David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Friday 4 January 2019

By Air to...bottle it!

As promised for the start of the new campaigning year a second WWII Rapid Fire2 set too. I kept the table layout largely the same, but switched the forces around. This scenario saw a British glider borne assault holding Le Grand Bains against a German counter attack from Kampfgruppe Whytt. The Airborne had no armour support but did have a battery of howitzers, another of 17lbers and a 6lb antitank gun. They also enjoyed air support after Turn 3 in the form of a Typhoon with 2 Medium Bombs and one straffing run. As usual now a days, a series of captioned pictures to give a sense of the unfolding action ~
A game changing error: deploying my 17lb anti tank battery in
the only position the German spotter could see it!

Amongst the ruins Brigadier General Bykleigh considers his
options.

Artillery fire was to be the Airborne's only hope against the
German armour. The 6lb antitank gun is already retiring!

The Stugs are out of sight of the Airborne's spotter and the
infantry dug in around Rumfordeville.

Herr Whytt considers his next move while anti aircraft gunners
nervously scan the skies!

Airborne hopes are raised when one Panzer IV is knocked out
and a second heavily damaged by HE. A false dawn sadly as
it turned out!

A cautious advance by Infantry supported by Stugs on the
Airborne's extreme left flank is worrying!

In the German centre infantry go into action supported by their
battalion artillery.

Jabo! No cause for alarm though...
The bombing run fails to destroy the advancing Stugs!

As the Typhoon readies itself for its second straffing attack it
proves too little too late and its all up for the Airborne, failing
their second consecutive Morale Test at the start of Turn 6!
"For you, Herr Bykleigh, the war IS over!"

 I can’t really claim it was a ‘game’ in the sense of an event in which each did their very best to win though. I made a fundamental error in my first two turns from which I miserably failed to recover, though Jon’s subtle play kept me on the ropes I have to say and I was thrashed in six turns! On reflection I think that ‘Personal Morale’ as out lined by Robbie Roddis on his Blog last year played a big part in my defeat ~
https://independentwargamesgroup.blogspot.com/2018/12/on-personal-morale.html
I realised my error but was paralysed by what I could do in response and bottled it frankly! Not my finest hour!
The Allied version of the Field Hospital as the German one in
the last post proved popular! Once more though, the busiest
chaps on the Airborne side!



Next up in GHQ will see a long overdue return to Rhanzlistan where another scion of the military incompetents who are the Bykleighs will pit his wits against Robinski and his S.P.I.F.F. Meanwhile, its back to painting SYW figures!

20 comments:

  1. Lovely looking game:). Shame your deployment seemed to hamper you from the off:(. We've all done it and I'm sure we will do it again...

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    1. Thanks Steve. As you say, we have and no doubt we will!

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  2. Another Spiffing report and photos old bean. I am sure you will do better on Monday.

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    1. Well, not so much better as it turned out...

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  3. Great pictures, beautiful looking game!

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    1. Thanks Phil. The look matters to us, it's a part of the pleasure of our hobby.

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  4. Great looking game,win,lose or draw!
    Best Iain

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  5. I had a feeling it was all up for the Brits when Mr.B. asked me "when's the earliest you've ever realised the game is lost?". We'd just finished turn 2!

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    1. Stuffed from Turn 2 as you rightly surmised!

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  6. Win or lose it looks an excellent table and a fun game. Maybe more fun if you win ;)

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    1. Always enjoy my games whatever the outcome, though winning is good fun if I remember rightly!

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  7. A lovely looking game David...
    I have had such a long line of losses in the last year ... this all seems perfectly normal to me...

    All the best. Aly

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    1. A fellow sufferer is always welcome here. We should have a game sometime, though it would probably be a draw!

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  8. Yet another spiffy looking game David!

    Christopher

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