Summer Plans - 08!

1st of all I fully intend to get as much of my current stuff based and painted as possible - that means Napoleonics and CWC, as well as my few 1/72 WW2 stuff. However my next major project is almost definitely going to be 10mm WW2 for use with BKC. Money is an issue so i'm going to take my time - get the stuff I want and paint it up to a good standard. At the moment its looking strongly likely a mid war German Panzer Division is on the cards for the Eastern front. If I get anything done before I get back to Durham it will be a miracle but if I can get an infantry battalion done along with a Pz111 battalion that would be a good start.

This weekend I'm going to the Hornby military fair with my old school club - the LRGS Armchair Generals. Should be fun - Ill try to get some pics up.

Also I should hopefully be taking part in the LancasterWargamesClub multi-day Kursk game as a German player looking forward to it.

Finally, I will be looking further into organising TO&Es for commission and seeing how that would work - Ive always found this very interesting.

Battle of Vimeiro - Republique Style

Me and Tim decided to take a break from revision to delve into the free napoleonic rules from Republique. They seememd simple and also appeared to be able to get a result in a short period of time.

So as to keep the battle size down the Battle of Vimeiro was decided.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vimeiro

I converted the orbats to Republique and we were going.

French

Junot

Delaborde

2nd Legere - 4 Veteran Light Infantry

70th Ligne - 4 Veteran Line Infantry

86th Ligne - 4 Veteran line Infantry

Loison

12th Legere - 3 Veteran Light Infantry

58th Legere - 3 Veteran Light Infantry

82nd Ligne - 4 Veteran Line Infantry

Kellermann

1st Reserve Grenadiers - 5 Veteran Grenadiers

2nd Reserve Grenadiers - 5 Veteran Grenadiers

Margaron

1st Prov. Dragoons - 3 Average Dragoons

3rd Prov. Dragoons - 2 Green Dragoons

4th Prov. Dragoons - 2 Green Dragoons

5th Prov. Dragoons - 2 Green Dragoons

4 Medium Foot Veteran Batteries

Anglo-Portuguese
Wellesley

Spencer

Acland's Brigade - 2 Bases Average Line, 1 Base Elite Riflemen

Bowes' Brigade - 3 Bases Average Line

Hill

Hill's Brigade - 4 Bases Average Line

Fane's Brigade - 1 Base Veteran Lights, 2 Bases Elite Riflemen

Fergusson

Fergusson's Bgde - 3 Bases Veteran Highlanders

Craufurd's Bgde - 3 Bases Average Line

Anstruther's Bgde - 4 Bases Veteran Light

Nightingall

Nightingall's Bgde - 3 Bases Average Line

Porto Cacadores - 3 Bases Green Light

20th Light Dragoons - 2 Bases Average Light Dragoons

Trant

12th Port. Infantry - 4 Bases Green Line

21st Port. Line - 4 Bases Green Line

24th Port. Line - 4 Bases Green Line

Del Ruiz's Dragoons - 4 Bases Green Dragoons

4 Average Medium Foot Batteries

The English deployed along the ridge line with Fane's Bgde in the woods to their left front and Nightingall's Command in Vimeiro itself. The Highlanders were placed in reserve. Trant's command were given responsibility of holding the hill on the right.

The french deployed with one division heading straight at the hill whilst the other attacked the British left along with the majority of the cavalry - Kellermann was deployed in reserve.

Del Ruiz quickly destroyed the french cavalry on that flank and for a moment threatened the whole force from the rear - but quick work from the 2nd Legere send them off the battle in panic. Meanwhile the rest of the division took the hill and sent the rest of the portuguese packing - the troop quality really taking its toll on the green troops. This move pretty much decided the battle - the British constantly had to send forces to protect their flank and this weakened their centre. Kellermann's Grenadiers quickly went in and took the ridge despite taking casualties. Hill's force on the left did counterattack but once the lines had reformed, it was the French who looked strongly in command.

These rules worked well for the assault phases but the morale and panic factors are confusing. The results of these tests decide the battle and they didn't seem to work as well as the overall outlook of the rules. However it was fun to get the Napoleonics back out and by October when we return to Uni I intend to have bought the napoleonic rules off English Computer Wargames which I have played before and work for a whole variety of battles.

I should also have a lot more French and Prussian troop making it possible to do slightly larger battles - I think Sabugal may be the place to start from or maybe Maida.

1st Battle (2000 point encounter)

So the 1st battle of the year. ~2000 points each on minimal scenery - *note to self buy more scenery* - but good fun none-the-less. Forgot my camera so all the photos r from cameraphones - will remember next time.

Russians: (BP 12)

1 CO (Cv9)

2 HQs (1CV7, 1 CV8)

1 BRM-1

6 Conscripts with RPG-16

3 BMP-1

3 BMP-2

6 T-72

1 BRDM, Spandrel

1 ZSu-23-4 (probably should include a second for future)

British: (BP 9)

1 CO (CV10)

1 HQ (CV9)

6 Regulars with Carl Gustavs

3 Spartans

3 Scimitars (Non-Recce)

3 Scorpions (Non-Recce)

2 Landrovers (Recce)

4 Chieftain Mark 9s

1 Lynx AH.1

2 4.2" Mortars

Turn 1
Russians start to advance steadily - mostly hidden from view from British until one of the T72 companies exposes itself to the view of CO and Chieftains.

