CORE-HAMMER PROJECT for the Old World

This is a continuation of my 'major house rules' (the game is becoming barely recognisable), to deal with my general unhappiness with the current Old World rules, and my desire to turn it into something really good I want to play, given I own 7 armies. The latest part of this is 'Core-Hammer'. A major issue with the game is how the army lists work, given it's a list building game, the system is very clunky for something which is foundational to how the game will play. So, I have my own revised plan... 

Blocks of troops... big blocks of troops... feels like WH.

This is a conversion of the current Old World army lists to encourage playing with more Core units over powerful characters, wizards and monsters, etc, and with this, the use of more core units over the more ‘elite’ end of the unit scale. This will, of course, make for generally larger armies on the tabletop (naturally, as more of the cheaper pointed troops are used), but also place more reliance on the ‘standard’ rank and file troops being used, and in generally larger units (to help use up the increased core points requirement).

This revised army list system won’t be of interest to all, but hopefully to those that prefer to play with blocks of troops as the mainstay of the army, supported by the other elements of an army, with reduced power in the characters (especially the top ‘lord’ level characters and wizards).

All of the troop types currently available will remain available to all the armies, just moved into a different configuration, for better balanced and looking (and thus playing) armies. The general principal here is that ‘a bit of everything’ makes for the best Warhammer games, but the balance should be leaning towards the Core troops. The intention here is not to remove any troop types from any army, just to limit the more powerful types and re-balance the lists to emphasise more, and better, Core units, whilst at the same time allowing for more flexibility and variety in those Core choices, so it not seen as an unwanted ‘tax’ to be paid on ineffective units, but as the main fighting heart of the army, then supported by the characters, monsters, war machines and the other Special and Rare units.

There is a ‘relative’ argument here, in that, Core troops, with their more basic stat-lines, equipment and special rules etc., aren’t seen as that effective, but they will be, relative to other army’s core troops – if both sides are using more of them. A troop type or unit is only ‘underpowered’ in relation to other units it faces. If it faces more enemy Core units more often, then the relative power level should even out.

As well as a minimum size for all units, a maximum size has been introduced. This has two effects, first it prevents ‘death star’ builds. By still being generous with the maximum large and powerful units can still be selected, but the worst excesses are curbed. The second is to add to the character or theme of the troops type. Goblins and Skaven Clanrats can come in larger hordes than Chosen Chaos Warriors or High Elf Swordsmasters, which feels right (because it is right). Powerful and elite units come in smaller numbers than rank and file, and this reinforces a unit’s character, and can also build in an advantage in the rank and file units, because there are simply more of them available. 

Characters
Currently, the points allowance for characters is too generous, and these points can be freely spent on the top end of the character scale, i.e. ‘lords’ on monsters with many magic items. I feel, one of these super-heroes is enough for any battle, and the very best lord, the overall army commander, should be a single, individual, stand-out hero. The top-tier characters are not to be taken as a requirement (they are still optional, so other lesser characters can lead an army), but if each army has access to one such uber-character, that is enough ‘hero-hammer’ for me. This helps saves points as well, and these points are then re-purposed into more Core units. So, first, a reduction in the maximum points allowance for characters from 50% to 33% (a third) will reduce the points pool available for the best characters, and introduce a hard limit of 0-1 on the ‘lord level’ characters, for all armies, of any size. This helps limit their battlefield dominance without removing them from the game. One Chaos Lord on a Chaos Dragon is enough for any game.

Next in characters, to encourage a greater use of the lower and mid-level characters, the captains, nobles, aspiring champions and such like, which do not see a lot of use. First, the lowered total points allowance restriction should mean these are now more of a requirement, but also that these characters are the ones that open up extra options in the Core troops, as they bring ‘their’ troops with them. So, for example, a High Elf Noble of Chrace (i.e. with the 'Chracian Hunter' elven honour) would be able to bring a single unit of White Lions into Core troops, or a Priest of Sigmar will bring his unit of Flagellants into Core, etc.

