Ardennes'44 via Vassal Day Seven and Eight

Clear skies have arrived...

Morning December 22nd

7th Army move into blocking positions in expectation of a US attack from the south.

 The left flank of 5th Panzer Army, stranded by fuel shortages.

The right flank of 5th Panzer Army and just a few desultory attacks.

 However 6th Panzer Army is more aggressive.

Patton's counterattack.

Big picture at midday.

Afternoon December 22nd

 5th Panzer Army makes some desperate attacks on the left.

And the 6th Panzer Army makes some desperate attacks on the right.

116th Panzer suffers fuel shortages

Morning December 23rd

 Desperate attacks by the 6th Panzer army.

The arrows just denote what artillery batteries are being used.

The 116th Panzer Division continues to suffer fuel shortages.

The newly arrived 3rd Panzer Grenadier, supported by the 9th SS, attacks west,
ignoring Patton's attack.

The big picture at midday.

The US made a number of counterattacks, but they just resulted in engaged results,

except one where it looks like they might break through Panzer Lehr to Manhay.

Afternoon December 23rd

The newly arrived 9th Panzer counter attacks,

against a small incursion by Patton's forces.

2nd SS Panzer Corps attacks,

with the clear weather all the German attacks carry a risk

of being interdicted by Allied fighter bombers (jabos). 

1st SS Panzer Corps does not attack,

it is suffering badly from fuel shortages.

The Germans are also going to try night attacks to avoid Allied airpower.

Big picture at midnight December 23rd, after day eight of the German offensive.

The Germans have a breakthrough on their left, but don't have the troops to exploit it. Patton has made precarious progress. The US attack against the Panzer Lehr may have fizzled, but it has drawn German reinforcements to the sector, as did the attack in the south east.

Some Infantry for my US Forces

These figures were part of Bill's gift so I've had them for two years.  A month or so ago I finished painting them, but it took me a while to get my mojo working to finish basing them.  Done now.  They are a mix of brands, definitely some Peter Pig and I expect a few Battlefront and maybe some Command Decision.

Simple paint job comprising undercoat (black in this case), top coat (about 8 different colours plus flesh wash) and then a dry brush.

Ardennes'44 - Day 6 and a bit

Richard and I continued our game.

 Southern front, midday December 21.

 Northern front midday December 21.

 Southern front, midnight December 21.

Patton has arrived, just in time as Bastogne has fallen.

 Northern front, midnight December 21.

While fuel shortages have slowed the Germans, they are still making a steady advance.

 Southern front midday December 22.

Patton has broken into the German flank, but is it enough?

 Northern front midday December 22.

The US line just does not seem to want to hold.

The Germans just about reach the Meuse, midday December 22.

At this time I started to look at the victory conditions.

They are mixed, but the Germans have four options.

One of which is to capture six victory locations on the western map.

They have three or four already with a few more well in reach...

Alexander Empire versus Classical Indian with Impetus Second Edition - Take Two

Still haven't read the rules and as a result the game took a bit longer than expected and was a bit more intense as we attempted to reconcile memory of Impetus, Basic Impetus 2.0 and Impetus Second Edition rules (plus other ancient rules and other wargaming rules and opinions that cloud up the thought process, aided by being in a club environment where members are happy to put in their two cents worth regardless of relevance - gotta laugh).

This time we just went with 400 points and I changed my army to have some Indian allies in what I termed as a regime change encounter.  It is Dave again with the Indians.

 Armies deployed.  

Each side had two commands.

At 400 points this is roughly double the size of a Basic Impetus army.

 Battle gets off to a good start when one of the enemy generals is downgraded.

 Turn one, the upstart Indian Prince with his Macedonian allies advances.

The rival faction sits put.

 Things get better still when the other enemy general gets downgraded.

 But by Turn two my side is taking someone hits from the Indian longbow.

 I pull off a well planned charge on my right only to be thwarted by the dice gods.

Grrr!

 Turn Three and we are getting closer.

Thankfully the enemy shooting has been less than impressive (mostly).

 Argh!  My turn to see one of my generals downgraded.

 By Turn four we are getting very close.

I have also broken through on the right.

 Turn four viewed from the opposite side.

 Victory!

Armies break quickly when units start to rout.

 My elephants prevailed.

As they should given the size difference.

We probably (or rather I am sure we did) make a few mistakes (e.g. Elephants fighting Elephants don't get their Impetus bonus), but things worked well mostly.  We did have two issues that need following up:

1. Is it just CL with javelin or all CL that get one move free to fire? (page 35 and 36)

Answer: All CL.  Source: http://impetus.darkbb.com/t1212-javelin-armed-cl

2. What factors does a unit (eg pike) use when in contact with both foot and mounted?  We used the factors as applied to the enemy's main unit.

The question has been asked.  http://impetus.darkbb.com/t1279-combat-against-foot-and-mounted#9841

Supplementary question was that in order to get flank support, must units be in the same command (so that they could form a  group)?

(Edit)

And the answer(s) was:

Yes, count the main Unit.
While in case of Impetus bonus this can be nullified also by the supporting Unit. 

As for Units from other Command they do not give Flank Support but can be involved as Supporting Units so provide half dice in melee. This doesn't prevent them to be activated again that turn if their Command was not yet activated.

Ardennes'44 via Vassal Day Five and Six

Morning December 20th

7th Army attacks.

5th Panzer Army attacks.

Note 116th Panzer have fuel shortage

6th Panzer Army attacks.

The 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division has fuel shortages all day.

The big picture at midday.  

Black line shows the extent of the bulge.

Afternoon December 20th

The 7th Army's offensive gathers pace.

5th Panzer Army is somewhat stalled,

with 2nd Panzer again suffering fuel shortages.

However the 26th Volksgrenadier Division (far left) appears to have broken through.

The 6th Panzer Army continues to attack, but at low odds.

They have surrounded a number of US formations, 

but these just serve as further blockages.

At midnight of the 20th the Germans still haven't reached the Ourthe River Line.

However all three armies appear to have broken through.

Most dangerous (to the Allies) is the situation on the left.  There are now three Panzer Divisions with the 7th Army.  Maybe it will turn to be a waste of resources, but they couldn't have been deployed any faster to other sectors and have enabled 7th Army to progress after becoming stalled early on.

Morning December 21st

The morning is still overcast, but a freeze has now set in which should improve the mobility of the panzers (and the Allies rushing to stop them).

The 7th Army is confident of closing off this flank,

even with 9th SS Panzer suffering fuel shortages.

5th Panzer Army was only able to make two attacks.  

Panzer Lehr was low on fuel, but at least it was in place.

On the right the 6th Panzer Army attacks on one part of its front,

while hoping that the pockets on the other part will soon surrender.

 The big picture at midday.

Afternoon December 21st

The 7th Army are now just mopping up,

but they need to get moving west towards Sedan, 

or rather northwest towards the Meuse.

 5th Panzer Army is crawling north west.

They need the 7th to catch up on their left flank.

Fuel shortages struck the 1st SS Panzer.

The attacks started in the morning continue.

The German armour superiority is rendered ineffective in the woods.

Big picture at midnight.

The 7th Army were feeling pretty good until they got intelligence reporting Patton is on his way.

Have they been able to capture enough blocking points to keep him at bay?

5th Panzer Army is coming up against the Ourthe River line.

The plan had been for them, with the help of 7th Army, to out flank it on the left.

6th Panzer Army has made progress, but is slowed up by a continuous trickle of US reinforcements.