I'm continuing to potter away painting twelve models from “Pendraken Miniatures” English Civil War code EC11
Cuirassiers. The North Yorkshire based company have recently released
photographs on their Forum of some new ECW cavalry greens that’ll be imminently replacing
their current codes as they’re “top of the moulding queue”. I must confess that this announcement somewhat deflated my already wilting enthusiasm for painting these Heavy Horse, as the new models are such a vast improvement on the rigid (somewhat monotonous) pose of the identical model I'm currently repeatedly painting. However none of
these new models have the plumed helmet that I'm using to identify this Royalist regiment as that of the King’s Lifeguard. I could obviously add such a plume using green stuff, but for now I plan to finish what I started and then use the new models (when they're released) as an addition to this Battalia of Horse once it is time to expand the
unit’s size from small to standard (for “Pike & Shotte”).
Sunday 20 January 2013
Wednesday 9 January 2013
World War Two German Winter Officers
With my painting of a unit of “Pendraken Miniatures” 10mm English Civil War Royalist Curissiers for "Pike & Shotte" still ongoing, a series of brief sessions flocking some 10mm German World War Two Command Bases with Citadel Snow has resulted in my completion of two officer stands.
Utilising a small number of models from “Pendraken Miniatures” World War Two German Winter Army Pack, plus a GR195 Panzer 1b Command Tank, GR10 Kubelwagon and GR191 Tank Commander, the stands are the first to include my minor use of Vallejo Paints on my Second World War figures, as opposed to them being entirely painted using the Games Workshop Citadel range.
Sunday 23 December 2012
The Push For Przemysl Bridge - Final Part
Losing an
Oberleutnant could have been disastrous for the Germans, as it meant the Wehrmacht would now have to allow their Order Hand to dwindle
down to five instead of seven cards. Fortunately for von Rundstedt there was a
“Feldwebel” (deputy platoon leader) who stepped up to the challenge and reduced
this penalty by one card; the German Army could now only use a hand of six
order/tactic cards.
Determined to take the central objective with Light Tanks,
the German’s deployed another Panzer Mark I unit from its reinforcements.
Accompanied by Waffen-SS, and Panzer Mark II tanks, the armoured fighting
vehicles were driven straight towards the Russian Major and his Communists
forces occupying the small hill.
Battered
by the combined incoming German fire, the Soviet Major declared his unit of
Regulars as being the “Defenders Of Russia” so reducing his men’s fatigue.
Unfortunately it was never going to be enough, as the nearby Waffen-SS
concentrated their firepower upon the gallant unit and finally broke them;
killing the Russian Major, and reducing the Red Army’s Command Hand by three
order/tactic cards.
The battle
was almost at an end, but a final unit of Russian Conscripts were in range of
the now unoccupied Central Objective and clambered to the top of the hill.
However, the ‘green soviet troops’ quickly faltered and momentarily retreated
as the bullets of some nearby German Heer took a savage toll upon them. But
this was the last chance for a Communist victory over Fascism and with almost
the final move of the battle, the Conscripts grimly climbed back up the hill to
secure an impressive victory against the Wehrmacht invaders.
Monday 10 December 2012
The Push For Przemysl Bridge - Part Four
Having momentarily managed to push back the Russian Cavalry,
the Wehrmacht Infantry unit had both enough time to treat some of their
casualties with a “Medic” and the courage to then “Move And Fire” and push the
Soviet Horse formation back eastwards even further.
THE GERMAN DEPLOYMENT
LINE… FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: PANZER MARK III MEDIUM TANKS, PANZER MARK IB LIGHT
TANKS, HEER, WAFFEN-SS, HEER AND PANZER MARK I LIGHT TANKS.
Unfortunately for Field Marshal von Rundstedt the Waffen-SS and the Panzer Mark III tanks were not doing so well; whilst watching the Russians deploy more Conscripts onto the battlefield (who promptly started marching west towards the central objective), these German forces came under fire from T-70 tanks and the Soviet Medium Mortar support unit (who had deployed a “Spotter”) and started to fall back themselves.
Unfortunately for Field Marshal von Rundstedt the Waffen-SS and the Panzer Mark III tanks were not doing so well; whilst watching the Russians deploy more Conscripts onto the battlefield (who promptly started marching west towards the central objective), these German forces came under fire from T-70 tanks and the Soviet Medium Mortar support unit (who had deployed a “Spotter”) and started to fall back themselves.
