The Bells Of Hell.

Back to Bolt Action for this Great War encounter, it is late 1918 the Hun are on the run, or are they?
This would a green fields beyond game, I chose a scenario from the Bolt Action 2nd. edition rulebook, Point Defence.
The only change I made was that tanks must enter on the road and can only react to events that are directly to their front or in view of the force commander who must be within six inches of the vehicle.
There was no preliminary bombardment, for once my perchance for rolling ones was in my favour as I took command of the Germans.
The road on the British side was on their left flank so Dave decided to concentrate is attack on that flank, spearheaded by the Mark IV and an assault group of tough fighters. The way the three objectives are spaced out in the scenario really compels the defender to deploy on a broad front, even doing this with the force on hand one was always going to be a struggle to defend.

The Mk. IV And The Assault Party Begin Their Attack

The Lewis Gun Section Advances In Support On Their Right

Part Of The Initial German Deployment

When the British second wave came on, Dave sent the two rifle sections with grenade launchers to engage the Germans in the centre, whilst another Lewis gun section was sent in support of the Mark IV and assault group.

The German reserves were a little tardy in their arrival, giving the British time to envelope the flank. The Germans only really had the A7V to counter the Mark IV, but it would have taken too long for it to get the order to turn around and advance to engage it.

Troops From The Second Wave Take Cover In The Ruins 

The British Advance In The Centre

Meanwhile They Envelope The German Flank

The Lewis Section Advances In Support

The British Make A Dash For The Hedge Line

The A7V Arrives, A Little Too Late

The German Flank Is About To Be Turned

We got half way through turn five, by then it seemed obvious that the British, having gained the one objective were not going to get another one needed for a win and the Germans were not going to capture the one gained back.

Maybe with a turn seven the British could gain the objective, we diced early, a two so no turn seven. We decided to end the game there, a draw. Reflecting on the scenario afterwards we could not see how the defenders could win and similarly it looked highly unlikely that the attackers could win in the six turns either.

Have you played it and got a win?

If you follow Dave's blog you will see that he as being going at the Italian Wars project like the Titfield Thunderbolt, meanwhile in line with the Medici adage "slowly with haste" I am going at a more sedate rate, but here is my fourth base for the project, I also have eleven figures finished for the pike unit.

No game next week with the Easter holiday and with Dave's hip op in the offing all being well the next game the following week at GHQ will be my last for a while.

TTFN 

 

A Dark Age Debacle

We wanted something small today so I thought we would give our modified Neil Thomas rules a run out again having made to changes to the effect leaders would have on combat.
Both sides advanced tentatively at first, each weighing the other up before committing, while on the right each sides skirmishers proceeded to fight their own little battle for the game. The Brits fielded their recently built ballista, but it had little effect with its own infantry limiting its deployment.
Eventually both sides decided to get stuck in and all the troops who could were engaged while both hearth guards stood back ready to intervene. Things were even for a time but eventually the British casualties mounted up and units started to disintegrate, giving Bikka the new Saxon warlord is first  convincing victory.

I do need to get some more figures painted so that we can begin our campaign, but I have been diverted to medieval Italy for a joint project with Dave and I now have a terrain commission giving me little time for my own figures so it might not happen until autumn, but we will no doubt have a few games in the meantime to test rule tweeks if nothing else.

Off to WMMS on Sunday, snow permitting.

TTFN

CoC Espana

Today we had a little extra playing time so I decided to give Chain of Command a try with the Spanish Civil War lists compiled by Jim Hale and Rolf Grein.
I had to use some Falange to bolster the Legion numbers, Spanish platoons are huge, it makes handling them a tad difficult too, well for me anyway.
It was an epic struggle with Comrade Dave's forces finally winning the day, although, had the game been part of a campaign I would probably have withdrawn earlier in proceedings. With hindsight knowing that the Republic could have bought, and did, a T26 to the party I should have left the Panzer 1 back at base, where it appears the anti-tank gun team decided to stay until it had to be deployed in a less than satisfactory way, but needs must and had it hit the T26 things may have been different. The what ifs of war eh.
Too engrossed in the game again to get many pictures, but here in no particular order are the few I took.

The Republicans Begin Their Assault

Where Is The Pak36 When You Want It? 

The Legion Brace Themselves.

He's Behind You!

Its A Bit Late Now, Their Infantry Are Up!

Dave has the decorators in so the next game will be at OHQ again, a Dark Ages set to is in order I think.

TTFN

Baldinus Triumphant!

Today General Baldinus took his revenge and bested his arch nemesis Bikkagern AKA The Viper, for a while it seemed that the Goths were getting the upper hand, but impatient that he could not get behind the Roman flanks with his cavalry, Bikkagern sent them  headlong against the Roman infantry in a frontal assault. Although the infantry held things were not looking good for the Romans, Baldinus then unleashed his cavalry and the unengaged legion, the Triani, whilst the Moorish cavalry harassed the uncommitted Goth cavalry. The tide turned and the Gothic hoard was defeated.
I had recently painted up some extra Goth infantry on half bases, these were added to two of the  other Goth warbands giving them six bases. We adjusted the rules accordingly, giving the Goths an extra two D6 in the first round of close combat, this would give them some initial humph and sustain the unit in the next rounds. This would offset some of the Roman superiority as they get more combat dice in continuing rounds and better saving throws 4 - 6 as opposed to the Goths 6. It did not help in the end, next outing we may let them add the extra dice in continuing rounds.
I was too engrossed in the action to take any pics I'm afraid but here are a couple of shots of the forces as they stand, I currently have Roman cataphracts on the painting bench and will follow these up with another half base of Goths to increase the third warband.

In fact no pics, I'm afraid Blogger is being a complete arse again, I give up !

Edit - Here they are, weird. Thought Jon's comment on my previous post would appear, but alas no. Thank you for the comment Jon, I got the email notification. I believe our mutual friend is having some "renovation work" soon :~)

A Complete Ruin

Pictures of the completed Charlie Foxtrot Models ruined house #3

Next up will be Pantile House #3 for my Spanish terrain.

TTFN