Weekly painting update 🙂

A busy week being retired this week. But I have managed to complete some figures.

While tidying up I discovered I had a few extra mixed Union troops in the plastic pile, these were part painted a while ago but it has been nice to get them finished off, I think I have one other African American regiment to paint and possibly some Zouave’s. Then I think a confederate unit which has been languishing for ages. This may well be enough ACW forces unless something interesting comes along.

After our last 15mm battle I also remembered that I had some part painted and based American Paratroopers. Again I have rattled these through the painting process. But it means for our late war battles in 15mm I can field a force of Paratroopers.

I visited George’s again yesterday  the second in our Konigsberg campaign. If he hasn’t already I’m sure George will produce a more detailed report. After our very close first battle it was inevitable that Chain of Command would throw us a curve ball.

The scenario has the Germans flank attacking a small school. With some very lucky deployment dice (repeatedly rolling double turns) the Germans were fully on the table with everything zoomed in on the school. It would have been pretty suicidal for the Russians to arrive so they didn’t.

The Germans waiting patiently for the enemy to show their heads. It became obvious we had reached an impass. I could only see one option to advance towards the school with another double tour I was close to capturing the far house which by some twist would have meant the end of the battle without the Russians deploying a single unit. Not the way I would want to win a battle ! George had only one card to play ambushing the advancing unit with an entrenched machine gun, they were thrown back, but the germans  then focussed all their fire on the russian machine gun knocking it out. We were back to square one with literally no Russians on the table and nothing for the Germans to do. 

The school looking pretty empty again ?

The only option was to throw another German unit into the open to draw the Russians out. Which they did not surprisingly cutting the Germans to pieces a couple of bad morale tests and the Germans really had no option but to withdraw. I guess this is just one of those example where CoC can throw up a ‘funny’ game. Fun to play and we had an entertaining morning but both sides left slightly frustrated with the scenario .

Another shot from a couple of days walking earlier in the week , this looking down Ennerdale.

Finally some planning is needed as I’m intending to visit the Ardennes later in the year. If anybody has been I would welcome advice all told we will probably have two or three days in the Ardennes itself as we also plan on some other locations including Sedan perhaps.

Thanks as always hopefully some more painting this weekend

KBO

Matt 😀

A Bridge too far ? Sicily 1943 WW2 Action

A bit like buses games are coming fairly frequently at the moment. The dungeon saw another all day wargame this weekend. With Martin house move transit I would be providing both forces and this gave me a chance to get my Sicily collection out for a big game. Quite a lot of new figures which have been painted earlier this year would be taking place in the battle. US paratroopers, additional US armour and German Fallschirmjager. This was not a historical battle but certainly represents many actions which took place on Sicily.

The Americans will be attacking from this end and looking to capture the 2 bridges (these are recently completed new terrain) and the cross roads to the East. They have three units of paratroopers to be dropped at the start although there is of course some randomness as to their location. The German force made up the 1st Fallschirmjager have already deployed an advance force to each objective. Vehicles can only cross the river at the bridges but infantry can wade across. The Americans have some off table artillery support controlled by an on table observer. First edition Bolt Action for the rules 🙂

A machine gun dug in at the nearest bridge, as the Americans advanced these lead units were actually hidden

A unit of infantry at the second bridge

The third unit is in the church 

German reserves of infantry advance from the West, supported by some attached armour

Bum…..the American paratroopers land right behind the second bridge !

More infantry and support weapons head through the fields behind the village.

US infantry push North towards the first objective with a Sherman leading the way and a 57mm AT gun

The Americans deploy a number of support weapons and the Artillery observer onto the rocky hill in their centre 

The main American infantry force advances towards the village

Germans deploy defensively in the village, but quickly have to redeploy their 75mm when it is attacked by American tanks coming down the road

The paratroopers behind their lines cause the Germans all sorts of problems and become a real distraction, they assault the German Stug although fail just to knock it out

PzIV risks the 57mm AT gun to advance towards the bridge, in the distance more paratroopers arrive but luckily they are dropped short of the objectives

Boom a ‘ lucky’ early shot from the Panzer (rolling a 6 followed by a 5 followed by a 6) brews up the Sherman this severely dents the American move towards the first bridge

The American paratroopers deploy on foot and the AT gun takes repeated shots at the Pz on the road

Having occupied the smaller building by the cross roads as well as the church the unit is forced out when the building is hit hard by Mortar fire

Still holding the second bridge 

Weight of fire from the attackers starts to drive the defenders by the first bridge back

And the Panzer IV is forced to pull back as artillery fire is called in from off table

Mortar fire also nearly wipes out the defenders by the second bridge 

Still not eliminated the paratroopers are at least less effective and pinned down, but they are still drawing forces away from protecting the first bridge

The bridge is starting to be outflanked by more infantry

Heavy German mortar fire has limited the US firepower from the rocky hill

The 57mm is taking fire now and the crew pinned down

Two American tanks have been stalked by Fallschirmjager with a Panzerschrek and now the AT gun has been moved forward as well, the Germans take the opportunity to assault American infantry in the far building and they are pushed out of the village

Boom again but this time the Panzer is caught in the flank by the Sherman 

Artillery was a key feature in US doctrine in Sicily but is wasn’t expecting the off table artillery to be so effective an entire German unit heading for the first bridge is knocked out in one strike (a double 6 !)

