Austrian Dragoon Regiment No. 4. Levenehr

Really like the animation in these figures.

 They based up nicely.

 My attempt at a casualty marker.

 Raring to go!

Gone!

The tree that featured in some of these images was given to me a good while ago, finally got around to finishing basing it.

World in Flames 37

The Axis launch their summer offensive, although it is really more of a mopping up exercise.

Successfully chipping away at the Caucasus defence line.

Zhukov was powerless in the face of a roll of 19 on 2x10D.

 The Urals are now surrounded.  The Axis have five HQs providing supply.

(There are a further two on the Caucasus front).

The Caucasus links to where the 5-2 militia is bottom right hand corner.

Swapping between maps is challenging.

The Soviets had one success in defending one city, but lost a city in the rear when surrounded.  A further city is about to be lost.

To hopefully shorten the turn, all Allies took a pass.  This gave us a 30% chance of the turn ending.  I threw a 10 :-(

Japan is busy in the Pacific, so not much happening in China.

Normandy'44 via Vasal fast and slow

Purely for the novelty value...

If that is too fast for you, here is a slowed down version.

6mm Carthaginians vs Romans

Punic Wars here we come. 

Today Mark Woods and I played a game of Basic Impetus 2.0 using his wonderful 6mm collection of troops.  We went Basic as it had been a while since we had played any miniatures games.

 Deployments.

Romans command the hill.

 Turn 1

An advance by the Carthaginians to their left saw the Romans come down off the hill.

 Turn 2

The Roman infantry continue to advance,

while the Carthaginians attempt to skirmish.

 Turn 3.

The impetuous Carthaginian Gauls charge!

Elsewhere the skirmishers are engaged with their Roman counterparts.

 The Gauls prevailed, forcing the legionnaires back,

but this one was a problem as it had troops it couldn't interpenetrate to its rear 

(as they were in combat).

We ended up pushing the whole lot back, but it is a question for the forum.

 Turn 4.

The Carthaginian Gauls keep on going!

The Roman cavalry has charged to Balearic slingers, but to no advantage.

Turn 5.

The Gauls might have gone,

but not before taking out a whole legion.

That and other losses broke the Romans.

It was fun getting reacquainted with the rules.

Upon looking in the Impetus forum, it is likely that the unit should have been destroyed.  Ouch!

https://impetus.darkbb.com/t1089-q-blocked-retreat-after-combat

World in Flames 36

The start of the July/August campaign season.

We played two Allied turns and one Axis.  Mike's write up on Facebook is the thing to follow.
(FB link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1574341082623164/permalink/3180053325385257/)

The Caucasus front is about to come under attack.

 The Urals is being hammered.

Only positive thing is the threat to the southern rail link has been diminished,

resulting in a Guards Banner Army (top right hand corner of image).

Kunming has fallen.

If it wasn't for the US successes in the Pacific things would be extremely bleak.

As it is they are just miserable.

Normandy'44 via Vassal - Second Half

June 17 (turn 12) and the fighting continues in overcast conditions.

The SS Pz Corps makes an attack on the British 3rd Division that is holding a part of Caen.  They inflict heavy losses, but at the cost of the last of the Tiger tanks.

The US make four attacks against the Cherbourg perimeter (all at 3 to 1).  The Commonwealth make two attacks to the east of Caen (both at 5 to 1).  The German line east of Caen is now very fragile.  The US attacks are equally successful.  Cherbourg should fall within a few days.

Storms!  This means the Germans can replace their Tiger tank battalion (at reduced strength).  The tank components of 2nd Panzer arrive in the nick of time to mount a counterattack against the 7th Armoured breakthrough east of Caen, throwing them back.

The US launch four attacks to tighten the noose on Cherbourg.  The Commonwealth make one attack east of Caen.  The US took losses, but cleared west Cherbourg.  The Commonwealth had more success.

The weather clears just as the Germans make a massive armoured strike against the Commonwealth forces east of Caen.  Allied fighter bombers fail to interdict, but both sides suffer losses as the Allies put up a determined defence. Some of the defenders near Cherbourg are isolated and start to surrender.

Whoops!  I haven't been keeping an eye on automatic victory conditions.  Seems the Germans won an automatic victory on turn 11 when the US reached seven (three step) units eliminated or reduced to cadre.  However I could have avoided this by withdrawing the 82nd US Airborne, which I could have done and will do now.

After this sobering news of the casualty situation, the Allies settle for just four attacks, trying to take Cherbourg.  The German defenders put up a determined defence, and while losses are high to both sides, Cherbourg remains in enemy hands.

The weather remains clear.  The Germans continue their attacks east of Caen, fearful of the Allied fighter bombers roaming the skies.  The attacks fail in the face of determined allied defence.

Ammunition is brought in lieu of troops and the US make four attacks (all at 3 to 1) and the Commonwealth three attacks, trying to regain the initiative.  While suffering some losses, the Commonwealth attacks were able to push the Germans back.  The US attacks also met with success.

The weather reverts to being overcast, giving the Germans a chance.  No attacks are made, just some desperate re-positioning to reform lines.

Only two attacks. Cherbourg falls. The other attack was a bloody failure.

The weather remains overcast, allowing the Germans to make two 5 to 1 attacks east of Caen to try and recover the Orne river line.   The attacks were only partially successful and resulted in the loss of the remaining Tiger Tanks.

