History Dad: The Second World War. France 1940.

Last week, Mike invited us to play a game with History Dad: The Second World War. This time, we reenacted the 1940 France scenario, with the BEF facing the German Blitzkrieg. The game was played on a 54mm scale.

SCENARIO: Mike Evans
UMPIRING: Mike Evans

SCENERY: Mike Evans, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Mike Evans

1. Forces.

UNITED KINGDOM

(Mike, Tim)

Lieutenant

Sergeant

Artillery Observer

Radio Controller

3 x Infantry Team (8 x Rifle, 1 x Bren Team (2 crew))

1 x Light Mortar (2 crew)

1 x Medium Mortar (3 crew)

2 x ATR (2 crew)

2 x Universal Carrier

1 x Daimler Dingo

2 x Bunker

THIRD REICH

(Bartek, Gordon, Peter)

Lieutenant

Sergeant

Artillery Observer (on Motorbike)

Radio Controller

3 x Infantry Team (1 x SMG, 6 x Rifle)

3 x MG34 Team (3 rew)

1 x Veteran Infantry Team (1 x Pistol, 1 x SMG, 6 x Rifle) in Sd.Kfz. 251/1

1 x Light Mortar (2 crew)

1 x Medium Mortar (3 crew)

1 x Tripod MG34 team (3 crew)

1 x Flamethrower Team (3 crew)

1 x MG34 team (2 crew) in Kubelwagen

1 x MG34 team (3 crew) on Motorbike

1 x Sd.Kfz. 222

1 x StuG III Aufs. A.

Air Support: JU-87 Stuka

2. The game.

In our game, the Germans were given the task of breaking through the British defence in a French town. The Germans launched a strong attack from the beginning, exploiting the fact that the British defence lines were mainly situated in the centre of the town and that the British soldiers had to expose themselves to fire at the attacking enemy. Gordon attacked on the left flank, Peter in the middle, and I on the right flank. Opposite me was Tim's unit, which initially effectively hindered my actions, but the combined firepower of all my forces led to the defeat of the British resistance in that area. There were, of course, German losses, mainly in equipment. The armoured car was immobilized, and the Kubelwagen was destroyed.

Gordon, however, was much less fortunate. He was pinned down by the fire from Mike's infantry unit, halting his advance in a small forest. Taking advantage of the main British fire being focused on me and Gordon, Peter attacked in the centre of the field. He used a flamethrower to eliminate the British centre, creating an opening for Stug to drive through. The game was over. The British defence crumbled, giving the Germans an open route to the west.

Few words about the rules. Units are activated randomly and they execute single orders. When a unit is activated, fire causes the enemy unit to undergo a certain number of tests. Failure to pass the test results in the loss of figures. Additionally, a suppression test is performed to determine whether a unit can perform offensive actions or not. Each weapon type has a specific number of attack dice assigned to it. Furthermore, each heavy weapon (such as guns, mortars, etc.) has a designated hit radius. In general, the rules are quite straightforward and can be learned very quickly, making them perfect for a club night.

3. Links.

RULES:

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/473159/History-Dad-The-Second-World-War

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720319128938/

By Fire and Sword, 2nd edition. Game One.

I played my first game with the second edition of the By Fire and Sword rules last Thursday. I had the privilege of being the first to play the first version in Scotland, so I wanted to uphold that honour and also be the first to play the next version. I have the feeling that this was the first game played in the UK too. If that's not the case, please let me know. As befits the first game, we made almost everything wrong, but that's what the first games are for – to learn the rules. The forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden were the first to come on the scene, each with 37 points.

