Kampfgruppe Normandy solo play through.

Had a solo playtest game today with these rather nice rules using my 15mm kit (worked fine with the standard 20mm ranges in book). Played the basic/intro scenario with amended terrain which pits a German Panzer Grenadier Platoon supported by a Panther, a PzIVH and a Pak40 against a British Platoon supported by 2 Cromwells, a Firefly and an Achilles. Germans also get a single 81mm Mortar. Quite a nice game to be honest and I quite like the actions and activation system (your basic command level plus 1D6 to generate number of units that can activate). Combat is straight forward enough and I like the chit draw system for morale (each force has a morale level and chits are drawn for various reasons with numbers 1-4 thereon and once level exceeded force beaten but couple of other chits can appear such as Mechanical Failure, Aircraft, Heroic Actions). Lots of dice rolling as one has to spot for every shot (even if previously spotted) but works overall. Suppressive fire nicely implemented and since removal of suppression requires drawing a Morale chit (each allows 1D6 of suppression removal) it can be a bind as it should be to get troops moving again. Some strange stuff to get used to such as there being no hidden units (all subsumed into spotting/cover rules/rolls). Couple of rather vague concepts as well (none to clear on firing at multiple/adjacent targets as such). Tanks and guns fire and act as individuals whilst Infantry act as MG/AT teams or squads of 5-10 figures. The book itself is very impressive (and weighs a ton) with lots of information some decent OOBs and points lists and a very nice inclusion of multiple scenarios, fictional and historical with a terrain generating system for 'pick -up' type games. As title suggests covers Normandy only (no bad thing) with German, British and US forces covered. I would put it as about same complexity as Rapid Fire but set a lower tactical level and with a bit more 'flavour' but without the endless chrome and very odd scaling of Flames Of War (a set I just cant take to).
Might not become my WWII game of choice (bit too generic) but the scenarios are almost worth the cover price (especially if like me one obtained it at 1/2 price) and some minor house rules would sort the minor quibbles I had with system.

Must give IABSM2 a go next...........................

The battlefield Germans on left

A quality book to be sure

The QRS sheet

British armour suffering

The main culprit the Panther

His running mate (soon to brew up)

Picked of by 'Mable' the Firefly

Infantry contest a house

Germans advance

DBMM Maurikian Byzantine vs Norman

A 'proper' wargame today against Stephen using another couple of armies we are considering fielding at Munster next month. I used my Maurikian Byzantines and Stephen used a 1066 Norman army (mainly as he has a lot of newly painted figures). A good game and pretty bloody in the end with both sides having a command broken in same turn, but my lot falling by wayside with two turns of pretty awful combat dice.

We discussed pros and cons of the armies in Dbmm (and FOG for some reason) and decided that we should just get back to playing and enjoying the games and not 'worrying' about their merits or otherwise in a competition.

Lots of pics (mainly to show off Stephens new figures)

Norman foot, dismounted Knights ans Crossbowmen 

More dismounted Knights and Breton Cavalry

The Norman Knightly array

Byzantine trained Khazars ready to march to opposite flank

Byzantine Kavallorii ready to impact the Norman foot

Byzantine Optimates in support

The Kavallorii arrayed

Opening moves

Late in game opposing wings have disintegrated

Khazars and Bretons squaring up

Arab allies come to support Kavallorii (after 3 turns sitting unreliable !) 

These also arrived today just after Stephen left but not had chance to even open (for requisite smell test !!) yet.

Some painting amidst the rule-fest

Managed to get some painting done today. Finished off another unit of Black Hat Prussian Line Infantry and touched up (oh er missus....) a few painted Prussians I bought at Bring & Buy at Warfare (no idea what manufacturer they are from) including more Line Infantry a few Jager and a unit of 4 Guns. Also finished a few Battlezone buildings I bought as well.  Hope to get them based this week.

Very poorly lit iPhone pics (will get better pics once based)

Oh well just another 120 or so Prussians to go, plus the British AWI army plus Russian and British Adler 6mm (bought at Warfare 2009 & 2010 respectively !!) plus some nice WW2 15mm Late War British from Forged in Battle line oh and a bunch of 10mm Malburians. Not much if I say it quickly and enough to keep me going to next years Warfare !!

Almost forgot my father is buying me Kampfgruppe Normandy rules for Christmas (whilst on half-price offer at Warhammer Historical site)