First

 

For the first game of 2024, I had a hankering to play what is possibly the first published scenario in the hobby. Unfortunately, due to busyness on both the Work and Domestic Fronts, I haven't been able to dig out anything but the smallest set-up. So here is another first (I think, please correct me if I'm wrong). Hook's Farm as a Fast-Play 3x3 Portable Wargame.

The Plan

Farmer William Hook's Farm is situated at the West end of a ridge that happens to be of strategic importance in the on-going war between Red and Blue. The only other building of note is Firefly Church, at the Eastern end. The West facing slope is steep and heavily wooded and impassable to all arms. Red's Camp is in the Reserve area to the North; Blue's to the South. The objective for both sides is to dominate the ridge by the end of the game (turn 15). There is no exhaustion point and the throw of initiative dice determines the number of actions a side can take each turn (move/fire/close combat all counting as 1).

General Wells (Blue)

The Reality

The opposing Armies approach the battlefield

Blue had the best initiative rolls in the early part of the game and quickly established himself on the ridge. Red attempted to outflank his adversary by sending cavalry across the low ground to the West. This was blocked and Red's horse suffered badly in the face of Artillery fire and then melee. 

Early manoeuvrings

Red dispatched his reserve cavalry to the fighting on the West flank while bringing up his artillery to fire on the Blue force now dominating the ridge.

Losses mounted on both sides as the day wore on.

 Red, now running out of turns, threw infantry into a frontal assault on the farm and sent his last reserves to the West flank.

General Wells led his reserve Infantry to join the defenders on the ridge

Coming under concentrated fire, General Wells fell back whilst the rest of his men on the ridge finished off the last of Red's Artillery

As the sun sank, it was clear that Blue had prevailed, despite a small Red force still fighting gallantly around the Farm.

 In the words of General Wells, "The affair of Hook's Farm was one of those brisk little things that did so much to build up my early reputation." (Little Wars 1913). Brisk indeed, but containing the spirit of the original I think. I wonder what other classic scenarios could be shoehorned onto a tiny playing surface?

Of Shakos and Machine Guns

 A long time ago I planned to do some Early WW1 games and duly bought some 20mm figures from Irregular Miniatures. The project stalled, as so many do, and the figures languished part painted in a drawer. Recently I rediscovered them and have finished enough for a PW game.

At that time I was basing figures individually and adding static grass etc. These days I go for plain multi bases as it means I might actually get round to finishing a few units in a reasonable time frame (ie ever). This is by way of explaining the strange appearance of mixed basing styles.

The Setting - Le dernier jour de la Belle Epoque

It is August 1914. The German Army has invaded neutral Belgium, aiming to rush through into North France and capture Paris. The Belgians aim to hold the German Army allowing the French and British time to come to their aid.

The game features a small sector in East Belgium. The German objective is to get at least 3 units across the board, to simulate their advance, by Turn 15. The Belgian objective is to stop the Germans.

The German force is 7 units strong. 4 Line Infantry, 1 Jaeger (Elite) 1 Uhlan, 1 Machine Gun

The Belgian force has 6 units. 2 Line Infantry, 2 Chasseurs a Cheval, 1 Carabinier (Elite), 1 Machine Gun (dog-pulled). Half of the Force did not arrive until Turn 3.

The Belgians got the initiative and quickly set up defensive positions behind walls.

The Germans advanced along a farm track (actually Warbases' River sections)

The German plan was to rush forward and get the required number of units over the enemy's base line as soon as possible. Unfortunately things soon bogged down...

..until the German Army reached Exhaustion Point at Turn 9

Exhaustion Point!

At Turn 10 the German force withdrew rather than continue to take casualties. The Belgian's had succeeded in stalling the enemy, in this sector at least. 

 

A Lunchtime FP 3x3 PW

 With the (artificial) deadline of Christmas looming, time seems to be in even shorter supply. To that end a Fast Play 3x3 Portable Wargame over lunch seemed appropriate, with a very rapid write-up!

Barbarians (top of picture) are, as usual, attacking The Empire. Their objective is to capture and plunder the town. 

The Empire Army seized the initiative and took control of the town early in the battle. The Barbarians attacked...

..Calamity! The Barbarian Leader fell. His men bravely fought on.

Both sides suffered many casualties, but the Barbarians had lost too many to continue the fight.

