More Dominion of the Blitzkrieg

 A couple of weekends ago I played a few more games of DOTB.  Partly to get more experience of the game in different theatres of war and partly as an excuse to get out some 6mm toys which haven't been seen for a while.  I'm happy to report that the following dozen or so games all produced credible results. Total playing time including setting up and packing away was a little over two hours.

I hope you enjoy the reports and photos.

More Dominion of the Blitzkrieg. Khalkhin Gol, 1939.  Played on the big board with (generally) three stands to a unit.

Some of the Sov infantry is dug in

Tank brigades with light and medium tanks and armoured cars.

A Japanese victory!

Japanese artillery - all GHQ models.  These are quite 'new', having been painted c10 years ago!

Japanese tanks - Type a 95 and 97.

Game two. A very similar result.
Game 3. And another Jap victory!  Makes you wonder why they didn’t build more tanks!

At last, a Soviet victory! And a much longer game. The jap artillery was silent, the infantry line crumbled and then the (elite) Sov tanks overran the remnants.

A change of climate now, and back to the small board for Soumussalmi. Late war Germans standing in for the Finnish infantry (try to ignore the Panzerfausts!). The debut flight of the Finns' borrowed bomber.

A hard fought Finnish victory. The Sov artillery never fired and their tanks all broke down. Mind you, the bombers were pretty useless.

That was closer!  Again the tanks didn’t show but artillery shelled the Finnish airfield.

Bialystok—Minsk!  A very busy battlefield.

An appallingly bloody battle, ending when panzers overran the Sov airfields.

A less good result for the Fuhrer’s lads.  More were SB2 enjoying their combat debut. By contrast, most of the German kit has been in service since the mid-eighties. Some of it is even older.

In the third battle of Bialystock the Sov bombers don’t show up but the Heer is soon seen off by the workers, peasants and T-28s. The Luftwaffe is heard to complain of being ‘stabbed in the back’ by the army.

Jitra, Malaya 1941.  Two Japanese victories but the Brits finally triumphed third time round.

I say British - actually these chaps are Indians, built for the wars of 1965 and 1971.

The Last Redoubt - Belgium 1914 - part 3

 

As they galloped (and pedalled) into contact the world held its breath. Imagine then everyone’s surprise when the charge succeeded! This effectively ended the German 5th division's offensive capability, a further blow being the untimely death of the divisional commander killed by a stray artillery shell. It would be ungallant of me to identify the nationality of the responsible gunner, right Simon?

 

By now the German 6 division had crossed the canal in strength and was approaching Louvain from the north east. Helped by corps assets, German gunners had battered the defenders of  the village sufficiently that the surviving Belgian guns were withdrawn to Antwerp, together with the far more important horse drawn field kitchen.

 

At this point we called Endex and talk through what might have happened next. We agreed that the  that the German 5th division would regroup and be reinforced over the next couple of days and the delay would effectively prevent the Germans sealing off Antwerp for that period of time. We talked through everyone’s objectives and individual victory conditions. On balance , the Belgians did slightly better than their opponents.  In terms of the victory points for objective locations, honours were even.

 By popular acclaim the “men of the match“ were the Belgian cavalry cyclists and armoured car crew. Clearly then these are the weapons of the future.

 Everyone claimed to have had a nice day and I was particularly pleased to have deployed my 54 mm Belgians so soon after completing them.  My thanks as always to the players for entering into the spirit of the game and providing such fine entertainment.

 Without wishing to cause undue alarm I can see possibilities for a sequel to this game. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Finally, for those of you wondering about the game's title, I refer you both to the individual objectives and the following quote:

“Accent is the last great redoubt of prejudice.”― A.A. Gill

The Last Redoubt - Belgium 1914 - part 2

 A note on place names.  As this action was very much 'inspired by' rather then 'a recreation of', except for the outer area of Antwerp I hadn't got round to naming the other towns and villages.  Perhaps inevitably, the large town which ended up being heavily shelled and fought over became known during the game as Louvain.  I hear they've had to close the library...