But now it is clear the village has been secured by the Germans and the tanks driven away

Finally the paratroopers have been killed or captured by the second bridge

But the Americans have taken the first bridge and are moving forward past the burning PzIV

Phew….a really fun day gaming swinging both ways and lots of moments of fun (and despair) for both sides. The Germans held in the end and can claim a victory but are now pretty thin on the ground and with almost limitless reserves the Americans will be able to push through eventually. Really great to get the Fallschirmjager out in force and the entire American force into one battle which was fairly well balanced.

More stuff for Sicily in the future with some additional forces ? Think the Americans need an M7 

Thanks as always for checking in, hopefully next back to CoC with George and then a return to the AWI

Matt 🙂

Battle of Dorylaeum 1097 : The First Crsuade

Another opportunity of a game this week and to change things up from WW2 we move back to the first Crusade with the Battle of Dorylaeum in 1097.

A wonderful and totally inaccurate medieval depiction of the battle

No long history of the first crusade today, the Crusaders under Bohemond had come from the unsuccessful siege of Nicaea and to help with supply problems had split the army into smaller sections. As they headed south the Turks with their allies under the command of Qilich Arslan (spelt many different ways) looked to ambush the invaders. The battle taking place in July. Quite a few useful maps of the battle are available for wargamers. In essence the battle went as follows. Bohemond was in the lead with a smaller section of the army, following the course of the river valley south the Turks blocked the valley. Bohemond got his infantry to make camp before the onslaught. He assaulted the Turkish horse archers with his heavy cavalry holding them ‘only’ just long enough for the second section of the army under Godfrey to arrive. The final blow for the Turks came when a third element of the Christian army under Raymond managed to outflank them capture the Turkish camp and at this point Qilich Arslan and his remaining horsemen withdrew.

I have just enough figures to make a reasonable representation of the battle. We start the battle with Bohemond in camp and the Turks about to attack. Godfrey will arrive second turn in column and must advance down the valley to save the day ? A smaller force under Raymond will arrive later with some randomisation on the location. We also gave the Turks a small reserve force to balance things a little. As a bit of fun I gave the Christians some ‘god wills it’ bonuses. These in the form of monks (maximum of 3) who on a suitable D6 each turn can be deployed into units to boost their resilience. The setup fits nicely onto an L shaped board. So onto the battle…….

The bulk of the Turkish army are light horsemen/horse archers

They must get forward and destroy the camp before Godfrey and the reinforcements arrive

Bohemonds contingent forms up in front of the camp

The sky turns dark with arrows and there is little yet the Christians can do….except of course pass their morale tests which they do !

Bohemond starts to redeploy his heavy cavalry

Some of the infantry push forward, others pull back into the camp seeking cover

You can see the wounds building up on the infantry as they take casualties under fire….but still they hold their nerve

The heavy cavalry charge in on the left inevitably pushing some of the lighter horsemen back, in the confusion some are also trapped by infantry, but the bulk of the infantry is close to breaking……?

Godfrey has arrived at the head of the valley, the Turks have sent some detachments to delay them

Godfrey holds his force behind the river until they have all arrived (knowing that this will trigger the Turkish reinforcements to arrive !)

The Turkish spearmen are now involved in the battle

And despite their wounded state the Christian infantry still have some fight in them, 

Some of the Turkish infantry flees but still their light cavalry is gradually wearing down the Christian force

Finally Godfrey is ready to enter the fight and charges across the river

This triggers the Turkish reserve to arrive, with a ransom location they arrive we’ll demons the Christian camp, but may be too late to influence the battles outcome ?

Bohemonds heavy cavalry is still fighting back the Turks who are now looking very thin, his infantry is exhausted and heavily wounded but still they fail very few morale checks

With the arrival of Godfrey and then Raymond’s heavy cavalry the battle is as good as lost for Qilich

At this point we gave the battle to the Christians. In the end the Turks had pretty much wiped out all of Bohemonds force, his infantry is facing total collapse and most of the heavy cavalry is defeated as well. But it has taken too long to achieve this as the Turks are now overrun.

A fun battle which felt very close the balance of light horse against the tougher Christian infantry and cavalry was well balanced. By all averages the Christian’s should have failed a number of morale tests early on but again and again they managed to pass holding just long enough for Godfrey to enter the battle decisively. This is definately a battle worth re fighting at some point to see if a different result occurs. If the Turks had broken through the construction of the valley would have made it very difficult for Godfrey and potentially given a different result.

Finally a nice shot of the western Lake District and Crummock Water from the week

Thanks as always for popping by….plenty more gaming for come hopefully in the next few weeks

Matt😀