Chain of Command Tank Fest...

Yesterday we (Jason & Gus and me...) play tested the latest CoC rules for the Tank section, we decided to just use tanks in this playtest for a quicker turn around and not to be distracted by the infantry element of the game system which is pretty sound at the moment.

Gus and Jason pondering over troop selections...

We set up the terrain as a river valley area Northern France, with two bridges over a river, a small bombed out village with major road network and plenty of entry points on board edges...

picky of the battle board...

Initial forces were as below:-
Me, German: a full panzer section of 5 Panzer IV's with a junior leader in each tank, and a leader in tank 111, using my newly purchased PSC tanks painted by Jason, who takes commissions by the way...
Jason & Gus, Allies: 3 x Sherman & 1 x Firefly, and 3 x Cromwell's & 1 x Firefly...

"Nice new PzIV's, they wont last long, newly acquired tanks and figures never do..."

 

We found the initial first few turns were taken with getting the majority of our forces onto the board, using the random roll for where the individual tanks would appear on the board edge 1 per entry point, if we got the correct Command rolls?

 

"Sherman enters the board rushing for the village cover and trying to match the PzIV entering near the bridge."

 

"Platoon command enters the board and takes shot across the board to Sherman at entry point, and brews it straight away, living up to the Ronson name."

"Ronson" 

 

"Firefly makes a run up the road to try and flank the panzer..."

 

"Sherman platoon commander exchanges shots with the panzer IV, but he misses and my shot hits and penetrates, causing the main gun to be put out of action..."

"The Firefly shot hits and brews the tank sky high with 4 penetration hits... Boom!!!!"

"The remaining 3 panzers make for the bridge but the command dice just were not with me on this run..."

 

"Advance of the Allies"

 

         "Platoon commander burning from Sherman shot from the bridge."

 

Then the gunfire started Gus opening up first on one of my panzer IV's with a Sherman, we used the latest version of the tank rules for this game... not overly impressed with the to hit/penetration being on the same roll, but hey we stuck with it to test it out... the result of the game was that the Allies got all the Sherman platoon on and one of the Cromwell's, all but one of the PzIV's were on but by the end there were 1 Sherman burning, 1 damaged being the platoon commanders with main gun out of action and two PzIV's burning, one of which was the platoon commander, at this my morale folded and we withdrew discretion being better than valour.

 

The second game saw us use a 3 x Sherman & 1 x Firefly, versus a lone Panther, we actually used the version 3 tank rules using a single to hit dice, and if hit then using the penetration and armour dice to determine penetrating hits if any, this seemed to play and feel better than using the dice role for to hit / penetration on the same dice roll, just did not feel right for some reason, I think the guys concurred with my feelings and agreed a better game was had using this system, the command dice and orders set up is great but its just the firing mechanism just doesn't sit right, feedback will be sent to rich and fellow play-testers...

 

"Panther advances to the bridge to attain better fire arc, and LOS on the advancing Sherman's..."

 

"Advancing Sherman with Firefly back up..."

"Panther at the bridge and view of the village and Shermans in the distance..."

 

This yet again resulted in a Allied victory, with the Panther being taken out by a flank shot from the Firefly, by all that's fair in wargaming that Firefly should have been burning, but I couldn't hit a barn door with an elephant that day!!! and I had sent the tank on a foolish errand to mix it with the Sherman's in the village, instead of going on over-watch and waiting for the shot again, but hey its only a game, and no one was actually harmed...

 

Operation Market Larden and other ramblings...

A little while since my last post... Apologies... Been busy looking after the parents, there's a turn around!

Anyways, we (myself, Gus, Jason and Panjo) went to Evesham yesterday to the Market Larden event organised by Ade and his pals at Wyvern Wargames Group to playtest and play numerous Too Fat Lardies games, and others... the games were as listed below... sorry if I forgot anyone...

