Wednesday 17 June 2015

Latest Chain of Command Platoon

I have finished them, so here they are for all to see and wonder!

Wonder, that is, why they hell I decided to do this force.  Basically, because I just love the little Sdkfz 250 series of vehicles.  Tiny little armoured personnel carriers, enough space to carry half a squad of men but costing practically the same to build as a full size Sdkfz 251 Hanomag.

But they are pretty little things.
 So here is the platoon in all it's panzer grey glory.  Seven Sd250/1 carriers with a single Sd250/10 3.7cm Pak carrier as support.  Seems that this is the full strength of a Panzer-Aufklarungsplatoon (gepanzert).  The actual platoon structure was identical to the standard panzergrenadier squads, 12 men per squad with two MG34s.  Where it differs is that two men were designated drivers for the Sd250's in each squad.  This only left 10 men and, by the time you take out a squad leader and six men to man the MG's, there are only 3 riflemen left.  Sustained combat is not going to be their strongpoint.  Fast assaults to seize objectives or exploit a weakness in the lines however, that they will excel at. 

The figures and vehicles are all Plastic Soldier Company.  In fact the figures are the same models I used for my Blitzkrieg Germans, just painted in fieldgrey trousers instead of light grey.  The vehicles are beautiful little models.  They come five to a box with a variety of options, APC version(250/1), mortar carrier(250/7), recce (250/9), Pak(250/10) and Panzerbusche(250/11).   The last one also includes the ground mount for the sPzB41 2.8cm squeezebore gun, which is going to be useful for my Falschirmjagers! 

So, here is my attempt at a Chain of Command list for a Reconnaissance Panzer-Grenadier platoon.  It has been checked over by the rules author, so is sort of TFL approved.  I'm going to give it a try anyway, just need to get some Russians as opposition.

 To support my new platoon I also purchased some additional Zvezda armour, four Panzer 38ts and a single Sdkfz 222.This gives me enough Pz38's to field a full strength platoon of 5 vehicles and a pair of Sd222's for scouting.

I also have another additional pair of Sd250/1's finished, to transport any support options such as engineer or MG teams.  So here are the ten Sdkfz 250's all together.  Look impressive, but I have a feeling that they are going to blow up easily.

So there it is, my latest addition to my Chain of Command forces.  Catch you later.

Sunday 14 June 2015

Just a quickie....

Been a bad weekend, so not a lot to report.  I popped into the Devon Wargames meet, but didn't stay as I felt rough.  There were some nice games going on, a large Napoleonic bash with 28mm figures, a Chain of Command game in post war Indonesia(I think) and a game of 15mm Ancients.  More updates will appear in due course on the Devon Wargames blog.  Nathan has also just posted about the game on his blog.

 I have also updated my CoC Platoons page as I realised that I had expanded the collection somewhat since I posted it.  I had only shown four platoons on there, two German and two American.  I now have the full amount(for now) shown along with their support.  There are now nine platoons shown, which should be enough shouldn't it?  Not a chance.  At least three more are planned just for Europe/Russia, then I am going to look at either the far east or desert theatres!  Not sure which yet, but I am tempted by Crusaders going up against M11/39s.  Tin foil armour rules, until the German's arrived and messed it all up.

A quick shout out to the nice chaps at Firestorm Games too.  I placed an order with them for some French vehicles and decals from Battlefront.  It sat on "processing" for several weeks, with one part of the order changing to "packed", but the other bits never arriving. So I rang them as I needed them for the OML3 game last weekend.  A quick chat with a very helpful man saw my order being changed to a substitute that they did have and promptly being posted first class to make sure I got them in time.  Now to some that may sound like a screw up as they didn't get what I wanted, but hold on a second.  I have been chatting to several people in the wargames trading business over the last month or six and all of them have expressed their problems with Battlefront lately.  You place your order on the Monday, on Friday a delivery arrives.  That sounds good, until you open the box and realise that you haven't got what you ordered, just what BF feel like sending you.  I find it hard to blame the retailer for the ineptitude and ignorance of their supplier.  Battlefront have seemingly dropped the ball over the last couple of years, which is a shame as they do some cracking models.  So thanks Firestorm for sorting out my order and getting it too me in time for me to paint the little Frenchies up.  It obviously helps that they are a Welsh shop.  Land of my Fathers and all that.