SCENARIO: Key Positions
UMPIRING: Bartek Zynda

SCENERY: Bartek Zynda, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Bartek Zynda

1. Forces.

KINGDOM OF SWEDEN

(Michael)

Field Skirmish Force (1648-1660)

Lieutenant Colonel

Major

2 x Mercenary Reiter (S)

1 x Armoured Mercenary Raieter (S)

1 x Dragooned Musketeers (M)

POLISH-LITHUANIAN COMMONWEALTH

(Bartek)

Polish Skirmish Force (1650-1673)

Colonel

1 x Dragoons (S)

1 x Cossack Style Cavalry (M)

1 x Pancerni (S)

1 x Pancerni with Spears (S)

2. The game.

We played the "Key Positions" scenario. Since both forces were equal, we did not draw any stratagems. The Poles won the reconnaissance and chose Successful Skirmishing and Decoy. The Swedes chose a Forced March. The Poles quickly controlled the two objective markers and began pressing on the Swedish troops. Initially, the situation didn't look good as the Swedes effectively used their Karakol. The Musketeers engaged in a firefight with the Dragoons in the middle of the field, and the Dragoons were eventually defeated. However, the key to victory was the Poles' control of most objectives throughout the game and their decision to attack where the Swedes were weakest, namely targeting two Rajtar units. Even though both units were veterans, they were successfully defeated by the Pancerni and Cossack-style Cavalry. This coordinated effort ultimately led to the defeat of the Rajtar unit, bringing the Swedish morale down to zero and ending the game in victory for the Poles.

Destroyed units.

I'm really impressed with the new game mechanics after playing the first game. I think a lot of effort has been put into improving the game, and it has definitely become easier and more understandable. Although we had a few difficulties with understanding the rules during the game (which I explained afterwards), everything went pretty smoothly. The unit cards, which I printed from the online creator, were a great help. The first edition of the game wasn't popular in our club, so I'm curious to see how the second edition will be received. Overall, I think the game has a lot of potential.

3. Links.

MICHAEL:

To be updated soon...

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720318849914

Duchy of Warsaw: Third Battalion for the First Infantry Regiment.

A while back, I considered adding third battalions to my Duchy of Warsaw infantry regiments. At that time, I decided not to pursue the idea, but it stayed at the back of my mind. The situation changed when 3D prints from Polkowski Miniatures and new plastic sets from Perry Miniatures became available. This time, I chose to paint slowly, one battalion at a time, instead of rushing to paint everything at once. Today, I'm presenting the third battalion of the first infantry regiment. The figures are from Perry Miniatures, the main battalion bases are from Warbases, and the Voltigeur's bases are from Renedra.

I want to share my experience with the Duchy of Warsaw plastic infantry set. It's a new product that came out this year, and I was really excited about it. As soon as it became available for pre-order, I bought several boxes. When I examined the sprues, I could tell that a lot of attention to detail had been put into creating this set. The figurines are historically accurate, and it's clear that the creators did their research well. I was impressed to learn that the Perry brothers even visited Poland and worked with local reenactors to ensure authenticity. The set also includes a detailed description of the uniforms of seventeen infantry regiments and several flags. I found the enclosed brochure to be comprehensive and it eliminated the need to refer to other sources. Although the set comes with flags, I chose to use the one I made myself, based on a scan from a publication by the Wydawnictwo Kagero, "Piechota Księstwa Warszawskiego" ("Duchy of Warsaw Infantry")

I want to add extra companies of Voltigeurs to my infantry battalions. Our recent game proved that this would be a good move. One battalion already has these companies, but I need to add them to the other two. To do this, I used figures from Polkowski Miniatures. Now, I can organize my battalions in two formations: one with mixed Voltigeurs in front of the unit, and the other as an Infantry detachment operating as a separate unit.

The first regiment achieved combat readiness in this manner. It consists of a Colonel, three infantry battalions, regimental artillery, and a separate unit of Voltigeurs, in case I decide to field it. Now it's time for the next regiments.

Conquest of the Empire again.

Last week, we had trouble deciding on a game to play because no one wanted to organize it. Fortunately, Mike stepped in and suggested playing Conquest of the Empire again. We had played it once before, about 2 years ago, and I distinctly remember getting my forces completely crushed by my opponents. This time, we had the maximum number of players, which was 6.