Mud and the Blood Russian / Japanese game

Dux

Tin Star

Steam Punk 1930's air combat

IABNM "I aint been nuked mum"

Sharpe Practice

IABSM

Chain of Command - CoC with Rich Clarke himself running the many games and explaining the rules to those that have not played and also correcting those that have!!

Well Done and thanks Mr. Clarke!

Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera, left it on the dining room table, it was 5.15am when I left home, still half asleep as I didn't have chance top get a coffee first thing due to Jason arriving early to pick me up... Many thanks to Grasshopper for driving there and back, cheers matey... and to the old buggers in the back of the car, who provided entertainment when they were awake that is... poor old fellows...

I managed to get three games in during the day, which I must say was a very entertaining and enjoyable day and look forward to doing it again next year, its nice to play other people who you may never have met before in your life...

First game played was a new rules set in play test at the moment... Tin Star by Geoff Bond... cue the western music... All four of us played the game...
This game system has great potential, plays quick with loads of gunfire, running around depending on your choices, gunfire hits and wounds depend on what you and your target have done in the 3 phase turn, and you roll dice and if the dice roll ends up a statement that has occurred during that turn you have missed etc... if false you have hit, this depends on type of weapon being shot at what range, being shot at during turn, action of target moving etc., cover taken or in, and then type of wound, then there was a melee dice, this sounds a bit complicated but it plays really, really well and with all of us playing it, could not find any flaws or problems with it and we didn't manage to break the system, we liked it so much we asked to play test it going forward...

Then onto some CoC with Mr Clarke running the show... Myself and a chap named Tim taking the Jolly Brits... and Gus and another chap, sorry memory block playing the nasty Boche, a good game was had, as Tim and the other chap had not played previously we let them play as such and we assisted or hindered them... we had 3 squads platoon command section and two tanks, a Cromwell and a Churchill, the germans again 3 squads, platoon command and a Panther!!
There was a village crossroads to capture and hold, we took the village first, and held the buildings to the south the germans had squads flanking our teams and a fire team covering the house and then the panther came on pounding the building, we managed to give the two squads on our flank a bit of a thrashing, however the fire from three german squads with mg42's and the panther firing at our squads caused many casualties, the two tanks of ours arriving too late to play a major part in the action, but the Cromwell rushed in fast to assist the infantry in their final last ditched assault, culminating in the destruction of our forces and the final bit of the units morale levels... Gus managing as usual to save multiple hits and throwing loads of one's on his force morale, jammy git!!!! 

The last game that I played was IABNM the adapted version of IABSM for warfare in the 70's/80's/90's "I Ain't Been Nuked Mum" in testing at the moment... This was run by Nick Overland, a meeting engagement between the Bundeswehr (Me) and Russian Forces (Elton & Noddy) sorry cannot remember yopur real names, but your Clarke nick names stuck!!!, this game was very bloody, the Germans having 2 platoons of infantry in 3 Marders each and a company command in 2 Marders and a FOO in a M113, and a platoon of 3 leopard 1's against a similar Russian force in BMP 1's and a troop of T64's, tough nuts to crack, managed  to kill most of the Russian infantry with fire from the concentration of Marders and infantry, but my flanking leopards only managed to take out 1 of the three 64's, all but 2 of the 8 Marders were brewed up, but the crossroads we were fighting over still being contested at the end of the game, the Russians only having two full squads left at the end and two T64's... The highlight of the game being when I nearly dropped in artillery on the town but the ranging shot dropped 15" short!!!  nearly onto my remaining infantry who had taken cover on the lea of the hills, the FOO screaming "Nicht Fuer, Nicht Fuer!!!" saved me from a hiding from my own guns, a real case of Blue on Blue, a great game which was so to and fro kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through... Loads of shells, small arms, rockets and missiles flying back and forth...
Thanks for a great game guys, again have requested to join the play test group for this game system, look forward to getting my 6mm Germans and Russian forces out again....

