KURSK !!

 For some time I have been daydreaming about staging a large wargame. I umpired a 1/32nd Waterloo game down in deepest Devon a few years back and I fancied something similar but with 1/72nd figures and a Second World War theme. I wanted a big table and lots of tanks so The Battle of Kursk seemed the natural choice. Now, this comes with some issues! Like all WW2 'battles' it is vast - they aren't really battles at all but campaigns so I have had to break it down a bit in order to give the players the sense that they are commanding a large formation in the second world war and give the essence of warfare in that period without getting bogged down in detail. So I want it to be grim but fun!

This has entailed the construction and painting of a vast amount of figures and I have used some of them to test the intended rules (Rapid Fire). I got a bit lost as to what I had and what I need so have conducted an inventory. This is the Soviet 5 Guards Tank Army and friends:

 

For scale purposes - these are 1/72nd figures and vehicles laid out on an 8 foot by 5 foot table so currently no room for the Germans!

Returning Soon!

 I have been away for a while now but plan to resume soon. I have been studying for a PhD which has taken up rather a lot of my time and left me disinclined to write anything. However, it has given me ideas for new games and the wargaming hasn't been entirely neglected. Here is quick taste of what I've been up to; there may be full reports on some of these battles coming up! 

I have a new small table downstairs to distract me from my studies with ... well small games. This one involved little plastic pirate ships and sea monsters...

10mm Marlburians sauntered out a few times.

Here they are again - I quite liked the Old School aesthetic.

Up in the loft there has even been some Fantasy Gaming!

Those of a nervous disposition may wish to look away - it was all to encourage the young and ensure me a steady opponent in years to come - all to naught it seems but I did try!

More normal fodder but different period - Marston Moor 1644!

I painted quite a lot of these so there will be more!

Just to keep it fresh (and show off my extensive collection) I have bounced around many periods here some early WW2 Eastern Front action in the Brody Triangle.

I can't actually remember who won...

Sorry - more fantasy - Mordheim this time - Do shout out if any of this interests you and I'll do a post or two on it...

And, of course, there has been more of this kind of thing... Wagram refought with actual human opponents provided by the Yorkshire Research Group over two days.

 

Thann 1809

 The 1809 obsession continues. I was just about to move on from the events of 19th April when this popped up on a popular auction site:

I don't know if any of you recall this series but basically, Peter Heath was doing in the 80s what I am trying to do now - namely recreate historic battles in an accurate and hopefully enjoyable manner. He published a series of pamphlets detailing particular battles which were advertised in wargames magazines - I'd never actually owned any until now. This one covers all the battles of 19th April 1809 but I had already done quite a bit around Teugn/Hausen etc. so concentrated on the action just to the south where the Bavarians were deployed. In reality, Thierry was pretty much abandoned to fight the whole of VII Corps by himself but there were substantial Austrian forces nearby that only arrived late in the day despite their proximity. I included some of these troops otherwise it wouldn't have been much of a game. 

The table - Austrian V Korps are bottom left; Thierry's Brigade are in the centre around Kirchdorf and that's the Bavarians on the left approaching Biburg. I had to double the size of my Bavarian army for this battle - luckily had a few 'in stock'.

Starting Positions:

Thierry's Brigade occupies the high ground.

While the home team moves towards Biburg.

Turn 1:

A Bavarian General (probably Deroy) observes the enemy. (All figures converted from the Italeri Imperial General Staff set).

Biburg is occupied.

The Bavarians advance across their front - here Wrede orders up his cavalry and the heavy guns of the Corps Reserve.

                                            

                                            The Austrians seek to consolidate their position.
              

                    Thierry shakes out his force and establishes contact with Pfanzelter to his right.   

Turn 2:

Wrede moves up south of Biburg to intercept advancing elements of the Austrian V Korps.

 

Thierry remains out of range and so there is no action in the centre but Pfanzelter fires his battery to no effect.                   

.... And the guns of V Korps also echo across the valley but do the Bavarians no harm.

Turn 3:

The Bavarian left advances against Pfanzelter.

They move uphill against his Grenzer and overrun his sole artillery battery. Although the Grenzer prevail, the position is outflanked and the brigade seriously outnumbered. 

Pfanzelter opts to retreat, covered by his hussars whose sudden appearance panics the Bavarians who rout allowing the Austrians to draw off in good order.

                                        Wrede holds his position and dresses the line.

                              

                                    The Austrians move down from the hills to attack him.

Turn 4 (14:00)

The Bavarians face a dilemma; their units are smaller, so they will most likely lose a battle of attrition. Therefore they should attack and hope their superior morale drives the invader from the field but they are seriously outnumbered on their right and have been somewhat savaged on their left...

They go for it and move up across their whole front - here Wrede attacks, covered by his guns.

 Pfanzelter's brave hussars are overwhelmed 2:1 and the unit is wiped out.

Part of V Korps is thrown back and the Austrians lose a battery in front of Biberg.

Do I hear the Radetzky march? No - its not been composed yet but Radetzky has arrived and launches his uhlans in a bold flank attack. The Bavarians are sent reeling but the follow up is less successful so the uhlans fall back again.

Turn 5 - 15:00

The Bavarians continue to attack - forcing the Austrian right to change its facing.

Advancing uphill, Wrede's Division pummel V Korps and send them reeling. Just when it looks like the plan is working the V Korps reserve artillery arrives to save their comrades!

 

At Kirchdorf, Thierry's Austrians stand firm.

The revitalised Austrians turn the tables (and their guns) on Wrede's men!

Turn 6 - 16:00

STAY TUNED FOR MORE!

 

Country Life?

 No - this post isn't really about country living but this rather bucolic view is taken from the scene of my latest (well, only) wargame with actual people. In this delightful spot we refought the battle of Marengo using 30mm figures provided by our host, Ian Kay of Irregular Miniatures.

The French take position around the village of Marengo.

The Austrian right immediately moves to outflank them.

The French chose to weather the storm.

French hopes rested on the arrival of this lot from San Guiliano.

Here they are again in close up (NB - I didn't take any notes during this game and some of my pictures weren't very good but you get the idea!)

I commanded the Austrian left and here my troops begin a bold march round the French right flank- We were using un-adapted Volley & Bayonet rules and the moves are HUGE!

Meanwhile Marengo was subjected to a frontal assault.

 

... and the Grenzer began to snipe from the woods.

The battle in this sector soon became fierce with more units being fed in by both sides.

While in the centre Austrian cavalry sought to slow the advance of the French reserves. (we then had a nice lunch provided by Mrs Kay - for which; many thanks!).

Some Austrian units did suffer reverses but generally we felt that the odds were stacked against the French, Using strict V&B rules, they had trouble keeping their units under command, suffered heavily from the fire of the battalion guns embedded in most Austrian units and were completely finished off by 'divisional exhaustion'. 

By this pint of the game the Austrians had taken Marengo and suffered very few casualties. The larger units of the Austrians meant that they still had plenty of troops left whereas the French were pretty much finished. This was pretty much the result of the first stage of the battle historically but we felt that in this game the arrival of Desaix would have made no difference to the result.

The French general said had he known that the Austrian units were stronger and had better fire power he would probably not have tried to hold the position on the from stream but we all agreed that it was a pretty hopeless situation altogether and after lunch the result was never in doubt. Although disheartening for the French player it was interesting to try this early Napoleonic battle and great for me to get out and have a game with other people for once!