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Next Big Wargame Project - Sword Beach D-Day 6th June 1944 - Update

Submitted by Robert Wingrave on Sat, 25/08/2018 - 12:55

The fine weather has spurred me to on to prime as many troops and vehicles as possible to paint over the winter. I have also decided to scale up the first couple of waves to match the scaled up defences on the beach. The secondary waves are scaled back down so are in the inner German defences. - I hope that will work on the day! This has resulted in a few purchases.

So far the landing craft have all been made and primed along with the crew figures. The 13th/18th Hussars of 27th Armoured Brigade are primed which is wave 1 (DD tanks) and about wave 5 the remainder of the battalion. I thought all 3 squadrons and HQ were converted into DD tanks. However only A & B squadrons were converted which has given me 7 spare DD tanks - useful for Gold or Juno beaches where 2 battalions were landed as opposed to one on Sword! The 77th and 79th Assault squadrons are made (scale 1 model represents 2 tanks!) and I have made up the follow up beach clearing vehicles. I am pleased with my conversions of 2 Airfix Churchills into 2 AVRE versions with Bullshorn ploughs. Next up are the Commandos and their Centaur support tanks. The biggest gap in my collection is landing all 3 artillery regiments - 27 priests! I have one in my collection. 26 to buy with supporting vehicles..

At this stage I only plan to land two thirds of the Division as I think we will struggle to get it on the table. Once I have done the commandos, Beach Troops and Assault troops I will post more pictures!

Next Big Wargame Project - Sword Beach D-Day 6th June 1944

Submitted by Robert Wingrave on Sat, 28/07/2018 - 13:33

Following my large Vietnam game I was thinking about my next big game and I have always wanted to wargame one of the most famous battles of the Second World War - D-Day, Operation Overlord.

I will blog my progress as I go along. Pictures show the landing craft I currently have, being primed. The bunkers I have bought so far which will be included within the various strong points on the beach. I have also pulled out Wave 1 DD tanks 13/18th Hussars and Wave 2 Hobarts funnies from 22nd Dragoons and 77th & 79th Assault Squadrons RE.

I ma not sure which rules to use yet. Scale will be 1 model will represent 3/4 real vehicles. I figure will represent 10 men and this will be played on a 22'4" table by 6' 1". As ever Andy Grubb from Britannia has been a star in helping put together special pieces for this game already. Many of the figures, vehicles and bunkers come from his stable!

Cutting Edge-Newark Civil War Museum

Submitted by Tim Wilson on Sun, 01/07/2018 - 18:44

I recently was able to call in on the Newark Civil War Centre which is a must see for any ECW buff. My main focus though was on one of the two temporary exhibitions currently on: Cutting Edge, The Changing tools of War. It was focused mostly on the evolution of arms and armour during the Pike and shot, specifically around the ECW. One section was dedicated to objects associated with Thomas Fairfax including his own sword... and wheelchair

One fun element of the gallery was a jacket which could be filled up with sacks of sand so that the wearer could experience the weight of light buff jacket to a full suite of cuirassier armour. I could only personally go up to a buffcoat with breastplate and backplate

Also another gallery was dedicated to the evolution of British democracy including a a display of suffragettes clothes.

The main permanent exhibitions themselves are worth visiting as there are plenty of objects on display, a series of short films made to tell the story of Newark during the civil wars and an interactive app that can be used at various information points around town

Vietnam – December 1968

Submitted by Robert Wingrave on Sun, 01/07/2018 - 10:26

I have spent the last 18 months putting together my 20mm Vietnam collection and wanted to use as much of it as I could it in one big weekend wargame. We have been using Charlie Company rules on Friday night sessions which have been slighted adapted to play a very large game. Most of the players are the US forces and the VC / NVA are played by umpires.

The briefing given to the US commander started as follows; Significant enemy forces, in particular large elements of regular NVA are massing to capture a US fire base held by one of our artillery batteries, to increase the pressure on the US public following the TET offensive earlier this year. We suspect they are trying to do a quick Dien Bien Phu on one of our units. They know you are coming and are waiting for you!!

