Sened Station, Feb 1943 - Bolt Action

Sunday at the Wyre Forest Club and a Bolt Action outing..... Limited pic's I am afraid juggling seven players and umpiring.

The Italian Briefing.

Comandante,
Here is your operational overview for the current situation at Sened Station.

Comandante, we are positioned at Sened Station, a minor rail stop in southern Tunisia—minor in size, but not in importance. Though Allied air superiority prevents regular use of the railway, German High Command, under General von Arnim, has insisted that we maintain a forward presence here. His rationale is clear: if the Allies advance east from Gafsa, this station becomes a potential corridor to deeper Axis supply routes. Holding it signals that the Axis line in central Tunisia remains unbroken.

Your garrison consists primarily of troops from the Centauro Division, we do not have immediate armoured reinforcement—German panzers are reserved further north and will not respond quickly unless a major assault develops.

Recent intelligence indicates that the Americans are reorganizing after their earlier setbacks in Tunisia. Among them is a new formation—the 1st Ranger Battalion, commanded by Major William Darby. These Rangers are not conventional infantry. They are trained specifically for deep‑penetration raids.

We believe the enemy has begun employing these forces to test our defensive lines and to probe for weaknesses. The rugged terrain around this station—broken rock, ravines, and low ridges—offers ideal cover for infiltrators.

In summary, Comandante: our position is significant, our troops are capable, but our defences are thin for any raid and the enemy has exactly the kind of force designed to strike an isolated outpost like Sened Station.

The approach road to Sened Station, Italian trenches can be seen outside of the town and on the high ground on the right.

Bad luck strikes for the Rangers a ranging shot from the Italian defenders hits a lorry full of troops, 6 men were killed without firing a shot.

Revenge is sweet, on the left flank the Rangers debus and set about clearing the German defenders from the slit trench.

Allied armour rolls forward as the Italian defenders were proving tough to shift despite Artillery battering their lines.

As the allies pushed forward, the German Panzers appeared on the base line. Sened Station would be staying in Axis hands for now.

Great fun and a couple of new recruits getting bloodied at the club, now firmly thinking about painting up forces. It feels like mission accomplished on a several fronts.

First post of the year - Desert defences.

First post of the year and as the news tells me we can expect a weather bomb due to Storm Goretti and with snow outside.... the perfect time to throw up some trenches for the Western Desert.

Having been gaming for over 35 years, it's inevitable that as some point long and trusted traders would likely be looking to get out and retire. December saw John over at Ironclad Miniatures decide to call it a day.

Great news they have been saved and sold on to Leon over at Pendraken.. John held a retirement sale - just the excuse I needed to grab a few more trenches to help bolster the Vichy defences for Operation Exporter or perhaps Torch?

Great castings and the prefect balance between playability and sculpts.

Not a bad start for 2026.

Tactics II - Campaign Allied Battle 3 - "Dust up in the Wadi"

Continuation of the Tactics II campaign and a useful way of joining up the odd games. Several months ago the British launched their assault which resulted in 3 games, finally the last game of the set.

On the battle map the allied forces had the choice of Allied Armour as their selection with supports from a veteran Mountain Unit, Up against a German Axis Armoured unit selection.

Using Platoon Forward the scenario was a Point Recon Battle - Not quite the clash of armour I was expecting. 

The random force roll gave the Allies 2 Vickers Light Tanks, an MMG plus a Mortar Barrage not a bad haul but it did give the Axis forces plenty of blinds to position across the front.

The table presented an interesting predicament for the allies on the far left was a string of minefields and wire, with a wadi running through the remainder of the table, plenty of places to hide multiple German units. The main objective was the wadi crossing.

None of the options looked great for the Commonwealth forces so with limited options they decided to go straight down the middle. Under the cover of a Mortar Barrage which pinned a German section.

This allowed the allies to push on to the through the limited greenery still unsure on what they were facing.

They found their way blocked by a fixed MMG which ripped through the Infantry who dived for cover, it took the arrival of a Vickers Light tank to supress the MMG.

The Indians itching to get into the action fixed bayonets and rushed the gun position over running the crew and getting into the wadi.

The Germans had one last roll of the dice a 'C' Class blind in the hope it will be the long awaiting German armour - bad news it was a flaming lorry :-(

Game over.

A short but fun game, easing my opponent into Chain of Command.

The loss of a section and an MMG team for the German's who were forced to fall back on the map, with limited losses for the Allies.

Let's see what the Axis initiative will bring.

