Camp Cromwell 31/03/2005

FOW Experimental Rules in Maharajah

We should make a definite ruling about the experimental rules in the Mahrajah.
(They are available in pdf on the FOW site).
I think at least the following should be considered (my comments in italics):

a) Moving at the double:
1) Cannot come or go within 20cm of enemy.
2) Cannot control an objective.
3) Cannot fire defensively if assaulted.
(The double move should be for manouvre, not for tactics).

b) Allocating hits: The experimental rules are closer to the way we have been doing it.

c) Fleeing assaults to within 10cm of other enemy = surrender (rewards tactical envelopement).

d) Company HQ loss = Victory Point if it has fighting troops attached (existing rules unclear).

e) Friendly fire: Use skill test to avoid killing friends (as is, this is the only place in the rules where you want to throw 1's).

f) Air Rules:
1) Restricts AA to platoons under attack or specialist AA (AA mgs were for self defence + some compensation for 2 & 3).
2) Planes come on parallel to table sides (no rotating the template to get extra target under the corners).
3) A Hit by aircraft pins the platoon. (Why not if mortars & artillery do it).
4) Choice of target not automatic - throw a To Hit dice for prefered target. If failed try for another target. If no target found in 3 goes, the planes leave without effect. (The current situation where the planes zot in at 400k/h & automatically find the best possible target on the table is a bit unreal).

Please let me know what you think about each case.
My vote is for all of the above.

Flames of War Supply Mission Table v.2.0

Step 1: Select Mission Commander
Call for a Volunteer, otherwise dice for it.
Mahrajah players on the night are exempt.
The Mission Commander shall control the Mission Selection Process and undertake the Supply Mission.

Step 2: Determine Theatre of War:
Throw 1 die:
1-3 = Launceston....use Table A
4-6 = Hobart...........use Table B
Optional alternative (historical scenario):
The players may agree not to use the dice, but instead use maps to determine location.

Step 3: Dice to determine Supply Company Type:
Table A
1 Dominoes Pizza
2 Hari Curry
3 Praeties
4 KFC
5 Chinese
6 Charcoal Chicken
Table B
1 Muirs Fishhouse
2 Magic Curries
3 Taste of Asia
4 Leaning Tower Burgers
5 Bankok Wok
6 Da Angelos Pizza/Pasta
Each player may exercise one veto only.
If the diced choice is vetoed continue rolling until there is no veto.
If a vetoed choice is re-rolled, the veto cannot be reapplied by a previous vetoer, though another can apply the same veto.

Step 4: Select Supplies
Each general selects their own supplies from the selected Supply Company Intelligence Table.
Dice may be used in cases of indecision.
Each general may commit as many supply points to the Mission as they wish. The correct number of supply points shall be given to the Mission Commander before departure on the Supply Mission.

Step 5: Undertake supply mission
Mission Commander mounts Command Vehicle and fetches the Supplies.

Step 6: Consume Supplies
On return of Mission Commander with Supplies, battle ceases while troops consume Supplies.

Thursday at Camp Cromwell

A double header plus lots of spectators (Jim, Peter, Mark & even a visit from Byron) and even more Honeys (3 Yanks, 5 DAK captured & 8 Russian LL).

Mahrajah 1: Barrie's US Armour v. Chris's DAK Pioneers. HTL, Germans defending.

Things started bad for the Yanks when the inevitable 88 ambush took out the 3 Lees and got worse when the Tiger began advancing.
The USAF seemed their only hope. It came 4 times. Twice it attacked the wrong side. When it did attack the Germans it missed.
After turn 6 the Yanks had to make double moves to get someone past half way. With double fire, the Germans blew the Honeys & M8's away.
A 6:1 victory for the Germans (who did not lose a single team).

Maharajah 2: Leigh's Russian Guards v. Steve's Grenadiers. HTL, Germans defending.

The human wave came forward as the Luftwaffe & guns whittled it away.
The Honeys and infantry stormed the forward objective.
The Germans counterattacked with massed firepower while pushing forward a team or two each turn on suicide missions to keep the objective disputed.
The Russians lost heavily but eventually got too many bodies over the objective.
A 4:3 victory for the Russians.

Next Events

Friday 1/4/5: Juniors night at Camp Cromwell.
Tuesday: Fort Floriet.
Thursday: Camp Cromwell.

