Kursk at LAX

Well Gateway has come and gone, and so how our super-sized Kursk game. I had some responsibilities with the convention, so Harold was on his own. Kudos to him for pulling it off. It was a lot of work and I should have helped him more.

In the end, there were over 100 tanks on the board, platoons of infantry on both sides. Ironically, both Harold and I spent a lot of time setting up the scenario. And what we thought would happen, didn't. Something about the plan not surviving contact with the enemy.

Using Glantz's book on Kursk, we modeled the force after the corrected units in Glantz's book. The idea was to recreate Leibstandarte's thrust down the rail line to Prokarovka. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for Leibstandarte, the Soviets attacked at the same time.

Everything was going fine with our scenario, until the Soviets popped up with some infantry in a farm house. The German commander shifted his SS-panzergrenadiers to his right flank and assaulted the farm house. The farm house became the focal point of the battle.

Leibstandarte halted, deployed their artillery and began to engage the Soviets at long range. At the same time the SS infantry took the farm house. The Soviets tried to push their infantry into the farm house and the fight was on.

The problem is (for the Soviets) this is the fight the SS were designed to fight. Any player of Flames of War knows, digging out Fearless Veteran infantry out of buildings takes lots of infantry with support (artillery, tanks, etc). The Soviets have that, but they also have Leibstandarte's tanks and artillery to deal with.

A few turns later, the Soviet 5th Guards Tank Corps was a burning wreck. Victory to the Germans.

Photos can be found here:

Prokorovka Photo's

To quote James Dunnigan, "Playtest the dumb stuff!"

Tim, they call him...

White Outline Numbers Failed!

Well, my attempt to paint out the center of the white numbers on the Tigers didn't work out. I ended up leaving the centers solid.

There are a number of decal manufacturers out there that make white outline numbers, but none of them currently produce an "S" in white outline that I need for my Tigers. For now they will have to remain solid while I noodle out what to do.

Tim, they call him...

Kursk Painting Issues

Das Reich's Tiger company (8th) carried specific markings at Kursk. The normal turret numbers of 833 became S33 (in this case). The problem is how to get white outlined letter/number decals. No one makes them. It takes a special printer to print white so I can't do them myself. I even tried some custom decal makers, but the cost is too much. I decided to try something. I purchased some white letters/numbers and am going to apply them to the turret and see if I can paint out the center. Yes... lots of magnification (lots and lots). If it works tomorrow I should have pictures... or maybe the next day.

Faster, faster, must paint faster

Kursk Painting Log #2

Faster, faster, must paint faster

Progress shown in blue italics:

German Tank Force
12 Panzer IV H - Base coated in dark yellow, tracks painted, wheels painted, detail painted, decaled, black washed, ready for highlights, crew and matte spray.
4 Tiger E- Base coated in dark yellow, tracks painted, ready for green camo and detail work.
3 SdKfz 7/2 AA quads - Assembled, primed, magnets on gun

German Grenadier and Support force
Armored PanzerGrenadier Platoon - 80% painted and based
Armored PanzerPioneer Platoon - 80% painted and based
6 Stug III G - Assembled, base coated in dark yellow, tracks painted, wheels painted, ready for camo & detail work ,
3 Wespe - Partially assembled, base coated dark yellow, tracks painted, wheels painted, working on support vehicles and crew

Stukas - Completed
FW190s - Completed

First Soviet Armored force
10 T-34 obr1941 - Completed
4 su76 - Base coated green, detail painted, weathered, working on crew and decals

Stormaviks - Base coated green

Faster, faster, must paint faster

Kursk Painting Issues

Harold... Kursk... Must paint faster, must paint faster...

One of the things I am frustrated over is trying to be accurate (within reason) when I paint a unit.

In the spring/summer of 1943 the Germans issued some new directives about camouflaging their armored vehicles. Kursk takes place right in the middle of this (July 1943). One would come to the logical conclusion that all the tanks would be painted in the new three color camouflage? I will avoid the diatribe on how things don't work out like that and move on.

Tigers
Working with black and white pictures can present a problem. I have seen some nice pictures of Das Reich Tigers with two color camouflage. The base appears to be dark yellow, but the contrasting patches are darker, so olive green or red brown? I have read a couple descriptions of the Kursk area being very green during the battle, so a dark yellow base with green patches would seem to be the order of the day. I went to look online and find two images of the same Tiger tank from Das Reich, S33, one shows the contrasting patches in green, the other in brown. Argh! I have seen lots of prints of Kursk, some have the grass brown, others green. In fact the cover of the FoW supplement (Hitler's Fire Brigade?) has two Panthers advancing at Kursk through a sea of green grass (they are identified as Das Reich Panthers, which were NOT at Kursk) so what the hell, I get to pick...green it is!



The Tigers were assigned to the 8th company, SS-Panzer regiment 2. Normally this would yield company numbers of 800, 801, 810 etc. This was true in the run up to Kursk. Just prior Das Reich switched to using the letter 'S' (schwere or heavy) in place of the company number. So 800 becomes S00; 810 becomes S10 and so on. Trouble is this numbering was done in white outline numbers, no decals exist that I can find that will work for this. I loathe the idea of trying this by hand so I am not sure what to do here.

Panzer IV's
I have also noticed that most of Das Reich's Panzer IV's hull schürzen are missing, while they carry it on the turrets. I haven't been able to discover why, but I have two ideas.

* When the tanks were shipped, the turret schürzen were installed and the hull mounting brackets and hull plates had to be installed in the field. So first idea, is perhaps time did not permit installation of the hull skirts.
* Second thought, the initial model of the hull skirts had a very poor mounting system. The skirts were easily damaged or torn off. So maybe they weren't installed or removed because of this?


In any case I am modeling my Pz IV's without side skirts, but with the turret skirts. I have seen a few pictures of Das Reich Pz IV's carrying turret skirts with zimmerit on them. I sanded the zimmerit off most of the turret skirts and left it on some for variety.

