A blast from the past - Johnny Reb III

An outing for a rules system I have not used since late 1980s namely Johnny Reb (by late great John Hill). 

I played the 2nd edition for 6mm games back in the day and later purchased JR3 but never actually used them in anger (not sure why ?)

Stephen keen ACW Buff that he is was keen to try these as a 'meatier' set than Regt Fire & Fury or more 'big battle' fare like Field of Battle or Black Powder systems so I was happy to give them an outing and had a brief read through, although they have a lot to absorb.

Scenario was a modest sized affair from Charge magazine and I think based on a minor action from Gettysburg campaign (?) all kit was from Stephens 15mm collection.

I took Reb defenders (one Brigade) and Stephen the Yankee attackers (two Brigades). We had reserves Brigades due to arrive but failed to get that far.

There is a lot to like with excellent Orders Chit system (the progenitor of that in Command Decision) that is easy to pick up as is the basic Shooting (the counting of 'figures firing' felt rather retro) and Movement systems (although some aspects like oblique moves are in errata not rules).

But we struggled understanding the ebb and flow and intricacies of the Charge Phase, as there are such a lot of possible interactions and permutations (with errata substantially clarifying/changing several aspects from published rules). 

This was not unexpected as I recalled the Charge Phase was always complex to understand fully especially when multiple units and situations involved. 

The application of which units count as supports and from what position/s, was confusing and we were unsure of when units could use additional firing instances (depending on order used, range etc), all in all a lot of 'moving parts' to consider and had us scratching aging heads. 

Most definitely a set that needs more careful reading (they are not that well laid out) and play on table top (several queries only became apparent in practice) but we intend to give them more playing time to see if we can iron out the kinks or house rule certain areas to our satisfaction if needs be.

Rebels defend crossroads as Yankees attack down turnpike road 

Rebel cannon 'teleported' onto hill so we could visualise 'overhead firing'

Chain Of Command - another play of 'Attack on Mouen'

Had another bash with Chain of Command today with Stephen using the same 'Attack on Mouen' scenario (but this time as standard not Big Battle version).

I fielded the Scots and Stephen the SS and it was another interesting and fun game.

With less units (only 1 Platoon each) and supports (but still a bloody Tiger !) the game played much quicker than Saturdays 'big' version.

It was indeed a much different game as Stephen not known for rolling only 1 save out of 11 ever :-)

He got several extra phases early in game allowing his infantry to press forward before Scots could intervene, and then when I did get a phase my Command dice were pretty poor (1 x 6 1 x 5 and 3 x 4 is not ideal). 

The various options and combos of dice are a real feature of system and we both find them fun (or frustrating !) and easy to use in practice.

SS firepower superiority showed much better in this game as they were able to pour on continuous fire onto my chaps causing lots of hits which I then obligingly converted into multiple kills and shock.

A Tiger appeared which I did get the jump on with a 6pdr but only managed a single hit which was treated with due disdain and I had to place smoke from 2" mortar to stymie its effect.

I also had a pop with a Piat team on Ambush but again failed to scratch the big cats armour.

Meanwhile on my right I had 2 Sections broken and a turn ending use of a CoC Dice saw me lose my remaining 5 Morale (started on 8) due to loss of Junior Leaders.

Enjoyed CoC again and great to complete a game in reasonable time with minimal rules issues (only a couple things we were unsure off but found answers in rules or FAQ pretty easily).    

We did discuss the issue that had put us off CoC before ie the use of Mortar Barrages which do seem pretty powerful (not an option in the Scottish Corridor scenarios) but I can now see ways to mitigate (at least potentially) their effect in game mechanics.

We used our 15mm kit and whilst not ideally based for CoC it was easy enough to use 'change' for casualties and suchlike and the ranges do look better than larger scales in imho.

Fuzzy pic of German progress on their left

Two Scots sections Pinned and about to Break under deluge of fire

Tiger appears on central road

Ulster Wargames Society - Chain of Command game played

Monthly club meeting today and I partook in a game of Chain of Command run by Jeremy D and Mr Smylie, using 15mm kit (which visually suits the ground scale).

Been a long time since I played CoC but this was hugely enjoyable and easy to pick up with Jeremys umporing and rules knowledge.

Remembering when Sections count as Sections or as separate teams in relation to Shock effects was only confusing aspect as most other stuff pretty intuitive and the Dice activation/Command system works very well. Having teams reduced to 2 or 3 figures but still able to fire at full firepower (unless shock effects) took a bit of getting used to but certainly works in system overall.

Scenario was from 'Scottish Corridor' Campaign pack and was 'Attack Into Mouen' but bigged up (double OOB I think ?) using Big CoC rules (minimal amount of added complexity) to allow 2 players a side. Walls and Hedges were classed as high so this fairly cut down fields of fire unless in buildings.

