Big Day in Warton

 Big day here at Casa Anderson on Sunday, Rob was organising a large Napoleonic game and the usual venue in Grange, the Gin Pit was not available, so I volunteered to host the game in the now defunct Post Office.

Rob came and organised the table on the Saturday and with the addition of one picnic table I managed an area of 17 feet x 5 feet, anymore and we would have been out on the pavement. I also managed to provide all the mats and terrain making a mental note that I have more stuff than I need, apart from some fieldworks for Italian Wars of course, but they don't count. With the cold spell I also warned everyone to come prepared, thermals and warm jumpers. Julian volunteered to do the catering and set up a curry on the old counter bubbling away nicely, Rob provided biscuits and Trukish Delight and Paul some excellent brownies, I sorted tea and coffee, a wargaming picnic. Don't get used to it guys.

French on the left, Allies on the right. Canal turns up later.

The troops muster.

The Allied right.

The Cumbrian Chef. Well done Julian.

The game was basically a meeting engagement with the main object control of the canal in the centre of the battlefield. We all had two commands, usually an infantry and a cavalry brigade, you chose which to bring on first and the second was diced for later, these commands were also picked out of a hat so only then did you know which side you were on. I ended up on the French side and my position was on the far right flank, just to the side of the canal, I brought my infantry on first, next to me was Stuart, our CinC with the Guard, he brought on the Guard artillery in a grand battery which at the time looked to be able to control the canal to his front. Next up was Fran and then Paul on the left. I am not sure what plans everyone else had but I had to secure the flank, opposite me was Rob with British infantry, he also chose to wait on the cavalry, I decided just to move forward and anchor my line on the canal, I did siphon off one battalion and some skirmishers to support the guns as who knew when the Guard infantry would show up, it looked like a big hole to me, we were expecting a lot from the artillery.

Fran moves to the hedge line.

My troops hesitantly advance.

French light cavalry, left flank.

My boys hold their positions.

The ineffective Grand Battery.

We halved the ranges and movement as we normally have a wider table at the Gin Pit, this meant our guns were not as effective as we thought and Ed, their opponent, kept out of range. On my front Rob quickly dashed forward into range and then stopped, some of his men even went backwards, and then were discombobulated when he was reminded the canal was not a road, but that was much later as the light faded. Once the Guard battalions turned up I turned to my own front and decided to test Rob's line, by this time my lancers had turned up while Rob's cavalry decided to wait awhile, until the last minute in fact. So I mounted my assault, I dispersed one of the British battalions then fell foul of the disordered rule which meant I could never really push forward. I did manage to use the Lancers to force the British into squares but then found my infantry could not be given orders to take advantage of the situation. Rob continued to have trouble moving forward even when his cavalry did turn up, by this time I had the measure of his infantry and the honours were even between the heavy cavalry and my lancers. The Scot's Greys wandered around in the rear too late to impact on the battle.

The Guard arrive.

Rob puts pressure on my lads.

Thoughtful moments.

Ed awaits the Guard.

The French left begins to build up the pressure.

Stuart had moved across the canal but in doing so had to move the grand battery, this potentially lethal enterprise did nothing throughout the battle but run here and there trying to find a good target. The Guard were eventually fought to a standstill at the canal and took horrendous casualties withdrawing on the last turn, however the Allies opposite were also in a mess. Fran, next along, had advanced very quickly across a large cornfield to a hedge line from which he threw back the enemy and then proceeded to hold it for the rest of the game despite several ferocious assaults. Soon his cavalry swept forward and began to push the enemy horse back. Once Paul got his infantry onto the table he took the battle to James who was holding yet another hedge line, the last thing I saw over there was French flags advancing, again after some very desperate fighting. With the food gone and exhaustion setting in we called it a day and the French were granted a marginal victory.

Paul assaults the Allied right.

The Guard taking punishment.

My right wins the day.

Beautiful lancers clash with British infantry.

Probably the most bitter fighting of all in Fran and Julian's sector.

The Guard simply hold the canal.

There we go, another excellent days gaming despite the rules. I really do not understand why being shot at would cause disorder to any unit in the Napoleonic period, wouldn't they be used to it, and it only has to be one hit, not even a casualty, grrrrrrrrrrr.  There is another game being organised in the Gin Pit for February which I cannot attend as it is the Memsahibs birthday and we are off for a posh lunch.

I was supposed to be playing Italian Wars this Wednesday but it has been cancelled as Julian has other commitments now. probably for the best as I am very busy at the moment, and here I thought I was retired. I do have the next Smolensk game with Matt Crump on the 1st Feb, it might take me that long to decided what to spend my measly four support points on.

Some time ago I ordered up a 3D print of a Brummbar (Grouch) sturmpanzer from Paint and Glue Miniatures, the print was lovely but small, it did not scale with either Warlord or Rubicon. I sent the model back and Garry determined that something had gone wrong and it printed smaller than 1/56, so he offered another by return. As it was Christmas and the post was a shambles I said fine but it could wait. I got it about a week or so ago, again the print was very good and I painted it up with the 'ambush' camouflage scheme and added some oil cans, spent shell casings and a bucket. I am very happy with Paint and Glue and look forward to using it and causing fear among my enemies.