The Empire holds firm for now.

Horse & Musket Action on the St. Jakob's Road

 Following his success at Pflattburg, Army Blue's General pushed on towards the strategically important town of St. Jakob, a major hub in Army Red's supply chain. His advance was blocked, however, by an approaching Red force that held some high ground controlling the St. Jakob Road. 

Blue's game objective was to have at least 4 units on the Western third of the board by the end of the game; Red had to make sure this didn't happen. The game is, of course, inspired by Tank and Infantry Action on the St James Road, from Donald Featherstone's War Games (1962).

The battlefield rises gently towards the West. The stream in the East can be crossed by all units; Infantry and cavalry lose one grid movement, artillery require a full turn to cross. Only Light Infantry may enter the dense wooded areas. Rott's Farm (the building) counts as a built-up area.

End of turn 1 - Red's cavalry trot down to head off Blue's approaching horse

Cavalry melee begins

Army Blue steadily advances 

As the afternoon wears on Blue's advance stalls as attrition takes its toll

Close to getting troops on the high ground, Blue reaches Exhaustion Point

The end of the battle with Army Red holding the objective

Red's Artillery earned the unit a special commendation for destroying a Blue Infantry battalion that was approaching fast along the St Jakob's Road. Blue, on the other hand, suffered the ignominy of some classic MJT dice rolling. 

Operation Aurora

 Today's game was based on Bob Cordery's Battle of Arora Junction a Colonial action that was fought in 2013.

My version of the scenario is set on my fictional continent of Uqbal in the 1950s. A large chunk of Uqbal was a former colony of Albiona, however control has recently been handed over to the Democratic Party of Free Uqbal (DPFU) who represent the ethnic group that dominate North Uqbal. Other ethnic groups are aggrieved and want independence; fighting has broken out across the former colony. 

Under pressure near the Capital, the DPFU is pulling troops back from the verdant South. At Aurora Junction, one such detachment has broken camp and is about to depart by rail.

The plan - light green represents impassable jungle plants

A force from the People's Democratic Front (PDF), green figures, have been instructed to delay the departure of the DPFU, tan figures, while saboteurs destroy a rail bridge further up the line. To do this in game they must keep the enemy engaged until turn 12. Green get the benefit of surprise, appearing from behind two low ridges: Unfortunately they must attack across open ground.

Any excuse to get the toy trains out of storage

The DPFU commander coordinates his troops withdrawal from the ruined building 

Army Green arrives and advances towards the two ridges

Departing DPFU troops turn and take up positions

Green troops on the Right Flank rush towards the enemy firing from cover

On the Left, Green keeps the enemy busy whilst the machine gun strafes the building

Despite being in cover the unit in the building is decimated

By Turn 8 the DPFU are at EP - the PDF need to hold on for 4 more turns to delay the enemy

The Game ends at Turn 10!

The PDF were not able to stop the departure of the enemy force, however they inflicted a large number of casualties.

The Action at Pflattburg

 A rare day off work (with a list of chores as long as your arm) has presented the opportunity to squeeze in a quick game. To save time I grabbed the RISK figures and set up a small battlefield. This was based (roughly) on Donald Featherstone's classic Action in the Plattville Valley.

The objectives for Armies Red and Blue are to capture the River Crossing at Stier Brucke and the Town of Pflattburg. Holding one of them at the end of the battle would require using more forces in the area which neither side wants to commit. The game was to be played with Portable Wargame rules until both sides had reached Exhaustion Point (standard 30% SP).

Blue started nearer to the town while Red got to dominate the crossing point.

Blue quickly took charge of the town. Cavalry on both flanks engaged the enemy's foot.

Red attempted to reduce the Blue force in the town with cannon fire but this proved futile. 

To the West of the town Red's infantry attempted to clear Blue's troops before assaulting the church. To the East Blue crept closer to the river crossing.

By mid-afternoon Red's numbers were reduced to Exhaustion Point. Blue still held the town and it was now a case for Red of holding the crossing in order to slow Army Blue's advance.

A fierce artillery duel saw both sides Eastern guns put out of action - at this point I allowed Red's General to move position to join the infantry holding the crossing.

Army Red stubbornly held the bridge as Blue inched towards EP, which would end the battle.

At the end of the day Red's General finally admitted defeat. Blue had taken both objectives and was able to advance.