AK 47 Africa

Well, thanks to Peter Pig, the items arrived swiftly and work has begun

Armour for the Peoples Popular Front

But General Erasmus Fyfees' army grows apace

The PPF will need more than this for sure !

A small interlude

Whilst I am waiting for the 15mm African troops to arrive, I thought I would have another go at British Grenadier, so the table has been set for a fictional contest.

The British are attacking from right to left

A Scots line battalion

backed up by a number of Light Infantry

against various American Militia

some Dragoons

skirmishers

and riflemen

and some drilled enough to form a mass to engage the Scots

Hidden in the woods, some Hessian Jagers plan to outflank the Americans

We shall see what happens !

And now for something completely different

Well it is for me (!).  I've had AK47 rules sitting on the shelf for more years than I care to remember - and never used them.

Anyway, thanks to Ian Roberts disposing of some 15mm bits and pieces last Sunday at the Club, I have finally taken the plunge.

Why did it take so long I wonder as I have spent most of my working life travelling to Africa, supplying various forces with uniform equipment, mostly medals I hasten to add.

Indeed, on occasion, I even got caught up in the conflicts - by mistake, as I had no real desire to get shot at. But I have - most memorably in 1986 when Museveni's National Resistance Army had surrounded Kampala and I was watching the tracer bullets lazily arcing their way towards me on the tenth floor of what is now the Sheraton Hotel (it was the International then if I recall) and I remember some Yugoslavs were trying to build a fire escape which had only reached floor three - quite a drop from where I was sitting with a cold glass of Extra Special Brew should the damned tracer actually reach my room !

Some time later, I had the honour of meeting the man, then President, and designing a whole new honours system for him for Uganda.

Anyway, I digress, you don't want to be bored with the stories of an ageing man rambling on ... modern African warfare in 15mm beckons me.

Until my order to Peter Pig arrives, this is all I have

The famous rulebook - so many gamers have told me how much they have enjoyed these games

A couple of Centurions parked up 

My first infantry base

A scratch built village with a couple of APCs and a truck.

But from little acorns grow ... well hopefully two African armies to fight it out !

Let's see if I can keep focused on this for a while.

General d"Armee ; the final phase

The Portuguese commander has at last got his brigade under command, they form march columns to their right flank.

Aware that their British allies are about to be attacked.

One French column receives fire although the British have lost Fire discipline.

  

Other columns are steadily advancing

As the French brigade which has suffered at the hands of the British gunners at last gets going forwards again.

The action around the bridge has lulled, with British cavalry forced to pull back leaving just one unformed French battalion holding the line behind the farm buildings.

The right hand French brigade has retreated.

Despite all appeals from Brigade Generals and ADCs

But now the British centre is in extreme danger - three columns charge

The British volley is not enough to stop them.

This encourages the French battalions on their left to go for the British guns

Another squadron of Lanciers de Berg trot forwards to support their infantry.

The French charge goes in 

and the British infantry break and flee, unforming the battalion behind them.

The French follow up with another charge

as the other battalions climb the hill

At last, the Portuguese form attack columns

Just as the enemy sweeps down on the remaining British battalion.

French battalions have persisted in their advance on the British battery on the hill

and the gunners morale collapses

they flee, leaving the French in command of the hill.

The Portuguese brigade has at last pulled itself together, formed attack columns and hit the French columns which have just seen off the beaten British centre brigade.

Small recompense for the Allies, but it will gain time for the Portuguese and British left flank brigade the chance to withdraw unmolested.

Not that this is on the mind of the victorious French infantry celebrating on the hill top.

More battalions march to join them.

Come on you men !

The British cavalry commander has taken the bridge again but any further progress is blocked.

On the French left flank, one unformed battalion with a squadron of Lancers in support continue to hold off a reformed British brigade (which has lost its fire discipline !) 

With their centre broken, the British commander withdraws and sends ADCs to order the flank brigades to do likewise whilst they still can.

A clear French victory.

The more I understand these rules, the more I like them - although I would have liked to see more effective British firing but that is down to very poor dice throws I'm afraid !

General d'Armee continued

Meantime, back at the Billericay War Rooms, my Napoleonic game continues ...

A French infantry brigade charges the British line between the farm and the bridge

and due to poor throws, the British lose and retreat back, taking their support battalion with them

thus ...

The French occupy the ground.

Watched by Lanciers de Berg, mindful of the KGL Hussars on the bridge.

In the centre, one unit of Legere advances in column but lacks support as its sister battalion retreated after some nifty shooting by the British skirmishers (they threw a double 6).

Also French battalions advance on the British guns on the hill, skirmishers to the fore - they have been steadily picking off the enemy gunners.

And other French skirmishers move over the bodies of their dead enemies.

The far left British brigade is moving to fire on the French infantry, trying to ignore the French gunners pouring fire down from the hills.

Mind you, the French foot battery has concentrated its fire on the British brigade left of the hill, a likely point of attack.

One British battalion here has already fallen back having failed its morale test 

The British gunners are intent on breaking up the enemy attack in front of them - they are piling up the casualties but there are three battalions in the brigade facing them.

Here's the British right with the beaten brigade trying to reform.

Let's hope they can shore up this flank before things hot up again.

To be continued - you are right Robbie, its a cracking rule set.

Mind you, you enjoyed them when we were play testing down at Basingstoke I recall, when your French Young Guard firmly stopped my Austrian attack across the river !

More to follow.