Dispatches from the Front XXXII - So Many Projects.

A bit of a mixed bag today, gaming has picked up of late with some great games and projects underway.

John over at the Wyre Forest club does put on a great game, I don't know where he stores it all or manages to produce so many fine figures and terrain pieces in such a short period of time. This is his Crete scenario using Rapid Fire rules as German Parachutist's defend the airfield against the British, Greek and Cretan civilians.  

Some great individual pieces from the weapon caches and empty chutes in trees.

The Crusader project continues to gather in number with several extra packs from Footsore and Perry's to bolster both side it has meant a whole new paint purchase of colours which I did not know I needed, plenty of pale blues, pinks and oranges. Not quite ready to dive in to the contrast process I am sure it is quicker but cant break the existing painting habits of undercoat, block painting, finer detail and washes.

Whilst the Standard Games boxed sets are long gone with them appearing on ebay for over a £100 there is a raft of resource available translated from French with loads of scenarios for both Outremer and Baron's War, I still fancy turning them to miniature either on the original hexes or converting to the tabletop proper.

Meanwhile the prep for the AWI Project is underway with the first few packs on the bases, Thanks to  Steve over at Wargames With Toy Soldiers: 1685 - 1985 (wargameswithtoysoldier1685-1985.blogspot.com) for his insight on rule suggestions I am going to give Rebels and Patriots a runout. Now the next quandary, I see lots of people painting them on coffee sticks rather than the bases but let's see. I have based the Infantry on Flames of War Bases with Command figures on circular bases this should give me the visual representation I was after. But more pressing issues before these start to take shape.

The Wyre Forest Club shall be on the road in March with a game at West Midlands Military Show I need a few more vehicles to bolster the forces for each side and it will be back 3D prints I found 3D Valley on E-Bay to be excellent value very cost effective with 28mm tanks coming in around £13.00 each and you don't have to glue them together.

We will be using a mash up of Bolt Action and Chain of Command and looking to play out the following scenario.

THE BATTLE FOR FORT NIBEIWA, 9 DECEMBER 1940

A portrayal of the Battle for Fort Nibeiwa part of the opening moves of Operation Compass, an attack of British & Commonwealth forces against Italian Positions in Western Egypt.  The Western Desert Force (Consisting of the 4^th Infantry Division & 7^th Armoured Division are tasked with an attack against Group Maletti

 

Under the cover of RAF Bombardments and Artillery. At 7.30am Matilda tanks flanked by Bren Carrier Platoons of  the 7^th Rajput Regiment attacked, Italian tanks and defenders were caught off guard with many of the crew asleep, as the crew scrambled for their vehicles they were overwhelmed by the Indian Infantry and lumbering Matildas.

 

By 10.40 the Fort was in British Hands in what one Italian described as “the nearest thing to hell he had ever seen.” Over 4000 Italians surrendered.

 

The Game.

Can the Italians slow the allied advance and destroy the Allied Armour before the Commonwealth forces capture the fort and the Italian Morale collapses?

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