Regiment Nr 34, Prinz Ferdinand : 10 mm SYW

Had a bit of quiet time over the festive period so completed this next Prussian unit Nr. 34 Prinz Ferdinand. Just liked the colour scheme, and I am still experimenting a little on painting schemes. Photos a bit rubbish.....

 The obvious difference is I have tried the alternative basing for these guys, splitting the unit in two this allows easy deployment in line

.....and a deployment in something like a column/block ? a lot of compromise here but I don’t want to increase the number of bases per unit as this may become too fiddly 

Action in the Plattville Valley : ACW July 1863

What better way to finish the year than my own homage to my childhood inspiration. For most of you this scenario needs no introduction. For those of you unaware this is the ACW scenario from Donald Featherstone’s first and seminal book Wargames. I like many spent lots of my formative years looking at the black and white photos in the book in which the Action in Plattville Valley was a big part. No internet, no magazines no other books hard to imagine now. Anyway here is a single photo from the book.......we played with my modified Bolt Action rules which have held up now over a number of games, although I need to write down some of the details.

The final photo form the book, confederates holding on just at this stage to Plattville Church

Here is my set for the battle, slightly shrunk to fit a 6x4 table. I set up roughly at about turn 3 from the scenario with the remainder of the forces arriving on the table.

Union Forces immediately start to cross Bull Creek with the rest of their battleline stretching along Rabbit Rdige and Mole Hill

Rebel forces under the nominal command of Jubal Early advance through the Wheatfield and towards Green Ridge

I felt I need to keep close to the book so Union Forces moved its artillery onto Mole Hill, in the distance infantry advance through the Ploughed field

Plattville Church again keeping with tradition a battery is set up in the small cemetery 

Rebel centre moving quickly to capture Green Ridge

Union Cannon open up towards the church but have little effect

The bulk of the Union centre moves to cross Bull Creek slowing their advance but they would dearly like to capture Green Ridge

The 10th Iowa are pinned down trying to cross the bridge

The confederates take up a defensive position at the edge of the village 

At least two of the Rebel Regiments have captured Green Ridge

It will now be a challenge to chase them off

But with determination the 2nd Illinois push through the trees

Meanwhile at the church the rebel cannon has been knocked out opening the way for the Union right flank

Overview at this point

Now all that remains is for the 2nd Illinois to charge downhill give them the bayonet and swing round the rear of Green Ridge

My life in gaming ! at the moment seems to consist of such catastrophes, despite the advantage the Union forces lose the contest and flee back through the woods !

Finally the Iowa Regiment on the bridge are brought back under orders but they have lost a lot of men being trapped in the open and are a spent force 

Around Plattville Church as night falls the Union forces whilst making progress have not been able to make break through they had spent too much time trying to deal with the single cannon in the cemetery 

At this point the game ended, the Rebels had a clear if not overwhelming victory, they hold Green Ridge and the village whilst the Church is unoccupied by either side. The Union has lost all its artillery and whilst they have several units still on the field they don’t have enough to make a difference. A very enjoyable re-enactment. Our last game before Christmas but we might try to get one more in before new year 😀

The beginning of the end for Dover : Operaton Sealion

It has been a while since we played a Sealion Battle so it was good to move slightly closer to the end of day one one! Having attacked Dover from the west and  cutting escapes routes or the potential for re-enforcements from the north the task for the Germans is to take the harbour a key objective for S -day. An assault force of Fallschirmjager who jumped in around Westcliffe and Gebirgsjager from the 141st Mountain Regiment who landed at Langdon Bay have been gather to the East of the Town and have now been ordered to push towards the harbour along the coast under the bastion of Dover Castle. Their armoured support is limited to a Panzer I and a 38t Panzer part of a Recon Battalion looking for alternative routes into the town from the north.

With assaults on the town from all directions the defenders also have limited resources in this area, the Irish Guards Training Battalion have been ordered to hold the port for as long as possible so an evacuation of key HQ staff can take place from the castle complex. They are supported by some of the Dover homeguard.

Well armed German Veterans advance along the narrow coast road under the dark walls of Dover castle

The majority of the defences have been set up to prevent attack from the sea but the Guards infantry look to use any protection they can get

The Dover Homeguard, the sloping ground up to the castle provides lots of cover

Overview of the battlefield, taken by a German spotter plane

The rumbling tracks of the 38t, behind it the only artillery support the Fallschirmjager have been able to land by glider

Up in the castle anti-aircraft guns blast away at incoming Stuka’s but they are unable to depress the guns enough to support the ground defence

Fallschirmjager moving through fields towards one of the bunkers under the castle walls

The 75mm attempts to suppress any resistance before the infantry goes in

On the coast road itself the Gebirgsjager perhaps tired from the climb run out of steam and are pinned down by a gun emplacement

British troops make what use of cover they can, helped by the Germans laying down as much smoke as they can to protect the assault

British infantry stalking the 38t

One of the German mortars 

The advanced Fallschirmjager squad are following the Panzer I up the road which has just gone behind the green building

Brave but possibly foolhardy some of the British have taken up a defensive line behind a hedge

The 38t is reluctant to push forward until an anti-tank gun on the hill has been knocked out

Some British armour arrives from the harbour unfortunately all that is left is a antiquated Matilda I

Hand to hand combat in the hedgerows 

More smoke being laid down to try and protect the Gebirgsjager who are pinned down

Things are hotting up the Matilda attempts to ram the Panzer I but the driver slips a gear and the Tank grins to a halt, suddenly an explosion the Panzer has driven over a mine and is temporarily pinned in place

The assault goes in up the hill

Good place to hide....but this won’t take the harbour ! Luckily the Fallschirmjager can assault down the road

....But then NOOOOOO!!!!! Furchtbar the veterans with single pin turn and run at least that is only one unit likely to fail any test

You are kidding me .....in the same turn suddenly the German assault is grinding to a halt

The 38t breaks cover apparently surprising the British officer!

It’s not all going one way though the British smith gun, notorious as they were jams and blows up Hehe 😜 

The Matilda sense some payback pushes through the road block to chase down the fleeing bosh

Another shot looking up towards the castle

The Fallschirmjager have regrouped and run back up the road, whilst the slow moving Matilda struggles to turn around 

The Panzer I has also moved forward (into the scoring zone) back on track for the Germans 🙂

Noooooo not again, more veterans having knocked out the 2lb AT gun fail to push forward and are isolated on the hill

More ! Germans are failing to take advantage of their strong position

The British officer in a heroic act has tracked behind the advancing paratroopers armed only with his pistol.....click a misfire

Alerted to the danger from behind the paratroop commander charges in only for the pistol to unjam !

A final shot, the Germans have a slight advantage, but need more time, the British are desperately holding on, but can claim significant bragging rights having killed the Fallschirmjager officer in hand to hand combat. Made of stern stuff these British !

We laughed a lot during this game as the German veterans fell apart then regrouped then fell apart again the death of Hauptmann Von Claus was a true coupe de grace. More Sealion is planned in the new year, and finally I might try and do my S day situational report.🙂