Thanks to everyone who attended and organised the games day at Evesham, looking forward to the next one!!!

Only down side was that I missed the Devon Wargames Club day with the excellent looking Pegasus Bridge game, run by JJ using the Battle Group Overlord rules... but unfortunately you cannot be in two places at once, oh if only...

Enough rambling for now... now to try and finish re-basing my 28mm Napoleonic's... PVA, sand, ink, dry brushing and static grassing 100's of bases mmmmmm nice.....

ACW Battle of Pengilly's Farm Blackpowder Rules

AAR for the 28mm American Civil War Battle of Pengilly's Farm using the Black Powder Rules played last Tuesday with Gus (Murchie), Jason (Grassshopper) and Paul (Panjo).

I had set the game up using some of the forces from the 1st Battle of Bull Run, stating that these forces had met prior to this historic battle in 1861, the Union forces having invaded the Southern territory, the Rebs rushing troops to meet the aggressors, at the important crossroads area of the Pengilly Farm and road junction at Murchie wood, map board shown on previous post.

Board from the North East

Board from South West

Jason and Gus taking the Union forces, Paul and myself taking the Rebels...

This particular battle scenario, allowed the Union players to deploy the 2nd Division of the Army of North Eastern Virginia first two Brigades, (1st Brigade - Porter & 2nd Brigade - Burnside) of his force anywhere on the board up to 12" from the southern edge of the board, they would then have to dice for arrival of their remaining Brigades, one each turn, turn one a 1 on a D6, turn two 2 on a D6 and so on, but then random road arrival, 1 East, 2 West 3, 4, North West & 5,6 North East, so long as they controlled those areas still, if enemy held the road entry point they would have to reroll...

The Union Line of defence drawn along the road and fence line...

 

Union left anchored at the Pengilly Farm

The "Pengilly Crossroads" defended by .

With Gen. Hunter observing the oncoming Rebs...

Union Militia ready for the rebs at the fence line just in front of the stone walled Orchard "Murchie Wood"...

Union far right, the Berdan Sharpshooters at the "Grasshopper Church", with the 5th US Artillery D Coy and militia in support...

The Rebs could bring on their whole force, Johnston's Army of the Shenandoah, on turn one anywhere along the Southern edge, however they could allocate one Brigade to conduct a flank march on the enemy, again a random roll for arrival depending on the turn they were to test on arrival, and random roll of arrival, 1-2 East Road, 3 Southern Road - They got lost and arrived in the rear of your Army, 4-5 West road, 6 Hurrah!! Get the drop on the enemy and arrive in road area anywhere on the map, even in the rear of the enemy!!

Panjo in true Reb tradition allocated a Brigade to conduct a flanking march, this being job being given to the 3rd Brigade under Bee...

The remainder of the Army would attack the Union lines head on...

I took the option of having the commanders secretly roll for their command rating, this being done for each of their brigade commands and the Division/Army commands, Panjo rolled his command dice adding 4 to a D6 roll, we got a total of a 6 for Johnston!!! 8 for Jackson, not bad, 7 for Bartow, 9 for Bee getting better... then we got 5 yes a 5 for Smith and another 5 for Stuart, Disaster!!!! Panjo had my dice from the previous evening where I was rolling 2's 3's and 4's on 2D6!!!
The Union, unbeknown to us had 10 for Gen Hunter, 10 for porter, and a 6 for Burnside, another 10 for Gen Taylor 1st Division, 7 for Keyes, 6 for Schenck, 6 for Sherman, and 9 for Richardson, next time I think I will pre-set the command levels...

Turn 1 Panjo rolls for Jackson to advance he scores enough for the Brigade to have three turns of movement, this gives him enough to get into the Yanks with a Rebel Yell, getting stuck in to them on the Reb left flank at the church and the woods, the centre Stuart is able to advance for two turns with his cavalry, even with a 5 on his command!! The right however commanded by yours truly, is unable to get the Brigades of Bartow and Smith to advance onto the field!!! utter failure...

