Ulster Wargames Society - Khalkhin Gol with Chain of Command 2 and Little Big Horn

Monthly club meeting today and took part in a Big Battle Chain of Command 2 game set in 1939 in Manchuria with Japanese against Russians.

Game set up and run by Jeremy D and Dave M with several figures from Chris.

Terrain was mix of hills, knolls, rough ground, depressions and couple of light buildings.

Five Nippon players: Jeremy D (CinC), Dave T, Tim, Chris and yours truly against four Ivans: Dave M (CinC), Dave B, Ian and Stevie C.

Nips were the attackers fielding 4 Infantry Platoons (12 man sections) with 3 Chi Ha tanks (under my illustrious command) with numerous support assets (including ATGs, ATRs, Chi Go, a Ruse, Mortar Platoon)

Reds had I think 3 Infantry Platoons (10 man sections) with 3 BT5 tanks and various support assets (not sure what except for a Mortar Barrage)

After Patrol phase Japs had quite favourable Jump Off points especially as their Ruse allowed a Jump Off point to be moved a very flexible option. 

Ivans mainly confined to their set up zone but with 2 (of the 4) Objectives looking vulnerable on either flank.

I kept my Tank Platoon off-table at start to see how things developed before committing.

Jeremy D was on Jap right with Dave T on center-right Tim center-left and Chris on left.

Right to left Ivans had Dave M, Ian, Dave B and Stevie C.

Several Jap sections were deployed early (to threaten those attainable) and in response Ivans done same and indeed their Tanks appeared right way in center-right area but separated into isolated areas.

Use of a ruse allowed Japs to occupy one enclosed field objective right away

So when able I then deployed on right to support Platoons under Jeremy and Dave T.

Chris on our left launched Banzai charges from get go against a farm objective but after a flurry of dice rolling seemed to be stymied (I was not fully aware of proceedings on left half of table throughout)

Seemingly inspired (and encouraged from sidelines) Dave T launched 2 full sections in another Banzai attack against another enclosed field Objective.

A furious melee (so many dice !) 36 halved to 18 vs 14 in first round but a draw with 2 kills each and some shock, second round it was 24 dice vs 11 and Dave rolled 4 kills and 4 shock but Stevie C rolled 6 kills and 1 Shock to actually win the melee !

This forced Daves sections back with additional Shock but due to losses and Shock Stevies section was Broken and also fell back.

Infantry action on this flank sort of stalemated for awhile with both sides exchanging lead but with Stevie C having his Force Morale and Command Dice steadily reduced (ended up on 1 Morale).

Whilst this was occurring one of Dave B tanks was being assailed by my 3 Tanks, 2 Anti-Tank Guns and a Anti-Tank Rifle over several phases but seemed impervious taking only a couple of Shock and dealing out same.

Eventually the poor bugger was forced back, was immobilized, had its Optic damaged and ultimately was abandoned but it felt more like a KV1 than a BT5 !!

Chris had by this time occupied the Objective of left and things looked bad for Ivans, but suddenly a ranging shot for a mortar barrage appeared amidst a mass of Jap infantry which luckily failed to see the barrage fall immediately.

The infantry scattered as best the could but the barrage then arrived Pinning 3 sections and causing lots of Shock.      

Unfortunately time had to be called before game completed and whilst Japanese seemed to be in ascendancy (2 Objectives occupied just about to be declared captured with a Jump Off point nullified) hard to say how things would have ended.

Amazingly my Chi Ha units survived (decent enough in this period)

Great stuff and much kudos to Jeremy D for being able to both play and field the numerous rules questions.

Russia's finest

Japanese right wing with my Chi Ha fleet in action (the wannabe KV1 just visible beside rules to right rear)

Nip infantry occupy central hill from which they launched Banzai charge

Some of Chris lot on left (and lots of dice......so many dice........)

The enclosed field taken by Chris (after a fierce struggle I believe)

Fearsome Chi Ha......hear us roar !!............ok whimper

Tims Platoon in center

Another BT5 behind the broken Russian section 

Nip adversaries have fallen back onto hill (a Senior Commander was lost in this charge action !!) 