I also don't see any real evidence of more than a dark yellow base on the Pz IV's so I have left them dark yellow. Company markings also seem to be missing, the only marking showing on the turret skirts is the national Balkan cross.


To further complicate things, it appears that Leibstandarte and Totenkopf had photographers embedded with them during the battle, while Das Reich, did not. Or perhaps his photos didn't survive.


Tim, frustrated they call him...

Kursk Painting Log

Harold... Kursk... Gateway 2010...

Ok so here we are (progress shown in blue italics):

German Tank Force
12 Panzer IV H - Base coated in dark yellow, tracks painted, wheels painted ready for detail work
4 Tiger E- Base coated in dark yellow, tracks painted
3 SdKfz 7/2 AA quads - Assembled, primed, magnets on gun

German Grenadier and Support force
Armored PanzerGrenadier Platoon - 80% painted and based
Armored PanzerPioneer Platoon - 80% painted and based
6 Stug III G - Assembled, base coated in dark yellow, tracks painted, wheels painted ready for detail work ,
3 Wespe - Partially assembled (tracks on)

Stukas - Completed
FW190s - I may have kits of these guys somewhere

First Soviet Armored force
10 T-34 obr1941 - Completed
4 su76 - Base coated green, detail painted, weathered, ready for crew and decals

Stormaviks - Base coated green

Kursk

So my friend Harold is running a Kursk Flames of War game at Gateway 2009 and I have to get painting. He is modeling the thrust by the II. SS-Panzer Korps towards Prokhorovka. The II. SS-Panzer Korps consisted of the 1st (Leibstandarte), 2nd (Das Reich) and 3rd (Totenkopf) SS-Panzer Grenadier divisions. His scenario focuses on the center thrust by Leibstandarte towards the town of Prokhorovka. My SS were already starting out as Das Reich, but I don't think anyone will notice or care.

So this is the status of everything as I start this project:

German Tank Force
12 Panzer IV H - Base coated in dark yellow
4 Tiger E- Base coated in dark yellow
3 SdKfz 7/2 AA quads - Still in packaging

German Grenadier and Support force
Armored PanzerGrenadier Platoon - 80% painted and based
Armored PanzerPioneer Platoon - 80% painted and based
6 Stug III G - Assembled
3 Wespe - Partially assembled (tracks on)

Stukas - Completed
FW190s - I may have kits of these guys somewhere

First Soviet Armored force
10 T-34 obr1941 - Completed
4 su76 - Base coated green

Stormaviks - Base coated green

Kursk

My friend Harold is running a big Kursk game at Gateway 2009 over Labor day at LAX. Unfortunately for me I volunteered my miniatures, which were mostly unpainted at the time. I mean no problem, right? I have months, right... uh... yeah...

In any case this is what I have to provide:

Order of Battle
German Tank Force
2 Panzer IV G or H HQ (Tim)
5 Panzer IV G or H (Tim)
5 Panzer IV G or H (Tim)
4 Tiger E (Tim)
3 SdKfz 7/2 AA quads (Tim)

German Grenadier and Support force
Armored PanzerGrenadier Platoon (Tim)
Armored PanzerPioneer Platoon (Tim)
3 Stug F or G (Tim)
3 Stug F or G (Tim)
3 Wespe (Tim)

Stukas (Tim)
FW190s (Tim)

First Soviet Armored force
1 T-34 obr1941
10 T-34 obr1941 (Tim)
10 T-34 obr1941
5 Churchils
4 su76 (Tim)

Second Soviet Armored force
1 T-34 obr1941
10 T-34 obr1941
10 T-34 obr1941
5 Churchils
10 T-70

Soviet Prepositioned Defensive force
Strelkovy hq
Strelkovy Companie with 3 platoons
2 Anti Tank Rifle companies with 12 rifles each
1 Tankdestruction company with 4 57mm
1 Tankdestruction company with 2 45mm
1 Tankdestruction company 4 76mm zis3
Katusha Artilery Battery (fullhouse with extra crew)

Stormaviks (Tim)
Aircobras

Anything with my name after it I have to come up with...

Now where is that can of spray dark yellow?

Follow. But...

Follow only if ye be men of valour, for the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel that no man yet has fought with it and lived. Bones of full fifty men lie strewn about its lair. So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.


Tim: There he is!
King Arthur: Where?
Tim: There!
King Arthur: What? Behind the rabbit?
Tim: It *is* the rabbit!
King Arthur: You silly sod!
Tim: What?
King Arthur: You got us all worked up!
Tim: Well, that's no ordinary rabbit.
King Arthur: Ohh.
Tim: That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!
Sir Robin: You tit! I soiled my armor I was so scared!
Tim: Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!
Sir Galahad: Get stuffed!
Tim: He'll do you up a treat, mate.
Sir Galahad: Oh, yeah?
Sir Robin: You manky Scots git!
Tim: I'm warning you!
Sir Robin: What's he do? Nibble your bum?
Tim: He's got huge, sharp... er... He can leap about. Look at the bones!
King Arthur: Go on, Bors. Chop his head off!
Sir Bors: Right! Silly little bleeder. One rabbit stew comin' right up!

[after Bors is killed by the killer rabbit]
Tim: I *warned* you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you *knew*, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little *bunny*, isn't it?

Ok....Important Safety Tips!

• Always choose costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.

Got it...

• Think twice before using simulated knives, guns or swords. If such props must be used, be certain they do not appear authentic and are soft and flexible to prevent injury.

Hmmm don't like this one

• Teach children their home phone number and to how call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they have an emergency or become lost. Remind them that 9-1-1 can be dialed free from any phone.

Very Important, got it...

• Don't run with scissors

Ok, I get that one too...

• Don't try to take stairs two at a time going down a concrete and metal stairway at night when the power is likely to go out leaving you in total darkness and descending into a pit of inky blackness with god only knows what at the bottom as you accelerate at10 meters per second squared.

