Sitrep (40K): 2012 battle for Leipzig round 2

Round 2 Vs Eldar led by Micha

Deployment: Spearhead

Mission: Modified Seize Ground. One objective in each quarter and one more in the centre of the battle feild

Enemy

Eldrad

Avatar

2 Dire Avenger squad

2 Harlequin troupes

1 Striking Scorpion squad

2 War Walker squadrons

1 Night Spinner

Orks Deploy

Eldar Debus

Battle

Next round against Micha‘s Eldar. Another veteran from the Dresden pigeon shoot, he had won the event in previous years. Micha Also plays FOW so he has some taste. This time his swarm of Hornets and Wasps had be replaced with troupes of Harlequins and an Avatar. The dread Night Spinner still made the list.   

The Orks won the roll off and picked the side with the most terrain to deny it to the Eldar. One Kan mob and the Bad Moonz mob went in reserve. The Grots found a Nice objective under a roof and set-up camp. The Koptas went to outflank. The rest of the army tried to spread out to minimize the Night Spinner effect, not helped by the spearhead deployment. In reply the Eldar deployed everything except the two scoring Dire Avenger units. 

Target sighted

The Orks surged forward. The Evil Sunz mob went into one quadrant, while the Deff Skullz went into another. The Wild Boyz, Kans and Big Mek went up the middle.  Shooting was limited but the Dakka kans took a wound of the Avatar. Eldrad guide the war walkers who opened fire on the Deff Skullz killing a fair few. The rest of the Eldar scuffled around the flanks.  The Night Spinner tagged two mobs with its web killing a few directly and a few more went the mobs opted to move.  The Koptas opted to wait their time. The Harlequins either had too much fate in their night shroud or underestimated the shootas boyz. Both mobs spotted the Harlequins and let rip, one troupe was badly damaged while the other lost several Harlequins.  

Ork reserves roll on

In respond Eldrad fortuned to the Scorpions and the avatar who push forward while the harlequins pulled back. A squad of Dire Avengers arrived and moved to capture the objective on the Eldar quarter.  The Orks pushed forward The Avatar suffered the attentions of the mobs and lost another wound. A Koptas squadron arrived and struck the newly arrived Dire avengers with little effect. Eldrad and the Scorpions fleeted into combat with the Evil Sunz mob. Poor rolling meant most of the boyz survived. One of the Harlequin troupe rescued the Dire Avengers from the Deff Koptas destroying both Koptas with ease.  The Bad Moonz and the Kan mob rolled on and moved towards the Eldar deployment quarter. The wild boyz and the Kans opted to Waaagh into combat with Eldrad and friends. The Deff Skullz opted to shoot the Avatar before assault him.

Deff Skullz assualt an Avatar

And then go after War Walkers

The Avatar went down to a power klaw attack while the Evil Sunz and Wild Boyz whittled down the Scorpions. The Eldar pushed forward the Harlequins to relieve the pressure on Eldrad. War walkers fired on and assaulted the Deff Skullz. A second squad of Dire Avengers arrived and pushed forward  The was followed by another Deff Koptas squadron which did little damage before being destroyed by some Harlequins. The second troupe of Harlequins got assaulted by the Bad Moonz and Kans and was destroyed before it could rescue Eldrad. Eldrad and the Scorpions battle on but there were two many orks and kans in contact.  The numbers spoke and Eldrad with his the Scorpions fell allowing the Orks to claim three of the five objectives versus the Eldar's one objective 

Eldrad's last stand

Result: Win 16-4

sitrep (40K): 2012 battle for Leipzig round 1

2012 Battle for Leipzig.

40K event is Saxonia are few and far between Leipzig is the nearest gaming hub outside of Dresden. When they announced they were running a one day three round 40K event I signed up pretty fast. The Orks were the army of choice. Snikrot and the Lootas where dropped in favour of rockets on the Kans and Deff Koptas. 

The Waaagh (at 1750  points)

Big Mek

Evil Sunz mob

Deff Skullz mob

Bad Moon mob

Wild boyz mob

Grots

Rokkit kans

More rocket kans

dakka Kans

Left eye (koptas with a klaw)

Right eye (koptas with a klaw)

The day started with a little run to the train station. In Germany half eight in the morning means half to eight not half past eight. A train and a tram later the Orks were Leipzig ready for their first battle.

