Bagration Sensation - Flames of War Battle Report (Yes, Really)

Germans pre-game

Dallas hosted our regular game again this week, and we loaded up for some Eastern Front late WW2 action, with a scenario set during Operating Bagration, the Soviet annihilation of the German Army Group Centre in summer 1944. For a bit of a surprise, we played Flames of War...I have held a very dim view of the Flames of War rules, but I have to admit that the game was a lot of fun.

The scenario pitted a Russian tank spearhead against a (largely vain) counter-attack by elements of a German Panzer division. It was tanks galore - my kind of game! The Soviets had a group of T-70 light tanks, some heavy duty IS-2 tanks, and a company (!) of T-34/85s.  An SMG platoon accompanied them.  They were rated "confident trained".

The Germans had a platoon of Mark IV-Hs, a platoon of Panthers, and a platoon of German Panzer Grenadiers.  They were rated "confident veteran.

Soviets pre-game

For this game there were a few modifications - I ignored a lot of the army list restrictions, I used my own scenario rules instead of one from the rule book, I ignored nearly all of the special rules, and I stipulated that the tanks could be no closer than 4" to another tank that wasn't burning.  I also ignored the chain of command restrictions for the tank units, so they could spread out.

Dallas, Jim and Dave V took the Russian side, while Bill, Frederick and Kevin took the German side.

Panthers from Plastic Soldier Company

I promised the guys that things would be burning in short order, and it didn't take long.  The Soviet T-70s and SMG infantry started the game on the table, and were promptly tangling with the Panzer IVs. I assumed the T-70s would be ventilated immediately, but they actually held out well.  Frederick had some bad luck rolling firepower checks for the Germans, and the T-70s surprisingly managed to move up and knock out some of the Mark IVs! Good performance from the Soviet recon element.

Flaming trucks representing an earlier German column which had been hit by the Red Air Force

In the second turn the Russians welcomed five IS-2 heavy tanks.  The heavily-armed and armoured the Russian breakthrough tanks started blasting away, duelling with Panthers and Mark IVs alike, all while keeping up a steady advance.

Germans enter from the bottom - Russians from the top

We used Litko "WTF?" markers to represent pins and "bailed out"

I have to credit the Russian players - they really played to doctrine, rolling ahead very rapidly, heedless of their losses.

A Panther tries to shore up the German flank...only a T-70 to worry about here....

Russian T-70 crew sees where things are headed...

The T-70s had a good outing against the Mark IVs, but were no match for the Panthers.  Their brave sacrifice had, however, bought time and space for the follow-on Russian elements, something the Germans would pay for as the game went on.

"Run for it Yuri!"

Another factor affecting the outcome was some bad luck for the German dice - the Panthers were lethal tanks, but the German players rolled a lot of "1"s and "2"s at key points, missing opportunities to knock out Soviet tanks with their potent 75mm guns.

Line of Panthers advance...very ominous

Things end poorly for  a T-70 crew

By the fourth turn the table was swarming with Russian armour, and the Russian players were not holding back.  They rushed headlong at the enemy, hoping to overwhelm them.  It was very cool!

Soviet tanks pour on to the table

The Panthers took a small toll - knocking out an IS-2 here, a T-34/85 there, but the Soviets hit hard as well.  The 122mm gun on the Soviet heavy tanks is a tough customer, and the small German panzer force was feeling the pain.

IS-2s pave the way for the Soviet spearheads

Soviet tanks race ahead

One bright spot of resistance was the German Panzer Grenadiers.  This game was not an infantry fight, but Kevin's Grenadiers made a bold stand, knocking out an IS-2 and stunning two T-34/85s with their panzerfausts...a rude shock for the Russian players.

The table starts to fill with wrecks as both sides exchange fire

Ultimately the weight of Russian armour prevailed.  Down to three Panthers, the Germans ultimately pulled back, leaving the field to the Russian spearhead.

The Germans are overrun - but they extract a toll from the advancing Russians

Check out all the burning tanks...

The table was FULL of burning tanks - lots and lots of fun! The guys were really into the spirit of the game, and it played at a good clip.  We got five turns done, and a game resolution, in less than two hours.  Not too bad at all.

