Bolt Action 28mm

Mike's US v. Steve's Germans

Mike's army had 4 infantry squads, some support weapons & a Brit Cromwell (commanded by Jim in between umpiring).  Steve's army was veteran with 3 infantry squads, some support weapons & a Puma.

The scenario was #2...Maximum Attrition.  Both sides come on from opposite sides with VPs gained by destroying enemy squads.  We made it 8 turns rather than 6 to compensate for the big table (10x6).

The Germans are on the left, US on the right.  Both sides deployed spread out across most of the front.  On the far flank, both sides had one infantry squad isolated from the rest.  The German vets soon got on top and eventually destroyed their opponents.

In the centre the US advanced through the fields and the town.  The Cromwell moved down the road but was taken on by a Panzerschrek in the tree line.  The Cromwell backed off and moved to the left to intercept the Puma which was advancing on the near flank supported by infantry.

The Puma declined to take the Cromwell on and fell back behind the ridge among the infantry.  With time running out, the Cromwell moved along the ridge to take on the Puma and it's infantry support.  It proved to be a rash move & the Cromwell was knocked out by the Puma.

Meanwhile in the centre a GI squad had been pinned down on the road and destroyed by MG fire from the hamlet on the left.   The allies lost 2 infantry squads and a tank, but they had picked off a MMG, a panzerschrek & a mortar, so VPs were equal and the battle was tie (though a moral victory for the Germans who had clearly killed many more enemies than the allies).

First Battle at the Ordnance Store

We haven't moved house yet, but after last Sunday's working bee, the wargames room was ready for action.  There's still some fine tuning to do with the set up, but it's looking good.

Bolt Action 28mm: Steve's German vets v. Mike's US regs.

Mission 1 in the book is a breakthrough mission which counts VPs as: 1 for each enemy squad destroyed plus for the attacker 2 for each squad moved off the far edge of the table.  We compensated for using an 8x6 table by allowing 8 turns rather than 6 & restricting the attacker's exit zone to the middle 6'.

The Germans are defending the left hand side of the table with 2 squads of vet infantry supported by a mortar, a HMG & a Sdkfz 251.  The US have 3 regular infantry squads supported by a mortar, a HMG, a bazooka and an inexperienced Brit Cromwell.

The US attacked up the centre with 2 squads and the Cromwell while the 3rd squad made a flank march on their right.  The Germans mounted an active defense, counterattacking the infantry in the centre and destroying it with rifle & mg fire.  The Cromwell destroyed one squad, but the 2nd infantry squad moved up with a panzerfaust and took it out.

The 3rd US infantry squad came on well down the far flank and made for the rear edge.  The Sdkfz 250 headed off through the woods to stop them, but it was attacked and destroyed allowing the GI's to exit the table & gain 2 VPs.  But it wasn't enough, the Germans had mopped up the rest of the US force while losing only 3 squads themselves to gain enough VPs to win.

We got into some new territory with armour v. infantry & had to spend a bit of time hunting for unfamiliar rules (not always where you expect them to be), but it still went well & we all had a good time.  The 28mm's sure look good & certainly improve the game over the 1/72 scale we'd used previously.

Last Battle at Cromwell St

Next Sunday the Camp Cromwell  HQ is moving to new quarters in the Ordnance Store in Castray Esplanade.  (We are downsizing from a big house to an apartment).  It's a pity to lose the Cromwell St address, but an apartment in an old Ordnance Store isn't a bad wargamer's address either.  The building was built in 1836 as the military store for the colony, located right next to the Battery Point battery that protected the port.  The new games room has less square metres than the old, but as one 5m square room it's a more efficient space.

Hail Caesar:  Rome v. Britain

Mike's Romans v, Steve & Jim's British.  Same armies as last week, each with 3 divisions.

The Romans are on the far side of the table, deployed with infantry in front, cavalry as a central reserve.  The British have their chariots & cavalry on their left.  Initially only the British cavalry has advanced while the Roman right has been curled back.

The Roman right is engaged with the chariots.  Their left has moved to the right to make a gap for their cavalry.  The British infantry is stuttering forward.

The infantry on the near flank are slogging it out.  The Roman horse is moving forward. The chariots are getting ready to attack.

On the far flank the chariots are now supported by infantry and the Roman infantry are under pressure.  On the near flank the infantry fight has broken apart.

On the far flank the Roman infantry has broken.  In the centre the Roman horse is threatening to break through.   On the near flank the Romans seem to be getting the upper hand in the infantry fight.

The British left has been broken by the Roman foot.  Their centre has been destroyed by the Roman horse.   But the centre British infantry division still has 2 units left so has not broken and their horse has galloped to the rescue.

The chariots have smashed into the Roman horse.

