My Introduction to Battegroup NORTHAG

 A couple of years ago I took a trip to Leeds and attended the Fiasco Show. I really enjoy local shows and this one was particularly friendly. In the course of the day I came a cross a game of Battlegroup NORTHAG  run by. Ian Garbutt. Ian and John his opponent on the day, were really patient and kind, going through to concepts of the game and the rules behind them. Then they allowed my join in and take over the British Forces. I cfound myself being quite successful knocking out the on coming Soviet armour. This was a real case of beginners luck.  But, I was so taken with the game I ordered a copy on the train back home. 

 

While in the intervening period I have had a couple of games of Cold War Commander, while I have been working away on building a British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and a Soviet force. Earlier this year I was coming close to complete a British Force, before I was distracted by other projects. Nevertheless,  I have now got the Soviets on order, having more or less completed the BAOR forces, so why not post a few pictures  of the British forces:

Game Four : ‘Unser Ziel ist Bayeux’ Chain of Command Campaign.

It was great to replicate Joe Bilton’s lovely but, complex map for ‘Getting the Hump’, location three, in the Unser Ziel ist Bayeux  Chain of Command campaign.  I was pleased with the results, and hopefully  the bits and bobs of terrain give a flavour of the location. 

The German deployment in the Patrol Phase was successful in sneaking a patrol marker over the railway tracks, allowing them to approach the objective from two directions, in the built up to what proved to be an exciting encounter.

The initial German push was down the road with  infantry and a reconnaissance Puma to secure the bridge and  pin the DLI Section in their position while the other two Zugs push on to  the objectives in the  village on the other side of the railway line pushing up against the British centre.  

From the outset the DLI entrenched themselves in the wood covering the approach to the bridge, clearly laying down a marker that they were defending the position. In the town a reduced Section let the Germans come on hoping to catch them in the open as they advanced on the second objective. 

This was working well until the under strength Section took too much time taking up positions to defend the open ground was caught in the open desensitised by an audacious German close assault. 

However, they just held on and forced the Germans back to find cover. Interestingly neither unit involved in the close combat suffered much shock and through its management and an end of turn the Panzer Lehr Zug swung south to attempt to outflank the British positions. In response the British committed their final section who poured fire in to the German position pinning them. 

Despite this the Panzer Lehr say the opportunity on the other side of the bridge deployed a Sktz 222 in support of the Puma, the two Reconnaissance vehicles combined to drive the entrenched DLI section back into the woods. This cleared the route to drive the Puma on to the bridge and secure the objective. 

Despite this the Panzer Lehr say the opportunity on the other side of the bridge deployed a Sdkfz. 222 in support of the Puma, the two Reconnaissance vehicles combined to drive the entrenched DLI section back into the woods. This cleared the route to drive the Puma on to the bridge and secure the objective. 

The audacious move from the Germans triggered the Final Count down, and set up a cinematic “Bring up the PIAT” moment, so the PIAT was deployed from an Ambush Chain of Command Dice and fired. Typically it missed. Leaving the crew struggling to reload it before the next turn. 

The next Command dice roll contained a double six, thus ending the game and giving a narrow but hard fought victory to the Germans. 

Game Three : ‘Unser Ziel ist Bayeux’ Chain of Command Campaign

The third game of the ‘Unser Ziel ist Bayeux’ campaign saw Panzer Lehr on push towards Durham Light Infantry positions defending a choke point culvert on the outskirts Conde-Sur-Seulles.  

This was a great opportunity to preregister fields of fire and stop the German advance or at least make them pay a high price to cross the open ground on the approaches.

The plan stared well and on the left the combination of a fresh infantry section, the 2”mortar and a MMG all pinned  the advancing Germans in the cover of a hedgerow.  On the left however the odds favoured the Panzer Lehr, as they brought their Puna reconnaissance car to bear, supported the Second and then the third sections. On the right the defenders found themselves pinned and once Junior Leaders started to get hit their Force Morale began to suffer. 

In an effort to blunt the attack the 3rd section deployed with the Senior Leader to defend the culvert, while there 1st Section redeployed to assist in the defence.  Before they could make the difference. Fire from the Germans, killed the Platoon Sergeant and seeing this result in the collapse of the  remaining Force Morale. 

Following the stiff defence, the Panzer Lehr drove the DLI defenders back and broke through but not before they also received  a number of casualties including wounded Senior and Junior leaders, justifying the expense of bringing a medic.

Game Two : Moulin de Flaye in the 'Unser Ziel ist Bayeux' Campaign,

This weekend after a bit of a hiatus saw the second engagement at Moulin de Flaye in the Unser Ziel ist Bayeux campaign of Chain of Command on the table. 

