Action Near Kustrin 1st to 3rd February 1945

The scenario is from the Kustrin supplement for Battlegroup rules which aims to combine a Soviet advance over three days into one scenario. The Soviet attack is split into three waves when one exceeds it Battle Rating it will be removed and replaced by the next wave.

The first wave was repulsed in turn five.

Three T34/76s lead the first wave with tank riders.

Supported by a lend-lease Valentine.

With additional support from a M3 halftrack.

The Germans well dug in await the attack supported by two Waffen-SS Tiger IIs

Turn five the first wave is repulsed.

Bring up the bad boys T34/85s supported by two SU76 assault guns.

Come along Ivan we are waiting for you.

Eeek! An off table Katyushka strike precedes the assault.

Resulting in one pinned infantry team, really!

Abandoned! While over on the other flank others are destroyed. Turn eight the second wave is repulsed.

Bring on the last wave, more T34/85s and two ISU152s the 'Cat Killers'

It soon makes an impression.

KABOOM! But it is too late losses on the T34s results in the waves Battle Rating being exceeded the attack is repulsed on turn thirteen. History is repeated although it only delayed the inevitable fall of the city.

A grand game full of drama, shocking dice rolls by both sides adding some amusing interludes for us both along the way.

Until next time KBO.

Stug Life

A little quiet on the painting front the fine weather has made way for some full scale terrain building in the garden.

Work in progress.

However a Stug III battery for my 20mm early WWII collection survives their brush with death.

The vehicles are from Early War Miniatures.

Until next time toodle pip and KBO.

Mixed Bag

Some recent painting to pootle off the desk. First up a Warlord Games Universal Carrier and crew.

Next a couple of Germans from Empress Miniatures Kampfguppe Arnheim Hickstarter (sic) which I believe will be in the shop to buy in the Autumn.

Finally more F.A.R.T.S for the fictional province of Rhanzlistan, again from Empress Miniatures Jazz Age range.

No game this week RL stuff intervenes.

Until next time toodle pip and KBO.

Whoa Mohammed!

The last figures for my British airborne platton and support are done (for now anyway 😉)

Vickers MMG team.

RAMC medic.

Empress Miniatures.

Look out for them in action in the coming weeks.

Toodle pip and KBO.

Playing The AI Generated Scenario

Dave, Will and myself set to here in Darkest Rawnsley to play the AI generated scenario I mentioned in previous posts.

It titled the scenario 'The Last Toll', a British vanguard had seized a vital bridgehead and a small ruined hamlet.

Before they can dig in a German Battlegroup supported by a lone tank emerges through the adjacent treeline.

The British set up on the table and place three objective markers in three of the four buildings. The Germans enter the table on turn one.

The scenario set the game at the standard Bolt Action six turns, has we were playing along the short edge of the proposed 6x4 table I extended that to eight turns. To win the Germans must control two of the objectives and British must control two objectives and destroy the German tank. This seems a tall order for both sides. The forces suggested are a typical Bolt Action 1000 point composition.

British Defender	German Attacker
1x Regular 2nd Lt + 1 extra man	1x Veteran 1st Lt + 1 extra man
3x Regular Infantry Sections (with Bren guns)	2x Veteran Grenadier Sections (Assault Rifles/Panzerfausts)
1x Veteran Vickers MMG Team	2x Inexperienced Volksgrenadier Sections
1x Regular 6-pounder Anti-Tank Gun	1x Veteran Panther OR Tiger I
1x Regular Cromwell OR Churchill Tank	1x Regular Sniper Team
1x Regular Forward Artillery Observer	1x Regular 81mm Mortar Team

I opted for a Cromwell as it was typically used as a recon tank and would no doubt gave been in the vanguard. For the Germans in 1945 I thought that full squads of surviving veterans would be few and far between so treated these as regular. My Tiger as yet to be painted so the Panther was allocated.

The following special rules were suggested,

• ​"Desperate Valor" (German): The German units are a mix of veterans and raw recruits. Any Heer or Waffen-SS infantry unit that is Down or Pinned may ignore one Pin marker when taking an Order Test if they are within 12" of their Officer.
• ​"Running on Fumes" (German): German vehicles cannot use "Recce" or "Outflank." Fuel is too precious to waste on maneuvering.
• ​"Heavy Artillery Support" (British): The British have superior logistics. Once per game, the British player may call in an Artillery Forward Observer strike with a +1 modifier to the "Effect" roll on the Artillery Table.
• ​Mud and Slush: All "Rough Ground" (rubble, plowed fields) counts as Difficult Terrain for wheeled vehicles and tracked vehicles alike.
  

