Nery 1914 game

I hosted my first 1914 game the other day at my store. The game was to represent the action at Nery between British and German Cavalry. The British had one HMG section at the Sugar Factory, one gun section of 13pdrs in the hay field (L battery) and two dismounted cav troops in the town (11th Hussars). They had a reserve platoon but did not know what it was or where it was going to come in. It was a troop of mounted Guard cav in delayed reserve but more on that later.

 The Germans had a full battery of 7.7 guns, one HMG section and two mounted troops. The guns were deployed on the ridge and the players were given the option to have the cav mounted or dismounted, they chose mounted.
The first turn the Germans were the attacker and got to fire first but not move. The British started pinned down to represent the surprise and the lifting fog.
 



After some exchange of fire and maneuvering, The German Artillery had been reduced to two guns while L battery stayed whole. The German cav charged across the field at the guns and took a  few before they were shot to pieces. The troop that was trying to take the Sugar factory was mowed down by the HMGs.



 In the end the Germans went below half strength and not having a CO failed company morale. The British lost L battery but held the field. It was a good game and all had a grand time with many cheers and laughs. Thanks to the players for entertaining me and my WWI obsession.

New European terrain

I acquired some new terrain for my FOW1918/FOW WWII games. I am not sure of the manufacture(s) but I like the sizing and look of the buildings. They should do nicely as a French/Belgian village in 1914 and in 1940.

The bridge and stone walls in the above picture are from JR Miniatures. They make some very nice products and I have number of their destroyed buildings.

Here some 1914 German Uhlans move down the empty main street. The villagers have fled or are in hiding. Notice the cart on the left loaded up but left.

The buildings came painted (not very well) so I touched them up a little.

I have pulled the 1914 German Infantry out (I was going to send them out to be painted but...) and will start working on them. I will try to keep the interruptions to a minimum so that I can finally get a 1914 game in in 2010. ;-)

Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade (CMMGB) late 1918

This is my CMMGB FOW1918 force. It was created using the Minifig Generic truck, Model T truck, some extra US HMG figures, a few PP head swaps and some scratch built Mortars.

The Model T's being the command element.

The Newton mortars mounted in their lorries.

I tried to make them as modular as possible so the trucks could be used of other purposes. Each mortar/HMG section is mounted on a metal base that fits into the truck bed. The command units have a crate. I plan on working out an extension on the canvas bed cover so they just set in the bed securely.

One of the Machine Gun sections. When dismounted I will just remove the figures from the bed and replace with the normal HMG stand.

The intel is on the FOW1918 Yahoo group and covers the other options available for the force (bicycle inf., cav, a/c, artillery, etc.) and includes a list of sources.

It is truly a mobile force but very vulnerable in the unarmored trucks.

The Fighting Withdraw scenario (Germans defending in 'open' terrain) will be the most appropriate for this force in the last 100 days.

I hope to game them soon!

More German EW Cavalry

I just finished a half troop of Peter Pig German Uhlans. This finishes off the German cav from the lot I bought last year. This gives me enough mounted bases to table a Squadron for EW/MW. I really like teh Peter Pig figures. I just wish they had a command pack like the British.
I need to scratch/kit bash one or two HMG wagons to go with them and then I need dismounted. I will probably do another German Artillery section next and then maybe move to some LW Canadians but we will see.

Back in the WW1 saddle!

Well I am finally back at my WW1 life long project. I just finished a half troop of Peter Pig German Dragoons. They were from the huge collection I obtain last year. I stripped them and repainted. I really like them but I wish they had a command pack and a few more poses.

Next are a few pics of some recent ebay purchases. The first is an FT-17 TSF from an unknown manufacture. I have it assembled and base coat painted. I plan on making an extension on the skid for the antenna wire and it has a hole for the antenna. I think it will make a great little model.

Next are some Iron Brigade Miniatures also from ebay.

This is a very cool truck. It should go nicely with the Minifig ones I have (pic).

This is a Mk 1 tank. I am really excited about this model. Should make a nice piece.

It looks to be about the same size as the Peter Pig Mk IV model.

Last is an Austin A/C. I have it pictured with my QRF modified model. I will keep this for my Russian army. It may be some time!

