German Grenadiers vs Brit Tanks in Encounter

A target rich environment!

Game 3 of the Lords or War MW 109 pt tournament was against Craig and his Brits. As always the painting level for Craig's army was outstanding! It's always so much more fun playing against a well painted army. Plus Craig is such a gentleman in all games it's always a good time. He had spent a lot of points on cards just like Shawn, which was new for me. One of them was the lucky card (may not have been the lucky card) which said that the player can automatically pass a saving throw. My question is what if you don't get to make a saving throw? The specifics was his OC in a Lee getting hit by a Tiger's main gun. We rolled off and carried on but I have no idea if we played it right.

Big Willie's German Grenadiers
OC and 2IC
Full Grenadier platoon
Full Grenadier platoon
Full HMG platoon
3 x 2cm SP AA trucks
3 x Marder IIIs
3 x PaK 40s
2 x 8-Rads
2 x 10.5cm guns
Tiger
looted KV

Craig's Brits
OC and 2IC in Grants
4 x Grants
4 x Grants
3 x Stuarts
3 x 6 pdr AT guns
4 x 25 pdr guns
Armoured Car Recce platoon
Full Armoured Rifle platoon

Set Up

Objectives are bottom center guarded by PaK 40s and across from them guarded by 6-pdrs. Other objective is behind the train station top left and off camera middle left by the oil tanks.. The parking lot of Brit tanks to the right are Craig's reserves

German Grenadiers vs US Light tanks in Dust Up

US tanks and Observer ready to take the fight to Jerry!

Lords of War in Oakville held their last MW 109 pts FoW tournament the other weekend. I decided to play my Ghost Panzer Grenadiers and see how they continue to stack up. My first game was against Dennis and his Americans from Fighting First.

Big Willie's Germans
OC with 2IC
Infantry platoon
Infantry platoon
HMG platoon
3 x SP 2cm AA trucks
3 x PaK 40s
3 x Marder III
2 x 10.5cm guns
2 x 8-Rads
Tiger I
looted KV

Dennis' Americans
OC and 2IC in Lees
5 x Lees
5 x Stuarts
Full Armoured Recce platoon
Full Armoured Recce platoon
Full Armoured Rifles platoon
3 x Armoured Mortars
3 x T19 SP guns
3 x M10s
4 x Brit 6-pdr AT guns


Set Up

Objectives are in front of the 10.5cm guns and in the woods and just above the house/church and in the woods at the top of the picture

Canadian Infantry vs US Tanks in Hasty Attack

Sherry Atkinson roars "Open Fire!" As Canadian AT guns shred US tanks crested on a nearby hill

Game 1 of the Lords of War de-escalation tournament was 90 points and I was against Denis and his beautifully painted and modelled American tanks. I had decided to bring my first Flames of War Army MW Canadians (using the rules in Armoured Fist) modelled after the 1st Company of The Royal Canadian Regiment (The RCR) who landed in Sicily, 75 years ago this July. If you haven't read the story about Op HUSKY and Sherry Atkinson, the AT platoon commander, check it out here. The tournament was using the battle plans system where both players select defender, manoeuvre or attack and depending on what each player selected you roll on a different chart to determine the mission you are going to play. I elected to defend with my infantry while Denis wanted to attack with his tanks. We rolled Hasty Attack and started setting up.

Big Willie's Royal Canadians
OC and 2IC
Full infantry platoon
Full infantry platoon
4 x 6 pdrs
4 x Vickers
3 x Universal Carriers with AT rifles
4 x 25 pdrs
3 x Churchills

Denis' American tanks
3 x Lee's with OC
2 x Lees
3 x Lees
5 x Stuarts
3 x T90s
3 x Armoured mortars
1 x Stuart FOO

Set Up

Objectives are central left and top left behind the wood and central right and top centre

West German Infantry vs Russian Afghansty in No Retreat near Essen and the Ruhr

Tornadoes darken the sky over Russian troops as West Germany moves to free Essen and the Ruhr

My third game of the Firestorm: Stripes campaign was against Shawn and his 64 point Russian Afghansty. This time the NATO players are on the offensive and I won the roll and became the attacker. I decided to attack from Munster into the WARSAW held area of Essen with the intention of knocking  5VP away from the WARSAW. Shawn opted to have a static defence and we rolled No Retreat.

