Angus  Konstam's Edinburgh Wargames

Edinburgh Wargames Journal             

      Issue 36  -  July 2009  

 

Periods featured  in this issue:  English Civil War, "Back of Beyond", American War of Independence (all 28mm),

 Second World War (20mm) & Second World War Naval (1/1200)

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The Wagon Train, Nottinghamshire, English Civil War 1643  (Very Civile Actions) 28mm

This little English Civil War game was loosely based on Charles S. Grant's "wagon train" scenario - an old wargaming staple. The idea is that a small Royalist column had to make its way across the table to deliver supplies to a beleaguered garrison - in this case the defenders of a small manor house. The Parliamentarians were more numerous, but their arrival was diced for, with a "1-5" representing different 2x2 foot terrain tiles around the table, and a "6" meaning the troops had irrevocably lost their way. We arrived to find figure painting gurus Dave Imrie and Brian Phillips had set up a small 6x4 foot table for a photo shoot. When they'd finished we simply borrowed it, and replaced the Ancient buildings for more 17th century looking ones. I believe the terrain boards themselves were built by Barry Hilton - a lover of bright Air Lingus green... Still, it was all much nicer than we were used to, and besides, it was already set up!

Most of the Parliamentarians arrived on either Turn 4 or Turn 6 (the arrival time was diced for too), and they came on at either side of the manor house. This of course meant that they had a chance to bar the way to the Royalists before they'd marched across the table, despite the harassing fire from the garrison. All the troops were rated "Local Trained Bands" or early war "Harquebusiers", which meant they weren't particularly good - it all depended on the officer chits we'd drawn. For instance, most units were unable to form into compact, disciplined bodies, unless the officer was "Disciplined", which meant the troops were too. It really is an excellent system, particularly when fighting games set at this level of battle, where a regiment of foot consists of three blocks (one pike and two musket), with a total of 48 figures.

Well, the Royalist horse tried their best, riding down a block of unsupported Parliamentarian muskets, and charging a unit of horse. It just wasn't enough. For the most part the Parliamentarian line held firm. When Parliamentarian reinforcements appeared they cut round behind the Royalists, picking off the rearguard of the relief column. At that point it was quite clear that the manor house would have to do without its supplies, and the best Dougie Trail's Royalists could manage to to pull back and try again another day. That meant that victory was awarded to the good guys, played by myself and Mikowai Staszek  - actually more "Nicholas" than me, as he had all the front-line troops.

As usual we used Very Civile Actions, the free rules set available from The Perfect Captain. We've modified them slightly, mainly by increasing the movement rates by 50% to suit 28mm figures. However, as an "off the peg" set of English Civil War rules, these are hard to beat.

English Civil War page            Review of Very Civile Actions

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Mongolian Clash, Russian Civil War 1920  (Back of Beyond / Contemptible Little Armies) 28mm

We were due another "Back of Beyond" game, and for a change this one was set in Mongolia or North-Western China, rather than in southern Central Asia -  our usual "Back of Beyond" region. The game saw a Chinese warlord's army take on a Bolshevik Russian force, which had raided over the border. Actually, most of the fighting was left to the Bolshevik's Tibetan allies, who proved more than a match for their Oriental counterparts. In the first few turns they ambushed and slaughtered the Chinese army's Mongol cavalry, then turned on the poor Chinese infantry, who were plodding onto the table behind them. These Tibetans are pretty fierce types, despite their outlandish dress. the result was the gradual dismemberment of one wing of the Chinese army!

On the other flank the Chinese didn't fare much better, being met by a solid wall of Russian infantry, backed by machine guns and artillery. The Chinese simply lacked the muscle to dislodge them, and the outcome of the game was rarely in any doubt. A brief flicker of hope came when a Chinese aircraft appeared, but within a turn it was off the table again, and replaced by a Soviet plane, which amused itself by strafing the hapless Chinese as it flew around the tabletop! In our "Back of Beyond" games the Red Army has an unenviable track record - it rarely wins a game. This time though the game was a Red victory - clearly the Chinese are easier prey than their usual opponents of Whites, Interventionists or Nationalists!