My vanity project, an Italian Wars camp setting is finished, I might still add the odd barrel or box or some such when the mood takes me, I have some little dogs which might be nice. I have not put heraldry or flags in the camp so that it can be used by any side. I have to say the Warlord vignettes, the dice players, the minister and camp scribe along with the rest were a pleasure to paint and really bring the scene to life. I was very pleased with the tents which I got from Slovakia, the table and chairs were Ainsty Castings. Apart from more soldiers all I need now are some field fortifications, especially gun pits, but these will have to wait.

Vapnartak at York is approaching but I have just about decided to give it a miss this year, which will be the first an a long while. I have a small mountain of troops to paint and a couple of Wargames Foundry vouchers to spend so I really do not need anything and I find York to be mainly a traders show. I also feel that a two hour drive and petrol prices being what they are mitigate against it. I will keep myself  for Partizan in May, but that too might be a show too far for this mean old codger, we will see once the gloom of January/February lifts.

My dream of a wargame room is back on hold with my planning permission being refused, I now move to an appeal. The gist is that despite there being no business to sell the room is looked at as a business first and has to be marketed according to some (*&&^^%**%£$ on the council. Missus is out of hospital and improving but a long way to go, right, clean fire, take in washing, fill coal bucket, make tea and toast and then shopping, sigh.

On a happier note while we were pondering our moves a dog walker banged on the now closed PO door, opening the real door the chap informed me that there was a box of soldiers under a nearby car a bit further up the road and suspected they had something to do with me. Rob ran to retrieve his box. It can be useful being known as the village armchair general.

Oh Woe is Me

 More on the title anon. This week at the club it was back to the Ambush scenario but this time the Jerries were up against British Paras with some help from the Yanks.

In my third attempt at taking the crossroads I wanted to push most of my troops along the right flank and across the iron bridge, the 222 armoured car and the kubelwagen with my command along with one MMG and a squad would do what they could on the left. Michael, who is fairly new to Bolt Action kept his men as far back as he could which allowed me to advance almost to the outskirts of the hamlet. He did take his chances with the PIAT, anti-tank gun and his machine guns but these all fell to overpowering return fire, once again the Allied anti-tank was ineffective and was soon removed from the game. I once again got a FUBAR and a squad ran to the rear upsetting my timetable. More and more enemy squads now turned up around the village and despite being cut up by my armour it seemed to take forever to damage them while my own infantry began to take losses.

Although I had taken seven dice from the Allied total and only lost three the remaining Paras had an iron grip on the crossroads as we approached move ten, these defending squads also were replete with molotov cocktails so still managed to be a danger to my vehicles. Michael's tactic of keeping his forces as far back as possible was a good move, the Germans spent almost half their turns simply getting to a point where they could begin to take on the main enemy position, which of course proved too strong to overcome.

Once again the result was a draw and although this scenario gives a good fight and always extends that elusive chance of a German victory it simply is never going to happen. I have been very lucky in my games that the enemy anti-tank fire was ineffective and that keeping my armour intact and dealing a good amount of hurt helped me get as far as I could, this is not something I am sure that would continue. This is a good scenario and one which deserves a little more thought, I don't think bigger tanks are the answer and I like the thought of a reconnaissance unit probing forward, but I do think perhaps one more German squad and have all of them in transports although I would keep the speed of off-road movement to advance only. We will see.

I won't be at the club next week as my wife has an op on the Monday and should be home on the Tuesday so it would be bad form to leave her and put my own fortunes first. Not only will I be running after her every whim for the next three months but I have had my own troubles with health over the past four days and despite being on antibiotics the things are not working fast enough for me. It really is no fun getting old.

Just to top things off the planning wallah at the Council has decided I need to put my now defunct Post Office up for sale before I can get planning permission to take down the old shop front and put up a lovely new wall and garden. The old PO is just a room, with no amenities at all, it was part of the original cottage, there is nothing to sell, but the young gent would rather have me spend a fortune and carry out needless marketing research to sell something which does not exist. It looks like I shall have to appeal his upcoming decision, yes, you have guessed it, more sheckles for the Council coffers.

Enough of real life, my camp is well on the way to completion, I suspect I will manage to complete it by tomorrow before I start my three month sentence. The little vignettes from Warlord Games have been a joy to paint. Next up is another sidetrack back to WWII and a lovely 3D vehicle from Paint and Glue Miniatures, more on this when I complete it. It will then be back to Italian Wars cavalry, I received yet another bunch of TAG figures yesterday so now have all the French cavalry I need for now, even with my quick method of horse painting I am not a fan of painting cavalry no matter how good they look so this might become a bit of a chore.

We have a large Napoleonic game here on the 22nd and I believe Julian and I are back to Italy on the 25th. With all my other jobs I now have a full book of map projects to work through as well, so much for retirement.

Foreign Legion fort in Rif Mountains.

 

1806-1807 Russia.

