Good turnout this month. I believe we had 20 people involved in playing 4 games.
The overall theme was WWII to coincide with VE day earlier in the month.
The games were :
Alpha Strike.
Game System: Alpha Strike Quick Start Rules (Catalyst Game Labs Alpha Strike Box Set).
AAR by Neil Simpson.
Players
Draconis Combine/House Kurita : David Anderson{CO}, David Buick, Ian Smith.
Lyran Commonwealth/House Steiner : Ashley Dennison {CO}, Jeremy Mulholland,
Neil Simpson.
The game was the 'A Bold Prince' scenario taken from the book 'The Fourth Succession War Scenarios Volume One' published by FASA in 1989. This involved an attack by the 2nd battalion of the 11th Legion of Vega (Kuritan) against the 3rd Battalion (Grave Diggers) of the 13th Assault Regiment (Steiner) on the planet Marfik on 27/08/3028. The terrain was rolling hills and light woods with one major and a couple of minor rivers. 'Historically' the Legion won, but who can resist a chance to change history?
With Steiner AFV's (45 Tanks) versus mainly Kuritan Mechs (40 Battlemechs + support AFV's and Infantry), we played 7 turns and nearly got it to a conclusion, another turn or two would have confirmed the outcome, but despite a valiant effort by the tanks of House Steiner the Kuritan mechs had secured at least a minor victory.
All in all, a fun game and we’ll be returning to this system again in the future. All players welcome for future games at the UWS.
Some photos and observations from the Editor.
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Photos curtesy of the Editor.
AAR by Gary and the Editor.
Players
British : David Taylor, David Brown.
German : David Maltman.
Umpire : Gary.
Using Panzer Grenadier Deluxe in 15mm.
First report from the unbiased umpire.
I put on the 'St Nicolas Farm' scenario with Panzer Grenadier Deluxe as scheduled.
Game was played by 3 of our many Daves, with Dave M taking Germans (as he arrived first and had time to plot hidden units) against Dave T and Dave B as attacking British.
After brief outline of core rules we got straight to it and a super game it turned out to be and managed to play full 14 turns of scenario as it went right to the wire.
Highlights saw Germans having a run initiative in early turns and 2 Shermans brewed.
One was taken out by Pak40 the other was flanked by a Panzershreck team (a combo of moves, exploit movement and the won initiative), the remaining Sherman was later damaged and then retreated off table
British seemed incapable of activating much in first turns or if they did their shooting was abysmal (something which Dave B in particular suffered from all game).
However Germans were forced to move (and reveal) a Platoon deployed in 'lesser' farm as Brits not deployed anywhere nearby, and whilst this cost Shermans (as Panzershreck included) it did mean this Platoon was far from later action at St Nicolas Farm itself.
British Artillery had accurate but marginally effective first stonk on this advancing Hun Platoon.
However second stonk on orchard at St Nicolas Farm devasted a Platoon of defenders (2 Dispersed and other Disengaged).
This opened up things on this flank for British who advanced into orchard (an exploit move and initiative wins helped here) and then assaulted into the farm itself, initially losing but ejecting the defenders (an MMG and single Section) at second attempt.
Brits were firmly in control of farm with no Germans in numbers nearby to re-take (and reduced to firing Panzershrecks at buildings), however the British losses were such that Huns could win by breaking British force.
Indeed both sides were rolling Force Morale Tests for 25% casualties and indeed on last turn the British were a single loss from defeat however they managed to Rally 3 Suppressed units which was just as well as Dave T rolled a mere 3 on their last Force Morale check which would have seen these units Rout and would have given game to Germans.
However by skin of their teeth the British won by controlling the farm at game end.
Forces :
British.
Germans.
Table at start (Germans all hidden)
British massing on left to assault St Nicolas Farm
Shermans in trouble in centre near small rise as British infantry boldly approach St Nicolas Farm (German defenders of orchard having been dealt with by artillery)
Pak40 visible on extreme left and the Panzershreck on edge of wood in upper centre
First British assault on farm has been repulsed but second wave ready to try again
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Now the report from the very biased German commander, Hauptman Malzmann.