Jackson's & Stuart's Brigade advance to contact...

The Union Command looks on slightly concerned knowing the quality of the troops on their right...

Looking down the Union line, with the Reb charge at the point of contact prior to the Blue bellies firing their here they come shooting... 

 

The fight for the church...

Jackson's boys close with the New York Militia's with rested weapons on the five foot fence...

1st Virginia cavalry charge the Union dismounted cavalry in the wheatfield at the cross roads...

 

After the gallant charge of the Reb Brigades of Jackson and Stuart, the Union ripped into the enemy with their initial volleys, all troops having the "Freshly Raised" special rule, where you have to test the troops reactions when first firing and/or fighting (1 = Terror, only hit on a 6 and disordered, 2-3 = Panic, only hit on a 6, 4-5 Sterling Job, carry on as normal, 6 = Hurrah! additional shoot or fight dice) most of the union had a mix of 1's 2's 3's and 4's, the rebs 2's 4's and a 6... however the fire from the gun and militia was too much for one regiment and it retired... the cavalry drew the fight and mounted bounced back, the other fight was a draw in the centre near the wood area, the regiment on the reb left fighting the sharp shooters took too much damage and lost the fight and quit the field... 



Stuart's 1st Virginians fail to break the line and recoil back...

Jackson's 27th Virginians recoil from the charge and the artillery effects...

 

 

The union seeing the opportunity move their troops on their right, forward into the woods along the road behind the stone wall, to enfilade the 2nd Virginia cavalry, this would become a bloody wheatfield... the reminder of the union forces on the union left held their line with most of them either disordered from the reb charge or still fighting, the sharpshooters take up position in the church flanking the reb left... 

 

Panjo's dice failed him to bring on the reserve Brigade of Bee... 

 

Union 2nd New Hampshire advance  to enfilade the 2nd Virginian cavalry, the 71st new York advance to cover them...

Bloody close quarters fighting in the centre the union militia volunteers acquitting themselves very well, they really should not have held!!!

Enfilade Fire!! really hurts...

 

Turn Two comes and goes with more melee and shooting however unbelievably the union militia line still holds, what do we have to do? Get decent dice would be a start, Panjo throws some decent hit dice, but Gus practically saves most of the hits!!! The Reb right flank arrives with Bartow's Brigade of two regiments candidly moves on the board for one move but this is halved for moving through the woods... Panjo fails to bring in Bee's Brigade again... damn these dice today...

Bartow moves up at last...

Jackson, brings in the support to lay more fire on the union line while the regiment in front fights for dear live in front across the fence line...

At last the rebs push back the militia but are so exhausted cannot capitalise on their success...

 

Turn three the rebs throw more troops into the fray, and the union, straighten the line rallying the militia unit that retired throwing them back into the line to block the gap... then disaster for us an additional Union Brigade arrives....

Yet again Panjo's dice fail him no sign of Bee's reserve Brigade, damn these roads damn these dice....

Union Reserve Brigade arrives...

Union line straighten up again...

Union reserve Brigade joins the line...

 

And with this arrival and the Rebs taking a bit of a battering from the union militia on the left Panjo the Reb command calls his units to retire from the field, discretion being the better part of valour...

Union command look to the rules for clarity on the rebs running from the field from union militia, is this supposed to happen??

Mr P... looks to the North with disgust at his and my poor dice rolling and Gus's jammy union militia

 

 

Having played these rules several time now, I like the various special rules, when we can remember them, the command structure side of the game and the possibility of multiple move rates within one turn, but I am not yet convinced on the shoot and melee side just yet, I don't think I will use them again for the Sudan games, but may try them again for the ACW...

Yet a fun game was played and gave the chance for the boys to come over... and get some of the figures out of their boxes...

 

We then went down stairs and played a couple of games of Z games "Pandemic" and we won both games, saving the planet from devastation, but it was damn close both times...