Are We Nearly There Yet?

Prompted by Dave's earlier post, I thought that I would have a re-cap on the progress I have made thus far in 2017.
Spanish Civil War
Twenty eight figures and an armoured car painted.
First Carlist War
Nothing added this year.
The Great War
Eleven figures.
World War Two
Eleven figures.
Dark Ages
Eighteen figures.
Third Century Rome
Twenty figures.
Wars Of The Roses
A resurrected project, inspired by Kevin and Peter's fine display game at Carronade. I have painted three new figures and rebased and repainted the livery where necessary, see my last WotR post.

I have also painted four goats, a donkey and a bull, together with a hay cart. Scenery wise three enclosures and a stable yard.
Quite pleased with progress, ninety one figures in all, not bad I thought considering I pimp my brushes as well.
Below are some pics of the Wars of the Roses rebasing and my latest terrain piece, that is in progress, a cemetery.

  TTFN

Zero Hour

The bombardment Tommy gave us was devastating, two of my sections suffered very badly and refused to leave their shelters for a long time and when they did they were so shaken that their fire was quite ineffectual. We held on for as long as we could, but there was no way we would stop Tommy over running us, I trust that we gave our comrades the time they needed, we were helped by the fact that the bombardment also effected our enemy, slowing his advance over the shattered ground.  Therefore my remaining men were able to make a hasty retreat before being completely over run.

Leutnant Weiss
Rawnslie Les Bains Sector

Probably not the best of games I have devised, the terrain slowed up the allied advance a little too much, having said it did compensate for the effects of the pre-game bombardment, with out its slowing effects the game would have been a short one.

The game however did highlight why we had left the rules to one side, it reiterates my earlier thoughts that the game works and flows better with a dedicated umpire, having to check and look up rules, turn cards and keep track of what the Germans were doing was a little to much.

I think we both enjoyed the game but if it is just the two of us playing we will stick to using Bolt Action for future games.

TTFN  

Der Tommy Kommt - 1918

We have held Church Hill for a long time, due to circumstances in adjoining sectors we must give up this position over which much blood has been spilt in the last few years, we will leave with both relief and regret. However we must continue to hold until our comrades have taken up our new positions to the rear, intelligence says that an assault by Tommy is imminent, so it appears more blood will be spilt before we leave, so sad, when will it all end?

Leutnant Weiss
Rawnslie Les Bains Sector

For the action we will use a slightly modified Through The Blood And The Mud rules, my cards are marked up "Allied NCO and Allied Big Man 2" etc. this means that we can also use the card to activate a Big Man of our choosing rather than a specific one to give each player a little more control. However the Germans will start on blinds in the first turns until spotted or until the Big Man card with the relevant number equating to the number on the blinds is drawn, when the unit will dice for the effect of the Allied bombardment and then activate accordingly if applicable.
The Allies will deploy from three Deployment Points, these will be placed either six inches or twelve inches from the Allied base line dependant on an opposed dice roll and must be placed at least twelve inches apart. The Allies will not be on blinds but must be spotted as if they were.

Come back later to see how it all went or if you are on the FB Tabletop Wargames Network group check it out for some in action shots.

TTFN

Through The Blood The Mud And The Mist

Dave popped over to OHQ for a Great War game, we used a "Through The Mud And The Blood"/ "Bolt Action" rules amalgam to fight this action.

Th game was a dawn attack on the the German held village of Rawnslie Les Bains, the attack was launched under cover of a thick mist making visibility only possible at 9", the Germans could however test to hear the approaching British if a German dice came out after the British had moved on the previous dice draw. The one disadvantage for the British was that due to the the mist the supporting Mark IV tank and accompanying infantry section had took a wrong turn and could not be diced for to arrive on table until turn three, requiring a 6 then 5 or 6 etc. each turn. If the Germans did not hear the British approach and had to wait to see the British at 9" then they would have to take a reaction test and if they failed would have to throw 6D6 getting a point of shock for every 5 or 6 rolled. 

The game would last for twelve turns, it was a seesaw battle and could have gone either way both sides in the game missing a chance to capitalise on the others misfortune, Dave may disagree but I think the turning point was Lt. Reggie Rawnsley's heroic attack on the German trench when all about him were about to give up the attack, it was to eventually end his sad demise but ultimately made the way for the ultimate British victory in a game that certainly went to the "wire"

Some pictures of the game follow in no particular order.

British Rifle Grenadiers Advance On The German Trench

Both Sides Started The Game On Blinds

The German Anti-Tank Gun About To Vacate Their Position Opposed By A British Bombing Party

A German Gruppe Occupies The Church

The MarkIV Returns Fire On The Pesky Anti-Tank Rifleman

Rifles Grenadiers Launch!

A Tanks Eye View

The Germans Flee

Some Windy Brits Head For The Rear

The Scene Of Battle

The British Bombing Party Force The A/T gun Crew To Retire

TTFN

Rescue Biccles! - A Through The Mud & The Blood Game

Dave valiantly braved man flu, the wind and the rain to visit OHQ for our first game of 2014, a Great War game using Through the Blood and the Mud rules, together with one of the scenarios from Winter Sports in one of the Lardie winter specials. Allied flying ace Biccles has had to land his damaged crate in no mans land where he has been captured by the dastardly Hun.

Dazed by the bumpy landing and in the failing light Biccles heads for the wrong trench lines

Biccles is soon captured by the superior numbers of Hun

The commander of the nearest trench section Major "Tubby" Bykleigh decides this is just not cricket and orders Lt. Reggie Rawnsley to gather a force of volunteers for a night raid to locate and rescue Biccles. Reggie has a force of 2 NCOs and 28 men for the task, a good mixture of bombers, rifle grenadiers and seasoned trench fighters together with a Lewis gun for additional fire support. The going across no mans land was slow, but it also seems to raise little observation by the German sentries indeed two are eventually set upon but manage to fight off their attackers before belatedly being overcome.

The two groups of British then moved down the communication trenches in search of the command dug-out where Biccles was believed to be held, over on the right the group by-passed the one bunker to deal with the German MG which had now been deployed. Over on the left the group there was attacked by Germans leaving their dugout, this group contained the tough trench fighters, bombers who made short shrift of them, capturing their NCO in the process.

Feldwebel Schultz Is Lead To The Rear

They then located the command dugout and were able to spring Biccles, by this time the general alarm was raised and German reinforcements began to arrive, the British prepared to evacuate sending ahead Biccles and Cpl. Stan Stafford ahead whilst they prepared to beat back the German counter attack. The Germans seemed very wary and the British were able to get an healthy head start, there seemed little chance of recapturing Biccles and the British retreat was covered by Lt. Rawnsley and the rifle grenade and Lewis team so the Germans did not pursue beyond the front line trench.

The Belated Arrival Of German Reinforcements 

There you have it a rather brief overview but I hope it gives a good idea of the action, only a few pics too as one pic of figures in a trench is much the same as another. If you are wondering about the colour of the pics I thought this would give an impression of night.

TTFN

Biccles Is Lead To Freedom