Next, a reduction for magic users of all types, and thus magic’s overall effect in the game (to allow the Core troops to better take up the fight). All magic users have a hard limit of level 3 maximum. No level 4 wizards allowed, with the except of a few of the Old World’s most powerful spell casters, these being: Slann, Tzeentch sorcerers and daemons, and perhaps the best High Elf mages. These few army's remain able to take a single level 4 wizard in an army, regardless of size. Thematically, they are the most powerful sorcerers in the Warhammer world, so it is also more characterful for these armies to have a slight edge in magic (and it is slight). Most armies cannot get such potent wizards. This also moves away from an over reliance on level 4 wizards only (perhaps only moving it down to level 3), but saves those points to spent on less powerful wizards, and to be moved back into Core. Level 1 and 2 Wizards also become relatively more useful in comparison to the top-end.

The final adjustment to Characters is a minimum requirement of 1 character. So an army must include at least 1 character, as their general, it can’t be led by nobody. Someone has to be in charge of the army.

So, to summarize, 1+ Characters, up to 33%. 0-1 Lord level character. No level 4 wizards, unless otherwise noted in the army list. 

Core Units
This is to become the heart of every army, and the main fighting force. The minimum points requirement is increased from 25% to 33%, which might seem like a lot, but in compensation, more options will be available to spend points on for these troops. So, at least a third of the army comes from Core, but Core also has a broader definition.

There will also be a single compulsory Core unit selection for each army, a unit each army must take as their basic troop type. It seems odd an Orc and Goblin army might fight without any basic Orc boyz mobs or Goblin mobs. There is still a choice here, so this rule is not just dictating a single compulsory unit selection (and thus all armies always have it, which gets repetitive) and it is not taking a decision out the player’s hand, but, one unit of the compulsory requirement must be included, as these are the ‘core of the core’, the standard troops types of that army which just can’t be ignored, as they are the mainstay of the army.

Other Core units largely remain the same. But, added to these, are the new options to move a unit from Special or Rare into Core, depending on which characters have been selected. These characters allow a single specific unit to be selected as Core, actually making access to them easier, and allowing points spent this way to be part of the higher minimum requirement, so, for example, a High Elf Noble of Chrace would allow access to a single unit of White Lions, taken as Core. Thus, using White Lions actual gets easier, and a limited number of the more ‘elite’ troop types can then appear in Core, so players should want to include them, to help spend towards the larger minimum Core points requirement. Some army lists already use this mechanic within their lists, and the principal works. Here, it is just vastly expanded across all armies.

Special Units
All the other stuff, rarer units, but still generally available, including many oddities like war machines (the more common ones like bolt throwers, rock lobbers, etc.) and some monsters.

Any units that were not taken as optional in Core can still be accessed here, so, in the example above, units of White Lions are still in Special, even without the Noble of Chrace chosen to make them a Core unit. Access is thus not limited (its actually easier to have 2 units of White Lions this way!). The maximum points allowance remains as 50% of an army’s total points spent on units from Special.

As with Core, some characters might allow Rare units to move into Special, to reinforce the theme of the army. This won’t be as common as with Core though.

Rare Units
Only the rarest of units, those which are severely limited, for which, in the background, there is perhaps just one unique regiment, or the extreme oddities, some with hard limits of 0-1 for an army of any size. The points limit on Rare is still set at 25%.

New Army Organisation using Core-hammer
All this breaks down as follows:

Characters - maximum of 33% (minimum of 1 character must be included)
Core - minimum of 33% (1 compulsory unit must be included)
Special - maximum of 50%
Rare - maximum of 25%

So, for a 2,000 point army, this looks like:

Characters - max of 666 points, on 1+ characters
Core - minimum of 666 points, with 1+ compulsory unit.
Special - maximum of 1000 points
Rare - maximum of 500 points.

Example Army Lists
This requires some re-arrange of the jigsaw pieces that make up the current army list, to make a better picture. The examples here will be for an Empire army and a Beastman army (stuff we have lots of experience with).