Map showing the positions of our brave Wehrmacht soldiers occupying the farms and hedge rows of St Nicholas.
I spread the platoons evenly across the battlefield not knowing how the British would attack and not wanting to group too much as the British artillery barrages
In the early morning we were woken with tank rumblings from the west. The Tommies are coming. As you can see we are all nicely hidden waiting for their arrival.
The British completely ignored the left side of the battlefield. Most of the infantry going down the right toward the farm and 3 tanks and an infantry platoon occupying the centre. The Dingo came up the main road. The British spotted the PAK 40 which immediately fired on a Sherman which true to its nickname brewed up.
The British used their first barrage which was fairly ineffectual, but the PAK 40 ended up with low ammo due to a poor rally roll
The British use their second barrage to good effect pushing back the platoon back. They start to move forward with little opposition.
In the centre the PAK 40 hits the Sherman and forces it to retreat off the table. Corporal Schultz keep moving left to attack the Dingo. Platoon 3 follows on behind him. See map for the routes taken.
The British assault the farm and either kill or push out all the German units.
Platoon 1 tried to recapture the farm, but where killed.
The final moves where attacks by machine gun and PAK 40 against the remaining British in the farm and the wood, but to minimal effect.
With the British firmly in charge of the farm and night falling we withdrew what was left of the company.
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Editors awards.
The Golden Grenade : Corporal Schultz's Panzerschreck squad for KOing a Sherman and driving a Sherman and Dingo into positions where the PAK 40 could attack them. All while traversing most of the battlefield, ending up in a field with a British platoon where they survived by jumping over a hedge before the British could fire on them.
The manure minefield : The Sherman troop, worse than useless.
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Photos curtesy of Gary and the Editor.
Players
British : Leslie and Ian.
German : Andy and Paddy.
Umpire : Phil McGilton.
AAR by Phil.
Rules are Phils using firing charts from WRG 1974 in 20mm.
Everything on the table is from Phils collection.
Situation 30 July 1944 due to the rush to plan Operation Blue Coat, the usual scale of artillery and aircraft support has not been possible.
Visibility is poor with low dense clouds affecting air support. The 15th Scots Guards Tank Brigade has broken through south of Chaumont. At last this could be the chance to reach open country.
Divisional HQ German 326th find the front line broken despite gallant efforts of all rank’s
After a two hour delay sitting on Point 226 waiting for infantry support the advance can start again.
Due to the critical situation in the 326th Div area XXIV Korps are releasing Schwere Panzerjager Abt from reserve with orders to contain enemy penetration.
Paddy move’s forward his almost impossible task of stopping the enemy penetration with his 3 Jagdpanthers what could go wrong. One Jagdpanther is experiencing gearbox problems restricting movement.
Despite the threat the Scot’s Guard’s Churchills move steadily forward.
German infantry ambush British forward troops.
The British have the objective in their sights it looks clear.
Long range tank fire KOs a Kangaroo.
The steady advance of the British push the German forces back in to the village.
The German HQ Command plan’s to fight to the end. Andy wanted to form square, too many Napoleonic games.
A Churchill gets knocked out as it moves into the village.
The British take revenge.
Out flanked, outnumbered and outgunned the game is over the German’s lose the village and the game.
This was a refight of the action around Point 226 the Scots Guards had pushed 8 Km through the German defences with little infantry support they reached Point 226 and waited 2hours for the infantry to catch up. The infantry had been mopping up German positions bypassed by the tanks that morning. When the advance started again the Scots Guards lost 12 Churchills in 5mins to the Jagdpanthers of Panzerjager Abt 654
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Photos curtesy of Phil.
A Chain Of Command 2 learning session in 28mm by Jeremy D and Dave S, with Jeremy N and Chris involved.
Players
British : Jeremy Nixon, Chris Caves.
German : David Smylie.
Umpire : Jeremy Dowds.
