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

Seven Days To The River Rhine game played

Game today at Mr Ps using 7 Days To The River Rhine rules and some excellent 10mm (12mm actually) kit.

Mr P and John fielded a Nato defence force of FRG (Mr P) and French (John) against attacking Pact forces led by Mr B, Le Duc and Steiner(ski).

FRG had a Leopard 1A5 several Milan and Infantry teams whilst French had 2 AMX30B with several Infantry and some Light Afvs including an nimble Panhard Recce A/C all of which set up hidden (numbered counters plus dummies used)

Pact shared a force of 10 T64B several BTRs and BRDMs along with a Company of Infantry although 12 units started off-table.
We also had a Hind gunship

Mr P had set up an excellent table with some superb Timecast and other buildings and with a nice 1980s vibe.

After an almost disaster (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) with Mr Bs figures we commenced the game which was an exciting fun affair.

I do not own the rules although I do have the Iron Cross WW2 set (which I also greatly enjoyed much to my surprise if honest), but did have a copy of QRS which once you get flow of game is essentially all you need along with relevant unit stats.

Le Duc has a nice AAR on his Blog:-
https://warfareintheageofcynicsandamateurs.blogspot.com/2019/12/its-not-just-about-resource-management.html
so no real need for me to regurgitate here but will echo the enjoyment of the game and rules.

As I said during game a nice straight forward rule set covering a complex game period that generated a fun plausible experience for 5 players in reasonable amount of time (roughly 4 hours) with an acceptable amount of abstraction.



Pre-game overview of table from Pact entry edge.

 


















Nato left flank (note hidden markers on wooded hill

And in wood adjacent to industrial complex I attacked through

The central built up area objective (Mr B and Le Duc fought around this) this included a newly painted and impressive apartment block

Nice amount of terrain which is essential for these types of games IMHO

Pact left along which Le Duc advanced with excellent garage complex

My right flank force (2 T64 and an Infantry Platoon) occupy the industrial area

Mr B covers center with T64s

Pact CinC in village

The industrial area cleared (note containers another nice modern touch)

My MBTs provide cover

Pact Infantry scouting ahead in cornfield

Poor shot of brewed Leopard

And an AMX30 taken out by the Hind (Note Nato supplies we were really after !)

Wood now cleared as well but Infantry taking fire

Mr B's T64s engage enemy

As Le Duc pushes up on our left

Battle in full flow with French Light Afvs deploying and some Pact losses visible

Sabre Squadron first try

Had first try with Sabre Squadron rules with a US vs USSR match up circa 1985 (this is about as fantasy based as I get) at Stephens.
Used his excellent 10mm kit and terrain (got to love the roads) and I had a defending US force against Stephens hastily attacking Soviets.
Yanks had a Troop of 4 M60A3s with 1 Platoon of Infantry with mix of SAW/LMG/Assault Rifle stands in M113s with couple M901s and support from 107mm Mortar battery (but no dedicated FOO), they were all Superior troops.
Soviets had a Tank Company of T80s (10 tanks ?) and essentially a Company's worth of Infantry in BMP1 with battery of 122mm in support, Ivans were Regular troops.

Couple of queries re opening bombardment and buildings that not clear in rules as to level of cover afforded (or not) but we resolved by not setting the Yanks up in the buildings.
An enjoyable system but I did struggle with its pure IGO-UGO method especially the lack of any form of opportunity/overwatch fire (seemed rather odd for modern setting) but overall a decent game.
Rules have good variation of AFV weapon vis armour types although this is ultimately superfluous as once hit most things die horribly, but does give the 'impression' of making a difference.

Not a great deal of troops/AFVs needed for a reasonable sized game which is a plus.

World At War: Blood And Bridges board wargame

Postman got another hug after just delivering this and on my day off too !
Game by Lock N Load and system is forerunner to the White Star Rising game I have been enjoying, but set in General Sir John Hackett style 1985 version of hypothetical World War III.
Several games and expansions in series but this is a stand alone game and the inclusion of BAOR forces hooked me (not hard to do of course).
Nice board of similar mounted quality to WSR although in one large folding piece.
Counters similar colourful style although tad thinner and smaller.

Thankfully being off and the better half being out my secret safe at present or else it would be 'Blood and Pain' in excessive amounts I fear after recent spendathon..............................

In action on my table