The bloody ridge.......

I must admit I did feel a little bit guilty...
A fantastic table to fight over and we spend the night fitting over a single ridge line 1 foot square....

Wednesday night saw the opening moves in our Late War Campaign based around Zhukov's push over the Oder in early 1945, the temptation was to go for massed armour, but we held back and kicked off with  with a Patrol game using the Too Fat Lardies Chain of Command rules.

The Russian's benefited from extra support options as they were facing off against a platoon of Regular Panzer Grenadiers..... who are tooled up with numerous MG34's....
I picked flame throwers.....

Worried by the volume of fire the German sections can throw out and my lack of fire teams, I pushed my patrol markers out wide hoping to isolate the German left flank and break their morale early.

That failed - the PZ Grenadiers secured the main buildings over looking the road and two of my 3 jump off points before I was able to deploy any figures on the table, as they were on overwatch I knew I would be facing casualties before I even fired a shot in anger.

With only one jump off point not under observation of German LMG's I cross the road hoping to out flank the German defenders, if I could get lucky on the dice and end the turn, I might have a chance to supress the defenders, however my German opponent countered this move by rushing to block my flanking move.

Boredom set in, I was not coming over the ridge and refused to deploy from the other jump off points giving the Germans nothing to shoot at, so over the ridge they poured.

Only to be sent packing by the combined fire of two sections and a sniper - The German force morale slowly crept down, broken fire teams routed and headed back to the twon their wounded leaders in tow.

Feeling rather cocky I pushed beyond the ridge hoping to exploit the heavily shocked German defenders, but two rounds of double 6's saw the Germans pepper the advancing Soviets and I was forced to regroup beyound the ridge.

And so it continued for another 2 hours, the Germans pushed up hoping to break the slowly recovering Russian sections, the Russians got their heads shot off every time they stuck their heads over the ridge line. A late rush by the German defenders to seize a Russian Jump off point was countered by a Flamethrower ambush.....

I really wished I had taken the mortar support option, a little smoke would have freed up my movement considerably.....

So victory to the Russians by a single force morale point, but hardly the push for the Oder....

Round 2 - Next week.

Too Fat Lardies - Chain of Command - Soviet Platoon.

It's amazing what a little bit inspiration can do to spur you on.
Back in September last year, I reorganised my Late War Germans for Chain of Command, I had every intention of revisting the Soviets which were at that stage a section strong, but simply ran out of time or more likely another distraction came along.

However one bookshop, several fellow gamers blogs later and the Russians are well on there way.

As mentioned in a previous posting several years ago I took part in a rather enjoyable campaign using Rapid Fire about the crossing of the Oder and the Seelow Heights, like many campaigns it never did reach a conclusion before players moved away or the gaps between games becames months and then stopped.

Maybe this time it would be different.....

In the past week with a new found vigour I have managed to complete a fair amount, a platoon and several of the potential support elements within Chain of Command for the Soviets.

Unfortunately the figures were based and undercoated on three to a base and the ankles to weak to successfully remove all of the figures without a significant number of casualties. So the sections will just have to benefit from a few extra reinforcements.
Junior leaders are based on 1 pence pieces, senior leaders on 2 pences.

First section ready for battle, I have gone for a similar basing to the late war Germans, with mud and apartial snow covering, which should allow them to mix on most tables given the terrain that we have available at the Wyvern wargames club.
I am not quite ready for a full winter table - yet....

Two flame thrower teams, ready to break the will of the German defenders, the double shock inflicted will always come in handy.

 

Two AT guns from the plastic soldier company, not sure what they will do to a Tiger II, but these have been sitting unpainted since donated by a good friend of mine some 12 months back, great to finally get them completed.

50mm Mortar team and HMG team, whilst within the rules they come with a number of other figures in a section, but two figures to a base is fine for gaming purposes.

A scout platoon or tank riders, these need expanding to include leaders and support weapons, but will do for starters and the winter smocks make a difference to the rest of the Soviets in overcoats.

With Reading only a week away - the shopping list now looks like a Red Square parade with T34/85's and perhaps a couple of JSII's for good measure.

I used the following paint scheme for those interested.
Russian Uniform - Val 924 Russian Uniform + Light Dry Brush.
Helmet - Val 890 Reflective Green
Webbing - Val 825 Cam Pale Brown.
Rifle - Foundry - Tan
Rifle Strap - Foundry Spearshaft 13B
Bayonet - GW Bolt Gun Metal
Flesh - GW Elf Flesh
Blanket - Foundry 12B Drab

Berlin - The Downfall - Antony Beevor.

One minute your ducking into a bookshop to avoid Christmas shopping, next thing you know you are rummaging through the various boxes and cupboards in the man cave for the next new project or should I say previously unfinished project.

I picked up a second hand copy of Berlin by Antony Beevor, it tells the story of the Soviet offensive on Berlin in the closing months of the war, it was perhaps the bloodiest of the entire war in europe, dwarfing those on the Western Front, the book gives a broad narrative of the "armies" movements backed by numerous personnel experiences. The atrocities by the advancing Red Army and similarly the German defenders on the people of Poland and Eastern German is a harrowing read at times and gives an insight into the mindset that is modern Russia.

