Quick Star Wars space fighter game using Starhound derivative

Introduction
May the fourth.  Star Wars day.  Not a fanatical fan but do like the movies (well at least 4, 5, and 6). On Sunday, I thought – “hang on, I have some Star Wars Micromachines and I have a few Space fighter rules that I played in the early 80’s.  Maybe put the two together for a quick game?”  So on Sunday I dug up Starhound (go here for a look at the reference sheets), a ruleset I played a few times in the early 80’s.  I seem to remember it was fun, but looking at it now it seems to be a longer game that it could be, and it uses d100.  I also dug out the other space fighter boardgame I had played – Yaquinto's Shooting Stars. [update 10 May 2015: an older version of this post referred in error to  Yaquinto's Starfall instead of Shooting Stars].  Shooting Stars is a long game and quite detailed, so while I remember it been a good game, not for me at the moment when all I want to do it put a few fighters on the table and push them around for a one-off game.  I would have liked to play Star Wars: Star Warriors as it looks like it would fit right in, but I do not have it :-)  And I have resisted so far getting Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game, or I think I would have been playing that!

Rediscovered rules
But what should be in the Shooting Stars box but a few sheets of space fighter rules I wrote based on a whole bunch of different rulesets at the time.  And the Starhound book had a printed version of some of it.  So I was writing rules 30 years ago!  I did not remember doing this at all – they have remained there for 30 years, just waiting for this moment.    They are mostly based on Starhound but moving from d100 to d6.  It also uses facing for hit location.  And goes to the Shooting Stars 16 impulse movement system similar to Starfire/Star Fleet Battles.

I decide to use these rules.  But rather than the impulse movement sequence, I go back to Starhound (similar to full Thrust but with more and greater turns).  It reality, the game is much like StarHound but not using d100, less to hit modifiers and a slightly more detailed hit location chart.  I photocopied the typed up page and scribbled changes over it for about 10 minutes and that became the playsheet.  It is only for this game - I would have typed it up if I was playing a few more games.

My scribbled playsheet.  The typed part is 30 years old.

Quick Starhound overview
Starhound movement is based on thrust points that equal movement about 10-15.  The number of engines also allow you to turn, mostly up to 4 60 degree turns.  Movement is pre-plotted per player turn with the plotted turns happening evenly during the turn i.e. if you were going 3 turns, it is turn, move one-third, turn, move one-third, turn, move one-third.  firing is at the end of turn, with about half the normal chance to hit if the target was not in the forward arc the entire turn.  Light weapons
have a range of about 45, heavier weapons 90.  for my game, I quartered everything and played in inches with thrust about 4, light weapons range 12 (using a d6 to hit), heavy weapons range 24 (using a d12). There are no shield rules. After playing once after 30 years, I still found them to be a fun game.

Units
I do not have many space fighters in the Micro Machines but do have two X-wings and 2 tie interceptors so will go with that.  Nice and simple.  I have a quick look at the Star Wars wikia to figure out weapons and engines.  I drop the torpedoes and missiles as they would involve the advanced rules and more rules that I do not have time to think about.

So, here are the ships stats, that look very much like Starhound stats:

X-wing
Single seater
4 engines X X X X
4 lasers X X X X
10 hull XXXXX XXXXX
Speed: 4
Turns: 4

Tie interceptor
Single seater
2 engines X X
2 disruptors X X
5 hull XXXXX
Speed: 5
Turns: 3

Lasers are light weapons and have a range of 12; disruptors are heavy with a range of 24.
Turns are the number of 60 degree turns per player turn.

Scenario
The battle is on between the fleets of the Rebels and the empire.  The fighters are send out from each side to engage.  This is the story of the meeting engagement between two X-wings and two tie interceptors.

The two X-wings are veteran Sam with novice Anne.

Rebels (Micromachines)

The two Tie Interceptors are veteran Catty with novice Frosty.

Empire (Micromachines).  Yes, I know Catty is really a tie bomber and Frosty is Vader's Tie Fighter.

(Names are from my children's teddy bears).
The game is played on an Ikea table as that is all I have at short notice.