Sigh... would that this was something I can say "Let's not and say we did". I consider it a dress rehearsal for my audition as a crash test dummy. Entertaining as all this sounds, it is sadly not nearly so entertaining to experience. On the good side...nothing broken beyond my pride... on the down side... Stairway 1, Tim 0.

Right now... Vicodin is my friend




***Flashback Shot***

In my youth I went on a calm rampage against a certain type of cactus, after I kneeled on it and it left me some pointy reminders embedded in my knee. Many a cactus knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you! Or was it blasted by a shotgun? Either way I was able to exact my revenge against the offending cactus and its brethren that day. I think I will insult the stairwell prodigiously and call it a day.

Here kitty, kitty, kitty...

Played an interesting game of Flames of War yesterday. Both my fellow players were named Frank. Made for an interesting moment of confusion when I said "I'll play on Frank's side". Brit's vs. Germans at I am guessing 2k points a side.

Let me be Frank...nope there are too many of them already... Yeah I am easily amused...

I decided to try my hand at the Brit's (German's can get boring at times). I ended up playing with Frank against Frank. Frank had the British left flank and I the right. Frank was the sole German commander.

Setup - Both sides made errors; Frank and I should have placed more infantry; Frank should have placed more armor.

The Game - Meeting engagement, standard setup, delayed reserves, scattered reserves. I hate scattered reserves, they never show up where you need them, which is suppose is the point. Despite the errors on both sides, us Brit's were ok, tactically.

The one problem was the German schewerePanzer Zug, i.e. Tigers. I love running Tigers... they have a psychological impact out of proportion to their actual effect on the battlefield. The standard way to deal with them is to smoke them, forcing them to move to shoot which reduces their ROF to 1. That simple tactic cuts their effectiveness in half. Problem is...you need something that can penetrate armor of 9/8.

So I am facing two Tiggers with three Shermans (75mm) and three Churchills (6 pdr.). Now the Churchill's armor is almost as good as the Tigers, but the gun is much worse. The math works like this:

Shooting at the Tiger: 10 AT vs. armor 9/8. Firing from the front has no chance of penetration, the best you can to is a bail. With protected ammo, you know he is getting back in on his turn (approx 9% chance of a kill with a side shot under 16").

Shooting at the Sherman: 13 AT vs. armor 6/3? You have to be at long range and roll an armor save of six to survive (approx 50% chance of a kill at long range).

Shooting at the Churchill: 13 AT vs. armor 9/7 (applique armor). Five at long range, a six under 16" will keep you safe (approx 20% chance of a kill at short range).

So...smoke and move...I lost all my tanks... But I held the Tigers off for five turns, and managed to finally kill one - Hurry for our side. Frank was upset... Frank was also happy...

When the surviving Tiger got across the board he ran smack into my infantry (w/piat). The infantry tied the him up for another three turns. At that point Frank had a platoon fall below half strength and auto-failed a company moral test (C-in-C killed in an assault with Frank's tanks).

And that as they say is that. Very tense game towards the end

Thanks to Franks for a good game.

Tim, they call him

General, benötige ich Verstärkungen jetzt!

Here are a few more of the rules I think we should be using for multi-company Flames of War games...

Tim, they call him

Flames of War – Battalion Sized Games

(Excerpted from Battalion-sized Battles in the HB Rule Book and Total War in the Operation Bagration Handbook)

Battalion HQ

• The Battalion HQ is the same as one of the Company HQ’s under its command.
• It is made up of a Battalion Command team; a 2iC and their transports.
• It has no HQ Support Weapons or other additional teams.
• A Battalion HQ costs the same as the equivalent Company HQ.
• The Battalion Command team and 2iC team are Higher Command teams; Independent teams and Warriors

Combat Companies

• A combat company is the core of a normal company. It must have a Company HQ and may contain any other Combat or Weapons Platoons the company is allowed, just so long as it has all of the necessary Combat Platoons.
• Your force must contain at least two combat companies.
• You can only have one combat company for each 1000 points in the force

Battalion Support Group

• At the start of the game all Support platoons from each company are pooled under the Battalion Support Group.
• The player controlling the Battalion HQ may immediately allocate out any of these platoons to any company in the force.
• Support platoons never take Company Morale Checks. Platoons that are part of the Battalion Support Group will fight on regardless of casualties to other platoons.
• Only one of the Combat Companies in your force may take Air Support

Company and Battalion Morale Checks

• Company Morale Checks are only required for companies that are reduced to a single Combat or Weapons platoon through having been destroyed (rather the when reduced below half strength).
• Additionally, the game no longer ends when a company fails a Company Morale Check. The game continues until one side starts their turn with either:
• a) No Combat Companies with platoons still on the table, or
• b) No Support Platoons on the table and only one Combat Company with platoons on the table.
• Check this in the Starting Step immediately after Company Morale Checks.
• Instead, at the beginning of any turn where the force is reduced to below half it starting number of companies, the Battalion Commander must make a Battalion Morale Check in the same manner that a Company Commander makes a Company Morale Check. If they fail this roll, the morale of the entire force breaks, the battalion is destroyed and the game is over.

Replacing Company Commanders

• If a Company Command team is destroyed, the Battalion 2iC Command team may be immediately appointed as the new Company Command team for that company and remains so for the remainder of the game.

Note: For Russian forces substitute division for battalion and battalion for company.

What have the Romans ever done for us?

Reg: All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?

Attendee: Brought peace?

Reg: Oh, peace - shut up!

Reg: There is not one of us who would not gladly suffer death to rid this country of the Romans once and for all.

Dissenter: Uh, well, one.

Reg: Oh, yeah, yeah, there's one. But otherwise, we're solid.

Hans? Hans? wo bist du?

Last weekend the forces of Mother Russia and the Third Reich fought to a standstill inside a tractor factory deep in Stalingrad. Everyone was a little unsatisfied with the street fighting rules, so I dug up an earlier (and better I think) version of the rules. See what you think...

Tim, they call him...

