Astartes Chapter Fleet - Battlefleet Gothic Part 2 - Chasing the Eldar

My Astartes Chapter Fleet had it's debut in combat the other day as their Vanguard Flotilla stuck out into the system to confront the elusive and perfidious Eldar. After sorting through many options, the Chapter now has a name: The Falcon Guard.

The Vanguard Flotilla

The first-painted 750 points for an eventual 2,000 point campaign fleet, the Vanguard Flotilla is led by Master of the Fleet Van Luther Konnall and consists of a balanced force of three cruisers and four escorts.

Vanguard Cruiser Orel, with customised anti-squadron turret (3D printed model).

I gave Master of the Van Konnall three options for Chapter Tactics (special rules to customise a Space Marine fleet, giving it a themed advantage in combat. A fleet can only use one Chapter Tactic in a battle, but I would like to try a variety of tactics as I learn the game rules, while imposing some limitations that make sense with the force I'm building. As Master of the Van, Konnell has Lightning Thrusters to make better use of Vanguard Cruisers; Pack Hunter Protocols to improve boarding actions for the smaller ships which Konnall is most likely to command; and Heed the Machine Spirit, basically improved damage control for capital ships (probably necessary to give my ships a chance as a I learn the game).

The capital ships of this force are as follows:

The Angel Sinistre, so named from the left-handed Dark Angel figurehead looming above the superstructure and the devious tactics of its captains, is the flotilla's flagship and is a standard Space Marine Strike Cruiser, providing firepower and Thunderhawk squadrons.

Vigil of Caliban. Named in memorial of the lost homeworld, and with a Dark Angel figurehead posed as a vigilite. A Strike Cruiser with a prow bombardment cannon to rain punishment upon enemy ships and traitorous planets alike.

Prow triple bombardment cannon.

The Dark Angel figurehead standing vigil for the destroyed homeworld of the Falcon Guard's patriarch chapter. Dark green markings also distinguish this Strike Cruiser.

Orel, a Vanguard Cruiser (I intend for all my Vanguard Cruisers will have the name of birds). A Space Marine light cruiser with a balanced weapons fitout for patrol and contributing speed to small fleet actions.

Orel with Thunderhawk attack wing.

All the cruisers are fitted with an extra shield as standard, as I have seen the importance of proper shielding for survivability.

Escorts: The flotilla also has four smaller ships. These are two Hunter Class Destroyers (Vanator and Kachator) to launch torpedoes, preferably boarding torpedoes which the boarding teams can guide to their targets, supported by two Gladius Class Frigates (Glaive and Spatha) to provide firepower. In reserve (not part of the 750 points), I have a further Hunter (Jager) and Gladius (Falx) in case I want to try an escort-heavy fleet or use squadrons of three of the same ship type.

Hunter Class Destroyer

The Hunter squadron.

Gladius Class Frigates.

The Battle against the Eldar

My opponent, the head of our Battlefleet Gothic 'club,' wanted to try the very cool-looking Eldar Corsairs he'd 3d printed himself. The Eldar seemed like a pretty dangerous foe, based on a battle report from the Youtube Channel Guerrilla Miniature Gaming, being fast, able to move in, fire, and then move out of range. I thought of several tactics to combat this as Space Marines. I decided to close quickly to hem the Eldar in and start getting shots off straight away. I would Brace for Impact with my lead ship (Angel Sinistre), and use Thunderhawks on CAP to intercept the very effective Eldar torpedoes and bombers.

All Ahead Full orders as the escorts and Orel try to rapidly flank the Eldar. The Hunters and Gladii manage to destroy an Eldar Nightshade destroyer.

The battle proved very challenging for both myself and my Eldar opponent. The Falcon Guard strike cruisers charged forward: Angel Sinistre was in the lead, bracing all the way to shrug off enemy shots. The fast-moving space elves for their part raced back and forth unleashing ordnance and pulsar lances, while manoeuvring cleverly using the sun and a nearby planet.

Angel Sinistre and Vigil of Calban advance to control the centre.