Game
I set them up on opposite sides of the table.

The Ikea battleground.

Rebel plan: Try and go on one flank, go in fast and try and shorten the range (the X-wing weapons have a maximum range of 12").  This sort of worked but in reality the Tie Interceptors came too close anyway.

Empire plan: go slow and keep the distance open (weapon range is 24").  due to my mismanagement and poor visualisation of distances, the Tie Interceptors ended up closing the range and losing the weapon range advantage.

The first two turns see the two forces rushing up to each other, increasing their velocity.

X wings going for the flank.  Empire just charging ahead.

 Turn 3 sees the Rebels do some good manoeuvring and the Empire slowing down and not so good.  The Empire player is very close and lost any range advantage of the longer ranged weapons.  Sam slams Frosty with 3 hits (from 4) but they end up being near misses (three 6's in a row for damage).  The near miss on Frosty means that, as a novice, Frosty has to thrust maximum next turn (a hit does this to a novice as well).
Firing is simultaneous and Frosty fires at Anne - 2 hits, each destroying a weapon.  Unlucky - there is only a 1 in 6 chance of hitting a weapon.  Anne, also a novice, will have to thrust maximum next turn.  Anne is already going 12", so will plot a 16" move next turn!

First blood to both sides.

Next turn is a mess of multiple tuns on both sides.  Anne plots 4 turns and ends up in a good position, fires at Catty and misses.  Catty, that barely moved, fires at Anne for two hull hits who will continue to accelerate next turn due to being hit again. Frosty does some pathetic plotting thinking he was really clever but ended up nowhere. Sam has a line on Frosty and score two hits, destroying an engine and a hull section.  Tie interceptors have only two engines so it now means Frosty has one engine and is limited in speed and turns.

Dancing around each other.

Anne and Frosty, both novices and both accelerating as fast as they can due to being hit, end up in limbo away from the centre.  Not great, but not bad as neither can be fired on.  Catty turns in place and Sam does nifty turns at low speed to see then face off each other at very short range. Catty destroy's one of Sam's four engines, and Sam destroys one of Catty's engines, damages the other and also one Catty's two weapons.  Catty can only thrust at 1" per turn now and no turns. Catty is really out the game as he can be picked off at any time, and is not a threat.

Sam and Catty face off.  Catty loses one engine and the other damaged.

 More plotting that wanted to be clever but wasn't (except Catty, who just moved 1"!).   Moslty is is down to my inexperience with plotted movement - my (limited) experience since 1985 with spaceship gaming has been impulse movement or vector driven.

A turn of downtime to stop doing mandatory actions.  Not intentional but useful.

With Catty out of the game, only Frosty was left.  I plotted Frosty to do some turns and slow down,but read Catty's plot, but for the previous turn and did not move Frosty at all.  You would think with only four pieces, how hard could it be to remember to move them?  Well, obviously it isn't.  With a poor turning anyway (as a novice he gets a poorer turn, and less turns as he only has one engine), the outsome would not be much different.  The range would have been a little longer but he still would have not had any X-wings in his firing arc.

Anne and Sam line up Frosty very well.  Anne is in "the slot" and so gets a bonus to fire.  Anne hits with both shots to stun Frostly (does nothing for one turn) and damages the remaining engine.  Sam scores 3 hits destroying a weapon, a hull and the engine.  Frosty is stunned, no engines and one weapon.  He is also out of the game.  Victory to the Rebels - a yay or a boo depending on your alignment!

Forgot to move Frosty and the X-wings take him down.

Verdict
A hoot.  I could visualise some of action in my head - the swooping and firing of cinematic space fighters as it appears on the big screen was well represented by the Starhound rules.  And I got to use the rule modifications  I wrote 30 years ago but never played.   The game lasted all of 20 minutes over 7 turns, including plotting, note taking and dice rolling.  It took longer to scribble some modifications than it did to play the actual game.  But I had fun the whole time from digging out the old rules and games to reading them, discovering the scribbled rules and the actual play.

