February 2019 – General Whiskers' semi-historical wanderings

Where did February go?

Since my last wargame posting I have finished the game that was in progress as part of the Market Garden campaign.
By the parameters of the game the British won, with two thirds of the 7th Hampshire’s moving off the board to the north. However, The Germans are holding much of the town of Oploo in strength and the British have a regiment of field artillery ranged in and the remains of the 1st Worcester’s as protection. Reinforcements are arriving, but once again XXX Corps advance was stalled for four hours.

I have also been preparing for the Donald Featherstone Tribute Weekend at the end of March at the Wargames Holiday Centre. We have received the rules (“Will Victoria be Amused?”) and the “General Idea”. This year it’s an expedition up the Nile fighting the Mahdi. The game appears to be very much a rôle playing exercise with all players against a randomised enemy. Our game provider, Steve Thompson, has gone to incredible lengths with production of model soldiers, boats, buildings, dogs, crocodiles, etc. , not to mention producing a game character sheet and back story for every officer!

I decided that we needed to try out at least the basic rules, so I ordered a load of 20mm plastic figures and gave them a basic undercoat. Unfortunately on the first solo test I ran out of enemy on turn 2! (Half the order of Mahdists had not yet been delivered).
So I quickly took some “top-down” photo’s of what I had available, stuck the results onto vinyl floor tiles to make some units and we set to.
Large warband We found that this is not going to be easy.

Of course, I now have lots of half painted plastic soldiers for a scale and period that I don’t normally game, so they have gone into the painting pile.

One model has been completed, and the umpire has already written extra character rules for the pair of characters:
The Right Honourable Sir Armstrong Whitworth C’nardley-Stannde with his servant/gamekeeper and now batman, Gordon Bennett.
Sir Armstrong Whitworth CNardley_Standde
These were created from a mix of body parts found on eBay. I needed riding legs and a bewhiskered face resembling my own, and ended up with a pack of two Lancers and a pack of two steampunk adventurers. With my painting skills, or lack thereof, I used basic block painting followed by a coat of Army Painter dip and then a matt varnish spray. It has been touched up in detail since this photo’ was taken.

Apart from that I have achieved very little in the past couple of weeks, apart from some gentle gardening in the ridiculously fine weather we have been enjoying in Britain. So kind of Europe to let us share some of the warmth before we drift off into the fogs of isolation.

Brexit and my holiday???

I don’t normally indulge in politics in my posts, but this is beginning to get personal.

I have booked a camping space on a site near Oosterbeek, Netherlands from 17^th to 25^th September 2019. Those who follow this blog will understand why. I have also booked my ferry from this small island to the mainland of Europe.

With all the current shenanigans I have no idea if my passport, car insurance or travel insurance will be valid after 29^th March.

Let me be clear. I voted to join the European Economic Community in the 1970s. I thought it was a good idea. In my working life and my re-enactment hobby I have found many friends in Europe.

I was never given any say in the subsequent creation of a pseudo “United States of Europe.” In the 2016 referendum I voted to leave the EU, because in my opinion we were beginning to lose our national identity and our parliament’s ability to govern Britain independently. (I little understood that, thanks to the aftermath of the referendum and a subsequent ill-conceived General Election, our Prime Minister would be rendered incapable of governing anything more than a large house in Downing Street, Westminster.)

I understood at the time of the referendum that the intention was to actually leave the European Union, not to piss about for a couple of years and then have another think about it. I admit that neither side gave a full appreciation of what would be involved before we were asked to vote, but I never thought that the famously quoted “£350m to the NHS” bus slogan meant what it was interpreted by the uneducated masses to mean. The wording was very clever, and never actually promised £350m to the NHS. If in doubt, check what it actually says.