Chieftains move forward to get in range but fail to fire, Scimitars race along road on left but the Scorpions fail to keep up. CO calls in Lynx but its driven off by the combined Air Defence of the HQs and the ZSU. British 0/9, Russians BP 0/12

Turn 2

Both Russian HQs fail to give any sort of orders, CO orders Spandrel to open up on Chieftains, suppressing one despite it successfully evading.

Chieftains see T72s firing and give rapid opportunity fire causing one to be suppressed.

British continue to advance on left but Scimitars deploy right in front of the 2nd T72 company [BOOM BOOM BOOM] byebye Scimitars!

Chieftains fire into the 1st T72 company destoying one and pushing another back.

British BP 3/9, Russian BP 1/12 - not a gd start.

Do not expose Scimitars like that.

Turn 3

Russians fail to do anything - at all! Chieftains continue to engage 1st T72 coy and also engage the Spandrel destroying the Spandrel and suppressing a T72.

British 3/9, Russians 2/12

Turn 4

2nd T72 Company engage Scorpions in woods destroying one. CO calls in the Lynx which finally gets to attack pouring both lots of attacks in getting 12 hits off 13 dice! Destroys another T72 from the 1st Company and the ZSU. Scorpions outflank T72s on right and destroy one - thts how to use them!

British 4/9, Russians 5/12

Turn 5

CV7 HQ finally orders the BMP1 company to move forward - yes 5 turns in! The remnants of the 1st T72 coy reinforce right - a lot of units are being pulled towards those woods. BMP2s deploy infantry in woods on left - where they will remain for rest of game - no way they could have advanced without being destroyed by the chieftains. Another Scorpion is destroyed by the T72s. British CO blunders urgh!!!! Very little effect as the pull back is possibly actually advantageous as the only thing in the open is the Chieftains.

British 5/9, Russians 5/12

Turn 6

BMP2s try to dash to the right flank in an attempt to take the wood in the centre but Chieftains destroy 2 of them. Heavy mortar fire starts to rain down into the woods from the British. The remaing T72 from the 1st company destroys the remaining Scorpion. Looks like it could be over very quickly with all of the russians bearing down on the British infantry in the woods!

British 6/9, Russians 8/12

Turn 7

Russians all failed as did the British HQ, the British CO had no targets so no Helo, no mortars and no tank fire.

BP as above.

Turn 8

The 2nd T72 coy suppress landrovers and some of the British Infantry. Remaining BMP2 is destroyed by Carl Gustavs which also and suppress the BMP1s which have now joined the fray.

British 6/9, Russians 9/12

Turn 9

Russian Infantry coy start to advance through wood as British try to bug out boarding the Spartans but then fail to move away ("Tonight we dine in heck!!!). Those woods are really slowing down the game with most of the firing causing minimal damage.

British 6/9, Russians 9/12

Turn 10

One of the BMP1s fires at the Spartans suppressing one. T72 from 1st coy advances to edge of wood only to be suppressed by chieftains who are back in the game despite the outrageous amounts of smoke and explosions coming out of those woods.

Lynx attacks T72s suppressing one. The heavy mortar then somehow takes it out! Infantry in suppressed Spartan redeploy witht the other Spartans getting lots of movement and bugging out to the woods on the flank!

British 6/9, Russians 10/12

Turn 11

BMP1s keep advancing threatening the infantry. Infantry charge the british regulars and after two rounds drive the Brits back with both sides being left suppressed.

Chieftains cause a T72 to fall back into a friendly suppressed unit - gdbye! Spartan is blown up by T72s - its getting bloody in them there woods!

British 7/9, Russians 13/12

Turn 12

Russians survive morale role so the last turn was played. Conscripts again charge into regulars but are suppressed before they reach. BMP1s destroy a regular infantry platoon.

British call in the helo, the mortars and the Chieftains open up and despite the mortars killing off the last British regulars in the woods (BLUE on BLUE!) the destruction to the Russians is apalling! End of the game - phew!

British 9/9, Russians 16/12

Game is marginal victory to British in our eyes - the force was to crippled to go on the offensive and the Russians still held the woods in the centre with majority of their forces.

Points of View

British - Exposing Scimitars to T72s was foolish and ended in them being, well ended.

Chieftains had an excellent field of fire but it woud have been interesting if the T72s had of all attacked down the right as one. Infantry should have bugged out of the woods earlier.

Russians - the AA should have been placed more centrally to cover all angles of attack.

Although not the original plan the eventual push through the wood would have resulted in a better result if some kind of fire support was available as well as if the 2nd infantry company could have supported.

Need to buy some supports *Artillery, Aircraft, Engineers for the Russians

1st Units Based Up

Well - free stuff has taken a while 2 be based up but i have now started - not sure which company they are - ill try and find out.



Soviet T72 tank battalion with attached anti-aircraft platoon and HQ.

More to come . . . .