In a situation we describe as a variation of 'irresistible force meets immovable object' (perhaps 'unshootable versus invincible'), Eldar weaponry repeatedly failed to penetrate the Space Marine armour and defences, and the Astartes were rarely able to target the Eldar with more than a single die of firepower. However, after a long chase the Astartes' shots eventually told, and one Eldar light cruiser was destroyed and another ship damaged by further bombardment cannon shots and a long-range teleport raid by Fleet Master Konnall's Veteran Honour Guard. Additionally, the Hunters and Gladii escorts were able to destroy an Eldar escort. At this stage the Eldar attempted to change the focus of their attacks to easier targets, and inflicted two points of damage on the isolated Orel Vanguard Cruiser which had been chasing the Eldar escorts. However, the change came too late, and the two fleets broke contact, the Eldar having been defeated (by around 7-2 damage points in this Cruiser Clash).

Trying to catch the Eldar near the planet.

Admittedly, much of the comprehensive success of the Falcon Guard fleet in this engagement was down to the poor luck of my opponent. He had absolutely terrible luck with the dice, and seemingly could only get 6s when rolling to see if his ordnance prematurely detonated in blast markers (that happens on a 6). Furthermore, his fleet was created as a balanced 'sample' list for introductory games and its weaponry was not optimised for fighting Space Marines.

I think the Eldar remain a definite danger, and are not altogether as fragile as their light armour and lack of shielding would suggest. I look forward to facing them again.

The Orel pursues.

Eldar escorts escape through the asteroid field.

Astartes Chapter Fleet - Battlefleet Gothic - Part 1 (and some Epic)

To The Stars

A fellow up here recently started a project (or informal club or what-have-you) for Battlefleet Gothic. The project/club has been an instant success and is very well subscribed, and having had my first game, I can attest to the quality of this particular miniature wargame.

The best place to get started with Battlefleet Gothic is this Specialist Arms web page: https://www.specialist-arms.com/forum/index.php?topic=5203.0

There is even a fan-created regular online magazine for the game with a wealth of information about fleets, miniatures, battles and campaigns etc.

Battlefleet Gothic should work well together with Epic 40,000 (which I have been meaning to pick up again), and Aeronautica Imperialis (which I have also started playing), by providing the large-scale space battle aspect to combined campaigns. With teleport raids and boarding actions a significant feature of Battlefleet Gothic, why not even pick up Killteam and build a squad while we're at it?

While the original Games Workshop miniatures are of course out of print, there are still plenty of alternative non-GW suppliers, and heaps of free 3D print files out there (really amazing technology, when you have mates with the right skills).

The 'Prototype' Astartes (that's the Space Marines) Flotilla

I wanted the fleet to look as good as I could make it, so I did not just go straight. Rather, I painted a few 'prototypes' - one of each of the major ship types - to get used to spaceships and see if the chosen colour scheme worked. After three ships and several Thunderhawks and torpedoes, I am comfortable with the colours.

An overly washed-out photo taken with the phone flash, showing, from top to bottom: a Gladius Class Frigate, standard fitout Strike Cruiser, Hunter Class Destroyer, torpedo marker, and Thunderhawk gunship squadrons (all 3D printed).

A better shot of the ships, without the flash. The Turquoise colour is a bit lighter than it seems here. The death angel on the rear of the cruiser and the winged sword icon all point to the chapter's claimed descent from the 1st Legion, the Dark Angels. 

These custom 3D printed bases are neat, and deserving to receive the ship names of honour. I made the labels in MS Publisher and printed them off.

The first Thunderhawk squadrons, with two different marking types in case this is needed.

The Space Marine Chapter

Descendants of the Lion, tutored by the sons of Ultramar, and bearers of the Legacy of the Hawk

Because there are "1,000(!) chapters,"* I created one of my own. The name of the chapter at the time of writing is still TBC, as are many of their details of their history (in fact, the history and lore will need to be written as I game). Actually this chapter is not new to me. I got 2nd Edition Epic 40,000 back in the old days and a few of the Space Marines and Rhinos received Ultramarines colours because blue was the best of the four or five colours we had. Much later, I bought a cool new colour called Hawk Turquoise to apply to all the Epic Marines. The force became the 'Turquoise Hawks' as a provisional title. The Hawks participated in some small skirmishes against Orks on an unknown desert planet before entering stasis (storage).

The Turquoise Hawks Chapter and supporting units, assembled on parade prior to their second period in storage. The two things at the bottom left of the box are unpainted Thunderhawks gunships I scratch-built when I was a kid from balsa wood, plastic sprue and Weet-Bix boxes.