German Pamzer Grenadiers dismount and grab their panzerfausts...

You know, I've really disliked the Flames of War rules for some time.  I hate on-table heavy artillery.  I don't like the thick plaque of special rules that encrust the rules.  But I have to admit their basic mechanics, while simple, were a lot of fun.  We conveniently ignored the rules we felt like ignoring, and the basic game played well. I really enjoyed this game - there were 27 tanks on the table, and it was all settled quickly and enjoyably (well, maybe not for the German players, but they still seemed to enjoy the overall game).

So I guess I have to get over myself - Flames of War was a hoot!

Heavy fighting on the German left...

Thanks to Dallas for hosting, and thanks to everyone who came out to play.  I look forward to another Eastern Front armour battle in the future.  And we might even play more "Flames of War" again some time - stay tuned! Greg B.

Another Control Battalion Vehicle

Control vehicle for Control Battalion

Another random bit from the painting table finished off, and another piece for Control Battalion's motor pool.  Keeping with my whole "The Future Is Now" approach to Control Battalion vehicles, this is an IDF Nagma Sho't, a converted Centurion MBT (see here for what these are supposed to look like). It is essentially the chassis and body of a Centurion MBT with the turret removed and a new superstructure put into place. The model is from Peter Pig's excellent 15mm collection.

Mobile community outreach for Control Operational Groups

I believe the IDF intended this vehicle to be an extra tough IFV/APC, and they saw some action during the invasion of Lebanon in the 1980s. Although it is an old vehicle, I thought it looked sinister and made a good candidate to join Control Battalion on the gaming table.  This will serve as a command and control vehicle, assisting Control Battalion columns with their various community outreach tasks,such a mobile water-boarding of trouble makers, on-site lobotomies, and providing roach-food-pellets for the Control Things themselves.

This model is from Peter Pig's 1980s IDF line of 15mm figures

Once again it is great that Khurasan made tank commander figures for their Control Battalion line - really helps to "sell" the model. It already looks a little creepy, and popping a "Tankthing" only enhances that appearance.

Riflething assisting the Tankthing in keeping a lookout for trouble

I don't know how well this vehicle performed for the IDF, but they seemed to approve of the general concept of switching over old MBT chassis into IFVs - check out the Achzarit.

Peter Pig does a great job modelling stowage etc. on to these vehicles

I am still looking for the right kind of model to serve as the IFVs for my Control Battalion forces...stay tuned for further random entries on that!

15mm British WW2 Paras from Peter Pig

15mm WW2 British Paras from Peter Pig

Well, another Labour Day, and another merciless pounding of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by our next-door provincial rivals (although with nine straight labour day losses, I'm not sure how much of a "rivalry" it is anymore - like saying a pre-school and a panzer division are "rivals" - and the Bombers are no panzer division).   On the plus side, painting while watching football let me finish off another random batch of figures - this time some 15mm British WW2 paras from Peter Pig.

These Peter Pig castings are top-notch

Is there a single WW2 buff who has not read about, or watched the movie about, Operation Market-Garden and the doomed British paras?  I know all the paras paid a terrible price, but at least XXX Corps managed to connect with the first two airborne divisions...

There is a liberal dose of chaps with berets...just enough to look cool, and get the point across

It's an amazing tale of stupid planning, military intelligence being an oxymoron, bravery, tragedy, desperation, gallantry, sacrifice and amazing drama, really just incredible, with the fate of the British 1st Airborne Division lying at the heart of the story.  Dropping "a bridge too far" on top of heavy duty German troops that were never supposed to be at Arnhem, the Red Devils made a gallant go of it, waiting in vain for a relief column that would never arrive.

Light mortar team

All of this went through my mind when I was cruising around Peter Pig's website earlier in the year, and I purchased a platoon of the British paras for...well, whatever.  I'd figure it out.

PIAT team - they'll be busy when the time comes

The Market-Garden story is a rich background for gaming, and indeed Dallas has staged several great 28mm games with his excellent British and German collections in that scale.  As I dip my toe into WW2 skirmish gaming, individually-based 15mm is the way I am going to try it.  It's how I've done my Golan Heights stuff - although I'm not sure it will stick here with the local group, what could it hurt to try?  Besides, I can always re-base these without too much trouble into a FOW-style collection.

