Fireball Forward! Darkness Before the Dawn

Ran the scenario yesterday for the 3rd or 4th time.  Still managing to mess up some simple rules, Suppression - BAH!, Overruns - BAH!, Close Combat against a single guy - BAH!  (till the last turn that is).  Almost forgot that a 1 on the Malf roll stills need a second roll to confirm it.  It was a fun game the time I forgot that for a few turns, half the guns on the board were malfed.

Table Setup.  Both sides get points for holding buildings, Germans get them for each Panther moved off the board and the US gets them for each Panther Destroyed.

End of Turn 1.  A US Bazooka team takes out a Panther, 1VP for the US!  The square blocks are blinds, the game uses hidden movement but I find it a pain and go with blinds.  Each side gets one dummy blind and one real one for each Platoon.  Works out pretty well but am thinking of going with 2 smaller blinds per unit so they can split up.  I'm also going to be spiffing them up with Allied and Axis symbols on the back sides instead of empty like now.

End of turn 2.  Sorry about the light being bad.  Since this scenario takes place at night perhaps it is appropriate...
Quite a lot going on by the end of this turn.  The Germans are heading off to the northern exit (off to the right) and the middle road is getting congested with dead vehicles.  

End of turn 3.  The Germans take one of the VP buildings!  One VP for them (they get 5 if they capture all three of the buildings off to the right).  The middle road is a death trap for either side.

End of turn 4.  The Germans overrun all the US survivors and the 57mm gun had no luck firing at a Panther.  On the middle road the Germans clear out the remaining US forces

The Germans capture the Farm Complex (off to the right) in a CC with a single US leader (looking through the rules the leader would have to run away even on a draw, oops).  The Panthers on the road hustle off the board, another Panther bogs on the Hedgerow and the last VP building is Close Assaulted by the Germans (US units were pinned after being fired on, another was Broken).  CC ends up as a US win so they hold the final VP building for a DRAW!  US go 6 points for six destroyed Panthers and one VP building while the Germans got 5 VP for the right building complex and 2 VP for the Panthers off the road.

Painted Minis

Finished painting a batch of miniatures.  First batch in a while.  Now that the group down in Florida shows some interest I have the urge to paint again...

First up the UK forces.  These are from the GHQ Glider troop Combat Command.  Now to get a Pegasus Bridge model for them to assault!

Jeeps and FOs

The Gliders, Leaders, MMGs, and others.

Grenade throwing guys (and a rifleman joined up).  I really dislike the grenade throwing guy pose.

SMG guys.  I like SMG guys!

And the early war Polish troops.  This is a mix of the Polish Combat Command and a standard Polish infantry box.

Heavy Squads (they have an LMG on the base).  For games where squad stands are mixed, in Fireball Forward there are Heavy and Regular squads so I use an LMG figure to distinguish.

MMGs and Mortars behind them.  Off to the Right are the ATRs and behind them are LMGs.

Individual Riflemen!  YUP - I play skirmish games in 6mm, you can fit a whole game on half a banquet table easy!

Polish Vehicles and 75mm guns just to the right of them.  I guess I still need to get the obligatory Cavalry...

Commands and Colors Epic: Mockern

Played this one today with Ken, Danny, and Kinley.  Kinley and I were the French, Danny was the Russians, and Ken was the Prussians.  I did not know anything in particular of the battle other than it was part of Leipzig.

The setup.  My French are in the lower right corner, Kinley's on the left, the Russians top right and the Prussians top left.  The Prussians and Russians get points for moving units off the lower edge of the table and capturing the towns - one in the center, and other near the river, and the big one off to the left about the bottom left of the picture.

End of the game is a resounding victory for French arms!  The Prussians had just taken the town in the center when the French play an Elan! card and manage to activate almost every possible unit on the left flank.  The town was retaken and a Prussian unit or two eliminated while the cavalry (up top with the die next to it) goes on a rampage and eliminates a couple more units.  This puts the French well over the Victory Point cap to win the game.

ASL mini campaign Broadway to Prokhorovka. Journal 52

Tycho and I played the first four turns of this scenario today.  Tycho is the Russians and I am the Germans.  Once again VASL froze up so I lost the log BUT I am taking screen shots at the end of each turn so I have things to show.

The setup.  The Germans have to get 40cvp off the right edge OR keep the Russians from having an MMC in the red lined area at game end.  I am shooting for keeping the Russians out of the red lined area but will go for the exit win if I see an opening.

