Invasion of Greece Battlefront WWII at the Hobby Bunker Game Day

The Hobby Bunker and Battle Group Boston held their annual Game Day on Saturday August 25, 2018.  Steve Umbrell and I ran "the Invasion of Greece, Germans against Australians and British using Battlefront WWII rules."  This is a WWII version of the Fire and Fury rule set and makes for excellent gaming and historicity. Dave Soucy and I took the Germans and Steve and Mike Paine the Commonwealth Forces (defenders).  The Commonwealth forces set up using hidden markers and the Germans rolled onto the board from the west.  Victory Conditions were to take the hill and exit road to the south and destroy 50% of your opponents troops. 

The hill and road exit as the action begins



The German Plan was to roll up the British left flank on the hill with a mixed force of tanks (tank fright is a negative modifier to morale for the Brits) and infantry while the remaining tanks kept the British Armor occupied. 

Proust! Dave and I formulate our evil plan.

Dave's Command in the German center and left flanks

A view from behind Dave's crew.

Peter's troops prepare to roll forward.



Battlefront WWII has a neat spotting mechanism which kept the British on the hill hidden until we neared there position.

 

 

Dave fired Smoke to cover my advance on the trench line.

A Boise anti-tank rifle and machine gun occupied the trench.

Under cover of the smoke my half tracks brought my  infantry up for a close assault in coordination with the tanks.



 The British 2 Pdr Anti-tank gun took out two of my PZIII's before I cleared out the western section of the trenches.  Dave was cautiously advancing and spotted the British Armor east of the road.  He engaged them at long distance and began to move forward.

The British Armor

Another shot of the three troops of Armor.

Dave advances his armor.

Back on the hill the advance to roll up the trench line continues. 

Support vehicles spotted as the German's crest the hill

The tanks push back the Boise Anti-tank unit and take out an infantry stand.

The Bren Carrier is destroyed.

The 2pdr destroys 2 of my PZIIIs as the Boise gun and truck perish.

The action continues with Dave pinning the British armor and the roll up on the hill moving along but paying a bloody toll to do so. Mike Paine was making us pay for each inch we gained.

Roll up the line

taking out the 2 pdr and the next couple of units in the trench.

Steve detached one of the armored units to move to support the hill.  Dave sent his tanks around behind the British Armor and began to chew them up.

Steve advanced closer to the Germans.  Not a good idea.

The Panzers advance continues

Combined arms pressure the infantry along the trenchline.

Steve's armor arrives on the hill in time to slow the German advance there, but his remaining armor is destroyed by Dave. The hill would be taken in the four turns remaining and the British were already over 50% casualties.  Mike and Steve put up a fierce fight, but superior German armor created a historical outcome.  A German Victory.

A great time was had by all. 

Bavarians in review

I have been assembling a number of Bavarian troops for the various 1809 and 1812 Battles I have in mind.  These troops uniforms have always attracted me.  The figures range from Front Rank to Hinton Hunt to Old Glory in 25 and 28mm.  The artillery begin the parade of figures.

 

 

 

The Infantry and one unit of Dragoons.  Bavarian Light Infantry in Green

 

 

 

Hinton Hunt Units pictured above.  Not as large as the others but still nice.

 

 

 

I can now field two divisions of Bavarians with supports.  I add in another mixed German Allied and French Division and I have Marshal Joseph Lefebvre's Corps in 1809.

 

Maryland Militia units added to War of 1812 collection

I added two units of Maryland Militia to my War of 1812 collection.  These boys were painted by Steve Keyer and have doubled for Virginia Militia in my recent Battle of Craney Island. 

Fredrick's Charge ala Picket

Rich Wallace hosted another Carnage and Glory II computer aided wargame at his house last weekend August 5, 2018.Rich set the game up outside under a tent.  The game is a what if Frederick attacked the Austrians over the same ground as Picket's Charge (ACW).  Mark Mclaughlin and I (Prussians)  took on Leo Walsh and Rich (the Austrians). The Prussian batteries were fixed on the heights except for the galloper guns. Mark commanded the Prussian right and center divisions and I took the left flank and the reserves.  We agreed that the center and right would shift to the right and I would pin the left and center and bring the reserves (grenadiers) up to support both groups - mostly Mark.


Guns on the heights under Fredrick's watchful eye



Mark's Command

The Austrian right flank inches forward off the hill

The Austrian Center

The Austrian right flank

The Austrian left presented a tempting target and I moved forward to take advantage of it.

Rich also advanced a unit (bait) in the center.  Little did we know that the Austrian Grenadiers could not move until the first melee. Mark also prepared to take the bait.

My units await supports before taking on the Austrian left.

Advancing over walls and hedges disorders units.  Our strategy was to rest behind the hedge rows and recover some fatigue before taking cold steel to Austrians.

A furious firefight broke out at the hedge line on the Prussian right resulting in all three units pictured being hurled back by the Prussians.

The Austrian fire was effective as well.  The white halt marker the result of an initial volley.  Thousands became casualties as the troops stood toe to toe and exchanged fire.  Superior Prussian training won out and the Austrians recoiled from the hill as their army broke under the unending Prussian pressure.

 





The Prussians move forward.



The exposed Austrian regiment is being assaulted by two Prussian units. 

 

What a great game.   Thanks again to Rich for hosting.  Excellent figures, fabulous terrain and great company made for a special event.