Six players became consuls of the following provinces: Fin (Macedonia, black), Mike (Galatia, blue), Alasdair (Egypt, red), myself (Carthage, yellow), Tim (Hispania, purple), and Peter (Italy, green). Over several turns, all players slowly expanded their domains, and no one seemed to want to attack anyone else. Of course, this peaceful coexistence didn't last...

I successfully occupied the regions of North Africa, spanning from modern-day Morocco to the Libyan-Egyptian border. Additionally, my fleet took control of the Balearic Islands. To safeguard my borders, I worked on establishing a network of truces and alliances, forming an informal agreement with Tim and Peter. The three of us assembled our armies and made preparations to advance eastward. However, unsettling events began to unfold at this point.

Mike had reached the maximum size he could peacefully take and decided to expand his domain at the expense of his neighbours. He first attacked the Finn, leading to several battles in the Aegean Sea, where the Galatian fleet proved its superiority. This resulted in the first invasion of Macedonia. The Finn managed to retreat and counterattack, reclaiming their province. Mike couldn't stop it because he was simultaneously attacked from the south by Alasdair. In a bloody war, both forces were pushed from one province to another, leaving them greatly weakened. This created an opportunity for the Western domains to take advantage of their weakened state.

Following his central position, Peter took the initiative to attack first. He launched a second invasion of Macedonia and won a major battle, defeating Finn's forces and removing him from the game. I had planned to conquer Crete, but we ran out of time. The outcome of the game was still undecided, but one of the Western factions would emerge as the winner. I believe Tim would win the game because he successfully built the largest army and had a well-developed economy.

It was a great game and we should do it again someday. There will be a brief pause in blog updates with game reports unless I manage to play a Sunday game. This is because for the next two weeks, due to other events, the games will be moved from Thursday to Tuesday. Unfortunately, I work on Tuesdays and won't be able to participate in any game. However, I plan to use this time to paint a few new figures, so be sure to check the blog now and then.

Links.

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720318177384

Rapid Fire: Ponyri. 9th July 1943.

I recently combined Rapid Fire and Rapid Fire Reloaded when playing my games. I enjoy mixing the two versions and choosing the best solutions from each. This time, I selected the Hill 253.5, Ponyri scenario from the legendary supplement for Rapid Fire, which focuses on fighting on the Eastern Front. This expansion was written by Richard March years ago. I made minor adjustments to the army lists to better fit my collection and speed up the game slightly. Although the game is planned for 12 turns, I anticipated that I needed a faster solution and I was proven right. You might also notice some new terrains on the table, which are ready-made products from Conflix. I found them on sale at my local store, so I bought a few and plan to purchase more.

SCENARIO / SCENARIUSZ: Richard March, Bartek Żynda
UMPIRING / PROWADZENIE GRY: Bartek Żynda

SCENERY / SCENERIA: Michael, Schneider, Bartek Żynda, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS / FIGURKI I MODELE: Bartek Żynda

1. Forces. Siły.

SOVIET UNION

(Mike, Peter)

1023rd Riffle Regiment

HQ (CO+5 figures, 1 x car)

Gun Battery (1 x 76.2mm IG)

AT Battery (2 x 45mm ATG)

Mortar Battery (1 x 120mm mortar)

AA Coy (1 x 37mm AA, 1 x truck)

1st Battalion

HQ (CO + 4 figures)

1st (SMG) Company (7 figures)

2nd (Rifle) Company (7 figures)

3rd (Rifle) Company (7 figures)

Mortar Company (1 x 82mm mortar, 1 x 50mm mortar)

MG Company (1 x Maxim MMG)

2nd Battalion

HQ (CO + 4 figures)

1st (SMG) Company (7 figures)

2nd (Rifle) Company (7 figures)

3rd (Rifle) Company (7 figures)

Mortar Company (1 x 82mm mortar, 1 x 50mm mortar)

MG Company (1 x Maxim MMG)

Artillery Support

Observer Team (2 figures)

Artillery Battery (2 x 122mm Howitzer, off table)

Rocket Battery (1 x SP BM-13 'Katyusha')