6mm WW2 Russia 43 Iron Wedge Red Guards scenario with MWR

Introduction

I have acquired a lot of WW2 rules for company/battalion (1 figure = 1 team/squad) over the years and have not played most of them.  My aim is to use the Russia ’43 Red Guards at Kursk Skirmish Campaign book and use a different ruleset for each scenario.  I am going to scale the scenarios up from skirmish to the level required by the rules and then scale the measurements down from inches to centimetres to play on a small board with 6mm figures.

This is my first battle in the series and so will start with something not too complex.  I am using the Mechanised Warfare Rules (MWR) rules by Andrew Thomas and available from Irregular Miniatures.  MWR is one of the inspirations for the Pz8 series of rules.

See this page for information on my replaying of WW2 scenarios with different rules.

Overview of Mechanised Warfare Rules

MWR is a 'rules light' set of rules for WW2.  It also contains an addendum for post-WW2 conflicts.  If you like a lot of detail and everything spelt out on what you can and cannot do, these rules are definitely not for you.  But for a fun game, these are great. But I do miss that there is no command and control at all.

Scale

There are two scales of the game: 6mm where 1” = 25 metres and 2mm where 1” is 50 metres.  Other than this difference, the example base unit for 6mm is generally a team of 1 vehicle; for 2mm it is 1 squad and 3-5 vehicles. All distances are in game are in metres.  Game uses d6s only.

Turn sequence

Game sequence is:

Player A moves

Player B fires

Player B moves

Player A fires

Command and control

There is no command and control. There is no spotting or hidden movement other than unit cannot fire at unit not in LOS.

Move

Rough ground moves are:

• Infantry move 100m
• Vehicles move between 150m and 350m depending on the vehicle (there is a table)

Road movement is double.

That is all the movement rules.

Fire

Example fire ranges:

• Infantry base range is 100m.
• MGs are 200mm.
• Guns are dependent on calibre and  range from 200m (20m), 6pdr (500m) up to 1500m for the large guns.

To hit roll 1d6 and a 5-6 hits, 4-6 at half range, -1 if firer moved. Artillery uses a 1” burst circle and hits on a 5-6, +1 if FO of HQ unit within 500m of target (this is the only mention of HQ units); If artillery misses it falls long or short.  This is it for the to hit rules.

To fire attacker roll 1d6 and adds their attack factor against soft or armour targets e.g.

• 1 for infantry Vs armour
• 2 for infantry Vs infantry
• 5 for a Stug Vs armour
• 2 for a Stug Vs infantry

Defender rolls 1d6 and adds defense factor e.g.

• infantry in open 0
• infantry in soft cover 1
• Stug is 3

Compare attacker score against defender score:

• If less, no effect
• If equal, defender cannot fire or move for one turn
• If attacker 1 or 2 more then defender is immobilised but may fire after 1 turn
• If 3 or more then defender destroyed

Close combat

There are no specific close combat rules.

Morale

There are no morale or experience rules.

Aircraft

There are aircraft rules – limited sorties, 4 types of aircraft and anti-aircraft rules.

Scenario

I am using IRON WEDGE the third scenario from the Russia ’43 Red Guards at Kursk Skirmish Campaign book.  This first two scenarios is quite small and infantry only.  I wanted something with some more variety to test out the rules.  It pits limited but dug-in defending German infantry and AT gun against advancing Russian tanks and tank riders.  The Russians are trying to exit off the German side of the table.  The Russians win if they exit 3 AFVs by the end of game turn 12, otherwise the Germans win.

Overview of the table - Russians enter on the left, Germans deployed anywhere from the hills to the right edge.  This is also this board that I cut and flocked.  did not turn out too bad.

Troops

German

Germans - picture is fuzzy but gives you an idea of the quantity.

Force HQ

     1 Infantry HQ base

     4 infantry bases (each with satchel charge)

1^st Pioneer company

    1 HQ base

    1 MMG base
    6 infantry bases (2 with satchel charges)

    1 flamethrower base

2^nd Pioneer company

    1 HQ base
    1 MMG base

    7 infantry bases (1 with a satchel charge)

1 AT section

    1 Pak 36 3.7cm AT gun

The 2^nd Pioneer company was the variable attachment.