Millennia (Decades) later, the Marines were reanimated. Again they were sent to battle the Orks on a desert world, as some local gamers became quickly and briefly interested in getting back into a new version of Epic 40,000 called NetEpic Armageddon. After an unexceptional showing in their 1990s Turquoise, they were again returned to stasis, and an Administratum order for their disbandment and liquidation (Ebay sale or just given away) lost in the administrative chaos of the vast Imperium of Man.

The only known pic-capture of the Turquoise Hawks defending against an Ork assault on the unknown desert world.

It is only now, centuries (years) later that the remaining Turquoise Hawks were again re-awoken to serve Humanity, though their orders and instructions are vague and apparently incomplete. Attempting to obey their orders to the best of their knowledge, they have returned to fight again: terrestrially, in the atmospheres, and now in the infinite void of space above and beyond.

May the Hawks learn their true name and achieve worth, honour and redemption through service and sacrifice (and may their liquidation order continue to be lost indefinitely in the paperwork of the Administratum, the archives of Terra, or the depths of the Warp, at least for now).

Astartes of the 5th Company. A miniature I picked up badly painted for $1 at a games convention, later restored to honour as the Exemplar of the Chapter (Citadel miniatures).

*40K notoriously does not understand scale in a realistic fashion various reasons. I believe '1,000 chapters' here is a stand-in for 'more than we will list comprehensively.' Of course, as the fellow Baldermort said on Youtube, the 'countlessness' of number of chapters is to give the 40K gamer the opportunity to create their own personalised chapter of Space Marines. I have some thoughts about 40K and scale that I'll write on the blog one day.

Operation Sun Tears - Force on Force 6mm

An elite military rescue team and an airmobile US Marine Corps platoon attempted to find and evacuate aid workers (and a CIA operative) trapped in a village in a war-torn province in southern Syrda.

Despite reservations, we decided to try Force on Force again in 6mm scale using my under-base erasable unit cards (as we have yet to find a better system to mark casualties in this scale). We were not disappointed with how it turned out. We had put together matched forces based on a few draft points systems available on the internet for Force on Force and then thought up a plausible scenario on the day. I took the Syrdan militia and regular forces, and my opponent took his airmobile US Marines.

The Mission

McCreedy ground his teeth and sweated as stared at his top-secret encoded communications device, waiting for the signal. It was only a few minutes but it seemed like an eternity cliche. Eventually the lights blinked in sequence, telling him what he needed to know and immediately boosting his spirits: the Marines were on the way - he was getting out of this dusty s***-hole. Oh, and the French, British and Italian aid workers among whom he was under cover - yeah, they'd be rescued too. He'd better go tell them to get their things and get ready to go.

We set up the table with the rural village laid out in the centre between some hills and sparse bush at the T-intersection of paved roads entering west, south and east. Two groups of Syrdan local militia, one in technicals and the other in a Syrdan army truck, would start the game entering randomly on two of the three roads.

In the village buildings and aid worker camp we set up six blinds - markers that would be revealed when a unit of either side moved onto them. Four blinds were dummies and two had a number of aid workers with them - including undercover CIA operative McCreedy.

USMC forces would enter on turn one in their choppers. Syrdan reinforcements in the form of a mechanised infantry platoon of the "Iberrani" - the 147th Auxiliary Infantry Brigade, Syrdan 'Foreign Legion' - in BTR-70s and two T-74 Asad tanks, would arrive randomly from the three road entry points using Flames of War reinforcement rules.

We were ready to rock.

My new African Sahel-style terrain, made by me, hastily and cheaply of course.

The shiny circular discs distributed throughout the village, aid worker camp and palm tree grove. I made the buildings from Weet-Bix boxes, vinyl tile, Selleys, house paint and pen.

Choppers Coming

Captain Ahmad got word over the radio: an American aerial incursion was heading this way, directly for the village! Higher command was right: the Americans must have a spy among the foreign aid workers that his unit had been sent to round up for interrogation and to keep them out of trouble. Ahmad cursed the westerners and their meddling, their infiltrators and their prying satellites that had no doubt all combined to tip off the American spy to the Syrdan unit's orders and the approach of their columns. It would take time for the mechanised units to assemble at the village, so the Captain radioed ahead to the local Patriotic Forces unit to mobilise - they had to get there before the Americans.