The US players were split up into 4 team teams. the Command Team led by Paul (AKA Forest Gump) who controlled battlegroup reserves, air support and artillery. Team Foxtrot who are the Fire Base defenders with a USMC company (Juan, Kamall) and an artillery battery and supporting infantry, in particular 12 HMG squads (Brian). There were two rescue teams Team Bravo the Brown Water Navy (Phil) with a Game Warden elements (PBRs and minesweeper) and River Assault Section 91carrying an infantry company (Noel) and Team Mike with the Armoured Cavalry of 2 troops (Tim on Friday/ Simon) and a Mechanised Infantry company (Trevor) with various supporting elements such as engineers, bridge laying and ARVs .

All players were given individual packs with their own mission objectives and victory points. The US players were not quite aligned which was designed to cause a little of bit of friction on the US side. There were also terms of engagement issued in respect of civilians their property and a scared temple further restricting the use of artillery and air support.

I was chief umpire and very ably supported over the weekend by Piotr (Friday), Jonathan (Friday & Saturday), Pete (Saturday), Mark (Saturday), Tim (Sunday), and Pat (Sunday). Attacking the Fire base was 2 regiments of NVA a battalion at a time. Blocking the two rescue teams were 2 companies of main force VC and 3 platoons of Local Forces supported by numerous heavy weapons in particular heavy AA weapons, MHGs and Recoilless Rifles.

The Fire base was initially attacked by a large artillery bombardment from the NVA which included artillery, rockets and mortars before claymores and sections of barbed wire surrounding the base were removed by VC sappers during the night although one section was spotted and driven away. After this the NVA started the mass infantry wave attacks which lasted all weekend and were supported by snipers and heavy weapons. The umpires used up 4 battalions of NVA by the end of the weekend. What a body count! There were several occasions when “Broken Arrow” was called and with air support dropping 1,000lb bombs and Napalm along their front lines which caused several Blue on Blue casualties but wiping out attacks that were about to breach the perimeter. Just as the rescue forces arrived the NVA had again breached the walls but were about to hit with Beehive rounds from the 105mm guns in the Firebase.

Mike team had the by far the hardest slog along a road running parallel with the river close to two villages and the temple. The Armoured Cavalry troops led the way and soon discovered hidden VC with Recoilless riles and RPGS. They were brushed aside but one of their Sheridans hit a 1,000lb mine on the first ford destroying this and other vehicles. The Mechanised infantry moved parallel with the Cavalry and with bridge laying facilities created another crossing point led by their Patton tanks. They cleared the village of VC and recused an embattled LRRP team before using smoke to protect a n assault on a very heavily defended temple. The Cavalry were ambushed on the road and the ensuring combat hit another mine causing more problems. However, once the Beehive rounds and artillery started to fly the ambushers were decimated.

Bravo team started well clearing mines at the start with PBR and mine sweeper leading the way. They air support also started to uncover hidden VC waiting for them at the river banks. However, despite the smooth start all hell broke lose with the navy coming under heavy recoilless rifle fire and RPGs which caused extensive boat damage and casualties. The Navy lost control at one stage and sunk Sampans and killed some innocent civilians! Using artillery to subdue the heavy weapons they landed their infantry in a village. A lucky RPG shot hit a platoon of embarked troops causing horrendous casualties on board a Tango boat. Charlie was waiting for them when they landed in some Rice Paddy fields. Casualties were high until 155mm artillery shells subdued the enemy. The infantry reaching the firebase late on Sunday saving the day.

In terms of Victory points the Mechanised infantry (Trevor) got the most due to light casualties and a heavy body count. The highest body count goes to the Marines (Juan). The keeping cool under fire award goes to artillery (Brian). The infantry (Noel) saved the base, the best minesweeper award goes to Cavalry (Tim / Simon!!) and the dubious “My Lai” award goes to the Navy (Phil) and lastly the Blue and Blue award goes to the Command Team (Paul).

The figures and models come from a wide variety of manufacturers, but I want to make a special thanks to Andy Grubb at Britannia for being so helpful in supplying parts of his kits to enable me to do some conversations in particular for my Brown water Navy Minesweeper and Gun Truck. He also supplied all the Vietnamese crew for the Sampans!

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