It reminded me of a campaign that I took part in with my old gaming club back in the 90's which saw rag tag kampf groups hold the River Oder against the Russian steam roller, this is crying out to be reimagined using the excellent Chain of Command rules - Bad news for me with Warfare only a week away.

Digging through the storage boxes I should have enough to pull together forces for the Russian juggernaut, with only a few 'extra's' needed to top up the Russian formations and support options.

Good job some of the Russians are already on the paint table.

OPERATION KILL COBRA - Zikanga Campaign AAR #4

Sunday @ the Wyverns - Just another day in Zikanga.

Scenario
The UN had regrouped and had been reinforced, after the ambush a few hours earlier they had to get back into the village of Bucula, fortunately the contractors had gone to ground and there was no suggestion that they had been captured - Yet.

Regular Mission Objective

The UN must locate the contractors and escort them off the south or west table edge. The contractors are lightly wounded and are low on ammunition, find the cobra contractors and get them off the table.
It is important to keep UN losses to a minimum!

Militia Mission Objective

Kill the contractors.
They are holed up somewhere in the village get to them before the UN do.

Reinforced with a second squad, the UN advance with purpose into the village, moving house to house in the hunt for the operatives.

 

The Militia enter from 3 entry points, also moving from house to house in the hunt for Cobra.

"Gotcha" the last house in the village and the cobra contractors are found, they open up killing two of their attackers, but the militia numbers are to great and they go down in a hail of gunfire and the swing of machetes.

The UN engage a party of militia as they attempt to flank the assault teams.

With the Cobra members killed and the UN under pressure from all sides they are left with no choice but to fall back once again from Bucula.

Not quiet what I had in mind, the Cobra members suffered from some terrible dice and the militia passed almost every morale test.... still the fight for Zikanga must go on.

Played using Chris Peers - At Close Quarters rules.

The race is on...... End of year count down....

Back in August I set myself the challange of clearing the "odds & sods" that I had built up over the years, whilst I did not achieve the required results it did focus the mind and has allowed me to back fill several projects.

With plans a foot for next year, I really need to focus on clearing several of the items languishing on the paint table.

• A couple of shock markers for the US Marines for Chain of Command, a Senior and Junior Leader for the Marine Corps.
• A member of the Press Corp for modern day Africa.
• Senior and Junior Leader for converting my late war Russians to Chain of Command.
• 2 AT Guns for the Russians as support options.
• A Tudor Artillery piece for the Elizabethan Wars.
• Women, Children, Engineers and a surgeon for Ireland.

Right, that's reminded me how much I've got to do, I must get back to the painting table.

Jump off Points - Pinned Markers.

After the recent game using Chris Peers - At Close Quarter rules it became obvious that the pinned dice needed a home.

Having a clear out at the weekend I came across some resin village litter from the now defunct Snapdragon (Damn shame some great buildings...) these combined with some Warbases 30mm circular bases which I ordered by mistake as they were to deep would be perfect for Chain of Command, Jump off Points or pin markers.

Just in time for Part 2 of Contracting Trouble.....

CONTRACTING TROUBLE! - Zikanga Campaign AAR #3

Finally after months of fighting and hundred's of deaths, the UN finally pass a special resolution which sees boots on the ground in Zikanga.

How do you restore order and impliment democratic elections when you have no idea who the good guys are?
Right now all you need to worry about is securing your perimeter and  own logistics.

Scenario
An SUV carrying two civilian contractors was hit by gunfire as it moved through a local village.
UAV footage indicates that the contractors are injured but alive. The contractors have held the small group of militia gunmen who attacked their vehicle at bay for nearly a quarter of an hour, but more armed men have been spotted converging on the disabled SUV.

A squad of UN Peacekeepers is in the vicinity and can be on site within the hour.

Regular Mission Objective

The UN must locate the contractors and escort them off the south or west table edge. The contractors are lightly wounded and are low on ammunition, they are seriously pinned down.
It is important to keep UN losses to a minimum!

Militia Mission Objective

Prevent removal of contractors from leaving the table.
Due to poor command and control, the Militia player may not attempt to seize or kill the contractors before the UN are in sight.

Two Contractors from Cobra Security duck back behind a low fence after being shot off the road.

The UN enter the table, troops from one of the local African Nation are first in country to respond to the people of Zikanga's needs.

Local militia move through the surrounding jungle looking to send a message to the latest invader....

"Get off my land"

Flash Point - The UN sees the crashed SUV and imediately come under fire from the poor quality  militia, a number of the UN personnel are pinned but several milita are killed in the fire fight.

A large group of militia close in on Cobra's position. As Mama Newee looks on...

The UN are hard pressed to contain the situation as move of their men become pinned.

The militia close in on all sides.

RPG fire seriously wounds one of the UN, this first mission is turning in to a nightmare, barely past the first house in the village.

Fuelled by drink and drugs the militia seize their moment and pour into the street, but the regular training of the militia sees them deliver a stream of fire into the attackers killing several and pinning a number of others.

The UN pull back, with two men down, they are going to need to rethink this plan.

 The Cobra operatives make their break and seek sanctuary in one of the village huts, they are going nowhere any time soon.

Played using Chris Peers - At Close Quarters rules, it gave an excellent feel for the period, the regular training of the UN troops killed a number of the militia, but the weight of fire constantly pinned the UN giving them no option but to fall back.

Part 2 Sunday - Operation Kill Cobra.