The Megablitz archive - Tunis (1999)

This was the first Megablitz game I was involved in where someone else (Ian Drury) did the organising and umpiring.  I actually got to play!  It took place in a church hall in Bedford and involved (as far as I can recall) nine players. If you own a copy of Megablitz you will find the scenario details therein.
My apologies for the dodgy photos, but these date from the per-digital camera era and have subsequently been scanned so I can use them here.
Based on the 1943 Tunisia campaign, the game was carefully cast, with the British 1st Army players being experienced gamers but new to Megablitz, the US 1st Army being another new player (Wayne Thomas) and a friend of Ian's who had never played a toy soldier game before.  8th Army was in the capable hands of experienced but cautious players.  The experienced but numerically weak Axis were in the hands of Bob Cordery, Chris Willey, Chris Kemp and your humble correspondent.  The Axis team was soon being openly referred to as 'The Four Old Nazis.'
The table layout took the form of a reversed 'F', the top 'prong' being the coast along which British 1st Army were advancing.  Inland, across the djebel were the Yanks while 8th Arny appeared from the bottom of the upright after a long march from Alamein.

Axix forces in the north preparing to meet the enemy.

Elements of 8th Army (I think) encounter some Italian outposts.

The Italians are put to flight but there are some tough Germans around...

The view from Tunis.

Italian troops heavily engaged with 1st Army.  The Brits also landed a Para Brigade which entertainingly landed on some Italian gunners.  The Paras soon overcame them and pinched their lorries!

In the centre the overconfident Americans were taught a costly lesson by the grizzled veterans of the Afrika Korps.  Under the leadership of the handsome chap just visible on the left (so modest...) the DAK decapitated the lead US Armoured Division and dealt the US forces a psychological blow from which they never really recovered.
Eventually, though, sheer weight of numbers told and the 'Four old Nazis' were last heard of bickering over places on the last U-Boat to Italy.....

Czarnowo 1806

For this Command & Colours game we visited (unusually for this century) the Ostfront.  I provided the toys and Hexon terrain.  John and Jerry commanded the Russians while Mark, Martin and Kayte led the Frenchies.  I think this was the first outing for my Russians which - like my other Napoleonic armies - has been built up from various bring & buy and eBay purchases, let in with a few painted for me by Steve Briddon.

 One of the innovations the Russians bring to the game is the redoubt.  Several of them in this scenario.  I improvised them from some resin gabions and matchsticks.

For Kayte I brought along a special figure.  The origins of this cantiniere figure are obscure, but she arrived ready painted!

Most photos are taken from the French left/Russian right.  Here is the French left complete with their own redoubt.

They were soon on the move across the bridge...

 ...thus providing employment for some Russian gunners!

 In the centre, Russian light infantry were well ensconced on a ridge.  Clearly they wouldn't be easy to shift.

 The Frenchies soon got stuck in, and the blood (on both sides) flowed freely!

An aerial view of the proceedings.  The French have managed to secure one of the three ridge hexes (the top one) and reduced the garrison of the redoubt to a single stand.

With the arrival of more Russians (left), it appeared that the French had been driven off.

Silly hat fans on both sides were delighted to see these Pavlov Grenadiers.

 A renewed French assault on the redoubt failed spectacularly - sabres don't hit against fieldworks!

 French luck improved with a lucky shot against the defenders...

 ...and held when this Russian general died in a bayonet assault!

As an imposing Russian counterattack force gathered, the French attacked out of the redoubt and killed off a whole battalion, securing an early victory!  While this game was over a bit more quickly than we expected, it lacked nothing in exciting episodes - even if my poor Russians lost their debut game.

ACW - Another Collection of Wobbly paintwork

A quick post to report some work in progress.  These are 1/32 ACW chaps - a unit for each side - which will soon be ready for action.  On to Richmond Washington!

Breaking The Line

This was a game run by Martin, with him also representing the Germans while John and I led the Russians.  That's John and I pictured above.  I'm shouting while he's the one in the skirt.  So one of us was typecast.....

There is a rather more informative report of this game on Martin's blog, so I'll focus here on the Soviet propaganda photos!

We commanded a Rifle Battalion with a few bolt-on goodies, including this 76mm Regimental Gun battery.

Here are our brave lads seen from the left (how else?).  We have three rifle companies advancing in echelon while the heavy kit and cowardly HQ skulk in the woods.

"Forward - for the Motherland!"

"On you go Comrades - we're right behind you!"

The lead company soon came under fire from a Fascist Hitlerite Horde well dug in behind wire.  What a rotten trick.

A firefight ensued, during which we rushed up the heavy weapons company.

With a few casualties inflicted on the Fritzes....

...it was time to try a close assault.  

All that remained was to pass a morale test.

Oh bugger!

In other dice-related news, our newly arrived MG platoons were making their presence felt.

Happily at this point the Germans ran away.

And the Comrades swiftly occupied the trench system.

But there were more Fascist Vipers to our right (again, where else?).  They were kept under a torrent of MG and mortar fire.

Our victorious chaps looting the enemy trenches.