Wild Geese - The last flight

Club day and the opportunity to play a game which has been long on the wish list - A recreation of the classic - Wild Geese movie.

Colonel Faulkner's Briefing

The mercenary force has suffered a major setback. The vehicle convoy intended to carry them to safety has been destroyed at a river crossing, leaving the surviving troops stranded deep in hostile territory. Communications are intermittent, ammunition is running low, and enemy forces now know their approximate location.

The only chance of escape is a remote airfield 25 miles away where a transport aircraft is scheduled to make a brief landing at dawn. Between the survivors and their escape lies rough terrain, hostile villages, roadblocks, and an increasingly determined government army.

To be read to the assembled mercenary force shortly after the destruction of the lorries at the bridge.

"Gentlemen, listen in.

The good news is we're still alive.

The bad news is that every man in this country now knows roughly where we are, and they know exactly where we're heading.

The bridge is gone. The transport is gone. What should have been a fast run to the airfield has turned into a twenty-five-mile march through hostile territory. We're carrying our wounded, we're short of ammunition, and we're going to be hunted every step of the way.

So let's be clear about our situation.

Nobody is coming to rescue us.

We are the rescue.

 

Ahead of us is an airfield. At dawn tomorrow a pilot brave enough or crazy enough to keep his word will attempt to put an aircraft down on that strip. If we're there, we go home. If we're not, we're left behind. 

In a running battle, against more than 4 times their number the Mercs would have a job on there hands but they were professionals and training should get them through this.

Played using Force on Force, with the mercs with always on initiative they were able to supress multiple fire teams that popped up as Faulkner and his men ran the length of the table.

With the Heavy Machine Gun sweeping the open ground the majority of the mercs made the runway.

As the local militia started to fill the runway the last of the Merc's piled on to the plane.

A great game and mission accomplished for the raiders.

Julius Limbani was on the plane all for the loss of 2 dead and 3 wounded.

Next up some alternative scenario's in Zembala and the government of General Ndofa.

Operation Iron First.

Following the escape of the Wild Geese, General Ndofa launches a brutal purge. Intelligence indicates that loyalists of Julius Limbani are gathering in the northern highlands. Ndofa sends an elite battalion to eliminate the rebels before an uprising can begin.

The Diamond Convoy.

A convoy carrying Zembala's diamond reserves is travelling to the capital to finance Ndofa's regime.

The Battle of Mamba Airfield.

Months after the failed rescue operation, foreign governments secretly back a second attempt to overthrow Ndofa.

The Presidential Return.

Rumours spread that Julius Limbani survived and has secretly returned to Zembala. Escort Limbani through hostile territory to a major town where he can rally supporters.

Operation Cobra Strike.

The only thing keeping Ndofa in power is a sophisticated communications centre coordinating his forces.

Chinese Support - Sino-Japanese War

Another week and an hour a night eats into the Chinese backlog.

The Chinese crew are from Eureka Miniatures with gun salvaged from some WW1 British, the great thing is the Chinese had a mish mash of equipment so the old gun felt like a nice fit.

Next up a Chinese knee mortar, from what limited information is available they were not used in collective platoons as with the Japanese formations so one team it is for the nationalist forces.

Finally a one time only Anti-Tank team - The original suicide squad. 

I need to think about how to represent these in Xenos Rampant, perhaps some kind of wild charge when an enemy AFV is in sight?

Well lets see how these units can slow the Japanese advance.

A day on the brushes tomorrow and the last of the Japanese forces.

Dust & Tears Campaign - A German Reconnaissance Mission

One of the benefits of a permanent gaming space is some times you just need to shuffle the table pieces. The second game of three for the Axis force.

This game is pretty even with both sides at equal points. Rolling for a scenario it's a reconnaissance patrol with the German forces having to unearth the true strength of the allied forces.

As this was a solo game, the counters represent the various potential Commonwealth forces, Yellow for light, pink for support and red for heavy. 

A desert farm complex has been identified approximately 5 kilometres beyond the current forward line. Intelligence reports are inconclusive regarding the strength and disposition of enemy forces occupying the position.

The farm may serve as:

A supply and water point, a platoon or company defensive position or an observation and reporting post for enemy forces operating in the sector.

Enemy troops are expected to conceal their true strength and will seek to avoid exposing defensive assets unnecessarily. Any advance guards or listening posts encountered should be assumed capable of raising the alarm and withdrawing to the main position.

Your detachment will conduct a reconnaissance of the farm complex 

The mission will be considered successful if:

• More than half of the suspected positions within the farm complex are identified.

• At least one heavy weapon or vehicle location is confirmed.

• The majority of occupied positions are identified.

• A reliable estimate of enemy strength is obtained.

