East Front (Block Game)

Started a second game of East Front, the Columbia block game, last Saturday.  We got through all of the summer with a couple of rules oops that were cleaned up.  The one I remember is that HQs could move two spaces if they did not get used for combat support - I thought it was just one, this allowed the Russians to run away more quickly.  Another one I noticed later (not really a goof, just did not think of the implications till later) is that a unit can only disengage to a friendly hex, that could make a very big difference in my opening moves for the next time.

Opening Setup - Hey that looks familiar...

End of German June 41, A Blitz in the middle threatens to encircle a large Russian force.  Should have done two blitz moves!  Another one in the North would have bagged them!  Last game the first battles did not go as well...

End of Russian turn June 41, The forces that can retreat do so, others stay in place since leaving would allow parting shots by the Germans and this way the Germans forces are slowed up a little bit.

July 41

End of German first Impulse.  Pushing further on.   A number of Russians die from lack of supply.

End of Russian first impulse.

End of German second Impulse.  No big breakthroughs since the Russians are trading space for time.  It is using up German supply too.

Russian second impulse.

August 41

German first impulse, pushing forward and trying to hoard supply.  Odessa is in trouble.

Russian first impulse.  Odessa is left a token defender (can only supply one unit when hex is contested - which it soon will be).  The rest of the line pulls back where it can.

German second impulse, the advance continues  and Odessa falls.

Russian second impulse, trading more space for more time.

September 41

German first impulse, a blitz attack to get near Lenningrad (leaving that HQ only 0 supply).  Elsewhere the Germans move out from Odessa and on to Moscow!  (still two hexes away).

Hardly any changes in the Russian impulse, supplies are minimal and space is gone.

German second impulse, supplies for them are minimal as well. 

End of Russian second impulse.  The Germans are just within striking distance of both Moscow and Leningrad but supplies are minimal and a couple drops of rain fell in the last couple days, and the temperature has started to fall...

6MM Helicopter Holders

I finally came up with a cheap and easy way to store my helicopters on their flight stands.  Materials are tubular foam insulation from Home Depot with a 1" inner diameter (the flight stands have a 1" hexagonal base on the bottom), Really Useful Boxes from Staples, and some cardboard cut to size - foam core would do nicely for that as well.

The tubular insulation.  They were about $2.50 each.  The two of them will probably be all I ever need.

Cut the cardboard or foam core to size so it fits snugly in the box you will hold the Helicopters in.  Cut the tubular insulation so it covers the base.  I cut mine at about 3/4" high. 

Glue the rings to the cardboard and let sit overnight to dry.  In the morning put the helicopters in.

Some aircraft as well.  Next up is to make these for my Vietnam helicopters as well.

A possible addition would be to make columns that fit snugly against the top of the carry case to keep the whole thing from bouncing around if I hit a bump while driving to the game location.  Total cost was $5 for the tube insulation and $15 for the boxes.  If I needed to buy foam core it is available for $1 a sheet at the local dollar store. 

Hail Caesar at SJCW

Played Hail Caesar at SJCW (South Jersey Confederation of Wargamers) on July 8th.  Amazingly the traffic was not bad, my dice rolls were another matter.  Atrocious is a good description.  Despite my exceeding amount of whining I had fun (thanks Bill!) and decided to pick up the rules.  Along with Bolt Action and Black Powder I might be turning into a Warlord boy...

The start of the battle (or when Jordan and I arrived, I thought the game started at 1pm).  Yup, that is my son Jordan at the top right.  He actually wanted to play a game without tanks!  The battle is Germans vs Romans, or more likely Roman allied Germans vs Germans not allied with Rome.

Pictures appear to be out of sequence.  This is later in the game when my first line was crushed by two morale rolls of 2,1 in a row, leaving the fellow off to my left to hold the line (I forget his name, sorry - I'm TERRIBLE with names).  Run Away, Run Away!

There is my line, up on the hill (second from the top of picture).  Now you see now you don't...

Romans beating up on Germans.

I'll quit pretending I remember anything exact about these and just post the pictures.  Bill's miniatures are lovely and the Cigar Box Battle Mat (I think it is CBB) is very nice.