There are no satchel charge rules in MWR so will use: range 1", hit on 4+, Attack value Infantry 8  AT 5 

Soviet

A not great picture either of the Russians.

T-70 unit

    3 T-70 on turn 3 (a d4 roll)

T-34 unit

    3 T-34 on turn 1 (a d4 roll)

1^st Tank Rider company

    1 HQ SMG base

    7 SMG bases

2^nd  Tank Rider company

    1 HQ SMG base

    7 SMG bases

1^st Motorised infantry company

    1 HQ Rifle base
    1 MMG base

    5 Rifle bases

    3 trucks

The 1^st Motorised infantry company was the variable attachment.

As each vehicle may represent 3 vehicles in the rules, I will allow 3 squads per represented tank to be mounted.

Deployment

The scenario calls for an 8’ long table that I am scaling to 30” (I have made a board 72cmx48cm scaled down 2.5 from a 6'x4' to match scaling rules down from inches to cm. Naturally, the first scenario I try out is 8', not 6'!) .  German setup is 72” inches from their edge that equates to ¾ of the length.  So for my Game, the Germans may setup within 22.5” of their edge.  German infantry may be in foxholes and the AT Gun dug-in.  Additionally there is two 1"x3" (1cmx3cm on my table) unmarked AT/AP minefields that may be placed at the start. note:

The stream is soft and impassable to the trucks and cause a bog check to AFVs.  MWR has no bog check rules so I will use:Bog check - 1 on a d6 is bogged; 5-6 on a d6 to unbog.

All Russian AFV entry points much be recorded prior to the start. Tank riders may enter on or off the tanks.

Focus for the Germans could be on back just before exit, or up front hoping for early KOs and slowing down.  I went with focussed mostly at the back with some at the front to keep the Russians honest.

Note the 37mm AT gun has a rang of 10 inches and infantry stands are 2".

German deployment

Game
Turn 1 the T34 and trucks enter.  The trucks are going in the front to find the defence, rather than the T34s.  Getting 3+ tanks to the other side is the aim.  12 turns, 6" a turn move for tanks is 5 turns.  The T70s not on until turn 3 and it will be 8 moves for them!  Trucks move 4'".  There is no sight rules or hidden rules in MWR so will just say cannot see units in or behind cover. Unless the Russians want to dash the whole way without stopping, 12 turns seems doable.

That Russian tank riders are at the edge of the board indicating what tank they are on.

Russians enter on the left. Infantry at the edge are the tank riders that are riding the tank further up the table.

The Russians decide to focus on right flank as there are less ambush positions.  This leaves a flank (their left) alone. Hopefully the defense is distributed (of course it is as the game is solo, but this is the attempt to think from one sides view!).  The trucks will need to go first as they do not count for victory conditions and need to wait until the T70s show up as they should go before the T34s to probe the defenses as well.

In Turn 2 and 3 the trucks advance a little more and in turn 3 the T70s enter the table but don't go to far - the best paths are still unknown.

T70s enter.  Again, infantry at the edge are actually riding the tank/truck further up the table.

The trucks reach the gap, and are fired on by infantry to each side.

Two German infantry are close enough to fire at each truck.  Infantry miss (5+ required at long range i.e. 1" to 2").

In turn 4, the Soviets will have to speed things up with only 8 turns to go. The fired on trucks unload (no rules for that either - I made up one saying 1 turn to load/unload).  The T34 and T70s dash forwards.

The trucks showing where the enemy after, the tanks roll through the gaps.

Dismounted infantry fire at the Soviets -  one miss, one permanently immobilised.
Some of the German infantry on their right flank move closer to middle - there is nothing coming there way so they will race to try an intercept the Russians.   Note there is no rules for moving in or out of melee. At this scale, I will follow the rules, so trucks etc. can move of of melee if they wish.

The Soviets fire back but miss with all rolls.  I assume you cannot fire though troops so the Russian tanks have no line of fire to any spotted infantry.

Turn 5 see lots of movement from the Russians as they race through the first gap between the hills.

