More Ships

I managed to get some painting done this weekend. These are my early British and Indonesian ships. I'm not sure if I'll use them for Gnome Con yet. The scenario I got in mind may not work to well for a convention game. Anyway here's the pictures.

First we have the early British ships: a Type 61 class frigate, a Type 41 class frigate, and 2 ton class minesweepers

For my Indonesian fleet I have a Riga class frigate, 2 Kronstadt patrol craft, and 4 P-6 PT boats.

I also expanded my merchant fleet with a ferry and fleet of 6 trawlers. Note the names.

Finally for my air units, I've added a group of Su-17 attack aircraft.

I hope to use at least some of these units soon. I've also have about half of my HOTT army painted.

It rained on my parade Part 2

Here are some more pictures from the St. Patrick's day parade.

The 2 trucks from the Savannah Fire Department.

The Harley Davidson Float.

It's the Pink Panther!

Yet another pirate ship.

A Clydesdale unit. In the past the Budweiser Clydesdale's would be in the parade, but they couldn't make it this year.

Once All the units are set and moving, the adjutant staff follows behind making the end of the parade.

The crowds in front of the Cathedral. Very thin this year due to the rain.

The WTOC news station with it's multiple cameras.

My ex-brother in law.

You never know what you'll see on Bay Street

More of the spectators that were wiling to brave the rain.

It rained on my Parade Part 1

Yesterday was St. Patrick's day. St. Patrick's day is a BIG deal in Savannah and to my family. One of the biggest parts of the celebration is the St. Patrick's day Parade that I, as a member of the parade committee adjutant staff, helped set up. I've been doing this for about 15 years along side my father who's been doing this for over 30. He was brought on by my grandfather who was a member back in the 60's. Here are some of  the pictures from this year's parade.

We started the day before with the Jasper Green ceremony. This is a ceremony named after Colonial hero Sargent William Jasper and honors Irish American Veterans. It starts with a procession down Bull Street and ends with a wreath laying.

3rd Infantry Division Band practicing.

The Scottish American Military Society color guard.

The Flags of Ireland.

A regular visitor, the Irish Air Corps band steps off.

 Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the wreath laying and awards. The next morning me, dad, and the other adjutants met at a hotel to eat breakfast. It was raining, but that wasn't going to stop the 2nd largest St. Patrick's day parade in the US.



Me in my awesome adjutant's uniform.

 The part I work on is the floats some most of following pictures will be of them.

Shriner Hillbillies start to arrive.

Big Truck

Another Shriners car

Being a port city, Savannah a long nautical history as well as a history in pirates. This could be seen in the many ship/pirate themed floats.

Then their were the many animals, such as...

Living traffic cones.

Polar Bears

Green Goats

Another regular visitor is the Well's Fargo stage coach.

I'll post the rest of the pictures up in the next post.

Shipwreck

Last Sunday Christian and I played a game of Shipwreck. The scenario was the Japanese verses the Russians. The Japanese were the lead ships of an invasion force head to take the Kuril Islands, starting with Iturup. Their mission was to clear the landing zone on Iturup of any Russian forces. I should have been a little more specific about that. I was also trying out some new things. For one, we were using actual weapon ranges (looked up mostly in Harpoon). I was also experimenting with a new combat turn air movement system. Shipwreck uses range bands for air movement, which works well for aircraft attacking ships. However I needed something different, as my upcoming 1967 scenario will be feature multiple aircraft of varying speed capabilities doing different missions at the same time. I gave the aircraft and Anti-surface missiles a set speed. Christian flipped a coin for sides and got the Japanese, which meant I got the Russians. Here’s how the game went.

Turn 1

There wasn’t much action on the first turn as both our forces moved and tried to detect enemy units.

The overall table layout, looking southwest.

 

My forces, the Udaloy, Krivak II Bessmennyy, and Grish V MPK-10, patrolling near Iturup Island. Over the island you can see 4 MiG-29 Fighters. Not seen are my two submarines, a Victor III SSN K-138 and a Kilo SSK B-404.

 

The Japanese forces, a Huruna DDH, Hatakaze DDG, Asagari DD, 4 F-2 FSX, and a P-3 Orion, approuch from the south. The was also a Harushio SSK in the area.

 

Turn 2

The fighters moved forward to engage each other in air to air combat. My MiG-29s managed to shot down 3 of his F-2 fighters. Christian, however manage to take out 2 of my MiGs, one of which with a SAM, and also shot down one of my ASW helicopters. Both my subs detected a target to engage. My Kilo started an attack run on Christian’s sub, while my Victor III moved towards the Japanese DDH.

My lone surviving Mig.

 

Turn 3

On this turn one of my MiG-29s was shot down. Christian also almost detected B-404.
 

