Chain of Command Game

As if a day at Salute were not enough last Saturday, a few of us still turned up at Essex Warriors on Sunday morning for more fun !

I had agreed to lay on a Chain of Command game for a few of the lads, so a box of plastic Valiant 28mm WWII troops were loaded into the car with the rules and off we went.

With all of the excitement building up about the new Sharp Practice rules from Too Fat Lardies, we must not forget this great WWII set ...

Here's Steve C helping Allan during the Patrol Phase

and as they had the initiative, they were the first to get troops on the table - Americans in the woods, right of the table from their perspective

Mike Fitz managed to rush a German infantry unit through the fields on the German right and set up a MG42 with a great field of fire

As Ian deployed German infantry behind some bocage on the German left

Here, Steve has encouraged Allan to rush some troops to the village

But Ian was having none of that and pushed forward another of his units to get into the village too !

A game of cat and mouse developed with both sides only too aware of the nasty weapons around that can punish anyone caught in the open !

The US troops in the woods are waiting for an opportunity to attack

and this came when they managed to throw three 6s which meant they could get the Germans off of "overwatch" with their lethal MGs and get the Germans into hand to hand combat 

Despite taking casualties coming in, they managed to get across the hedge

Here, Mike's Germans have managed to get around the flank of the Americans but a furious firefight develops when they discover whats happening.

Mike has a second MG team set up able to hit anything coming down the road towards the village

Now, back to Steve C's attack over the hedge - a bloody affair which the Yanks win initially but they pick up a lot of shock which forces them to retreat when the one remaining German MG keeps on firing at them.

This plus Mike's lethal MGs eventually tipped the balance and the American morale collapsed first.

Not that there were many Germans left either and even the German CO had taken a nasty wound which took him out of action towards the end.

I think they all enjoyed it and we will doubtless return to this after playing the new version of Sharp Practice.

Greeks v Gauls, A To The Strongest game

Back down at the club today, pitting my Greeks against Allan's Gauls, using Simon Miller's great set of rules, "To the Strongest"

Here we see the battle lines being drawn out

Plenty of abuse being hurled at each other before the lines roll forward

Deep Gaul war band - a tough nut to crack.

Greek skirmishers set off to harass the enemy

The Greek general orders an advance

The Greek cavalry is all on the left

With skirmishers mostly on the right to cope with woods and broken ground

An early battle view from behind the Greek right

The Gauls swarm over some high ground nearer their end

Gaul cavalry set off with a general up front

First contact !  A cavalry clash instigated by the Gauls

As the Warbands advance

The cavalry battle develops as more units come on

Massed Gauls !

The Greeks take up a position centred on a hill and stand their ground.

Greek infantry move up in support of the cavalry

Cracks begin to appear in the resolve of some cavalry units

The Gaul war bands near the Greek line

Greek slingers advance on the right

A view along the Greek line - here they must stand.

Gaul cavalry hurtle forwards and destroy a Greek infantry unit

Steady lads, steady !

Here they come !

How the hell are we going to stop this lot ?!!

Both sets of skirmishers engage near the woods

Now all the Gaul war bands are forward, the general orders the charge

Gaul cavalry turn to threaten the flank of the Greek line

as one Greek unit becomes isolated and exposed out on the right

Not that the Greek general can give them much tough right now !

There now follows much toing and froing in the battle lines

On the Greek right, the Gaul cavalry is losing the contest

But the centre is anyone's guess

With the Greek left clear of enemy, the cavalry get themselves organised for an attack

and make for the exposed flanks of the enemy

A Gaul warband has broken another Greek unit right of the hill and turned to threaten the flank of the hill.

This is not looking good for the Greeks at this point.

But suddenly a Gaul war band breaks left of the hill

Leaving their general stranded for a moment !

Greek cavalry continue to attack the Gaul flanks

The picture is not so clear on the right where Greeks and Gauls are mixed up

The defenders of the hill hold firm

As Greeks try to return to assist in the hill defence

The battle for control of the hill slowly moves in favour of the Greeks

With the collapse of the Gaul right and repeated attacks on their infantry right flank, eventually the Greeks kill enough enemy units to claim the day 

A great game which lasted the best part of five hours, allowing for tea and lunch breaks.

And a good "blooding" for my newly acquired Greeks too !