As usual we used the simple but effective Contemptible Little Armies rules by Chris Peers, supported by their Back of Beyond army lists and amendments. these always give a fast, fun and largely unchallenging game - perfect for this kind of rather unusual type of conflict!

Back of Beyond page       Contemptible Little Armies  playsheets

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Battle in the Mohawk Valley, 1776  (Loose Files & American Scramble) 28mm

This small American War of Independence game was designed to try out Loose Files and American Scramble, a set of rules produced many years ago by - I think  - Andy Callan, and printed in Wargames Illustrated. Anyway, Edinburgh gamer Bill Gilchrist has just bought two complete armies of E-Bay, and he loves tinkering with rules. This game was designed to try out both rules and the new lead. It was a straight-up fight, played out in a big clearing, ostensibly somewhere in the Mohawk valley. A force of two British regular units (one of which was Grenadiers), supported by some light infantry, Loyalist militia and Indians had to defeat a waiting line of Colonial rebels - mostly militia, but with a smattering of Continental regulars.

Actually, there was very little "American scramble" going on. We started to advancing within musket range of the American line. We tried a bayonet charge with the Grenadiers, but in the rules the fact they're bayonet-armed Grenadiers is outweighed by the fact that the rebels outnumbered us. As a result Britain's finest were repulsed with heavy casualties. After this shocking start they spent the rest of the game reforming, then standing and shooting at the rebels, aided by the light infantry (a mixture of British and Loyalists), who sniped at the Americans from the woods. A similar debacle occurred on the left flank, where the Indians turned and fled after being charged by a unit American riflemen. Things weren't going well!

Then it was the turn of the centre - two units of Loyalists and one of British regulars (the 5th Foot). The regulars were hit by canister, and suffered far more from musketry than the militia they faced. Due to pesky things called "Disruption Points" (DPs) they never really had a chance to charge, but just stood there, getting whittled down every turn. too many DPs and you start taking casualties. The musket rules are simple - too simple - every firing base (regardless of troop quality) inflicts a DP on a "6", but formed, standing regulars can only roll off two DP's a turn. Commanders can remove them too, but by that stage most of ours were killed, including Lord Cornwallis, who commanded the force. At least he was spared a court martial! 

The Americans simply stood and fired, and used their own commanders to remove their DPs each turn. Worse, as all their units were bigger, they tended to inflict more DP's than we did. The effect was like watching a slow-motion car crash... one by one our Loyalist units broke and ran. When the last of the 5th Foot were cut down the surviving British brigadier ordered a general retreat, covered by the Grenadiers. It looks like upper New York colony will just have to remain in a state of rebellious insurrection for a little while longer.

Well, the rules were flaky, but at least they were simple. I actually prefer British Grenadier or even Patriots and Loyalists, because they pay far more attention to troop quality. The trouble with this is that it never really felt like a War of Independence game - only an exercise in game mechanics. Then again, maybe the rules are fine, and I'm just a grouchy loser! Whichever way, the forces of the Crown will have their revenge!

American War of Independence page

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A trip up the fjord, Norway 1940  (General Quarters) 1/1200

This very pretty game was all down to Kevan Gunn, who not only supplied the ships, but he built the fjords. its all part of his own pet project - refighting the Narvik campaign in several scales, and on land, sea and air. I know - it all sounds quite mad, but at least we got a great game out of it. The premise was that the German cruiser Emden had just finished bombarding Oslo, and had anchored up a Norwegian fjord, somewhere near Stavanger, where it waited for fresh orders. Anti-torpedo netting had been strung to seaward, and the light cruiser was guarded by two powerful German destroyers.  After the Emden was spotted by reconnaissance aircraft, the Admiralty despatched a half-flotilla of four destroyers to sink her.

The problem was, the attack was to be carried out in daylight, and the Germans were expecting it. the four British destroyers steamed up the fjord at full speed, in line astern. HMS Bedouin led the way, followed by Kimberley, Havock and Hotspur. The idea was that the tougher Tribal Class would soak up the enemy fire, leaving the rest free to launch their torpedoes. Of course, it didn't work out that way. At first it seemed that Bedouin led a charmed life. Despite being fired at by two destroyers and a cruiser (whose crew were hurriedly raising steam and cutting their anchor cable), she suffered only minor damage, while her own guns gave the destroyer Georg Thiele a bit of a pasting, knocking out two of her gun mounts.

