Gaming - Back of Beyond , STEA

My gaming group have started a Back of Beyond campaign . This weekend saw the first game around Samarkand . The Bolshoviks were attacked by an alliance of Afghan tribes and rogue Ottoman forces .

Rules are 3rd ed Setting the East Ablaze which played fine 

An eventual victory for the attacking alliance . The Bolshoviks had an epic turn of shooting on turn5 nearly halting the attack . 

The terrain we used was mostly mine . I had built up a new bridge this week as I didn’t have anything suitable . A quick scratch build with some balsa did the job 

 

I have picked up a few 1/48th diecast aircraft.. First up a Bristol Fb2 . It’s straight out of the box , nothing really to do to it . 

I have utilised my existing flight stands from the Nam collection 

It’s certainly a good size 

 

The last little job was some flags 

Some tubing with 2mm diameter , lead weight base with milliput to attach the tubing . Home printed flags onto 1mm wire so they can be changed as and when as part of the games.

Anyway that’s us got the campaign moving more to follow in due course .

Gaming - Ardennes ‘44

 Yesterday was the regular monthly meet up . I had decided to get the winter stuff out and have a look at what might need focus over the coming painting season . We also had a couple of visitors looking in who were interested in it . 

I had all the various US kit out . It’s still not that much , 1 platoon infantry , 1 platoon combat engineers , 1 57mm ATG platoon , 2 x 3 inch ATG , 2 Platoons Sherman’s - mostly 76mm armed and 3 TDs . An off table battery with an airborne FOO available . P47s were available if the right cards were cut 

The Germans had 3 VG units , 1 PZG with transport. 2 Stug Platoons , platoon Jagdpanthers , platoon King Tigers , mixed KG platoon with King  Tiger , Panther , PzIV , Ostwind . Flame thrower hanomags .

The table . The Germans entering on both roads on the left hand side 

Left flank Sherman’s , the 76mm gun made a big difference. A rare German  air strike managed to target these 3 but did no damage 

The German left flank never got any real pressure on the US.

German armour burns on the left flank .

Main US HQ 

M18 TD’s working around the flank

M10 picked off at long range 

The KTs powered forward - crushing the opposition, but did start to be flanked . One was taken out by mines and combat engineers. Another with lucky side shot from a hidden 57mm ATG .

In the end we called it a US victory 

The Germans were too light on infantry and they quickly suffered under the US firepower . James also had trouble with the German tanks bogging in the snow . 

So what do I need to look at :-

German infantry company 

German mortar support

German mobile AA support 

Few more farm type buildings . 

That will be enough to keep me busy