Anti-Tank Regiment

1st Company (1 x 76.2mm ATG, 1 x truck)

2nd Company (1 x 76.2mm ATG, 1 x truck)

Air Support

1 x Fighter Plane (2 x 20mm, 1 x PTAB bomb, 3 moves)

THIRD REICH

(David, Tim)

508th Grenadier Regiment

HQ (CO + 5 figures, 1 x staff car, 1 x Sd.Kfz.250/3)

AA Platoon (1 x Sd.Kfz. 7/1)

Artillery Company (1 x 75mm IG + horse tow, 1 x StulG 33B)

AT Company (1 x 75mm PAK 40, 1 x truck)

Mortar Company (1 x 120mm mortar, 1 x heavy car)

Engineer Company ( 9 figures, 2 flame-thrower, 1 x Sd.Kfz 251/7)

1st Battalion

HQ (CO + 4 figures, Sd.Kfz.250/1)

1st Company (9 figures, Sd.Kfz.251/1)

2nd Company (9 figures, Sd.Kfz.251/1)

3rd Company (9 figures, Sd.Kfz.251/1)

Mortar Company (1 x 81mm mortar, 1 x truck)

MG Company (2 x MG42 MMG, 1 x truck)

2nd Battalion

HQ (CO + 4 figures, Sd.Kfz.250/1)

1st Company (9 figures, Sd.Kfz.251/1)

2nd Company (9 figures, Sd.Kfz.251/1)

3rd Company (9 figures, Sd.Kfz.251/1)

Mortar Company (1 x 81mm mortar, 1 x truck)

MG Company (2 x MG42 MMG, 1 x truck)

3rd Battalion

HQ (CO + 4 figures, Sd.Kfz.250/1)

1st Company (9 figures, Sd.Kfz.251/1)

2nd Company (9 figures, Sd.Kfz.251/1)

3rd Company (9 figures, Sd.Kfz.251/1)

Mortar Company (1 x 81mm mortar, 1 x truck)

MG Company (2 x MG42 MMG, 1 x truck)

654th Heavy Anti-Tank Regiment

Company (2 x Ferdinand)

Artillery Regiment

HQ (1 x Sd.Kfz.250/3)

1st Observer Team (2 figures, 1 x car)

2nd Observer Team (2 figures, 1 car)

1st Battalion (2 x 105mm Howitzer, 2 x truck)

2nd Battalion (2 x 150mm Howitzer, 2 x truck)

Nebelwefer Battery

Battery (1 x Nebelwefer, 1 x truck)

Air Support

1 x Fighter Plane (+1 dog fight, 6 x MG, 4 x 20mm, 1 x medium bomb)

2. The game.

During a recent game, I made a promise to David that he would be rewarded for his accomplishments by being sent to the Eastern Front to engage in a mission to storm Soviet positions. The promise is now coming true. The Germans initiated an air attack on the Soviet positions, but this time the anti-aircraft defence successfully repelled the German planes. The Germans then proceeded with their advance, but one of the battalions faced heavy artillery fire, leading to the loss of command and its temporary stop. In response, Soviet artillery and aircraft launched a counterattack, destroying one of the German heavy gun batteries. As a result, the German forces paused momentarily to regroup...

The German forces were determined to be the first to eliminate the Soviet aircraft from the battle, which they were successful in doing. They then launched an effective attack on the Katyusha's battery. However, their success was short-lived as the anti-aircraft artillery once again took out the German aviation from the battle.

The Germans launched a general attack, using the forces of two battalions and a company of sappers, with the support of all artillery, to capture Hill 253.5 after heavy fighting. By turn 6, they had an open road to Ponyri village, securing the game as the Soviets could not stop the Germans from capturing the final objective. To balance the scenario, I recommend supporting the Soviets with a tank battalion (5 x T-34) once the Germans capture the hill. This game was quite intriguing, and I look forward to returning to Rapid Fire and this supplement soon.

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/Seswc.co.uk/posts/863796052444394

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720318097314