The First Shots – Early-WW2 Bolt Action Battle Report

A year ago I finally finished painting my early war Polish army and was looking for a suitable scenario to deploy them on the table top. I hit upon Scenario 1 from the Bolt Action campaign book ‘Germany Strikes!’ which is about the defence of the Polish Post Office in Danzig. There were a few special units required, such as Steyr ADGZ armoured cars and several German light and medium artillery pieces. Doing some research into the actual battle, I was inspired to not only paint up the additional units, but to build the center piece of the battle, the massive Polish Post Office itself. (Use the tag ‘Polish Post Office Danzig’ to find the related posts on our blog.)

Last night Conscript Dallas hosted the game in the ‘Churchill Bunker’ with five other conscripts to command the Polish and German Forces. The Poles are superior in quality to the majority of German units, but they are significantly outnumbered and outgunned.  With the hard cover of the post office building, and the inexperience of the attackers, it would still be a difficult task for the Germans to capture the building.

The Polish Forces consisted of 2^nd Lieutenant Konrad Guderski, six rifle sections of four men, two light machine gun teams, and two grenade launcher teams. Guderski is a veteran with a +2 morale modifier, and the rest of his men are regulars. The Poles have a ‘No Where To Run’ special rule which allows them to re-roll failed morale tests. In addition, Guderski also has a ‘They Shall Not Pass’ special rule where he can set off a massive grenade charge which causes every model  within  a radius of 3” of him (including himself)  to take a hit with a +1 Penetration value.

The German Forces consisted of a mix of SS-Heimwehr Danzig, SA, and Ordnungspolizei, supported by two armoured cars, a medium machine gun team, two light howitzers, a medium howitzer and a small section of assault pioneers with a flamethrower and satchel charges. They would come on in three waves as follows:

1st Wave: 1 x 2nd Lieutenant, 2 x Ordnungspolizei Sections, 1 x MMG Team, 1 x Light Howitzer, 1 x Steyr armoured car, Deploy on the table anywhere outside 12” from the Post Office.

2nd Wave: 1 x 2nd Lieutenant, 3 x SS-Heimwehr Danzig Sections, 1 x Assault Pioneer (Sapper) Team, 1 x Medium Howitzer. Enter on Turn 3 from any board edge

3rd Wave: 1 x Sturmabteilung Section, 1 x Light Howitzer, 1 x Steyr armoured car.  Enter on Turn 4 from any board edge.

While the officers, support weapons, armoured cars, and sappers are regulars, the rest are all inexperienced with the SS-Heimwehr also rated as Green (on first casualty roll D6 - 1: extra D6 pins & go Down, 2-4: no effect, 5-6: upgrade to Regular), and the SA rated as Shirkers (always take order test, count pins as double).

The Polish defenders were trying to hold more rooms in the post office building than the Germans at the end of the game, which would last a minimum of 5 turns. At the end of that turn, there is a ⅔ chance of a sixth turn, with a ⅓ chance of a seventh.

Rather than have the Poles inside the building model, they were deployed on a grid off board designating the six rooms on each floor. Not knowing where the Germans were coming from, the Polish players deployed in ‘all round defence’

The Germans players deployed their first wave near the eastern end of the post office building, and began bringing artillery and machine gun fire on that part of the building. Initially the German artillery had little success, and the Polish defenders were able to take out the Germans’ MMG team. However, with the arrival of the second wave, things started to swing over to the Germans’ side. They were able to score a devastating hit with the medium howitzer that took out a rifle section, a grenade launcher team, and a LMG team.  Meanwhile two sections of SS-Heimwehr tried charging the front entrance of the post office, and the Assault Pioneers planted a satchel charge against the west end of the building. 

 

Although Polish casualties were mounting, the defenders successfully repelled some of the Germans rushing the front entrance. One Heimwehr section got upgraded to Regulars on receiving their first casualty, but later rolled a ‘FUBAR’ on their command check two turns in a row and ran off the game board. However, a section of Ordnungspolizei and an officer were able to get inside.  At that point the Polish commander set off a bag of grenades in the midst of the Germans that wiped out the squad, but due to the vagaries of the game rules, the Polish and German officers both managed to survive the blast.

Despite this brief success, the Germans gradually managed to gain the upper hand. Polish squads were forced to retreat to the south side of the building to avoid the German artillery fire, while the Steyr armoured cars started to drive around to that side to bring them under machine gun fire. Meanwhile the satchel charge blew a hole in the west wall allowing more German squads to enter the building. 

 

The game ran to the maximum seven turns with the Germans finally controlling more rooms than the Poles at the very end. This played out much as the historical battle. At the end of the game, I gave a brief summary of the fate of the Polish defenders. The players enjoyed the game, which hung in the balance until the final turn.  It was good to finally see all the newly painted units on the table top, as well as the model of the post office building. A few of the conscripts have suggested that the scenario would do well as a participation game at a wargames convention.  Until next time!