CORE-HAMMER EMPIRE ARMY LIST

Empire Characters (max 33%) (minimum of 1 Character must be taken)
0-1 General of the Empire (in an army of any size)
0-1 Knightly Order Grand Master (in an army of any size)
0-1 Lector of Sigmar (in an army of any size)
0-1 High Priest of Ulric (in an army of any size)
0+ Captain of the Empire
0+ Knightly Order Chapter Master
0+ Empire Wizard (limited to level 1-3)
0+ Priest of Ulric
0+ Priest of Sigmar
0+ Witch Hunter
0+ Engineer
0+ Doomsayer

Empire Core Units (min 33%) (minimum 1 compulsory unit must be taken)
1+ unit of State Troops (max 50)
or
1+ unit of State Missile Troops (max 40)

State Troops (max 50)
State Missile Troops (max 40)
Outriders (max 10)
Pistoliers (max 20)
Knights (max 20)
Free Company (max 40)
Archers (max 30)
Swordsmen (max 40)

0-1 unit of Greatswords (for each Empire Captain included)
0-1 unit of Flagellants (for each Doomsayer or Priest of Sigmar included)
0-1 unit of Teutogen Guard (for each High Priest of Ulric or Priest of Ulric included)
0-1 unit of Inner Circle Knights (for each Grand Master or Chapter Master included)
0-1 Great Cannon or Mortar (for each Engineer included)

Empire Special Units (max 50%)
Greatswords (max 30)
Flagellants (max 40)
Inner Circle Knights (max 10)
Mortar (max 1)
Great Cannon (max 1)
War Wagon (max 1)
0-1 Demi-gryph Knights (only if the army is led by a Knightly Order Grand Master) (max 10)
Road Wardens (max 10)

Empire Rare Units (max 25%)
Demi-Gryph Knights (max 10)
Helblaster Volley Gun (max 1)
Helstorm Rocket Battery (max 1)
Steam Tank (max 1)
0-1 Teutogen Guard (max 30)

 

Ranks and flanks, with powered down characters...

CORE-HAMMER BEASTMAN ARMY LIST

Beastmen Characters (max 33%) (minimum of 1 Character must be taken)
0-1 Beastlord or 0-1 Doombull (in an army of any size)
0+ Wargor
0+ Gorebull
0+ Bray-Shaman (lvl 1-3 only)
0+ Centigor Chieftain
0+ Dragon Ogre Shaggoth

Beastmen Core (min 33%) (minimum 1 compulsory unit must be taken)
1+ Gor Herd (max 40)
or
1+ Ungor Herd (max 50)

Ungor Herd (max 50)
Gor Herd (max 40)
Chaos Warhound Pack (max 30)
Razorgor Herd (max 10)
Tuskgor Chariot (max 1)

0-1 Bestigor Herd (for each Beastlord or Wargor included)
0-1 Minotaur Herd (for each Doombull or Gorebull included)
0-1 Centigor Herd (for each Centigor Chieftain included)
0-1 Dragon Ogres (for each Dragon Ogre Shaggoth included)

Beastmen Special (max 50%)
Bestigor Herd (max 40)
Minotaur Herd (max 10)
Centigor Herd (max 20)
Dragon Ogres (max 10)
Razorgor Chariot (max 1)
Cockatrice (max 1)
Chaos Ogres (max 10)
Chaos Trolls (max 10)
Chaos Spawn (max 5)

Beastmen Rare (max 25%)
Jabberslythe (max 1)
Cygor (max 1)
Ghorgon (max 1)
Chaos Giant (max 1)


Picking an army from these Core-Hammer list, and whilst still allowing good access to all units, it will look more like a Warhammer army for a rank and flank game and place more emphasis on the core troops, whilst also including more, lower level characters. Game play will then improve, with emphasis on unit actions, with less character and magical dominance, whilst they still remaining a significant, if reduced, presence.  You get a bit of everything...

I have actually done most of the others army lists in Core-Hammer format too.