The peaceful citizens of 'Louvain' going about their business.

A particular book seemed to be selling well

The Belgian cavalry, inevitably referred to during the game as the “cavalry mechanised group” started mostly in Louvain but swiftly withdrew when the head of the German column drew near.  They then took up positions near the eastern Canal Crossing. 

The cavalry leave town...

...and close in on the eastern canal crossing

An original* 1914 photo with the mighty Minerva armoured car detachment leading the way..

The Belgian infantry regiment deployed with two companies and the machine gun company in Louvain and the remaining two companies supported by both of the brigades artillery batteries in village A to the north Northwest of the Canal.

 

The other two companies of 27 Rgt.  The crafty Belgians had flooded the fields round this village.  Note the Belgian artillery and German scouts.

Belgian Commander Martin set up his HQ in the Fort and looked to have plans of spending a comfortable war therein.

The medical detachment having a nice lie down.

The German 6th Reserve Division advanced up the main highway and soon engaged by Belgian infantry and machine gun fire. 

The 5RD peeled off to the North and initially busied itself desecrating a monastery.  

German air reconnaissance (it’ll never catch on) found the suburbs of Antwerp to be free of troops. 

And just who was the intrepid aviator?  

Why none other then your humble correspondent.  Looking far too pleased for a supposedly grown man playing with a toy aeroplane.

After a costly struggle 6 division took Louvain and spent some time re-organising and preparing to move on.

As they closed in and prepared to assault village A, the Belgian artillery let rip with some (party popper) shrapnel which rather discouraged the lead German battalion. 

A further salvo or shrapnel discouraged a second German battalion at which point the attack on the village stalled.

Meanwhile, the Belgian cavalry and armoured cars made a nuisance of themselves at the eastern Canal Crossing where the Minerva attachment held up a German division for around half a day. 

While the Germans reorganised, the cavalry redeployed and soon arrived north of Lovain.  At this point - and in a shock development - they heroically charged a German battalion!

And....that seems like a good cliffhanger.  The final part of this sorry tale will follow.

The Last Redoubt - Belgium 1914 - part 1

This was a toy soldier game played last week with 54 mm figures, the Belgians provided by me and the Germans by Lloyd. The scenario was more inspired by than based on any particular action but took as its setting the general situation in Belgium in the early weeks of the Great War.

A vast horde of Germans.  This photo by Russell, others by Pete, Martin and myself.

The Belgian Army, having inflicted something of a reverse on the Germans on the river gat is now pulling back in a degree of disarray towards the national redoubt at Antwerp.  In our game we had a Belgian mixed brigade with orders and secret individual objectives as follows:

Overall Belgian objective: carry out an heroic defence and inflict reverses on the Germans.

Nominate three objectives.

 
General J Van Acker (Martin) – 6^th Mixed Brigade
                                                HQ
                                                2 supply columns
                                                Fort Affreuse
                                                3^rd Carabiniers Rgt (-)
                                                                        HQ
                                                                        Inf Co
                                                                        MG Plt
                                                2^nd Artillery Group (-)
                                                                        2 Bty, 75mm guns
 
Personal objectives:     Speak with a French or (if you can manage it) Flemish accent.
Give press interviews and pose for photos, perpetuating the ‘plucky little Belgium’ image.
Be seen to be supporting your subordinates while secretly gathering as much resource as possible for the defence of Antwerp.
Issue lengthy and ‘inspiring’ orders to your subordinates.
  

The fort and it's garrison.  The CO is heroically/stupidly waving from atop the ramparts.

