Save Sister Sara Play test two

I made two major changes based on the last game 1) Japanese Cruisers and Destroyers were given elite crews making them harder to hit 2) the Washington was replaced with the North Carolina which historically was sent home because its Number 2 main gun turret was knocked out in battle, this made it a logical escort for the Saratoga.  The US also traded the Juneau for the Chester giving them more long range punch. Finally at Adrian's suggest I had the Japanese start more then 40 inches from the USN making the closing period longer

 David and Ethan took the US fleet I took the Japanese.

 The Japanese advance in two columns (cruisers and battle cruisers) with a destroyers a head.

 The US opts to hold the destroyers back... operating as point defense for the bigger ships... the advance straight a head accepting few long range shots in exchange for closing faster.

 Turn two the US Draws first blood killing one Japaneses destroyer with a single shell form North Carolina.

 I start spiting my fleet cruisers going left while the Battle Cruiser go right and the DDs go straight in looking or torpedo hits. About this time I realize the Japanese are too hard to hit so the cruisers loses their elite status. A second Japanese destroyers is sunk as is a US Destroyer(sacrificing it self to take 5 torpedo hits aimed at Saratoga) .  The North Carolina takes 3 torpedo hits but two are absorbed by armor and expert US damage control eliminates flooding the same turn.

 Both fleets are now very close so close its almost pistols and cutlass time. The Haruna takes hits form the North Carolina and Chester and his set a blaze but hurts the Chester in turn and sinks a us destroyer. The Kirishima lands three hits on Washington but none penitrate her formidable armor

 On the other side of the battle the Mikuma and Chokia sink the Quincy and torpedoes hit the Saratoga doing some damage (failed to penetrate the secondary armor)

 Kirishima taking aim at with the North Carolina.

At this point it was 9:00 PM so we called it.  it was still any ones game Both sides were down two Destroyers, the Quincy was out of the fight and the Chester was in bad shape.  Mikuma and Haruna were both on fire and hurt to some degree.  This time the Japanese had a fighting chance.  I am really enjoying these rules though I think the torpedo rules may need some tweaking.  I feel the Japanese fish are too short ranged and that they are too hard to hit with.  I am going to reread those rules just to make sure I have them right.  Next time I do this I going to give the US a healthy battleship but other wise I think I am closing in on getting this right.

Naval Thunder at the Whiz

 Adrian set up a game of Naval Thunder using my ships their first foray onto the table. The USS Washington and USS Pensacola faced off with the Huruna, Kongo and Aoba.  I too the USN and I actually thought it would be the harder side to handle... I was very worried about Japanese torpedoes.

 The Washington managed to advanced and turn taking the Huruna under fire...

 of 9 shots 7 landed home breaking through for multiple critical hits including several flooding hits the ship develops a serious list. The Japanese troops respond but does only minor damage to the Washington.

 Adrian then screwed up and managed to put the Haruna between the USN and the Aoba making her a nice little torpedo net for me. I shifted the fire of the Washington to the Kongo which I hit hard but not nearly as hard as I hit Haruna.  Pensacola keeps picking away at the Haruna doing minor damage.

 Adrian got a little of his own back as his secondary armament the Bridge of the Washington...  this hurt my ability to maneuver for a turn and lowers my command ratting due to some of my command staff being out of action.

 My damage control was able to handle the issue quickly... and we continure to exchange broad sides.

 The Aoba is still having trouble getting around the Haruna

 The Washington get another major critical hit on the Kongo and it catches fire

 The Washington's secondary armament hit the Aoba hard taking out it torpedoes! as fire form the Pensacola starts it burning.

The Washington got more hits on both Japanese BCs and sinks the Aoba.  The Washington only took about 15% damage.  In theory these were equal forces but I think the Washington could probably have taken on at least one more BC with no trouble. Adrian might have done better if the he had gotten his torpedoes into action and his concentrating fire on Washington actual lead to fewer hits... he probably should have tried to sink Pensacola first.  That said Washington's Armor was so tough it might not have been possible for the Kongos to hurt her badly.

US Artillery Shameless Self Pomotion

 A gaming friend found him self force to get out of the hobby and sold off a number of pieces to me.  I have been painting them.  I have some 105 in my collection already and it was a tough call which to keep and which to sell but in the end I decided to keep mine with the custom bases I built.

 Staff team  front and back

HQ team

 Two Observers (OK so you only need one call the second a bonus) 

 Jeep for the observer 

 And the Guns them selves

 If you like these please go to my eBay page an place you bid. 

Bussy Weekend of Gaming 5 The Whiz Tournament Game 3

For may last battle I was the attacker in a No Retreat scenario facing Phil(the eventual winner of the tournament) and his Glider Infantry. I should have had the foresight to get a shot of the full table so you could see exactly what I was dealing with, A tough opponent and a table that was not giving me any edge.

With two hedges needed to cross the center of the table I just had to risk the bog check mostly I was OK.  I tried to move a head as fast as I could but it was hard sledding.  My goal was to get the objective on the right while forcing Phil to cover the left and hope his reserve rolls were bad. 

Oh look my plan "worked" here are the tank destroyers...

Death follow on Swift wings but....

With two Hornies, 2cm AA guns, 3 Stugs and an observer I hope I can overwelm them.. 

Not the first time around sadly but on my second turn of firing I make them pay...

Sadly they get their hits as well and my assault on the right hand objective is driven back with the loss of a StuG.

You can see I did a number on Phil (killing 4 of his 9 platoons in total) but he wins this one 5-3. This is as good as I can do loose the game.  Phil was a great opponent who really knows his army.  The US TDs hurt me but died quickly once I found the range I still don't get what all the fuss I hear about is about. Unlike my other games the dice were fairly even this time around and I don't think either of us made any significant tactical screw ups. It was a most enjoyable day of gaming.  I was the highest scoring player on the Axis side, both our winners had allied armies on US the other Russian.

Bussy Weekend of Gaming 4 The Whiz Tournament Game 2

My Next battle was with Jose and his 7th Armored list, lots and lots of good US tanks and Tank Destroyers,With Abrams. The mission was dust up, a tricky mission since one has to play a bit of offense and defense at the same time, its hard to pick the right force mix and hard to strike the right balance.  I put down my infantry in rough L pattern to cover both objectives covered the back with my Artillery and also put down a Platoon of StuGs to give me a mobile strike force.

Jose put down his two tank platoons each with a jumbo an two 76 Sherman tanks.  He also had Abrams with him. I good bit of excellent US Armor.

Jose made good use of cover though out the game it slowed his advance a bit but not much.  I was mostly stuck with "sniper" shots at long range by one or two StuGs I was lucky with these.

This looks almost a little silly but both of us are trying to avoid offering too many targets. I only have three StuGs if I show them to a number of US Tanks it will get ugly fast.

Jose looses another tank to sniping. Then he makes little mistake but an important one he bunches up 3 tanks.

My artillery makes its one big contribution to the battle Killing two tanks and bailing another.

Then Jose gets his only little surprise for me Tank Destroyers he swings and misses but...

So do I on my turn as both my StuGs and Artillery forget how to shoot. Jose has pushed me I have armor to my front and rear and though I have bled him he is pushing me back and has killed my CO.  Only my PanzerFaust armed infantry and his bad luck with the dice is keeping him from going for the kill. But he as also made a mistake uncovering his rear objective.

I race my reserves who arrive as a clump to the position. Jose Tries to counter double timing but his force is decimated by my fire and I secure the objective. This give me a 7-1 win my second of the day but Jose plays well and again the dice have been kind to me.