Operation Mercury campaign - Game 2 - Tavrontis riverbed landings

 Game 2 of our Crete (Maleme Airfield) campaign, and we are still in the first campaign turn of the initial landings, so another airborne assault scenario, this time in the Tavrontis river bed, near where it meets the sea, so 1 hex from the last battle (and happening at the same time). A squad-level game at 300 points, with my elite glider troops of the Sturm regiment sliding into the reeds and gravel of the river (and few dangerous rocks), whilst the local defenders (New Zealanders again) rush to meet them.

BRs are low, so short games, but the elite Fallschirmjager’s BR make up for this somewhat, and this gives them a fighting chance against the dug-in defenders (no BR for those foxholes). No off-table artillery allowed yet, so just what you have on the tabletop in an infantry skirmish. Hopefully, with some air support this time.

Turn 1, and the gliders were the first wave, sliding along in rough landings, as the first squads and MG teams bailed out, pinned. The third glider rolled a 1, and was wiped out hitting a big rock, ooof! Not a good start, and 2 counters for the losses.

The New Zealanders, in surprise, mustered only a single order of some suppressing rifle fire, and it was turn 2 – these games don’t take long. My second turn saw the paratrooper drop in, forward HQ and platoon HQ, with a pioneer squad. They hit the ground, again pinned. So, another counter to get unpinned and get those MGs set-up and rockin’, as the few unpinned units scrambled for rocky cover. The counter was a Air Attack - yes. Luftwaffe on the the way!

The New Zealanders fired their rifles and their light mortar dropped the first 2” bombs into the river bed, pinning an MG team down. So far, so good… but for the crash landing, it was going well. No New Zealand reinforcements had arrived yet.

The Luftwaffe failed to stop as they overflew, heading to another target, drat! My MGs got some New Zealand heads down, and the FJ own light mortar was set-up and lobbing some shells back at the enemy mortar, it is hard to pin guys in foxholes though. The pioneers, fully weaponed up now, moved out to attack a NZ section on the river bank, but where spotted in the undergrowth and heavy rifle and Bren fire cut them down. 1 solo pioneer escaped to seek better cover and hunker down, and try not to die (or even be pinned) and give up the precious counter (he survived!).

Now, the first defender’s reinforces ran in, from the other (eastern) bank, a section and their Vickers MG team (eek!). The FJ MGs turned on it and blazed away, now starting to get their own pinning in, and the NZers would need to unpin. The firefight was building, but in the meantime, one FJ squad had scurried around and collected 3 drop canisters (objectives), so the counter count was close. One defender squad got out of their foxholes under an olive grove to fetch a rogue drop pod too… handy resupply of German weapons. They then ran back to their foxholes.

The firefight continued for the next few turns, mostly pinning, but I lost another MG team to rifle fire and the forward HQ was in a bad place and constantly pinned down by rifle fire. The light mortar duel continued. Then, I drew another Air Attack counter, only for it to fail again – the Luftwaffe have had a poor showing so far, we urgently need the help (a forward air controller next time!). To add insult to this injury, the NZers also drew an Air Attack and then rolled the required 6! - good grief!. A Hurricane, on patrol from Alexandria, had zero’d in and skimmed in from the sea to strafe the landed gliders and bushes. Under air attack was another counter. Return MG AA fire was accurate and the Hurricane banked away to sea again, a few holes in its wings. Biggles would be unpinned and back soon.

Both counter stacks looked dangerous, I had to stop unpinning, but I though one more counter for the defenders might break them. My remaining MGs spotted the pesky light mortar and in blaze of MG-34 fire wiped them out - and the counter was… a ‘Confusion’ event! Argh! The elite FJ laugh at such, but still, it allowed the Nzers another turn. In which, they launched a sudden close assault with a section down into the riverbed, to find my lurking light mortar team, and give them the full effect of Mills bombs and a taste of the bayonet!. The loss of the mortar support was enough, the best of the FJ best had had enough and those pinned units would be taken prisoners, whilst the others crawl away to cover. Another narrow defenders win, but within a counter each way. The NZers had some luck with counters. That means I have failed to secure this section of the Tavrontis riverbed and must vacate it on the campaign map. That’s a problem for getting to that airfield.