Russians closing in on the gap before the river.  The German AT Gun is in the centre in the woods, To the right can be seen German infantry racing towards the gap to beef up the firepower.

The Russians are closing in on the last gap between the woods before the river.  Close enough for the 37mm to open up a hit and a difference of 3 in the dice sees a T70 KO!  And the Russian infantry disable a truck and the passengers debark.   Any German infantry not near Russians  move towards this gap.  The Russians fire on the 37mm with everything they can but all they achieve is a immobilise (no fire for one turn).

37mm AT gun (at right) immobilises a T70 (shown with some smoke).  At the left is the disabled truck with dismounted German infantry.

Turn 6 - Do the Russians wait or dash through the gap? Dash!  Only as the rules will punish them if they sit there. The sequence of "Player A move, Player B fire, Player B move, Player B fire" really helps the short range infantry fire if you do not move. Regardless, the more chance of movement the Germans get, the more firepower they can bring to bear and the worse off the Russians will be.  Dash it is.  After the Russian move, the Germans fire and  KO a T70 and another T70 is immobilised for one turn.  Germans move in to maybe get in another shot if the Russians stay still.  The Russians fire at the approaching German infantry and manage to rout two stands.

The gap before the river is crowded as the Russians attempt to dash past the Germans.  The square bases are Germans - they are surrounding the tanks but the turn sequence means they move close, but then Russians will fire and then move away.

Turn 7 and two T34s move off the board.  I am assuming 1/2 speed for the river.  It is 1" wide, T34s move 6" so they moved 4", enough to exit.

Two T34s have already existed and the last T34 is only a short distance from existing.  

The third T34 is nearly off and there is only two stands (one with a satchel charge) that can fire at it.   Both miss.  I don't play out any more moves - in turn 8 the T34 can move off the board.

The table at game end.  Russian infantry at the first gap between the hills and a lot of Greman and Russian infantry at the gap at the river.  The T70s are unlikely to make it off the table but no matter, the Russians got 3 tanks off the other side.

The Russians meet the victory conditions and win.

BUT....

It was 4 weeks after I started playing until I played the last turn. When writing up this post that I  realised I had completely forgotten about the minefields.  So let us replay a part of turn 7 when the first T34 cross one of the minefields to see if things go differently:

T34 enters unmarked minefield: minefield misses.  Assuming that nothing was triggered due to the miss, roll for the second T34 entering the minefield:  A hit, but no damage.  The third t34 avoids the area.  So the three T34s still make it off the table and it is still a Russian victory.

I also forgot a bog check for the tanks at the stream.  I roll now for each of the T34s and they all passed.

The game is actually a lot closer than it was adding in the mines and the bog checks!  One poor roll for mines or bogs would have seen the Russians lose.

Verdict
I did not realise I did not scale the rules down from inches to cm until turn 5.  This turned out to be a good thing as it played really well using inches on the small table - the firing distances in cm (2cm for infantry) and the number of turn it would have been for the T34s to cross the entire table (12 at full speed) would have skewed the game.  There was only a small number of units on the table and the rules are likely designed for much more. It worked really well and felt right.  About 2 turns in a though the turn sequence would not work for chase games like this, but it did.  I thought it would be a Russian cake walk.  It wasn't.  I like the rules ans a basis to build on. They are simple and fun.

I originally made the 30"x20" board about 14 months before this post and this is its first outing. I had also set out the terrain about 14 months as well.  It took awhile to get around to finding the gaming enthusiasm for this (it came back months ago) but I am glad it did.  I like the small table and 6mm games.  I already have the second one setup and ready to go, hopefully taking less than 14 months to get around to playing it!

Operation Jupiter Game 05 - The Ridge

Introduction
This is game 5 is replaying the scenarios from the Briton Publishers Operation Jupiter skirmish scenario book (Lulu PDF link).  I am replaying them on a 4.5'x5' table using 20mm, my own Advance to Cover rules and a figure scale of 1 figure = 1 section.  Background on why I am playing these is at the start of the first game post.

Scenario
Germans are dug in on a ridgeline.  The British start in a nearby walled wheatfield and have 6 turns to dislodge them.

