A couple of firsts, having played this scenario from the second Rapid Fire supplement, this will be the first time playing it with Rapid Fire Reloaded and the first time on a snowy terrain.
To win the game the Russians must get one tank and a company of eight infantry on the rollbahn at the opposite end of the table, we have found in previous games that this is a tall order even on a 6x4 table. In the snow it is nigh on impossible unless the infantry can ride on the tanks, this isn't mentioned in the historical write up or the scenario description, even so the chances of getting a full company that far is also debateable. None the less we pressed on, as the aim was to give Rapid Fire Reloaded a run out with it.
A photo an annotated montage of the game follows if Blogger stops arsing about again.
The Russian objective by turn ten the T-junction at the far end of the table, a junction to far?
The German infantry in reinforced ruins await the Red onslaught.
German 105 battery, actually off table on our 6x4, we will see later that the battery was to give great execution.
In reply the Russians have a Katyushka battery, also off table. We found that it was next to useless using RFR until its final shots.
Two T34s fall victim to the 105 fire, four consecutive rolls of six!
The German tiger takes out a third in short order.
The Russian infantry struggle forward through the snow.
The Tiger fell victim to a concerted attack from two T34s and the KV1
By turn nine the German infantry were all but destroyed, but with reinforcements and a further Tiger now on the table all was not lost but there was no way the Russians could get a tank and an infantry company in place by turn ten to win the game.
A win for the Germans in game terms but a moral victory for the Russians we felt.
I will work out representative forces using Battlegroup rules and play out the scenario again in April to see how it pans out.
TTFN and KBO
PS. I gave up trying to use the caption function, a complete waste of time, its has never worked consistently since it was changed.
Well virtual sun.
Things did not go well from the start for the Nationalists, the Republic forces had stole a march on them and entered the table first and to add insult to injury they entered the table where they would be in full view of the advancing enemy and the terrain hampering their deployment too.
I mentioned in the previous post that we would be using Rapid Fire Reloaded to play out the action. I had previously tried them in a solo outing and was suitably impressed, they do away with the charts in the previous two incarnations which I must say is a blessing for the ageing eyes, although to be fair if you played regularly you would possibly know how many casualties without looking a lot of the time.
Despite the new way of removing casualties, needing two casualties to remove a base of two figures and three to remove a heavy weapons team any odd casualties being discarded and not carried over, the Nationalists started to take casualties. They were not initially able to reply in kind due to the terrain restrictions, although the Nationalist T26 took fist blood in the armoured tussle knocking out the opposing T26. The Republic replied by taking it out with the BA10, this blocked the road on the culvert further hampering the Nationalist deployment.
It was far from all one way traffic though with the Republic being four casualties away from taking a morale test and the Nationalists three, however the Republic would get to fire first. The result was a morale test for the Nationalists seeing them having to retire and not fire for two moves, by which time the Republicans were likely to get onto Hermitage Hill and claim the objective.
So another Republican win, once again commanded by Dave.
Some pictures from the action follow.
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| Engage that T26 |
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| Kaboom! |
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| Viva La Muerte! |
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| Non Pasaran! |
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| Oh dear there goes our armoured support |
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| Wait, hurrah for the BA10! |
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| Come on chaps we have them now. |
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| The Nationalists retreat |
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| See how they run Senor Hemingway |
Next game will be some more civil action, this time over at GHQ for some ACW shenanigans.
Hope you all will get some face to face gaming in soon.
TTFN
Face to face gaming returns to Darkest Rawnsley, as the weather is so atrocious I thought a trip to sunny Espana was in order.
A Spanish Civil War game using Rapid Fire Reloaded.
To be continued..................
Finally got around to playing a solo game using the new Rapid Fire Reloaded rules, I opted for a small game to aid my way around the rules. I set up a small 4x3 foot table and used the following forces...
German
One company of three Panzer IIIs with long 50mm guns.
Two lorried Panzer Grenadier companies of eight figures each plus HQ.
One towed PAK40
Russian
One company of two T34/76s
Three motorised infantry companies of 8 figures each plus HQ
One Lend-Lease SU57
In turn one both sides infantry and anti-tank support will enter the table the location decided by a dice throw.
Germans, 1 or 2 and they will enter by the wood in the top right corner, 3 to 6 in the bottom right corner where the train track exits the table.
Russians, 1 or 2 and they will enter the road top left through the wood, 3 to 6 the road in the centre.
In turn two the armour support will arrive again dicing for the entry point but also dicing to see if they arrive, 5 or 6 on the first attempt a fail means they enter in turn three.
How It Played
Turn one the Germans diced to come on first entering at the rail track, sending one grenadier company and the PAK40 along the railway embankment which afforded soft cover while the other company made its way across the track to row of trees which provided concealment and soft cover.
The Russians came on the middle road, one company heading for the woods top left in a flanking manoeuvre and to support the tanks should they appear there. Another company was sent to occupy the izba with the other and the HQ following up in support while the SU57 advanced down the road.
Turn two saw both sides armoured support enter in the same place has their infantry.
Turn three saw both sides engage, the SU57 was damaged by a shot from the PAK40 but passed its resulting morale check. The T34s and lead Panzer III traded shots with no results, either a miss on none penetrative hit.
Turn four saw the flanking infantry continuing their advance through the woods finding it tough going, meanwhile both sides were suffering myopia, read poor dice rolling by yours truly.
Turn five saw the Germans in the ascendancy, the SU57 was destroyed by the PAK40 and one of the T34s was damaged and forced to retire a move and do nothing in its next turn. The third Panzer III engaged the troops in the izba to no effect, the first three casualties have to be on the building. I was uncertain if I was interpreting this correctly, to remove a base of infantry (two figures) for instance you have to do two casualties in the same turn there is no carry over, it does not say in the rules if this also applies to buildings, i.e. you need to do the three hits in one turn.
Turn six was another uneventful turn for both sides, I diced for and got a turn seven where the Panzer III destroyed the remaining T34. Game over for the Russians really.
Some shots of the action
Conclusions
Well not having to cross reference the scores on the old chart is certainly an improvement for us of advanced years, on the old eyes especially, although I do feel it makes causing casualties a lot more random. Having to cause the two casualties or three in the case of most support weapons does make them more durable than RF1 or 2. I have not really made my mind up on anti-tank fire and HE does not seem as effective, but again in such a small game and my dice throwing it may not be a good measure.
Overall I thought the game flowed better, seven turns in two hours with a coffee break and having to reference the rules sounds fairly rapid to me and I am sure that they would have been a lot better with an opponent, unless they rolled just has bad as myself of course :~)
I am biased having being a fan of Rapid Fire from the outset but they are certainly worth the £5 asking price, nice one Colin and Richard.
Until next time KBO.