Saint Herman's Hermitage

Scenery, A Work In progress

I have started work on my latest piece for Spain/Italy, for Spain it is the San Hermandez Hermitage, folk of a certain age may see what I did there.

The hermitage from Charlie Foxtrot Models, Badger Stynylrez surface primer from Barwell Body Works, the roof comes with the MDF kit the sloping bit pantiles are from Wills railway scenic range.

The arched storage shelter is from Warbases Roman range again with an added Wills pantile roof. It is painted first with Vallejo Burnt Cadmium Red and wet brushed with Vallejo Cavalry Brown, it will be dry brushed with a lighter orangey colour later.

The walls are from Empress Miniatures, the cobbles again from Wills, sadly I cannot recall where I got the pots from. The base is custom cut by Warbases.

 The well is from Irongate Scenery I continued to be amazed by what can be done with 3D printing.

I will add a garden between the cobbles and the hermitage, the front will just be textured earth, its a little upmarket has it is.

If you intend to venture into the Mediterranean I highly recommend Pat Smith's latest book, it is also useful for other settings too -    http://www.stevenlampon.co.uk/settingthescenevol2/

Until next time,

TTFN and KBO

Battlegroup: Fall Of The Reich Solo Game(s)

Rather than wait for the weekend I decided to have an evening game playing another solo WWII game using Battlegroup rules. I set up a 4 x 4 foot table for a squad size game, a British platoon supported by a Cromwell would be attacking a German rear guard position held by a Volksgrenadier platoon.
The British had a Battle Rating of 16 and the Germans 13, for those unfamiliar with the rules once this rating is exceeded the force will call off the attack or retreat if defending.
For the German defenders a throw of two D6 would decide the initial number of units that could be deployed, a poor dice roll gave them just three units until turn five when a D6 roll would decide how many units would appear in this and subsequent turns. D3 of the deployed units would start pinned from a preliminary bombardment, a three was rolled eek!
The British would start with three units deployed with two D6 being rolled on turn three and subsequent moves to decide on how many more units would be available that particular turn.

The initial set up

Sheltering behind the hedge #1 section advances

The platoon HQ moves forward to direct off table 4.2" mortar fire

The Cromwell moves up in supported followed by #2 section

#1 section is broken by intense German small arms fire

#3 section moves up to continue the attack

A turn of luck for the British, the Pak40 is destroyed by HE fire from the Cromwell

Bad luck for the British, the Germans draw a chit to rally and pull a confusion chit, this can be played on any enemy unit who immediately have to take a morale test, this resulted in the Cromwell being pinned

Tit for tat the next British chit pull results in a confusion chit, queue one pinned German squad 

#2 section moves up to support the pinned Cromwell

Despite a spirited attack the British exceeded their Battle Rating in turn eleven after just under two hours of play, it should be noted that I took out the four and five numbered chits for the game, it was a close run thing with the Germans just three away from exceeding theirs.

TTFN and KBO

Painting And Ponyri Take Two

First up some completed units for the early Byzantines and the War of the Triple Alliance.

Rear rank archers and together with the rest of the unit finished earlier.

The first battalions for the Paraguayans and Brazilians.

Now on to the Ponyri scenario using Battlegroup Kursk rules, I was able to mirror the units I had used for the Rapid Fire game. However I did add a timed airstrike in for the Germans and as a counter an AA HMG for the Soviets.

It turned out to be a bad day for the Germans, Hans call in the artillery, sorry Herr Leutnant they are not responding, Kurt supress that Russki MMG, ere no. Here comes the air strike, now they are for it, squat, Hans the artillery try again, yes! No, no, no I said the trench line not the tree line! Meanwhile the Soviets could do no wrong, for instance the Zis3 could not scratch the Ferdinand frontally but could pin it with a six, yes a six duly rolled. Turn six with half of the surviving units pinned and the German Battle Rating down 60% and no unit even half way across the table, I decided the Germans would call off the attack. I can even do badly against myself it appears.

 Do we have to assault that Herr Leutnant?

 The Soviet left.

 The Soviet right.

 The Soviet artillery is not lacking.

 Send up the Ferdinand to be pinned.

 The Soviets well entrenched.

 A black (and white) day for the Germans.

TTFN

First Carlist War - Solo

I was planning another game of the Ponyri scenario using Battlegroup rules today but by the time I got back in from garden and had lunch it was a little late in the day so I set up a First Carlist War game. I had no scenario planned for it so I just set up the Carlists defending a ridge and gave the Isabelinos the job of ousting them from it. I used our current rules of choice for the period Black Powder on a 5 x 4 table.

The Carlist right on the ridge, two freshly raised units and the Ontario hussars being held in reserve.

The Carlist left.

The Isabelino right.

The Isabelino left comprising of the British Auxiliary Legion with the dubious support of the Royal Marine rocket battery. 

The Isabelino Attack gains momentum.

The BAL advance towards the ridge.

The Carlists await with a warm welcome.

Meanwhile over on the right the advance is halted by withering fire from the Carlists.

The Royal Marines blunder and advance upon the Carlist foot artillery.

The Isabelino skirmishers advance although unsupported.

The marines pay for their blunder and are disordered and shaken by artillery fire.

Shaken but not stirred.

The attack on the right resumes but is again halted by the weight of fire from the Carlist battalions.

The Carlist Navarre battalion are routed!

All is not lost the attackers on the right are both shaken.

Things are looking grim the Brigade commander brings up the cavalry.

The Alava Guides are now shaken.

The Royal Marine rocket battery after several duds and misses misfires and the rocket explodes in situ, kaboom!

The Ontario Hussars charge the British Legion lancers and come second retiring behind the ridge

The Alava Guides are routed!

The BAL Scottish battalion is also routed.

For some reason Blogger insists I centre the rest of the text, I despair, it just gets worse.

Anyway back to the game, at this point Carlist turn eight the brigade holding the hill was broken meaning that both brigades would now have to leave the field. The Isabelinos run of victories continue.

TTFN