Praetorians Plus

Latest stuff to come off the painting desk.

First up the Praetorians, A and A figures, LBMS transfers on an Impetus size bases from Warbases.

Next up additions to the 20mm WWII collections, US senior command and medic, AB Figures.

On the basis that the Germans cannot ever have enough panzerfaust in 1945.

TTFN & KBO

Crossing the Berezina

For this week's game I adapted the scenario in issue 121 of Wargames Soldiers and Strategy for using Battlegroup rules no real changes except the trucks would be allowed off road, however if rolling a 1 for their movement deduction they would have to roll again and if scoring 1,2 or 3 it would be bogged down and abandoned.

Whichever rules one chooses to use, the Germans have an uphill task to achieve a victory in my opinion.

The lorries and stragglers prepare to leave the village ahead of the advancing Soviets.

The engineers and supporting troops wait ready to defend and blow the bridge at the opposite end.

They get off to a bad start, I only rolled three orders, eek! This allowed the Soviet scout units to enter the treeline and await their arrival, with hindsight after the dreadful start perhaps I should have risked going cross country? As it was they soon became pinned down by small arms fire.

Photos from the unfolding debacle follow.

By turn seven/eight it was all up for the Germans, all three trucks were smoking wrecks and the Soviets were bearing down on the bridge with only one escaping unit on it having any hope of escape.

Until next time........

TTFN & KBO

Bikkelheim Brewery

A new addition to my fictional town of Bikkelheim for late World War II games. A Faller model railway building sourced off EBay on a bespoke base from Warbases.

While I was in terrain mode In also made a railway siding, the soil filled buffer is a resin piece from Anyscale Models.

We have a World War II game scheduled for Tuesday, until next time..........

TTFN & KBO

Assault On Rawnstadt

 For this week's game I decided that my 20mm WWII American platoon would get their baptism of fire, they would be given the task of clearing the industrial area of the city.

They would have in support a medium tank platoon of three M4 Shermans with 76mm guns, reconnaissance would be provided by a M8 armoured car. Anti-tank capability would be provided by its own bazooka, a towed 57mm A/T gun and a M36 tank destroyer, they could also count on off table fire from a battery of 105mm howitzers and a M16 for anti-aircraft support.

Facing the onslaught would be a Volksgrenadier platoon, although low on panzerfausts they would have the anti-tank support of a panzerschrek and a PAK40 together with a MG42 in the heavy machine gun role and have off table support from a battery of 120mm mortars. Reinforcements have been promised consisting of a Panzer IV platoon and a Jagdpanzer IV armed with the L70 gun.

Rawnstadt industrial area.

Volksgrenadiers take up positions.

Several of the Germans units were pinned down by the furious preliminary bombardment however due to the initial slow advance by the Americans, orders were just not getting through, they were able to be rallied by their NCOs ready to receive the attack.

The American advance gets underway.

Further communication problems delayed any off table fire from both sides initially, after the lunch break things began to hot up.

There it was gone.

Despite this and the loss of the Pak40 German resolved stiffened, a battle counter draw gave the Germans an extra four Battle Rating this put them on a par with the Americans, game on.

A Sherman takes advantage of the German barricade as cover from where it took out the Pak40. Drat!

Retribution is however not long coming, German reinforcement arrives the Jagdpanzer IV takes revenge.

The Americans step up their attack on the German right, the Germans are cleared from their foxholes.

The Germans in the factory prepare to withdraw.

Panzer IVs move to shore up the right.

Only ending in the lead tank being taken out by a lucky long range shot from the M36.

Turn ten and it is all up for the Germans, fire from the M16 causes another Battle Counter to be drawn taking the Germans over their now 31 Battle Rating. It was however a close call the Americans were only five away from exceeding theirs.

Until next time......

TTFN and KBO

T'other Partizan

Today Dave and myself travelled over to Newark for The Other Partizan our last show of the year. As usual there were splendid games showcasing our wonderful hobby a credit to all the folk who put them on, been there done that so appreciate the effort that goes into them. A shout out also to Laurence, Richard and co. and the traders who make the show possible each year.

It would take all the time at the show to photograph all of them so below in no particular order are just a few of the fantastic array of games.

Old Pikey's Gaming Group, Battle of the Bulge 1944 game.

Boondick Sayntes, Candia 1669, French and Venetians V Ottomans game.

Phil Olley's superbly picturesque 18th C War of the Vaubarian Succession imaginations game.

Westbury Wargames Walcheren Island 1944 game.

The League of Augsbergs 17th century game, I forgot to get the details off Barry.

James Morris and Chums War of the Roses game, Mortimer's Criss if I recall correctly.

Finally chums Kevin and Peter's AKA The Iron Brigades small but perfectly formed A Dark Ages Saga game, using Lion Rampant rules.

 Toys wise apart from picking up pre-orders for my 1940 project, I picked up some ancient Germanic women from Wargames Foundry, a Soviet Radio truck from Grubby Tanks, transfers from Skytrex, the obligatery pot of Vallejo paint and the Blitzkrieg scenario book from Colin Rumford. Roll on May 2023.

TTFN and KBO