Blitzkrieg Or?

Sitzkreig? Gaming action returned to OHQ yesterday a 1940 game using Battlegroup rules. The British (Dave) were tasked with holding up the German advance to buy time for their withdrawing comrades. To do this they had to keep the Germans at bay for nine turns.

to trf4rrrd

The advance, well sort of🙄 Timidity struck me again this week, despite no lack of orders my attack was somewhat lack lustre. No Rommel moment here.

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The British position a 2Pdr anti-tank gun in the rubble of Petite Rawnslie.

They also send forward an infantry section to meet the awaited enemy head on.

Where they fall back from overwhelming enemy forces approaching them. Did the Germans press on, no they skulked behind the woods opposite, 😔 

The German gruppe in the centre are made of sterner stuff and advance to the hedge line.

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Over on the British right another section is thrust forward, no passive defence here!

The Germans bring forward their infantry gun to counter the attack, but where are our panzers they wonder.

Meanwhile the British Matilda II advances through the village to take up position in the road to counter any German advance.

Over on the German right the Panzer IV comes under 2pdr and anti-tank fire. The crew are rattled and abandon the vehicle!

With combined fire from the infantry and the plucky Matilda the infantry gun crew are wiped out. At last a 38T arrives but is quickly despatched.

Another 38T bursts through the hedge takes aim at the Matilda, misses! It is if course taken out in return.

The remaining 38T takes up position using the burning 38T as cover. However the British A9 tank squadron who have been advancing through a wood that was denser than thought now appear at the edge, fire and pin it down. Forgot to take a picture of them.

A lucky chit draw for the Germans as the lead A9 leaves the wood it hits a mine!

The advance over on the German right however as stalled, again in the heat of the action I forgot to take any photos on this flank.

By luck, another chit draw bought the chance of an aircraft and a German Stuka appeared on turn seven but cannot do enough to whittle down the plucky Brits. The game is called next turn, there is no way the Germans can break the British morale by the end of this and turn nine.

A mighty and aggressive defence by Dave and another lack lustre from yours truly gives the allies more time to evacuate troops from Dunkirk.

Until next time ....... KBO

Lombards!

 Allied heavy cavalry for my early Byzantine army, figures from Aventine Miniatures, LBMS shield transfers on a base from Warbases.

There will be some action in 1940 France here in OHQ next week, meanwhile check out this weeks game over on Dave’s blog, https://talesfromghq.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-fury-of-northmen.html

Until next time……..KBO

Testing

 A short post to test how posting on my new IPad goes. A new addition to the 1940 Germans for a game next week.

The gun is a plastic Zveda kit and the crew are metal from Simon’s Soldiers and the base is from Warbases.

I am just finishing off a unit of Lombard heavy cavalry for the sixth century Romans.

Until next time, KBO.

¿Pólvora negra, en serio?

Readers may recall I mentioned tweaking the RCW amendments used at the recent game at WMMS to use in a Spanish Civil War setting. After making only slight changes we set too yesterday. I fielded three battalions of three or four companies each, some of which had attached LMG or 50mm mortars. They had additional support of either anti-tank or field guns and a tank, armoured car or truck.

I can't make a coherent blow by blow account of the action in pictures but below are some shots  followed by our thoughts.

The peace of the Hermitage is about to be shattered.

The Republican Brigade commander, the flag bearer is a runner who could be sent to a battalion commander and allow a failed order roll.

Air support could arrive if the enemy rolled a blunder followed by a roll of four.

The Nationalist brigade command with runner.

The Anarchist battalion "rushes" towards the Hermitage.

The other battalions of Internationals converge on the farm complex.

The battalion of Regulares also "rush" towards the Hermitage.

The Anarchists "rushed" a little quicker.

A company of La Legion head to take cover in the station building.

The Republicans deploy a French 75 to make sure the Nationalists do not get too comfortable in the station.

The Hermitage becomes the key focus of the action.

Meanwhile the Internationals hunker down and trade shots with La Legion taking cover on the slight railway embankment.

A blunder ( a FUBAR in our game) by the Nationalists brings a staffing run from a "Chato"

The Nationalists get no further than the railway coming under heavy Republican fire from the farm constantly disordering (pinning) them.

By turn ten of twelve the Republicans were holding onto the Hermitage and getting the better of the Regulares and with the Legion pinned at the railway we decided that the Nationalists would withdraw, if we had used the Black Powder broken brigade rule they would have been doing so anyway.

We thought the rules worked pretty well a little more fine tuning is in order but our next SCW outing will be another go with Rapid Fire Reload, last used in May 2022! Tempus Fugit.

Until next time.

KBO

Finally!

Way back in 2023 I swung by Devizes on the way back from holiday to visit the Attack show where I picked up a pantile ruin building off Colin AKA Charlie Foxtrot Models. Having picked up a NWE farm building at the recent WMMS show I thought I ought to get it done before commencing on the farm house.

Hopefully it will get it's table debut on Tuesday.

Next up on the bench something in 1/72nd scale.

TTFN & KBO

RCW At WMMS 2025

At the WMMS show last month Leamington and District Wargamers put on this splendid Russian Civil War game.

German Freikorps Command Group.

White Russian Command Group.

Red Russian Command Group

The game was being played with Black Powder rules with home brew rule amendments. We have done similar for our 1914 games in the past, suitably inspired I have used the RCW amendments to form the basis of using Black Powder for next week's Spanish Civil War game.

Until then.........KBO