Tuesday at Fort Floriet

Double header this week with a 1) Maharaja round DAK Pioneers Chris vs Russian Infantry Starn.and 2) Napoleonic Austrian Steve (a new recruit) vs French (Nick an old warhorse).The Napoleonic was close with the French defending a plateau the French holding off the frontal assaults but sucumbed to a flank attack on their right. The smaller table was not suitable for Napoleonics we decided! Win to Nick by a narrow margin.The new player Steve seems keen and has French and British 15mm armies. He enjoyed himself and will be back!

Now for the important info you have been waiting for yes the dice roll for takeaways Dominoes Pizza won!!!!!!!!!!!

Down to business.Rolled up a scenario on the new improved table and we decided on a free for all after both players didnt want a hold the line.

Deployment: Chris'S DAK left objective 1 pioneer in town, to the right 3 Honeys, centre: mortars, 2nd pioneer platoon, Right: the 88's, AA halftracks, Rommel and his 3 Panzer3sStarns Russians: right flank HMGs,1 platoon infantry 2 AT guns, centre Matildas Mortars. left flank 2 ATs and infantry platoon. Sturmoviks as support .

Starn rolled as the attackerand had 1st turn.The battfield was Russian steppes i think with scrub covering Starns infantry advance on the right. Woods obscuring the tables centre and open ground on the Russians left German right.

Russian Turn 1 Mortars ranged in failing to kil anything no air support arrived, Russian infantry advanced on the right. Matildas moved to the russian right lured by the promice of Honeys for breakfast.

German turn 1 the 88's took out the At guns on the german right with 6 shots allowing the panzer 3's to go as they pleased.

Russian turn 2 similar to previous 1 Sturmovik came on bombing the Pioneer platoon on the Russians right and killing a stand. Rommel was hit by a mortar and was bailed but hopped back in next turn Phew! it was almost a savage blow to the German war effort.

German turn 2 Everything fired at the Russian platoon on the left which was still pinned and did it some damage. Centre pioneers advanced into the woods.

Russian turn 3 as for turn 2 no air power but killed a pioneer stand in the woods mortars no effect.

German turn 3 The honeys doubled to the Germans right revealing the Germans cunning plan to attack with everything on the right. However the germans left was exposed. Therussian infantry on their left were almost half strength being shot at by 3 platoons PZER3's, 88's and mortars and they were in the open.

Turn 4 Russians rushed their matildas back to their left to try to cover the objective. Continued advacing on their right.

Turn 4 Germans more damage to the Russian infantry platoon and it passed its motivation test.Turn 5 Russian, What was left of the Russian platoon on their left dug in. Mortars took out an AA halftrack. matildas had a couple of shots at PZ3's but missed.

Turn 5 German oops the 88's got 3 shots and took out a Matilda. Panzer 3's did nothing their shells bouncing harmlessly of the tuff Matildas hides. honeys headed towards the objective. german centre platoon killed 2 stands of russians who were getting closer to the Germans weak left flank.

Turn 6 Matildas sheltered behind the woods advance on Russian right continued. Destoyed a honey.

Turn 6 german honeys on the objective which was uncontested as yet!

Turn 7 The russians advanced on the right objective under heavy fire but only received 9 hits not pinned so they close assaulted the town and pushed back the german platoon which was below half strength and ran!!!!! The objective falling into russian hands.The russians double moved their mortars to contest the left objective with the honeys aswell as this the dug in infantry advanced towards the honeys rear an unpleasant experience. Russian air arrived in force 3 planes under a hail of AA fire they pressed home the attack but only bailed 1 honey and 1 panzer 3 Starn was not impressed!

The russians turn 7 german the germans moved up their centre platoon to contest their left objective and double moved their mortars to their left, things were getting desperate 4 both sides. The honeys and panzer3's blew away the russianmortar platoon now there were no russians within 10cm.

Turn 8 Starn blew away the german teams contesting the Germans left. The last platoon close enough to the objective went in against the remaining honey but eventually failed morale game over .

A turn later and the Russians would have won! A very close 4 - 3 victory to the DAK.

Post mortem: Chris didnt get in fast enough on the Russian left objective the plan was good but the execution of the plan was terrible. The german armour should have reached the objective a lot quicker than the Russian infantry on the opposite flank.Rommel has decided to send Chris off to the Russian front Stalingrad maybe?!