Then it started going wrong. First, Havock and Hotspur formed their own sub-division, led by Commander Trail. He decided to ignore orders and wheel out of line, and launched a spread of torpedoes at the German destroyers. As the flotilla commander I wasn't too impressed, as the target was the Emden. The lead two destroyers had no option but to forge ahead, rounding the end of the torpedo nets to enter the Emden's lair. That was when the Kimberley was hit, a point-blank pummelling from both the Georg Thiele and her consort the Bernd von Arnim. Bedouin was also hit, and both destroyers lost their torpedo mounts, while Kimberley was left without any working guns. Both of them were firing back, concentrating on the Emden. Commander Trail's two destroyers joined in, while they careered around on the wrong side of the fjord, and outside the torpedo netting.

Then the Bedouin scored a critical "bulkhead" hit, and it was clear the German cruiser was suffering badly. Her damage control parties were trying to deal with serious flooding and a major fire, and her fire slackened. One of the German destroyers had chased the British into the anchorage, while the other cruised the fjord, exchanging fire with Havock and Hotspur. It turned out that Commander Trail's torpedo spread was a dummy. Unfortunately, that's when he decided to unleash his real spread, aiming at the Emden which was trying to head out into the fjord. They missed the German cruiser, but instead they headed towards the two battered British destroyers, who were now streaking out of the anchorage. Unable to avoid them, Bedouin was hit, and went down. Kimberley emerged unscathed, but that was little consolation for Captain Konstam, who lost his best destroyer to a British torpedo! He took solace in his "pink gin" (see above), and muttered about court martials and keelhauling for the rest of the night...

However, the final drama came the following turn. The Germans failed two attempts to stem the flooding, and so the Emden sank, while the remaining British destroyers laid smoke and disappeared back towards the open sea. Mission accomplished - hurrah - pink gins all round!

this was our first game with the new Third Edition of General Quarters, and everyone was mightily impressed. They were as quick as the old set, but more detailed, and probably more realistic. Above all, they were great fun to play, and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Second World War Naval page   

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In the bend of the Don, Summer 1942  (Battlegroup Panzer Grenadier) 20mm

This hard-fought little battle involved a German combined-arms attack against a hastily-formed Soviet defensive position, and was set somewhere near Millerovo, in the bend of the River Don, during the German advance on Stalingrad. the Russians had two defensive layers - a lightly held outer band consisting of infantry and concealed anti-tank guns, and a second, better fortified line, with dug-in infantry, wire, trenches and tank support.  

The Germans attacked along the axis of the main road, and had little difficulty either bypassing or overrunning the first line of defence. Russian anti-tank guns hidden in a cornfield only scored one kill before being overwhelmed,  and the GErman armoured rolled on towards the village. That was when things started to go wrong for them. Soviet artillery caused casualties amongst the infantry, forcing them to disembark from their trucks a fair distance from the village. then, another battery of hidden anti-tank guns knocked out more German AFV's, although they too were eventually overrun by the attackers. By then though, the Soviet armoured reserves had arrived.

While the lighter BT-7's weren't too successful, the T-34's proved more than a match for the German tanks, particularly as most of the new long-barrelled Pz. IV's had already been brewed up. The German air support never arrived to clear the road, and as German tank losses mounted their assault ground to a halt. Finally they were reduced to laying smoke, to cover their remaining tanks from the Soviet armour. Without aggressive support from the panzers, the German infantry never managed to press home its attack against the village. As the game drew to a close the German commander was about to give the order to pull back, to try again another day. No doubt he'd also have a sharp word with his Luftwaffe liaison officer!

Like all our 20mm Second World War games, this was played out using the excellent Battlegroup Panzer Grenadier rules. Caliver Books have just published a new 2nd edition, but we haven't got copies yet, so this game used the original rules. to be honest, we're all a little wary of the new version - mainly as we all believe in the principle that if it ain't broke, you don't try to fix it! Still, we're all keen to see what the changes will be...

Second World War page        Battlegroup Panzer Grenadier playsheets

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