Next time, we’ll move south again by 1 hex and do the fight at the famous road bridge over the river. Hopefully, my Sturm-boys can secure it and use it as the jump-off for an new attack on the western airfield. If not, then even bigger trouble for the landings. But, I do have my second wave of paratroops due in at 11am (after the turn around time for the JU-52s to refuel and return from Greece). So, reinforcements inbound. No sign of the Brit’s 1 Matilda tank yet!

The action...

Glider landings, glider meets immovable rock!

The river bed, all counts as soft cover for the reeds and vegetation, except for the rocks (as hard).

One squad lost on the crash landing...

Infantry disembark and scurry for the nearest cover. Then move around to get the objectives.

NZers section form behind their cover and shoot down into the river bed.

MG team gets busy in reply, trying to keep the defenders heads down.

On the move, the FJ platoon HQ try to find a better place to hide.

Dug-in on the river bank, this section quickly repelled the pioneer squad. Then, the RAF showed up, need a 6, roll a 6...

Hurricane comes in low, strafing up the place, before MG fire forced it to retire pinned.

 

The Old World - Beastmen vs Dark Elves

A bank holiday afternoon for a WH tussle. We both picked a 2,500 point force, using some of our house-rule mods (we call it 'core-hammer' mods, to force more core unit blocks into the game and reduce the over-powered characters). Here are the lists that resulted (feels more like WH to me).

Dark Elf list:

Dread Lord on Manitcore, with lance, healing potion, full plate armour, shield.
Supreme Sorceress (level 3, Dark Magic - Cursed Word, Word of Pain, Battle Lust), on a dark pegasus with focus familiar and power scroll (model is a proxy, winged-serpent/small wyvern-thing).
Noble on a Cold One, with lance and full plate armour, shield (leading cold one knights, as core)

3 x 10 Repeater Crossbows
32 Spearmen, full command
5 Dark Riders (skirmishers, scouts)
7 Cold One Knights, full command, full plate armour, etc.
2 Cold One Chariots
1 Hydra
1 Kharybdiss
2 Repeater Bolt Throwers

Beastman list:

Warlord with pelt of midnight, axes of khorgor and gnarly hide.
Great Shaman (level 3, Daemonology with Viletide, Daemonic Vessel, Steed of Shadows), with a talisman of protection
Shaman (level 2, Daemonology with Viletide, the Summoning), hagtree fetish (urgh - hate it!).
Warhoof with heavy armour shield, muscled monstrosity (leading Centigor, as core)

2 x 30 Gors, full command
30 Bestigor, great weapons, full command
14 Ungor archers (skirmishers, ambushers)
5 Minotaurs, full command, great weapons
9 Centigors, full command
3 Razorgors
Chaos Giant

After hidden deployment behind a screen, and the big reveal (the exciting bit), we were ready for turn 1.

The beastmen rushed up, of course, why hang around under fire? The Bestigor were flung with 'steed of shadows' spell right at the dark elf line, which responded with a storm of crossbows and bolts and reduce them from 30 to 12, and forced them back in panic. Most others spells failed or were dispelled,  except the shamans viletide which wiped out the dark riders in a single hit - ouch!. 

The dark elf flanks moved up and the charges were lining up, the Chaos Giant and Hydra singling eachother out. By turn 2, we were charging in, the CO chariot and knights hitting and hammering the Gor block, which still only FBIGO, whilst the Kharybdiss was overwhelmed by frenzied centigors (well drunk) and the razorgors (first game and pretty handy beasts). It killed one pig (nice diner) but was then killed before the dread lord on his manticore, which had spent turn 1 as unruly, could get acros to aid it. The left flank looked weak, even as cheeky Ungor archers turned up behind them and harass them with short bow arrows. 