End of Russian turn 1.  The spot with the ambush note was the only one where the Russians got smoke - and they tried for it a LOT.  Smoke was effective however and the Russians moved up to my squad in the smoke and into CC.  Getting the ambush I retreated out, I needed those guys to hold the line.  My 9-2 in the building at the top, worthless.

End of German turn 1.  Reinforcements enter the board.  Gun at top should have fired at the blasted Russian MTR since I HATE those things.  On the plus side I rolled gusts so rain started (overcast) and the smoke when away.

End of Russian turn 2.  Russian MTR DMs the gun crew and my MMG group can keep the Russians away.  Pinned and pinned again.  CC ensues and turn to Melee with no one hurt.  Tycho rolled a 3 so rain went away.

End of German turn 2 where my PMC takes a pounding, Tiger was hit on the first shot at it (with a +4 hindrance and motion penalty - snakes man snakes).

Except my own of course.  Although every time I rolled them this game so far it was with a leaderless IFT shot...

End of Russian turn 3.  My Panzer 4 makes up for the Tiger that was killed (well, not really - whine!).  My boys in the building near the top kill off the Russians in CC and the reinforcements he tried to send in Reinforcements but they are pinned in the street.  He also took possession of my 75L gun!  The dirty dog!

End of German turn 3.  German tanks move to engage near the top of the map.  In an exchange of fire no one is hit.  My PZIV down below presses his luck when he didn't need to.

End of Russian turn 4.  SU76s take shots at the Tiger and miss.  Tiger fires at T34 in Defensive and burns it, then turns to fire MGs at the SU76 above (and thus put front armor towards both SU76).  PZIV down below is shocked.

End of German turn 4.  The Riger takes out another SU76 but does not cause it to burn.  The other SU76 turns and fires at my OP tank since it has little chance of hurting the Tiger (could immobilize it or get Snakes - I hate snakes). 

If I had to lay bets at this point I would say the Germans are going to win, but this is ASL and anthing can happen.  For campaign purposes the Russians are currently winning.  The Germans get 5 points for winning the scenario but the Russians get 6 (2 each for the VP hexes).  Both sides get points of some kind for vehicles that are mobile at game end and the Germans might take it on the chin for other losses.  Two turns and two more campaign scenarios left to go...

End of Russian turn 5.  The SU76 gambit to take out my OP tank ends with the death of the SU76, will have to see if the OP tank is gone.

German turn 5.  I calculated that I would need two VC buildings to "win" the campaign day so go after two of them that are in range.  The first is just above the smoke marker in the street - will capture that easily enough.  The second is near the top left and has that pinned Russian in it and my tank next to it.  I moved a bunch of guys up to try and get to it but one got pinned and the others were just out of reach.

End of Russian turn 6.  The T34 repairs his gun and overruns my two groups in the open, nobody can make a 1mc...  So much for that push.  Then a lousy Russian squad makes a PATC and KILLS my tank in CC.  ANOTHER campaign victory point for the Russians.

I get troops into the hex next to the building but the Russian MTR DMs them with a 2mc, game over.  It ended up with 8 Russian VC to 7 German.  

The scenario on it's own would be a German walkover in our opinion since to win that simply requires holding the Red Lined area or getting enough VC off the map.  The red lined area was never threatened by the Russians so that is just not likely.  The addition of losses and those extra VC buildings counting for the campaign should really be made part of the stand alone scenario VC.

ASL Classic Scenario H: Escape from VELIKIYE LUKI

Played this one on Friday with Bob Z over VASL.  Looking back I lied to him about Freedom of Movement that could have made a difference.  I'll console myself with it probably not being a big difference and I would not have taken the shots knowing they would grant FOM.  (OK, enough goveling).  This is one of the classics of course - straight from Squad Leader.  We liked it enough to decide to play it again with the same sides and trying different tactics and setups (maybe...).

The setup as I saw it.  My guys are all in 3 real Cloaking counters, the 10-2 and two squads above the woods area.  The 9-1 above the other little woods and the 8-0 next to him.  

End of German turn 1.  The Russians did not make a single Starshell roll and every low IFT roll they made was against a dummy Cloaking Counter.  I should have had my 10-2 and squads decloak when fired upon so the RU squad would have been uncealed when I advanced it.  Missed an ambush and the Russians and Germans both killed a squad in CC.  Russian player choose to not go after the squad with the German Leader, should have though since he rolled low enough to have caused a Casualty Reduction that might have killed the 10-2.  Russian big leader could start rolling for FoM right away.