 
Colonel W Bogaerts (Russell) – 4^th Chasseurs a Cheval
                                                            HQ
                                                            2 Cavalry Sqns
                                                            Cyclist Sqn
                                                            Armoured Car troop
                                                5^th Chasseurs a Pied
                                                            HQ
                                                            2 Inf Co
 
Personal objectives:     Speak with a French or (if you can manage it) Flemish accent.
                                    Carry out an heroic action with your cavalry.
Refuse to cooperate with Bresseleers – he is an over-promoted bumpkin who knows nothing of modern war.
Demonstrate the usefulness of armoured cars
  

 
Colonel G Bresseleers (John) – 27^th Regiment de Ligne
                                                            HQ
                                                            4 Inf Co
                                                            MG Plt
                                                            Field Kitchen Co
 
Personal objectives:     Speak with a French or (if you can manage it) Flemish accent.
Undermine the General at every opportunity – everyone knows that job should be yours!
Protect the field kitchen.
Inflict an embarrassing defeat on the Germans.

27 Rgt de Ligne

The all-important field kitchen.  A Cobri (not quite Lego) model.

The Germans had a reserve corps of two divisions with the prospects of a reinforcement brigade depending on dice rolls. The letter never showed up as Corps commander Simon rolled an unbroken run of ones and twos.

Overall German objective: complete the encirclement of Antwerp and prevent it’s reinforcement.

Secretly allocate 15, 10 and 5 VPs to three objectives nominated by the Belgian player.

Lt General E Draeger (Simon) – IX (Reserve) Corps

                        HQ - 4 staff officers, 2 motor cars

                         3 Transport Columns

                         Artillery Rgt 17 – 2 howitzers

                         Feld Flieger Abt 17 – 1 aeroplane          

Personal objectives:  Speak with a German accent

                                 Strut around like the conquering hero you want to be seen as.

                                 Avoid military embarrassments.

Address your troops with the contempt they deserve – they are mostly fat old reservists.

Major General S Dubourg (Lloyd) – 5^th Reserve Division

                                                            HQ

                                                            Cavalry Sqn (2)

                                                            Reserve Inf Rgts 33,44,45 (20 figs each)

                                                            Reserve Feld Art Rgt 37 – 2 guns

                                                            MG Co

                                                            Transport column

                                                           

Personal objectives:    Speak with a German accent

                                    Carry out atrocities against the local populace

                                    Lead your men heroically, from the front!

                                    Win a great military victory

  

Prime targets for German 'frightfulness'.  A convent and....

...a monastery.  Possibly one of the orders which brews beer?

                                   

Major General Colonel S Jeschke (Pete) - 6th Reserve Division

                                                            HQ

                                                            Cavalry Sqn

                                                            Reserve Inf Rgts 141,176,2 (20 figs each)

                                                            Reserve Feld Art Rgt 71

                                                            MG co

                                                            Transport column

                                                           

Personal objectives:     Speak with a German accent

                                    You are a sensitive academic, given to quoting Schiller and                                                 Goethe

                                    Prevent unnecessary casualties on both sides

                                    Lead your men heroically, from the front!

Next time...the battle commences!

Foy-Notre-Dame - part 2

 As we rejoin the action, Mark is still trying to get his radio to function.

The Americans have had a bloody nose trying to get into the village. 

The company of M5 Stuarts has found the minefield. The hard way. 

On the German left, while the AT gunners and Panzerfausts have had a good run, the infantry’s luck is in danger of running out. 

At last - here comes some US air support. So that’s who Mark has been calling up. 

Amazingly, one of the Panther platoons is hit!

Simon’s British Motor Co pushes into the village, assisted by fire from the accompanying tank sqn and carrier Plt. 

The German infantry headed for their getaway halftrack. 

One of the burning Shermans was John’s OP tank. Luckily a replacement OP has trudged through the woods to join the HQ troop. 

The Puma Plt gets off a cheeky shot before hiding in the woods. This allows John’s tanks to move forward. 

Here comes another flight of P-38s

A British tank sqn working its way round the flank of the Panthers. Much to Mark’s relief!

Boom! The surviving Panther Plt brews another troop of Shermans….

…but is finally seen off by the efforts of more Shermans. Note the burning Firefly troop.  

By now the Germans could read the writing on the wall and withdrew their surviving troops, allowing the Allies to consolidate in the village. An honourable draw and a very entertaining game to run. Well done everyone!