In the centre the Bestigor's charge was, well, rubbish, they rolled terribly and killed just 2 crossbowmen, who held, swords out. Then the second CO chariot hit their flank, maxed its impact hits and broke the unit in the next melee, it fled, chariot chased, and got them... huge points swing as the elite beast infantry died to a man, for 2 elves! The other gor block charged the spear block and a long grind started. Meanwhile, the minotaurs were stuck behind, but a steed of shadows 'fly' move would fix that, except the great shaman was having an off day... and couldn't cast it (or it was dispelled).

On the dark elf (my) right, the monser-bash between the hydra and giant as an epic one, the hydra savaged it first, but failed to kill the giant, which clubbed it back for 3 wounds. Both would fight again next turn. When they did, the faster hydra somehow did 0 wounds! and then the giant got mad (with 'daemonic vigour' aid) and spiked on its rolls to throttle the hydra to death - raargh!. Behind them, the gors continued to die to the cold one knights and chariot (but killed 2 knights on a double 1 armour save by me!), in the end the gors would break and flee the tabletop, and the knights restrained and reformed, turning to charge the gaint and finish it with a lance to the knee. Decisive DE win on that flank. 

The centre was also holding well, but one crossbow unit was eliminated by 'the summoning' spell which fried them all (that hagtree fetish needs calming down!). The repeater bolt throwers targeted the minotaurs with big bolts and rolled three 1s to-hit (why!). That should have been good shooting, but wasn't. The cold one chariot careered on into the minotaurs, but was easily dispatched by great weapons after one minotaur died. 

The dread lord found himself in deep trouble, his manticore took a liking to razorgors for tea and ate them up, but the frenzied centigor kicked his skinny butt... the warhoof being especially drunk and dangerous. The dread lord drank his healing potion, and that saved him next turn, when he broke and fled from the fight, just avoid the centigor's pursuit by 2", then failing to rally (rolled 11), and flapped off home in the final turn, giving the Beastmen all his victory points. 

We added the VPs up and it was very close, the DE just ahead, but by under 100 points, roughly 1600 to 1500. So, we shuck hands on a draw. A fun 3 hours... DEs looked like they had done enough to win it, but the Dread Lords cowardice in the end saved the beastmen a draw... proper Warhammer that!

 Pics of the action...

 

The field of battle, Beasts right closest. 6 terrain peices, 2 ruins, a rocky outcrop (impassable), rocky ground, marshy ground and a far-off elf waystone (all units within 12" gain Magic Resistance 1). Not deployed yet (almost forgot them) the scouting dark riders, hidden behind the rocky outcrop.

 

Dark Elf right flank, CO chariot, CO knights and Hydra, all out attack! Wizards avoid this end of the field due to the waystone.

Facing them, the Beast's left, big Gor block and Chaos Giant.

DE centre, the repeater crossbows and big spear block, backed by Dread Lord on his unruly manticore. Hold the line here.

DE left, Kharybiss, CO chariot and bolt throwers.

Beastmen right, Centigors led by their warhoof, and 3 Razorgors.

The DE right's attack hammers the Gors, in the end, 30 are killed or routed from the field.

Monster-bash... the Hydra doesn't quiet kill the Chaos Giant in 1 turn, and then it rips its heads off! Big dice spike, but it only had 1 wound left aftewards, and died...

The long grind in the centre as a big Gor block meets a big spear block. Both had various magical hexes and enchantments to help, with DE 'Battle Lust' one turn, then Gor 'Daemonic Vigour' the next, but in the end, more spears ground them down, but it cost half of them.

Last of the Bestigor block charges in, but wiffs (2 dead crossbows), and then the arrival of flank charging CO chariot saw them off, breaking and being destroyed in the pursuit.  Bad day for them.

The poor Kharybdiss is overwhelmed, by drunken frenzied centigor and razorgors. The dread lord flew in to help, but even though his manticore finished off the razorgors (tastey), the still frenzied centigors and warhoof beat him up badly (1 wound left), and he fled, failed to rally, and flapped off home! Coward!  