Tactics 2 Campaign - The probe at El Habira

After the last short encounter, I did not want to waste the table, so linking it back to the Tactics 2 campaign an opportunity to knock over one of the outstanding games and the battle around El Habira the British had pushed into the town and the Germans saw the opportunity to counter attack.

After the last game taking a core platoon a side, I rolled for additional support for each side. The British had been busy and anticipating a further German attack had thrown up some wire on the exposed left flank and a mine field on the right.

The patrol phase feel worked out well for the Germans with jump off points on both flanks of the village, Infantry massed on the lift, while mortar team peppered the village from the left.

The commonwealth infantry were pinned at the rear of the village scrambling to get to fighting positions.

The Afrika Korps set under the cover of the barrage and rushed towards the outskirts of the settlement.

The Germans were not to have it their own way a section of Indian troops had made it into the lead building and poured fire into the advancing Axis forces. The Germans dived for cover from the Indian fire.

The Germans were caught in a cross fire from an emerging section near the oasis.

With the first section under pressure and pinned down, the second German section assaulted the Indian position, driven back on the first assault, they called down mortar fire and went again finally forcing the Indians back. 

With the main building vacant, the Germans set about moving through the other buildings slowing driving the British forces from the village.

A hard fought victory for the Germans, the village was in Axis hands but at the cost of a couple of valuable sections. 

A fun game lasting quite a bit longer than game one. Nor the paperwork challenge of converting two damaged Chain of Command sections to Bolt Action points. 

Chain of Command 2 - Back to the Desert

The past week or so has almost been as hot at the Western Desert.

Another opportunity to give CoC2 a run out, an encounter between a platoon of Afrika Korp and Commonwealth infantry, I borrowed the infantry stats from the unofficial campaign the Battle of Gazala 1942.

A simple patrol game with a cluster of adobe buildings near an oasis with a platoon each.

The patrol phase pinned the allies back on the outside of the village with the jump off points behind the large dune and the oasis.

The Germans held the cards and using the wadi were able to gain a strong position to the front of the village. The AK advanced forward being caught in the open by HE rounds and Indian Infantry who crested the dune firing into the first squad, the junior leader was killed instantly.

The Germans returned fire driving back the Commonwealth troops behind the crest in the distance.

A double turn for the allies and got back into some kind of order with their senior leader getting the troops back into shape and a concentration of fire into the German position, another junior leader killed.

Despite the Germans having entered the village two leaders down the patrol decided they did not need the village that badly....

One of those games where casualties are light but the unlikely loss of leaders and a couple of CoC Dice change the outcome of the game.

I suspect the Germans will be back.

Tactics II - Allied Turn 4 - Battle 2 - Oasis Assault.

The last game was September - wow

Back to the Tactics II campaign and the second battle of the Allied offensive, this game sees the British breaking out of the port of Karalan looking to push aside a solitary Infantry formation in a defensive position dug in around a desert oasis. Out numbered by 3:1 including Armour - how long could the Axis last?

If anyone is interested in the wider campaign this was the last post - Dust, Tears & Dice: Allied Turn 4 - The Allied hammer blow falls.

A flash of greenery in a desert landscape....

Hidden amongst the rocks and long grass the German defenders await the advance of the Allies.

Sensing the sneaky Germans might be waiting for them, the allies sent a flanking force to roll up the flank, Vickers Light Tanks and Bren Carriers sweep right, the vehicles are showered in sand as a mortar round lands close to the force.

In the centre a dreaded 88mm AT gun appears through the heat haze.

The 88 immediately makes an impact taking out one of the lead Matilda's as it enters the table.

The race is on, knowing the damage the 88 could do, the allies put their foot down, infantry flooded the table as they looked to close the gap on the defenders.

The allies call in mortar fire and get a lucky strike landing on the 88mm - result... Having ranged in it was only a matter of time.

Across the front the British and Commonwealth forces closed in on the defenders, an Anti-Tank gun was quickly neutralised before it could counter the advance on the left. A second Matilda pushed towards the oasis.

In a final hurrah a section of Africa Korps rush from the undergrowth to assault the approaching armour, they failed to score a hit, the supporting infantry beat the attackers back.

With the infantry attack repulsed and the 88 destroyed by another salvo from the mortar the German morale collapsed, unable to retreat due to a blocking force on the map, the German Infantry Battalion entered into captivity.

It was nice to dust off the campaign again, the loss of the allied heavy tank was quite a point loss but taking an entire unit off the map was a great result for the allies. The road was open on the left flank.

Dispatched from the Front XXXIV - Twixmas Projects

I do enjoy the post Christmas lull, a couple of days down time and if I am lucky some painting time.