Jeremys Sections flank the large hill and occupy an Objective with 37mm ATG in support

Central Jap positioning before the Banzai

Ruse ability allowed this Jump Off point to be moved to enable capture ground well into Russian area

Left half of table seemed so far away and someone has dropped smoke

Also at club Phil and son put on a very nice Battle of the Little Big Horn game with the other Jeremy, Billy, Tom and Leslie.

No idea how this went but some very nice 7th Cavalry and Indian figures with nice terrain and I think Men Who Would Be Kings rules (?)

Only got a couple of pics (it deserved better)

Yellow Hair himself on foot

Some very nice mounted Indian Braves (no idea as to figure range)

They Died For Glory gets an outing

Game at Stephens today and he decided to give his 10mm Franco-Prussian forces an run out with venerable They Died For Glory rules.

Stephen set up scenario and let me pick sides (jolly decent off him) and so be a masochist at heart I chose the Prussians who were as ever on attack.

French also as usual ensconced on a wooded hill top in command of a village ie standard formidable defensive position.

I had 16 Regular Line Battalions, 1 Jager Battalion and 4 Batteries of 4pdrs the French had I think 12 Battalions and 2 x 4pdrs and a Millatruse.

Been ages since we used They Died For Glory but a fairly simple set at heart and soon got into flow of the rather unique interactive sequence of play and systems.

Only a couple of queries arose and most discussion was about whether or not to use the optional/alternative -1 for Long Range firing.

In end we thought it aided attackers as with the generous shooting ranges (12" for Needle Guns and 18" for Chassepot) it is difficult to close with enemy which is were Prussians shine as they generally get more dice in melee which is their forte whilst French are supreme in shooting with longer range.

Game went pretty much as expected with Prussians advancing in Deep Columns into a storm of French fire (with 2 Operations per turn this allowed loads of shooting) with lots of casualties and units forced to go Prone (equivalent to Disorder) which requires an Operation to be expended to Stand Up.

Had forgotten that any Infantry in the rules can use Skirmish, so was relying on my single Jager to perform that roll, which would have lessened casualties somewhat but still a tough ask to advance uphill across open ground.

I had massed most of my infantry on right to try to take 'open' half of ridge but things went awry when single unit failed a Morale Test which caused cascading tests on rest of Brigade and 6 units Fell Back/Routed !

FPW period is in many ways WW1-lite (lacking the artillery mass) and rules certainly reflect the high casualty rates.

Great to see the toys on table (mix of Chariot and early and later Pendraken)

Prussian mass in no mans land and taking losses from get go, the French right looked even tougher with units in woods which meant Prussians could not really engage in shotting except at short range (not great from Column anyhow)

A wall of French volleys

Single Jager Battalion reduced to half strength

Deep column formations with Prussian guns unlimbering in support

 

PBEM update - Combat Mission and Storm Over Arnhem

Wee update to couple of ongoing PBEM games

Combat Mission Afrika Korps game just finished against NJ John with a scenario entitled Mercantale set in Italy 24th July 1944 with South African force (moi) facing Germans (with a Troop of Tigers !!)

Just finished this and a narrow loss for Afrikaneers whose armour support (Shermans and M10's) were decimated by Hun Tigers and Stugs but one Tiger was taken out by a PIAT in a daring deed.

The brewed Tiger with Allied armour burning in background

The 'butchers bill'

Still in progress (just started Turn 4) is Storm Over Arnhem on Vassal with Mike (Germans) with my Paras just starting to suffer and come under pressure along river bank.

German recce elements pushing towards bridge

Overview

L'Art De La Guerre - two more games

Another couple of LADG games played with Stephen in sunny Ulster.

Both games between not quite historical opponents but what is a couple of hundred years between friends.

First up it was my Galatians against Triumvirate (Marian) Roman and this was a bloody slugfest with both sides trying to turn opposing flanks and both seeming to have boundless amounts of Pips.

Highlight for me was a lowly Psiloi (WRG speak) which was hit on flank by unit of Thracians but which managed to win and inflict hits !! however this was countered by my Greek subjects imploding in one turn on my right to Roman cavalry they were beating !

Elite Roman Legionaries in center gradually ground down my Elite Warriors and Celts defeated.