Three technicals each carrying four Patriotic Forces militiamen raced along the road toward the village. The whump sounds of approaching choppers rapidly intensifying as three of the American aircraft swept past low parallel to the road. With not a moment to spare, the militiamen turned their guns to their left and opened fire at the helicopters.

USMC helicopters race past the militia technicals to reach the village first. (GHQ miniatures).

The militiamen's fire was innacurate, but the return fire from the helicopters' door gunners was not. One technical swerved into a roadside ditch and overturned, bursting into flames with two casualties. Another had it's tyres punctured and slowed to a crawl. The militiamen turned off the road and dismounted into the better cover of the crop fields as the USMC helicopters continued on toward the village.

More Patriotic Force miltiamen, three teams, in a Syrdan army truck also approached from the east while the USMC CH-53 set down in a field north of the village and deployed a MUTT jeep - the Americans were very much aware of the likelihood of Syrdan Army tanks showing up before the extraction had been completed.

Syrdan army GAZ-66 truck on loan to the local Patriotic Forces militia. (CinC miniatures).

The two CH-46 Sea Knights risked accident by landing on the main street of the village so the Marine squads could fan out to search the buildings for the aid workers and provide overwatch at the intersection. The two CH-46s immediately took off to get out of range of Syrdan ground fire. The CH-53 stayed on the ground for now.

USMC helicopters land in the village and the squad disembarks and fans out.

Aid workers (and Agent McCreedy) located

"It's about time you ladies showed up! Sorry to interrupt your workouts." said McCreedy as he walked up to greet the special forces rescue team soldier. The SF soldier retorted and the two men engaged in a back-and-forth of tough guy razzing and wisecracks, with McCreedy making sure to establish his ex-special forces credentials with his 'rescuers' - hell he didn't need no rescuing!

The special forces rescue team had also jumped out of the CH-53 and immediately headed for the air worker camp to search for McCreedy and the other westerners. What do you know - they were right there outside their tents packing!

The officer leading the team was receiving reports through his earpiece from the Marines guarding the perimeter: enemy softskins and light armour was headed their way. Where were the other aid workers? McCreedy, eventually disengaged himself from his verbal battle with the SF team member and said they went off in 'that direction' but he wasn't sure. None of the aid workers seemed to have any idea where their fellows were and didn't seem to perceive the urgency of the situation as they packed their gear. "Hurry please," said the special forces officer.

McCreedy and the first lot of aid workers is located by the special forces rescue team. (GHQ miniatures, Dave Graffam paper model tents).

The gun battle

While all this was going on the militia in the technicals engaged in a long-range firefight with the marines covering the western entrance to the village, taking several further casualties and having to merge two of their teams. A Syrdan Iberrani 'Dushka' team in another technical and a motor rifle squad in a BTR-70 showed up to lend a hand in the firefight. The militia caused some near misses to the special forces rescue team as they shepherded the air workers into the CH-53. "I'm sayin'" said McCreedy, and stay he did. The Marines damaged the Syrdan Dushka and blew up the BTR-70 with an M72 LAW rocket (the squad escaping relatively unharmed). 

Militia and Iberrani motor rifle troops taking accurate fire from the Marines. (GHQ figures, CinC BTR and Heroics & Ros technicals).

The militia approaching from the east in the army truck went off-road to get closer to the Marines through some woods, while a couple of Syrdan army BTR-70s appeared on the road. These armoured vehicles were quickly dealt with by the Marines with M72 LAW rockets, but not before one was able to fire at and damage the CH-53 which had just taken off. The helicopter escaped with the air workers, taking them to the carrier, but would not be able to return to the battlefield. The motor rifle squads got out of their destroyed BTR-70s with minimal casualties and began to advance up a hill toward the village.

The other aid workers are caught by the Syrdans

The Syrdan motor rifle squad on the western side found the other aid workers upon entering a house nearby to the firefight. This presented the US Marines with a dilemma: they would now be hard-pressed to rescue all the aid worker personnel.

The Iberrani motor rifle squad find the rest of the western aid workers hiding in a house. The blue mark on the card behind the Syrdans indicates a casualty with a serious wound (GHQ miniatures).