Still on the job hunt but the ebay business is keeping my head above water.

I have one more half troop of PP German Uhlans on the workbench along with a number of GW items heading for ebay. Then on to the TSF and Mk 1. Hope to get some gaming in with my mates next weekend.

Nery and German Uhlans Cavalry Command

I just finished reading Nery, 1914 - The adventure of the German 4th Cavalry Division on the 31st August and the 1st September by Major A.F. Becke. It is a detailed look at a cavalry vs cavalry action. There is also a nice website on the action - www.chakoten.dk/nery_100914_2.html

The GWSH yahoo group has a nice scenario on the action also. I have created a FOW1918 version and will post it in the files section once I have play tested it.

This book along with the delay in receiving my German infantry from the painter, more on that in another post, I have decided to use the remaining German cavalry figures I have from the big purchase to create a Squadron to game with. I only had a few Minifigs Uhlans so I decided to use them as the Squadron Command.

I had to strip them of there original paint job. The horses are not Minifigs but I am not sure what manufacture they are.

While I was working on the Uhlans I also did two more command stands. One is for the artillery and the other will be for the Cavalry HMG teams.

I am now working on another 7.7cm gun section, the German Horse artillery batteries had four guns and I will need a full battery for the Nery scenario. I am also working on the remaining Peter Pig German cavalry I have left. They need major stripping and cleaning. Four stands of Dragoons and four stands of Uhlans. I plan on mixing them in with the Minifigs stands i have already completed to make two full troops.

1914 British Life Guards

With a snow storm that dumped over 24" of snow I had a little time to do some painting. This is a troop of British Life Guards. The figures are a mix of Minifigs and the updated version from GFI titled British Lifeguard Troopers. The GFI figures come with larger horses than the old Minifigs. They come with lances but I removed them because my research into the Life Guards did not have them as lancers. Not like the Germans, only Lancer units carried lances. Only one squadron was sent to France in August 1914 as part of a composite Regiment. They saw action at Mons, the Marne and Ypres. The rest of the Regiment arrived in October 1914. With the completion of this troop and the half troop of Peter Pig figures, very little will be needed to complete a Squadron. I plan on finishing the second half of the Peter Pig figure squadron (still need to order the figs), create a Squadron HQ and paint up some packsaddlrey horses (QRF makes some nice figs) for the Cavalry machine gun section.

The other items completed are two artillery limbers. I still need one more for the half battery and plan on ordering it with the next GFI order.

Again the pictures are not that great. I suspect I need a new camera.

Reference:

http://1914-1918.net/lifeguards.htm

More progress on the EW project.

I am getting more and more excited about gaming 1914. I really feel this is where the rules and game will shine. I have started to collect scenarios and modify them to FOW1918. I am concentrating on the BEF retreat at the moment since they are ready for the game table.

Above are a few objectives I created for the 1914 games. Very generic but would be fine in an open field or abandoned village.

This is a half troop of German Hussars (Minifig). I modeled the officer after a picture I found of the Totenkopf Hussars. I also did their penants in black. Not sure if it is 100% accurate but I think they look cool. Sorry the pictures are not that great, they look much better in person.

Now if I could just get my Germans back from the painter!

Next up are a full troop of British Guard Cavalry (Minifig). I just stripped them of their previous paint job and should be to work on them soon. Another batch of German Cav (Peter Pig) are in the stripping soak tub at the moment.

Flee market time!

I am posting a few extras I have For Sale. All are of an average to low paint level but good enough to game with. If interested let me know, prices are negotiable. Shipping will by via USPS.

Irregular Miniatures EW French gun crew, 14 figures $7.00
Minifig LW German Infantry, 11 stands (30 figures) $15.00

Peter Pig HMG teams, 12 figures, $6.00

Peter Pig British EW HQ stands, 8 figures with tables and acc. $5.00

Minifig crews, Peter Pig 18pdrs, 3 guns and crews $10.00

Irregular Miniatures EW British gun crews, 12 figs, $6.00

German Limbers

Artillery limbers are not something that we get excited about. They are only on the table for a short time if at all but they represent an important piece of the game, especially in EW.


I was never really happy with how my LW limbers turned out. I did them with one pair of horses on a medium base. It just looked insufficient in the way it did not match up with the gun base and was not strong enough looking.


