Panzerkompanie vs. Armoured Company - FoW AAR

Finally, a battle report! Sorry about the lack of a post last week to anyone who may actually be reading this and isn't a referral site bot. 

I decided that we needed a game to get back into FoW after a long absence, and in my own humble opinion FoW's best with a mid-point tank battle between tanks that are actually capable of do damage to each other. As such, I created a couple of lists in Easy Army (using the new Overlord book for the Allies and the older Fortress Europe for the Germans). They were:

Armoured Squadron, 4th (Confident Veteran)
HQ - 2 Shermans
Armoured Platoon - 2 , 1 Firefly
Armoured Platoon - 2 Shermans, 1 Firefly
Armoured Platoon - 2 Shermans, 1 Firefly
Armoured Regimental Recce Platoon - 3 Stuart Vs
Armoured Recce Platoon - 3 Cromwells (Confident Trained)

Panzerkompanie (Confident Trained)
Panzerkompanie HG - 2 Panzer IV
Panzer Platoon - 3 Panzer IV
Panzer Platoon - 3 Panzer IV
Panzer Platoon - 3 Panzer IV
Assault Gun Platoon - 2 StuG IV
Panzerspäh Patrol - Sd Kfz 234/2 (Puma)

Just from the lists, you can tell I was going with a semi-vanilla feel to ease us back in. I was glad I did so, as it had been awhile since we played - but I can say that the game went off without a hitch, with only a few glances to the rulebook.

We rolled up Encounter as the mission, and Curt choose to attack.

The table. Curt futilely tries to get the attention of one of the dogs. 

As we both started with only two platoons on the table, our opening turns were a game of move and countermove.

My 2ic takes a gander down a long firing lane.

What's the only way to counter an attack from cover?

Get stuck up in 'em!

My 2ic snuck into the field in an attempt to flank the British tanks. Poor dice rolls on both sides meant no casualties for the first few turns.

My company commander also tried to sneak around the British flank.

One of the defending Shermans was hit and burst into flames - first blood to the Germans!

Curt started getting reinforcements on Turn 4, at the top right of the table.

The fighting intensified as reinforcements began to arrive for both sides.

The platoon commander for one of the Panzer IV platoons retreated off the table after the rest of his platoon was destroyed.

Thankfully, a trio of Pumas arrived to cover the vulnerable objective.

The 2ic, still moving around the side, suddenly found himself swarmed by Stuarts!

Even at close range, however, the Stuart's tiny gun couldn't damage the Panzer IV, and the 2ic moved to attack his British counterpart.

The real fighting was on the right. With three platoons lost over the course of the game, Curt was forced to make a Company morale check, which he failed. The British retreat!

It was a fun game. The Germans are one of my various projects to get painted up during the summer, right after my Saga and French-Indian War miniatures. 

Go With the Flow - Beer and Pretzels Ironclads AAR

Having an interest in both ACW and naval warfare, I was definitely interested when Gary (one of the guys who frequents 7th Dimension Games) announced he would be running a game of Beer and Pretzels Ironclads. He and a few of the other guys were kind enough to provide the terrain, models, markers, game aids, and terrain, so a big thanks to them. 

The scenario was that a group of Union ironclads had to make their way downriver to try and meet up with a Union army. The Confederates (myself included) commanded two forts (Ridge and Thumb) and 4 Ironclads of their own in an attempt to keep the Union ships from passing.

The Table. Fort Ridge is the farther fort near the window, and Fort Thumb is on the peninsula.

The Union ships entered the table from the edge closest to Fort Ridge all at once, and opened fire on the Confederate ship that had been docked across the river.

Before the Confederate ship could move, she was given a merciless beating.

And as it turns out, wooden ships burn!

With the fire quickly contained, the Rebel ship made a run for freedom under covering fire from the fort. Complicating matters, however, was the damage the ship had taken to its rudder.

Other Confederate ironclads moved upstream to challenge their Union counterparts. 

But trying to get those slow ships moving against the current took too much time, and the wooden ship was sunk. 

Despite the long range, the Confederate ironclads opened fire.

"Look, either he's getting rammed, or I am. Let's hope you go first."

Guns blazed in every direction as my ship (the Arkansas, the one being t-boned at the top right) was rammed.

But with grapeshot and bayonets, I managed to capture the damnyankee ship. Which I was then stuck to for the next few turns.

With Fort Ridge out of range, the guns of Fort Thumb began to open on the escaping Union ships. The Arkansas was still stuck, and was mauled by the passing enemy force.

But she wasn't out of the fight just yet, even as another Confederate ship was sunk.

The Manassas and the Arkansas managed to corner the Union flagship while the rest of the flotilla escaped.

And the Union flagship went down - but it took the Arkansas with it!

So the Union players managed to get 4 ships downriver, while managing to destroy 3 Confederate ships and taking out the better part of Fort Ridge. Gary had mentioned that he had been worried that the forts would be too powerful (Ridge had done a number on the Union force in the beginning of the game) but the range and firing angles of the emplaced guns made it so that a ship was never in danger from them for too long.