Turn 4

K-138 made a short range torpedo shot against the DDH.

Turn 5

Both sides ships finally come within radar range of each other. The Japanese Destroyer Asagari fires 4 harpoon missiles at the Udaloy. I in turn fired 4 SS-N-14 missiles at the Asagari. All the missiles are either shot down or miss. My torpedo sunk the DDH, but in turn my Victor III was sunk by a torpedo from the SH-60.

The Huruna DDH burns after being struck by 65-76 torpedo.

 

K-138 is sunk by Japanese SH-60J helicopters.

 

Turn 6

In turn 6 Christian’s last F-2 finally shot down my other helicopter (This helicopter had been evading him for the last three turns). The F-2 was in turn driven off by missiles from the Udaloy. The all the missile armed ships fire at each other. Christian’s P-3 also fired 4 ASM-2 at the Bessmennyy. Both Asagari and Hatakaze are hit with a SS-N-14 but only suffered light damage. Bessmenny was hit with a ASM-2 and suffered light damage, losing the forward SA-N-4 mount.

Asagari and Hatakaze fire their Harpoon missiles at the Russians.

  

Asagari and Hatakaze are hit both hit by SS-N-14.

 

Turn 7

My ships start closing in to use guns. Hatakaze fired the last of its Harpoon missiles, but all were shot down before reaching the targets. Both me and Christian successfully call for air strikes.

Turn 8

The air strikes arrive 4 F-4 phantoms for Christian and 4 MiG-27 for me. A gun battle brakes out between Udaloy and Hatakaze. Udaloy also had a limited number of anti-surface torpedoes, and fired one each at the Japanese ships. Hatakaze is hit with a 100mm round and losses one its guns. The Udaloy however was hit by both a 127mm and RIM-7 from Asagari. The hit unfortunately takes out the forward guns leaving me nothing to fight the ships with. Eventually Udaloy was sunk. The MiG-27 were shot down before they could reach target. The F-4s attacked both MPK-10 and Bessmenny. MPK-10 is hit with 2 cluster bombs taking out an SA-N-10, RBU, and set of torpedo tubes. The fighters were then driven off or shot down by AA fire.

Udaloy hit my missiles and guns as it launches 2 53-65KE torpedoes.

 

F-4 Phantoms flying near the Japanese fleet.

 

Udaloy sinks after being hit with another RIM-7.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the last two turns.

Turn 9

The torpedoes launched by Udaloy reached their targets. The torpedo fired at Asagari missed, but the other torpedo hit Hatakaze, crippling her. My Kilo fired a torpedo at Christians’ sub but misses.

Turn 10

One turn 10 the Kilo fired another torpedo at the sub, this time sinking it. It also took a shot at an SH-60 with an SA-N-10. The Kilo was then sunk by a torpedo from an another SH-60. Christian was able to get Hatakaze back on line, but it was officially out of the game.

By this time both me and Christian decided to end the game. There was slight debate on the victory as I had not made the victory conditions clear enough. Christian's mission was to secure a invasion beach. However I had only written that no soviets had to be within short range of the beach. While there were no soviet ships within short range of the beaches, Christian himself didn't come within radar range of the beaches at anytime. This wouldn't near enough to secure for an invasion as there could have been shore batteries or sea mines in the area. Not only that but my two remaining ships could have turned around, and taken back the area. In the end we declared the scenario a draw.

As for the game both sides made some errors, the biggest being not using torpedo decoys. Both Christian's and my ships had them, neither of us used them. The most damaging hits during the scenario were done with torpedoes. This also showed that I need to retain the ammo rules, as Udaloy was throwing out SAMs left and right. As for the new rules while they took a little getting use to and need a little refining, they worked well enough. Anyway I'll be doing more Shipwreck at Gnomecon in April. I also got most of my HOTT army assembled and will start painting it soon.

 

IJN Tama Part 4

I returned to my slow work on the IJN Tama this week. I've added some of the fittings to the hall. Next I might start adding some of the camouflage to the harder to reach areas.

It's actually starting to look like a ship now.

A close up of the funnels

In other news, I've started basing my next batch of ships for Shipwreck. These well be more early cold war designs, this time for an actual historical scenario. I'm also starting to collected up the forces I need for a HOTT army. Lastly, I'm hoping to do a Shipwreck game some time in the next couple of weeks.

Gembloux Gap

Yesterday me and Christian played our first game of Megablitz. The scenario was the Gembloux Gap with the French verses the Germans. Here is a look at the map.



Even though this was NW Europe I went a little overboard with the road network and wasn't able to get them all on the table.

