Cassino Update + Panzer Corps

Here is the Cassino terrain so far:










Panzer Corps
I must admit to not playing many comptuer games. I'd much rather at the end of the night have a unit of tanks or infantry painted and be able to see the results of my labours. However, when Panzer General first came out it was my favourite computer game- and I played it many, many times. I also enjoyed PG II and used to occasionally play that. The only other computer game I used to play regularly was Steel Panthers (with Dale via e-mail).

Anyhow, Matrix Games have recently released Panzer Corps, which is basically an updated version of the original Panzer General. I got a copy yesterday and am happy with the way it plays so far- the missions seem based on the original Panzer General and I like the way it plays.






Craig

WIP Cassino Table + FJ

The beginnings of the Cassino table.

I've decided to make several pieces of scatter terrain for the Cassino inspired table- some ruined buildings and piles of bomb craters and rubble. Suitably painted to represent the town, or anywhere else in Italy for that matter.

A JR Miniatures Cassino ruin rebased (stuck in plaster so its not going anywhere). A mixture of cat litter & sand was applied to the wet plaster and then when that had dried the rubble was covered in watered down PVA to bind it together- next step is to paint the rubble. I find the watered down PVA is a necessary step and also use it with the bases for the infantry and guns as it stops the rubble from flaking off over time and makes it easier to paint the base too.



Some more JR buildings based and ready for painting.


With the still wet sand/pva mix its a bit hard to see any bomb craters yet.


And meanwhile work continues on the Fallshrimjager field fortifications.

Trenches- made out of kebab sticks, MDF and permafilla tonight.




V3 of the pak nests- slightly smaller than the original versions they are now a bit bigger than a large FoW bases. I glued a washer to the base (which was then coved in basing sand to hide it) and attached an earth magnet to each gun so they can either be placed in their nests or on the standard base- the magnet stops the guns from moving. This is a new plan so I don't have to buy even more pak 40s (or artillery), and a system I intend to use for several other armies to make my artillery and AT guns multipurpose. I'll simply create bases with crew for different forces (I've far too much artillery as it is and don't want to buy even more) and place the guns on the base that suits the army/game.



Pak 40 nests, 2x Flak 38 nests and my panzer II turret.


Nebelwerfers rebased with my new "Cassino" rubble bases.




Craig

NZs Steampunk Capital

Oamaru a small town of less than 10,000 people that is famous in NZ for its limestone (Oamaru stone) and Victorian buildings. It has some truly stunning architecture and its Old Precinct is now the home to many cottage industries and boutique craftsmen who are preserving skills of yesteryear. The town is well worth a visit.


In the last 2-3 years Oamaru has embraced Steampunk and each October a Steampunk festival is held (and attracts support from the world famous Weta Workshop) . The town now embraces steampunk and proudly proclaims itself the Steampunk Capital on NZ- which makes this rural town (rural towns traditionally being known for their conservatism in NZ) an eclectic mix farmers and slightly mad/eccentric Steampunk ethusiasts and their Steampunk alter egos. Throw Alf's Imperial Army into the mix (still defending the Empire for all sorts of foes) and you have a very interesting wee town to visit.

Here are a few of the Steampunk exhibits on dispaly on the mainstreet of Oamaru.














Steampunk HQ










Craig

FoW- Breakthough Assault Mission

This is one of the scenarios in Stalin's Onslaught. I made a table for it not long after it came out and we have used it at a number of competitions. I'm posting pictures so that players can see what is looks like. The main change to the scenario is that the defending player has all his force on board except for one armoured unit (if they have them)- this is called the "Panzer Reserve" and must be a fully armoured tank platoon (i.e top armour 1 or 2) before any other platoon.

It plays well, there are several avenues of attack and the attacker gets to utilise pioneers if they have them. The attacker starts 24" in (edge of the first board) aso not much ground to cover before the bun flight begins.

Cassino FJ for Conquest

Nick has posted his force and after last week's game I've settled on mine. I have started rebasing nebelwerfers and making more pak nests- I am on V 3 of them now. The original ones look cool but are a bit big and the versions I made last night a bit small so I am half way through V3.

	HQ + 2iC PK	60
2x	Panzershrek	60
2x	Stummelwerfers	50
10x	FJ + P/K	270
10x	FJ + P/K	270
4x	Stug III (CV)	380
4x	FJ Marders	315
3x	NW 41 Nebelwerfers	105
	Cassino fortifications	240
		1750
1x	HMG nest	40
1x	Flak 38 Nest	25
3x	pak 40 nests	135
1x	Panzer II turret	30
2x	Trenches	10
		240

Changes from the other night?
1) NW 41s rather than the heavier NW 42.
I need them for smoke mainly and at 105 pts they are a real steal! To squeeze in the third pak nest I had to downgrade the HMGs to a flak nest and lose the gun pits- which I know I'll miss! I could keep the HMG bunker and add the gunpits by losing a panzershrek but two of them were so handy the other night I loathe to do so- similarly the trenches were handy so I intend to keep those too.