The empty table from the British wheatfield deployment area.  The German ridgeline is in front of the trees. You will have to imagine a slope from the trees to the wheatfield.

Troops
British

The British units.  I have no Crocodiles, even though the tanks are Airfix, I cannot find their fuel trailers - I must have mislaid them sometime in the last 34 years!    So the grey ones will be the flame tanks.

1 Battalion HQ
     6 figures
2 Companies, each:
      1 CO, 1 2" mortar, 1 PIAT and 9 figures
2 Churchill VII
2 Chruchill Crocodiles (flame)

German

The Germans.  One day I will base the second Pak 40!

1 Battalion HQ
   4 figures
1 Company
   1 CO and 9 figures
2 Pak-40
1 MMG
1 fire mission of 80mm mortars

Deployment
The Germans are in foxholes on the ridge.  In the actual battle, the Germans were behind the ridge and the British simply overran them.  So I setup the foxholes on the ridge.

A simple setuip - AT guns and MMG and platoons each in their own foxholes.

The British start in the wheatfield.  The only way out is via the opening, or for the infantry they can jump the wall.

The British - tanks will lead the way out the opening, infantry will follow.

Game
The tanks move out while some infantry follow.  Other infantry race for the wall.

The British move out.

The Germans open up with their anti-tank guns.  good range, good chance...both miss.  And both are spotted (a 4+ was required to spot them).  The tanks continue movement, as does the infantry (when the activation card  actually happens - the joke came out a few times to end the turn before the British infantry could move).

More movement by the British.

The anti-tanks guns get to fire again and pin one and KO another.  This makes up for their earlier  poor performance.   A platoon (3 figures) opens up on the infantry to cause a casualty but is spotted and routed the next turn but some good dice rolling.

Two tanks out of action (one temporary).  The empty foxhole was a German platoon

The remaining Churchill crocodiles open up with HE and via some amazing dice rolls KO the two anti-tank guns.  The British brought their good luck with them on this game.

The two empty large foxholes used to have Pak 40s/

The German mortar is called in, the Germans open up with everything they have and pin one of the two companies.

The pinned British company in the foreground. 

The British then open up with the Churchill HE and the other British company pours fire into the foxholes.  The Germans have had enough and retreat into the woods.

End game.  The British still have a a full company, half the tanks and a pinned company that could rally/ 

Verdict
It may not read like a close game but it actually was.  If one more tank had gone, or the British were less lucky in knocking out the Pak40s, it could have easily gone the other way.  The British must have been using some good luck dice for this battle.

It was a fast game (always good) and I felt it could have easily gone either way.  As with these "vignette" battles, a few lucky dice rolls can determine the game.  

Operation Jupiter Game 04 - Wicked Wyverns

Introduction
This is game 4 is replaying the scenarios from the Briton Publishers Operation Jupiter skirmish scenario book (Lulu PDF link).  I am replaying them on a 4.5'x5' table using 20mm, my own Advance to Cover rules and a figure scale of 1 figure = 1 section.  Background on why I am playing these is at the start of the first game post.

Scenario
Three German snipers are around the farm complex.  A company of British troops need to fish them out and take control of the farm

I was thinking of skipping this as it is three snipers versus 14 figures.  But then I thought, what better way to test out my rules.  With only three snipers on one side, will the sniper rules work fine?  The answer was yes.  So I am glad I played the game.

Troops

British

The British forces.

1 Battalion HQ
     3 figures + 1 sniper
1 Company:
      1 CO and 9 figures

German

The Germans.  All 3 snipers.

3 snipers
1 offboard 88mm flak battery with 2 missions.
Note: the 88mm flak has direct line of sight to most of the British end of the table and can fire when activated.

Sniper locations.  Note the one on the left cannot actually be seen in the picture.  In fact, as I wrote this up weeks after playing, I am guessing it was about here!

German snipers were setup not knowing how the British were to advance.  I put them in the trees so I could allow them to have line of sight over the walls.  This is the same table as scenario 3.  I thought is was supposed to be the same place by the picture in the scenario book, but it isn't!  The setup is very similar though, so no harm done.