So it was attacking SS (commanded by Other Jeremy and Mr Smylie) against defending Scottish heroes (led by Dave T and moi).

Patrol phase saw Scots pretty much pushing forward on right (Dave T) and holding around Mouen on left (yours truly) with Nazis mostly pinned back (there would be further hampered in deployment first two turns by our Close Support Barrage), being denied easy access to farm on our left.

Sure enough we pushed forward on right and I consolidated on left and this worked well as we inflicted some early casualties on Hun.

However once they did deploy the SS sections put out tremendous amount of firing (19 dice ) with their 2 x MG42 teams compared to our sections with their single Bren and rifle teams(12 dice) and Dave started to take hefty casualties and shock and began to fall back but his push forward had slowed SS advance on that flank..

On my flank SS arrived piecemeal around farm (some unlucky command dice rolls) and I was able to deploy my entire Platoon unmolested along hedgerow to continually inflict pain. The SS concentrated a lot of effort on our HMG which deployed in a building (and was eventually destroyed). 

SS deployed a Tiger (!!) and a PzIVH, we had a 6pdr selected as support (but never got to use it as fields of fire not conducive.

We did have 2 Piat Teams and use of my team was highlight of game for me.

I managed to roll a required 1 to deploy it onto a Jump off Point and had a second Command dice roll in hand (as I had rolled 2 sixes) so I placed it in front of the advancing Tiger. The SS had a COC Dice in hand so used this to Opp Fire but only failed to break the Piat team (1 kia) so I fired and indeed hit the Tiger but the shot bounced (Piat rolls 7 dice needing 5-6 the Tiger has a whopping 11 armour dice). However I then rolled new Command Dice with my second phase and rolled another 1 so got another shot off a Tiger and although I barely managed to achieve a hit I scored 4 penetrations and the Tiger on managed to save 1 (out of 11 dice needing 5-6 !!) so was ko'd and then very obliging exploded causing numerous hits on two nearby Hun sections. Huzzah !!

Sadly the nasty vengeful SS wiped out these heroes soon after so posthumous gallantry awards.

Dave T also used his Piat and managed to hit the PzIV which was crossing a wall and whilst not damaged it was forced to retire. 

This along with several other losses caused SS to declare they would quit the field

Great days gaming with a rule set I have neglected but which worked pretty well for scale of game its set at (nominally same as IABSM but feels bit more 'skirmish' level)

Overview from Scots left after Jump Off Points established

Dave T uses his JOPs to deploy well forward on Scot right

SS were denied access to farm but did start to deploy around its environs

My Platoon begins to deploy along hedgeline 

Scots use smoke to protect from the massed MG42 deluge of fire

Big cat appears

As does its PzIVH running mate

Tussle for farm (SS have taken several losses here)

But they eventually consolidated in the orchard

My Platoon is now fully deployed pouring fire at any enemy that appeared (as remnants of one section is broken and retreats)

"THE TIGER IS BURNING !!" (thank goodness)

Also at club (it was a 20th century day) were games of Battlegroup and another Team Yankee (believe these chaps are practicing for a 'mainland' competition next year).

Did not see how these played or turned out ?

Team Yankee, I think it was Warsaw Pact Czechs vs British and West Germans

Battlegroup game with Adam and Dave Ps lovely 20mm kit. Think this was an ad hoc set up rather than a formal scenario (?)

Another Big Cat in the mix

And the not often seen Buffaloes about to have artillery dumped on them I think

Combat Mission Pbem game completed.

Pbem game with Mike I had ongoing with venerable Combat Mission Barbarossa To Berlin completed with his Ivans gaining a minor victory.

Scenario was Izyium Diet Plan set in May 1942. 

I had taken a couple of 'Flag' objectives early on but a troop of PzIIIs on my left flank were annihilated by a T34 and a KV1 in short order and this allowed Mike to push a T70 onto one of my objectives to contest it (no Panzerfausts this early on)

On right we had a ding dong with my Stugs and PzIVs and his armour. Lots of lowly T26s dispatched but again the KV1 is of sterner stuff.

I had at one point 3 AFVs with damaged guns which fairly stymied my hitting power. 

A veritable flood of Ivan infantry appeared and again Mike was able to contest a 'Flag' to gain the win despite suffering marginally higher losses.

This was a cracking encounter.

Overview of 'table' from Hun right

Annoying T70 contesting a 'flag'

The final result and casualty tally
 

 

O Group - Eastern Front scenario 'Operation Blau' played

Game with Stephen using O Group as we wanted to try the Soviets in game system as they seem rather hard done by in several ways (Poor AFVs, lack of Spotters, slower HQ Impetus accrual), so we decided to give the 'Operation Blau' scenario a try from Eastern Front supplement.