Troops in Buildings

Only as many teams as can fit in a room without their bases overlapping can occupy a room at the same time

Openings

• A single door, window or similar opening is only big enough for a single team to fire out of.
• Only one team can occupy or use an opening at a time unless it is wider than one base.

Moving Near the Enemy

• As long as a room is not occupied by the enemy, your teams may move freely within it, even if enemy teams are adjacent to openings into the room.
• A team cannot enter a room occupied by the enemy unless it is assaulting into the room.

Moving in Buildings
Infantry

• Infantry teams may only enter or exit a room at the start of their movement.
• A team must be adjacent to an opening or adjacent to a team that is adjacent to the opening to enter or exit a room.
• Most rooms are less than 6” across; this means you can freely rearrange teams without measuring.
• Infantry in multi-storied buildings, that start their movement in the building may move through openings up or down by up to two floors at the start of their movement.
• All buildings are rough terrain; as such troops cannot move At the Double in or through buildings.
• Cavalry and other mounted infantry must dismount (leaving their mounts outside) to enter a building.
• Troops making Stormtrooper or Avanti moves can enter a building by starting adjacent to an opening just like normal movement

Tanks & Transport

• Most vehicles can only enter buildings through large openings and doors.
• Fully tracked enclosed armored vehicles can drive through normal building walls. Such walls are treated as Very Difficult Going. The vehicle must pass a Skill test to avoid Bogging Down as it passes through each wall.
• Vehicles moving entirely within a building treat the building as Very Difficult Going and must pass a Skill test to avoid Bogging Down at the start of its movement.
• Solidly built industrial buildings are sufficiently tough to render them impassable to all vehicles except through large openings.

Guns

• Man-packed gun teams can freely enter or exit buildings and be taken up stairs and deployed on upper floors.
• Other gun teams may only enter buildings through openings big enough for them to fit through. Any such openings count as Difficult Going for the gun teams.
• Wheeled gun teams may not be taken up stairs; unless deployed there at the start of the game. Any guns so deployed may not move during the game.
• Immobile guns cannot be deployed on upper floors.

Streets & Rubble

• In a street fighting game, roads are classified as Difficult Going within 4” of a damaged building and Cross Country terrain within 12” of a damaged building. If there are no damaged buildings about, roads count as normal.
• Rubble is classed as Very Difficult Going and provides bullet-proof cover for troops hiding behind it.

Entrenching, Loopholes & Mouseholes

Entrenching

• Troops cannot entrench on streets. Troops can entrench in parks and other open spaces

Loop Holes

• Teams can make loopholes to shoot through walls lacking openings by passing a Skill test. They cease to exist if the teams end their turn away from them.

Mouse Holes

• Teams can dig mouseholes through the walls to allow them to work their way from room to room. An infantry team starting the turn adjacent to wall that does not move or shoot, can take a Skill test at the beginning of the Assault step to make a mousehole in the wall
• If the team fails its Skill test, it does nothing else this turn.
• If the team passes its Skill test it makes an opening in the wall. If more than one team succeeds only one opening is made.

The successful team can use this opening to:

• move through to the next room. If the team does this, any adjacent teams may move through the opening as well. At this point, the mousehole is removed.
• Or Launch an assault into the next room (see Launching An Assault below). Fight the assault as normal. Once the assault is finished, the mousehole is removed.

Pioneer teams re-roll failed Skill tests when digging a mousehole.

Platoon Command in Street Fighting

Teams inside a building are in command if they are:

• in the same room as the platoon command or a team that is in command,
• in an adjacent room connected by an opening to a room that contains teams of the platoon that are in command, or
• adjacent to an opening that has line of sight to a team from the platoon that is outside the building, within command distance and is in command.

Teams outside a building containing there command team are in command it they are:

• in line of sight and within command distance of an opening to a room that contains teas mot the platoon that are in command, or
• within command distance of a team outside the building that is in command

Line of Sight in Street Fighting

Shooting At Troops in Buildings

Line of sight stops at the edge of a building or wall. Troops on the other side of the wall are out of sight unless either team is adjacent to an opening in a wall.

Shooting in a Room

• Teams in a room always count as concealed. They also count as being in bullet-proof cover unless the shooting team is in the same room or is adjacent to an opening into the room.
• Any team that is in a room or adjacent to an opening into the room can see and shoot at any team in the room.

Fields of Fire in Street Fighting
Shooting From Buildings

• Teams occupying an opening in a wall can fire at any target on the other side of a line drawn parallel to the wall (subject to normal field of fire restrictions).
• Teams above the ground floor cannot shoot at teams on the ground adjacent to the wall they are firing from.

Artillery Firing Over Buildings

• Mortars may not fire over a building within 4”. Over 4” they may fire over any building (regardless of height).
• Other Artillery may not fire over a building within 4” or the height of the building, whichever is greater.

Shooting At a Room

• If a heavy enough shell is fired into a room, the walls will contain and concentrate the blast killing or wounding most of the occupants.
• Roll for the effect of the shot on the team that was hit as normal.
• If the hit was from firepower 1+, 2+ or 3+ weapons, the target player rolls a save for every other team in the same room. Any team failing its save, the shooting player rolls on the table below. If they score the roll needed, the blast destroys the team.

Blast Firepower Table
Firepower 3+ needs to roll 6+
Firepower 2+ needs to roll 4+
Firepower 1+ needs to roll 2+
Automatic = Automatic

Pinning Down
Both the original hit and any additional hits scored by the blast on any teams that fail their saves count as hits for the purposes of Pinning Down the target platoon

Artillery in Street Fighting

• To simplify matters artillery bombardments are assumed to land inside or outside the building. If a template is placed on troops outside a building and part of it includes a building, only teams adjacent to the wall openings inside the template can be hit.
• Rather than using a template in a building, assume that the bombardment hits one room to the building. All teams in that room are under the template. Only teams adjacent to openings leading into the room can be hit if they are not in the room.
• If the bombardment has a double-sized template, it hits two side-by-side rooms (chosen by the shooter). If the building only has one room, place the double-sized template over the building so that all teams in the building; any under the template outside the building can also be hit.