The British decide to advance though the wheatfields down their left, and send one platoon (3 figures) down their right.

Game
There is not much to this game from a photo side other than the slow disintegration of the British forces as they advance.
A sniper can fire as far out as a MMG and with the same dice (3). However, they may only target one figure.  The three dice is to simulate the morale effect they had, rather than killing power.  Also, to spot a sniper at greater than 18" is a 4+ and there are only a few snipers to spot, and a unit can spot once per activation.
The British advance immediately into fire from the 88mm.  Two British figures are down already from the leading company.  The snipers fire and miss and remain unspotted.

The British advance.  Battalion HQ to the rear (on the left), two platoons (minus 2 figures killed by the 88) top middle.  Another platoon on the other side of the road to the lower right.

Two snipers focus on the single platoon on the British right and two British figures are gone.  The one remaining one spots the sniper! But this lone British figure is killed by return sniper fire.  

The lone survivor on the British right after his two mates bail.  He is subsequently killed by further sniper fire but he managed to reveal the sniper before going.

 The flak 88mn strikes for the second and last time and takes out another two figures. The company is suppressed (cannot fire on next activation).  Icing on the cake and the German snipers take out another figure from the company.  All that is left is the company commander who survives the requisite morale check.  So far, Germans have destroyed 9 figures and the British have revealed one sniper.  The British Battalion HQ spots a second sniper and kills him. The British sniper kills the other spotted sniper.  Things are looking better for the British.

The remaining British.  The lone survivor of the company is top right, the Battalion sniper is at the back on the left.  The three centre figures are the rest of Battalion HQ.

The remaining German sniper takes out the company commander.  With the company gone, the only unit left on the table is the Battalion HQ.  A force morale check is taken and the British decide to retreat.  A good decision.  I am not sure pressing on would have achieved anything other than more British deaths.

The British head for the wall, ready to retreat along it.

The remaining sniper, never spotted, in his tree.

Verdict
I was thinking of skipping this scenario.  How exciting could it be - three snipers versus a company advancing?  But it was actually quite tense.  Will the British manage to spot and kill the snipers before they take their toll?   In this case, the British retreat but a few different dice rolls and they would have made it.  I was engaged every activation. A great scenario that worked really well with my rules so that is a good sign that the rest of Operation Jupiter will as well!

Operation Jupiter Game 03 - barn at Chateau de Fontaine

Introduction
This is game 3 is replaying the scenarios from the Briton Publishers Operation Jupiter skirmish scenario book (Lulu PDF link).  I am replaying them on a 4.5'x5' table using 20mm, my own Advance to Cover rules and a figure scale of 1 figure = 1 section.  Background on why I am playing these is at the start of the first game post.

These games are like vignettes of larger battles.  The report is not long nor that detailed but this is the first one in this series I did take some notes.

Not to preempt anything, but this was the most fun battle I have played in a while.  It was very nail-biting from turn to turn as the British kept assaulting the farm as the clock was ticking.

Scenario
Germans are holed in some farm buildings.  The British have 10 turns to dislodge them (note it is 6 turns in the scenario but I started them on one edge a fair distance from the farm so added 4 turns for the extra movement).

The Germans setup int he farm complex on the assumption the Brits will have a hard time kicking them out in the time limit.  the Pazerschrecke team setup in corner, in case tanks come down the road.

Troops

British

The considerable British force (considerable compared to the Germans)

 1 Battalion HQ
     4 figures + 1 PIAT
2 Company:
      1 CO, 1 2" mortar and 9 figures
1 Churchill VII
3 fire missions of 3" mortars

Deployment - one company and HQ on the left, the other company on the right.

Assume 2 turns used up to get to the deployment position shown above.

German

The small force of German defenders

1 Battalion HQ
   4 figures
1 Company
   1 CO and 9 figures
1 Panzerschrecke team
1 MMG

Defending the farm. Two platoons of the company in the large thatched building with the third platoon in the smaller building to the right  All figures are actually in the building they are behind so I know what is in them!