What the campaign map looks like so far

Big Willie's West Germans

OC in Marder

Full infantry platoon in Marders

Full infantry platoon in Marders

2 x Luchs

3 x M109

OC in M113

Full infantry platoon in M113s

Short infantry platoon in M113s

3 x Leo1s

2 x Luchs

2 x Rolands

FIST

4 x LARs

4 x Tornadoes

Shawns Afghansty

OC

Full Afghansty infantry platoon with 2 Hinds

Full Afghansty infantry platoon with 2 HInds

3 x T64s

3 x BM21s

4 x Shilkas

Given that the mission has Deep Reserve and that Afghansty say the helicopters have to be on the table we agreed to have both platoons on the table but loitering while Shawn held an infantry platoon in ambush

Set Up

Objectives are in the central wood and top right at the bend in the road as it goes out of frame

West German Infantry vs East German Infantry in Hasty attack near Hildesheim

West German infantry employing superior field craft!

For my second game of the Firestorm Stripes campaign I played against Dean and his East Germans. This was the first game in the second group of games where the focus of the Soviet players was to complete the encirclement. Dean rolled to be attacking and elected to try and complete the encirclement of some NATO areas by attacking Hildesheim. I elected to try a static defence, vs a counter attack. We were once again playing 64 point armies and had the chance to play at our FLGS, Lords of War. If you are in the GTA check them out, its worth the drive!

Campaign Progress

Fighting battle 6 around Hildesheim

Big Willie's West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Marder infantry platoon
Full Marder infantry platoon
3 x M109s
2 x Luchs
OC in M113
Full M113 infantry platoon
Small M113 infantry platoon
3 x Leo1s
2 x Luchs
4 x LARs
4 x Tornadoes
1 x FIST
2 x Rolands

Dean's East Germans
OC
Infantry platoon with 2 x heavy weapons and AA attachment
Infantry platoon with 2 x heavy weapons and AA attachment
with Russian allied formation
OC in T72
3 x T72s
3 x T72s
3 x Carnations
4 x BTR60s
3 x Gophers
4 x Shilkas


Set Up

East Germans objectives are bottom centre behind the house, centre right in the woods, top right in the woods. West German objective is centre left just off frame behind the hill

USMC Rifle Company vs US Army Mechanised Rifle Company in Breakthrough

Marines supported by Amtracks ready to bring the pain

Game 3 of the Kingston Gaming Nexus' 64 point Team Yankee tournament was against Jay and his American Mechanised Infantry. Again we were playing with the battle plans and the more mission pack so I elected to attack and Jay elected to manouvre but this time we rolled breakthrough.

Big Willie's USMC
OC
Full Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Amtracks
Short Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Hueys
5 x M60s
2 x TOW
2 x TOW
4 x Stingers
3 x M109s with bomblets and mines
2 x Harriers

Jay's US Army
OC
Full mech platoon with extra dragons
Full mech platoon with extra dragons
4 x IPM1s
2 x VADs
3 x M109s

Set Up

Objectives are top right by the house and far left where the road disappears off the table

USMC Rifle Company vs East German Infantry in Encounter

A TOW platoon commander covers the advance of the M60s

My second game of the Kingston Gaming Nexus' 64 point Team Yankee tournament was against Dean and his East German and Russian force. The tournament was using the battle plans and more missions  so once again I decided to go all in and attack. Dean elected to manoeuvre which meant I was attacking and we rolled Encounter.

Big Willie's USMC Rifle Company
OC
Full Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Amtracks
Short Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Heuys
2 x TOW
2 x TOW
5 x M60s
3 x M109s with bomblets and mines
4 x Stingers
2 x Harriers

Dean's East Germans
OC
Small Rifle platoon with all the crew served weapons
Small Rifle platoon with all the crew served weapons
4 x Shlikas
3 x Carnations

Allies
OC in T72
3 x T72
3 x T72

Set Up and Turn 1

East German objectives are behind the cops of trees bottom centre and top right just off camera. USMC objectives are by the stream top centre and just off camera centre left

USMC Rifle Company vs West Germans in Encounter

Leathernecks secure the LZ and an objective!

