Lingevres 14th June 1944 - a Rapid Fire scenario set up

Have set up Lingevres scenario from Rapid Fire 2 rule book for a solo outing with Rapid Fire Reloaded (and possibly other sets).

Scenario depicts action of 50th Tyne Tees Division on 14th June to capture Lingevres from Panzer Lehr.

The RF scenario has elements of 151st Infantry Brigade attacking elements of 902nd PzGr Regiment.

Specifically the British are a Battalion of the 9th Durham Light Infantry supported by elements from 2nd Cheshires (an MG Company), A Squadron of 4th/7th Dragoon Guards (Shermans), an Achilles Troop from 102nd AT Regt with fire support from 341st Battery of 86th Field Artillery (25pdrs).

The Germans are the reduced 1st Battalion of 902nd with support from Panzer Regt 130 in form of a troop of Panzers (Panthers).

Reserves for Germans (due turn 8) are another troops of Panzers (Panthers) and a PzGr Coy from 2nd Battalion of 902nd.

Germans set up dug in on 2/3rds off table will British advancing across cornfields.

Have set up the initial defenders in and around Lingevres ready for the off.

Overview of Lingevres from German right

Grenadiers ensconced around church 

Another overview from German left

Panthers await

British force (note Sherman to right is an OP Tank for Field Artillery)

German reserves

The awful 2020 is proving to be a good year for WW2 rule sets with the release of Rapid Fire Reloaded and with 'O' Group and World In Conflict both in pipeline (both planned for release before year end)

Rapid Fire! Reloaded - a brief solo try

Having just obtained the new slim and trim Rapid Fire! Reloaded rules I thought I would give them a solo bash using the 'Mouen' Normandy scenario included.

Must say I wondered what they could streamline from Rapid Fire 2 as already a pretty bare-bones set of rules (designed that way and work as intended).

Infantry fire is simplified with a cut down fire table with adjustments now to dice rolls for cover and suchlike.

Biggest change is that Infantry based in multiples (ie 2 figures per base) are a tad more durable as 3 hits are rounded down to 2 hits with no carry overs to next turn.

This helps AT gun crews (usually 3 figs) as you must inflict at least 3 hits in a turn to destroy them otherwise hits ignored.

Anti-Tank fire is also simpler (hard to believe I know) with armour classes now being numerical and therefore a hit roll is adjusted by plus or minus to dice roll when comparing armour class to gun class.

You need 4+ to hit an AFV target so if -3 factors overall its a miss (say maybe -1 for armour vs gun, -1 for cover and -1 for movement)

Gone also is light and heavy damage with AFVs simply being damaged or destroyed with 2 x damage equaling a brew up.

Artillery is as per RF2 and any AFV is still susceptible to 'death by a 6' if artillery firing is medium or heavier.

Morale and Close Combat seems pretty much the same with just some minor tweaks to factors.  

Only a brief trial of RFR (so I likely missed some changes) but seems like a slightly faster playing version of standard RF which may or may not be necessary/suit as per ones tastes.

The table from direction of German lines around Mouen

Germans around Mouen as Panther troop arrives on Turn 1

Shermans brewed by Panthers as Infantry Companies advance

Firefly Troop has Routed off table (failed Morale after taking damage from a PzIV) also some Infantry casualties from Nebelwerfers and on board HE

British advance with 'brightness of their rightness' as Germans defend in 'the gloom of doom'

Rapid Fire - Cristot scenario

Played Cristot scenario from Normandy Battlegames book today at mine with Stephen and again using Rapid Fire II.
Scenario designed for the rules but couple of unclear/inconsistent items in OOBs had us head scratching at start as not sure what size the 12th SS Recce Battalion starts at ? 1 Company or 2 ? and whilst a Panther is mentioned in scenario outline it is missing from OOB (but we decided it was an omission).

Stephen fielded the SS and I blooded some newly painted (yes indeed folks I have managed to paint some figures !! 100 to be exact !) British Infantry.
I bought a 15mm Late War Platoon pack from Forged In Battle several years ago as I really liked the figures but they have languished unloved until last week.

Game was rather enjoyable, at least until my Artillery got a lucky hit on the Panther and brewed it which led to much wailing on Stephens part !! now he knows how it feels :-)

To hit the Panther I needed a 5 or 6 for 1st round then a 4-6 for 2nd round then a 6 to brew it with 1-5 being No Effect so pretty lucky.

Artillery and indeed the whole 'damage' model in RF is rather 'lucktastic' but it works within the framework and fast play/decisive aim of the rules.
To get more granularity/detail a different but correspondingly slower set required.