Multiple Story Buildings

• An artillery bombardment firing at a multiple story building will hit the room containing the target team and any room directly above or below it.
• If troops being bombarded are in a room that is not on the top floor, add +1 to the score needed on the artillery firepower table for each floor the rounds must penetrate to reach them.

Aircraft in Street Fighting
Aircraft are not allowed to attack targets in a city
Assaults in Street Fighting
Launching an Assault
In order to launch an assault into a room a platoon must have at least one team in an adjacent room connected by an opening to the room being assaulted, or outside the building and within 4” of an opening into the room.
Charge to Contact

• If the defenders have a team adjacent to an opening the assaulting teams cannot enter the room, but must fight through the opening.
• If an opening is undefended, then the assaulting teams enter the room occupying empty spaces in the room. Assaulting teams may not pass through enemy teams to occupy space behind them. They can only occupy spaces then can reach from the opening.

Defensive Fire

• Unless an opening is wider than one base, only one team can fire through the opening.
• If the defensive fire kills an assaulting team, the assaulting player can immediately move adjacent teams to occupy their position.
• If a building is a solid model, assume there is only one opening between rooms.

Fighting in an Assault
Who Fights

• Every enemy team in a room can fight any enemy teams in the same room in an assault.
• Only one team may fight through a doorway or opening unless it is bigger than a base wide.
• Teams must break into a room to gain the space foe more teams to fight. Once a team has broken into a room, another may take its place at the opening and join the fight.

Breaking into a Room
Any team destroying an enemy unit in an assault inside a building may immediately advance to occupy the enemy team’s position
Assaulting up Floors
Teams assaulting up through an opening between floors must re-roll successful rolls to hit.
Defender Checks Motivation

• When a platoon fails a Motivation test to counterattack in an assault, its teams must flee or surrender.
• Teams in a room with enemy teams, where the enemy holds all the exits surrender if their platoon flees.
• Teams in a room that does not contain any enemy do not need to flee, and will not surrender even if the enemy holds all the exits. Instead they remain where they are and the combat continues. The platoon that ‘fled’ does not get to make any attacks in the round that it fled, so play goes immediately to the opponents next counterattack.

Counterattacking

• Counterattacking teams in a building move from one room to the next each time they counterattack.
• Teams moving to counterattack can enter or exit the building through an adjacent opening before moving as for normal movement.

Victory and Consolidation
Victory
The assault ends where there are no defending teams in any of the rooms occupied by the attacking platoon; in any rooms connected by openings to the attacking platoon; or outside the building and within 4” of a ground-floor opening occupied by the attacking platoon.
Consolidation

• Consolidating teams may stay in the same room, move into an adjacent room (on the same or different floor level), or exit the room through an opening and move 4”.
• Teams outside the building, may enter it as part of their consolidation movement if they are adjacent to an opening or a team adjacent to an opening in the same manner as normal movement.

Assaulting Tanks
Tanks may not fire Defensive Fire if it is in contact with an assaulting team that started its assault movement in a building.

"...And who will tell my Legions, who loved Caesar, that it was not murder?"

OK... here is the deal... I need legionaries, 64 of them (actually I need 128, but I can borrow some). So today I have six sprues of Warlord Games plastic Roman legionaries in front of me. I am goning to take them out to the parking lot and prime them. Then the painting will begin. I have the better part of three days to finish this. Let's see if I can make a go of it.

"Remember what the general said; we're the cavalry. It would be bad form to arrive in advance of schedule."

My British Airborne group (special order) finally arrived:

I cleaned and based the two company command teams, the observer and the staff teams. By my estimation I have everyone standed or on painting sticks I need for my Airlanding Company. The exception being I haven't bought the Tetrarchs, nor have I bought all of the necessary jeeps I need.

My progress so far:

• Company Command, cleaned, based & primed
• All my Airlanding platoons (4) are all primed and have the flesh painted.
• All (8) 6 pdr AT guns are assempled; primed & base coated in Russian Uniform.
• AT crew, cleaned & primed
• 75mm pack howitzers (4) are drilled out, assembled, primed and base coated in Russian Uniform.
• RA artillery crew, cleaned and primed (observer & staff teams cleaned, primed and based)
• Sniper teams (3), Light Mortar teams (4), PIAT teams (6) & Pathfinder team (1) are primed, basecoated, based and bases textured.
• Mortar section cleaned and glued to painting sticks (Observers based and bases textured)
• MG Section cleaned, based and bases textured.
• Two (three)Objectives have been built and mounted on a textured base.

Not sure how I ended up with three objectives. I guess I will use one to test out my base colors

Tim, they call him...

There are no atheists in a foxhole...

The last game I played of Flames of War involved attacking prepared positions, with the defenders starting dug in. Normally when you move out of foxholes, the dug in marker is removed and the foxholes vanish (much like my tax return). The one exception to this is when you counterattack out of foxholes. You may retreat back into them. While it doesn't specifically say so, the folks I play with decided that means you return back to your position prior to the assault. That means there should be some way to mark the holes position.

At first I came up with some markers that I cleverly labeled "Foxholes". I thought the marker lacked something. So I thought about doing a 3D version. I had tried in the past to make markers out of liquitex resin sand, but they took a long time and were costly (the resin sand isn't cheap!).

Next I tried some felt markers... they weren't a whole lot better then my paper foxhole markers.

Then I tried some rubber railroad road bed. It was easy to cut, but only came in black (grey-black). I found you could paint, glue sand or flock them and they looked ok. This was more work than I wanted to do, however.

The final iteration was to use brown cork model railroad road bed. It has the apperance of upturned earth & sand from the beginning. All I have to do is cut them out and bevel the side edges. I knocked about 20 medium base sized foxholes in a couple of hours. No painting, just cut to size, bevel the edges and you are ready to go. The look great too!



I am gonna make some more tonight!

Tim, they call him...

One if by land, and two if by sea;

"One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be..."