To add to the American's troubles, two T-74 Asad tanks had now showed up, one on the western approach and another advancing alone up the road to the south. To even further compound the situation, the MUTT jeep's missile launcher was found to be faulty! (A Fog of War card drawn earlier in the game indicated this weapon was out of action due to incorrect maintenance, but my opponent suggested the crew should continue to act normally, as they are unaware of the fault until they attempt to fire).

As the MUTT weapon operator prepared to fire at the T-74 approaching from the south, his blood ran cold as he realised the weapon would not work! Just then a the Syrdan tank fired it's main gun, blowing the jeep and its crew to smithereens. The Marine fireteam overwatching the southern road fired their two LAW rockets at the tank in response and managed to put the tank's main gun out of action. The Marines were now out of LAWs. Things were now dire.

A Syrdan T-74 Asad tank (a mislabelled T-72M) advances alone into the village to wreak havoc on the lightly-armed Marines. (GHQ miniatures).

Luckily the Marines had a FAC with a flight of AV-8 Harriers on station to lend a hand. Unluckily, the Marine pilots suddenly and unexpectedly reported they were now unavailable to support the Marines and dropped off the coms net (another Fog of War card). What had happened? We don't know, but I suspect it might require a later game of AirWar C21 involving my opponent's Harriers and my Syrdan MiG-21s and SAM batteries to game it out.

Mohamed shows up

The Syrdan Iberrani motor rifle troops were pulling back out of the village with their captive aid workers and with the tanks showing up and the Marines taking casualties, the chances of affecting a rescue were getting slim. Just then McCreedy's contact, Mohamed, showed up with his truck, his cousins and their own Dushka.

Mohamed's technical drives up. (Heroics & Ros).

"Over there" McCreedy pointed out the enemy troops running across the crop fields several hundred metres away. Mohamed understood. He yelled to his cousin, who aimed and fired the 12.7mm at the Iberrani troops, knocking down several of the running men. Just then McCreedy saw the light-coloured uniforms of the medical personnel running with the group of enemy soldiers. "Cease fire! Cease fire!" he yelled to Mohamed and his cousins, frantically making the appropriate field signal. It was too late, though none of the Americans knew it yet: one of the aid workers was killed and another slightly wounded.

Iberrani motor riflemen and BTR-70 crew with the aid workers as they come under fire.

As this was going on the Marine GPMG team was taken out by a shot from the T-74 Asad and the other fireteams had started taking losses from the closing Iberrani motor rifle troops, the militia and the other T-74 with the disabled main gun. They had to get out ASAP. The Marines started to pull back toward the eastern side of the village and the platoon commander called in the CH-46s on the radio.

One of the T-74s and a militia gun truck pursue the retreating Marines (GHQ tank and Heroics & Ros truck).

The Rescue Team, McCreedy and Mohamad take the initiative

The special forces rescue team leader and McCreedy looked at one another - they had only one chance to rescue the aid workers and complete the mission. They knew what they had to do and they seized the initiative. McCreedy jumped in the passenger seat of the truck next to Mohamad and quickly explained the plan to him as the special forces soldiers mounted up. Within seconds they were moving, racing down the road toward the Syrdan militia and motor rifle squad, Mohamed's cousin holding his fire this time as ordered to avoid hitting the civilians. At the same time, the CH-46s struck down from above, door guns firing to distract the overwatching T-74, managing to slightly wound the tank commander.

The special forces rescue team, McCreedy, Mohamed and the CH-46 sweep in heroically to wipe out the enemy and save the remaining aid workers!

Mohamed steered his truck straight in between the militia and the Iberrani in the crop fields. His cousin opened fire at point-blank range with his Dushka at the militia to the right, away from the aid workers. Shocked, the Iberrani and militia were unable to bring their weapons to bear in time, as the special forces, together with McCreedy jumped clear of their slowing vehicle straight into a close quarters fight with the Iberrani motor riflemen. A moment of fire and fury later, and the mercenary motor riflemen and most of the militia lay dead, the skill of the special forces showing.

Under the direction of the special forces, the shocked and terrified aid workers got up to a crouch and were guided toward one of the CH-46s as it settled down into the crop field, the back ramp opening up.