The Roman heavy cavalry has been destroyed & a sweeping advance has taken out an infantry unit by flank attack.  The Romans are down to 2 divisions, both on wood.

The British horse has taken a Roman light horse unit in front and flank to break the the division and the army.

A very enjoyable last battle for Cromwell St.  Next week we'll christen the new place.

Hail Caesar

Jim's Romans v. Mike's Britons

The Romans (on the left in the pics) had 2 infantry divisions & 1 cavalry division.  They deployed their cavalry on their left and stiffened their right with ballistas.
The Britons had 2 infantry divisions and a chariot division.  They deployed their chariots on the their right and supported their left flank infantry with 2 light cavalry.

The Romans advanced their centre with the wings echelloned back.  The Britons tried to make a general advance, but the chariots were slow to advance as were the light caavlry.  Bodicia dropped back to hurry up the light cavalry.

The whole line has engaged with mixed fortunes for both sides.  The Briton light horse is finally on the move.

On the far flank the Roman horse is broken but one unit of heavy cavalry fights on stubornly in an ongoing combat. On the near flank the Britons have pushed the Romans back, but the Roman centre has pushed forward.  The Romans use their better command to turn into the flank of the Briton left.

The last Roman horse unit has finally got a fall back result and has to retire.  But on the Briton division on the near flank has also broken - their cavalry have to retire before they even got into action.

The Britons in the centre are almost broken, but fall back while the chariots sort themselves out and come to the rescue.  The Romans in the centre are in danger of being surrounded while their other division is brought across to help out.

The Roman centre hangs on as a new line is formed as the right flank division splits either side of it to provide much needed support.

The chariots and legionaries exchange javelins as the Romans slowly manoeuvre their best units around the flanks.  Both sides are on the verge of breaking.

Finally the second Briton infantry division breaks giving the Romans victory.

Pike & Shotte 15mm

Mike's Poles v. Steve's Ottomans

Mike & Steve swapped armies from last week with the armies were modified slightly so both had 4 divisions.  Defeat conditions were losing 3 divisions, or 2 divisions plus the enemy holding the entire village.  Jim commanded the Polish Ratjars for Mike.

The Ottomans are on the left.  Their deployment from left to right is Gonulu, Jannisaries (+guns), Turkeki & Sipahis.  The Poles from the left have: Ratjars, German Infantry (2P+4S), 2nd Infantry (1P+2S & 1 Polish) plus Cavalry in front of centre (Winged Hussars, 2 Pancerni & 1 dragoon).

The Ratjars are advancing in the foreground, the German infantry have blundered forward, the Polish dragoons have galloped through the village & seized the far side.  The Polish cavalry & 2nd infantry are advancing to support them.
The Ottomans are advancing their left while holding back their left to allow their artillery time to take effect.

In the foreground the Ratjars have swept around the Ottoman flank, but the Gonullu have turned to meet them and the fight has stalemated.  The German infantry is advancing slowly on the guns.  The Polish cavalry has charged the Jannisaries but has failed to break through.  The dragoons held the village long enough for infantry to come up in support.  On the far flank the Ottomans have realised that the Sipahis are wasting their time and have turned them back.

On the near flank, part of the German infantry have gone to assist the Ratjars.  In the centre the Polish foot and horse are just holding on against the Jannisaries and artillery.  In the village the 2nd Polish foot is getting through the village to attack the Turkeki.  On the far flank the Sipahis are galloping across the Ottoman rear.

On the near flank the Ratjars are broken & about to retire.  In the centre the Winged Hussars have retreated.  The 2nd Polish infantry are now hurting the Tukekci in front of the village.  The Sipahis are still coming.

The Ratjars retired broken, but the German musketeers then broke the Gonullu.  The Sipahis tried to charge the musketeers but they got into hedgehog.  The Winged Hussars have shown much discretion & fallen back.  The Polish centre has been blown away by Jannisaries & artillery, but on the far flank, the Tukekci have broken.

The Poles have lost only 1 division, the Ratjars, (though 2 are on half strength).  The Ottomans have lost 2 divisions, the Tukekci & Gonullu plus the village is entirely in Polish hands.  So the Poles have won.

The Jannisaries and artillery in the centre nearly won the battle for the Ottomans, but the Poles had used their dragoons well to seize the village.  This not only gained a victory point but also made a base for counterattack by the foot and left the Sipahis out on a useless limb leaving the rest of the Ottoman army too much to do.
 

Pike & Shotte

Mike's Turks v. SteveJ's Poles

The Poles had 2 cavalry and 1 large infantry division deploying them with the cavalry in the centre and infantry on their left.  The Turks had 2 infantry & 2 cavalry divisions deployed with infnatry in the centre & cavalry on their right and in reserves behind the centre.

Pic taken from behind Polish right.

