Wednesday, 14 August 2013
Saturday, 10 August 2013
Spearhead Blunted
Good evening
Last night, in a belated effort to remember the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk from a couple of weeks ago, Robin and I organised to have a 1943 Russian Front game using 500 Spearhead points worth of opposing armoured divisions.
Armoured divisions? Eastern Front, 1943? Kursk? Robin must be meaning an all tank engagement. Sweet!
So I pulled out my new Panthers, Stugs and Tigers I added my Pz IVs, and a couple of Robin's I cursed the fact that I hand to leave one of the Stugs in their box and got ready to roll.
Alas and alak, I got the wrong end of the stick. "Where's your infantry?" asked Robin, as he put out hordes and hordes of Russian footmen. "Umm, I thought We were doing an all tank engagement," replied I, rather sheepishly. "Rats!"
Robin gave me the opportunity to swap out some tanks for some infantry, but I looked at the anti infantry factors of my tanks and thought "she'll be right. They'll hold their own..."
And So we began.
I drew my plans...
...and away we went.
Arghh, so Many Russians!
Still, I continued to hold the left bridge and advance in the centre.
Nothing but infantry to my front while Robin's armour sneaks around my flank. Bother!
Robin's first Katusha barrage gets fired...
...but fails to land. And still the infantry advance. "No worries," thought I. "What's the chances they can touch my tin cans."
Oh, and some tanks on my flank.
Robin drops smoke and starts piling in.
Shots are exchanged between the armour on the hill, supressing one of my Tigers. (Still, he had to roll a 6 to do it!)
At this point, orders were changed, the bridge abandoned and the Panthers race to shore up the rear of my centre.
So. Many. Russians.
(By the way, that lead tank with it's turret facing the wrong way is the Battalion Commander. A non fighting stand unless it's in close combat. I think.)
Another Katusha barrage...fails to land, but...
...in pile the Russian infantry. Needing a 6 to destroy my tanks. Many tried, unfortunately, one succeeded.
By this point my casualties were starting to pile up. Two Pz IVs down, not that many more to go.
(Those two Pz IVs at the back are the Battalion and Regimental commanders respectively.)
Here come the cavalry!
Too late for this tanker though.
Still, I had managed to whittle away at those hull down T-34s. There was at least one more (+ some BT-5s) lurking there just before this shot.
That is such a cool mini!
Things aren't looking good for the surrounded Germans.
A third Katusha barrage lands, this time taking out my Stug.
Add to that the demise of this suppressed Pz IV...
...and that was the end of that! My centre battalion breaks, and we call it an evening. All objectives were soon to be in Russian hands. A resounding defeat for the Germans...and an object lesson as to why you take infantry in your army lists!
Still, my objective was achieved. I got to push round some plastic and have a jolly good time doing it!
Robin's leaving the table set up so that we can re-fight this battle, this time with a more balanced German force.
Nick
Last night, in a belated effort to remember the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk from a couple of weeks ago, Robin and I organised to have a 1943 Russian Front game using 500 Spearhead points worth of opposing armoured divisions.
Armoured divisions? Eastern Front, 1943? Kursk? Robin must be meaning an all tank engagement. Sweet!
So I pulled out my new Panthers, Stugs and Tigers I added my Pz IVs, and a couple of Robin's I cursed the fact that I hand to leave one of the Stugs in their box and got ready to roll.
Alas and alak, I got the wrong end of the stick. "Where's your infantry?" asked Robin, as he put out hordes and hordes of Russian footmen. "Umm, I thought We were doing an all tank engagement," replied I, rather sheepishly. "Rats!"
Robin gave me the opportunity to swap out some tanks for some infantry, but I looked at the anti infantry factors of my tanks and thought "she'll be right. They'll hold their own..."
And So we began.
I drew my plans...
...and away we went.
Arghh, so Many Russians!
Still, I continued to hold the left bridge and advance in the centre.
Nothing but infantry to my front while Robin's armour sneaks around my flank. Bother!
Robin's first Katusha barrage gets fired...
...but fails to land. And still the infantry advance. "No worries," thought I. "What's the chances they can touch my tin cans."
Oh, and some tanks on my flank.
Robin drops smoke and starts piling in.
Shots are exchanged between the armour on the hill, supressing one of my Tigers. (Still, he had to roll a 6 to do it!)
