Japanese Crossfire force

Last of the Crossfire Japanese for the Pacific for now is the completion of the solitary Type 97 Japanese medium tank. This entire project has been a bit of an impulsive one. It began with inspiration from Brett Simpson's work exhibited on the Crossfire Fb page, was fuelled by the impulsive purchase of a box of Airfix Japanese infantry, and then supported with some Eureka support weapons, and an Airfix Japanese Type 97 tank, all in 20mm. Finally I took the time to create the terrain scatter pieces to give a better table to aesthetic.

There would be a lot more to do if I wanted 'go the whole hog', but this will do for now. There are five Crossfire platoons (if I used them for Spearhead -which I am tempted to do - that would be not quite two battalions), three HMGs, three 50mm Grenade Launchers, and the tank. Who knows when they might actually see action on the table.

The completed selection

The Type 97 Chi Ha tank

Volley and Bayonet to the fore

This week's 'gaming brought to the fore the flexibility of my fave war games rules set: Volley and Bayonet, with two games over two nights.

The first game was an historical scenario from the Nine Years War (League of Augsberg), using Adrian's beautifully painted 15mm figures.

This second game was a simple introductory American Civil War scenario for potential new player  Murray, using my own 15mm armies.

The point here is that despite these two conflicts being 170 years apart, and despite the Nine Years War taking place in the decade preceding what was intended to be the start of the period covered by Volley and Bayonet (1700-1900), the rules cope astoundingly well using those small 'sub period' tweaks we often talk about, giving great games that seem to have the feel, and produce the historical outcomes, that are all plausible and reasonable.

Just 'love 'em'....

Japanese support weapons

Another small step forward in the 20mm Crossfire 'Pacific Theatre' project: some Japanese support weapons. I'd originally intended to buy some of the SHQ infantry sourced from 'Grubby Tanks', as these were recommended as the best fit with the Airfix Japanese infantry I have painted with respect to size. However the comms lines went dead after a couple of emails (I hope everything is alright for him) so I looked around and finally settled on the Eureka 20mm figures, which are not too bad as an overall fit. I'd just put in a plug for Eureka here .. when the figures arrived they must have ranked amongst the best packaging for despatch for figures I have ever received.  I write and told him so!!!

So, three HMGs, and three small (50mm) mortars ( called 'knee mortars' but actually more of a grenade launcher from what I have read so far.. always open to correction!!). The mortars theoretically don't need to be on table in Crossfire, but.. hey.. who can resist.

Next up, I bought a Japanese tank for Crossfire... as they are an infantry rules set pitched as the squad/platoon/company level of command, there's not much need for tanks, but they can be incorporated so.. what the heck.

Medieval DBA games

A couple of DBA games were the order of the day (or the night) with Andy. My Anglo-Saxon army (III/24(b)) had only had one outing, and the new Vikings (III/40(a)) were champing at the bit for a 'bit of a go'. Andy accommodated with his Norse Irish, Book III, and Anglo Norman, Book IV. The games were played using our 15mm armies.

Game 1: Vikings vs Norse Irish.

Neither of us opted for a littoral landing (stupidly)

Andy's new medieval camp

My own new medieval camp

The Vikings tried to outflank on the right, using their speed, the Norse Irish threatened the other flank with Auxilia

In the centre the Viking fast blade began to make inroads against the Norse Irish spear

The blade were managing to stay alive despite being caught on the steep hills by the auxilia

The fast blade won the battle in the centre, a win to the Vikings

Game 2: Anglo Saxon vs Anglo Norman

The Normans mistakenly deployed their knights in line behind their spear

Andy attempted to push the knights across to the flank

Saxon hordes in the read.. 

The Saxon spear survive a combat with a stand of knight (on the left).. a 6 vs 1 can do that

A new DBA camp: Anglo Saxons

The aesthetic we build in our games has become increasingly important to me. Much of my previous 'gaming life has involved compromises, created by a mixture of cost and skill and time availability. I decided that I wanted to step things up a little, especially now that I have more time. I have been inspired too by my 'gaming colleagues who have themselves set new standards in scenery and army painting and basing.

I recently bought the figures for a camp for the Anglo-Saxon army.

The 'camp' with a couple of bases of the Anglo Saxons.

I struggled to get decent photos for these. Hmmm

The figures are from the Essex 15mm medieval range, and the 'pig on a spit' is from the Irregular Miniatures 15mm range (I really liked that!!). The barrels were 3D printed by friend Andy from files he created himself.

Vikings for DBA

Finally, the return of some painting 'mojo' with the application of the age old strategy, choose a smaller project from which you might be able to expect a relatively fast return. I have just completed painting the figures for a DBA Viking army, specifically the 'raider version with mostly fast blade, list III/40A.

The army is intended as a 'matched pair' with my Anglo-Saxon army. The list has a solid blade as general, 10 x fast blade,, and the twelfth element may be either a solid Bd, a fast Wb, or a Ps.

The completed army, with its options

Solid Bd general

The option.. Wb, or solid Bd, or Ps

Some of the fast Bd

Their 'camp' will be a beached longship.. I'll order one in the new year.

'Cry me a river'... an American Civil War game

All set to play a Balkan Wars game with Jon this week, I had a last minute change of heart and set up a 15mm ACW game that involved my first use of the new river gunboat USS Monitor. This fictional scenario was inspired by some of the readings on actions along some of then great rivers of North America in which armies were supported by flotillas of gunboats and other naval craft..

The scenario pitted a smaller Confederate force, against a larger Union attacking army. The confederate force was deployed mostly on the left side of a tributary to a much larger river, but with a division deployed on the other side intent on holding the town and bridge crossing vital to the Union advance. The game was played using my 15mm armies, and our fave Volley and Bayonet rules.

The gunboat on the main river at the bottom of the photo, with the Union forces advancing from the right. The bridge and town sector are in the centre foreground of the photo. The buildings on this town sector were scratch built.

My initial deployment of the Confederates was flawed, and I had to pull a brigade and supporting artillery back across the river from a very exposed position adjacent to the town sector. Jon placed the weight of his attack on his left, against the main objective, supported by the gunboat coming up the river.

The gunboat advancing slowly upriver in support of the union attack

The brigade and artillery beating a hasty retreat from its initial exposed position

On the confederate left the army cavalry brigade dismounted and deployed on foot in support of the left Division.  While not 'sharpshooters', their die rolls seemed blessed. . a LOT of 6's were rolled and they inflicted significant casualties on the Union right.

The first attack went in against the town .. and bounced, with one Union brigade routing away

In the firefight on the left one Confederate brigade was lost but ...

The pressure mounted against the town

A second attack .. which successfully pushed the defenders from the town

Union forces now hold the town

In the meantime the Union right flank brigade suffered such casualties that it went into morale collapse.. however soon after the opposing Confederate division was exhausted.. as was their right flank division.

Overall, with the Union centre divisions untouched, the confederate position was no longer tenable. A withdrawal was in order... 'Cry me a river' huh?