The Turks move cavalry I infantry to the right to leave a gap for the reserve to fill.  The Poles make a steady advance.

The Winged Hussars & Pancerni charge destroying the Turkeci front line.  But the second line held and artillery fire disordered one Pancerni leaving the other exposed.  Meanwhile, the Janisaries blundered forward on the Turkish left & the Sipahis moved behind the ridge on the far right to get out of musket range.

The Winged Hussars are pinned down by musket fire while their supports were destroyed by the Gonullu.  The Ratjars on their right have ridden down half the Janisaries but the rest are holding on while their artillery pound away.

On the far left, the mercenary German infantry had got a triple move and moved up to shoot at the Sipahis.  The Sipahis charged.  Two musketeer units on the far left failed to hedgehog & got ridden down.  the flank then turned into a fire fight between the Sipahis' pistols & the surviving musketeers.  
In the centre the Winged Hussars have pulled back, but all surviving units in the division have been shaken by musket & pistol fire and the division is broken.
On the right the Janisaries are still holding out.

The far flank is still stalemated.
The Polish centre has been broken allowing the Gonullu to turn on their right.
But the Turkish artillery & Janisaries have broken the Ratjars so the Polish army is broken.

The Polish error was to allow their biggest division to be pinned down by a smaller cavalry division.   The Turks were able to concentrate 2 divisions on 1 in the centre for a decisive local win.  On their left, the Turkish artillery gave the Janisaries just enough help for them to win too.

The battle took about 1 1/2 hours - a fun fast game.




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Operation Cromwell III

Operation Cromwell III, a FOW doubles tournament was run over the weekend in the Church hall over the road.  10 teams took part, 5 from the Kingston Bunker Rats, 2 from Launceston, 2 from Camp Cromwell and a "barbarian" team made up from half a dozen players from all 3 groups who could not play all weekend, but could play 1 or 2 matches each.   There were 4 German, 1 German/Hungarian, 2 Soviet, 1 US, 1 Canadian & 1 Western Allied Late War forces, each 2 coys totaling 2,500 points.  Four 3 hour rounds of Swiss roster were played on 8x6 tables.

The five tables had varied terrain - 2 Russian, 1 French, 1 Dutch & 1 Italian.  Three of the tables were provided by the Kingston Bunker Rats.

A little bit of Russia by the KBR.

The winners were John & Rusty from the Kingston Bunker Rats.

In second place:  Griggsey & Gazza also from Kingston Bunker Rats.

The two Launceston teams both did well, narrowly relegated to 3rd & 4th places.

On Saturday night a demonstration Hail Caesar battle was fought. It was Roman civil war battle.  Both armies had 4 divisions totaling 600 points.  The army of the revolting Marcus Metalix was commanded by the two Steves, the army of the Emperor Plastix was commanded by Mike & Jim.

The army of Plastix is on the left advancing on Metalix's force.

The battle turned into a revolving door.  After early disasters on their left, the army of Plastix looked doomed.  But his left steadied & fought a delaying action as his right crushed Metalix's left.  By 11 o'clock both sides were reduced to 2 divisions, all on the brink of breaking.  The players, ready for bed after a hard day's fighting over a 2,000 year span, agreed to a draw.

Maharajah 2012 round 1, battle 2

Mike's Romans v. Steve's Sassanids

The Romans are on the far side of the table.  Cavalry on their left, legionary divisions centre & right.  The Sassanids have cavalry on both flanks, elephants right centre & infantry left centre.

The Sassanids have advanced both cavalry wings and sent their skirmishers forward in the centre.

The real action begins on the Roman left as cavalry fights cavalry.  The central legion is advancing on the elephants.  Their right has wheeled to face off the cavalry trying to flank them.

The far flank has developed into a stalemate.  The first Sassanid charge was beaten off & they settled down to an archery contest.   On the near flank, one of the auxilary medium cavalry pulled off an against the odds win v. cataphracts to swing the advantage there towards Rome.  In centre legion has charge the elephants.

The cavalry fight on the right is spluttering on, both sides on the verge of breaking, but no one getting in the killer blow.  The far flank is still stalemated.  The Romans made short work of the elephants and have turned right to face the Persian infantry.

On the right, the Sassanid cavalry have finally broken, but the victorious cavalry seem reluctant to throw themselves back into the fray.  On the far flank, the Sassanids are melting away under javelin fire, not helped by a blundering light cavalry unit impaling itself on a cohort.  In the centre the legion is making slow progress, but a 9 unit infantry unit takes some wearing down.

The Roman cavalry has finally got back into the action, but the decisive move was a cohort from the right flank getting in a flank attack on Persian infantry.  This was the last straw for them and when the Persian infantry broke it was all over.

So Mike has won through to fight Jim's Pontic army in round 2.