So that's it for now.  I am struggling this weekend so didn't get much of anything done sadly.  Fingers crossed for tomorrow.  I have a Rubicon Sd251 and some Warlord Germans to finish off.  Hope you're all doing better and getting some gaming in. 

Wednesday 10 June 2015

OML3 part 2

Right, I'm back again after a couple of hours sleep so here is part 2, with more pictures of the game I ran in the morning and the game I played in the afternoon.

As I said, Nathan and I put on a Chain of Command 1940 game, with two platoons of German infantry attacking some entrenched British and French troops.  Each German platoon was at full strength (4 squads of 10 men plus 5cm mortar and 2 senior leaders) with attached support.  The German's were played by "Demon Dice" Geoff  and Nick.  Geoff's support was a pair of Panzer 38t's and a sIG33 auf PzI SPG.  Nick had a Pz I, BefPzI with senior leader and another squad in a Sd251.  The British had an understrength platoon with 2 squads of 8, a 2" mortar, Boys ATR, 2pdr ATG and Vickers MG.  The French were also at reduced strength with 2 squads of 11, a VB squad of 3 launchers, a 25mm ATG and a Hotchkiss MG.  Ian and Simon took command of the Allies, with support enroute. 

The game went quite badly for the German's as they both went their separate ways and didn't work together.  Geoff's demon dice rolling kept him in the game while Nick advanced through the woods towards the village.  The Panzer38t proved to be exceptionally tough, with the 2pdr banging away at it without being able to actually kill it.  The return MG fire did eventually kill the 2pdrs crew off, mostly down to one burst that killed 4 of the 5 crewmen in one shot.  Demon dice indeed.  Geoff's advance was halted when he stumbled onto a dug in French squad and assaulted them.  His entire squad was wiped out except for a wounded junior leader, who was then executed by the French with a declaration that "We don't care about any war crimes!"  The other flank say a similar event when Nick's advance squad found the dug-in Highlanders, who opened fire as they crossed the field and killed them off too.  Before the German's could gather themselves for another go the Allied reinforcements arrived.  The French got a Char B1bis, which promptly got immobilised by a Pz38 shot.  The British got an 18/25pdr which replaced their 2pdr and was able to keep the German armour at bay.  As lunch time arrived the German's called it quits as their force morale fell due to losses. 

Thanks to Geoff, Nick, Ian and Simon for playing the game in the Lardy spirit.  I hope you enjoyed it, I know I did.
The finger of Geoff points the way on the left!
There are Germans in the woods!
British 2" mortar hides in the back garden
Germans push on again
The town is full of French and British troops
Geoff's demon dice rolling ability strikes again
 In the afternoon Nathan ran the CoC game while I went off and played Sharpe Practice, run by Jim.  A lovely set up with Grand Manner buildings, Perry figures and a modified Games Workshop board.  I was the gallant French, fighting to free the Spanish from British oppression.  Jamie took the British imperialist dogs.  He had to defend a supply dump from it's rightful liberation by the forces of garlic scented Frenchmen.  He had 3 sections of 10 redcoats, one of them being light infantry types.  I was advancing with a small force of gallant men, with 3 units of 10 fusiliers and one each of grenadiers and voltigeurs.  Things went badly for the Redcoated devils, first off one of his sentries was caught by the voltigeurs.  Sadly he died as he was captured rather than face the ignominy of being forced to eat croissants and drink wine. Two units of fusiliers and the grenadiers advanced forward, with the final fusilier unit swinging out on the right flank.  This pulled the British lights out to that side, while another unit occupied a separate building away from the supply dump.  This unit was then attacked by the Grenadiers and wiped out, while the two fusiliers and the voltigeurs gathered themselves to assault the main camp.  The British lights were banging away at the detached unit of fusiliers and causing some casualties and shock, but that was all part of my plan.  This left the British with one unit of 10 men facing nearly 30 advancing Frenchmen.  Yes, the British were behind a wall and yes they were firing pretty accurately, but it would not be enough.  Especially when they decided to charge out at the French!  Oops, it all went wrong and despite my dismal dice rolling ( I drew the first round despite having nearly 3 times as many dice to roll) the British were wiped out to a man.  This left the 10 man light infantry section who, despite their best efforts, were gradually whittled down in a crossfire of musketry.  A great game with excellent company and a beautiful set up to play it on.  Thanks to both Jim and Jamie.
The fusiliers advance up the centre

The British sentry legs it from the Voltigeurs

British Light Infantry firing at the French right flank
The sentry tragically falls on a bayonet as the Voltigeurs catch him.
The main assault gathers as the Brits fire desperately
The Grenadiers clear the building of red-coated vermin
The Lights are forced out of the supply dump by weight of fire
The French move in a "liberate" the supplies
All in all it was a cracking weekend, even though it's taken me several days to recover.  And I didn't even have any alcohol! 