Frist roll of the Freebie dice

Round Vs Tau led by Arnie

Deployment: Pitch battle

Mission: Modified seize ground.  All the terrain counted as objectives. Any scoring units could capture an 

objective.  Once captured an objective remained under control until an enemy scoring unit claims the objective. 

Enemy

1 Ethereal 

1 Crisis team HQ

3 Crisis teams

2 Fire Warrior teams

3 Kroot packs

1 Pathfinder team with Fish

2 Broadside teams

The Battle

I had played aganist Arne before at the Dresden pigeon shoot. His Tau can be a problem if given free rein. But Tau with an ethereal for the frist matchup was a good start to the event. As a bonus all players were given gift dice for the event. Mine rolled a six to pick sides. 

Ork line-up

The Orks picked the side with the least terrain planning on getting into the Tau half fairly quickly damage. The Boyz and the Mek deployed evenly across the battlefeild. The Koptas opted to outflank while the Grots went into reserve. In response the Tau deployed in the centre.  Two units of Kroot opted to infiltration on table to form a skirmish screen between the Boyz and the Crisis teams The tau failed to seize the initiative and the Boyz where off. Everybody ran except the Dakka Kans who opted to put holes in the Pathfinders. The Pathfinders stayed on table but needed the Ethereal s help to do so.  The Tau started pouring in fire. Broadsides went after the kans destroying several while the rest of the army poured fire into the closes mob, the Deff Skullz  

Tau get tactical and hide  behind a rock

On cue the two koptas mobs arrived one on each flank. One mob went after a fire warrior team and destroyed it. The second went after a screening Kroot pack and pinned it in combat.  The rest of boyz pushed forward.  Dakka kans again hitting the Pathfinder with little effect.  The Kroot reserve failed to make an appearance.  The Tau continued to pour in fire reducing the Deff Skullz to a handful of models.  The Koptas that destroyed the Fire Warriors  where blasted. The sole survivor fled only to crash into a tree moving through difficult terrain. The Koptas engaged against the Kroot were reduced to a single model which held on. Or more accurately failed its hit and run move.  

The boyz moved into the danger zone. The Tau battle line started to shift. The Crisis HQ and two Crisis teams advanced forward while the rest moved to the back line.  The Kroot again failed to make an appearance. The Tau started to fire on the other mobs hoping to reduce the numbers. The Devil Fish tank shocked the Deff Skullz causing them to flee. The HQ and support opted to charge badly damaging the Evil Sunz mob which just managed to hold.  The Kroot managed to see of the last Deff Kopta.

Crisis Suits meets Choppa boyz

Backed up with Killa Kans

But it was too late to help the crisis teams has a mob of killa kans opted to pile into the fight. The Crisis HQ team where dragged down by the orks while the kans beat up to the other teams. The wild boyz opted to Waaagh and hit the Pathfinders, Broadsides, last Crisis team and ethereal. The  Tau started to crumble under the pressure the Nob finished off the ethereal while the rest of the Boyz broke the rest of the Tau.  The last kroot unit finally showed up but with only three small tau units left there was not much they could do.  The Orks started to chase after the last of the Tau while trying to capture terrain as they went. Crucial one mob rolled a one for its run move to  miss capturing the swing objective three two on objectives ve.  The Tau tried to dodge Killa kans and rampaging boyz praying for an early end since it was three two on objectives to the tau.The game ended before the Orks could finish off the Tau. Giving a win to the Tau three two on objectives (Arne may have done a victory dance at this point)         

Result: loss 4-16

Deff Skullz prepare to assualt the Tau hill

But are tank shocked out of play

Not a great start for the boyz.  Next up was ...

Eldar

WiP (FOW):Kampfgruppe Bohme

First V3 FOW army is coming along nicely. Gebirgsjaegers are one of the more distinctive units in the German army in ww2 with their parka jacks and bergmuetz  hats.  I had wanted to do a Gebirgsjaeger regiment for a while now but there was no models in 15mm. Last year Battlefront announced a Gebirgsjaeger range and Kampfgruppe Bohme was formed.