This game was more of a continuation of the first than a new game. As such both sides  deployed  with eroded platoons following on from the first game. As if the Germans reorganised and went again later that day. 

Because of these casualties two DLI sections were under strength, basically consisting of Bren Teams. adding to their woes Panzer Lehr started with a double phase which allowed them to race to their objective race. This illustrated the usefulness of a successful Patrol Phase  permitting aggressive  Lehr  patrols to keep the DLI Jump off Points back from the Railway embankment buying them time to rush over the bridge before the defenders could get into position. 

As a result and through a good use of overwatch the Panzer Lehr grenadiers raced to their objective and were hardly troubled by the parting shots from the DLI as they rushed to get in position. 

Rather than considering this an anti-climactic game it is more of a amusé-bouche, for the tasty engagements at the next locations. 

Panzer Lehr : 

Leutnant Norbert Drexler

Obergrefreiter Kurt Fischer   

 

Zug One : Gefreter Heinrich Koch 

Zug Two: Gefreter Bobbi Klein 

Zug Three: Gefreter Ernest Schafer  

Fresh Platoon Next game.

Durham Light Infantry :

 Lieutenant Norman Collier.

The Platoon Sergeant Ernest Lincoln 

Junior Leaders: 

Section One:  Corporal Alfred Ford. (Promoted)

Section Two: Corporal Fredrick Williams.

Section Three: Corporal George Taylor.

Fresh Platoon Next Game .

Sharp Practice at Winter Wonder Lard

My afternoon game at Winter Wonder Lard  earlier this month was a spectacular Indian Mutiny encounter entitled 'The Dojjibotti Run' using Sharp Practice. 

The forces consisted of a large Sepoy rabble tasked with storming the the British garrsupported by lots of cavalry which I was responsible for, verses a force of British regulars and a Native Princesses' with supporting Gurkhas and Loyal Sepoys. 

What is really interesting about this game is the range of different troop types available from cavalry, militia to regulars & conscripts all played a part, and were full of characterisation. This resulted in an action pack battle. 

I timed the arrival of my scouting cavalry, charging on from a moveable Jump-off Point on the flank of the British advance as they moved up to engage the massed ranks of the Sepoys who were attempting to besiege the British garrison.

I had to be patient waiting for the cavalry cards to come out, but when they did, I provided the opportunity for the cavalry to charge  the  British Light Horse in the rear, resulting from them scattering. Following what felt like a bit of a hiatus wait for the light cavalry to come out again, they charged again  this time  riding down Unloaded skirmishers in the rear. 

Being British light infantry they took a bit of dealing with, and despite this series of engagements my depleted numbers only held one point of shock. 

At the other end of the table the massed ranks of sepoys deployed in a perimeter   to  resist the advancing Native Princes(ses) Loyal Sepoys and supporting Gurkhas. 

The line held as they skirmished forward hold the Loyal Sepoy attack supported by a cavalry charge which came to nought. In the last turn my light changed one final time into the British Line, while out numbered this last heroic attack destroyed them but it successfully pushed an element of the line back. The game ended in stalemate, with force moral teetering on 2 for the British and 3 for the Rebels bringing the game right down to the wire.

Huge thanks to Steve for putting on what was a magnificent game and my fellow players, Ben , Tom and Colin all of whom made it an throughly enjoyable afternoon. 

Flashing Blades at Winter Wonder Lard

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of attending Winter Wonder Lard. This was my third visit to the popular Bristol Lardy day held at Britistol Independent Gaming, a games venue in South Bristol. 

The  established structure of the day is participants select a morning and afternoon game. In the morning game I had the opportunity to play Flashing Blades for the first time. Which I was excited about having never played it before. 

The scenario was a diplomatic escort mission, where my  gang of English swashbucklers were attempting to escort a Milanese diplomat to the safety of a the tavern in the centre of the table. 

With a dashing start the English rushed forward trying to get the diplomat safe by hiding in the shadows. The Spanish party appeared to intercept the diplomat, quickly the game descends into a series of duels where characters battled back and forth. 

Things reached a crescendo as a nar-do-well slips out of the shadows  as the battles in the continue around  he pounced and pushed the diplomat to the ground allowing another of his companions the lunge forward, battling through the escort  and unceremoniously run the prostrate diplomat through. At this point we decided the logical thing would be to be the was to withdraw. 

 

Despite the ‘loosing’ the scenario because of the way the leader conducted himself in the duels the was able to accrue honour which in long term will benefit him in a campaign setting. 

This is really a splendid game and well worth trying out if the opportunity arises.