Next up it was my mid period Sassanids facing Stephens Thematic Byzantines and this one was more one-sided with my lot having really poor Pip rolls making co-ordination a problem.

Byzzies rather thumped my Cataphracts and put enough shooting hits on my other troops to crush Persians.

 

Civil War Battles an outing

Game at Stephens today and he decided to use Civil War Battles from the Peter Pig Rules For The Common Man stable.

I have had these rules since publication in 2007 but never tried them.

We tried a standard 600 point game (1 Corps of 2 Divisions a piece) using they scenario generator and war points system.

Forces based on mid-war Western lists with Stephen using Feds and me the Rebs.

Took a while to go through the various stages of the game set up but straight forward and would speed up with familiarity.

Knowing best categories to allocate your war points can be influential to battle set up.

Despite only allocating 6 (of my 60) to trying to attack whilst allocated 12 of his (60 + 3 from list) I managed to outscore him 3:1 and was attacker.

However he had much better successes (+3) in two categories whilst I only had minor effect (+1 in 2 categories) so Feds had more effective benefits overall.

Terrain is plentiful with 6 to 8 pieces each and 2 Objectives placed mainly by defender but with some pieces adjustable (limited scope) by attacker. 

No difference to terrain selection for theatre but did seem to generate a plausible ACW style table.

The Motivation (Generals activating individual units), the use of Action Points for the units is nice system that is easy to follow and this combined with fairly simple movement, shooting, combat and morale makes for a smooth game.

Only rule we had issue with was overhead firing which seemed to allow artillery to fire at enemy guns over friends and enemies units on the flat in addition to from hills seemed rather odd (FOOs in use !?) but otherwise all was fine. 

++Postscript++ we feel using the much clearer overhead firing rule from the later Washingtons Army set seems more appropriate ie only applies to firing to or from hills not on the flat ++

Did not finish the game but we did try all the component parts and a nice system overall that is decent option for a pick-up style game.

 

Ulster Wargames Society - an aquatic day

Club meeting today and I partook of a naval game again (3 in one year after none in about 30 !) this time with an Osprey set Poseidon's Warriors run by Leslie.

I had a fleet of 20 Spartan Tiremes/Galleys against same number of Athenian vessels under Leslie.

Both sides had 4 Squadrons of 5 ships with each Squadron able to be classed as open decked light type (one hit wonders) or heavier Cataphract covered deck types also only taking one hit but with saving roll of 6.

Both sides could have an Elite squadron meaning faster ships for Athens and more Marines for Sparta.

No artillery or heavier ships so made for nice quick playing and easy to pick up game.

We managed to get two games completed with an early finish with no issues beyond how often a potentially game ending fleet morale test is taken (easy to house rule). 

First game ended with fairly low casualties as Leslies Flagship went to bottom and Fleet fled (ie rolled 1 on Morale Test)

Second game a more cagey affair as both fleets maneuvered a lot more and included some grain ships to capture which we both totally ignored.

I was lucky (I know !!!) and passed several Morale Tests (whether needed or not) whilst Leslie failed his first again despite losing 8 ships to my 13 in the end.

Fun game with some very nice 'toys', the ships being 1/1200th scale from Tumbling Dice and the islands from Langton Miniatures (now defunct ?)

First game

Two Athenian squadrons arrayed

Whilst Spartan heavies circumvent an island

And two more converge to launch an attack

Overview from Spartan right

The island pieces were very nice indeed

Second game

Islands more clustered (Grain ships in convoy in foreground)

I took a pummeling on my right in this game but Spartan morale held strong

Squadrons squeezed into narrows somewhat

Athenians managed to outnumber my right wing

Faster (ie Elite crew) light Athenians in convoy after one of my light Squadrons was sunk completely after a 'Kamikaze' style head on ramming charge (the heavy Athenians managed to save 3 of their 5)

So Sparta had to redirect a Squadron to contest straits

Also at club another naval game this time a Napoleonic bash using a test Too Fat Lardies set called I think 'Full Nelson '. 

This was British (more ships in action than current Royal Navy !?) against a French and Spanish fleet  with several players aside (2 ships each ?) and I believe it ended in a nominal British victory although apparently the British Admiral was cashiered as his flagship burnt to a cinder ? 

Langton ships (1/600th ?)