This weekend I had the chance to play in the Kingston Gaming Nexus' 64 point Team Yankee Tournament. Nexus has an fantastic set up and the tables and armies looked great. Ian organised a very well organized and run event with 10 players. The tournament used the more missions rules from Battle Front. I was paired against Ross and his West Germans, I figured that playing USMC meant I should be on the attack, so I chose to do so and he chose to manoeuvre. Which lead to us rolling Encounter as the mission.

Big Willie's Leathernecks
OC
Full Rifle platoon with 2 dragons and 2 SMAWs in Amtracks
Short Rifle platoon with 2 dragons and 2 SMAWs in Hueys
5 x M60s
2 x TOW
2 x TOW
4 x Stringers
3 x M109s with bomblets and mines
2 x Harriers

Ross' West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Marder platoon
Short Marder platoon
3 x Jugar Is
2 x Gepards
2 x Luchs
OC in Leo1
3 x Leo1s
3 x Leo1s
3 x Panzer Mosers
3 x Jugar IIs
2 x Rolands
4 x Tornadoes

Set Up

Objectives are just out of frame high right, and top left side of the board behind the hill. Objectives on the other side are in between the building and wood and top left side near the woods

US Armoured Rifles vs US Light tanks in No Retreat

Shemans wading through the carnage while dominating the battlefield!

Game 3 of the Lords of War 80 point MW tournament was against Matt and his Stuart horde in No Retreat. My entire force is mechanised and while Matt had way more tanks than I did but he also had an entire infantry formation as part of his army which meant that I would be attacking. The deep immediate reserves were going to work in my favour limiting Matt to only a single tank platoon.

Big Willie's US Armoured Rifles
OC and 2IC in jeeps
Small Armoured Rifle platoon
Small Armoured Rifle platoon
Armoured Mortars
4 x Lees
4 x Shermans

Matt's US Light Tanks
OC and 2IC in Stuarts
5 x Stuarts
5 x Stuarts
5 x Stuarts
3 x T30s
Armoured Mortars

OC and 2IC infantry
Full Rifle platoon
Full Rifle platoon
4 x Lees

Set Up

Objectives are on the left side of the ruined Monastery and just in front of the ruined red building moving directly towards the camera

US Armoured Rifles vs British Tanks in Encounter

Capt America watches the advance of his Howling Commandos

My first game of v4 was as part of the Lords of War 80 point MW tournament. I've been playing Team Yankee and had played v3 so I figured I'd be good. I was lucky enough to be paired with Craig who was going to help guide me through this voyage of discovery with his Desert Rat tanks.

Big Willie's Armoured Rifles
OC and 2IC with jeeps
Armoured Rifle Platoon (-)
Armoured Rifle Platoon (-)
Armoured Rifle Mortars
4 x Lees
4 x Shermans

Craig's Desert Rat Tanks
OC, 2IC and 2 x Mortar Crusaders
3 x Crusaders
3 x Crusaders
3 x Crusaders
4 x 25 pdrs
2 x Hurriances
Allied Full Armoured Rifle Platoon

Set Up

Objectives are centred inside of the platoons on the left and are top right and top centre

West German Infantry vs British Armour in Hasty Attack

West German Infantry dug in securing the objective

The final 50 point game for the Lords of War deescalation tournament was against Jay and his British Armour. This was the last game of the tournament and being infantry I was more than happy to secure the objectives and let Jay try and pull it out of my hands. This mission is a little different as it uses Ambush (defender), Immediate Reserves (attacker), and Scattered Reserves (defender). In addition, the attacker places 2 objectives and the defender places on in their own table half and then before the start of the game after all forces have been deployed the attacker removes one of the objectives they placed. I chose my Leo1s to go into ambush and hoped that my infantry and OCs backed with the MLRS would be enough to hold on until the reserves could arrive.

