Race to the sea ...

Armies have met and clashed along the Aisne, and stalemate looks to be on the cards. The British and German armies have begun several months of attempts to break the deadlock by trying to outflank each other as they race towards the channel.

This set the scene as Nick G and I met for Nick's first Great War Spearhead game after our diet of WW2 Spearhead. The game was a 'Mutual Encounter' shaped using the scenario generation system, fought with 20mm figures. We used largely 6mm terrain - something a little experimental still.

The first photo illustrates the battlefield looking northwest with the BEF forces trying to race northeast (playing from left to right) to take the Germans in the flank, and the German army trying to do likewise (playing from right to left).

Both sides had understandably concentrated their forces on the more northerly part of the battlefield, each also trying to include a northern flank match in order to gain some advantage on the other.

The Fourth Division's First Brigade was pushing forward astride the stream, largely dry in the early autumn heat, its objective the bridge crossing. The German commander took the risky option of a deep flank march, the risk paying off and his regimental commander stormed down the road towards the bridge. For both commanders capturing the bridge was obviously a significant part of the plan.

Action quickly unfolded around the copse to the nor'west of the bridge.

In the meantime the remainder of the German forces paused in their advance as they secured key villages and terrain feature.

The First Brigade commander called for artillery support and the Divisional 4.5" howitzer regiment responded with heavy accurate fire. The German regiment, caught in the open working its way forward towards the copse, took heavy casualties.

The German flanking regiment has taken its first casualties, with several companies rendered ineffective, and another suppressed by the accurate British artillery fire.

The first morale check of the game and.. a '6'. Robin muttered, and Nick performed a short dignified 'jig'.

A general view of the northern action from behind the BEF lines.

The forward elements of First Brigade had (perhaps rather foolishly) taken up position on the high ground to the west of the bridge, and began to take casualties as accurate German artillery and MG fire came down on them.

On the southern flank, Fourth Brigade of 5th Division had secured the village and was pushing around the flank of the German attackers.

The view form behind the BEF right (southern) flank. The firefight has started to cause casualties for both sides, the British holding the high ground have taken casualties from German 105s

The BEF commander had attempted his own flanking attack, planed to come on at much the same position as the German Regiment. His Brigade commander struggled to manoeuvre, cramped as he was with an unexpected German Regiment to his front, and finally (3 game turns late) was forced back to his start position, coming on back along the BEF table base line (per the Scenario Generation System).

The flanking German Regiment was joined by a company of Divisional cavalry who quickly dismounted ready to join in the struggle for the copse.

Artillery fire came down on the BEF reinforcements as they pushed on forward to try to dislodge the German Regiment on the flank.

At this stage we had been playing (and talking) for three hours (obviously far tooo much talking and not enough playing) and had to call time on the game. The battle still had plenty of opportunity for one side or the other to gain advantage.

Nick had proven himself a quick learner, taking the Spearhead basics that he has acquired from our WW2 games, and adapting well to the WW1 from of the game. His plan was sound, with a judicious piece of daring, and he had supported each key piece of his attack with appropriate Divisional assets.

He was impressed with the different feel to the game. For my part it was good to push the WW1 plastic around the table again. I've forgotten a lot!!!

Next, a mid war trench game.

Bavarians 1859

It's been a while since Adrian and I played a game. The decision to  a last minute affair, we decided to try out Adrian's newly completed and as yet unblooded 1850s Bavarians. We fought a game based loosely on a small part of the battle of Solferino, 1859. I didn't record it as an AAR. This is simply a chance to show off some of Adrian's newest 15mm figures.

Battalion Advance

Normandy, 1944. The allied advance has stalled.

Divisional HQ has decided on probing attacks to uncover weaknesses in the enemy defences while capturing important local objectives. Two infantry battalions, with limited support, are to conduct the attacks. The third battalion of the brigade remains in reserve and is not available for today's operation.

So says the introduction to Keith McNelly's 'Battalion Advance' scenario. Nick and I had a shortened afternoon available to play a 20mm Spearhead game, and this looked like a good sized game to tackle. The scenario is set up to be played on a 4'x3' table with normal SH scale, so we expanded it onto a 6'x4' table using the 1.5 x ground scale. Nick took the British attackers, and I took the German defenders. This is a brief account of the action. The photos are generally taken with a view from behind the German lines.