 

A Game For Quarantine Times - "The Burning Of Prospero"

"The Burning of Prospero" - Miniature board game released by GW in 2016. Perfect for Quarantine!

With nearly one third of the world's population living under some manner of public health restriction or "lockdown", chances are you are not getting much gaming done! We certainly have not here in Winnipeg. Many folks have tried to use assorted video platforms for everything from completing courses and business meetings to keeping in touch with friends during this quarantine/lockdown period. So, we thought, why not gaming? We used "Zoom" for such a gaming attempt last week - playing GW's "The Burning of Prospero" - and I think it went quite well...it is, in fact, a perfect game for Quarantine Times - and in general, a really excellent game.

The forces laid out for the game's first scenario - "Shatter The Perimeter".

"The Burning of Prospero" was released by GW in 2016. The game is set amid the assault on the Thousand Sons' homeworld of Prospero by the combined might of the Space Wolves and The Emperor's Custodian Guard and Silent Sisters. The box comes with a variety of map tiles, 2D card scatter terrain and effect markers, rules, stats and cards. It also comes with some fantastic multi-part plastic miniatures! You got 30 Mark III Space Marines, five Tartaros-pattern Terminators, five Custodes, five Silent Sisters, and two characters - Azhek Ahriman of the Thousand Sons and Geigor Fell-Hand of the Space Wolves. The figures are all multi-part plastic, and are generally amazing sculpts and kits, all really, really, really nice.

GW has form here - their non-core offerings are often fantastic! The rules for 30k/40k are a calcified collection of endlessly competing circular special rules wrapped tightly in near-ancient IGOUGO rusty chains. GW, however, has shown time and again its ability to publish fantastic rules and games outside of its mainstream products. Their boxed games have a great tradition - I think of games like "Space Hulk" - that combined nice miniatures with card terrains and clever rules mechanisms to create fantastic wargaming experiences. There have been many others.

The Space Wolves ready to move out...

A deadly fire team from the Thousand Sons prepares to defend Prospero...

And yet, for my part, I was originally keen to get this box because it offered a relatively cheap means to acquire to acquire the plastic Mark III Space Marines. In the 30k setting there is a wide assortment of armour variants to choose from, and for my part I generally find the Mark III set looks the coolest...so I was glad to get the plastic marines. I was indifferent to the game itself, and I did not really look at the rules or the game in general. The Marines were allotted to the various existing parts of my collection, and I did not consider ever painting the Thousand Sons or the Space Wolves for the Horus Heresy.

The heavy bolter and the melta gun cover one flank of the advance...

Reading the novel "Prospero Burns" by Dan Abnett caused a total 180 on my thinking (it is a great novel - you should read it!). I painted up a few of the models, and then looked again at this boxed game, found that it might be fun, and suddenly was painting up all of the models for the game. I tried rules out a few times over the years, and found them to be quite fun. We did not play it with the group though - and I never really pushed to. I tend to prefer full, 3D terrain tables etc. and I am very fortunate to game with a group that offers so many choices in that regard.

Given the limitations of trying to game via Zoom, however, I thought "The Burning of Prospero" might just be ideal. Measuring "range" is easy, the board is not huge and would fit (mostly) in camera range for my iPad. The dice used are common among most participants in our group. I dug out the box and the rules, and we set things up to see if this would be workable...

The forces of the VI Legion fan out, preparing for heavy fighting...

And it was! My miniature gaming seldom involved the "board game" approach, and I had never really given this game its due. This is a fantastic game - this is why I think so...

First of all, the quality of the "terrain" panels is really, really top shelf. It is easy to set up on a kitchen table and, while we would all probably recognize/prefer 3D terrain as a superior wargaming experience (YMMV), the bits you get with "The Burning of Prospero" are top shelf - especially if using miniatures is something that is new or different for a gamer. After all, board games are huge, massive! They are just getting better and better all the time, so for board game players, this would be an interesting way to move toward miniature wargaming...

Confrontation in the corner...little did the Imperial side suspect how hard it would be to truly finish off this group of Thousand Sons...

Second - the rules are simple, but fun! There is more abstraction than in a regular game of 30k in the 7th or 8th edition, but subtle differences exist to provide an engaging tactical challenge for players. In particular, I love the use of different dice (note - NOT special, game specific dice). One of the (many) things that so impairs and limits 30k/40k is the fixation on using only the D6. Not so with this game!