2)Adding a 3rd pak nest so they can cover each other a bit better.

So there we have it, no AT above 12 but a reasonably solid defensive force. However, I also have 22+ Fearless Vet infantry and when properly supported by marders + stugs they should have some go forward too on attack and so I think they should be able to cope with a variety of opponents on either attack or defence- and be reasonably difficult to shift. I guess we will soon see...

So I've a lot of fortifications and nests to make, not to mentino a Cassino inspired table- I'm almost finished the panzer II bunker though.

FJ vs Tankovy- Conquest test

A slight change of plan. I ended up testing out Cassino FJ.

HQ, 2x shreks, 2x stummels
10x FJ + P/K
10x FJ + P/K
4x marders
4x stugs
3x neb 42

Fortifications
Panzer II turret
2x pak 40 nests
2x HMGs
3x gun pits
2x Trenches

We rolled up Witches Cauldron (it was eitehr that or dust up). I was surprised to find it simialr to my old Counter Attack mission. I got to dfend so chucked down my fortifications and Dale palced his (SU 76) objectives. I deployed both FJ and the mardes in ambush, leaving the stugs, nebs + stummels as reserves.

The Cassino ruin was at the edge of my deployment zone. Dale's 2x T34 companeis ended up deployed on opposite quarters.

 

I changed the location of the marders- deciding against this location in front of 10x T34s- and changing to put them opposite the other T34s (which were in the opposite side) almost cost me the game on turn 2 & 3.

T34s prepare t advance- I've always liked Dale's T34s. His mid war horde was a real pain to face- I've loaned him some Green T34/85s as he doesn't have any. 

Turn 2 the horde assaults- after destroying the pak nest.

 This isn't looking good!

Not good at all. I foolishly counter attacked after losing 4 teams on round 1- I either missed or Dale saved all panzerknacker/shrek saves and decimated the platoon- leaving me with 2 rather stunned stands vs 10 tanks!

The platoon commander just remains in contesting range!

Meanwhile my immediate ambush troops (marders which stayed GtG) and the other T34s ignored each other. At this point Andrew, one of the original members when we established TAG, playing his first FoW game in 6 years, joined Dale to command half the Soviet force.

Luckily the stugs then turned up and between them and the marders- two who bogged (skill tests) in the rubble started sniping the T34s and started wearing them down. The other FJ platoon managed to move through the trenches to bolster the, rather shakey, defence.

I manage to bail a few tanks with stugs and marders

On the other flank Andrew moves forward, knokcing out two marders. 

  

The pak nest takes out a couple of tanks though.

Finally the FJ manage to see off the t4s- the T34s fail to counter attack, leaving 4 burning hulls and the survivors flee.

The T34s of andrew rumble forward to engage the remaining marders and infantry- and to contest the other objective. The paknest didn't last long.

Things got a bit silly near the end- stormtroopering panzershreks, the last marder finally fell to the T34s when it failed to stormtrooper into cover. The SU 100s fell to an infantry assualt- 2 dead, one bailed the survivor fled. The last Spetnez stand after being hunted by stugs passed his sole survivor roll 5 turns in a row. In conscutive turns a T34/76 hit and killed a stug! But finally the Spetnze had had enough, taking the Co with them and giving the Germans a hard fought 4-3.


The SUs die to FJ assault.

This is getting embarrassing! Its only a T34/76!

Dales thoughts on SU 100s half way through the game?
"These are "F&%ken shit!"
My reply? "See, I told you!" 

However Dale is now keen to go to Conquest and is threatening to unleash a list he's wantded to run for a long, long time...King tigers. Just because that is the random stuff he enjoys.I wqillt ake my version of the T34 lsit against it- SU 152s + Razvedki from FEII rather than the SU 100s.

It as great to get a game in vs Dale after such a long time- hopefully we can get some more regular games going, and now Andrew is back he's looking keen too.

Changes to the FJ? 
Drop the NW 42 for NW 41 (which have smoke) and get some more trenches and take a couple of Flak 38 nests instead of the 2nd HMG bunker. The 2+ save kept me from being rolled over on turn 2! I quite like these Green Devils!

Craig