ASL scenario J41: On Our Own

Robert Zinselmeyer and I played ASL scenario Journal 41: On Our Own back in July (yup, I'm behind on the logs again, shocking!).  Fun all infantry scenario.  The Norwegians have to take 16 building locations on board 22 while sustaining less then 10 CVP.

Situation at start, board 22 is the lower one.  German reinforcements enter on turn 3. 

Only damage done on first half of turn 1 is Defending German MG squad on left is broken.  Not looking good for the Wehrmacht!  If the Norwegians blast a hole in the line this quickly they can force the Germans to counter attack in order to win.

End of Allied turn 1.  We both forgot that German MMGs are rout portable, no harm since the Leader did not manage to find it although I most likely would have broke and routed him too in that case (he was pinned).

End of German turn 2.  The dice are swinging to German favor this half of the turn by putting a hurting on the Norwegian kill stack.  The German MTR in the center is saved by the fire from himself and the squad to the right - they manage to pin and DM two adjacent units.  The German MMG squad rallied and retook their position in the line as well.

End of Allied turn 2.  Not a whole lot happened.  Steady push up to attack.

The Allies manage to break the MMG nest to the left again.  Blowing a hole in the German line

The Allies pour through the left edge and the middle - the German LMG between them holding on valiantly for dear life...

German turn 3 reinforcements start to arrive.  A lucky roll by the Norwegian HS might have spelled big trouble but the LOS is blocked and the resulting Little Sniper wounds the Norwegian 9-2 leader.

End of German turn 3.  Other reinforcements enter without being shot at and take up positions and everyone advances into position.  The LMG squad in the center fell back to the building. 

End of Allied turn 4.  Norwegians still pushing for the VC buildings.  In the center the LMG squad eliminates a Norwegian squad for FTR when it is broken by fire from the 9-1 stack.  On the right the German MTR HS is taken out by ambush.

End of German turn 4, a 467 fires on a broken HS rolling snakes - killing the HS.  Every CVP counts.  In the middle the LMG squad falls back again while the 9-1 stack loses one squad to fire from the left.

The Germans cause the 10th CVP on the Norwegians and it is all wrapped up.  The CVP cap make this a tough one for the Norwegians.

A fun scenario easily played in one sitting.  Not sure of the balance though both sides had lucky and unlucky times - the LMG in the center caused a major headache for the Norwegians having broken his kill stack up and then holding on till the end of the game.  I'd happily play it again as either side.

ASL 86: Fighting Back

Early war scenario showing the Pols counterattacking the Germans.  I played poorly and had some lousy luck.  But mostly I played poorly and gave up too soon.

Game setup, Poles have to take the buildings marked with a V to win.  Reinforcements enter on the left side where the line is on turn 4.

First turn charge onto the board.  I wasted the tanks moving them forward to quickly.

End of game on turn 4, again moving the tanks too quickly down below - losing all of them to a German AT gun.  Over half the game left and I threw in the towel.  WHINE!!!

Columbia Games East Front

Quick notes from a game of East Front by Columbia games.  Played this on June 10th.

June, 1941, Operation Barbarossa begins.

End of June, Not as much progress as I had hoped.  Probably should have started more battles than I had.  Well, it is a learning game.  We were fumbling through the rules a good bit - they are not complex but it was a first game.

Another picture of the end of the first turn.

End of July.

A solid front?  Something is not right...

End of August.

Russians pull back a bit - attacking river lines is a PITA!  A 1 or 2 repulses a unit and you can only get one unit across per hexside.  We did manage to surround some Russians this turn.

End of September, just before possible mud.

Russian line was shattered BUT checking the victory conditions the Germans are just barely getting by - and that due only to the extensive number of Russian units currently eliminated.  First count through I forgot to subtract 40 and it seemed like blowout.  It would really depend on the weather rolls for the next month, mud and it would be a long slog for the Germans, clear and it would very likely be game over for the Russians.

We are set to restart the game this coming Saturday.  We will see how are play progresses.