Mohamed snapped McCreedy a casual salute and then, without further words, drove off in his bullet-damaged technical. McCreedy hoped his loyal contact would be able to evade the Syrdan authorities.

Sea Knight Down

As the Marines, special forces and aid workers were being extracted by one of the CH-46 Sea Knights, the other was engaging in a duel with the enemy T-74. At this moment the Sea Knight lost the duel and fire from the tank severely damaged the helicopter. Trailing smoke, the CH-46 shuddered away to crash behind a nearby hill. Miraculously, none of the three Marine crew aboard were seriously injured in the crash, and they were able to escape, putting plenty of distance between themselves and the crash site before the Syrdans showed up. The Americans will have to launch another rescue mission to get them back (though as my opponent pointed out, this is likely to need a skirmish-level ruleset to depict accurately, rather than a platoon-level one such as Force on Force).

Aftermath

The US Marines had achieved their mission and emerged victorious from the engagement, destroying three enemy BTR-70s and a couple of technicals, damaging a tank and inflicting heavy casualties on local militia and regular forces. However, the Marines had several men KIA and WIA, a MUTT jeep and helicopter destroyed, and one of the aid workers was killed. 

Furthermore, the Marine FAC was seriously wounded and was unable to be CASEVAC'd by his comrades before the enemy militia in the army truck threatened to overtake them and cut off their retreat. The Syrdans captured this man and he is now receiving treatment in the regional government hospital, under very heavy guard. Unless the Americans can also launch a rescue mission for this Marine, and assuming he survives his wounds, he will risk becoming the honoured guest of President El-Bad of Syrda!

The wounded US Marine FAC, left behind by his retreating comrades, is captured by the Syrdan Patriotic Forces militia.

Conclusion

Myself and my opponent really enjoyed this game, which had plenty of remarkable and tense moments - I was sure I would be able to retain the aid workers, but an inspired and daring action by the elite American rescue team, CIA assets and helicopters turned the tide at the last minute. The very cool narrative nature of Force on Force, including appropriate Fog of War cards, has produced plenty of ideas for follow-on games to sort out action that happened on the periphery or after the battle (air combats and rescue missions specifically).

Although there were sometimes issues with the small scale and group-basing of the miniatures (when the action got very close), overall Force on Force in 6mm is very fun and do-able.

I give it:

Many stars out of ten.

Assault on Montmedy - France 1940 , Chain of Command

Some weeks ago we fought Battle 6 - the last battle of our France 1940 Chain of Command campaign (or, hopefully, only the last battle of the first chapter of the France 1940 campaign).

In preparation for this battle I made quite a few paper buildings with the intention of filling up around half a 6'x'4' table (I probably got enough for a third of a table in the end, though still have a few unbuilt structures, like a large church to finish off). For this I used a BattleLands Normandy 1944 set from Microtactix available from Wargames Vault and printed out several copies of some of the smaller buildings. This set is really comprehensive and looks great, especially with the extra bits like the awnings on the shops and cafes.

Prelude

Major Roscoe Sloan lowered his binoculars and scowled at the column of grey trucks, cars, motorcycles and armoured vehicles - still distant but closing rapidly. The 12th Derwents were on the back foot, thanks largely to the disappointing performance of his own A Company. MAJ Sloan turned his scowl toward one of those disappointments: 2nd Lieutenant George Stephens, OC leading the composite 7/8 Platoon, standing beside him: "Here they come. Make sure your Platoon is ready, and tell the AT gunners to watch and shoot. Dismissed." The frail-looking young lieutenant saluted with a "yessir" and hurried off to his platoon, holding the buildings at the centre of the British line on the main road into Montmedy.

Next, MAJ Sloan turned to his other subordinate, Sergeant-Major (WOIII) Aiden Bannister, and simply nodded: Bannister knew what was needed. The short and stocky Australian leading 9 Platoon returned the nod, saluted and jogged off toward his platoon's fortified 'keep' at the left of the position, gripping his new Thompson submachinegun by its wooden stock. MAJ Sloan returned to scowling at the approaching Germans. There were three other companies in this battalion, but they were tied up holding off the Germans on the flanks. If the Germans broke through A Company now, the whole battalion would be withdrawn toward Sedan and the town left to the French to do their best.