Realising that the T-70 Light tanks were close to
spearheading a Soviet breakthrough through the centre of the battlefield, and
emboldened by the deployment of Panzer Mark II tanks slightly to their north,
the Waffen-SS threw themselves back into the fight using their “Doctrine &
Training” and took full advantage of being the “Nazi Party’s Bully Boys” (which
gives ‘any Waffen-SS unit shooting/assaulting a +1 dice modifier to represent
them being well-equipped and highly motivated’). Despite the presence of an
officer, the Russian Light Tanks completely broke under such a withering hail
of bullets and the German’s had ‘clawed back’ a victory point under their
scenario objectives (i.e. 1 VP per enemy unit destroyed).
THE RUSSIAN CAVALRY
AND T-70 TANKS TAKE A BATTERING DUE TO THE “NAZI PARTY BULLY BOYS” AND THEIR
“DOCTRINE & TRAINING”. BUT A “SURPRISE CHARGE” FROM THE SOVIET HORSEMEN
CATCHES SOME HEER WITH ‘THEIR PANZERS DOWN’.
As
the German Medium Mortar support team scored two hits upon the Russian T-26
tanks, it was clear to Marshal Budenny that
the Wehrmacht were now keen to quickly eradicate the other Soviet armour formation off of
the battlefield. Equally as worrying though was the sudden push of German Heer
towards the central hill. There was nothing else for it, and despite their
casualties and snorting horses, the Soviet Cavalry once again galloped forwards
with a “Surprise Charge”. Unfortunately the Wehrmacht Infantry unit was simply
too ‘fresh’ and having withstood the initial impact of the horsemen, the Heer
gunned down the Russian riders to a man.
Permanently
discarding a “Panzerkampfwagen Mark I Order“ so as to bring a unit of German
Light Tanks onto the battlefield from his reinforcements (i.e. previously
broken units that have been given time to reform off table), Field Marshal von Rundstedt immediately dispatched
them, along with an Oberleutnant, towards the central objective. Fortunately
the Russian Regulars were able to utilise “Opening Fire” before the armoured
fighting vehicles crashed into them, and having been weakened by the Soviet
fire, the German light tanks quickly broke once they engaged the Russian
Infantry in close quarter fighting.
Clearly though the Russians were not going to easily allow
the German Army to capture the central objective, so gunning their
gasoline-fuelled six-cylinder Maybach HL 62 TRM engines, the northern unit of Panzer Mark II
tanks rushed eastwards towards the farthest objective from the German lines. Careful
to use the rough terrain in order to ‘protect’ their right flank from the
Russian Cavalry (as only Infantry and tracked vehicles can cross rough terrain)
the Light Tanks quickly came within firing range of the Russian Regulars
encamped on the hill. But before they could fire on the Soviet infantry
formation, the Panzer crews found themselves the victims of “FUBAR-Panic” and
swiftly withdrew their armoured vehicles all the way back to the German
deployment line.
All attention therefore once again fell on the central
objective; a tiny hill partially surrounded by some mountains. Risking all, the
German’s rushed forwards a badly beaten formation of Panzer I tanks, and
momentarily took the hill. However, the
Russian Conscripts had finally reached the key strategic objective themselves
and despite being ‘green’ broke the already fragile German Light Tank
formation. With the hill in their control, the Soviets now needed only to expel
any German forces from the adjoining terrain and wait for imminent nightfall… Marshal
Budenny therefore ordered his Major to accompany a unit of Russian Regulars to
support the Conscripts and hold the hill.
Unsurprisingly
the Wehrmacht were never going to allow this to take place without a fight, and
brought forward their Medium Tank unit in order for their 3.7 cm Kampfwagenkanone to be in range of any unit positioned
on top of the central hill. Once accompanied by a unit of Heer of the Panzer
Mark III tanks pushed east towards the Soviet Conscripts and unsurprisingly
ejected the Russians from the hill.
PERFORMING AN
“AMBUSH”, THE GERMAN PANZER MARK III MEDIUM TANKS CAPTURE THE CENTRAL
OBJECTIVE, PUSHING BACK THE SOVIET CONSCRIPTS. THE FAR LEFT BLOB WITH ARMOURED
CAR IS THE RUSSIAN MAJOR AND HIS RUSSIAN REGULARS.