Ok... how many if by glider?

I have been working on my British Airlanding company some more.

My progress so far:

• Airlanding platoons (4) are all primed and have the flesh painted.
• 6 pdr AT guns (8) are assembled; primed and base coated (Russian Uniform).
• AT crew cleaned and glued to painting sticks
• 75mm pack howitzers (4) are assembled; primed and base coated (Russian Uniform).
• Royal Artillery crew cleaned and glued to painting sticks
• Sniper teams (3), Light Mortar teams (4), PIAT teams (6) & Pathfinder team (1) are primed, basecoated, based and bases textured.
• Mortar section cleaned and glued to painting sticks (Observers based and bases textured)
• MG Section cleaned, based and bases textured.
• Two Objectives have been built and mounted on a textured base.
  

I have the British Airborne Command on order. It contains some seated airborne troops & drivers as well as the staff, observers and the command team for the Royal Artillery.

On the bases, I am taking extra care with these guys... trying to hide the figure bases with Liquatex sand/resin stuff. I want to work out a different set of colors for the actual base color. Something darker and richer than what I am using now.

That's all for now...

Tim, they call him...

Patriots & Loyalists FAQ

I found these on a PAL yahoo group (that happens to have Scott Holder on it). Unfortunately the group is not really active. The first one is a question I asked.

Q: Under the section Artillery Falling Back (7.5, last paragraph), it says, "...If the unit is artillery, the stand with crew falls back 7" facing the enemy and leaving the artillery piece. Artillery crews having fallen back are not considered in rally formation and may move during their next turn as if in infantry column..." Does this mean that artillery crew in effect 'auto-rally'?

A: Yes - They are allowed to rally automatically as artillery crew do not need to form up like infantry or cavalry.


Q: A unit in line makes contact with a unit in column or a limbered artillery battery. What happens?

A: This situation refers to an Active unit in line moving to contact with either a unit in column or limbered artillery battery. If the Active unit is in column, it cannot into contact. Once the unit makes contact, all movement for the Active unit just making contact is stopped and melee then takes place during the Melee Phase. Don't forget that a unit in column halves its Melee Level. When contacting a limbered artillery battery, again, movement stops for the Active unit and melee takes place during the Melee Phase. In this case, don't draw any Melee Cards. Instead, the artillery battery immediately retreats (as if it were unlimbered) taking the artillery piece with it and it takes a permanent marker.


Q: Isn't skirmish formation too tough? Being in skirmish raises a regiment's morale 10% without lowering firing potential of the unit; is this intentional?

A: Yes. Keep in mind that most units can't skirmish and you could certainly limit it in any given scenario (not all militia "skirmished" in what we could consider a trained tactical formation). Now units like British Converged Lights or the Queen's Rangers that start with 80% morale and can skirmish are certainly tough units to beat.


Q: Are the number of stands a unit fires reduced for each permanent morale marker it takes?

A: No.

"Well, as you know, I always felt we tried to go a bridge too far" - Gen. Browning

I have found something interesting out this past week. It is very satisfying to work on two very opposite projects at the same time. I have been spending a lot of time working on my AWI cavalry and light infantry. When I find them frustrating or boring...I just switch back to my Brit' Airlanding company

It means nothing gets completed fast...but I don't reach those 'blocks' I used to... at least so far.

So for my MW Airlanding Company:

• The four Airlanding platoons are cleaned, glued to painting sticks, primed and base coated flesh; next comes flesh wash and highlighting.
• The MG platoon is cleaned, based and the bases textured; next step is priming.
• The Mortar platoon is cleaned and glued to painting sticks; next step is priming.
• The Airlanding artillery platoon has been cleaned, guns assembled, crews glued to painting sticks; next step is priming.
• One A/T platoon is cleaned and assembled; next step is gluing to paintsticks and priming
• The other A/T platoon is still in the blisters.

I have a fifth Airlanding platoon in a blister. I plan on using the extra figures for the artillery command and staff team and perhaps a platoon of Royal Engineers (flamethrowers).

I will work some more on my Brit's when I get home tonight.

Tim, they call him...

A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse! - Richard III

Progress!

I have sorted out what I have and what I 'need'. I need nothing...what I want however...

Back to what I have:

14 British Legion Cavalry

14 Colonial 3rd Dragoons

35+ light infantry

The fate of the cavalry is self-explanatory... The light infantry on the other hand... 15 will be painted as Legion light infantry. 15 will be painted as miscellaneous Colonial light infantry. The remaining 15 were originally a dilemma. I think the solution is to paint them as the British 16th Regiment of foot dragoons.

Cavalry

So far I have both sets of horses primed, standed and the first highlight coat painted. Tarleton's dragoons are glued to painting sticks and primed. The Colonials are cleaned waiting to be primed.

Infantry
All the light infantry has been cleaned; glued to painting sticks and primed.

Artillery

I have all the guns (2 x 12pdr, 3 x 8pdr & 1 howitzer) cleaned, assembled and primed. I have the crew mounted on two man stands with a number of singles with rare earth magnets in their bases. That allows me to add the odd man to make three crew out of two. These are all primed on their bases, but I might just glue the singles to small stands (which I happen to have) though I do like the 'gimmick' of the magnets. Time will tell. I want to find a 'neutral' way to paint the gunners so they will look fine as either Brit's or Colonials.

Tim, they call him

Partiots and Loyalists, Redux

After last night's game, I re-read through the rules and found a number of mistakes. Before anyone comments I would like you to review your copy and then we can discuss it.

Artillery Falling Back (7.5, last paragraph)
"...If the unit is artillery, the stand with crew falls back 7" facing the enemy and leaving the artillery piece. Artillery crews having fallen back are not considered in rally formation and may move during their next turn as if in infantry column..."