Fellow on a Welbike...kind of pointlessly neat

The Peter Pig platoon pack is excellent - you get some command, three squads, a light mortar team and a PIAT team.  There is even one fellow riding one of those absurd Welbikes. When based individually, this is quite a lot of troops - 37 or so.  That would be a very busy Bolt Action game.

A couple of Bren guns per squad

I started painting a couple of test models earlier in the summer, and finished the lot over the Labour Day weekend.  I am working on some individual German and Russian infantry too - hope to have a game with them in the not too distant future.

Group photo...ready for their first game

Of course, these guys will need a little extra support...a couple of more PIAT teams, a HMG, maybe some mortars or even a 6-pounder AT gun.  One thing at a time...

Codex: Eldar - Three Months In

Codex: Eldar was released at the beginning of June. Three months in, I have been able to absorb the nrew rules, and get some games in, just in time for the upcoming 40K Beer League, and the 2013-14 tournament season.

The dex is pretty balanced. There's a reason to field almost every unit in the army. Wave Serpents are now even more reliable, hard-hitting tanks. As such, Mechdar is still kind of a default way to run an Eldar list. However, bike lists and even all-infantry lists are again viable. The Warlock and Spiritseer Runes of Battle psychic powers are interesting, each one basically two powers, used as either blessings or maledictions. The new Bladestorm rules make basic Dire Avengers and Guardians truly dangerous to anything living. Battle Focus is a funky power granting most of the Eldar infantry the ability to Run before or after they shoot, increasing their range, or allowing them to fade away behind cover.

One notable exception to all the goodness are the Howling Banshees. With the new rules, against enemies in cover they now strike slower in close combat than Guardians. What the heck? This could be fixed by a single errata granting them Assault Grenades.


40K Beer League

This year the 24 players have been divided into four factions: Imperial Space Marines, Chaos Space Marines, Craftworld Eldar, and evil Xenos (Tyranids and Orks). It's an interesting mix of forces. Again, most games are 1,000-point affairs, making for short, decisive games. Another feature this year is that each player must have a "core", an HQ and either Troops or Elites totaling between 300 and 500 points. This core never changes from game to game, but rather is added to to create a list for each scenario played.

I have chosen as my core a Spiritseer and a squad of Wraithguard mounted in a Wave Serpent. The Spiritseer is an effective, cheap HQ, who comes already equipped with psychic powers, weapons, and wargear for her 70 point cost. The new iteration of the Wraithguard come with S10, AP2 guns and grant some needed resilience to the army.

I am thinking of fielding the following as my go-to, 1K-pt force:

• HQ - Spiritseer (“Speaker for the Dead”); Warlord Trait = The Dust of a Thousand Worlds; 70 pts
• Troops - 5 Wraithguard; Wave Serpent transport (Holo-fields; TL- Scatter Lasers); 295 pts
• Troops - 5 Dire Avengers; Wave Serpent (Holo-fields; TL- Scatter Lasers); 200 pts
• Troops - 5 Dire Avengers; Wave Serpent (Holo-fields; TL- Bright Lances); 200 pts
• Fast Attack - 5 Warp Spiders; 95 pts
• Heavy Support - Night Spinner artillery tank (Crystal Targeting Matrix); 140 pts

Total = 1000 points

Three scoring units riding in fast transports; the Holo-fields are a no-brainer, granting an extra +1 to cover saves, including Jink saves. Wraithguard for their effective guns and Toughness 6. Avengers because I like them. Warp Spiders are even faster than before, and their guns hit at S6 or S7, depending upon the target's Initiative. The Night Spinner has been changed (most notably losing Twin-linked), but its large blast marker web hits at S7, or S8 against low-initiative models or vehicles. The CTM allows devious ploys, like moving on from reserve 12", moving flat out another 18", and still being able to drop a torrent S8 flamer template up to 12" away; you can reach pretty much right across a 48" table...

This past week I used the above-noted list in practice for the Beer League, playing a fun, furious game against Mario's Tyranids. 