  How did it play out, the Germans attacked on a wide front, in hindsight it would have been better to concentrate on the left and risk finding a less difficult route through the broken ground. We decided that troops wishing to enter would roll a D6, odds they would only be able advance, evens they could run. 
• 
• The assault on the right soon bogged down heavy fire pinning and causing casualties. The supporting Panther was constantly being hit by fire from the 6pdr, whilst unable to penetrate the thick armour it caused pins and the having to test and failing the Panther ended up retreating to cover.
• 
• The Germans bring mortar fire down on the Vickers MG team in the building but misses.
  
  The Germans on the right are making no headway the squads on the left switch to the centre avoiding the broken ground.
  
• The British artillery barrage hits causing pinning and halts it. It is now turn eight and with no hope of achieving their objective the attack is called off.
• Could they have achieved it? Perhaps with an advance on the left in mass, the Panther not being pinned out of the game could have changed the outcome?  Or was failure inevitable?
• What do you think?
• An enjoyable game for us none the less and I will definitely try an AI generated scenario again at some point in future.
• 
  
  
• Until next time, toodle pip and KBO

All Set

For some World War II action.

Introducing.

Way back in July 24 we revisited our occasional campaign games in the fictional country of Rhanzlistan where the Great Game continues with the now USSR.

This saw the first outing of the Soviet's auxiliary troops namely the Foreign Auxiliary Rhanzlistan Tribal Section.

LINK

At this time I had only the six figures below painted so we had to borrow figures from Dave's Burpha figures. With the possibility of this years aim to get less used collections on the table I thought I should get the rest painted.

Empress Miniatures with a flag from the Flag Dude, purchased way back at Salute certainly dating it prior to Covid!

First they really needed a Soviet commander so I introduce Comrade Baldinski.

I picked this figure up back when Derby Worlds were at Donnington, where someone was selling second hand Brigade Games figures. I believe this was from their Atomic Cafe range sculpted by Paul Hicks. I shaved the shoulder boards off to keep the figure in period.

World War II returns to table this Tuesday, until then toodle pip and KBO.

More Paratroopers

Heavy support and a command figure for them paratroop platoon. A HMG and medic are under the brush to "complete" the little side project.

Empress Miniatures figures sculpted by Paul Hicks.

Thinking about it what if some of Goerings boys turn up?🙂🤔

Until next time KBO 

The San Marco Pass AI

As a follow up to the previous post and intrigued and inspired by Norms AI musings I asked Gemini to do a battle report based on our recent game. The description I gave was rather sparse so it sprang up some random things, Isabelino infantry in square with no cavalry present for instance and the narrative put in entrenchments and mentioned a bridge.

I also asked it to create a map and a cinematic picture here is what it generated.

I have also generated a Bolt Action scenario which I will try out here in OHQ a week Tuesday when Dave's grandson Will is joining in the fun. Whether it works we will see.

Until next time KBO

Secure The San Marco Pass

The San Marco Pass is a gateway through the local mountainous region vital for both sides of the conflict.

The Carlists fuelled by local knowledge have the initiative, however communication of orders have been an issue (queue failed order rolls). The Isabelinos force also making for the pass has suffered similar problems but were nearer to start with which negated their surprise and resulting chaotic response that a Carlist force was nearer to reaching it than thought.

By the time the Carlist force arrived the Isabelinos were already deployed across the entrance to the pass and ready to repel any Carlist attack. The Carlist commander decided that the fervour of the troops under his command would carry the the day pressed on to attack.

The Carlists advance on the deployed Isabelino infantry.

Acurate fire from the Royal Marine rocket battery causes disorder among the Carlist cavalry.

The British Auxiliary Legion advance against the Carlist right flank.

Continued fire from the rocket battery breaks the will of the Carlist cavalry to continue the fight.

The Isabelino infantry form a defensive line around the entrance to the pass 

The right flank defensive infantry line anchored on the rough terrain continues to disorder the advancing Carlist forces. While on their flank the unopposed cavalry threaten any advance from the Carlist forces onto their left.

Isabelino skirmishers harry the Carlist left flank.

The Carlists finally break one of the Isabelino battalions.

Things are not going well on the Carlist right, a battalion of volunteers is surprised and broken by the Auxiliary Legion lancers so the division on the left cannot expect any support from that quarter.

As dusk falls the Isabelinos hold the entrance to the pass, battered by poor coordination and the constant disordering fire from Isabelino musketry the Carlists withdraw into the shadows of the sierra.

Until next time may all your dice roll high where needed and of course KBO.