I commanded the French forces with the following:
             The Corps de Cavalry
                                  2nd Light Mechanized Division (2nd DLM)
                                  3rd Light Mechanized Division (3rd DLM)
                                  Remnants of the Belgian 2nd Infantry Division
                                  1 Fighter, 1 Light Bomber (Limited Fuel)
Christians had the Germans which had the following:
             The XVI Army Corps (Motorized)
                                  3rd Panzer Division
                                  4th Panzer Division
                                  2 Fighters, 2 Dive Bombers, 1 Level Bombers




The initial deployment. The 3rd DLM is in the north (top) around Hannut. Most of 2nd DLM is in the south behind an off shoot of the Muese River. The remnants of the Belgian 2nd Infantry Division can be seen deployed around Waremme just to the east. There engineer battalion deployed at Villere de Bouillet. At the crossroads in the NE corner is the bulk of 4th Panzer Division. 3rd Panzer Division and XVI Corps troops wouldn't arrive till later in the day.

In first game turn the 4th Panzer moved down the road and attacked the Belgians in Waremme. I sent out my numerous recon elements to get a picture of what the Germans were doing. Amazingly, though battered none of the Belgian units were lost in the first turn.



The 4th Panzer Division attacking Waremme. While the small town didn't cost LOG to attack it did give up to one battalion a defense factor of 1.

 On the second turn I started moving my tank regiments up to engage the 4th Panzer. Once again 4th Panzer attacked Waremme, with support from the 2 dive bomber groups. This time the Belgians weren't so luck, with all of the Belgian units around Waremme being destroyed. The Germans also started to deploy units to hunt down my recon units.

The armor regiments move up, while Ju-87 dive bombers attack the Belgians.

 On the third turn, the armor regiments clashed with 4th Panzer. They were supported by the French air force who were in turn attacked by the Luftwaffe. Fortunately I didn't lose many aircraft. Unfortunately I kept my armor units in mobile which made them less effective against the Germans.

The armor attacks the Germans with French air support.

 On the forth turn I pulled the armor back to place them within range of my artillery.

 On turn five my engineers finished making fortifications for some of my infantry units. Christian attack my armor regiments, destroying several of my tank battalions, while more of 3rd Panzer started to arrive.

French engineers hardening some of the infantry.

The end of turn 5. Some of 3rd Panzer's units can be seen arriving in the upper right.

 Turn 6 was the last turn of the first day. This saw the remainder of 3rd Panzer and the corps troops of XVI corps arriving in the NE corner. Christian launched another assault against my remaining armor battalions while also starting to attack my infantry line with dive bomber support. Despite using the last of my airplane fuel to give my units air support, the remainder of my tank battalions are destroyed. However my mechanics worked through the night and managed to bring one battalion back on line, some what.


The Germans attack across the front line.

The bulk of 3rd Panzer as well as the XVI corps troops arrive on the table.

During the night my corps maintenance company repairs enough tanks to bring one of my tank battalions back on line at reduced strength.

 Turn 1 of day 2 things stated to get gritty, as the Germans destroy several of my units north of Hannut. I sent the MG battalions that were attached to 2nd DLM north to launch a counter attack, but with little results. As a precaution, General Prioux pulled his headquarters back.

Things are starting to look bad.

 On turn 2 of day 2 the both the remainder 3rd DLM and 2nd DLM's infantry starts to pull back to the Dyle line allowing the Germans to overrun Hannut. The engineers blow the bridge across the off shoot rivers.

2nd DLM's engineers blow the bridge linking Hunnet with the south, as the Corps de Cavalry started to pull back to the Dyle line.

 Turn 3 of day 2 saw the french force trying to reform near the Dyle line as the Germans started to by pass them in the North.

French units trying to reform near the Dyle line.

 On turn 4 of day 2 I launched one last attack with the remaining infantry. While several of the German battalions were destroyed so were my remaining infantry units. At this time I decided to call it as I now only had one battalion of engineers available to hold Gembloux and the Germans were about to unleash the full fury of their Luftwaffe. My remaining combat units (an engineer battalion and two artillery regiments) would not be able to get there to help, thus this was a victory for the Germans.


The end of the game only battalion of engineers holds Gembloux as the Germans begin to breach the Dyle line. General Prioux can be seen hiding in the woods just to the north of the Germans.

Over all it was a fun game, some of the things I could have done better:
          Used attack orders during the first battle.
          Pulled back the infantry units of 2nd DLM sooner or maybe placing the one of the other battalions behind the Dyle line.

I also want to get some better terrain. Either some 3mm buildings or maybe some Monopoly houses. The cork tiles I was using appeared bumpy, but I think it was because of the felt cloth I was using to keep them in place. I hope to return to this someday, with an east front of desert scenario.