'Nam

 A US firebase with an ARVN guard was attacked by the PAVN.  It was a human wave attack that should have failed - but some troops got into the camp and did terrible damage.  But dawn broke and the AirCav arrived - what was left was blown to dust!

First FOW V4

 Finally, after 3 years, got to play FOW V4.

A lot has been removed from V3.  it is a simpler game.  And in many respects I like it.  But rockets had no downsides, and artillery could shoot from in a forest!

Dice Men and Flames of War

Introduced Leon to Flames of War.  Leon won handily -- the German tanks couldn't kill the paratroopers in time.

Fate of a Nation

My first play of the V4 FOW rules.  Mostly I like the rules.  But the morale rules are broken -- big units fight to the death even if they have bad morale.

The scenario was the sample scenario with the castle on the web site for FOW.  It looks impossible for the Israeli's to win -- and I think it is.  We played the variant where each side has two units off table -- this hampers the Egyptians more than the Israelis.  And I had phenomenal dice -- I couldn't stop rolling sixes.  But I still couldn't kill enough Egyptians.

I will play V4 again -- but with the V3 morale test rules!

FOW States

Played in the Kingston Kup competition.

I took two lists, chosen randomly.  My mail list was British Infantry Tank.

British Infantry Tank

Tank Company, from Blitzkrieg, page 120

Compulsory Infantry Tank Company HQ (p.120) - CinC A11 Matilda, 2iC Light Tank Mk VI B (90 pts)

Compulsory A12 Tank Platoon (p.121) - Command A12 Matilda Senior, A12 Matilda Senior (475 pts)

Compulsory A11 Tank Platoon (p.121) - Command A11 Matilda (0.5" MG), 2x A11 Matilda (200 pts)

A11 Tank Platoon (p.121) - Command A11 Matilda (0.5" MG), 2x A11 Matilda (200 pts)

A11 Tank Platoon (p.121) - Command A11 Matilda (0.5" MG), 2x A11 Matilda (200 pts)

Rifle Platoon (Territorial) (p.125) - Command Rifle/MG, 6x Rifle/MG, Light Mortar, Anti-tank Rifle (145 pts)

Motorised Battery, Royal Artillery (p.121) - Command Rifle, Staff, Observer Rifle, 15-cwt truck, 4x OQF 18 pdr gun (225 pts)
- 2x 15-cwt truck, Quad tractor per gun (5 pts)


1540 Points, 6 Platoons



I also bought a German company to prevent Blue on Blue.  Had some really good games. 
Game 1 was a draw.   I was on the objectives, but the Germans kept contesting it, and we timed out.

Game 2 was a disaster.  I was against Nick Ridge's German light panzers.  I couldnt kill them.  But they couldnt kill me.  As it was a defensive mission, they won.

Game 3 was against Rusty's poles.  I was using my Germans.  I held on for a win -- but it was touch and go for a while.

Game 4 was against Griggsy.  He had no naswer to my Matilda as they walked to the objective.

Game 5 was against Robs BAR.  I was using my Germans, and I had no answer to the thousands of small tanks.  How did the British lose in France?

I ended up in the middle of the pack, but it was a great 2 days!

It was also a robotics weekend, so I played Scythe with the robotics kids!

In the jungle ...

Vietnam.  An Australian force sent out on a search and destroy.  Little did they know the NVA knew they were coming.

This was a cracking game.  The lists were chosen randomly, and the NVA had a distinct advantage.  The Australians were armoured, and the NVA had every anti-armour weapon possible.  It should have been a massacre.  And it was -- except the wrong way around.

The problem was Griggsy had awful dice.  His first ambush should have killed an average of 4 M113's.  But it killed one.  And the return fire wiped the ambush out.  Griggsy's second ambush should have killed 3 M113's -- and killed one.  And, you guessed it, the return fire wiped the ambush out.  At this point there were so many vehicles with MG's that the infantry was finding it hard to survive.  A 6-1 to me, but really it was pure luck.

Painting Station

Set up my desk as a painting station as well.  Figures currently being painted are:

- Churchill Tanks for WW II
- Helicopters for the Vietnam War
- Israeli halftracks for Arab / Israeli wars

Flames of War after a long time

Pulled out my Flames of War troops for a game at Griggsy's.  It was a close game, but by being slow and methodical my Germans managed to win.

Crusaders

I finished my Crusaders for the desert.  The look somewhat boring, but with some stowage added and some crew they will come to life!

Stalingrad

Played over 3 days (though I only played the first 2 days)

Game 1 was a fight over a hill.  I was Russian, and had to defend.  At a critical point I failed morale to assault a weakened German position, and ended up being pushed back off the crest.  Loss to me.

Game 2 was the grain elevator.  I had a chance for victory, trying to assault 3 times but being pushed back when the defensive fire rolled above average.  Result was a draw.

Game 3 was an attack to retake a nearby Russian village.  It started off badly when the German artillery kept surviving everything I could throw at it.  But a flank attack by T-70's was extremely successful.  A close game where I scraped a victory.

Arras

Played a battle of Arras scenario with John using Flames of War.

John Setting up

Bombing the Advance.  (I missed)

Planning the final assault

Death and Destruction -- the A11 matildas were hammered by artillery and then infantry

British tanks on the objective -- John wins!