It was a fun game and very rules light. I'd also imagine that the game will speed up - it took us three hours to finish - once we start playing more. If everything goes according to plan, BAPI games should happen once a month. I'm looking forward to my next game!

Painting Update - WWII, Saga

I'm baaaaa-aaaaaaack!

Having returned from Ireland (still semi-jetlagged and a bit heavy-hearted) I immediately got into the swing of things. Sitting down at my painting table/desk, I blew the thin lair of dust off the models that had been sitting their and got down to business. 

First is what appears to be only a small amount of WWII British vehicles in 15mm scale for Flames of War. And you'd be right. There's the last 3 Cromwells I need for my Cromwell-equipped tank company, and the last of the plastic Shermans that came in the new Open Fire! set. Also assembled are the four M5 halftracks I'll need to field a platoon of motor infantry to help augment any tank force with infantry that can keep up.

But here's the important bit - these are the very last of the unpainted miniatures I have for my Brits that I intend to use. While it's not the end of my collection, it will mark a point at which, some 4+ years after I started playing miniature wargames, that I'll have a completely painted force. 

I've also been working on my Vikings for Saga. They're assembled and equipped with both weapons and shields (except for Erik the Cowardly, hiding in the back right, who refused to even hold a spear, let alone 'wield' it in any sort of way). As you can see, I tested my normal method of hiding miniatures integral bases with Drydex, and I'd call the result completely satisfactory. I'll begin working on these guys as an interim between my FoW British and Germans. 

For future posts, expect an overview of the books I have for both wargaming and pen-and-paper role playing, as well as a review of the newly released Boss Monster board game that I helped to kickstart last year. There should also be a AAR or two coming up, and maybe even a Pathfinder RPG post or two if my plans work out and a group can be brought together for a campaign. 

Miniature Musings - The Start to a Summer of Hobby

With my return from Ireland imminent, I'm looking ahead to see what I want to accomplish over the summer before schoolwork once again overtakes my hobby time.

(And, yes, I admit that I'm padding for time here. I want to stay in the habit of updating my blog, 'lest I stop and never get the momentum to start again.)

WWII:
Let's see. With most of my British finished, I'm looking to polishing them off with just a few more tanks. Then it's on to my Germans, which I have plenty of - a dozen or so tanks, a couple infantry platoons, and a few support platoons. Maybe even get cases for everything

I'll also want to work on my terrain - more buildings that I can actually place infantry into, some fields, and re-working my hedgerows with some stronger glue.

SAGA: 
Obviously, I want to get the starter warband I picked up (and the Anglo-Danish warband I'm planning on getting). From there, it's either increase those to 6 points each, or pick up either the Welsh or Norman (probably Norman) starters to expand what I can demo/play with.

ACW:
I still have those miniatures from my 150th Anniversary edition of Battle Cry to finish up. The Union has its cavalry and Generals finished (or close to finish) and has its infantry and artillery primed. I want to finish those, and then move onto the Confederates. A fully painted boardgame would be pretty cool to have.

FIW:
Ah. Now here's the rub. While I have a number of 15mm figures to use with This Very Ground, I've actually found out that others would wish to play 28mm with the Muskets and Tomahawks ruleset (by Tomahawk Studios, the same group that produced Saga). I'm partially thinking about putting my TVG project on the backburner (and the minis into storage) and just splurging to get the ruleset/cards and the British/French starters (I've been told that there are Indian players to spare). That means painting

In other news, I picked up a couple new items before I leave Dublin:

Unfortunately, the guys at Gamers World couldn't get an Anglo-Danish starter warband in before I had to leave, so I'll have to grab that when I get back to the States. However, I did pick up a box of PSC's M5 Halftracks, so this'll add to my British FoW collection (something else to paint!) and allow me to field some mechanized infantry in support of my tanks. 

Also, if you're ever in the Dublin area, definitely stop by. It's a fantastic shop with friendly staff and a plethora of gaming goodness.

So that's that! It'll be interesting to see what I can accomplish by the end of August.

Miniature Musings - Vikings on the Brain

I have a confession to make.

I tend to... obsess a bit over new things.

It was a couple days ago that I realized I was doing it again. The facts add up, when you think about it. Purchasing the first season of Vikings in HD from iTunes, and then getting Wardruna's Yggdrasil album the next day (fantastic music, by the way. Perfect ambient tunes to hike around Ireland with).

That culminated today when I went 'round to Gamers World on my walk by from the center where I'm taking classes in Dublin. I had forgotten my charger cord for my netbook, and the weather was nice enough (i.e., not raining too much) that I decided the 40-minute walk back to the apartment wasn't out of the question.

I took a look at what they had for Saga, and in a moment of clarity/weakness, I picked up a Vikings 4 point warband and Anglo-Danish dice.

Now, for those of you who already play Saga, or at least are familiar with the rules, yes, I know I got the wrong dice for the Vikings battleboard. Which is why I also took the liberty of asking to have the Anglo-Danish warband and a set of Viking dice be special ordered (provided they can arrive within the two weeks before I return to the States).

So, when I get back, I'll have two relatively equal warbands to put together and paint, and them play some games!