At this point, orders were changed, the bridge abandoned and the Panthers race to shore up the rear of my centre.
So. Many. Russians.
(By the way, that lead tank with it's turret facing the wrong way is the Battalion Commander. A non fighting stand unless it's in close combat. I think.)
Another Katusha barrage...fails to land, but...
...in pile the Russian infantry. Needing a 6 to destroy my tanks. Many tried, unfortunately, one succeeded.
By this point my casualties were starting to pile up. Two Pz IVs down, not that many more to go.
(Those two Pz IVs at the back are the Battalion and Regimental commanders respectively.)
Here come the cavalry!
Too late for this tanker though.
Still, I had managed to whittle away at those hull down T-34s. There was at least one more (+ some BT-5s) lurking there just before this shot.
That is such a cool mini!
Things aren't looking good for the surrounded Germans.
A third Katusha barrage lands, this time taking out my Stug.
Add to that the demise of this suppressed Pz IV...
...and that was the end of that! My centre battalion breaks, and we call it an evening. All objectives were soon to be in Russian hands. A resounding defeat for the Germans...and an object lesson as to why you take infantry in your army lists!
Still, my objective was achieved. I got to push round some plastic and have a jolly good time doing it!
Robin's leaving the table set up so that we can re-fight this battle, this time with a more balanced German force.
Nick
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
What I Did In My Holidays
Good evening,
My term break is pretty much over. School on Monday, but gotta get ready, so...here's what I did in my holidays!
They're assembled, undercoated, base coated, and wargame ready while I whittle away at their camo...
First up, my Panthers.
I actually finished two of these at the end of last holidays. I'm thinking of a simple green stripe for these, AKA Italy...
...and to make them look a touch different from my Pz IVs and Tigers.
I've also done the same my PSC Stug IIIs...
...and a couple of PAK 40s.
I'll do all these in the standard three tone scheme.
Lastly, some recon bikes.
Mostly all these need is to complete their bases.
Sorry for the poorly lit photos. I'll do better next time!
I also managed to get in one battle. A Spearhead stoush at Keith McNelly's place using his 6mm kit going up against Andrew, with Robin in support.
Robin using his phone to take pictures for his report, 'cause his phone's camera is better than his class one!
Man, these things are small!
And here comes the Typhoon proxy - a Fairy Battle!
Long story short - I tried to capture/defend objectives either side of the table with infantry brigades, holding a reserve of armour in the centre ready to be deployed to either flank. Andrew piled in the pressure on my left, I brought on my armour too late (and too constrained by terrain) to have any effect, and realised too late that he had no off table flank march coming in from my left.
Well and truly done, I was! Well played Andrew, well played!
Oh, and I also went to a local Lego display.
Yep, that's Mark, showing off a wee Brik Wars display with some mates.
That's Mark's Darlent - a cross between a Darlek and an Ent!
Back to the grindstone!
Nick
My term break is pretty much over. School on Monday, but gotta get ready, so...here's what I did in my holidays!
They're assembled, undercoated, base coated, and wargame ready while I whittle away at their camo...
First up, my Panthers.
I actually finished two of these at the end of last holidays. I'm thinking of a simple green stripe for these, AKA Italy...
...and to make them look a touch different from my Pz IVs and Tigers.
I've also done the same my PSC Stug IIIs...
...and a couple of PAK 40s.
I'll do all these in the standard three tone scheme.
Lastly, some recon bikes.
Mostly all these need is to complete their bases.
Sorry for the poorly lit photos. I'll do better next time!
I also managed to get in one battle. A Spearhead stoush at Keith McNelly's place using his 6mm kit going up against Andrew, with Robin in support.
Robin using his phone to take pictures for his report, 'cause his phone's camera is better than his class one!
Man, these things are small!
And here comes the Typhoon proxy - a Fairy Battle!
Long story short - I tried to capture/defend objectives either side of the table with infantry brigades, holding a reserve of armour in the centre ready to be deployed to either flank. Andrew piled in the pressure on my left, I brought on my armour too late (and too constrained by terrain) to have any effect, and realised too late that he had no off table flank march coming in from my left.
Well and truly done, I was! Well played Andrew, well played!
Oh, and I also went to a local Lego display.
Yep, that's Mark, showing off a wee Brik Wars display with some mates.
That's Mark's Darlent - a cross between a Darlek and an Ent!
Back to the grindstone!
Nick
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