Ulster Wargames Society - Gross Jagersdorf with (you guessed it ) Field Of Battle 3 - and other games

Club meeting today and I put on a scenario based around action around Norknitten Woods during Battle of Gross Jagersdorf (converted from a Black Powder scenario) using, of course, FOB 3.

Usual suspects signed up for game with Dave T taking the attacking Prussians and Dave B the defending Russians.

As ever a cracking game ensued with Prussians concentrating their forces on Russian right flank.

Russians had great sequences of cards and good move rolls but continuously failed to take advantage when shooting or in close combat. 

They thereby suffered badly in early going despite managing to charge cavalry onto flank of infantry twice (Fusilier Bttn 40 had a charmed life !) and then outnumbering enemy in 3 of 4 combats and losing every single melee !!

The Prussian Grenadiers (4 units) were rather poor including failing to move several times and both sides Cavalry were pants.  

These set backs saw Russians bleed morale and they were soon tottering on the brink and giving Morale to Prussians, but they passed their first Army Morale and seemed to have a resurgence of fortunes winning several combats (including at least 2 when roll a D4 vs enemy D10+ !!) and managed to survive numerous Daring Deed rallying rolls.

This saw several Prussian units shattered but the cost in Russian units was crippling and the slaughter continued until a second Army Morale appeared and the Russians quit the field.

The Prussians had a mere 3 Morale left (both sides started with 30) but had been 'gifted' 23 by the enemy so a crushing win for Prussia despite Fredericks absence.

Prussian assault into woods in full swing

A Brigade of Garrison troops is heading to Prussian right to try to get their cavalry out of trouble

A heavy melee in the woods

Russians trying to redeploy (they had to set up first) to Prussian concentration

Prussians bringing reserves into play

Russian right being turned

Prussian Fusilier Bttn 40 visible just outside wood near center having survived 2 flank charges by cavalry

Overview of battlefield before Prussian cavalry arrived (on foreground left edge) 

Also at Club were several other games (another busy meeting and great to see) that I did not see much of and don't know how these ended.

Chris and co played a very nice game using Bolt Action 3 (I would have liked to have seen these in action) with Japs mounting a sea landing against US troops. Some eye catching terrain and kit

Paddy put on a 28mm Cold War game using I think 7 Days To The Rhine rules

Charlie and co had a 20mm game using Crossfire (again I would have liked to see this one as an old but super set) which seemed to be late war Allies versus Germans with several tanks

Pics from before any units deployed

Seven Days To The River Rhine - 10mm game

Game at Stephens and an outing for his 10mm 'modern' kit with Seven Days To The River Rhine rules 

An attack/defence scenario with USSR on offensive and USA defending with half points but with hidden deployment (50% extra counters as dummies and ability each turn to obtain extra Command Markers).

The hidden status is major boon as units only able to be spotted if they activate (usually by firing) or a Recce unit (Ivans had two BMD2) comes within 12" or foot sloggers to within 4" (good luck with that), MBTs and other AFVs cannot spot at all. 

Attackers have 50% more points but with extra Command rolls the defender often has same if not more Command points to play with.

As would be expected defender always get first shot whether on own Initiative Phase or as a Reactive action (they React on 3+ when hidden) which is all as it should be.

There is no artillery support (none in system) or similar which means no method to suppress an area even if units spotted so one need to expend lots of actions to try to place lots of Morale hits on or destroy individual units.

The Tactical Cards add a bit of flavour and random event type stuff and are nice addition to system.

Overall it is a fast playing and fun set with low rules overhead and I like the two actions per unit combined with the Reaction system.

Must give the WW2 Iron Cross version a read.

Celebrating VJ Day with an Arab-Israeli game !!

 

Game today at Johns with the two Stephens and myself (Darren and Richard AWOL), using Seven Days To The Rhine rules and some very nice 10mm kit.

Game was set in 1973 Yom Kippur War in Golan heights area but not a specific scenario, an Attack vs Defend points based affair.

John and I were defending with Israeli forces against two Stephens with Syrians.

Lots of T55s and T62s against some Centurions and 'Super' Shermans with some Infantry on both sides.

7 Days set is a fun set which boils all the complexity of modern period down to a quick and playable level.

Of course a consequence is that a lot of stuff is very broad stroke but it works, although as with any such 'lite' set extended plays tend to reveal its limitations.

Game not quite finished (as lots of discussion/waffling) but Israelis much closer to their break point. it does seem quite hard for defender in 7 Days with the very basic to hit modifiers, essentially -1 for target or shooter Moving and -1 for any and all cover (no matter how dense etc).

Good fun in good company and great to get back to multiplayer game and associated banter.

Israeli lines with Hidden Markers

Syrian Recce Forces make first forays onto table

T55s and T62s advancing

T55s and Sagger team using limited cover

Israeli Infantry engaged in central village (the nominal objective)

Israeli Centurions appear on left (one brewed already)

Israeli Sherman with 105mm engages on right

Seven Days To The Rhine at Le Ducs

Another game of Seven Days To The Rhine this time at Le Ducs with his (proper) 10mm kit (Skytrex Action 200 vehicles with Timecast Infantry).
Le Duc set up table and took 500 Pts of defending British with 4 Chieftain MkV and several Infantry and Mr B and I took Soviets with several T64s and Infantry (some in BRDMs) and a Hind in support.
Another very slick game with this rule set although once again the lack of HE is bit odd, but on plus side we played the game to completion in 3.5 hours which is great for an evening slot (especially at Chateaux Le Duc way out in the sticks) and it is fun with decent level of decision making/resource management involved.
Game saw a lot of action with tank rounds flying and ATGMs not to mention Anti-Air Missiles and Hind attacks.
Le Duc lost all his Chieftains for loss of 4 T64 (not a good ratio for Nato defenders) but did manage to damage the Hind forcing it to abort, but only after it brewed a Chieftain.
An infantry battle in central area saw British take some losses and my attack on left was making good headway when British break point was reached ending game.
Good stuff all round and makes me think of using Iron Cross again.








My Tank troop advances with Recce and Infantry

First encounter with Chieftain

Mr B(ski) advances on right

And brews another Chieftain.

Hind about to brew another with flank shot as 2 T64 burn

My pic of Le DUc taking a pic of damaged Hind

Chieftain on my flank dealt with but Recce lost

Soviet Infantry advances (just about visible beside burning Recce)

Brits withdraw from 'Bellona' Chateau

As my T64 supports Infantry in Lego Industrial area (the buildings cleverly made from Lego pieces and Oil/Gas/Water tower from a Pringles tube)

Twisted and burning heavy metal