Another Christmas bash with the guys, and a dusting off of the modern Sabre Squadron rules.
These were published a few years ago, have some echoes of WRG 80s sensibilities - combined with modern D10 systems, and still give a good game.
The scenario, prepped by Stephen, was roughly based on a Command Decision scenario for the Battle of Chinese Farm (which we've covered before), then bath-tubbed to the 1;1 armour scale of Sabre Squadron.
Some excellent terrain from Steve - as the sun goes down across the sands...
Another great game, and with superb 12mm models and kit from the guys' collections.
Israeli units on the start-line - a company of infantry and a company of armour
Lovely M48s
Egyptian units defend the ridgeline to the left of pic, the river represents the irrigation ditches at Chinese Farm; Israeli units will attack across the open ground, albeit with some cover for infantry due to folds in the ground.
...some lovely terrain on show for the BUA
T55s - in hull down position - not something we see a lot of...
Egptian units in the wadi/irrigation ditch
Though not particularly dangerous looking, these 4x Egyptian Sagger ATGW units would create absolute carnage. Lessons learned re. blinding them with smoke and/or suppressing them with MGs...
I mentioned the Sagger carnage, right?
T55s, at the ridgeline, will not last long - facing accurate Israeli long range fire
Infantry in the ditch - remember - these are 12mm scale
Israeli units take a lot of damage from the T55s however, before countering strongly
On the Egyptian left, Israeli units are being stymied by Sagger fire, while making some inroads on the right
The Israeli left - where a concerted attack goes in, but Recoiless Rifle fire, and surviving T55s firing at long range - with the addition of re-routed artillery missions, make a massive hole.
A lott of brewed up T55s
Though by the same token, Centurions are not faring well either, and now dismounted Israeli infantry comes under fierce artillery barrage, pining them for several desperate turns...
...will the same thing happen on the Israeli left?
30mm AA gun takes out infantry in the open...
Some Egyptian reserves, having a cigarette...it was 1973, it's allowed...
The attack on the Israeli right halted...
...and on the left, supressed harshly with artillery and RR fire
By game end, the Israeli attack had run out of steam, with some units stuck, and others withdrawing - though the Egyptians had also lost 75% of their tank force. Saggers had made a massive difference.
A very good scenario, and Sabre-Squadron gives a good game. It doesn't have the glitz perhaps of '7 days' but certainly covers all the bases that a modern set needs.
(I have been looking for an excuse to get 'Rock the Casbah' on a blog post for so long now...)
It's a nice set Jack, though very straightforward with lots of mods. It does however, cater for all modern stuff, so is even good reference material if not directly played. A little bit old school, but that's still valid.
Great end of year Christmas bash. That 12mm armour does look good, a great scale for getting that compromise between infantry and vehicles and table size.
Wow that looked like an excellent fight, Darren. Sabre Squadron is a great set of rules, too. Crunchy, with enough abstraction and streamlining to keep it moving fast.
Perhaps a nice warmup for a Fulda/V Corps firestorm campaign in the coming year??
Thanks Steve - yes a nice set, though very traditional in terms of sequence, friction and managing resource - in that there are no resources to 'manage' as such, and you can do a lot - which is where 7 days scores, but perhaps without the detail. I think already, that what you have developed for PanzerBlitzHack is more representative of modern warfare - some sort of mechanism wherein a commander is under pressure to do everything he wants is symptomatic of modern 'stuff' - there are simply too many choices to make, and rationalisation is the name of the game. This is where PBH will score for the Fulda campaign, I think. 'upscaling' to brigade and division, where possible, will just be icing on the cake for Fulda gap actions.
Yes, though I miss the resource management element of 7D. Also of course, Brent's new systems woulld be perfect for a battle like this - when they come out. I'm sure ATGWs can easily be modelled. For larger scales, there is also a modern variant of FoBww2 available on the ex yahoo group.
Very nice! I keep telling my self I need to put SS back on the table and it never makes it out. Playing it for a game or two sounds like a New Year's Resolution I think I should make.