Realising that the battle was lost should the German Army
hold the hill; the Russian Major spurred on his Regulars and actually assaulted
the German Medium tanks at close quarters. Inspired by their Commanding
Officer’s communist bravado the Soviet soldiers forced the German Panzers to
reverse off of the hill, but a unit of Wehrmacht Heer immediately replaced
them. An intense firefight then took place with both Infantry formations
suffering heavy casualties, but as the daylight started to fail the Germans
still held the hill.
Gambling there was still just enough time to take the
battlefield’s key strategic objective, and then rid the surrounding terrain of
any German units, the Major and his Russian Regulars fired again and again at
the Heer holding the hill, and finally the Wehrmacht infantry unit broke. With
the central objective now ripe for the taking, but still vulnerable to
counter-attack from the German Panzer Mark III tanks, the Russian Medium Mortar
team bombarded the Medium tanks and penetrated their homogeneous steel armour.
As soon as the dust had settled the Russian Major, on the orders of an
accompanying (“NKVD”) Commissar, charged his Regulars into the disorientated
German tanks, amazingly breaking the medium armour formation.
Tuesday 4 December 2012
The Push For Przemysl Bridge - Part Three
THE RUSSIAN T-70
COMPANY, LED BY A SOVIET CAPTAIN, COMES UNDER HEAVY FIRE. WHILST TWO UNITS OF
GERMAN HEER ACCOMPANY THE WAFFEN-SS (ALL IN WHITE SMOCKS) AS THEY PUSH TOWARDS
THE RUSSIAN LINES.
With the German armour push momentarily abated, the Russians took the opportunity to counter-attack with their own Light Tanks. Their T-26 tanks, supported by medium mortar fire (as a result of the presence of an ‘NKVD’ officer) forced the Panzer company in the centre of the battlefield back even further towards the German deployment line. Encouraged by the urgent withdrawal of the German Mark I tanks, the Russians deployed more ‘Angels of Mercy’ to tend to the wounded crew of their T-70 tanks. And even as the female medics treated the injured, the Soviet Light Tanks opened up upon some Heer accompanying the Waffen-SS.
GERMAN PANZER MARK I
TANKS APPROACH THE NORTH-EASTERN HILL, ONLY TO FIND THE OBJECTIVE IS OCCUPIED
BY A UNIT OF RUSSIAN REGULAR SOLDIERS SUPPORTED BY A LIGHT MACHINE GUN TEAM.
Suddenly all attention focused on the Captain led Light Tank
company, as the German Panzer Mark III’s moved ominously closer towards them,
whilst ‘Doctrine & Training’ allowed the Waffen-SS Light Machine Gun Team
to provide covering fire. Unfortunately the T-70 armour was penetrated and
Russian casualties increased significantly with the decision that the vehicle
was ‘On Fire’.
Fortunately
the Light Tanks were declared the ‘Defenders of Russia’; a unique Soviet Army
Tactic card that allows any unit suffering from its full quota of fatigue to
automatically recover from one of its casualties. But then the nearby Panzer
Mark I tanks performed a ‘Surprise Charge’ (which prevents an opposing player
from deploying their own tactic cards as a response) and crashed into the
Soviet armour formation, hoping to break the buckling tank crews. Grimly the
battered T-70’s weathered the assault and, inspired by their heroic Captain,
momentarily repulsed the German Light tanks.
THE ‘DEFENDERS OF
RUSSIA’ MOMENTARILY RECUPERATE BEFORE THEY ARE CAUGHT WITH THEIR PANZERS DOWN
BY A GERMAN ‘SURPRISE CHARGE’. INSPIRED BY THEIR CAPTAIN THE SOVIET ARMOUR
RESISTS THE GERMAN BATTERING.
Momentarily inspired by the defiance of their T-70 Light
Tanks, the Russian Medium Mortar Team prepared to shell the approaching German
forces further still, but fell victim of ‘FUBAR – Panic’, and attempted to
retreat instead. Realising that a chance to bloody the German armour once and
for all may be about to be lost, the Soviet Cavalry brigade spurred on their
horses towards the Panzer Mark I tanks still licking their wounds amidst the
rough terrain (see rocky terrain).
Disaster
appeared to have momentarily struck when the German tanks declared ‘Opening
Fire’ and seized the opportunity to fire upon the riders before they could
engage them. One of the horses crumpled to the ground, but the Russians were
‘Fanatics’ and could therefore ignore the first casualty the unit suffered, as
it didn’t have any fatigue at the time. Pouring submachine gun fire into the
German Light Tanks the Soviet Cavalry quickly penetrated the weak armour and a
further cheer went up as the hit set the tank ‘On Fire’. With more casualties
than its fatigue quota would allow, the Panzer Mark I company broke and was
removed from the battlefield.