Setting Up

The battle was a modified version of Big Chain of Command with three platoons a side. The Germans would have a few Panzergrenadier platoons in trucks from the Grossdeutschland Regiment, a five-tank Panzer III platoon, and an Sdkfz 222 armoured car and a motorcycle reconnaissance section (Folke-Baptiste and his riders to lead the assault and get more Iron Crosses!) in support. The British had two rifle platoons (7/8 Platoon composed of the remaining battle-ready men from 7 and 8 platoons, and the mostly intact 9 Platoon) and a supporting French reserve armour platoon of FT-17s.

The Germans Rush Ahead

Both sides rolled 11 for Force Morale and the Germans got the first phase. Folke-Baptiste's motorcyclists raced down the road toward the British left flank held by 9 Platoon, followed close behind by a Panzergrenadier section in trucks and their platoon commander in a field car. A 9 Platoon section under CPL Weston deployed to the three-level corner hotel (the Platoon's 'keep') and a French FT-17 from the Peloton Blindee Montmedy commanded by LT Felix Florian appeared at the end of the road. Both units opened up on Folke-Baptiste's men and the Germans took some hits.

A German light mortar opened fire on 9 Platoon's keep, inflicting a casualty, and more Panzergrenadier trucks appeared on the road to head toward the British positions. As the German motorcycle recon section tuned off the road toward cover, a the British opened up on them with a Vickers MMG from the top floor of the hotel. The 9 Platoon rifle section, now under the direct control of Sergeant-Major Bannister, joined in. The combined fire inflicted several casualties. Accompanied now by just a handful of survivors, Folke-Baptiste rushed into a house opposite the British and prepared to fire back with his MP38.

Grossdeutschland advances down the road, taking fire. The German motorcyclists have already rushed forward into cover.

Exchanging Heavy Fire

Folke-Baptiste and his survivors (the MG38 team of his squad) exchanged heavy fire with a Vickers MMG in the upper levels of the keep and growing numbers of 9 Platoon troops, as the rest of the platoon's sections deployed and opened up from windows and doors across the street. Soon, only the German corporal was left standing - wounded, blasting away with his sub-machinegun, shouting defiantly and calling for someone to back him up.

The Vickers MMG switches fire between Folke-Baptiste's motorcycle troops and oncoming Grossdeutschland trucks on the road.

Folke-Baptiste, alone, wounded, his section fallen around him, holding the fight almost single-handedly.

The German motorcycle troops had been mostly dealt with or rendered combat ineffective by the fire of Bannister's 9 Platoon, LT Florian's FT-17, and especially LCPL Thomas O'Shaunessey's section. British attention was now drawn to peppering the Grossdeutschland trucks and cars racing down the road toward them, inflicting further casualties and even killing the Panzergrenadier platoon leader. In return, several British soldiers were hit, including O'Shaunessey himself, who was severely wounded.

The advancing Germans take heavy fire from 9 Platoon's strongly-held defensive line...

... It looked like there was no breaking through on this flank.

The Germans try an armoured advance

In the German centre they deployed a Panzer III and then an Sdkfz 222 to push down the road. Within moments, they came under fire from an OQF 2-pounder anti-tank gun hidden in a small reserve on a roadside corner. Return fire from the Germans quickly killed the gun commander, Bombardier Millard Barrett.

LT Stephens (right lower corner) shouts target indications to the OQF 2-pounder (left lower corner, here represented by a yet-to-be-invented Sexton 25 pounder, because I forgot my models!) 

However, just as quickly, LT George Preston Stephens, leading the remnants of 7 and 8 Platoon, took control. Seeing the problem, he began shouting down target indications from the third floor of a hotel building. Despite continuing German fire, the 2-pounder under the command of Lance Bombardier Glenn Elmo was able to hit, damage and drive off the Panzer III. A second Panzer III turned up and was then also driven off by the 2-pounder with help from LT Stephens, though at the cost of another man, Private Darcy Osborne, KIA.

Aftermath

With the retreat of the Panzers and Grossdeutchsland and 90the Recon's advance bloodily stopped, the Germans quit the field. At last! A British victory! Finally a win for the 12th Derwents!

The British had lost two men killed (from the 2 pounder unit from the 1st Battery, 68th Brigade Anti-Tank Regiment), one many severely wounded (LCPL O'Shaunessey), and three other men slightly wounded. Major Sloan has recommended SGT Aiden Bannister for the Military Medal for handling the defence of the British keep and left-flank crossroads, and LT Stephens has somewhat redeemed himself.

