intro

A random series of articles on war gaming in 40K, FOW and other systems. The headings are, WiP; Conversions and models in various states of assembly. PiP; Paint works on various models. Mission Critical; scenarios or missions to bring a bit of a twist to a normal game. MiA; rules for units and characters that could/should/might appear in a game. Dig In; How to guides on making various types of terrain for different game systems. Sit Rep; Battle reports and after action reports on games played

Monday, January 25, 2010

WiP; Bloodgor beastman attack squad

Loyal abhuman servants of the Emperor or Slaves of Darkness?

Beastman unit converted for use in 40K almost ready for paint.





Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Convoy

FOW scenario set on the Eastern Front 1944

Design Notes;

Adapted for FOW from battlegames table top teaser book

Overview;

The German army continues to retreat into the West with the Red Army in close pursuit. A German convoy containing supplies, wounded and loot is attempting to escape for encircling Russian forces. The last obstacle in their way is a river but can they get across before the Russians close in.


Terrain;


The game is played on 8'x6' table. The table is setup as above; the main features are the road running from east to west (grey line), the dirt track running from east to west (brown lines) and the river running north to south. The road cross the river at the bridge (point a), while the dirt track crosses it at the ford (point B, counts as very difficult terrain). On the western side of the river is a village with 3-4 buildings. The open ground counts as difficult terrain i.e. all vehicles require a bog down test if moving of the road.


Deployment;

The Russian force is divided into three groups based on their starting location. The German force moves in of the road entering on the eastern table edge (point E). The German player needs to write down what order the platoons move on at. The platoons enter in that order and must end their first turn on the road.

The Russian pursuit force is in delayed reserve. Start rolling for reserves on turn six or when the first German platoon crosses the river which ever happened first.


Forces;

Russians (defending)

@ the Bridge (point A)

1 platoon of Strelkovy (with attached HMG and 57mm AT gun)*

@ the Village (point C)

1 Strelkovy battalion HQ (with attached Commissar)

1 Strelkovy company (3 platoons plus an attached Commissar, HMG and 57mm AT gun)*

1 light tank company (5 Stuarts)

1 Tank destroyer platoon (4 SU-85)

1 Transport platoon (3 trucks)

Pursuit force

1 Armoured infantry platoon (4 squads)

1 Heavy tank destroyer platoon (3 SU-122)

1 Tankovy company (5 T34)

1 Armoured company ( 6 BA-64)

* The platoon defending the bridge is detached from the company in the village. It counts as being out of command until it company HQ is in command range.

Germans (attacking)

1 Company HQ platoon (2 panther tanks)

1 Panzer platoon (3 PIV)

1 Panzer grenadier platoon (3 squads plus a panzerfaust and attached HMG)

1 truck convoy (4 trucks which overloaded and independent teams)


Special Rules;

Not ready;

The Russians defending the village count as not ready. Each team must pass a skill test before it can move or shoot. Platoons can start moving/shooting once the command team and more than the half of the squad are ready.

Wrong turn;

One of the roads is actually a dirt track. While it is easy for the players to see the track, the truck drivers dodging bullets are not so fortunate. When a truck moves through an intersection (point D) it must take a skill test. If it pass the player can move it as normal if it fails it takes a wrong turn and leaves the table from the wrong edge i.e. it counts as destroyed.


Victory conditions;

The number of trucks exiting determines the winner. Three or more trucks exiting the board is a win for the Germans. Two trucks exiting is a draw. Only one or no trucks exiting is a win for the Russians.


Off topic;

Below are some images from a recent battle of the Bugle game.


German Mortars defending the approach to Doennange village



Germans defend Doennange agnaist massed american armour and infantry


Americans under heavy fire outside Lullange. The smoke markers are the wrecks of a covering sherman tank platoon


Sunday, January 17, 2010

Operation Raider - battle report

A quick battle report using the operation raider mission from last week.

The forces;
The Children of the All Father (Genestealer cult, defending)
Patriarch
3 broods of genestealers
3 mobs of initiates (with two flamers)
2 squads of brood brothers (with lascannons)
Stratagems ; 2 ammo stores, 1 krak attack, 1 escape hatch

Ultramarines (attacking)
Chaplain
3 squads of Terminators (1 with thunder hammers)
3 Dreadnoughts (1 with assault cannon, 2 with multi-meltas)
2 Land speeders (1 with assault cannon, 1 with heavy bolters)
2 Tactical squads (missile launcher and flamer each )

Report;
Outpost 117-A was a little known settlement consisting of two habitat domes surrounded by bunkers and razor wire. Unbeknown to the marines the cultists deployed in an all round defence. The patriarch and one brood of genestealers occupied one habitat dome. A mob initiates occupied the other habitat the second mob occupied a nearby bunker. The two brood brother squads occupied the bunkers at the entrance of the outpost. Each brood brothers squad was reinforced with an ammo store. Two broods of genestealers and a mob of initiates went into reserve.