Kampfgruppe Bohme

(A kompanie, 100^th Gebirgsjaeger Regiment)

Company HQ platoon led by Hauptman Bohme

1^st platoon with 3 sections led by Leutant Dietl

2^nd platoon with 3 sections led by Feldwebel Engleer

3^rd platoon with 3 sections led by Feldwebel Feurstein

Support elements

HMG platoon with 2 sections led by Feldwebel Jodi

Light Gun platoon with 4 guns led by Leutant Von Hengl

Pioneer platoon with 2 section led by Leutant Konrad

Anti tank platoon with 2 guns led by Feldwebel Kreysing

Assault gun platoon with 4 Stug led by Oberleutant Schoemer

I had planned to do a larger Kampfgruppe but the models are not some of Battlefronts best.  The names are all former Generals of Gebirgsjaegers. 

 Company HQ platoon led by Hauptman Bohme

1^st platoon with 3 sections led by Leutant Dietl

2^nd platoon with 3 sections led by Feldwebel Engleer

3^rd platoon with 3 sections led by Feldwebel Feurstein

Pioneer platoon with 2 section led by Leutant Konrad 

(aka the left over models from the other platoons)

HMG platoon with 2 sections led by Feldwebel Jodi

 

Anti tank platoon with 2 guns led by Feldwebel Kreysing

Pack mules (optional)

sit rep (FOW): 2012 battle of Klotzsche

First game with the new V3 rules took place in Klotzsche, the local FOW gaming groups HQ.  On the day my Luftwaffe infantry paired up with Hungarians against British, In summary an Irish guy playing Germans allied with Hungarians led by German called Attila versus a German playing Irish Guard. A nice quality vs quantity match-up.  We rolled “free for all” for the mission meaning the infantry were ordered to attack the tanks. Objectives were spread evenly in each table quarter

The forces

Irish Guards (Confident Veteran tank company) Commander Van Der Leir 1 HQ platoon with 2 Sherman and 1 ARV 2 tank platoons each with 2 Sherman and 2 fireflies 1 tank platoon with 4 Stuarts 2 rifle platoons each with 3 sections 1 gun battery with 8 guns 1 Spotter plane	Luftwaffe Reluctant trained infantry company 1 HQ platoon with panzerfausts and panzershreik team 3 rifles platoons with panzerfaust and 3 sections each 1 pioneer platoon with 3 sections 2 HMG platoons with 2 sections 1 mortar platoon with 2 sections 1 light AA platoon with 3 guns 1 AT platoon with 3 guns 1 AA platoon with 2 88's
	Hungarian Army Confident trained infantry company 1 HQ platoon 3 rifle platoons with three sections 1 HMG platoon with 2 sections 1 AT platoon with 3 guns 1 artillery battery with 2 sections

88 deploys to cover an attack on the village.The panzer wreck  in the top left is one of the Luftwaffe objectives. The Shermans redeploy(hide) on the first turn.

The Axis had a lot platoons and deployment was determined more by were would something fit instead any clever plan. However, the 88's where deployed near one of the Guards objectives.  The Guards got to go first and advanced everywhere except where the 88's were.  The artillery opted to dig since it could not fire this round.  In response, the Axis advanced across the whole front mainly to spread out to avoid the attention of the Guards artillery when it got going. The Hungarian AT platoon got the drop on the Guards company commander destroying him meaning the Guards would automaticily fail a company command check and flee if one could forced.

Next turn saw the British artillery make its present known. A large concentration of Luftwaffe and Hungarians in the centre was targeted. Heavy artillery mixed dense infantry does not end well for the infantry.  The British tanks continued to push forward towards their objective trading fire with the nearby AT platoons.  The Luftwaffe countered by pushing forward on one of their objective over watched by the 88's battery.  The AT platoons claimed a few Stuarts but not enough to worry the Guards yet.

The Artillery, now ranged in,  hit the centre again and this time a tank platoon rolled forward to hit the survivors. A Luftwaffe platoon cracked under the pressure and fled to the rear. The Luftwaffe brought forward some HMG and began to destroy the British rifles that were claiming a Luftwaffe objective. The British artillery continued to pound any concentration infantry that could be sighted while the tanks pushed closer to the British objective.

The Luftwaffe pioneers supported by a rifle platoon attempted to capture their objective after a vicious fire fight and assault both platoons were destroyed along with the company commander.  On the other flank the British tanks finished off the German AT platoon and a Hungarian rifle platoon at the cost of loosing the Stuart platoon. But they still faced a wall of anti tanks guns rifle men.  With the hour getting late both side called off their attack.  The Axis lost five platoons while the British lost just one.

