Friday, June 22, 2018

Interim Report: The Work Continues

Thursday  I made it back to Ron's for another game. Again I was a bit late and there was much discussion before we got stuck into Sawmill Village. (A familiar, dependable, Meeting Engagement scenario by CS Grant if anyone hasn't yet met it.)
My lead platoons approach the Village and the Sawmill.
Our plan was to try using our modified version of Memoir without either sectors or cards but using an OSW  initiative die roll at the start of each turn. Each side gets 6 units from an available list. After some discussion of how to equate the available forces  to the scenario list crossed with our amended rules we finally settled with the following:

Canadians (me) 3 infantry, a 3" mortar (arty), a Sherman and a Firefly and an HQ.

Germans (Ron) 2 Elite infantry, 2 1/2 tracks acting as MG armed Light Armour and 2 PzrIV and an HQ.

(We do actually randomly choose sides but the power of positive thinking seems to come through for me.)

His original thought was to use the 1/2 tracks to transport his Pzr Grenadiers then support them in battle but we could not find a transport rule nor remember back the several years to our last games with this system and the clock was ticking.

The view from the other side. The 1/2 tracks have sped ahead to seize the town while I concentrated on deploying my slower force for a concentrated counter attack with fire support from my 3" mortars. 
The game was fine despite our being extremely rusty and getting rules from various supplements, not to mention other sets, mixed up but it was fast with lots of tactical decisions to make. Really fast. We probably should have called it after an hour, discussed things and played another game but we had the bit between our teeth and no turn or force morale rule so fought it out to the last man standing.

Last Call. The German  HQ surveys the wreck of his force and watches as my last infantry platoon prepares to advance covered by the mortar and last remaining Firefly.
(Note: we have doubled the ranges)
Overall, the most enjoyable WWII game since our last modified Memoir game a few years ago but there was room for improvement. After more discussion about various aspects, Ron hauled out a card deck to check something and we remembered what lovely cards they are and what fun and we felt the urge to make some use of them again.

The problem had always been that the Grant scenarios we enjoy just don't squeeze well into the 3 zone. Especially the ones where opposing sides are moving on from multiple corners towards an objective in the centre. The 18 hex by 18 hex table size is a factor as well. So, the current plan is to try a scenario using the cards but ignoring the sector aspect, just using it to activate units and for the various special rules.

We'll see how that goes but not until mid-July.

7 comments:

  1. I would like to devise a Portable Wargame scenario for this. I have Hook’s Farm and Sittingbad from Bob Cordery’s book. Do you have a map handy for your battle?

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    1. No I don't but its pretty simple.

      The 2nd photo pretty much covers it. There are 7 key features: The road through the town and across the long axis of the table.

      On the far side a long wood runs parallel to the main road but not too close to it. The wood does not reach the board edge. There is the mill at one end between the wood and the town and a farm or manor at the far end. Beyond the wood there is a ridge at right angles to the road and a track that runs beside it. This is where on side enters.

      On the otherside there is a series of hills, one high or steep. These run parallel to the main road and whete they end there is another trail at right angles leafing to the other side which is where the orher side enters.

      Both armies comprise 6 units which enter in column with orders to seize the main town. Neither side is allowed to leave the road until the enemy is spotted.

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  2. Great little WW2 Battle- are the figures (being 1/72nd)- Plastic or Metal? I use to have ESCI Plastic 1/72nd back in the 1980s and they were great little figures to paint and base- did not have any games though and sold the lot out of despair. I wouldn't mind having them now and they are still available. Cheers. KEV.

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    1. The vehicles are a mix of diecast and plastic. The Canadians are Plastic Soldier Company hard plastic figures that I painted for Ron, the Germans are Forces of Valour underscale factory painted 1/72 soft plastic.

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  3. A great adaptation of the scenario! It has me wanting to fish out my old boyhood plastic soldiers and tanks.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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    1. Tricornes! Think Tricornes! Makes a great little SYW scenario but.....

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  4. Very interesting. I do like that hex scenery.

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