Unaware of the cultist's deployment the marine’s first wave arrived. All the units’ bar a tactical squad arrived on turn one. The bulk of the marines deployed in one quadrant close to their table edge, with a terminator assault squad, a speeder and an assault cannon dreadnought deployed across the rest of the table. The marine’s deployment was largely uneventful but a tactical squad did trigger a krak attack and lost two marines. After all the marine had deployed the cultist positions were revealed.
Unperturbed, the space marine’s started shooting by using a crash and burn stratagem to fire a space ship at the outpost. The first piece of debris was aimed for the patriarch’s habitat dome but scattered on to a nearby bunker containing a mob of initiates. Fortunately for the initiates the bunker survived the attack. The second piece of debris hit the habitat dome containing a mob of initiates destroying it and killing twenty its occupants and forcing the unit to flee. The third and fourth pieces were targeted at the brood brother squads. One missed with no effect while the second destroyed a bunker killing several of its occupants. The survivors were then raked with fire from the nearby assault cannon armed dreadnought claiming several more casualties. The rest of the shooting was uneventful with both of the multimelta’s missing nearby bunkers. The assault terminator squad charged the habitat dome containing the patriarch but could not damage it.
In response cultist reinforcements began to arrive. Flanking brood of genestealers went after a nearby land speeder while a flanking mob of initiates went after a squad of terminators. In the outpost a mob of initiates left the safety of their bunker to engage the assault terminators. Patriarch and his stealers used an escape hatch stratagem to move into position to assault the Chaplin and tactical squad. Shooting was largely ineffective with the mobs of initiates killing two terminators with small arms fire while the brood brother lascannons failed to hit the nearby dreadnought. In hand to hand the cult performed better with the outflanking initiates destroying a squad of terminators while the second mob pinned the assault terminators in combat. The patriarch transfixed the space marine Chaplin and his brood attacked and destroyed the nearby tactical squad while the patriarch dispatched the Chaplin. The only upset to the cults attack was the outflanking genestealers inability to hit or damage a landspeeder.

With the loss of several squads the marines began to re-organise their attack. The missing tactical squad suffered a mishap and was delayed for a turn. The marines near the Patriarch moved into effective firing range. While the rest of the marines engaged nearby cult units. In shooting the assault cannon armed dreadnought killed several brood brothers from the squad out in the open. The assault cannon landspeeder killed several of the newly arrived genestealers while multimelta armed dreadnought fired on the newly arrived initiate’s mob. Everything else fired on the Patriarch’s brood decimating the squad which held firm due to the presence of the Patriarch. The two dreadnoughts followed up on their attacks and assaulted then destroyed the brood brother squad and newly arrived initiate mob. In reply the cultists destroyed the terminator assault squad inside the outpost.
The cultist defences were reinforced by a newly arrive brood of genestealers moved to assault another nearby landspeeder. The Patriarchs decimated brood withdrew into a nearby bunker, while the initiates in the outpost moved to reinforce the Patriarchs brood. The remaining brood brothers squad fired on and missed the approaching dreadnought. The two remaining genestealers brood assaulted both the land speeders and succeed in stunning one.

The marine attack was then reinforced by the newly arrived tactical squad which arrived to engage the initiates inside the outpost. The rest of the marines moved destroy the Patriarch and his defenders. The multimelta dreadnoughts fired on and missed the bunker containing the Patriarch. The undamaged landspeeder fired on the newly arrived genestealers killing several. The assault cannon dreadnought assaulted but failed to damage the bunker containing the last brood brother squad which contain the Cults last remaining anti vehicle weapon in the form of the lascannon.
In response The Patriarchs brood once more left the safety of the bunker. The Patriarch moved into another bunker while the rest of his brood moved to delay the last terminator squad. The initiates in the outpost moved to support the patriarch while the other Genestealer broods moved to engage the nearest marine units. The brood brother squad inside the outpost fired on the dreadnought assaulting their bunker but missed in reply the dreadnought destroyed their bunker forcing the squad into the open. The initiates fired on the approaching terminators but had no effect. The patriarch’s brood assaulted and pinned the terminators in combat.

