - Vaagso, Dec 1941

 Another excellent, though shorter WW2 bash today, with a scenario borrowed from the old Rapid Fire 1st ed (green book). Op Archery was the first real test of the new British Commando concept, and met with great success.

'Reservation? Sorry, we seem to be full at the moment...'

A good test also of FoB/Battle Command WW2 spotting, smoke, platoon level version rules and objectives added to normal attrition rules.

The lighthouse, made from loo roll, with a tea-light inside, to make it totally realistic...

The Commandos despite being met with resistance on Maaloy Island, had great success on the mainland, taking the German HQ and causing horrendous casualties, whilst clearing and blowing objectives - but still a great game.

'Welcome to Vaagso. our lighthouse is actually a loo roll!'

Commandos blow the light-house

Commandos landing on Maaloy Island have a much tougher time

...and YES - the old Airfix coastal defence installation finally gets some use...

As the main groups move inland...

Reserve group is committed very early, to take down the armed trawler and the first of the Fish Oil factories

Some resistance, but eventually makes its way in

Going is slow (bad cards and rolls at the start) but steady

Maaloy becomes a stalemate, though does prevent the coastal guns from firing inland

As German defenders give further resistance - scattered across the village

A factory taken, but not blown yet

German defenders overwhelmed in the centre of town

The single Panzer had its work cut out, and is forced back to defend the HQ/Hotel

...but the commandos, with superb shooting, manage to take down much of the resisting garrison

...and start taking down the factories

Maaloy becomes a massive distraction for both sides, but the German garrison ends up losing too much morale..and is eventually defeated upon the mainland...a great game once more.

 A great summary of the actual raid here:

Kamenewo 1941

 Some more WW2 goodness with FoB/Battle Command. 

 Actually we may already have done Kamenewo with Rapid Fire back in 2012, when the world was young, and I still believed things I was told, like...'you should always rely on rules that only use D6'...and 'traditional style rules are the best'...PAH! 

oops

 In today's game German units, with better command dice, just about made it to the crestline to stall the Russian T34s and KV1s, though sneaky Sovs managed to flank their right, surging over the crest with BT7 units and masses of infantry...though at a very high cost.  

'I want a nice clean dispersal this time...'

Germans managed to hold despite heavy armor losses, falling back to establish a new flank behind the ridge, which, through well managed attritional consequences, managed to win them the game.  

'I bet they drink Carling Black label...'

The rules allow well commanded units to make more informed choices, and less well led units are forced to weigh their options in terms of rallying, or just keeping moving to hold the initiative. 

'Ok Ok ...hold still now...'

 There are no other rules in my view, which accurately portray this level of historical command and key doctrinal differences with different armies - simply through a dice type which controls initiative, freedom of movement odds, command choices and rallying, using a straightforward system of opposed rolls and card based turn sequence. This is how wargaming should be done.

The single most important thing however, is that you can use these rules at various scales - with base as squad/vehicle, base as platoon, or base as company. A good set of tense rules, with sensible mechanics which don't seek to squeeze everything out of bloody d6(!), with those 3 scales in mind, is exactly what I want. 

Germans units entering the table...what could go wrong. T34 you say? Never heard of it...

Now this rearguard, managed to effectively delay two German companies all day long

German units are highly mobile

Race for the ridgeline...

Traffic jams...who put the ATGs at the rear?

Here they come...'zis tank design looks new'

Infantry protects the German left - a very good move, considering what happens on the left

A second Soviet company, moving fast with BT7s

Race for the ridge...with (in)effective armour

T34s have the edge, as the Germans are about to find out

Luckily, the German edge in command dice allows them to get the guns to the ridge fast

Just in the nick of time

Soviet infantry is also moving up

The start of the Soviet flanking action, which will take the German right, and create a desperately tense game

Here they come!

This is what a flank attack looks like.

Soviet armour makes it to the German right flank, and takes part of the ridge, pouring over it...

As the (too) secure German left looks on 'get those bloody troops moving!!!'

Soviet infantry swarms the German right

Flank collapse, but the well commanded Germans have a trick up their sleeve on the left flank

German guns start to command their left as they pour infantry into the Soviet rear...inflicting heavy casualties

German armour and motorcycle infantry pull back (as per the actual action) and re-deploy in order to save the flank from the Soviet onslaught.

German armour suffers badly, but the line holds

...even as Soviets pour through the gap on the German right

...but the cost is severe to the Soviets, who are dripping morale cards each turn

...and as the inevitable Army Morale card comes up...the Soviets are found wanting...a great game once more.