Furious at
the loss of one of his Panzer Mark I companies, Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt
ordered a counter-attack immediately, and whilst pushing a unit of Heer west to
accompany his Panzer Mark III’s, he utilised ‘Doctrine & Training’,
‘Hitler’s Buzzsaw’ and ‘Nazi Party Bully Boys’ to sting the Waffen-SS into
action and send a hail of bullets into the Soviet T-70 tanks. Amazingly the Russian armour formation remained intact,
though another casualty would clearly break the beleaguered tanks crews.
Once
gain the Soviet Cavalry took it upon themselves to lead the Red Army towards
victory and charged into the Panzer Mark III tanks, submachine guns blazing.
Bullets pinging off their armour, the German armour withdrew from the assault,
providing the Heer a clear line of sight on the Russian horsemen. Once again
‘Hitler’s Buzzsaw’ tore into the Soviets and few survived the withering fire
from the Light Machine Gun Team.
CHARGE OF THE SOVIET
BRIGADE - HAVING DISPATCHED A COMPANY OF PANZER MARK I TANKS, THE RUSSIAN
HORSEMEN ENGAGE SOME TOUGHER ARMOUR, BUT ARE WHITTLED DOWN BY A UNIT OF HEER
AND ‘HITLER’S BUZZSAW’.
Monday 3 December 2012
The Push For Przemysl Bridge - Part Two
Having
already ‘taken’ the first objective, the Germans advanced towards the second
hill (located in the centre of the battlefield) by moving forward their Panzer
Mark I company. In order to support the Light Tanks the Wehrmacht deployed
behind them more Heer along with an Officer-led Waffen-SS unit. Conscious of
the ever-encroaching Russian Submachine Gun Troops to the South, the German
Major fired his Machine Gun Team at the ‘close combat specialists’ in order for
them to maintain their distance.
Stung by
the fatigue being suffered by the Shpagin
machine pistol carrying soldiers, the Russians issued an ‘Angels Of Mercy’
order for nurses to be sent to the unit to aid the wounded (and remove one
fatigue/casualty). The Submachine Gun Troops
were less heartened though by the sight of the Panzer Mark I company trundling
forwards and opening fire upon them. Despite the tanks being disadvantaged by
‘Restricted Field of Fire’ the Soviet unit was close to breaking, and only a
withering salvo of Soviet fire by a nearby Russain Machine Gun Team, kept the
German Light Tanks (protected by their ‘Schurzen Skirts’) at bay.
Eager to stretch the battlefield further, the German’s then
deployed both another company of Panzer Mark I’s and a unit of Panzer Mark
III’s up in the North, and pushed their Heer forwards towards the central hill,
threatening the Russian T-70 tanks. Machine gun fire then ripped into the
Soviet Light Tanks as the German infantry utilised ‘Hitler’s Buzzsaw’ to rack
up some hits on the Russian Armour. Only the presence of the Soviet Officer
stopped the tanks from falling back.
THE SOVIET SUBMACHINE
GUN TROOPS TAKE A HAMMERING, WHILST A GERMAN PANZER MARK I COMPANY (CLOSE TO
THE BLACK UNCOATED MOUNTAIN RANGE IN THE CENTRE OF THE BATTLEFIELD) UTILISES
THE ‘REGROUP’ TACTIC.
Concerned
by the presence of the Panzer Mark I’s close to the central hill, the Russian
Regulars pumped even more machine gun lead into the German formation, taking
the Light Tanks to the limit of their endurance and forced them to retreat away
from the Soviet deployment line. Stunned by the Russian firepower, the German’s
allowed the exhausted German armour time to ‘Regroup’ in order to reduce some
of its fatigue/casualties.
Sunday 2 December 2012
The Push For Przemysl Bridge - Part One
OPERATION BARBAROSSA – “The Push For Przemysl Bridge”
This series of articles and battle reports
(using a homemade quick play rule set inspired by “Memoir 44”, “Blitzkrieg
Commander” and “Bolt Action”) will initially cover the Third Reich’s invasion
of Russia from October – December 1941. The 10mm metal models and the majority
of resin scenery are by “Pendraken Miniatures”. The ‘Hexon’ terrain boards are
by “Kallistra” The paints used are predominantly from the “Games Workshop” (old)
range.