Multiple AARs by Jeremy Dowd, David Smylie, Chris Caves. To get some different views on the new version of the rules.
First AAR by Jeremy Dowd who umpired the game.
Version 2 of Chain of Command, originally published by Too Fat Lardies in 2013, was released in May this year, about ten days before our club meeting. Our game was therefore a very early look at the new edition.
Chain of Command puts the player in the shoes of an infantry platoon commander, managing resources of manpower and weapons to achieve victory on a small patch of the overall battlefield. The rules encourage playing to the particular strengths of each type of platoon, with national characteristics that reflect the tactical doctrine of each army.
Our game was set in Normandy 1944, and featured a British infantry platoon, with supports including a Sherman Firefly, attacking a German infantry platoon supported by an MG42 on tripod mount and a PAK 40 anti-tank gun. The mission was a Delaying Action, with the Germans seeking to hold an objective point in the farm complex.
The new version encourages players to fight for the control of objectives, rather than simply trying to wear down the opponent’s morale by shooting. Part of that is a new mechanism called the Final Countdown, whereby the player currently holding the objective can try to end the game (and win it) before his opponent takes or re-takes it. Our game saw the Final Countdown invoked by the Germans, though it didn’t work out for them as aggressive British troops threw them out of the farmyard before the game ended.
Overall, version 2 seems to be more dynamic. For example, it’s still possible for one side to have a run of several consecutive phases (by rolling multiple sixes on the command dice) and so prevent the other side from regaining the initiative. However, the non-phasing player now has more options to react to their opponent’s actions, rather than having to passively wait for their own next phase.
The rules are also more clearly laid out and explained than version 1, reflecting twelve years of experience with the former set and several years of playtesting the new version. While the original basics of the game are clearly recognisable, a lot of thought and attention to detail has gone into making version 2 better. I for one see it as a major improvement to an already excellent game.
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AAR From David Smylie
The new version of CoC v 2 certainly adds greater realism to the game
Game play improved particularly with the Chain of command dice no longer restricted to accumulating 6 before use
As for the game the Germans brilliantly defended their position causing the Brits to win a very narrow victory.
Editors aside
During one of my random photo rounds I was present to witness an event which goes against the natural order of things. David Smylie rolled 6, 6, 5 with 3 dice , a most unnatural occurrence. I think if it had been 3 6's the universe may have turned on its axis and come up with an even stranger reality than that which we currently have
The circumstances. David needed to roll well and I succumbed to the simple position of mockery, saying it was time for 3 1s, but just to spite me he'll get 3 6s ( or something to that extent ). That caused the spirts of the dice to be affronted and give a good result. I don't believe I've never seem Mr Smylie so happy. He wanted a record of this momentous occurrence.
Jeremy Nixons impression .
I would say an improvement. Overall very similar to original but not having to wait for 6 on command dice i.e. being able to do actions on a 3 helps out on sticky situations. I have played the old rules a few times and always felt the barrage made play very difficult when you got stuck under one. The new rules with regard to it have made for play better.
Worthwhile having a few more plays to see how CoC2 progress now the understanding of rules gets better.
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AAR from Chris Caves, very much the voice of dissention in the wilderness.
My thoughts on Chain of command 2.
The "small" number of changes are welcome and help the game.
But still basically the same game / same core rules.
Do they warrant £50 new set of rules ? NO in my opinion --- ( a small errata would suffice ).
Is the ruleset any better than others out there ? NO.
Although this really depends on what you want in a skirmish WW2 ruleset.
In my opinion Chain of command is over complicated for the overall result ( the CoC supporters like to call it granular ).
Bolt action is a great "pick up" game that gives a fun game and can be historically themed like Chain of command.
The fact that bolt action is also played competitively and by "younger" age groups means you also see nonhistorical matchups on the table which lead to start of rivalry between player groups.
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Some photos of the game.
The unsuspecting village before the battle, seen from the German end.
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Photos curtesy of Jeremy Dowd, and the Editor