• The patrol returns with sufficient information to enable a future attack plan.

The destruction of the enemy is not the purpose of this operation. Knowledge is the objective.

The Axis force probe forward using the stone wall as cover looking to get eyes on the main complex and immediately bump into a defending Indian section.

Meanwhile in a bold move throwing an armoured car forward flushed out more defenders and a shower of high explosive shells.

Pressing on yet more defenders this time an Armoured Car and AT Rifle team, the Axis scouts fell back.

A radio message back to Battalion HQ and a return dose to on the defenders.

A brisk fire fight and the olive grove was clear of defenders, the German AC having been beaten back on the main road to the village looked to push left only to be countered by the defenders.

With Germans firmly in control of the grove and eyes on the farm with over 50% of the defenders revealed, it was another victory to the German forces - They are finally on a roll.

With the Brits losing 625 Points and the Germans 350 - The Brits fall back on the campaign map.

Chinese 88th Division Command.

It's Sino - Japanese month (again), this month the plan is to get all final pieces finished before a new project in November.

The 3D prints from Kyoushuneko Miniatures are very good, but are missing certain elements such as high level command and the like, so I have dropped in a couple of items from Eureka's range to fill in the gaps.

The Officers with machine pistols and a big sword are just the ticket to take the fight to the Japanese.

I saw a youtube video on converting Warlord Japanese Infantry into Chinese, so had a crack at a head swap on the standard bearer dropping on Kyoushuneko head - he's come out OK.

I did the same for the knee mortar. A useful addition to the defenders.

 Next up a more Chinese in blue.

I hate painting buildings.....

Buildings.... I hate painting buildings.....

They always seem a waste of time given how many figures are in the painting queue.

Two Sheds Fred to the rescue, Fred and Emily are great to work with, great communication and a wonderful paint job.

I had a pre-painted buildings from Hadrian's Walls (sadly OOP) but wanted to match some 3D prints which I had to the same style.

What a great job - A perfect match.

Superb detail on the buildings and the guys have done a fantastic job both inside and out.

The buildings whilst designed for Japan will be perfect for anywhere in the far east and will compliment my existing terrain for anything from the Sino-Japanese project through to the Water Margin.

Add in a Well from 4 Ground which had been hanging around for several years - I am never painting 28mm buildings again.

Two Sheds Fred highly recommended.

If you had not guessed this month it's back to the Sino-Japanese War and the last of the Chinese troops plus a couple of funnies.

Tactic II Campaign - The German counter attack

The Germans were looking for one big push, throwing an armoured company and tow battalions of infantry plus HQ into the fray against one allied armoured company and a battalion of Infantry.

The games are really scaling up. If they could win here the allied front could crack.

The allies were defending a hill top over looking a small settlement they knew they were outnumbered and the terrain was against them, but they had to hold the line.

The German had massed their armoured units into a iron fist to push up the road, while Infantry pushed into the farm complex, including an 88mm.

The plan was to strike hard and fast, the Axis forces drove up the road, light tanks breaking through the vine yards, a solitary Matilda looked to slow the advance damaging the German AFV's but they swamped the British Armour with multiple hits.

Not everything was going their own way, on the left flank the curse of newly painted units still held true, a troop of bren carriers took out the Armoured Car nudging forward.

The platoon commander ranged in on the German defenders suppressing and killing a number of Axis forces.

As 88 AP shells whizzed into the allied lines, a sniper drew a bead on the German artillery crew.

The crew having seen their commander killed fled for cover.

All this was a mere side show and the Axis Armour pressed on breaking into the allied wire, the allied defenders threw what they could at it, but light tanks and Boyes AT Rifles were no match for PZIII's.

Cresting the dune, they panzers broke into the infantry who were forced out of their positions. The field belonged to the Germans.

A vicious fight.

The Allies were pushed back losing 36 Points within Xenos Rampant

The Germans lost 20 Points.

On to the next battle - 1 down 2 to go.

Tactics II - Dust Tears & Dice Campaign - The Axis counter attack.

6 months have passed since the last campaign game - where did the time go?

The initiative switches to the Axis forces and after the last engagement Dust, Tears & Dice: XR - Allied Assault - Tactics II Campaign. a chance to get on the front foot.

A some point you just have to break a few eggs, so the Axis roll the dice and breakout from the city looking to break open the front, it an audacious move they drop their limited paratrooper battalions to neutralise the allied command and control and throw fresh German Infantry and Armour into the assault. 

In the past 6 months the Germans have been busy, with reinforcements drafted in for the offensive, these 'reinforcements' come from Blitzkreig Workshop on E-Bay he has quite the order book so you have to wait awhile but well worth it.

Let's see if the curse of newly painted units extend to other people's efforts.