WWII – Page 2

Heroes of Normandie – Behind Utah Beach

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a game of Heroes of Normandie.

June 7, 1944 – behind Utah Beach.

Baker Company of the 8th RCT, 4th Infantry Division is pushing inland to the town of St-Marie-du-Mont. However, the route to the town is blocked by the Germans of the 2nd Company, 919th Infantry Regiment. The Germans have placed a PAK 40 ATG to cover the road and dug in around a cluster of farm buildings. The PAK has already knocked out the leading M4 Sherman of Baker Company’s armor support. The scenario begins with Baker Company deployed for a full assault against the German positions.

This used the Attack/Defense scenario. The American point total was around 500, the German around 250 points.

No photos were taken due to the poor memory of the photographer.

We played 7 turns of the 8 turn scenario in about four hours. The Americans had not reached the objective bridge and had lost their light vehicles and some infantry. The Germans had lost about half their units and the outer defense line was gone.

Heroes of Normandie Demo

This weekend the local HMGS-South group tried a demo game of Heroes of Normandie. Five players divided up 3 US and 3 German platoons, including one tank platoon on each side. It was an informal meeting engagement to try out the rules.

Bolt Action – Edson’s Ridge

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Bolt Action game. The scenario was based on the second night of the Battle of Edson’s Ridge, which occurred on the night of 13-14 September 1942. The ridge was part of the defenses of Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. This game involved the position of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion, attacked by Kokusho’s and Tamura’s battalions of the Japanese 124th Infantry Regiment.

Lunga Ridge, afterwards known as Edson’s Ridge.

The right end of the Marine position.

The Japanese have broken into the left end of the Marine line and destroyed a MG unit.

The Japanese attack on the right is ‘supported’ by miss-directed Marine artillery fire.

A second wave of Japanese infantry appears.

The Japanese attack on the right goes in and is wiped out.

The left of the Marine position has been cleared of defenders.

Sewers of Stalingrad

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a WWII game set in the underground sewers of Stalingrad. The command activation and weapon fire rules from Bolt Action were combined with the movement system from Space Hulk. Three German squads and a heavy weapon team were tasked with clearing four Russian squads and a heavy weapon team from the sewers. They were also to locate and destroy a munitions cache. The result was a bloodbath, with only five surviving Germans and no Russians.

Here is a reference sheet for the rules (with some post-game modifications) :Skirmish Test revised

Seekrieg – First Battle of Guadalcanal

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a WWII naval game using the Seekrieg 5 rules. The scenario was based on the First Battle of Guadalcanal, with reductions in the number of ships to accommodate the players available.

The game started with no models on the table. The GM determined visibility and provided sighting reports as needed. Rain squalls appeared at random on the east edge of the table and moved west during play.

The strangely empty sea. Rain squalls are outlined with string.

The Cushing is spotted by the Japanese, but the US ships have only vague radar contacts.

US and IJN DDs fire starshell to try to find the opposing forces.

DDs on both sides launch torpedoes. One from the Cushing finds Kirishima. CLs Nagara and Atlanta take damage.

The results after about 4 hours of play were:

CL Atlanta Destroyed.

Cushing (DD) and a Japanese DD crippled.

Two tiers (20%) damage on Kirishima (BC) from torpedo damage.

About 2 tiers (20%) damage on the lead Japanese DD and the Nagara (CL).

Torpedoes in the water would have threatened the San Fransico as we ended the game.

Victory conditions:

CL Atlanta (1 VP), Cushing (0.125 VP)=1.125 VP for the Japanese.

Crippled Japanese DD (0.125 VP), damage to Kirishima (0.1 VP), damage to the lead Japanese DD (0.03 VP), damage to the Nagara (0.05) = 0.295 VP for the US.

Tactical Victory for the Japanese.