In "The Burning of Prospero" players use D6s, D8s, D10s and D12s depending on the armour and weapons involved in a given situation. This is something I wish GW would explore more for 30k/40k rules generally. A further benefit - the combat phase is NOT IGOUGO, but it is still straightforward. I don't see why these concepts cannot jump to the full 30k/40k game.

Psychic powers for the Thousand Sons player...that regeneration power would sure come in handy...

Third - the way psychic powers are handled is fantastic. The use of these powers is key for the Thousand Sons side - psychic abilities are central to the nature and character of the Thousand Sons legion (it's their "thing"), and without them they would have little chance of prevailing against the onslaught of the coalition of The Emperor's executioners featured in the game. The powers are managed via card decks that become a "game within a game" - and are a lot of fun, as some powers drive the Imperial player crazy, and others fizzle, causing heartbreak to the Thousand Sons player. These "magic" type situations are difficult to manage for rules - it is easy to make the spells/power too strong or too weak, but the designers here have it just right, in my opinion.

The "enumeration phase" where the Thousand Sons attempt their psychic powers...the card decks are used to see if the powers are cast, and there is a lot of subtlety (and great fun) to be found - this is well done.

Last week a group got together via Zoom and we played the first scenario in the game, "Shatter The Perimeter". Geigor Fell-Hand and a Silent Sister Superior lead a veteran squad of Space Wovles against a squad of Thousand Sons, supported by a veteran Terminator sergeant. The goal of the Imperial side is to exit at least one model off of the board at either of two designated exit points. Success would represent the Imperial forces pushing further into the city of Tizca, the fantastical capital of Prospero.   

A "lone Wolf" makes his escape...

Over six rounds of play there was a furious battle that saw the Imperial side lose 90% of their troops - ouch! They gave as good as they got, however, and more so - their task made more difficult by the Thousand Sons' success with a particular psychic power that brought models back from the dead. There was one Thousand Sons legionnaire who was resurrected twice. Both sergeants also reappeared on the table after being cut down...and it is hard enough to knock out a Terminator once, never mind twice!

Geigor Fell-Hand and the Sister Superior make their escape at the right of the photo. Maybe we will be able to try the second scenario sometime soon...

In the end, it was a victory for the Imperial side - Fell-Hand was able to lead the Sister Superior and a single surviving Space Wolf off of the board and to victory. Further mayhem awaits in Tizca...

Gaming via Zoom will never replace the real thing. I miss my friends and the chance to get together, push miniatures around and roll dice very much. But this was great fun - many thanks to Dave V, Dallas, Mike F, John and Curt for joining the game. Also, it was great to discover how fun this GW game is - more than fit to follow in the tradition of classic games like "Space Hulk" - something we should play when we get the chance to gather again.

30k Battle Report - No Hope For The Hydra

"Alpha to omega!" A Preator from the Alpha Legion (name redacted) leads his detachment into action against the loyalists of the VII Legion during 30k gaming last week.

Conscript Mike F stopped by last week for a 30k game, and here are a few pictures to share from the battle. Both of us enjoy the Black Library novel "Praetorian of Dorn" (it's a great book, go read it!). While the specific battles from that book are not something I can re-create at this point, we still thought it would be fun to pit the opponents from the story against each other. So some of my Alpha Legion forces would battle against his Imperial Fists.  We set up a small game, using the fan-built 8th edition of 30k.  The "Power Level" for both sides was 70.

A view of the deployed forces on the first turn...

The table was 6' x 4', an arid setting (maybe some isolated part of Terra?) with a communication-relay set amid some ruins.  The key was to secure this communications relay objective.  You could do this by moving into contact with it. But there was another way to win: wiping out the opposing detachment! It's 30k, after all...besides, the Alpha Legion wouldn't want any witnesses.

Deredeo class dreadnought covers the approach of the XX Legion.

The carnage arrived rapidly.  The sons of Alpharius made short work nearly all the members of Mike's tactical squad.  The firepower from my Deredeo Dreadnought was impressive, and things seemed to be going well! But that would not last...

Alpha Legion seeker squad - "Headhunters" - move out.

Wait a minute - who invited these guys??? The elite of the VII Legion teleport to the battlefield...

And then...the Imperial Fist terminators arrived on the scene.  I hoped my Praetor, together with some Lernean Terminators and the squad of 10 Headhunters would be able to cut them down to size...it was not to be.

Where did the seeker squad go?? Eliminated by VII Legion Terminators...

Alpha Legion Preator confronts the Imperial Fist elite...

It's all-in with the Terminators...if we don't stop these guys, we don't stand a chance...

The VII Legion Terminators first BBQ'd my Headhunters.  The Alpha Legion Preator charged in, but could not bring down his opponent.  The assistance of the Apothecary kept the Alpha Legion commander around a bit longer, but you can only get whacked by a chain fist so many times and still expect to be around...and so the Alpha Legion Preator fell in action.