IIRC, he had with him:

• HQ - Winged Hive Tyrant with guns
• Troops - Tervigon
• Troops - Tervigon
• Troops - 6 Termagants
• Troops - 6 Termagants
• Elites - 2 Hive Guard with guns
• Elites - 2 Zoenthropes
• Elites - Lictor

We played The Relic scenario, with Vanguard Strike deployment. Mario chose the far northwest corner, hiding behind the chemical plant. I won the roll of initiative, choosing to go second.

The bottom picture is taken from behind the eastern table edge.

First turn, the Eldar managed to erase a small Termagant brood, scoring First Blood. Mario's Tervigons  rolled well early in the game, birthing almost 40 more Termagants before one rolled doubles (losing the ability to give birth), and the other lost to concentrated |Eldar fire. Both sides took heavy casualties into the mid-game. The Wraithguard got caught in close combat, but managed to survive 3 turns before finally falling. The Flyrant nailed an Avenger squad, then got caught in the open, and was gunned down by the remaining Avengers!

The sole remaining Tervigon had seized the relic, the object of the scenario, gaining 3 VPs.



However, the Eldar had scored First Blood and Slay the Warlord. in the sixth (and final) turn, the Spiritseer managed to gain the enemy deployment zone, scoring Linebreaker and tying the game!

Mechani-Kon

Coming in October, Mechani-Kon requires 1500-point lists. The following picture shows one possible iteration of such a force.



It takes the above-noted 1000-pt list, upgrades or enlarges the Spider and Avenger squads, and adds both a mounted squad of Fire Dragons, and a squad of Swooping Hawks led by an Exarch. With the new codex I am able to field units that have been sitting on the shelf for years. The Hawks are very fast, can Deep Strike without error, drop grenades that ignore cover, and can fly off the table if in danger.

Another option is to forgo the Dragons and Hawks, and run with mounted Dark Reapers, adding an Eldar-like resin cast Aegis Defense Line from WarGamma (the "Dradelian Noble" Linked Barricades). The added anti-aircraft punch of a Quad-gun would be most useful.


Las Vegas Open

I remember having a great time when my wife and I attended the Las Vegas North American 40K Grand Tournament, back in 2011. Sadly, GW no longer puts on tournaments for their own games

A bunch of gamers in the U.S. have organized a brand new event for 2014, the Las Vegas Open, "The best three days in gaming that you won’t remember!"

For my fellow Beer League alumni, check out the scenarios for the Beerhammer 40K event, here. Cans of beer as game objectives. That you drink. I didn't know I needed this until I read about it.

Armies for the Championship and the Beerhammer events are 1750 points. Larger than we're used to here, but not so large as to break the game, like the 2,500 point 'Ard Boyz lists.

The Las Vegas Open features events for our wives/girlfriends (Spa Day! Shoping Day!), schedules only a few games per day, no composition scoring, simple sportsmanship, Ren-man and Best General in the main 40K tournament, narrative events, other game systems...

If Jen and I do go, I am thinking of a themed Swordwind list, led by the Phoenix Lord, Maugen Ra:

• HQ - Maugan Ra; 195 pts
• HQ - Spiritseer; 70 pts
• Troops - 8 Dire Avengers; Wave Serpent (TL Scatter Lasers; Shuriken Cannon; Holo-Fields); 249 pts
• Troops - 8 Dire Avengers; Wave Serpent (TL Bright Lances; Holo-Fields); 235 pts
• Troops - 5 Wraithguard; Wave Serpent (TL Scatter Lasers; Holo-Fields); 295 pts
• Fast Attack - 4 Warp Spiders; 1 Warp Spider Exarch (TL Death Spinners; Fast Shot); 120 pts
• Heavy Support - 3 Dark Reaper (Starshot missiles); 1 Dark Reaper Exarch (Eldar Missile Launcher; Flakk Missiles; Night Vision; Fast Shot);  Wave Serpent (TL Scatter Lasers; Holo-Fields); 324 pts
• Heavy Support - Night Spinner (Holo-Fields; Crystal Targeting Matrix); 155 pts
• Aegis Defence Line; Gun Emplacement (Quad-gun); 100 pts

Total = 1747 points

Mauegn Ra would be embarked on a tank with the Dark Reapers. Being Slow and Purposeful, the Reapers  could dismount behind the Defense Line when required and still fire. The Phoenix Lord could man the Quad-gun (with his powers, making it a Twin-lined, 5-shot weapon), and also tank wounds meant for the rest of the squad. Maugen Ra is also very good in close combat, adding a bit of counter-charge capability to the list.

