Tuesday 31 May 2011

NQM - Ostfront

Recent discussion of Not Quite Mechanised saw me rooting through some old photos on search of some I remember taking during an early NQM game.  The two surviving pics show action during a game played at the Conference of Wargamers in 1992(!)  There I was placed in command of a truly multinational Panzer Division - a Scottish General and Brigade commanders from England and Italy!
While my memories of the game (like the photos) are understandably hazy, I can tell you that it featured 3(?) Panzer Division advancing through the Soviet Union in 1941.  All was going jolly well until a surprise armoured counterattack sprang forth from a flank.  Maybe it'll be a long war after all...  The game used some of Chris Kemp's 20mm toys - many of which have now passed into my hands.
The action seen from the rear of the PD.  Medium artillery is deployed in support, while in the distance the Panzer Regiment and chums has bypassed a fortified zone. 
The 'hand of God' points to the counterattacking Soviet Tank Brigade.  The Panzer and Infantry regiments stand by to receive the attack.  The column on the right included by Div HQ!
The cover of the limited run (c20 copies) of NQM which Chris produced in 1992.
Coming soon - I have also located some photos of the Kursk (North) game played in 1995.

10 comments:

Robert (Bob) Cordery said...

Was it really that long ago?

I remember the game, and that I enjoyed myself very much indeed.

I never took part in the Kursk game, and I am looking forward to seeing the photos.

All the best,

Bob

Don M said...

Looked like a great time!

Tim Gow said...

Bob Cordery
Further investigation reveals that it was CoW 1992 - a 'mere' 19 years ago! 1991 was when I first encountered NQM - the 1940 game Chris ran at CoW that year.

Tim Gow said...

Don M
It had it's moments! Interestingly the experience of the Div HQ ruunning ahead of the main body and being ambushed by enemy tanks was one not entirely unknown to one E.Rommel. Great minds...

SoA Shows North said...

If you look at the tower block in the centre of that town, and at Moscow in my recent game report,
http://pbeyecandy.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/not-quite-mechanised-2/
it will seem quite familiar :)
- even if the scale of the toys around it has changed over the years.

Great reminder of life before everyone had digital cameras. Kudos to you for capturing it, Tim ...

Phil

Tim Gow said...

SOA Shows North
I understand that style of architecture is very common in the Soviet Union. And Wellingborough.

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Nice historical look back at the roots :)

Chris Kemp said...

Happy Days :O)

Thanks for publishing the photo Tim, and for the kind comments everyone else. The Stalinesque/Warhamster tower blocks do indeed live on. I was just thinking how young everyone looked in the old photos.

Tim Gow said...

Geordie
Well you know what they say - nostalgia ain't what it used to be.

Tim Gow said...

Chris Kemp
Happy days indeed. I was pleased to see that the towers are still going strong - as indeed are the toys - I have just sorted out another(!) Panzer division and recognise some of the toys in the photos.