Actual limbers had six horses as pictured above.


I considered making custom bases. Long enough to hold all six horses and the gun would have been really cool but instead I went with what I had to save money and time. I mounted them on a large base which had room for four horses. It matches up with the gun base and looks strong enough. I need to create a mounted command team so the unit can have mounted and dismounted pieces.

EW British Cavalry

I just finished touching up and rebasing some Peter Pig EW cavalry mounted and dismounted.
Most were from the collection I purchased but I had to order a mounted command pack and used an artillery crew and some Minifig horses for the dismounted stand.
It is only a half a troop so I would like to finish it off sometime in the future. I have a full troops worth of the Minifig Guard Cav figures that I will rebase sometime soon.

The Peter Pig figures are very nice and paint up easily. I wish the paint job was better on these but will do.

There is a really nice article on the British cav on the Renegade Miniatures site - http://renegademiniatures.com/article16.htm

I am really looking forward to gaming the EW period, if I could just get my Germans back from the painter.

Adding a little variety to my British infantry company

To give my games a little more flavor I have created two new company command teams.




The first is a Scottish Lowland command. Many of the Lowland units wore the same uniform as the regular British so the infantry are fine. The Scottish get the Bagpipe rule so the 2IC needs to have a bagpipe. The 2IC and CO are wearing Glengarrys.


The second command team is Australian. The uniform is again as the regular British. Here the 2IC and CO along with a rifleman are wearing a slouch hat. updated 1/4/2010


I also plan on using my British as Canadians but you don't need to do any modeling mods.



Here are a few links for sources.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_52nd_(Lowland)_Division

http://renegademiniatures.com/article10.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANZAC


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Corps

Trench Raid Mission

This past Monday (12/28) I put on a Trench Raid game for the DAHGS.
This was the first play test for this mission with others and I was really looking forward to their feedback. I had played it solo and enjoyed it. I will post some ideas on how to do this in the future.
I let them pick sides and nations. Jan and Frank chose the British and Attackers and Josh (with my help) was the Germans and Defender.
The British had a raiding force of three full infantry platoons. Since the rules allow the attacker the Kampfgroup rule they created a fourth platoon using the 2IC and teams from the existing platoons. The Germans had three infantry platoons, an HMG section, a Marksman HMG section and two SOS barrages.
The British chose to attack at night. For those not familiar with the Night Fighting rules this limits movement (no double timing) and visibility (each platoon must roll for visibility each turn).
After the placement of the objectives, six in all, three placed by each side, the Germans plotted their SOS barrages. The British then placed their platoons and wire gap markers.

Turn one through three were fairly uneventful as the British moved through the wire and into the trenches quietly in the dark and the Germans did not successfully roll for any troops (reserves). The British did manage to take two objectives (I made a mistake on the first one and allowed them to capture the first one incorrectly). To counter this I gave the Germans an extra die for the next two turns for reserves.

One turn four the Germans were successful in calling in both SOS barrages and receiving two platoons. They rolled a 2 and 6 for location of entry. The six being the left side front trench that the British had not set up a blocking unit like they did on the left (location 1). The Germans entered an infantry platoon at this location. Location 2 was the right side support trench which the Germans brought in the HMG section. From this point the left side was afire with grenade blasts and rifle and MG fire pretty much the rest of the game.
The Germans assaulted the British, forcing them back and successfully holding the objective in that location.
The British had obtained two objectives and needed a third to have a minor victory. Their right flank was in a struggle costing them casualties so the left went for a bold move to capture a deeper objective on their side. Luck was with them as the Germans had a difficult time unpinning their platoons and allowing the British to sneak a few teams up and eventually taking the third objective. The German HMG section on that side must have had extremely bad night vision because they were never able to see farther than 4”.

Now all the British had to do was get it’s platoons off the board. Easier said than done!
Their tactics were text book as they left Lewis gun teams to cover the escape and it was working on their left. Their right was another story and before the last teams could escape their casualty numbers caused a moral test which they failed reducing their number of platoons that had captured an objective to two. A Minor victory to the Germans.

A good time was had by all! The only tweak to the mission is to reduce or eliminate the 8” distance from the table edge requirement for the objectives.