 

That's it for now I am going back to wallowing in my despair. Oh, I forgot about the new comedy being streamed on one of the channels, "The Rig", having worked offshore on three different platforms over twenty years I see nothing familiar in this dreamt up nonsense, and please do not get the impression it has any base in reality.

A real Radio Op at work, not a tool or a beard in sight.

Onwards!

 Well, back on the hobby horse for another year, it was Club night on Tuesday and I arrived first and started to wonder if I had got it all wrong, but five minutes later the pitter patter of large feet confirmed I had it right after all.

I had decided to bring Matt Crump's excellent Bolt Action ambush scenario to the table, I could not do British v Norwegians so tweaked it for the Ardennes in 1944. I was playing Rob therefore it was an American paratrooper force lying in wait around an important crossroads for a German reconnaissance force determined to capture the said crossroads in order that the following German armour could continue its offensive.

My forces contained four squads of infantry, a medium mortar, two MMG's, one truck, one Kubelwagen, one PzII Luchs, one 222 armoured car and a 250/1 command halftrack. The Americans had six infantry squads, an anti-tank gun, one bazooka, a sniper team, an LMG, MMG and as they appeared each squad rolled to see if they had Molotov cocktails. I was a bit unsure as despite the vehicles the Germans seemed on a sticky wicket. And the Ami's also got a barricade, nearly forgot.

The Americans deployed their command dice and these would only be revealed should the enemy come within 12" or the Americans opted to open fire at a longer range. I didn't really have much of a plan apart from heading for the crossroads, I sent the 222, truck and an MMG for the left hand bridge, two squads of infantry between the bridges, the 250 (with MMG), Kubelwagen and Panzer for the right hand bridge and then a squad of infantry on the far right. Rob opened early and had set up his bazooka team and sniper close to the river, the sniper took out an NCO while the bazooka stunned the crew of the Luchs. I unloaded a lot of firepower on these guys cutting them down but not wiping them out, the American MMG was up next and added its firepower against my advancing infantry. Soon the anti-tank gun also opened up along with a nearby squad, it seemed I was getting nowhere fast, despite managing to drop HE and some good hits with my 20mm auto cannons I was not getting the kills I needed, on the other hand I lost most of the crew on one of the MMG's and all of the crew on the other, to add insult to injury I then got a Fubar and my lead squad in the centre ran for the rear.

Despite my misfortune the pendulum had now begin to swing in my favour as Rob's anti-tank gun failed to destroy the 222 only stunning the crew or missing altogether. I now managed to move on the Americans stalling my right and the sniper, MMG and bazooka team all disappeared as did the LMG who turned up to help. More American squads now showed themselves with only one bringing Molotov's, the German fire now built up and more and more Americans hit the dirt or refused orders due to the amount of pins building up on the units. We got to turn eight and despite my effort at pushing for the village we called a halt as we could not see the Germans taking the crossroads before turn ten. It was a draw.

The scenario turned out to be finely balanced and I am running it again next week, between my games and Matt's I don't think the crossroads have ever been taken but correspondingly the bridges have always been easily held to result in a draw. I had some bad luck in not taking out the first line of American defenders and they held me up longer than they should but in the second part of the game my luck changed and I dealt out a lot of hurt. Perhaps I should have gone forward a move or so sooner but hey, that's wargaming.

As usual going back to a ruleset after a break we forgot a few rules but it no doubt evened out. I basically play six sets of rules, Johnny Reb, War and Conquest, Bolt Action, Chain of Command, Honours of War and Furioso, I like to think I know them all but nothing beats playing them on a regular basis. I have been caught up with the Italian Wars for several months now but have arrived at a point where I can now start bringing back some of the others.

I have been lazy over the festive season and not touched a brush for a few weeks apart from a small group of Early War Germans, I do have a lot of stuff in my 'ready use' locker and recently took delivery of all the figures and tents for my Italian Wars camp. Despite all this stuff waiting to go I still want to get some mounted arquebusiers and one more Gendarme unit for the French, and the King of course. I might though bring the camp to the fore as it will be a nice change before finishing off the French, we will see.

Usually this is also a quiet time for mapping but this year is different and I have four large projects waiting to go and one almost in the bag, Napoleonic maps are leading the way for now along with French Foreign Legion fortifications and the Eastern Front bringing up the rear. This is another reason I have not been painting.

A busy couple of months coming up, the missus is having an operation on her back which means yours truly will be doing everything while she recuperates for three months, I have been in training over Christmas, the hoover, the air fryer, taking out the ashes, setting the woodburner, shopping and all the other womanly jobs. We are also having a run in with the local planning office in a bid to change the PO room into my wargame room, I won't go into details as I have only just come down from reading their last missive.

I also have to fit in games here at Casa Anderson, Italian Wars and the next Smolensk game along with a wish to have another ACW game in Februay along with all the club nights too and maybe some remote games with mate Matt Smith. I shall be a shadow of my former self.

What did you get for Christmas I hear you shout. I did very well thank you, two vouchers for Wargames Foundry and a shed load of books, I am also lucky that my birthday comes just before the big day so it has been a grand haul for me. Now I just need to find time to read them.

Christmas

Birthday