End of Russian turn 1.  Russians find a Starshell, most firing is ineffective.  The RU guys on the hill fired on my guys in AA4 I think which allowed the guys in Y8 to fire on the gunflash.  Would not have if I had remembered that should cause FoM for them.  

End of German turn 2.  The Starshell placement was PERFECT.  Germans could run around the Russian defenses without needing to roll for straying (for most of them) and without being able to be fired upon.  Forgot about FoM being allowed when fired upon again... 

End of Russian turn 2.  That Freedom of Movement would have made a difference here.  Remember for next playing...

End of German turn 3.  With no unbroken enemies nearby the Germans use Starshells to light the way and RUN!  The RU big leader with the MMG sees them in the starshell light however (should have gone to D0/DD0 instead of EE1, ah well).  The shots does no damage but the RU leader is free to move now.

End of Russian turn 3.  The Russian leader starts moving but troops have a LONG way to go to stop the Germans.

End of German turn 4.  ANOTHER perfect Starshell placement (and this one was truly perfect).  The Germans run around where the Russians can not see them.  Getting very close to exiting the map now.

End of Russian turn 4.  Another exchange of fire goes all the German way again.

End of German turn 5.  Starshells placed right above their heads - no Russians have LOS to where the Germans are going and the Starshells allow them to move without rolling for Straying.

End of Russian turn 5.  Hoping for a wild Starshell placement and no luck.  Germans refrain from shooting - might cause a sniper and that would be BAD.

End of German turn 6 and the game.  The Germans are on a road and run right off the board.  Only worry is if there was a HIP Russian unit guarding the road and there was not.  A good scenario and a really good one for learning the night rules, a few squads in battle at a time with a large area to cover and a large initial NVR value (ours never changed throughout the game either).  Looking forward to playing it again and not cheating my way to a win.  I don't mind getting rules wrong but I do mind when it really contributed to my winning.

With that I am actually CAUGHT UP on my game blogging, every game since I've started the blog is now written up.  WOOHOO!

ASL scenario J112: Prelude to Dying

No Pictures or nutin for this one, VASL croaked and took my vlog with it!

I played the Partisans in this one (once again) and got slaughtered, only fair after the last two!

Hopefully VASL will not croak on me next game.

Anyway, the scenario itself - probably a good one but I played horribly, out of position to start and over reacted from there.

Fireball Forward Operation Crusader scenario 1

I ran a game of Fireball Forward today.  Playing the game were my son as the Germans and my friend Cass as the UK in the first scenario of the Operation Crusader scenario book.  The game was played with 6mm miniatures and I used Hinches for inches.  Allowing the 6' by 6' map to be setup on a 3' by 3' table space.  I also used blinds and like them - will be using them from now on.  Most likely 3 blinds per real unit.  For this game it was 2 blinds per real unit.

The setup for the game.  The German setup area is to the right of the grey line while the UK enters on the bottom left.  Finally on the Top Left and left hand side  is where the Germans can retreat off the map after turn 4.  The game last six turns.  The lined felt is a wadi and depressions while the other two bits of felt are higher ground.

End of turn 1.  The UK enter the board while the Germans moved forward to try and get some early spotting and kills.  Both sides get some crappy rolls and no damage is done to either side. 

End of turn 2.  More firing and no kills.  One of the Germans does fail a morale check and somebody breaks a gun (the pink circle thing)

End of turn 3.  The UK forces swamp the German Armored cars (and got lucky when they are not hit by them).  Two German Armored Card are destroyed and the last one (with the broken gun) fails a morale check and is broken status.

A closeup of the Armored Cars getting swamped.

End of turn 4.  A German 232 Armored car runs forward and manages to kill two Crusader 1 tanks (lucky shooting).  In return he is fired upon by the remaining Crusader and a Humber and fails a morale check.  Further up the other 232 Armored car is destroyed by a lucky shot from another Humber.  Finally the UK finally gets arty contact and brings down a barrage on top of the German Panzerjager 1 mobile AT guns.  It is not pretty as both of them fail their morale checks.

And the end of the game, the UK Humbers rush forward and kill one of the Panzerjaegers.  The Germans have no way to win at this point and the game is called.

Some really crappy luck mixed with good luck in this one.  The early shooting was without any kills and then it was deadly - mostly for the Germans however.  With fast moving Humbers getting critical hits while needing a 7 on a D6 (you can get that by being within a range die that is also rolled), a 6 also meaning a critical hit so armor is not as good as it could be.    Looking to play another game at the end of April.