At the moment, I have no idea whether I can make the event. However, it sounds like a lot of fun.

***

I managed to finish my Spiritseer model just in time for the start of Beer League. I am currently working on Maugen Ra, and the Defense Line.

"Operation: Jawa Holocaust" Battle Report

The twin suns of Tatooine blazed down from a cloudless sky as Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment AK-567B trudged in a skirmish line across the Jundland Wastes. A huge green Dewback lizard accompanied the detachment, its tail swishing menacingly as its white-armoured rider swayed in the saddle.

The detachment leader's comm unit crackled. "What's the mission, sir?  Is this gonna be a standup fight, or another bughunt?"

Lieutenant Trantor keyed his comm. "Shuddup. Save the volts for your air scrubbers. Just over this rise there's a Jawa sandcrawler. There's been a tip that those droids we're after were there. We're gonna check for the droids then vape the crawler. Make it look like the local Tusken People or Sand Raiders or whatever did it."

The comm crackled again. "But sir - the briefing vox said that Tusken Raiders always travel in single file to hide their numbers - shouldn't we get in a march column?"

Trantor's voice belayed slight irritation. "Sure, spacetard - and Tuskens wear armoured boots like us too, right? Get your blaster ready. Let's make this quick."

-----------------------------------

Two weeks ago we played a Star Wars Miniature Battles game set in the Jundland Wastes of Tatooine. Stormtroopers attack a Jawa sandcrawler but perhaps the Jawas have some friends nearby to help them out...?

 

 

The opposing forces were drawn up - the Jawas and their sometime-allies a tribe of Tusken Raiders, versus a detachment of Imperial Stormtroopers. Points were slightly in favour of the Tatooine natives (about 260 to 230), but I intended to offset this by having all Imperials on the table at the start, while some of the Sand People would enter as reserves. 

A major impetus for the game was the acquisition of this remarkable Sandcrawler, a product of one of my other hobby obsessions, collecting vintage Star Wars toys. The "Remote Controlled Jawa Sandcrawler" was one of the most expensive and therefore rarest of the toy vehicles issued by Kenner in the Star Wars release of 1978-9, and I managed to pick up a loose example for my collection. Although somewhat underscale for the 3 3/4" Kenner action figure range, it's perfect with 28mm Star Wars Miniature Battles figures!

One group of Jawas started deployed behind a small rise. The other was behind the 'crawler, hobnobbing with the Tuskens. There were two more groups of Sand People nearby - both with Banthas - and these would come on as reserves as the fighting ramped up.
 

 "Ain't no party like a Jawa party 'cause a Jawa party don't stop!"

The Imperials came on in four squads - their objective: wipe out the Tatooine natives, search and then destroy their vehicle.

The Jawas turned out to be tough li'l buggers - their mass ion blaster fire decimated the Stormtroopers at first.

The Sand People, on the other hand, were pretty weaksauce. Not many of them had guns, and therefore had to get up close and personal with the invaders. Unfortunately, the Blastech E-11 turned out to be a much handier tool than the Gaderfii stick ;-)

Jawas swung around the flank and put down some effective harassing fire on the Imperials.

The Imperial gunline advanced inexorably, mowing down all who resisted.

Dewback vs. Tusken Raider...

Advantage: Dewback.

Bantha vs. Imperial Stormtrooper Officer = one pulped clone.

Eventually, all resistance was snuffed out and the Stormtroopers destroyed the Sandcrawler. Didn't find the droids they were looking for though. There's a small moisture farm just past some nearby dunes to check out next.

It was pretty fun game but once again, pointed up the failings of the SWMB points structure. Even with a ~30 point advantage the Tatooine natives were quite overmatched - Stormtroopers may be a bit too cheap for their considerable abilities. A neat scenario which we may play again sometime!