With time running out the marines closed in on the bunker containing the patriarch. The multi-melta dreadnoughts easily destroyed his bunker inflicting a wound on the patriarch and killing several nearby initiates in the explosion. The landspeeders target targeted the two Genestealer broods outside the outpost destroying one brood in the process. The tactical squad downed several more of the initiates defending the outpost. While the assault cannon dreadnought downed several of the defending brood brothers. The dreadnought followed up by assaulting and destroying the brood brother squad there by destroying the last anti vehicle weapon in the cults arsenal. Elsewhere the terminators finished of the Genestealer brood trying to stop them from entering the outpost

Lacking effective weapons the patriarch moved to join the last initiate mob in the outpost which moved towards one of the last intact bunkers. Outside the last surviving Genestealer brood moved to assault the terminators about to enter the outpost. The assault proved deadly with all the terminators slain without any casualties suffered in return.


However time was running out for both sides. The marine dreadnought moved towards the last remaining mob on initiates while fire from the nearby marine tactical squad downing several initiates. The landspeeders finished of the last brood of genestealers. The multimelta dreadnoughts destroyed the bunker the initiates and the patriarch had planned use for cover.

Running out of time and cover the patriarch and the last initiate mob sought refuge in one of the last bunkers.

In response the marine units closed on the bunker but all the heavy weapons fire failed to damage it.

Inside the bunker the Patriarch and the last cult unit consisting of several initiates could only let out a sigh of relief as darkness fell allowing them to slip away into the night.

Result;
Win Genestealer cult ( 7 v 12 on kill points)

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Snoder River battle report

Note;
Below is a battle report of the Snoder River mission. The aim of the game was to introduce a new player to one of the rules for Flames of war in this case how artillery work. The player was already familiar with 40K and this was his second game of FOW

Report;

Kampfgruppe Frank defended the river bridge with the 88s and 105s batteries set-up on the German side of the river, with the grenadiers dug in the village and panzer IV platoon as far out as possible to push the Russian deployment as far away as possible. Taskforce Cullen was tasked with capturing the bridge before it could be blown. For deployment the a Motostrelkovy company deployed in the centre flanked on either side by company of T34 with an infantry gun platoon and heavy mortar company at the rear. The task force moved first with the Motostrelkovy and one T34 companies moving at the double to close the distance to the bridge. The second T34 company moved to pin the PIV platoon. Shooting was disappointing for the Russians with the artillery not making any impact and the T34's destroying a single PIV. The german return fire was more telling, the T34 company moving at the double was shredded by panzershreiks hidden in the village and 88s station on the hill. The Motostrelkovy company also took casualties from the 105s while the PIV destroyed two T34 of the second company.

For the next couple of turns the surviving T34 company duelled with the PIVs and 88s while the 105s battery pound the Motostrelkovy Company as it tried to creep through the wrecks of the first tank company towards the bridge.

The second T34 company was eventually destroyed by combined PIVs and 88s. However, it bought valuable time allowing the Motostrelkovy company reinforced by a Ravedki platoon to get within assault range of the grenadiers in the village. The assault was particularly bloody with both the grenadiers platoon and the Motostrelkovy company being destroyed leaving the Ravedki platoon within striking distance of the bridge. But before they could seize the bridge the panzers returned and made short work of the lightly armoured cars and accompanying infantry. The Russians first attempt to take the bridge had failed and it was not certain if they would get a second attempt before the bridge was ready to blow.

There was a lull in fighting for the next few turns. The Germans were reinforced by a King Tiger tank and a second platoon grenadiers. The Russian were reinforced by a second Motostrelkovy company, a sapper platoon and a company of heavy IS2 tanks. The Russian preparation were disrupted by the King tiger which opened fire at long range destroying an IS2 and causing another to bail. German artillery destroyed an infantry gun platoon. In reply the Russian artillery destroyed a couple of teams from the newly arrived grenadiers.

The delays bought enough time to the German engineers to wire the bridge. Without hesitation the German captain pushed the plunger .........

...... and got a partial explosion. The bridge was still standing and passable. It would take several turns to re-wire the bridge.