Spotting the enemy as attacker is the main problem but anything that does expose itself is of course a magnet for Artillery (I had a 'full' Regt of 4 x 25pdrs so potentially potent).

In Normandy both sides access their Artillery on anything but a 1, but Stephen (thankfully) failed to bring his (2 x 105mm) in on several occasions (good to see dice demon suffer for once !).

Even so his Artillery (including a nasty on board 150mm) did inflict Morale checks on one of my 3 Battalions causing it in its entirety (this takes a bit of getting used to) to be Suppressed (essentially skip a turn) several times even though only minimal casualties.

Mortars are quite potent too as they tend to hit more often than Artillery, and cause a drain of casualties, but do not cause Morale Checks.

For Normandy this all seems pretty plausible stuff overall.

We managed to play 9 out of 16 turns (too much waffling about rules and other stuff as usual) and we both lost a Battalion each to Rout but game still in balance.

I am warming to RF for large games but still think that Panzer Grenadier Deluxe is my favourite overall (and look forward to release of 'O Group' by Dave Brown later this year).







The battlefield from German lines

Durham Light Infantry approach Brourary on my left (they Routed just prior to taking village)

Dragoon Guard tanks maneuvering (the Firefly lucky to survive a hit from Panther with only Light Damage). Green Howards Battalion arrives in support around Hill 102

The dagger plunged into SS heart !!

But 12th SS Recce holds the town and church steeple

SS PzGr hold hedge line (this Bttn also Routed)

Tough to whittle Elite troops out of built up areas

Bocage dominated the central area. SS reserves arrive including 2 x PzIVh.

East Yorkshire Companies are suppressed (yellow marker) by SS Artillery

The Sdkfz 251/9 on right later died in duel with a Sherman

SS Company on Reserved Fire

Reserve SS fan out.

The new Brits (mostly Forged In Battle but with several old Skytrex/Old Glory and couple of Peter Pig) prior to bases being 'dolled up'

The secret to renewed painting splurge a cheap 'Optivisor' from Amazon, which means I can again see figures sufficiently well to paint to reasonable standard.
The pains of growing old, but sexy too eh ??

Rapid Fire II scenario played at Elimination Club (and an ACW skirmish)

Attended Elimination Club tonight and brought along another small Rapid Fire Normandy scenario, this one set 18th July 1944 during Operation Goodwood entitled 'Olemers Counter-Attack'.
This pits elements of Coldstream Guards against 503rd Panzers, so 7 Shermans and 3 Firefly against 2 King Tigers, 1 Tiger, 1 PzIVh, a Pak 40 and a Company of German Infantry with a PzFaust and a PzShreck.
Both sides looking to 'threaten' to exit enemy edge to win in a 10 turn game.
As I brought stuff at last minute this was a nice small scenario with minimal terrain (I do like to support the club if possible putting on a game if I can).
I played as British against Chris again with command of Hun.
A short (played in less than 2 hours) sharp but very fun game it was to.
Shermans simply outclassed by the Big Cats (at best they need a 6 to hit the Royals often no possible hit if movement or cover involved) and even the Firefly struggles at range.
However the 88mm (both types) hit on basic 2+ so lot of brewed Shermans, I lost 1 Firefly with 2 others heavily damaged and 4 Shermans brewed with 1 on Light damage, but did take out the PzIV and the PAK 40 and on last shot of game the Tiger 1 and 1 Royal had heavy damage.
The German Infantry (who started hidden) had no real part to play once the British Armour retired.
Shermans were actually close to achieving their breakthrough but a 'Retire 2 Moves' Morale result put paid to that.
However all the defensive work by Germans meant they never threatened their Exit area so an honourable draw was result.
Another decent game with this fast play set which is perfect for a club game.




The field of battle with British objective the road on right visible.
British start in corner defined by other road

British armour appears

And try to use cover of open woods to advance

Big Cats appear enmass

Two Tigers showing 'heavy damage' late in game

British armour has advanced on right, note Sherman and PzIVh brewed up

Firefly under 'heavy damage'

Sherman brews on left flank

The zenith of British endeavours as a Squadron approaches the road 

But a failed Morale roll sees whole Regiment retire for 2 Moves (24") but Tigers pinned in defence of roadway

No way through this wall of steel.............

Bryn, Simon and Shane (later also Chris and Sam) were playing an ACW skirmish using 'Rebels and Patriots' and Bryns 28mm troops on a nice Cigar Box mat.
They had a quick first rattle in same time as my game but re-set for 2nd game (which I left part way through)