Rapid Fire II - Grainville scenario played again

Another outing with Rapid Fire today with a repeat of the small Grainville scenario this time with Stephen as he wanted to try the rules again (with possible view of use for big game in future).
I took British again and he took Nazis.
Another decent game with this fast play set.
We toyed with one of the alternative anti-tank system we found online but felt that it was not worth extra effort for the style and scope of RF.
Only thing we changed today was that we tested Morale by Company rather than Battalion as scenario has Companies operating semi-independently and we tested AFVs as independent vehicles, which all worked seamlessly.
The anti-tank/armour model is fairly basic with the Light/Heavy damage but works in context of fast play game style.
Everything works and integrates well and gives a decent WW2 game with minimal rules overhead.
Certainly may lack some flavour/detail of other sets but certainly does what it says on the tin.
The published Normandy scenarios are a big draw and we are already thinking of using them for other sets.

Fire In The Lake - or damn those damn VC !!

Another session with Fire In The Lake 2 player with my Dad (celebrating his 75th on Tuesday !).

Played the full scenario again with Dad as VC/NVA vs my US/ARVN.

I forgot how this scenario is fairly hard to lose with VC !
Just could not get their Active Opposition levels down quickly enough as it seemed every time I converted or neutralized the populace the VC popped up elsewhere turning the locals.
The wee buggers gained an auto-win on 3rd Coup card.

Great game as usual with I think maybe my favourite of the COIN games I have (by narrow margin however as all excellent).

Also set up the small Grainville scenario again with slightly 'dolled up' terrain for Rapid Fire, for Stephen and I for upcoming Thursday game.

Rapid Fire - Normandy scenario at Elimination Club

Game using Rapid Fire II (a set I have not used since before I started this Blog !) tonight at Elimination Club.
Very much a last minute venture as unsure if I could make club and then seemed as if no other games on (as it turned out a massive Black Powder League of Augsburg 12mm game took place).
I found a small (1 Battalion a side) Rapid Fire 'official' scenario for an action on 28th of July 1944 near Grainville during Op Epsom that I used my 15mm kit for.
Action sees 9th SS Kampfgruppe counter attacking elements of 15th Scottish Division dug in around a Chateau near Granville.
Was unsure of how so small a game would play with RF but twas fine.
I played with Chris who took the Germans and I the British (only right and proper of Brexit Friday !).
Game play is fast and furious with RF despite my struggling to recall several parts of it, especially Artillery which has changed a tad from initial version, with the 9 square grid being  no more (expect for rockets) and the standard 4" target circle used.
Game is still essentially '6 hits 1 misses' type deal but no 'worse' than say Battlegroup with less rules overhead or quirks/gimmicks.
A good solid WW2 game overall.
British held out against the SS who suffered from my off-board 25pdrs only managing to take 1 Objective whilst losing all their armoured support with 2 Panther troops, a Flamewerfer PzIII, and a Sd251/9 all falling foul of some uncharacteristic good rolls (has the worm turned !!??).
British lost several Infantry and 1 Churchill with another suffering Light Damage.
The Anti-Tank/Armour system is as basic as I recall but fine for what it aims to do (pardon the pun) and there are several alternative versions around but not sure worth complicating a simple system.





Churchill Squadron advances passing the Chateau

9th SS appear

Dark 'road' standing in for a railway line.

Table tennis table gave plenty of space for game

Defender dug in around Chateau (red marker indicate those on Reserve Fire)

A Churchill Troop brewed as another suffers Light Damage 

But SS Panther are now burning !

Germans occupy village on their left

As British do same on their left

The other club game was a huge affair (12' x 4' ?) with several players and a ton of 10/12mm figures (think a combo of Kallistra and Pendraken ?) on table along with some very nice wooded areas (courtesy of Shane I believe ?).
The 10/12mm stuff is getting very close to old 15mm in size but the animation and detail is impressive.
Black Powder being used although I thought they were building these forces for War Of Three Kings set ?
Impressive and all I know is Simon's wing held whilst compatriots centre and other wing collapsed, but as to who was how or what I am at a loss as too busy fighting Nazis !
Strangely these pics turned out better than those of my own game....................

Book Purchases

Was in Scotland for couple of weeks (work related as such) but managed to obtain a few wargaming related items on trip to Glasgow (which has couple of gaming and modelling shops) including some paints, trees and a few books.

Also upon return this had arrived (just when I will get reading all of these is open to question !)