An understrength 9 Platoon plus a single 2 pounder practically held the entire battle for the British, with 7/8 Platoon not really participating except as a force-in-being for the centre and right. The Germans were perhaps too reckless in driving down the road full-tilt in softskins and relying too much on the Panzers. Despite the lack of movement on the British side, it was a fun and challenging battle nevertheless.

As for Folke-Baptiste, he now has the Wound Badge, on top of the Iron Cross, and is trying to will himself through his recuperation to return to his unit at the front as soon as possible.

An overview of the battlefield during the game.

A very approximate map of the table, showing British deployments and German advances throughout the battle.

The Campaign Concludes - Overall German Victory

Montmedy was secure, at least for now. However, with five German victories and only one Allied win across the six battles of this campaign, it is clear that the British position here will very soon become untenable and the Derwents will have to withdraw or be outflanked.

Hopefully soon we will continue to follow the exploits of A Company of the 12th Derwent Light Infantry and their nemesis Folke-Baptiste of the 90. Aufklarungsregiment in a second campaign to follow this one. Chain of Command is a brilliant game, perfect for linked story campaigns, and the Platoon Forward and At the Sharp End supplements really add to the overall experience. The Too Fat Lardies have really done well with the whole Chain of Command game experience.

Next I would like to try a map-based campaign for Chain of Command, with a company or two a side, perhaps representing a fighting withdrawal by the 12th Derwents (and hopefully some French units) toward Sedan, pursued by fast-moving Grossdeutschland and 90. Auflkarungs units.

The overall situation for A Company, 12th Derwents is as follows. Of the 101 men of 7, 8 and 9 Platoon and the Company HQ who started the campaign, 70 are still fit to fight, 12 were severely wounded (not to return), and 19 were killed, including the Company 2IC. Most men have been wounded at least once. I put together records of the killed and seriously wounded from both the company and its attached supporting units:

The seriously wounded, including three wounded and captured.

Wall of Remembrance - the KIA.

High Elves in the Age of Magic - Part II - The Host Raised

SAGA is a fantastic game.

Especially when it is in a fantasy setting.

We decided to bring together GW/Warhammer Fantasy and SAGA - Age of Magic to play a short campaign representing the invasion of Ulthuan by the Goblin warlord Grom the Paunch. Fortunately, I still had my old GW High Elves. They just needed a bit of repainting.

Here is the stunning conclusion to my attempts to repaint and field a High Elf army for SAGA - Age of Magic.

The Host Re-raised

After monumental struggles with motivation with painting 28mm, I finally finished a High Elf force of about 6 points for SAGA - Age of Magic. Here they are.

L to R: The marines; their command group; the Shadow Riders (Ellyrian Reavers); Marine Captain (mounted); Mage; local citizen soldiers of Yvraine.

The Elven citizen's militia of Yvraine are green-themed and have shields depicting land-based dragons, and also horses over fields of gold but with a sky darkening with storm.

The Elf Commander - Captain of the expedition to defend Ulthuan from Goblin invasion, and his comrade the Mage.

The Shadow Riders with their fighting horses banner.

The command group of the Elf Marines with sea dragon banner (from somewhere on the internet).

Elf Marine champion with shield depicting the Drake of the Deeps rising up to strike terror into his opponents.

The Elf Marines with spear,

and with bow.

The Captain's shield rune ('Sendai') reminds the Elven warriors of dedication and sacrifice.

The Battle of Yvraine Plain

Despite the struggles to get them done, I was happy with the way the High Elves turned out.

They soon fought in the Battle of Yvraine Plain and emerged bloodied but victorious against the Goblins of Grom. The Shadow Riders were not under my command. They heroically charged out and comprehensively smashed a unit of goblins. However, they then charged onward into trolls while fatigued, overextended themselves and were practically wiped out. The Elf Marines manoeuvred but did not engage, though arrow fire killed several enemy. This was my elves' first battle since the 90s, and they will soon defend the city of Tor Yvresse itself in the final battle of the campaign.

The Marines, under a different commander.

The death ride of the Reavers.

Manoeuvring on the distant flank and feeding SAGA dice to friendly forces.