The last few months have been have been rather hectic with very little gaming and painting time, hopefully the next couple of days will give me the opportunity of kickstarting plans for 2025 and catch back up on several of the remaining projects from this year. I managed to get some undercoating done before the mist and cold set in.

With the 250th Anniversary of Lexington & Concorde approaching in April this gives me a focus to get the rest of the 10mm off the paint table and on to the gaming table. The AWI British Light Infantry and American militia have been hanging around for months having been side-lined by the Crusader project for the Cotswold day.

Then it's back more Crusades with still a whole bunch of Arab Cavalry and Christian foot to get through.

The family have been very generous, with some wants and some nice to have, although internally I did look at the boxes and think that's a lot of gluing and so many varied projects.

In no particular order - Russians for the Russo Japanese War, the Wargames Atlantic plastics will give a real boost for the Russian forces, the project might be getting a little too large for Sharp Practice so I might need to think about a new rule set?

Then there is the additional Sergeants for the Crusaders, I was hanging on for the release of the Baron's War plastics but the Fireforge sergeants will be just as good, the pack is really good value for money enough to give me 2 heavy spear units, a warrior unit and crossbow unit especially given how much cavalry is fielded against them.

A lovely kit from Rubicon and some much needed transport for the Africa Korps 88mm - which has been lacking game time.

If I can get through that little lot, then towards the spring.... Aztecs 

I have a whole bunch of Spanish who spend more time fighting the undead than anyone else, having sold off my Irish for the Plantation of Ireland, they need a new opponent. I blame Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook.

The Rest Is History | 384. The Fall of the Aztecs: The Adventure Begins (Part 1)

It should not be too much of a stretch to get these on the game table and the positive no cavalry to do.

Then.......Orc's nope no idea what I am going to do with these.... perhaps a tweak to the Excalibur project having read a little of Geoffrey of Monmouth's history of Briton could these be Ogres from the realm of Logres and followers of the god Orcus..... that sounds like it work..... (Blimey another rabbit hole..)

Right best get on.... this lot won't paint it self.

Allied Turn 4 - The Allied hammer blow falls.

Allied Turn 4

Things are hotting up in the Tactics II campaign with engagements taking place across the front (normally the breaking point of most campaigns with more games than time allows.) 4 battles to play out this round..

Starting from right to left the Allies look to break out from the recently captured port of Karalaan but found there way unhindered by a solitary Infantry formation they would need to pushed aside. Rolling for a scenario within Platoon Forward - A platoon attack is called for against a defensive position. Heavily outnumbered this could be a short lived battle for the Axis defenders.

Similarly in the centre the blue forces/allied army was pushing up from the centre catching the Axis forces who had crossed the river and were screening the city, they had failed to activate to fall back and have been caught by three times their number.

The third battle is an all armoured affair with both sides under taking a point reconnaissance and finally on the left flank allied forces continued to face off against each other, a veteran mountain unit had cleared the pass looking to cut off the Axis forces at the river, but have out stripped their supporting units.

On the far left the allied forces have pushed down the mountain road and were on the outskirts of El Habira generating a Battle (Type N) Defence against flank attack.

On with the first battle and a challenging clash. The Italian defenders who were outnumbered 3:1 but were confident in taking a chunk out of the allied attackers. The terrain fell nicely for the red forces with a village and rough ground all sitting on their side of the table. The Allied forces would need to clear open ground to reach the defenders.

We are a small gaming group and you get to know how people play, however every now and again you can be surprised by players actions and this was one of those occasions.

With a road running into the cluster of buildings the British player put is foot down and headed straight for the village neither side knew the exact numbers they are up against.

Turn one and the Italian defenders open up turning the lead lorry into a burning wreck with the occupants scrambling into the scrub.

However having sprung the trap the remainder of the allied column bypassed the first wreck and pushed into the village, the small number of defenders were unable to stop the charging lorries.

The allied attackers spilled from the backs of trucks and set about the defenders. Quite a bold move and not one the Italians had expected.

On the right flank more allied troops entered the fray, they were brought under mortar fire but it did not stop their advance as they looked to envelope the village.

In the centre the Italians were flanked as the allies leapt from one house to the next.

Finally Italian reinforcements entered the table but the village was already in allied hands, the Italians looked to open up on the speeding transport but far off a solitary Matilda fired a 2 Pdr round which sent the Italian tank to go Down.

Boom and a second shell brews the first tank. The second tank had had enough and retired from the table it's Force Morale broken.

A short but bloody affair the Italian formation was all but destroyed as a fighting force and will need to be reconstituted in the replacement zone as an inexperienced unit.

On to the next encounter and hopefully a more balanced battle.