Despite evidence to the contrary... NO! the blog is not yet dead. Granted I have been busy with research and being a DM for my nieces/nephews/friends' 5e D&D games; a long story which would require an even longer blog, but, here we are.
So a recent game with the Bunker crowd with Test of Battle, was covered by your roving reporter.
This involved the actions around Buron, on the advance toward Carpiquet airfield, with Canucks. Test of Battle again - nice turn sequence, but lots of debate around stats and design decisions which I can't really be arsed listening to any more - so I'd say my future game decisions on my end, will be based around 'Field of Battle' style rules rather than rigid turn sequences and numbers which meant a lot in the 80s, but precious little now in terms of getting an enjoyable and partial simulation/partial game.
Canadian armour in defensive positions. the scenario had a little 'licence' in terms of what actually happened vs the setup at game start. Hence it was a bit of a cake-walk for the Canadians.
German advances on Canadian left
The right flank made the Germans pay dearly
Canadian armor at centre
PzIVs - just before brewing up
A nice German 75 ATG, which saw no action
Canucks in hard cover
Germans pay a heavy price for advance on Canuck right flank
Good to actually roll some dice again, even if I wasn't playing much. I will be trying to get some more FoB games over the line in the coming months, plus some research pics of lost forts in Ireland ;)
The Easter game at the bunker became a Western Front ww2 action with Test of Battle (the artist formerly known as 'Command Decision').
The town at table centre - which probably should have seen the main attack vector centred upon it, buuut we're far too smart for that right? We probe the flanks instead...hmmm
The US drive on their right flank
These rules are very well known, and very well respected, and some of the guys are very familiar with them. There are complexities and as Steve says : 'lots of moving parts'. All good, and probably quite representative of ww2 (albeit for tank MGs :O ), but we did find a few things a little clunky.
'Not' an inflatable Sherman
Having said that, a great game, and one which would benefit from us repeating with different battles via multiple games. The scenario was fairly generic, with multiple US Armor / Armored Inf battalions assaulting German held positions on the 'Westwall'; anti-tank ditches, the odd spot of German armour, and attempted US flanking moves would be the order of the day.
The US right, where an attack would build, despite many of the German positions actually being held by 'Phantom' units
The centre - axis of potential advance would be along the road spine...although the US opted not to use this axis
German defenders in the town
German defenders at the rail-head
American advances in the centre with attached armour elements
...aaand on the right flank, where the bulk of the armour would congregate...since German ATGs were in the centre...right? wrong.
The supposed German PAK front was actually held by 'phantom' units
Major drive on the US right was halted
On the left, and infantry assault on the hill is tymied, in the centre - the US are held off by fear of what are essentially 'phantom' units - later recognised by Recon jeeps, and on the right - the advance is slowed then halted by German fire
A few wee markers
Some IVs made an appearance and did some damage
All in all, a great game, though with lots of 'moving parts'. There is also talk of Modern Spearhead making a re-appearance soon...
