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RJW Russian 2nd and 3rd Pacific Squadrons

The Russian fleet for Tsushima in 1/6000 scale. Destroyers and transports are not yet done.

3rd Division and Cruisers

1st Division

Order of sailing prior to Tsushima.

Space Hulk AAR – Nursery

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a game of Space Hulk using the 4th Edition rules but with game parts from earlier editions. Two Marine squads supported by a Librarian and two close assault terminators were tasked with destroying two Genestealer nurseries in the hulk.

The Marines advanced to the next crossroads beyond the large room where most of the early fighting occurred. The auto cannon armed Marine advanced behind the Librarians prep ‘blast’ to cover the central hall. The Librarian bravely gave his life allowing a Marine advance to within reach of the northern most nursery. Three more ambushes were popped but didn’t amount to any real threat, being screened by a single Marine each. The genestealers were gathering in the halls before the nursery for the final battle………the store was closing and the game had to be ended at that point.

The photographer left early so there are no photos of the end of the game.

Seekrieg 5 – North Sea Encounter

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a WWI naval game using the Seekrieg 5 rules. Initially the game was set up with a four ship division on each side, but we scaled it down to two ships on each side due to the low holiday weekend turnout.

The forces started 20,000 yards apart in good visibility. The British had two Iron Duke class battleships and the Germans had the Baden and a Konig class. The players rolled for crew quality and all ended up the same. The game ended when the lead British ship was destroyed by a magazine explosion.

1/2400 scale resin models.

The German Baden and Konig.

Both sides maneuver to get their A-arcs open.

The sudden end of the Iron Duke, and of the game.

Bolt Action – Leyte 1944

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Bolt Action game. It was loosely based on the efforts of the 1st Cavalry Division to secure Hill 215, southwest of Tacloban, Leyte on October 22, 1944. The setup used Scenario 3, Point Defense from the Bolt Action rule book.

In addition to the visible units, the Japanese had an infiltration squad which could chose to enter on any edge except the US rear, a hidden sniper and a hidden AT rifle.

The US mortar observer turned out to be unobservant.

The infiltration squad appears on the US right flank. It destroys a US squad and a mortar team.

The left flank US squad advances toward an objective.

This Japanese squad was pinned down by artillery for much of the game.

End of the game. The Japanese infiltration squad can be seen advancing in the upper right.

At the end of the game the US had not taken any objectives.

Here is the perspective of one of the Japanese players:

“Good game today. Given another couple of turns the US Army would have take two objectives. The Japanese victory was the result of time and they happened to kill four US Army units, two by the 47mm pop gun and the other two by Jap infiltrators. Three Jap units were destroyed. I think the 47mm Jap AT is over rated but I guess it is so for game balance. We have had several games decided by time with Bolt Action so we may have to start closer to objectives, play more aggressively or throw out the time rule for our group. Looking at the minefield rules I think they are actually deadlier than we assumed BUT you could have continued movement if you survived which would have put your tanks closer. BTW the 3rd minefield was also on the road in front of your tanks.”

Check Your Six WWII – Lone B24

Saturday the local HMGS-South group played a game of Check Your Six using 1/300 scale aircraft.

The scenario was a lone, damaged B24 bomber of the 12th Army Air Force trying to make it back to base in Naples, Italy in late 1943. The bomber was damaged by German AAA over Milan and could not keep up with the bomb group. The bomber was being harassed by six Me 109s. The scenario begins with the bomber coming into range of four P51 fighters based in southern Italy and the 109s closing in for the kill.

Two 109s were destroyed, one by a P51 and one by the bomber. The bomber was destroyed (blown apart by a critical hit) just before it could exit the battlefield.