Crossfire in the Pacific

 Stage 1 of the Crossfire project completed - a company of Japanese infantry.

Aerial view of the company, with the jungle terrain markers I have completed so far.

I have yet to source the heavy weapons (HMGs and 2" mortars) to actually complete the company. Not sure yet what stage 2 might be, as we rarely play Crossfire above a company, but maybe an expansion to a battalion, with one or two AFV's .... maybe.

On the high seas.. again...

 Last week Keith introduced me to his WW2 naval 'tipple', the Naval Thunder Rules, using his 1/3000th scale miniatures. The game was enjoyable. I commanded two British heavy cruisers (Exeter and York), part of a Royal Navy battle group in the Mediterranean, opposing elements of the Italian fleet.

The game was nicely paced, an enjoyable and sociable game with a great social bunch. I did manage to have Exeter blow up.

Some shots of Keith's lovely models:

It did take me back to 1987 when a group of us refought the Battle of Jutland in 1/3000th, using the General Quarters 2 rules. I modelled the High Seas Fleet, while good friend Gerard modelled the Grand Fleet. I'm not sure what ever happened to Gerard's collection, much of it scratch built painstakingly by Gerard on those lonely nights in motels while he worked as a traveling salesman.

HoweverI still have the High Seas Fleet.

Who knows, maybe they'll live to see action on the high seas again one day.

Somewhere in Galicia, spring 1915

Early spring 1915, and Russian forces launch a counter-attack up a river valley somewhere in Galicia, with the limited aim of securing a vital river crossing necessary to future operations.

Andy and I got together to push the 20mm WW1 armies around the table in a smaller Great War Spearhead game. The scenario pitched a Ruissian division against two Austro-Hungarian regiments. Both sides were supported by one on table regiment of mfield guns, and one regiment of heavy guns off trable. The Austro-Hungarians also had a regimetn of cavalry in reserve. The defending AH forces had had time to dig some light entrenchments and lay some wire, but their defences were very sketchy and incomplete. The game was fought with my 20mm armies, mostly HaT figures, with some Irregular MIniatures heavy weapons.

The defending troops in the upper regions of the photo, the photo taken from behind the Riussian advance in the lower regions. The Russian commander had taken a gamble with a flank march on his left, hitting the Austro-Hungarian right flank. The troops arrived in turn 1 of the game... ouch

Defenders on the AH right

The flank attack arrives stopping short of the defending Austro-Hungarian defenders, but right behind their flank

Defening Austro-Hungarian troops on theior left flank

One Russian Brigade attacked up the centre, supported by two batteries of 76mm guns

The left flank attack begins to bite

We played the game with all units unbder 'ranmdomn morale'. As fire opens, the flanking Russian brighade turns out to be 'Regular' morale, but all other units on both sides are 'Greeen'. This is going to be a tough fight.

In an early success Russian fire drives the Austro-Hungarian defenders from their entrenchments on the  right

The Russian Brigade attacking through the centre takes casualties from fire

Troops from that centtre Brigade

The Austro-Hungarian on table field guns set to bring fire down on the Riussian attackers

Lots of fire...

The right flank Russian Briogade had advanced a short way, and been ordered to remain stationary as a reserve, but was brought under fire by Austro-Hungarian defenders, and so adopted defend orders in situ

The Austro-Hungarian right under increasing pressure

Several companies make theior way through woods to the Austro-Hungarian rear, stumbling across the Austro-Hungarian divisional command

The battle on the Russian left contimnues

The Russian centre brigade pushes on in the face of heavy fire

Meanwhile mthe Russian right manouvres within the limits of its defend orders to bring fire onto the Austro-Hungarian left

Overview of the battlefield at this stage. This shows the extent of the casualties being taken by the Russian centre brigade

Pressure continues on the Austro-Hungarian right from the flank attack

Russian troops assault the Austro-Hungarian divisional command

The Austro-Hungarian divisional command is eliminated

Casualtuies are now mounting on the Austro-Hungarian right

... and on the Riussian centre

Riussian troops push forward intot he outskirts of the town adjacent to the bridge

Overview of the batttle on the Russian right

The Russian centre brigade breaks and pulls back from the battle

Heavy fighting in progress .. but the right flank Austro-Hungarian regiment also now breaks, opening up the entire Austro-Hungarian position

The firefight left  contimnues on the Austro-Hungarian but their position is now untenable as their own right flank has disintegrated.

The flank march strategy was relatively high risk. I've played games where with the same odds the flank march never arrived. The risk paid off this time, but the ending would have been very different had it not.

It was also significant that neither side managed to get the support of its off table heave artillery... casualties would have been even higher had we done so.

All in all, a really interesting small scenario, albeit that it was made up on the fly as they say.

Jungle terrain markers, and platoon commanders, for Crossfire Japanese

Having returned to full time work for a term (as Acting Principal in a lovely rural school) my hobby time is a little more limited. I realised that I'd made an error in basing the Japanese for Crossfire. I'd based platoon commanders on normal 1.25" square bases. Now that's not critical, but in my other 20mm armies, PCs are based on 5/8th x 1.25" rectangular bases. It's not an OCD, but I like consistency. So, I plucked the officer figures from their larger bases, and rebased on to the rectangualr bases.

I also created another four jungle terrain markers. Here are all of the markers so far, the Company Cokmand stand, and gthe three PC stands. Small steps, eh...

 

HotT Fantasy in a napoleonic world

 This was the second of two HotT games Andy and I played using our 20mm armies, this time a pseudo napoleonic stoush between Andy's British and my French. I hasten to begin this short AAR with the disclaimerthat we know we are NOT playing a napoleonic wargame. We use Volley and Bayonet for that. This IS a HotT fantasy game with no pretence to be anything else.

The French were using two olumns as behemoths, a base of Grenadier a Cheval of the Guard as knights, ahero general, some shooters and blades.

Andy's army was mostly shooters, including a shooter general, with some riders, two bases oif highlanders which Andy chose to take as warband, and a hero.

Deployed, as seen from the French lines

Two behemoth colums flanking the knights, on the French left

British riders

The British shooter general

The French left immediatelly goes onto the attack, and a base of British riders is eliminated

The French right comes under attack, the highlanders seen on the far right working around the French flank

More British riders are eliminated on the French left

The Highlanders eliminate a rench shooter base and contimnue their push

The Highlanders attack a base of rench shooters from the rear

The Fench shooters are eliminated

However the British right has collapsed and the centre is now under attack

Andy rallies the British to try to establish a new line facing the enveloping French left 

Hoiwever he contimnues to lose troops

Including his gerenal, and the battle is lost

Another great game, some interesting challenges, but.., its fantasy.. and a nice aesthetic and fun are simply all it's about.