The British attack came from the top of the photo. Nick opted to focus on his left flank (advancing along the right side of the photo, attacking the German right flank), the first battalion advancing on foot. The second, with armour attached, sat off table in reserve per the scenario option.

The Germans were entrenched.

The advance under way, with Nick having decided to commit his reserve early, seen here entering the table behind the first battalion, complete with armour. He concentrated his entire attack on his left, the German right.

First contact, the British advance comes under mortar fire.

I opted to keep the two StuGIIIs as my two hidden stands. The first was revealed, in its hull down position in the centre of the ridge line that defines the battlefield,  as the British armour crossed its front. The first Sherman was brewed up from a long range shot.

With the focus of the British thrust now apparent, the German left wing German defending platoons advanced across towards their right, hoping to catch the British attackers in flank and rear.

Action is joined between the German right flank defenders, well dug in on the edge of the woods, and the British attackers swinging wide around their flank.

The one sided armoured duel was short lived, but the lone StuG took out the Firefly before the British armour passed from view behind the terrain.

The perilous position on the German right is apparent here when the strength of the British thrust around the German right flank is seen.

And so they continued to sweep around the flank towards the town sector.

With the flank attack capturing the town, the first of the two British armoured platoons moves on past the town, to discover not only the first StuG platoon that had engaged them from long range, but also the second StuG platoon. Oh!!!!

The Sherman platoon is suppressed ..

British infantry close assault some of the German defenders, but are repulsed.

We ran out of time after nine turns, and Nick conceded the game, as casualties had mounted to 11 stands, with only two of the 4 necessary objectives in his hands.

So what was the verdict? This is a scenario I've looked at several times, and perhaps dismissed as a little too small.

Well fool, me! This is an excellent scenario, challenging to both sides. Nick's plan was a good one. His only downfall was in the use of his artillery. He tried to shell the German defenders out of their entrenchments, too hard an ask for the small 25pdrs. More judicious use of smoke might have allowed for his well executed sweeping flank attack to get behind the German positions with far fewer casualties. Had he done so, he still had plenty of moves in hand to capture his objectives and win the game.

Again here is Nick's AAR.

Taking the pressure

It is August 1943, and the battle for Kursk has been abandoned. German forces have been falling back for days now, and the Russian counter offensive must be stopped. The local German Corps commander sees the opportunity to cross the Katurin river and take the attackers in the flank, but to do this he must capture at least one bridge across the river to allow wheeled transport and artillery to follow up and maintain support for the counter attack. The area he chooses for the counter attack has two possible bridge crossings available, and his view of the battlefield he has chosen, looking north, can be seen below.

The two bridge crossings across the Katurin River, seen from the south looking north. The German counter attack goes in form the right

The Commander decides to send a battalion forward to take the town on the left of his axis of advance to hold that flank. His main axis of advance is nor west towards the bridge on the upper right of the photo.

The German blocking battalion is at the bottom of the photo, while the main assault, and infantry battalion supported by a platoon of Tiger 1s, and an under strength battalion of PzKw IVs, is heading nor west towards its objective.

The Russian commander of the 21st Tank Corps has intelligence indicating the likelihood of this counter thrust. He sends a battalion of motorised infantry supported by a small battalion of Su 76 SP guns to take and hold his own right flank.

His main force (a tank heavy Tank Battalion, with motorised infantry cross attached) is sent forward in his centre to act as a central reserve, able to swing towards whichever bridge the German counter thrust is intended to take).

The Russian armour is still equipped with a mixture of T34 76Bs and Cs, and its recon is still undertaken by some of the few BT7s remaining in service.. needs must!!

The Russian right flank defense

Seeing at last the direction of the main German counter thrust, the Russian commander can't believe his eyes as he watches the German forces crossing his flank.

The Russian central reserve is committed onto the ridge line to enfilade the advancing German forces.

The German armour deploys to meet the thrust into its flank

The flank fire proves too much.

Within minutes half of the German armoured battalion vehicles lay smoking.