Big Willie's West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Marder platoon
Full Marder platoon
Luchs platoon

OC in M113
Full M113 platoon
Small M113 platoon
Luchs platoon
3 x Leo1s

OP M113
4 x MLRS with mines

Jay's British Armour
OC in Chieftain
3 x Chieftains
3 x Chieftains
4 x Swingfires
2 x Scorpions
2 x Abbotts

Set Up

British objectives are central bottom right behind the wall and left at the edge of the road and far right beside the swamp. The West German objective is central top between the woods and t-intersection

West German Infantry vs British Tanks in No Retreat

BO 105 covers the advancing infantry by suppressing Brit tanks

Game 2 of the Lords of War deescalation tournament was 75 points. I had the chance to play against Craig and his Brit Armour in No Retreat. Craig and I both wanted to defend so we needed to roll off which Craig won and elected to defend.

Big Willie's West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Marder infantry platoon
Full Marder infantry platoon
3 x M109s
Luchs

OC in M113
Full M113 infantry platoon
Full M113 infantry platoon
3 x Leo1s
Luchs

4 x MLRS with mines
4 x Tornadoes
2 x BO 105s
2 x Rolands

Craig's British
OC and 2IC in Chieftains with stillbrew
3 x Chieftains
3 x Chieftains
Full Infantry platoon plus 2 milans
2 x Blowpipes
2 x Swingfire
2 x Scorpions
Highlanders platoon

Set Up

Objectives are just behind the factory far left and just behind the oil tanks central to the picutre

West German Infantry vs West German Panzers in Free for All

Luftwaffe Tornadoes take out a Leopard 1 guarding the objective

Game 1 of the Lords of War deescalation tournament was 100 points and I had a chance to plan against Matt. This was going to be the first game of Team Yankee with my newly almost finished painted West Germans. This army is the first one I've painted using an air brush and I really enjoyed it, I will have some tutorials coming.

Big Willie's West Germans
Formations
OC in Marder
Full Marder platoon
Full Marder platoon
3 x Leopard 2 platoon
2 x Luchs

OC in M113
Full M113 platoon
Full M113 platoon
3 x Leopard 1 platoon
3 x M109 platoon
2 x Luchs

Support
4 x MLRS with mines
OP M113
2 x Rolands
4 x Tornadoes

Matt's West Germans
Formation
OC in Leopard 1
3 x Leopard 1s
3 x Leopard 2s
3 x Leopard 2s
4 x Gepards
Half Marder platoon
2 x Luchs

Support
4 x MLRS

Set Up

Objectives are bottom centre, and far left for Matt West Germans and my West Germans have near right and top centre for objectives

USMC Tanks vs British Tanks in Encounter

The OC moves from cover to keep the street clean!

The final game of the Lords of War 80 point Team Yankee tournament was against Jay and his British tanks. We were playing Encounter and this was going to be the first time that I faced off against the Brits. I've been told that their infantry are tough and their tanks are only slightly easier. Jay's army looked awesome and I find that is what truly makes the game enjoyable, when two well painted armies clash on a good looking battlefield.

Big Willie's USMC

OC in M1

4 x M1 platoon

3 x M1 platoon

3 x M113 mortars

2 x Vads

2 x A10s

Jay's Brits

OC in Chieftain

3 x Chieftains

3 x Chieftains

3 x Swing fire platoon

Full Infantry platoon

6 x Blow pipes platoon

6 x Recce

3 x Lynks Helos

Air Assault infantry platoon

Set Up

Objectives are top of the picture by the woods on the right and farm house on the left and behind McDonalds in the field and just off frame bottom centre by the M1s

USMC Tanks vs East Germans in No Retreat

USMC Tanks light up the advancing Red Tide!

Game 2 of the 80 point Team Yankee tournament at Lords of War was against Shaun and his East Germans. This was my first time playing a No Retreat mission and with deep immediate reserves it meant that I was only going to have 4 M1s on the table to start. Hopefully they would be able to hold off the East Germans until the other tanks could arrive.

Big Willie's USMC
OC in M1
4 x M1s
3 x M1s
2 x Vads
3 x M113 Mortars
2 x A10s

Shaun's East Germans
OC in T-72
6 x T-72s
6 x T-72s
OP BMP
3 x BMP Recce
5 x BMP platoon
2 x Gopher
2 x Shilka
3 x Carnations

Set Up

Objectives are behind the gas station shallow bottom left and behind the Golden Arches middle left

USMC Tanks vs West Germans Tanks in Encounter

USMC M1 catches West Germans tanks dashing for cover!