Enough petty politicking. All I really need to know is: After March 29^th 2019 will my current British/EU passport still be valid, or do I need to apply for a new one? If so, how long will it take? The British passport office appears to have no useful information yet…

Three wargames and some real life

Following my recent post “Rethinking my priorities” I have moved the campaign on.
The battle for the Arnhem railway bridge has been fought and the allies now hold this crossing over the Rhine.
I have another game currently in play for this campaign using Memoir ’44 board and rules, but instead of their models I use my own gaming tokens based on German tactical map signs (see photo’ below).
Each token represents one platoon or equivalent.

In this game a German Panzer regiment and a supporting Panzer Grenadier regiment have encountered two battalions of British infantry. They have been fighting for two game hours so far.

On other gaming fronts I have been preparing the battlefield for the long awaited 4th September 1939 battle in my project to refight the whole of World War Two before I die! The troops have been ready for months.

I have also been gathering the models for the first naval encounter of World War Two, the sinking of three commercial vessels by German submarines on 7th September 1939. Although the attacks did not happen in the same area, my game will involve an escorted convoy against three submarines operating independently. British must cross the table with as many ships as possible surviving. German submarines are vying with each other for the maximum ships sunk.

Annoyingly I have lost the box of unpainted “sinking ship” models that I printed a couple of months ago. The only one I can find is the half-painted version (now complete) in the centre of the picture below.

I know that if I reprint them they will turn up, so meanwhile the printer is in use to produce dummy submerged submarines for the confusion of friend and foe alike.

My idea for submerged submarines is that when a sub dives it is replaced with a number of transparent models according to the roll of one average die. One of these is marked underneath as the real submarine. They each go their separate ways and until they come into action neither side is allowed to look beneath the model.
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I have been struggling with a computer program “Rule the Rail” which is used to design virtual model railway layouts. I found the game in a discount store many years ago and have since upgraded it by downloading extra models and functions provided by other users more clever than me to make it more British and 1950s focussed – my old trainspotting days.

Last week the program suddenly started refusing to save files, although I have successfully run it on Windows 10 for a year or more. I can only guess that Microsoft have updated something to the detriment of my enjoyment. The developers last tested the system with Windows XP, so any fixes are now handled by the fan-base community. I have asked them for help.

My latest, half finished, project is based on a layout found in “Railway Modeller” of the local station where I used to do my trainspotting as a lad in the late ’50s and early ’60s. The actual model is well researched, but the creator admits that it was pure accident that the school-children on the platform are wearing the correct uniform for my old school (Poole Grammar). I want to finish the project, but if I cannot save any changes I am, as they say, “stuffed”.

Incidentally, the developers recently launched a kickstarter to develop this program for the latest PC, Mac and Android operating systems, but it failed with only half a dozen backers. A shame, since there is clearly a large community of users who could have helped.
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On a personal note, I have recently undergone a “triple A” investigation for possible aneurism, which showed that I have no problems in that department. Next Thursday I have my PSA blood test to confirm that all is still well after my cancer operation in November 2017. Isn’t it amazing how concerned the NHS gets about you when you are over 60, when so many of the issues could have been solved by better advice when you were 20?

Arnhem Rail Bridge part 2

18th September 1944, 12:00

Situation: 3rd Polish Parachute Battalion (3 PP) and 7th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers (7KOSB) had joined forces across the rail bridge west of Arnhem. Two companies of 3rd Panzer Grenadier Battalion, 9th SS Panzer Division (3/9SS) were still holding out in bunkers at each end of the bridge. A flight of German fighters was threatening the allied troops.

General Urquhart sent his congratulations and ordered that the remaining enemy troops in the bunkers be eliminated.

Forces. 7KOSB. 3 companies, 10 platoons. 3PP. 4 companies, 14 platoons, including 2 mortars and 1 HQ. 3/9SS. 2 companies, 7 platoons.

Turn 1. 12:00

7KOSBs – Move Out (4 infantry units) The three companies moved to positions to close assault the northern pill box. A. 2 infantry. 2 hits B. 1 infantry, 1 star. 1 hit. Unit eliminated and pill box captured.