Does this mean that artillery crew don't have to rally and can return to their guns next turn? Or when they rally the don't bother with formations but move like infantry in column? I think the later is correct. Edited 04/15/2009 - It turns out that artillery crew rally automatically and move next turn as if infantry in column

NCO Risk (7.6.1)
The NCO risk is calculated by subtracting the number of points the NCO provided (20 max) for the test from 100. E.g. the risk is directly proportional to the aid the NCO provided. The higest risk he would have to roll under is 100% - 20% = 80%. We were rolling for it as if equal to the risk to the unit.

Actions/Reactions & Prempting and Reacting(8.1; 8.2.8; 8.2.9; examples 8.5-7; 17)
If the active side has two action points per unit, his opponent my attempt to preempt or react. No preemption or reaction is possible if the active player has three or more action points per unit. This is not explicitly denied for three plus action points per unit, however it is explicitly allowed ONLY If the active side has two action points per unit.

Depleted Ammunition Supply (15.10.2)
We should be using this rule. It limits the artillery to 6, 8 or 10 rounds per game.

FIRING

Ranges (15.6)
"All ranges are measured from the center of the eligible group of firing stands to the nearest point of the target unit"

Arc of Fire (15.7)
The firing arc extends 30 degrees from the ends ot each of the firing units stands (Figure 12).

Friendly Fire (15.9)
Artillery batteries whose LOS passes close to friendly units may accidently hit those units instead of the target (Figure 14).

MORALE

Unit Morale (7.5)
When testing for unit morale we never applied the first modifier:
-10% for each permananent marker already on the unit (-5% if French infantry)

(General) Officers and Morale (7.6)
General Officers (Brigade Commanders & C-in-C) may influence brigade and unit morale tests.

To influence brigade morale tests the General Officer expends Leadership points up the amount of the officer's "Assist Bonus". These points are permanently expended regardless of the results of the test.

To influence a unit morale test the General Officer must attach itself to the unit. He may contribute 1-30%. No Leadership points are expended when a General Officer assists in a unit morale test.

Other thoughts...

We should go back to the listed movement, rounding up removes the reason for going into column and the speed advantage of light infantry.

That is all for now...

Tim, they call him...

Patriots and Loyalists

Went and played Patriots & Loyalists (PAL) last night. I really like the game. It is one of those that things seem to work out the way they should. We had a great game and the Colonials won! This has inspired me even more to get my AWI painted.

Looking over the rules, the British Legion was a mixed unit of cavalry (dragoons) and infantry. Four stands of infantry, plus command makes up the foot component (5 x 3 = 15 figures). The cavalry consists of six stands plus command for a total of seven stands (7 x 2 = 14 figures). I have 32 foot, so I can easily do two units of infantry (many of the dragoons mimicked the Legion's organization. If I can work it out I will also build the British 17th Light Dragoons (the Death or Glory Boys). Their red coats will make a nice contrast to Tarelton's green.

The Colonial Cavalry will model the 3rd Regiment of Dragoons. I have picked them (as well as the Brit units) because they fought at Cowpens...and if I am not mistaken, Guilford Courthouse. If nothing else it gives me an excuse to have the units face off against each other.

So I have all the infantry cleaned up and on popsicle sticks. I will prime them tonight and will give them a shot at painting later in the week. I will get the Colonial Dragoons ready for priming tonight as well. The only down side is I had cleaned and primed the Legion Cavalry when I first purchased them. They seem to be AWOL at the moment...but I will track them down over the weekend if must be.

Edited - I found them later that night, first place I looked too!

Tim, they call him...

Whoa there, Hoss!

Or...oh look...a bunny!

Ok...two things

1) I discovered that my assumption about leaving the Denison smocks on my Brit Airlanding guys to last is a BAD idea. Let me say that again... BAD idea. So lets forget I ever said that. Also, I am waiting on some mini's to arrive to complete the company, sooooo...

2) Back in November of '08 I purchased some 15mm AWI (American War of Independence) mini's. I bought some British Legion (Tarleton) Light Dragoons and Infantry and some Colonial 3rd Light Dragoons. I am going to play a game of PAL (Patriots and Loyalists) and was reminded of them. I have decided to take a break from WWII and take a trip in Mr. Peabody's wayback machine some 230 years in the past.

I did one of my painting guides on these guys, but basically:

3rd Continental Light Dragoons; Col. George Baylor's Dragoons; 3rd Legionary Corps, 1781

• Coat - white, white buttons
• Facings - med. blue
• Waistcoat - white
• Breaches - buff
• Headgear - black cap, med. blue turban,white feather
  

British Legion; Tarleton's Legion; Green Dragoons.

• Coat - green, brass buttons
• Facings - black buffs 7 collar, trimed with white lace.
• Breaches - buff
• Headgear - Black Tarleton helmet, green turban, and green plume on the left side.

These guys are very colorful and I think they will be a blast to paint!

Tim, they call him...

Skin game...

Man I hate painting infantry!

I finally got all the skin painted on my Brits. I started using Vallejo's Suntanned Flesh, but it looked to pale. I know these are supposed to be pasty Brit's, but I wanted something darker. I ended up using an old bottle of Ral-Partha flesh, which is a little dark, but covered well. I think I am going to go back with the Vallejo paint and highlight the faces. That will give me some depth on the figures. I think pants and boots are next. I am not just avoiding the Denison smocks camo, but I rather paint them last. Less chance of accidently painting over the smock that way.

Tim, they call him

Decisions, Decisions

I finally decided how I am gonna paint my Brit's. As usual I did some research and came up with a plan. Rather than spray prime in white, grey or black, I glued everyone to popsicle sticks and brush primed them with thinned down (approx. 50%/50%) Vallejo English Uniform. I picked this trick up from a gentleman on the Flames of War forum. So far it looks like a good decision.

I put together one of my painting guides to remind me what I am doing. If you like you can find it here:

http://www.stugiii.com/Brit%20Airborne%20Guide.pdf

Most of the pictures are from http://www.6th-airborne.org/index.html and are used without permission (I asked them, but they never replied to my email).

Tim, they call him...

The South Staffordshire Regiment

I have decided to 'personalize' my Airlanding Company. They are now B Company, 2nd Battalion - The South Staffordshire Regiment, 1st Airborne Division.