Game
Two turns gone to get to deployment position, 8 to go.  The British advance the 1st Company (the one travelling down the right of the table).  This take 4 turns - sending one platoon across the field, make sure nothing there and then the rest following.  This is as the British do not kniw if the Germans are at the hedge or tree line so need to be careful.  Of course, the Germans re all in the farm.

1st Company advance across the field on the right and in front of the farm.

2nd company advances in step formation as well and a platoon runs into the Panzershrecke team that is hiding in a corner of the field. The Panzerschrecke team are two figures and fire with their rifles (2 dice in total). Two 6's, two dead Brits. Most of the rest of 2nd company fire at them for only one hit. The next turn a platoon (3 figures) enter in close combat with the single remaining German and the latter are captured.

2nd company.  The figures at the far right have just discovered a Panzerschreke team.

Time is running out for the British. Mortars are called onto the main building prior to some assaults; 2 dead Germans and all are suppressed.  Not bad.

Result of morrar fire on the building - 2 Germans are killed (4 left). I did mention it earlier but the figures are actually in the building but I put them behind so I know what is there.

The mortars softening up the building, a platoon from 1st company charge. The MMG (on overwatch) decides to fires at them - 3 dice - crossing the road but rolls all 1's for all misses. The MMG firing gives their location away, so it was a bit of a risk to do so.  It could have been worth itbut did not pay off. The assaulting  platoon loses close combat: 3 attackers dead (all of them) and one defender. This is close combat in my rules, borrowed from Take Cover!! that took the concept from Rapid Fire: roll 1d6 each, add number of figures and a couple of modifiers. - winner loses 1 figure, loser loses three and retreats 3". It is fast!

British platoon assalting the main building.  They fail.

Germans in the building rally.  The 1st Company get ready for a pincer assault - one on the MMG and one on the main building again.  A platoon (3 figures) has advanced into the next field and is across the road from the MMG.

1st company milling behind the hedges across the road from the farm.  At the right can be seen some of the platoon about to charge across the road in to the MMG 

The British platoon from 1st company charge across the road into building with the MMG and win the close combat, all Germans killed.  A foothold!

Assaulting the MMG held building,  it was a success!

The mortars target the main building again  for 1 casualty.  Another British  platoon and the Company officer from 1st company charge into the building after the artillery lifts. It fails, 3 attackers lost and one defender killed.  The British are running out of men and time.

Another assault that fails.  Readers taking notes will see I failed to remove a German figure that should have gone from the previous assault.

1st Company rolls for morale as they have lost 7 figures and their officer.  They fail and are pinned (no move and no fire until rallied).  Half the British force has gone and only one building taken.

2nd Company is in position. A platoon from 2nd company charges into the main building.  This also fails but 1 defender killed.  Only one defender left!

2nd company platoon assaults (and fails)

The German defending company is 50% down and rolls a morale test that sees them pinned.  This causes the entire force to roll a morale test but it is OK.

Another 2nd company platoon assaults the main building with the one pinned defender.  Unsurprisingly they win.  Actually, based on the past history with assaulting this building, may be it was surprising!

Another 2nd company platoon assaults the main building and finally a win.

 The final Mortar mission targets the small house next to the main building and 2 Germans are killed. The German company morale roll sees them (the two figures left!) rout.  The German force morale also fails. This occurs during turn 10. Another really close game.

End game. Not much left - the 2 German figures at the left are about to rout.  The Battalion HO at the top right will withdraw.

Verdict
The most fun I have have for a while.  All the games have been fun, but this was exceptional.  I think is was the time limit.  I would throw a platoon at the farm - fail; next turn another - fail. Another in the following turn - success but now the company is pinned, use the other company - fail.  tick tick tick goes the clock. I was sweating the dice and the cards (the game uses card activation).

Also, I mentioned it in a previous writeup, but the Operation Jupiter scenarios are more like vignettes of a larger battle. While in another game, the farm would be possibly only a half or a third of the game and the farm one objective of two or three.  I am preferring the vignettes at the moment.

Oh, and the Churchill played no part in the game.  Frightened of hiding enemy Germans, the tank only advanced to the farm in the last turn.