3/9SS – Behind Enemy Lines. Fighters left the table with no appropriate command card. The company in the south bunker made a break-out. Moved 1hex, attacked a Polish rifle company in a defended position. 1 flag, so Poles retreat. Moved 3 +1 for the road and exited the board, so a successful break-out was acheived.

Casualties. Germans: 2 of 14=14%. Allies: none.

Arnhem Rail Bridge18/09/1944

Despite spending over a month preparing my terrain and 6mm specialist infantry bases for this game, bad weather forced me to play it indoors as a board game.

Five companies of SS Panzer Grenadiers were defending the rail bridge.

They were attacked simultaneously by four companies of Polish parachute infantry from the south and three companies of British glider infantry from the north.

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The Poles (at the bottom of the picture) were represented by Russian tokens and the British (at top right) by US tokens.

Because of the peculiar nature of this game, and with the Anglo-Polish side suffering communication difficulties and a potential language barrier I played this game with three independent sides. Each nationality received one command card for each company. All troops were rated as elite (Special Forces rules apply.)

Both the Germans and Poles were cut off from their supply base, so a reduction of 1 die was applied for any distant shooting. The Poles had the benefit of two mortar platoons. I ruled that if a grenade (1/6 chance) was rolled when attacking a bridge hex with HE, then a second roll of a grenade would damage the section.

The battle would end when either side scored 3 Victory Points for destruction of enemy unts.

Order of play was British, Germans, Poles.

Turn 1. 11:00

British. Assault left flank (all 3 companies)

The 3 rifle companies manoeuvred to a position from whence they could all fire at the German company defending the end of the bridge at 2 hexes (500m) range.

2 dice per company. A. 2 tanks rolled, no hits. B. 2 flags rolled = 2 retreats. Enemy fell back onto the bridge. The retreat was then blocked by friendly troops, so one platoon was lost. C. (Reduced to 1 die tue to increased range). Grenade = 1 hit.

Germans. Assault Centre (all 5 companies).

The company at the south end of the bridge fired at the advancing Poles at 2 hexes range. 2 dice -1 for short supply. Grenade = 1 hit. The company in the bunker were unable to shoot at the enemy at 3 hexes range due to the need to conserve ammunition. At the north end of the bridge the company that had been driven back moved forward again and fired at the enemy infantry on the river bank. 1 die. Grenade = 1 hit. The company on the centre of the bridge moved to the north end and shot at the same enemy company. 1 die. Tank was a miss.

Poles. Probe Center. (2 units). HQ increased this to 3 units. The Two flanking rifle companies moved forwards through the polder. Three companies fired at the German company in the open at the south end of the bridge. A. At 3 hexes, no firing, conserving ammunition. B. At 2 hexes, 1 die due to ammo restrictions. Tank was no hits. C. At 2 hexes, Star was no hits.

Turn 2, 11:10

British. General Advance. (2 in each sector, all 3 companies included). A. Shooting at 2 hexes. 2 dice, Infantry, Tank = 1 hit. B. Shooting at 2 hexes. Infantry, Tank = 1 hit. German unit eliminated. 1 VP. C. Shooting at 3 hexes, Infantry = 1 hit.

Germans. Recon Center. 1 unit +2 on the move. Company at south end of bridge shoots at nearest Poles at 2 hexes, 1 die. Star is a miss.

Poles. Dig In. All 4 units improved their defensive positions.

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Turn 3. 11:20

British. Probe Center ( 2 units). Two companies fired at enemy in the open at 2 hexes. A. 1 grenade, 1 flag. 1 hit, 1 retreat. B. 1 grenade. 1 hit.

German. Air Sortie played with Left Flank. One fighter arrived on the left flank. Air check rolled tank, so the aircraft was OK.

Poles. Recon Center. The centre company fired at the enemy unit in the open defending the bridge. At 2 hexes, 1 die. Grenade was a hit.

Turn 4. 11:30

British. Probe left flank. One company made a close assault on the German bunker at the north of the bridge. A second company advanced to the north of the bridge and fires at the company on the bridge. A. Close assault vs bunker. 2 dice. grenade, star. 1 hit. B. Shooting vs infantry in open at 3 hexes. 1 die. star was a miss.

