Beutepanzer Markus fünf

Hello, last week I did a test game of "La Petit Guerre" with Paul (the Greek) and I brought some of my figures to show and tell (huzzah!).

I have finished my first platoon (Zug) of Sturmtruppen as well as "Lotti", the notorious Av7, and a small team of flame throwers. I also premiered to show off an unfinished Mark V – which was directly and happily incorporated into an ongoing game of CoC 1918 some of the club were enjoying (see Barts blog: http://asienieboje.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/western-front-1918-front-zachodni-1918.html)
I was able to finish the Mark V in the meantime – here some fluff:

1776 Test Game AWI

Bart and me "tested" some of my campaign rules in a smaller battle using Black Powder rules with minor amends.

The British attacked with one brigade a village/ hamlet only held by a Militia regiment which was crucial to the supply lines of an hypothetical bigger American contingent. The Americans would receive reinforcements from two brigades and a Dragoon scouting unit. The British would get only another Brigade which would be understrength due to forced march attrition and as well an scouting Dragoon. The problem is to relate an effective but still playable AND enjoyable time in turns against different troops coming as battle reinforcements, which relates to the bigger strategic "La Petite Guerre" rules.

In short Bart won as he managed to kill one unit of mine before my reinforcement arrived.
As the turns, we were waiting for troops, were too long for a club night, we will shorten the turn variables form d6 to d4. Units called for battle reinforcements from one hex away will arrive after 1d4 turns, two hexes two d4, and three consecutively three d4. Bringing the maximum time the defender HAS to stay on field to 12 turns. But I will update the campaign rules on a separate site.

As for now it seems Jack, Andrew, Matt, Paul, Bart and Campbell are joining the fray, so I will opt out as Refree/Umpire or if everybody is busy with their other campaigns "helping out" on the one or other side as needed.

Here some battle images:

after the 1st turn set up, Bart rolled a 1!

The Jäger are trying to attack the Riflemen

The Hessian Grenadiers, cumbersome, but steadtfast

The Jäger gets it!

The Hessian Artillery is exchanging shots with their American counterpart

The 2nd American Brigade arrives with their allies

...and tips the balance somewhat

...and finally the British 2nd Brigade with the Grenadiers and LI arrives

but the American are in a formidable position 

at the end we were running out of time, but Bart was convinced he would had carried the day.

1918 again

Hello, just wanted to show off some progress of my metal toys lately.  I‘m mostly painting Great War Miniatures for our little 1918 "campaign". I've ordered also some Renegade Miniatures for a gas mask platoon, which got lost royally in the mail, but due to the excellent customer service of Renegade Miniatures they sent me another batch, which I think is worth mentioning.

Another reinforcements are already called for at North-Star Miniatures, including some additional bombers and rifles (you alway realise you miss one of this little buggers AFTER you ordered), and some command and some casualties as barrage or other markers and low and behold another tank. Yes – because I can.

Also I‘m painfully aware that this will delay my AWI campaign, where still 2 Hessian regiments are missing and a 49th Foot (and few 17th Dragoons). And I apologize for that, but I think the same victims are profiteering from my 1918 paint progress.

On the Renaissance front I have to let the Early Reiters (Redoubt) and a magnificent pike block from Pro Gloria (now Warlords) as well as some Perry plastic/ metal mix Landsknechte waiting for paint another half a year.

There‘s too much lead out there, but just let me know, if you would sent me subsidies to finance my life style, I would immediately set up a charity to my benefit.

The Triumph of the "Feldschlangen"

Yet again Paul and Tim wanted to know, if they possibly could defeat the Magnificent Maximillian Landsknechts army of mine. This time I let Bart be the CinC, as I felt a bit indecisive that day, rest assured it had absolute nothing to do with the last encounter. (see http://meneken.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/defending-rhineland-from-friends-of.html)

Paul recruited the French and Swiss Vanguard, whle I organised the German defense – the goal was to clear the German "Feldlager" (Camp) or to prevent such calamity.

The French plan was just simple to attack, while we tried to wear them down with fire power and then simply open up an cannaeic trap to slaughter them within the boundaries of our outpost.

First the French were slow to organise themselves, but then advanced steadily. To our horror they brought artillery forward and showered our lines. But nothing could break the Spanish guard!

Then first timidly but then more ferocious the Swiss followed the Gascoignian Arquebusiers over the wall. "All Hell Broke Loose" (by the way the name of the rules, we had the pleasure to enjoy) and the ensuing melee left nothing to wish for.

The Swiss elite pike broke into the camp and attacked the Landsknecht pike block and ... didn't do much of damage really, a sign that the times of the Swiss hegemony on the battlefield were counted.

With just one Morale chip and the French Command leaving the table (something about home???) we had to end the battle:

Out of legal reasons, we decided for a victorious draw for the Empire. Yet again the Swiss failed to defeat the Landsknechte!

We all agreed that this was a "Hell lot of fun" and should be repeated if possible.

Figures by Paul and me, splendid terrain embellishment by the club and me.

Another splendid report you can find on Bart‘s blog: http://asienieboje.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/somewhere-in-italy-circa-1540-gdzies-we.html

The Initial Set up of the Battle

My corner

Some infernal re-deployment to puzzle the enemy

The Brave and unbeaten Spanish Swordsmen

The enemy advances

The Albanian Associates decide to "advance"

The  Maximillian Feldschlangen give the Gascoinge rabble fire

The French Arquebusiers are in !!!!

A melee ensues between the Arquebusiers in the middle of the camp

Again the French climb the defenses

Just as the Swiss try the same ... 

The chaos inside the breached walls

The Swiss manage to attack the Landsknechts, but to no avail....

The "Feuertaufe", Lotti and the dove

Last Thursday Donald and mainly myself were introduced to the Chain of Command rules (WW1 way) by Jack. My 08/15 Fritz platoon (wonderfully painted by Jack) had to break through some abandoned trenches (an ancient piece of table top embellishment left by Angus and Dougie), while a somewhat stormtrooper version of a British platoon did a counter charge.

Well, it went all well apart from the end (a German stereotype, one might think), when I learned the strength of the firepower in CoC and the illusive security of the trench. Maybe also something worth revising, but that might just my first impression, I have to get the rules into my head first.
More about this encounter you might find on (http://pioneerpainting.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/cocking-up-and-28mm-barbed-wire-fences.html).

Another thing we need to revise (in the future) or should aim at is to get more troops on the table!

The next things are some Junior and Senior Leader (miniatures from Great War Miniatures) I finished and introducing "Lotti" the German Tank A7V in front of an Pre-war model of the (Etrich-) Rumpler Taube, who was also the 1st bomber in history, 1910 over Ain Zara in Libya.

Gefreiter Egon and Leutnant Wilhelm

Egon and Wilhelm chasing a female ...

the malteser cross enlarged out of convenience

Lotti's best side

Lotti‘s epilog

The balsa model of the "Etrich" taube

My men trying and dying to reach the safety of the trench

the shellshocked remnants cowering in the dirt