Set at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the first engagement will concern the German Army pushing towards the Przemysl Bridge over the San.
Set at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the first engagement will concern the German Army pushing towards the Przemysl Bridge over the San.
Having decided to play a series of battles over
the next few months to ‘test-out’ my card-driven homemade rule set, I thought
the opening confrontation should be a simple battle on my 9 x 14 hex table,
with both armies only fielding ten-eleven formations each, most of which will
be infantry (of varying quality) with some German Panzer Mark I's and Soviet Light Tanks.
PART OF THE GERMAN ARMY’S STARTING HAND, INCLUDING AN ORDER FOR MEDIUM MORTARS, FELDWEBEL (WHO CAN ‘FILL IN’ FOR DEAD OFFICERS), SCHURZEN SKIRTS (BETTER ARMOUR FOR TANKS) AND PINNED (EXTRA FATIGUE/CASUALTY ON AN ENEMY UNIT).
PART OF THE GERMAN ARMY’S STARTING HAND, INCLUDING AN ORDER FOR MEDIUM MORTARS, FELDWEBEL (WHO CAN ‘FILL IN’ FOR DEAD OFFICERS), SCHURZEN SKIRTS (BETTER ARMOUR FOR TANKS) AND PINNED (EXTRA FATIGUE/CASUALTY ON AN ENEMY UNIT).
The
battlefield was predominantly open space, with an area of rough terrain to the
North (see above rocky features), a small impassable mountain in the centre
(see black blob) and an inland lake to the South (not shown). In order to allow
for the objectives required for certain Scenario cards (drawn after set-up), a small hill was placed
in the North East (see above), a similar sized hill in the South West (not
shown) and a third hill (acting as a key strategic objective) in the centre,
shielded on two sides by the impassable mountains.
The German Army drew its initial hand of seven order/tactic cards, as well as their Scenario card. Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt apparently wanted a ‘Point Defence’; meaning the German’s would need to have a formation located at each of the three objectives (hills) by the end of the battle. To do this, they had orders for Heer, a Panzer Mark I formation, and a Medium Mortar unit.
The German Army drew its initial hand of seven order/tactic cards, as well as their Scenario card. Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt apparently wanted a ‘Point Defence’; meaning the German’s would need to have a formation located at each of the three objectives (hills) by the end of the battle. To do this, they had orders for Heer, a Panzer Mark I formation, and a Medium Mortar unit.
For the
Russians Marshal Budenny ordered nothing less than total victory with ‘Hold
Until Relieved’; meaning the Red Army must not only have a formation located on
the key strategic objective (i.e. the hill in the centre of the battlefield)
but could not allow any enemy formations to be located on an adjoining piece of
terrain. This all or nothing scenario was somewhat easier than normal because
two of the adjoining hexes were impassable. To begin with the Soviets had
access to Regulars, Submachine Gun Troops and Cavalry.
The
Germans started by deploying a unit of Heer Infantry near to the South West
hill objective. This unit was accompanied by the Army’s Commanding Officer, a
Major. This meant these soldiers would fight especially hard and rarely give
ground when under fire, but at the risk of the Officer being killed and the
German Army’s order/tactic hand being reduced by three cards (unless a
Feldwebel could step up to the mark and decrease the commanding officer’s loss
by one card).
With subsequent orders the Germans deployed their medium mortar unit and a company of Panzer Mark I’s. In addition they used the tactic card ‘Doctrine & Training’ to order their Major’s Heer unit further eastwards beyond the hill so it’s machine gun team covered the entire inland lake. This tactic is unique to the German Army and allows a second unit (providing it’s Infantry) to be moved/fight without the need for it to be specifically ordered (i.e. the unit uses its initiative to make a move).
THE GERMAN ARMY
DEPLOYS AROUND THE SOUTH WEST HILL OBJECTIVE (UNDERCOATED BLACK). THE MAJOR’S
COMMAND TRUCK CAN BE SEEN WITH THE HEER HE ACCOMPANIES. THE GERMAN’S
MEDIUM MORTAR FORMATION IS ALSO VISIBLE.
In response, the
Russians ordered a unit of their Regulars to deploy and take the hill to the
North East (not shown), and deployed their Cavalry (see the black undercoated
hex tile), Submachine Gun Troops, more Regulars, Conscripts and T-26 Light
Tanks along the centre of their battle line.
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