15mm Miniatures

Hail Caesar – Gilgenburg 1410

Saturday the local HMGS-South group played a medieval battle at the Dogs of War shop using the Hail Caesar rules.

Gilgenburg Prussia, July 13th, 1410.

On July 13th, two days before the battle of Grunwald/Tannenberg, the Polish-Lithuanian army captured and sacked the town of Gilgenburg (Dabrowno in Poland today). In this hypothetical scenario, the Teutonic Order army arrives to defend Gilgenburg.

Approaching from the north (right in the photo), the Order forces are divided by the lakes. Order infantry deploys to keep Polish-Lithuanian light cavalry out of Gilgenburg.

Poor command rolls for the Order cavalry allow most of the Polish army to move east of the stream. Most of the rear Polish infantry division is driven off the table.

When the game ended both sides had lost 4 units (20%) and each side was threatened on the left flank. The Polish-Lithuanian light cavalry division had cleared the way to Gilgenburg.

Rapid Fire – Eastern Front Battle

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Rapid Fire game. German and Soviet forces, mostly armor, race to take a crossroads and set up AT guns.

German tanks take up positions using the stone walls for cover.

Tigers lurk, looking for targets.

Soviets reach the road across from the German positions and a bloody exchange of fire begins.

Casualties and failed morale checks cause the advantage to shift back and forth.

The Soviets have the crossroads, but have few tanks left. Gunning down the last of the German AT crews wins them the game by a hair.

Rapid Fire Photos

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Rapid Fire scenario based on Soviet efforts to retake the Baltic States in the Fall of 1944.

Before deploying the Russian forces, the players plan their attack. The main objective is the fortified artillery position at the end of the table. Cutting the road to the right is a secondary objective.

The Russians advance across the rail line.

Russian troops attack through the woods.

The gully provides temporary cover in the advance.

The first defense line (StuGs and infantry) is taken.

A lone Sherman reaches the main defense position.

The main objective is never threatened by the Russian attack.

The Russian attacks got near the secondary objective, but German reinforcements were positioned to stop them when we ended the game. A difficult but fun scenario, with lots of tactical choices for the players.

Fire and Fury AAR

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played another ACW game at the Dogs of War shop using the Fire and Fury (Brigade level) rules. In preparation for a campaign, this battle was set up to test an attack/defense scenario with the attacking force having a numerical advantage. Each side had two players, commanding a total of three infantry divisions, one cavalry division and several artillery units. The Confederate side setup first, lining a long ridge which gives a small advantage in charge (melee) combat. Most of the cavalry was dismounted to provide enough troops to cover the approximately eight feet of table. The Union players then chose to enter in supporting lines with their cavalry division on their extreme right.

The thin Confederate line awaiting the Union attack.

Union troops and artillery cause casualties among the Confederates. On the far left, Union infantry and cavalry advance steadily.

Seeing no hope of holding on the left, Confederate cavalry mounts up and charges the Union center.

The Confederate cavalry wins the melee, but the situation still looks untenable so the Confederates concede the field.

Fire and Fury AAR

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played an ACW game at the Dogs of War shop using the Fire and Fury rules. It was a test game to learn the rules in preparation for a campaign. Each side had three players, two commanding infantry divisions and one commanding a cavalry division. Each division had three brigades of randomly determined size. Each side also had four artillery units.

Troops enter the field. Both commanders have deployed their cavalry on their own right.

Confederate infantry advances in the center.

Union infantry advances in double line.

Confederate cavalry attempts to move around the Union left.

A Union charge drives back a Confederate infantry brigade. To the left a firefight starts which will last several turns.

A Confederate infantry charge forces the Union brigade back where it is exposed to a flank attack by cavalry.

Confederate cavalry in a mounted charge into the flank of a disordered Union brigade is so successful that the cavalry is required to continue into a battery. The battery is captured, but the cavalry is left exposed to overwhelming Union fire.

The Confederate cavalry gets a ‘Tardy’ command result (halving movement) and charges the Union unit to the front. The move choice is irrelevant since Union defensive fire destroys it in its initial location.

Another Confederate charge forces back a Union brigade. Dismounted Union cavalry advances on the far left.

The battle was still about even when we ran out of time.