 Core-Hammer Notes:

We allow: Max 33% on characters (not 50%). No level 4 wizards except for: Slann, any daemons or sorcerer of Tzeentch and 0-1 High Elf high-mage. Level 3 is max instead. 0-1 on all 'lord' level characters (so you can get 1 big bad-ass max).

Minimum of 33% on Core troops, but some Special units can count as core if they have a low level character to directly lead them (like the cold knights with noble, and centigor with warhoof here, they bring these as their troops. as more core points).  I like this, as more lower power level characters get used, because they help meet the core requirement, but with better troops... double-win! 

 

These alts makes for more rank and flank and core blocks, and less 'hero-hammering', without banning the use of any unit or character. Magic is also calmed down a bit, but in this game it still had an effect, especially for the Beastmen. (I counted, the Beasts cast 6 spells successfully, the DEs cast 4).

Salute '26 - Battlegroup demo game, 'Via Faenza', Italy 1944

The combined efforts of Piers and myself (and some extra borrowed med buildings) to create out demo table for BG: Italy, for Salute. On a 6 x 10' table, we had a bombed out coastal village, through which ran the coastal road, with its own industrial area and waterfront 'fish canning factory'. The Germans were holding this as they moved to retreat up the coast from the Gothic Line. Trying to cut the road were the British/Commonwealth forces, led by Churchill tanks, as they moved through the rural hills, farms, fields and vineyards that made up the rest of the tabletop.

We never get to play much on these demo-days, its about showcasing the game at its best (well, we try), and talking to BG players and those interested in trying it out, in a recruitment drive... actually rolling dice doesn't get to happened much, plus, we want to wander off and see some of the show too (and shop).

It was worth the effort, a good day talking to gamers (and we won an award too).

 

Brits will enter on this table corner. 

The fish canning factory

On the seafront cliffs, a old watchtower overlooks the little harbour.

The harbour, sea plane about to make an escape.

Germans rush to block the Brits with their StuGs.

StuG platoon roll out of town.

Just arriving in town, past the cemetery, the retreating convoy of trucks, etc.

Germans secure the large walled cemetery.

Arriving British armour, Churchills fan-out from the side road as enemy armour is reported ahead.

Recce in place, awaiting support to move up.

At the rearward farm, the Sexton battery are ready to add to the town's rubble.

Forward Aid Post and ambulance receive the first casualties.

Bren Section rumble up.

On the hillside, an Archer lurks.

The foxholed infantry on the hillside watch on.

The full tabletop from the British end.

Bombed out fishing village.

StuG guards the road.

A win, that's two in a row, for me.

Three in a row for Piers.

 

Operation Mercury campaign - Game 1 - Coup de Main at Maleme Airfield, with BG: Tobruk

This is the start of new BG campaign, in which we'll be playing out part of the Operation Mercury, around Maleme airfield, Hill 107, Pirgos and Palantias. The defenders had already deployed their forces on the campaign map and I then dropped my first wave of paratroops, elite troops from 1st Sturm Regiment, in. From the campaign map, we'll determine where the games are and what forces are around for them, and what might be reinforcements. 

This was game 1, my direct landing to seize the airfield by a coup de main strike. It was just 300 pts, a 'squad' game, on a 4x4 board, which was largely empty (as the airfield was mostly just open runway). The New Zealand defenders were largely dug-in on their perimeter, as the gliders and paras dropped in all around. 

The forces selected were:

Germans:
FJ Sturm Platoon in 3 gliders       
HMG-34 team             
'Adler Tag'               
FJ Sturm squad (paratroops)
2 snipers, + 1 observer (paratroops)
JU-87 air strike (turn 1)

BR 23, 2 Scouts, 1 Officer

British (New Zealanders):
Infantry Platoon (all in foxholes)
Ad Hoc Infantry Platoon (auxiliary - RAF ground crew)
Vickers HMG team in dug-out
Bofors gun in dug-out
3" mortar in mortar pit

BR 19, 0 Scouts, 2 Officers

The tabletop, near edge is rough/overgrown ground at the end of the Tavrontis river. Far side is the few RAF huts and tents. Up top, the dispersal pen with an abandoned Hurricane (non-flyer left behind when the RAF pulled out to return to Egypt).