B Company
Commander: Major Robert Cane
Second-in-Command: Captain R. S. Foot
Company Sergeant Major: CSM A. Probert
No.11 Platoon: Lieutenant George Willie James Goodman
No.12 Platoon: Lieutenant Ernest Deuchar
No.13 Platoon: Lieutenant T. F. Anderson
No.14 Platoon: Lieutenant J. F. K. Chapman

H Company (reorganised as two 6-pounder anti-tank gun detachments)
Commander : Lieutenant A. G. Gotto

More to follow...

The British Are Coming!

I spent last night cleaning up the miniatures for my basic Parachute/Airlanding plotoons. The two man teams (Pathfinder, PIAT, Sniper & Light Mortar) I glued to small bases. Everyone else went onto popsicle sticks for priming and painting. So that gives me:

• Company HQ (2 teams; 6 figures)
• Pathfinder team (1 team; 1 figure)
• PIAT teams (6 teams; 12 figures)
• Sniper teams (3 teams; 6 figures)
• Light Mortar teams (4 teams; 8 figures)
• Platoon HQ's (4 stands; 12 figures)
• Rifle/MG teams (18 teams; 90 figures)

Hmmm 6+1+12+6+8+12+90=135 infantry (so far). I suppose I should mention that I hate painting infantry. I hate painting them, but I enjoy playing infantry...even against tanks.

Tonight I will get eveyone primed and maybe start painting the flesh...

I am also going to put together one of my "painting guides" for British Airborne troops.

T

My Insanity Continues...

Ok sports fans... I spent a day going over the D-1 lists and came up with my painting list. Since the internal organization of British Airlanding platoons doesn't change between mid and late-war, I just need to make a few support changes to morph the company from one period to the next.

Late War - British Airlanding Company List

Company HQ

HQ Section

1 Sniper team

Airlanding Platoon

HQ Section

1 PIAT team

1 Light mortar team

3 Rifle Squad (5x teams)

Airlanding Platoon
HQ Section
1 PIAT team
1 Light mortar team
3 Rifle Squad (5x teams)

Airlanding Platoon
HQ Section
1 PIAT team
1 Light mortar team
3 Rifle Squad (5x teams)

Airlanding Mortar Platoon

HQ Section

1 Observer team

ML 3-inch Mortar (2x teams)

Airlanding Anti-tank Platoon

HQ Section

4x OQF 6pdr gun

4x Jeep

Airlanding Anti-tank Platoon
HQ Section

4x OQF 6pdr gun
4x Jeep

Airlanding Battery, Royal Artillery

HQ Section

Staff team

1 Observer team

2x M1A1 75mm pack howitzer

2x Jeep

Airlanding Armored Recce Platoon

3x Tetrarch Light tanks

Total List Cost: 1490

Mid War - British Airlanding Company List

Company HQ
HQ Section
1 Sniper team

Airlanding Platoon
HQ Section
1 PIAT team
1 Light mortar team
3 Rifle Squad (5x teams)

Airlanding Platoon

HQ Section

1 PIAT team

1 Light mortar team

3 Rifle Squad (5x teams)

Airlanding Platoon

HQ Section

1 PIAT team

1 Light mortar team

3 Rifle Squad (5x teams)

Airlanding Mortar Platoon
HQ Section
1 Observer team
ML 3-inch Mortar (2x teams)

Airlanding Anti-tank Platoon
HQ Section

4x OQF 6pdr gun
4x Jeep

Airlanding Anti-tank Platoon

HQ Section

4x OQF 6pdr gun

4x Jeep

Airlanding Battery, Royal Artillery

HQ Section

Staff team

1 Observer team

4x M1A1 75mm pack howitzer

4x Jeep

Airlanding Machine-gun Platoon

HQ Section

1 Machine-gun Section (2x Guns)

Total List Cost: 1480

I will also pick up a Typhoon or two for airpower.

I think I have enough figures to make four airlanding platoons...I can always use the extra to bump up the points or use them as engineers. I could also use the extra teams to swap out the light mortars and field parachute platoons if necessary.

Time to go clean and prep the miniatures...
Tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel...

Tim, they call him...

My Insanity...

In 2007, I started a blog (http://360.yahoo.com/decurion2000) to chronicle the painting of my USMC Rifle Company. It has evolved since then, but I can't help but notice that my Rifle Company is the only Flames of War force that I planed, purchased, painted and finished in a logical and organized manner.

Since then I have painted a lot of miniatures, but it is hit and miss...some bright shiny object attracts my attention and my focus gets distraction is focused elsewhere and my mini's languish unpainted and unloved.

So, I have decided to return to the successful formula and blog my painting progress...or paint to my blogging progress? Either way... Rather than finish some WIP (god forbid!). I have decided to start anew. I have a number of armies worth of unpainted led, so turning to the boxes stored in the "Holy of Holys" I selected my British Airborne troops.

Market/Garden has been one of my favorite campaigns ever since I read "A Bridge too Far" when I was 16 or so. Several years back I started buying British Airborne troops. I now have several pounds worth just begging to be painted...

I began by researching the lists. One thing that quickly became apparent was there was little difference between a mid-war and a late-war force... Goodie! The US Para's underwent a dramatic reorganization leading up to D-Day and it is difficult to morph an mid-war into a late-war force and visa versa.

I started with late-war (that on is on Army Builder). I quickly decided that I wanted to to an Airlanding company rather than a Parachute one. The reason? Support options... The plain truth of the matter is I will be facing tanks (good ones) if I play late war. The airlanding units get better support units. Both airlanding and para platoons are Fearless Veterans (unlike the US!), so I wasn't "downgrading". The only real difference is para platoons consist of a Command team; a PIAT team, and six Rifle/MG teams. The airlanding platoon consists of Command team; a PIAT team, a light mortar team and five Rifle/MG teams. Basically a Rifle/MG team replaced by a light mortar.

I am off to work on my list...