The German commander pushed on, using his Tiger battalion to spearhead the thrust across the bridge, supporting the infantry battalion.

 ... while the Russian right managed an order change and edged forward to contact the defensive German left and pin these troops in place.

The German PzkwIV battalion failed its morale check and headed away from the action.

Th advancing Tigers were caught in the flank by the Russian armour.

One Tiger platoon destroyed, and the other suppressed.. not looking good for the Germans.

Finally, with all of the German armour either destroyed, or falling back, the battlefield looked like an armoured grave yard.

At this stage the German commander ordered a withdrawal, and his infantry resumed their withdrawal in the face of the overwhelming Russian counter attack.

The game was played using 20mm equipment, and the Spearhead rules. The forces were roughly shaped using the Scenario Generation  System, with approximately 420 points per side. Stan commanded the Russians, and Nick the Germans. Andy and I were subordinate commanders.

The story line for this AAR revolves around the bridge, but  the game was actually objective based, with 5 objectives determined using the SGS. At the end of the game the Russian forces held 3 and contested another. One was not held by either side.

Nick's report on the battle can be found here.

SU 76s finished.

The latest addition to the 20mm WW2 Spearhead Soviet army (for 1043) is these two SU76 SP guns. The kits are by UM - here is a review of the kits. These vehicles form a light SP regiment supporting a 1943 Russian Tank Corp attack list. I have four on the list but two will do for now.

As with their 76mm guns, these are 'modellers' kits. This kit comes with photo etched detail that simply went too far for me, and I chose to leave most of these parts off. The fit of many of the parts was superb, but I have to confess that this is the first kit set that I have ever assembled that came with individual track links, certainly not this war gamer's ideal solution to accurate track assemblies for AFVs. The last time I assembled individual track links was on the real thing during my army days serving on M113 APCs.

I had always thought of the SU76 as an open topped SP, and so was surprised to see this as a fully enclosed version of the famous vehicle. Having said all of this, they appear to be almost the only 1/72 or 1/76 version of the vehicle available, and I am happy with the end result. Just a couple of 122mm artillery guns to go and the project is pretty much wrapped up (unless I decide to add an aircraft,... or some SU122s, or... oh bother!!).

This is most likely my last post for the year.. whatever your preference for the holiday season, I hope you have a happy and safe one.

Warpath 2.0

We played our first game of Warpath 2.0, the latest play test version of Mantic's SciFi rules set. We had previously played Warpath 1.0, and frankly weren't that impressed, but I did download the latest version 2 Beta test edition anyway. Reading the rules set I felt that they had promise, but as always with these things it's often only when you get to push plastic around on the table that you start to think deeply enough, and maybe uncover flaws that might otherwise not have occurred to you.

Tonight's experience wasn't one of those 'hmm, well that might work' experiences. It was one of those 'Aha, GW you have some serious opposition here' experiences.

Game play begins with initiative, and uses an activation system to move units on each side. The system begins with first unit activation occurring automatically, the second and third units becoming more difficult to activate, requiring successively more difficult die rolls. The player always has the choice of passing on activation to the opponent once the first unit has been activated and this is a significant subtlety in the system. It is better by and large to pass on the second activation because a failed activation test on a unit means that that unit sits idle for the remainder of that turn. The skill lies in determining when it is worth the risk to try to activate additional units.

Many of the Kings of War systems carry over into Warpath, with nerve tests and firing procedures using the same methodology..


A significant difference lies in the removal of individual figures in Warpath. This fits with the style of the game. Kings of War is much more a unit based game, whereas Warpath is more akin to a skirmish level game.

The game played quite quickly,  we were only 'messing around' with 700 points per side. The nerve test system under which a nerve test required that the firer inflict 50% casualties base on strength at the start of the action means that units tend to hang around for some time. Consequently there is more to 'play for' in the game beyond the first 2 or 3 turns. It also means that support weapons can play their correct role. Units can be 'softened up' so that they are more likely to fail a nerve test later in the turn, or they can be 'prepared' for a later assault within the turn.

We will play Warpath 2.0 again. We feel that this is a game shaping up to replace Warhammer 40K on our gaming table.
.