German. Probe Left Flank used for Luftwaffe support. Moved 4 hexes east. No target available.

Poles. Assault Centre. 3 companies advanced to contact. Close assault, left company. 2 dice, 1 hit. Centre company. 2 dice, 1 hit, 1 retreat. Germans fell back onto bridge, Poles took ground. Right company. Vs bunker 1 die. No effect.

Turn 4. 11:40

British. Firefight. 4 units not adjacent, +1 die. Centre Company at 3 hexes vs bunker was 1 die. Tank was no hits. Left company at 3 hexes is 2 dice. Flag, star was 1 retreat, but retreat was blocked. 1 platoon lost, unit eliminated.

German. Direct from HQ. Ordered all 3 infantry and 1 LW unit. LW. Air check OK. Strafing missed. Unit in N Bunker. 2 dice at 1 hex. 1 hit. S. End of bridge. 2 dice at 1 hex. 1 hit. Bunker at S. end. 2 dice ar 1 hex. 1 retreat.

Poles. Recon in force. 1 unit each section, increased to 2 units center for HQ. Left company. 1 die. 1 hit. Centre company. 2 dice, 1 hit. Unit eliminated. Poles took the bridge.

Losses: British. 2 of 12 = 17% Poles. 2 of 16 = 13% Germans. 13 of 20 = 65%

But the Germans still hold pill boxes in company strength at both ends of bridge, even if the allies hold the bridge itself. We shall see what progresss…

Rethinking my priorities

For some time now I have been running a WW2 play-by-email campaign with five “generals”. The original idea was to give them a strategic game which would provide me with some interesting tabletop solo wargames.

However, I have become too bogged down in getting the visual depiction correct and this has slowed down the execution of the big game.

And so, in the recent spate of bad weather which banned me from both the gaming and painting sheds I had a re-think.

The campaign will now progress somewhat faster and individual engagements will probably be fought as board games or simple tabletop wargames without the frills.

I have already played as a board game the expected table-top game that took more than a month to set up, of which more later…

A little community service

Some months ago I offerred the use of my 4×4 vehicle to the local NHS hospital group for emergency transport.

I did this partly because I owe my life to the people in this hospital.

Last week I repeated the offer and was sent a form to complete and return with proof of insurance and a driving livence.

These I returned around 1 pm today.

At around 6 pm I got my first call-out. Unfortunately, arriving without ID (and incidentally without fuel or wallet) I had to return home and then re-present myself as a competent human.

Strangely by the time I returned (having incidentally in the meantime towed an AA van out of the snow) nobody was interested in ID, leaving it to patient discretion.

I took one patient home and returned to the hospital, after picking up a walker who was heading for the rail station having abandoned his car about 10 miles away.

The centre of Basingstoke was like an ice rink. I would not have wished to attempt it in anything less than our multi-functional 4×4. I did some neat pirhouettes in the Shogun!

My final trip was to overload my car with NHS staff who were of necessity booked into a local hotel.

I expect to be summoned again at afound 06:30 this morning to fetch outlying NHS staff andtransport them to work.

Signing off at 00:40 (about 3 hours after my normal bedtime.

Gosh – it’s snowing in England

Isn’t it amazing that the arrival of snow in places that do not generally expect it during their winter (e.g. England) always has the same effects?

There is no other news topic.
Some idiot drives too fast and blocks a major road for 10 hours.
Kids rush out to build snowmen before it is too late.
Schools are closed because the buses were cancelled and teachers apparently can’t drive in bad weather.
The police ask people not to go outside unless absolutely necessary (i.e. to build snowmen).
Very few people bother to go to work, partly due to points 2, 4 and 5.
Everyone tweets how many centimetres/inches of snow they have.
You turn on the TV and stare out of the window at a better display. On TV is nothing but pictures of other peoples’ snow.
Lighting a fire suddenly becomes a nostalgic necessity.