Too tempting a target for artillery

Luftwaffe pioneers on the way to the front

Outnumber three to one the British rifles did little advancing

Luftwaffe move towards their objectives 

Covered by the 88s

Hungarians holding the center. The unit was hit early in the game and spent most of the game pinned.

British armour pushes forward

Luftwaffe capture the woods near their objective

Pioneers move into assault position.

Preemptive counter attack with infantry, tanks and artillery destroys the attack before it can begin

Sitrep (FOW): Operation Charnwood is a go

Normandy July 1944 

Mmm, smell like a campaign, .

Too Fat Lardies (TFL) published a rules set aimed at WW2 company level called "I Ain't Been Shot Mom" (IABSM).  Scenarios for the rules are published every six months. With a bit of tweaking the scenarios can be adjusted for FOW. We decided ( well, I told everybody to be more exact) we were going to try one of the IABSM campaign. The campaign mechanics are interesting on a couple of points. In a normal campaign the battles are linked over a period of campaign time intended to represent weeks or months of effort. This campaign represent a single day and the attempts of the British 59^th division attempting to break through at Caen in Normandy as part of operation Charnwood. All the battles fought are between 04.30 and 20.30 on the 8^th-9 ^th of July on the outskirts of Caen. The time period is too short for units to get experience and replacements. So any damage from a battle rolls over to the next battle.

Another interesting feature of the TFL rules sets is that they encourage people to play the game not the rules. So there is a strong role play element in the game. The British have eighteen companies, typical game of FOW involves one just company, attacking the German held villages at a time and location of their choice. The British must capture all the villages outside of Caen.  They even have a plan. The fun starts when the plan meets reality.

tactical map*

The British cunning plan

Phase one

Taskforce Micheal will attack Galamache at 04.30 hrs

Taskforce Paul will attack La Bejude at 04.30 hrs

Phase two

Taskforce John will attack Epron at 07.30 hrs

Taskforce Phillip will attack Malon at 10.30 hrs

Taskforce Gerard will attack St Contest at 12.30 hrs

Each taskforce consists of two rifle companies with Armour and regiment support. In reserve, are another eight companies with armour and weapons support.

* The map comes from one IABSM booklets. Well worth a look if you are interested creating scenarios in FOW, 40K, WHB, Battlefleet gothic, Areonautic Imperailis. 

Dig In (FOW): HMG nests

Rumors of a possible FOW campaign renewed interest in some FOW terrain. The campaign will be based on Normandy and included the 16th Luftwaffe division. The Luftwaffe infantry are not the best units in FOW, to improve their chances I made up some HMG nests based on the model dads blog tutorial.

1) First 12 matchstick were roughly cut 1.5cm long.  The "logs" were roughly glued 4-5 matchsticks high to make two walls. The walls were glued 8mm apart at roughly right angles to each other on a FOW medium sized base.

2)Polystrene was roughly cut to form the other three walls of the nest.

3) The walls and the outside of the nest were covered in wood filler and a mixture of cork bark and small stones was scattered around the base.

4) Once dried the inside of the nest was painted black

5) The top of the nest was then covered in more roughly cut matchsticks

6)the roof was then covered with more wood filler. While still wet the mixture of cork bark and small stones was scattered over the roof

7)Once dried the nest was covered in watered PVA glue to seal in the rubble. Then the exterior was painted grey

8) Once that had dried the logs was painted a wood color and the earth was painted and earth tone. The whole nest was then dry brushed with an off white color. Then a mixture of flocks was glued on. And the job is done.

PiP (FOW): Flames of War is starting to hot up

It seems that FOW has been big of the painting tray of late. Probably due to the release of V3 this month. Painting wise there is not much new method wise. But I am starting to use Vallejo mediums in painting. I just need to figure out how to get the most out of them. Below are some of the units completed this month

Tiger I's platoon

Sd Kfz 231 squadron?

Recon units (hopefully looking for my new rule book)

Sd Kz 222 squadron

schimmwagen platoon

Sd Kfz 251/16 section

Sd Kfz 251/16 section with Sd Kfz251/7 section in the rear

Buete panzer with Kfz 68 radio truck

Ferdinand with Bergepanther

Not shown but on the way is an is a Gebirgsjaeger company inspired by one of the local FOW players, Frank.  One of his airborne platoons is shown and more picture of his 101st can be seen here.  The best critism I heard of his army was that the stars and stripes on each figure was missing the full 50 stars :)