The US make two attacks (at 3 to 1) trying to stop the Germans from further entrenching their lines.  The Commonwealth make one attack (6 to 1) trying to strengthen the bridgehead to the east of Caen.  All attacks use massive artillery bombardments.  All attacks take losses, but at least one of the US attacks is a success as is the Commonwealth attack.

Storms!  The Tiger Tanks are repaired.  The Germans make one attack trying to diminish the bridgehead east of Caen.  It is at 3 to 1.  It fails in the face of a determined defence by British paratroopers, 7th Armoured and artillery support.

The Allies make no attacks.

The weather improves a tiny bit.  The Germans make one counterattack with their Tigers to try and pinch off the River Orne bridgehead.  It is at 5 to 1.  It succeeds, but the desired retreat stops quickly when it reaches a town.

The US make two attacks.  One at 3 to 1, the other at 2 to1 and both heavily supported by artillery.  Casualties were inflicted, but that was all.

Storms. The Germans conserve their Tiger Tanks, but rustle up an attack lead by Panthers to further the pressure on the Orne bridgehead.  The attack is at 4 to 1 and the Panthers are destroyed, but not before taking out a unit of British paratroopers.

The US fire off the last of their artillery ammunition and make two 2 to 1 attacks.  The Commonwealth make one 3 to 1 spoiling attack against the forces trying to reduce the Orne bridgehead.  The Orne attack is a bloody exchange.  The Germans withstand the US attacks, but with heavy losses.

The weather is still overcast, but there will be some air cover and supplies being landed.  Whoops, I found I had failed to bring on the 9th SS Pz Div as reinforcements.  They move on and are put in reserve.  Two attacks are made, both to pinch off the Orne bridgehead.  The 6 to 1 attack lead by the Tigers is thwarted by a determined defence by 7th Armoured, although with heavy losses.  However the 4 to 1 attack succeeds and part of the bridgehead is penetrated.  7th Armoured is in a difficult situation and the freshly arrived 9th SS is ready to strike.

The US redouble their efforts, making three attacks (two at 3 to 1 and one at 2 to 1).  The Commonwealth make two attacks, one at 7 to 1 and another at 4 to 1 (to the west of Caen).  The Commonwealth meets with success, although the bridgehead has contracted.  The US attacks inflicted casualties, making the German line quiet brittle.

Finely some clear weather.  The Germans make two 4 to 1 attacks in a last hope to cut off the Orne Bridgehead.  Allied fighter bombers stopped the Tiger Tanks, but the other German attack succeeded in pushing Commonwealth troops back, but without serious consequences.

The US make four 3 to 1 attacks trying the break the German lines.  The Commonwealth make three 3 to 1 attacks trying to capture Caen.  The Commonwealth attacks are partially successful, and one quarter of Caen is captured.  The US attacks all fail with heavy losses.

It is an Allied Victory as they control 13 VPs worth of towns/cities beyond the historical line, while the Germans just hold one.  They need 10 VPs or more for Victory.  Capturing that quarter of caen contributed 2 VPs.  The Orne Bridgehead contributed 4 VPs.  The Cadre losses are high and a few more German attacks or unsuccessful Allied attacks could trip them over (7 for the US and 5 for the Commonwealth - they finished on 5 and 3 respectively, although the US could recover by withdrawing the 101st Airborne).

Great game.

Ukraine'43 First Edition - Turns Eleven and Twelve

Mike and I finished this excellent game yesterday.  After a challenging start, the Soviets achieved an automatic victory Turn 12.

The Soviets reach the Dnepr.

A crossing is made!

 The exploitation attacks seal off the Crimea,

but are unable to expand the bridgehead.

 Axis counterattack restores the Dnepr line,

but there are too many VP locations isolated behind the Soviet front line.

The Historical VP point is 15.  

The Soviets are on 18 needing only three to achieve victory.

Detail of the two winning attacks.  

At 4:1 a successful outcome is guaranteed.

Only at Zap could a series of ones have saved the day for the Axis.

as it is worth 2 VPs (1s would have produced exchanges with no retreat).

It was fascinating playing the 1st Edition.  The Soviet victory was just about identical to that in the last 2nd Edition game I played with Richard, although the ground covered was very different. Relevant post can be found here.

Diplomacy in the time of COVID19

Thanks to Simon for hosting this game for the NWS and friends during the COVID19 lockdown .

Frankly I find the Diplomacy game all to nerve wracking, but it all came good.  I might be struggling with Russia in World in Flames, but in this game, well, see the attached image :-)

This is the results of the Fall 1908 Turn, or turn 16 for those who prefer counting.

Only fault is that the A Sev should be in Arm, ready to deal death blow to the Italians in Syria.

World in Flames 35

The end of May/June 1942.

China's plans to liberate Mongolia are thwarted!

Japanese noose is drawing tight around Kunming.

Partisans are the only bright point.

Two Soviet counterattacks recaptured some resources,

but without outstanding success (no Guards Banner Armies).

The Axis captured another two Soviet cities

(at much better odds and higher die rolls too boot!)

The Caucasus are holding.

This forgotten pocket might be in for a shock.

Partisans in Estonia!

Apologies for the blurry photos, but they get taken at the end of the session at the end of a late night.

EDIT

Whoops I forgot to add in builds (and also say that the Axis rolled end of turn at their first opportunity).

China: 1 BP plus 3 from cadre (destroyed units) for a total of 4 which they saved.

Soviets: 21 BPs including 5 from cadre.  They built a HQ, a militia, a pilot and 4 infantry.

The other important news is that the US won a significant naval action in the Solomon Seas, sinking a Japanese carrier and downing a few planes for minimal losses to themselves.