The Apothecary could only do so much...

Meanwhile, my Alpha Legion tactical squad, after losing their Rhino, found themselves facing both a Leviathan Dreadnought and a Contemptor Dreadnought.  The covering fire from the Deredeo Dreadnought was insufficient, and they were soon wiped out.

"Hey, we're moving in on the objective, great news!"

"Oh no! Two huge dreadnoughts! Hope we can hold out!"

Suddenly there is only one survivor in the Alpha Legin tactical squad...

Overall, a loss for the Alpha Legion. Or was it? Surely this was all part of some greater scheme...

The covering fire had no effect...

Mike's collection of Imperial fists looks amazing! He does a great job with the yellow (always a tricky colour) and it continues to expand bit by bit.  This was the first time I came up against a Leviathan Dreadnought, and it was...pretty unpleasant! Melta-bombs were not going to stop that thing...I love the 30k setting, and 30k gaming. While a bit more luck on the dice would always be preferred, this was a fun game - many thanks to Mike F for visiting and bringing his fantastic VII Legion forces out for a spin!

Hope everyone out there has enjoyed the final days of summer. The fall has now arrived - and the countdown is on toward another Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge...

Adeptus Titanicus at Prairiecon 2019

Loyalist Titans stalk the land at Prairiecon XL in Brandon, MB.

Did another Prairiecon just happen...? Why...yes, yes it did! It is indeed that time of year again, when a number of Conscripts travel to the lovely city of Brandon, Manitoba, to participate Prairiecon - Prairiecon XL, in fact! 40 years! That's just tremendous, what a fun tradition to take part in!

For 2019 there were a number of Conscript-involved games at the three-day event, and I'll share some photos of one of them in this post - a game of "Adeptus Titanicus", the re-boot version GW released last year.

View of the table, the opposing Titan battlegroups all lined up...

The scenario was a very basic clash, intended to show off a few models and the rules.  The fight involved an isolated station where the Warmaster, Horus Lupercal, kept a "summer home".  A loyalist battlegroup from Legio Gyphonicus wanted to secure this location so valuable intelligence could be gathered.  The rebel forces, comprised of a Legio Mortis battlegroup, were determined to stop them - after all, who wanted to be the one to explain to Horus that loyalists had captured his summer house???

A close-up of the objective...Horus Lupercal's "summer home".

As a wrinkle, the players were not allowed to deliberately fire on or destroy the buildings (again, the loyalists wanted to preserve the possible intelligence finds, while the rebels feared the consequences of Horus finding out any of his stuff was wrecked because their efforts were lacking...). Two buildings in the centre of the table were found to have strange, dark-age-of-technology shielding that blocked all fire - even indirect shots that would go above them - and so the opposing Titan commanders would have to maneuver with these restrictions in mind.

Warlord Titans anchor the loyalist battle line...Curt's awesome Lucius-Pattern model in the foreground.

The opposing battlegroups were identical and balanced, intended to give a general flavour of the game - two Warlords, one Reaver, one Warhound, and a full-strength banner of Knights on each side. Curt was kind enough to travel to Brandon for a visit and bring some of his amazing Adeptus Titanicus kit with him, including his awesome third-party Lucius Pattern Warlord, which looked amazing on the table.

The Legio Mortis engines move toward the centre of the table...

Reactors were powered, orders issued and battle joined! Over a few turns, the rebel side had the low-end of the luck with the dice...in particular, one of their Warlords had its shields blown out on the first turn, followed quickly with a number of serious blasts from opposing Volcano Cannons, blowing off arms, punching holes in the body and in the head. Yikes!

Heavy fighting in the centre of the table, Knight banners on both sides going head-to-head

Another view of the clash among the Knights.

As the fighting continued, the rebel Warhound was destroyed, its weapons blasting away randomly before it went critical and exploded.  The opposing Knight banners traded blows, with the loyalist side bearing the brunt of the losses in that confrontation...but overall, the Loyalists had the edge by the time we called the game - although one of the loyalist Warlords was nearing critical status on its reactor after heavy use of the volcano cannons - that might have been interesting if we played one more turn...

"What happened to my arms???" Things got rough for this Legio Mortis Warlord after its shields blew out...

What treats, we wonder, would the loyalists find in Horus' summer home? Might have to play a "Part 2" for this game sometime, maybe an Epic 30k game? We'll see!

Congratulations to Prairiecon for 40 years! That's quite an achievement.  Hopefully Dallas and Mike will post some more photos from their games over the weekend as well.  Thanks to everyone who attended, and to Dallas, Mike and Curt for making another trip to Brandon for some great gaming. It's a great tradition, and I wish the Prairiecon folks all the best for the next 40 years!