Definitely worth looking at again Ski. It has 'everything' in there in spades, though the traditional turn sequence, although working well, seems a little stilted sometimes.
Nice Arab-Israeli action! Chinese Farm in The Command Post Compendium I assume? I think more recent research changes some of the details in the OoB. The BUA are probably overstated; it was an abandoned experimental Japanese agricultural station. Neil
Thanks Neil. Aye - I think from CPQ or CPC. Yes, there is a lot of new evidence on the battle, including the night action I believe - and I think the BUA, in this case, is an excuse to get as much nice terrain on the table as possible ; 'loosely based' on Chinese Farm might be more apt :)
Darren, you are getting in some solid game sessions in during the holidays. Your armor looks great.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jon. Yes, the celebrations never end :) The armor is all the other guys' sterling work. I simply turn up, push tanks,, and roll 10s
DeleteCool stuff man, a cool fight. I've heard of Sabre Squadron, but don't really know much about it, will have to take a look.
ReplyDeleteV/R,
Jack
It's a nice set Jack, though very straightforward with lots of mods. It does however, cater for all modern stuff, so is even good reference material if not directly played. A little bit old school, but that's still valid.
DeleteThanks, Darren, I appreciate the insight!
DeleteV/R,
Jack
An interesting game and nicely painted armies.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter. The guys' 12mm stuff is excellent, and an excellent game too.
DeleteGreat end of year Christmas bash. That 12mm armour does look good, a great scale for getting that compromise between infantry and vehicles and table size.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely scale aye Norm. It has that balance between 6/10mm and the detail of 15..and suits armour really well.
DeleteWow that looked like an excellent fight, Darren. Sabre Squadron is a great set of rules, too. Crunchy, with enough abstraction and streamlining to keep it moving fast.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a nice warmup for a Fulda/V Corps firestorm campaign in the coming year??
Thanks Steve - yes a nice set, though very traditional in terms of sequence, friction and managing resource - in that there are no resources to 'manage' as such, and you can do a lot - which is where 7 days scores, but perhaps without the detail.
DeleteI think already, that what you have developed for PanzerBlitzHack is more representative of modern warfare - some sort of mechanism wherein a commander is under pressure to do everything he wants is symptomatic of modern 'stuff' - there are simply too many choices to make, and rationalisation is the name of the game. This is where PBH will score for the Fulda campaign, I think.
'upscaling' to brigade and division, where possible, will just be icing on the cake for Fulda gap actions.
The little I saw looked excellent. Sabre Squadron is decent set bit more 'meat on bones' than 7DTTR but still fairly playable
ReplyDeleteYes, though I miss the resource management element of 7D. Also of course, Brent's new systems woulld be perfect for a battle like this - when they come out. I'm sure ATGWs can easily be modelled. For larger scales, there is also a modern variant of FoBww2 available on the ex yahoo group.
DeleteVery nice! I keep telling my self I need to put SS back on the table and it never makes it out. Playing it for a game or two sounds like a New Year's Resolution I think I should make.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely worth looking at again Ski. It has 'everything' in there in spades, though the traditional turn sequence, although working well, seems a little stilted sometimes.
DeleteLooks like another fun game. 12mm is a lovely scale to work with, I just wish more companies produced them.
ReplyDeleteIt's a really nice scale mate. I'm not the first to say, if I was buying everything again - it would be the way to go for all periods :)
DeleteNice Arab-Israeli action! Chinese Farm in The Command Post Compendium I assume?
ReplyDeleteI think more recent research changes some of the details in the OoB.
The BUA are probably overstated; it was an abandoned experimental Japanese agricultural station.
Neil
Thanks Neil. Aye - I think from CPQ or CPC. Yes, there is a lot of new evidence on the battle, including the night action I believe - and I think the BUA, in this case, is an excuse to get as much nice terrain on the table as possible ; 'loosely based' on Chinese Farm might be more apt :)
Delete