Realising the time was running out the Russian started their second assault. The sapper platoon got to the village first and made short work of the newly arrived grenadiers only to be destroyed in turn by the company HQ. The IS2 platoon started a losing duel with the King Tiger. The second Motostrelkovy company made it to the edge of the village but combined fire from every German unit took its toll and the company fled from the battle before it could assault. With the IS2s pinned by the king Tiger The German engineered re-wired the bridge and with the second attempt succeeded in blowing up the bridge.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

If you go down to the woods today

FOW scenario set on the Eastern Front 1944
Design Notes;
Adapted for FOW from battlegames table top teaser book
edit updated 2-1-11 after a couple of close fought games the Russian always seemed to win so the germans have been reinforced with an extra anti-gun and the time limi has been reduced.


Overview;
The German army continues to retreat into the West with the Red Army in close pursuit. As the Germans attempt to form a stable front a Russian reconnaissance force attempts to find a path through a lightly defended forest to turn a flank.

Terrain;
The game is played on a 8'x6' table. The table is split, along the long table edge (8’), into three area representing the east, centre and west of the battlefield. The eastern area is fairly barren consisting of sporadic hills and woods. The centre and western areas consist of a large number of small forests which block line of sight from East to West of the table. Each forest must be within 6" of another. The forests are impassable for vehicles the open ground between the forests will have no effect on movement.

Depolyment;
The German force are set up in ambush (see special rules). The Russian move on from the eastern table edge. The Russians get the frist turn,

Forces;
Russians (attacking);
1 Razvedi Battalion HQ (with Kommisar and attached anti-aircraft platton)
2 Razvedi Platoons (4 rifle squads )
1 Spetsnaz platoon (2 squads)
1 Sapper Company (3 platoons with attached pioneer supply truck)
1 Light tank company (7stuarts)
1 Light Armoured Car Company (5 BA-64)
1 Tankovy Company (3 T34)
1 Cossack company (2 platoons)

Germans (defending)
In order to keep up the uncertain for the Russian there are three possible german forces defending the woods. The German player must secretly roll a D3,
1;
1 Company HQ (2 Panzershreik)
2 Sperr Platoons ( 2 sections with MGs and panzerfaust with attached HMG team)
1 Sperr Anti-tank Gun Platoon (2 sections and panzerfuast)
1 Assualt gun platoon (2 stugs)
1 Sperr pioneer platoon (2 squads and panzer faust)
2;
1 Company HQ (2 Panzershreik)
1 Sperr Platoon ( 2 sections with MGs and panzerfaust with attached HMG team)
1 Sperr Anti-tank Gun Platoon (2 sections and panzerfuast)
1 panzer platoon (1 pantherP)
2 Sperr pioneer platoons (2 squads and panzer faust)
3;
Company HQ (2 Panzershreik)
2 Sperr Platoons ( 2 sections with MGs and panzerfaust with attached HMG team)
1 Sperr Anti-tank Gun Platoon (2 sections and panzerfuast)
2 Sperr pioneer platoon (2 squads and panzer faust)
1 Tank Hunter Platoon (1 hetzer)
Regardless of which option is chosen the German player has an additional 2D3 minefeilds and D3 snipers

Special Rules;
It's an ambush;
All the German units including the minefields are set up in ambush as per the FOW rulebook.

Victory conditions;
The Russians have 12 turns to get a single unit, above half strength, to leave the table from the western table edge. 
German view of the Russian advance.

Cossacks attempt to clear a wood of Grenadiers
 While armoured cars move to outflank them.

 Cossacks Vs machince guns this does not end well.

 Stuarts Vs Panther

 In another woods Russain pioneers meet their opposite number trying to clear a path for the T34s.

 Russian armoured cars are hard pressed to be everywhere to limit German ambushes.

 Russian sight more pioneers in another wood

Russian armoured platoon destroys a panther in close combat

Monday, January 11, 2010

How to make Hab Domes





Inspiration: based on the Star Wars hab domes on Tattino and the GW domes at GW HQ.

Materials needed;
• Hamster ball, ideally 6.5" in diameter
• Plastic card, 2+mm thick sheets and strips
• Filler, either polly filla or milliput
• Wire snips
• Mdf, 6mm thick
• Steel ruler
• Mechanical pencil or pen
• Jig saw or normal saw ,both need adult supervision
• Textured paint