Two tin RAF hits (soft cover only), a few tents and the gate.

Dispersal pen (them were just low stone walls) and non-flying Hurricane. (It may have been a Fairey Fulmar, but we don't have one of them, and reports vary).

Luftwaffe's daily hate ends, as JU-88 buzzes over. In the reaming smoke and dust cloud, in come the DFS-230 gliders and JU-52s. 

Stuka pins the Bofors after braving its fire.

 

The first wave of 3 gliders skidded in, all with rough landings, so the FJ squads jumped out and were pinned. The defenders rolled  a 1 for their orders and so could do little, too surprised. The Vickers HMG opened up and missed. A dive-bombing Stuka targeted the Bofors gun, which was on ambush fire, its AA fire didn't stop the dive, and the bombing only resulted in pinning the gun, no direct hit! Still, the crew were cowering.  Turn 1 was quick... the fight was on.

The three gliders have landed and disgorged their squads. Next wave will be paratroops dropping.

Turn 2, and the second wave, the paratroops dropped down, one rifle squad being shot to death in the air and the survivors surrendering, lost them. The others landed mostly pinned as they sort their drop canisters. With a few unpinned units now, the FJ could open fire, and the HMG was set up, under the lead glider's wing, and raked the NAAFI hut. It cut-up the RAF squad inside badly, who broke and ran. It was going well. But most of the FJ were stood in the open, at short range, to troops that would surely decimate them next turn. Until, they only got 2 orders - lucky!. Still, rifle fire cracked out, and the Vickers blazed away and FJ started to die quickly. A few 'Fall Back!' moves helped, as we allowed FJ that fell back to make for the Tavrontis edge and its rocks and bushes for some cover...

The fighting was a smattering of firefights across the tabletop, usually one unit against the other, as the FJ got some MG-34s going, but the Vickers was a problem, it cut down a squad in the open. The resulting counter was an Air Attack, today we needed the Luftwaffe, and the 'Adler Tag' special rule should help. Send more Stuka's please!

One rifle squad assaulted the Vickers dug-out, throwing grenades, armed with pistols, and only killed a single crew, who then fought back and won. They followed up with a 'heroic action' from their morale test and a burst of close range fore finished of the FJ's finest. The HMG team would survive the game with 1 man left... medals for their efforts.

Three Air Attack counters had to be roled for, with the Luftwaffe due in force, but terrible rolls saw no help arrive... the boys on the ground were on their own. Now, the defender's reserve arrived, another RAF ad hoc rifle squad, which re-occupied the NAAFI (vital to hold that). On counters it was very close, with both having picked up Air Attack and special counters, but got little from them.

 

The final turns saw an MG-34 team take out the last Bofors crew at close range and then force an RAF squad to surrender too... heroics from them... but meanwhile, on the other side of the air strip, the bold FJ PHQ was finished off by the reserves from the NAAFI hut, and other FJ sqauds had fled to the Tavronis bank's cover, when an MG team, running for the 'safety' was spotted and shot down by riflemen from their dug-outs, this final counter pushed the FJ to their break point. The assault had failed. But, oh, it had been close, the Brits were on 18 from 19, so 1 more counter would have done it... how the Vickers team's last man did not get pinned, and thus break... the dice gods know! (snipers and MG-34s tried but he passed all his cover saves). 

So, game 1 sees the initial assault fail to capture the western end of Maleme airfield. We'll obviously be back, as getting the airfield is vital to getting more reinforcements in the later campaign. Game 2 will be the landings at the Tavrontis bridge, not far from this tabletop, as more gliders and paras land. Fun to play this scenario... which is a mess... but unlike any other BG game. 

Brits/New Zealand counters.

German counters

Man on the match, the Vickers team somehow survived everything, with 1 man still shooting (at half firepower).