Normandy 44 - Utah Beach , playtest

Today  saw James come over to run a playtest (we are both playing Germans next week , with rest taking allied roles )from the beach landing part of next weeks big game. With naval gunfire , waves of bombers , then DD tanks and landing craft mechanisms to work through . I helped to work through the initial complex items and firm up some things re the landing schedule  and stuff to be written down for the allied players .  When this table is added to rest of it next week , it should ensure some problems to overcome and a good visual treat . It also served to focus the effort on a few bits this week

So a few teasers for you .

Hit the beach!

And in the style of Capa 

Normandy 44 - Utah Beach terrain progress

I am just about through the terrain works now. I have completed the sea wall with a few sections done  as breached. Lots of barbed wire sections , about 16 feet worth and a few minefield section. The Tobruks are done as are gun emplacements . Hoping to get a quick play test of the beach end of the table this weekend too .

Further behind the Grand Dune section there was a lot of flooded ground and I have done some sections of this . Martin has a load more as it’s about 16 square feet required . Going on I have a commission out to make some more bits for this as well.

Pleased with this effect , but not sure I will be able to replicate as all 4 have dried  differently 

 The area behind the dune was heavily flooded , Martin has made a load more bits for it . I just have the causeway through it to finish off .

4 flooded field sections made 

Gaming , BoB games 10 and 11

Today saw another couple of scenarios on the campaign ladder. Both having their challneges


                                                    Game 10 - RAF resources stretched

The RAF are having to deploy any aircraft that can fly... in this case a pair of Boulton Paul Defiants on patrol ,who have to deal with a pair of Me109's.  Now if you know your WW2 aircraft you can see the problem here... in real life this didn't go well , how would it go..

It was set up as dog fight encounter amongst the clouds. As this game was based on shortages it saw the return of PO McMillan who had recovered from his previous encounter but was flying with only  one good eye. He was accompanied by PO Scott.By dice roll the pair were bounced at short range as the German ace and his wingman burst through a cloud at close range.

of all the angles to get bounced ... 

however the Germans powered straight on , and pair of Brits engaged the plane flying past  their companion,, .. ouch smoke was seen! result

I split the British pair up , turning in circles to try and see if I could get something on the German pair ..

As the Brits came back round from their circles , one Me109 was behind both.. PO McMillans gunner  hit home hard and with bits flying off the Me109 the pilot was seen to bale out! .. result!

shortly after the other Me109 blasted PO Mcmillans kite , wounding the gunner who could no longer fire . At this he tried to fly home , but the next burst downed the Boulton Paul , the pair bailed out,..

At this point a pair of Hurricanes joined the fray and they soon had the best of the lone German  who was seen to bale out,.

British Victory

Certainly a surprising result! 

PO McMillan , they had shot down the German ace ,,,the pair had baled out.  Campaign XP 4 

PO Scott.. crash landed , two wounds, one minor , 1 serious eg wound , missed 2 turns , campaign XP 1 

Flt Lt Thompson , shot down an Me109, he's 1 off being an ace.. landed ok campaign XP 13 , no promotion , no medals 

PO Wallace, damaged mE109 , campaign XP - 4 landed ok 

Lt Steinburger , shot down , baled out ...but captured , POW 

Lt Franze , shot down baled out ...lands amongst the land girls and uses his parachute silk to distract them, makes his escape to the coast and steals a boat ... escapes across the channel.. now "lucky!"

                                                                       Game 10 - Crystal trouble

This saw a mistake by the germans as a unit of Do17s had failed to pick up an abort call and had carried out a bombing mission where the fighter escorts had headed home early .. 

Two Spitfires with PO Cooke and PO Anderson were vectored to intercept ..

The German bombers had the full length of the table to make, and the Spitfires were soon on the tail of one hammering away . it didn't take long before the first fell

                                                                  

The Germans had dispatched some fighters to try and protect the bombers , and they showed up just  as the second bomber blew up in a ball of flame as PO Anderson blasted away at it . 

The German fighters were determined to get some revenge . The first long range cannon shot wounded PO Cooke , the next saw chunks engine flying off .PO Cooke was seen crash landing his Spitfire into a Kent field... 

PO Anderson who had the chance to head off home had turned to help instead was blasted by cannon fire in two shots too which had added to the damage he had picked up from the bombers .. he went down too.. the Germans flew a victory roll and headed home back across the channel .

                                                                                Game 11  - Draw

PO Cooke, crash landed , 2 wounds, 1  minor , 1 more serious however while convalescing he took. shine to a nurse and took her out to a restaurant .. where he suffered food poisoning and misses 2 turns. He however has been promoted to Flight Lt .. no medals though . Campaign XP 17
PO Anderson , crash landed , 2 wounds , one minor, and serious leg wound misses two turns , campaign XP3

Both German bomber crews crash landed with serious wounds and are all POW's 
The two fighter jocks made it home landing safely...

                                                               Campaign  , British 6 , German 4 , draws 1 

Normandy ‘44 - Utah beach defences

The building of the defences for the beach end of the table is coming along with the beach wall , fortification pieces and barbed wire being completed . Next up more beach obstacles and some minefields for the rear of the resistance nest. This will be the first 4 feet of the table as it leads in land .
It’s getting there,,,

Gaming - Sudan , Saving Gordon weekend

This last weekend saw another big bash down at Marks Wargames Holiday Centre. There were 6 Imperial players  Bob , Brian and John with the desert and river columns who had played last year.  Rich & Josh  were having their first outing in the Sands of Sudan assisted by Andy and they were in charge of the Suakin field force and tasked with getting the railway built on day 1.   Dean - who also brought some more mahdists! -, Mark and I ran the forces of the Mahdi and made the tea.

Once again there were two games running simultaneously on Friday/Saturday with the teams and individual commanders competing against each other for prestige points... points make honours and medals.

I had also added in a new rule of "Imperial Heroes" allowing various acts of valour  (improving the combat results) at the risk of wounds or worse ! This worked well I think and has some a bit further potential as well to be applied to other parts of the game too , not just combat.

The railway progresses

The baloon is up , looking for any ambushes

A native caravan arrives as a hidden Mahdist gun opens up on the Camerons (picture from Rich)

Prepare to defend yourselves!

The Scots Guards have some heavy work to do

The Camel Corps advances

After their last outing the Camel Corp commander was diligent in building zariba defences this time!

Brigade square time

Khartoum is in sight

A young Winston is seen fighting off some tribesman 

The attack on the city commences

Gordon explodes his secret mines

man the walls!

The steamers arrive 

It was a good game , with good feedback from the players - lots of laughter was had!

Example of a roster sheet 

Sudan. Rocket Battery .

With the upcoming game I wanted to add another fun unit. I picked up a Hales rocket set from the Empress AZW range , with a bit of filing to remove the cuffs etc they are a simple paint job . I wanted to add in some smoke trails so I hot glued a piece of brass tubing to the launcher to takes some pipe cleaner to make the trail. I ended up twisting two pipe cleaners together to give them a bit more strength , they just then slide into the brass tubing. I also hot glued a bit of cushion filler around the end of the pipe cleaner closer to the launcher to give a bit more smoke effect.

Whoosh! .. let’s hope they stay accurate eh! 

Gaming - Can you save Gordon? May 10-12th at WHC

It’s time to raise the relief columns once more for a weekends gaming at the WargamesHolidayCentre if your interest get in touch with Mark or myself. . I have some new units to add to the collection coming up too.. it will be good to give them a run out.

The desert column!

Camel Corp and the 10th Hussars 

The Scots Guards March out 

Can the river column make it through?

Part of the Naval Brigade - holding firm 

Rapid fire!