Method;
• Twist the hamster ball in half and separate.
• Using the wire snips cut the stubs in each hemisphere(dome) and remove the upper part of the dome.
• Using the filler fill in gaps at the side of the dome.
• Place the dome upside down on the sheet of plastic card and mark out the outline of the missing top section.
• Cut out the marked section and glue it into the missing gap of the dome.
• On a sheet of plastic card draw the desired height of the door for the hab dome.
• Draw two perpendicular lines from the top and bottom of the door.
• Place the dome on the plastic card and move it so that it intersects with both of the perpendicular lines.
• Adjust the dome place on the lines until you are happy with how far the door sticks out from the dome.
• Once you are happy with the size mark the curve with a marker and cut out the door side.
• Do a rough fit of the door side to the dome to make sure it roughly fits.
• Once you are happy with the fit use the door side as a template and cut out a second door side.
• Using some plastic strips roughly 1" long attach the two door sides together.
• Cut out a door shape to and attach it to the door sides.
• Place the completed dome on a sheet of MDF and trace the outline on the board.
• Remove the dome and cut out the outline on the MDF.
• Use an all purpose adhesive to stick the dome to the MDF base.
• Cover the door with masking tape and paint the whole dome with textured paint
• Once the paint has dried remove the mask tape and paint the door.

Notes; In 40K the domes represent impassable terrain

Sunday, January 10, 2010

WAA-unary pt2

Fed-up chasing fasting moving eldar skimmers?

Panzies not sticking around for a good scrap?


You need the Morbag's delux motor, the panzie wagon mk1.






Grace and finesse don't meaning nuthin' when you go really, really fast.

Note; games wise this count as either a wagon or battle wagon. In friendlies if the opponent agrees if the panzie wagon mk1 opts to go flat out is counts as a fast moving skimmer.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Snoder River- Eastern Front 1944

Snoder River- Eastern Front 1944

Design notes:

Snoder river mission is adapted from battlegames table top teaser vol1.


Overview;

Set in late 1944 on the eastern front in a bid to stop the Russian advance the German high command has ordered the destruction of all bridges on the Snoder River. A German task force is attempting to blow the bridge while a Russian force is attempting to stop them.

Terrain;

The terrain main features are the Snoder river, a small village with an stone bridge and several roads leading to the bridge from all directions. The bridge over the river should be in one quadrant of the table with the river running diagonally across the quadrant entering and leaving in different table edges. The small river bank is the German side of the river. The larger side is the Russian side. Roads on the Russian side of the river must leave the table at least 36” from the bridge. Roads from the German side of the river may enter the table at any point

Forces;

German force (defending)

1 SS company HQ (CIC, 2IC and 2 attached panzershreiks)

1 SS Grenadier platoon (with panzerfaust and 3 section)

1 SS panzer platoon (5 PIV)

1 SS engineering platoon (with panzerfaust and 1 section)

1 battery of 88mm (2 sections)

1 battery of medium artillery (2 sections of 105mm guns)

Reinforcements

1 SS heavy panzer platoon (1 PVIb)

1 SS Grenadier platoon (with panzerfaust and 3 section in trucks)

Russian force (attacking)

1 Guard company HQ (CIC, 2IC and Kommissar)

2 Guard tank companies (7 T34’s in each)

1 Guard Motostrelkovy company (3 platoons in trucks)

1 Guard infantry gun platoon (two sections)

1 Guard infantry heavy mortar company (three platoons)

Reinforcements

1 Guard infantry company (3 platoons in trucks)

1 Guard heavy tank company (5 IS2)

1 Sapper Company (3 engineering platoons in trucks)

1 Razvedi platoon (3 sections in BA-10M)


Deployment;

The German defending force in deployed anywhere within 18” on the bridge. The defendinf force is dug-in.

The Russian attacking force is deployed anywhere but must be deployed at least 24” from the defenders and must all be on one side of the river.

All reinforcement are in delayed reserve (ie starting rolling from turn three on). Arriving reserves must enter the table via a road.


Special Rules;

T-10 and counting

The engineering platoon is in the process of blowing the bridge but it will take time.

The defender secretly rolls three D6 (minimum score of ten needed or roll again) this is the number of turns required to wire the bridge from demolition.

While wiring the bridge the engineers can only be shot at be small arms (firepower 6+ or worse) anything else risks damaging the bridge.

Once wired for demolition the defender can declare he is going to blow the bridge roll a D6:

1 = misfire

2= partial detonation and still passable

Roll a D6 to determine how long before the detonation can be attempted again.

3= partial detonation but not passable. Can be repaired in D6 moves by Russian engineers.

4-6 = bridge destroyed

For a second attempt to destroy the bridge roll a D6+1 and consult the table above.


Victory Conditions;

The games last until the bridge is destroyed or captured. The germans win if the bridge is destroyed russain win if it is captured.