Battlegames issue 14 - Diane's article

Chocolate teapots

"Diane Sutherland reveals the unusual things her husband John does with decorative china."

In this article Diane looks at using pottery houses for the wargames table.  Apparently, some deluded souls actually collect Leonardo Tes Pots.  Have a look on Ebay for them, people want mad money for some of them.  The best option is to go to a car boot or "yard sale" and pick them up for next to nothing.  I didn't pay more than 50p for any of them.

A selection of smaller (15mm) pottery buildings.  These were part of a Christmas village scene.  Note the building centre left with the large hole in the side.  This was designed to take a tea-light, roughed up its better with a 75mm anti-tank gun.

A selection of Leonardo collectible tea pots, a door replacement was needed for the one on the left.  Where the remainder of the spouts and handles were too obvious, the sides of the buildings have been covered in Woodland Scenics turf.

Close up of the side of one of the Leonardo tea pots, with no detailing on the walls, the only option was to fill and then cover with Woodland Scenics turf.

Waffen SS mortar crew deployed in a 30p farmhouse money box yard.  There was a narrow slit in the top which was filled and textured with Milliput.  The farm had a thick pottery base, so half a low TSS hill has been stuck on to MDF base and textured.  The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed the repainted Britain’s walling.

You can get a hard copy or digital copy of Batlegames from:

https://subscribeme.to/battlegames

Well worth a read.

Danish Wargamers' Normandy Game Part Two

Part Two of the Normandy game with lots more tank action.

Danish Wargamers' Normandy Game Part One

Normandy 1944 was the second game that the members of Chakoten played at Wargame Holidays in August 2011.
The German players had a mixed bag of German troops, regulars, Luftwaffe and SS reserves.  They had to hold the main road cutting across the centre of the top table and prevent deep penetration by the Anglo-American assault forces on the flanks.
To add to the challenge, the Germans had to contend with virtually Allied air superiority, so they could expect lots of Typhoons and strafing attacks.
I also briefed the Allies that an SAS unit was operating behind enemy lines and when appropriate they could activate them to launch a joint assault with the French Resistance against the German HQ.  At the same time I briefed them that they could drop a battalion of US paratroopers to seize a vital bridge to the left rear of the German lines.

First up some calm before the storm pictures and then the opening shots.

Normandy 1944 - shots of one of the games Part 2

This is the second batch of shots from the same Normandy game.  We always like to throw in extra elements and specific missions for the commanders.  In this one, aside from the key German and Allied objectives, we had SAS and French resistance units ambushing German columns and an attempt by elements of an American airborne regiment trying to seize a key bridge.

One of the Panther companies deployed behind a hedgerow.

German SPs moving up through the bocage,

PzIVs deploying.

Lead US Shermans closing in on a German held farm.

Churchill Crocodile moving into position.

Stacked up Allied armour waiting for a breakthrough.

One Sherman comes to grief from a long range shot by a German 88.

Truck borne infantry moving up to support the armour. 

Stuarts which held a good third of the table for the most part of the game, the main Allied thrusts were to the extreme left and right of the deployment area.

American light tanks taking up defensive positions as the Shermans overtake them.

French family evacuating their home.

US truck borne infantry moving forward.

Mad dash by US armour as they move into position to engage the Germans.

Large column of German reinforcements coming under fire.

German SPs trying to get into some cover.

US infantry deploying as a second battalion moves up.

Shermans rushing through a gap in the German lines.

Americans take casualties as the attack develops.

Now this Tiger was a big disappointment.  It missed every shot and got knocked out by an American light tank from the rear! No Wittman obviously!

An SS infantryman looks on as his position is overrun by American Shermans.

American tanks taking on German armour.

US tank destroyers supported by infantry.

One of the last surviving German tanks in the forward line supported by Luftwaffe infantry.

Desperate measures for the Germans as the line begins to buckle.

One Stuart knocked out and another damaged.

German reconnaissance units on a bridge holding off American paratroopers. 

The Churchill Crocodile crew preparing a well-done Opel Blitz.

The culmination of an epic struggle between a PzIV and US tank destroyer. This went on for three turns before they both registered hits.  The German tank was knocked out and the tank destroyer heavily damaged.

US infantry moving to engage the SS.

SS infantry bugging out!

Another SS company hidden further up the bocage line.

A bit arty with the sunlight - an SS MG and HQ company in a walled enclosure.