I had Germans attacking against Stephens Russian defenders and after our usual deluge of waffling about other projects/rules/board games etc we had at it.

Initial barrage saw Soviets lose 1 Platoon but their one and only (?) inherent benefit is that they can replace the lost Platoon with a Green Platoon.

We only managed 6 or 7 turns but this was enough to see arrival of 2 x PzIIIJ for Huns and a T34/76 for Soviets. These had a couple of exchanges of fire with a single Shock caused on a Panzer. The T34 has a more potent gun and better armour but is hampered by being Poor AFV so needs to roll a Spotting dice on every shot beyond 10", however the PzIIIs with 50mm L42 suffer a -1 to hit due to being classed as Low Velocity weapons so fairly even.

I had 2 x PZII Recon Panzers which failed to reveal any enemy after 7 rolls and one was ko'd by an ambushing gun, the other survived but was hit by Mortar fire causing Shock.

I lost a couple of stands (3 in total including PzII) but was due to lose a good deal more when I uncovered an entrenched Ambush position with an MMG attached to an infantry Platoon (6 D6 with 3 re-rolls). 

We ran out of time but was good to see Soviets in action with O Group and felt that they may work best as defenders and in early war.

Not many pics as not much to capture with so many Combat Patrols and hidden units

 

 

Donnerschlag - set up ready for solo tryout

Donnerschlag arrived and I have just completed set up ready for a try with game in ensuing few days (O Group minis game tomorrow so brushing up on those today).

Great looking game with a nice mounted map and counter with a sort 'glossy linen' feel to them.

Game from fairly new German company VUCA Simulations who have a reputation for high production values (well deserved).

As anticipated some rules errata to absorb (docs printed) but the game is on lower end of complexity scale with only 10 pages of actual rules and nothing too onerous at first blush.

The use of Activation and Combat cards looks fun.

The icy looking map

Unit counters colour coded for Formation Acitvation

Soviet defenders (the A,B & C areas are possible relief corridors to off-board Stalingrad Cauldron that Germans are trying to reach)

German and Soviet Activation and Combat cards

Stalingrad: Advance to the Volga played

Had a proper bash with new acquisition and what a tough old time it was for Germans !

To win outright (ie exceed historical outcome) they must capture every area on board (they start with 9 and there are 50) or if they can exceed 40 they have achieved the historical outcome (a draw in game terms).

Soviets can auto win of they 'force' German morale to zero from starting level of 19 but since every repulsed result causes a -1 morale drop and you lose 1 at end of each turn (you can spend Supply to push up by 1) it soon dwindles. 

When Morale is good, Germans get +1 to all attacks conversely when its low this bonus is lost and Soviets get +1 to defence, Germans do get a +1 if 3 or more units from same formation attack together, but any loss sees units Repulsed with lead unit destroyed (can be brought back with Supply expenditure) so low yield attacks are fruitless and costly.

But boy is this a hard proposition with several areas defended by some tough Soviet units of who it seems maximum strength  value is 10 with Guards tactic but usually married with +4 terrain in the high urban areas along river.

Taking several areas proved really tough as even a +3 Light Urban area can have an 8 or 9 strength defender (tactics vary) and Germans can only mass a maximum of 4 units in one zone although they can support with Supports up to number of attackers. 

The Stukas are powerful (only 3 in mix) but less so than I first thought as they are marked as -1D6 to defender which I took initially to mean Soviet threw 1 less D6 however upon actually reading rules this is 1D6 rolled to reduce Soviet defence by total rolled bit less impactful.

At start of each turn you roll for Random events and I was twice in a row effected by Operational Pause which means you roll a D6 and that many German areas must flip their units to Spent prior to action phase, I of course managed to roll a 6 twice fairly gutting offensive power. Other events reduce Artillery effect, increase Soviet defence or effect things by off-board offensives by Soviet Armies. All grist to the mill for solo player

I did take most of southern part of City but could not make a dent in northern half.

The game is as can be seen quite dice luck dependent but it is fairly quick playing and rather addictive fun and so have set up for another try this time to try several optional rules of which being able to Isolate (cut an area off from Volga) Soviet units looks most useful, others not so much.

Early stages as I make some inroads in south of city

Managed to take Grain Elevator zone (garnering a +1 morale boost for capturing High Urban areas)

Support assets accumulate at turn start but note German Morale marker is in last box of Good status) 

Soviets being forced onto river bank but way too slowly and costly

  

And in final splurge for birthday another title en-route, 'Donnerschlag' depicting failed relief effort towards Stalingrad. 

A more traditional hex and counter style game but with cards for Activation and Combat effects.

The game looks graphically awesome but am aware of its having a fairly extensive Errata/FAQ document but got at a decent price so took the plunge.