Well, that's that done.  I am off to the hospital in a bit to see if they can fit the tube again.  Wish me luck and I will catch you all later.


OML3 A brief report(with lots of blurry pictures)

It's 0211 and guess who can't sleep?  Luckily I have things to do.  However, instead of doing them I am typing this up.
Poor old fella.
Last Saturday was the annual Operation Market Larden day, this time called "The Lardest Day" as it was on 6th June.  The usual trio from Devon were joined by our latest Lardy convert, Andy "Pink Fluffy Bunny" Noel.  The four of us got up at stupid o'clock on Saturday morning and set off for the tractor filled wasteland that is Worcestershire.  A quick pitiss stop for the ageing member to relieve his bladder(after he woke from his nap) and we duly arrived in darkest tractor-land at 9ish. 

A right rough trio!
A quick round of hello's to the collection of reprobates lardy wargamers and then Nathan and I got on with setting the table up.  We were putting on a 1940 Chain of Command game based around the events on June 6th 1940, when the German's attempted to complete their invasion of France after Dunkirk.  After a great days gaming, with the extra attraction of the local airshow going on(loved the Vulcan), we retreated to Evesham to sup some of the local refreshments and then partake of Worcestershire's famous dish.....curry!  A hilarious evening was then topped by a reasonable 4 hours sleep back in Tewkesbury.  Thanks to all those who attended and made the day so enjoyable.  We will be back next year!

More on the game I ran and the game I played in my next post, for now I will just show you some blurry and badly taken photos of the other games that were put on.  All told their were ten games being played, ranging from Dark Ages Britain through to Afghanistan. I will let the pictures do the talking now and I'll be back tomorrow.  Well, that is later today really.
Ade's Gallipoli game
Another look at the Gallipoli table
Dodgy looking fellas there
Looks nice, it was a bad day for the Allies though
Would you trust this man with anything?
Paul, Paul(Pingu) and Ade.
Some dodgy looking 1940 CoC game
Dux setup, watch out for the cows
See, the little buggers are making a run for it
Fighting Season, run by Rich Clarke
Brits and ANP seize a compound
The Taliban know they are there though.  Nice tractor
A close up of some of the Brits
I 'aint been Nuked Mum.  Can't wait for this to be released.
15mm IABSM Eastern Front.  Jagdpanthers on the hill!
Lot's of German armour now.
25mm Russo-Japanese War.  Nice setup.
The hills are alive with the sound of chopsticks
Loads of them, hiding in the woods
It's looking bad for the Russians

Lovely looking Sharpe Practice Peninsular game
British infantry defend their supplies
French fire at the defenders.

25mm Sudan game. 
Brits appear to be taking some casualties
Thin blue line.......

Sudanese try to get around the flank
War of the Roses using Sharpe Practice
 
Close up of some of Paul's figures.
 







A gathering of might before the fighting begins







Friday 5 June 2015

Stupid throat and OML3 tomorrow

Well this week has been a bit hectic.  I was back in the hospital on Wednesday to have my tube changed as it goes really hard and nasty after 10-14 days.  It came out alright, but the new one wouldn't go back in.  Seems having a tube in for too long causes irritation and "scarring" in your throat.  Bottom line is I am tubeless for a week.  While it's nice to not have a tube going in your nose, the lack of it means I can't relieve my symptoms so am back to felling and being sick more.  Still kicking though.

In the meantime I have been frantically finishing all the scenic bits and pieces needed for Saturday's trip up to Evesham for On Market Larden 3.  Wyvern Wargames are hosting it and I am really looking forward to it.  I am running a game in the morning and playing Sharp Practice in the afternoon.

This is a top look at the table for tomorrow's game, a 1940 Germans vs Franco-Brits set up with the German's coming on from the top of the table.

Right, that's it for now, gotta go pack the table up for tomorrow's early start.  See you all later.