My first game of the 80 point tournament at Lords of War was against Matt and his West Germans. The first mission was Encounter and this would be my first ever Team Yankee tournament game and my third game of Team Yankee so I was hoping that I could remember the rules. Matt had a beautifully painted army, which is always a real pleasure to play against.

Big Willie's USMC
OC in M1
4 x M1 platoon
3 x M1 platoon
2 x Vads
3 x M113 Mortars
2 x A10s

Matt's West Germans
OC in Leo 1
3 x Leo 1
3 x Marders platoon
3 x Leo 2
4 x Gepards
4 x Tornadoes
2 x Luchs

Set Up

Objectives are in the open behind the field and church on the right and in between the  house and hill and on the rail line on the left

82 Airborne Glider Engineers vs 101 Easy Company in Breakthrough

The OC, Capt America watches the deployment of his forces

Game 3 of the Lords of War 1750 LW Bastogne themed tournament was against Matt and Easy Company of the 101st. Those that have read my other battle reports know this would be the second time that my 82nd had gone toe to toe with the 101st. The final mission was Breakthrough and the special rules we used were ice, snow and fog. Fog would be a real challenge for me because until it lifts its just like fighting at night. Which meant my observers would have a hard time seeing Matt's army.

Big Willie's 82nd
OC and 2IC
Full Engineer platoon with cart and 'zooks
Full Engineer platoon with cart and 'zooks
Cav Recon platoon
4 x Sherman platoon with 8 Easy 8s and a Jumbo
3 x 105mm guns
3 x Priests
2 x 155 Long Toms
Limited Air support

Matt's Easy Coy 101st
OC and 2IC
Full para platoon
Full para platoon
Full para platoon
4 x AT gun platoon with 'zooks
6 x glider 105mm
2 x para 75mm
4 x Int Jeeps
2 x 81mm mortars

Set Up

Objectives are on the road by the edge of the wire and near the top centre corner just behind the hill

82nd Airborne Glider Engineers vs US 2ID in Dust Up

US planes swoop down on a strafing run machine guns catching a platoon in the open

My second game of Lords of War 1750 LW Bastogne themed tournament was against Christian and his US 2ID. I've only played against US 2ID once before and I've heard a bunch of the complaints and people calling them wood elves. I understand what the game designers were going for but have a really hard time thinking that these troops would move faster across country that Paratroopers, Rangers, Commandos, and FSSF. In this game we had ice, snow, and the threat of a blizzard. The mission was Dust Up and I was the attacker.

Big Willie's 82nd
OC and 2IC
Full Engineer platoon with cart and 'zooks
Full Engineer platoon with cart and 'zooks
Cav Recon platoon
4 x Sherman platoon with 8 Easy 8s and a Jumbo
3 x 105mm guns
3 x Priests
2 x 155 Long Toms
Limited Air support

Christians US 2ID
OC and 2IC
Full infantry platoon
Full infantry platoon
HMG platoon
Mortar platoon
4 x Towed tank destroyers
4 x 105mm guns
Engineer platoon
2 x Cav Recon platoons
AA platoon
Dismounted Recon
AOP

Set Up

Objectives are centre between the two snow drifts and behind the bottom left hill and the other objectives are in the village top right

82nd Airborne Glider Engineers vs Kampgruppe Pieper in No Retreat

82nd Airborne Glider Engineers dug in around the objective

Lords of War ran a 1750 LW theme Battle of the Bulge event and it was one of the best run tournaments that I've played in. It was also the first time that I've played with the weather effects of ice, snow, blizzards and fog. My first game was against Rob who was rocking a King Tiger Pieper list. The mission was No Retreat and it used the rules for snow, and ice which didn't hurt me as the defender but would slow Rob's advance.

Big Willie's 82
OC and 2IC
Full Engineer platoon with cart and 'zooks
Full Engineer platoon with cart and 'zooks
Cav Recon platoon
4 x Sherman platoon with 8 Easy 8s and a Jumbo
3 x 105mm guns
3 x Priests
2 x 155 Long Toms
Limited Air support

Rob's Germans
OC in King Tiger
King Tiger Platoon
5 x Panzer IV platoon
Full Grenadier platoon
2 x Grilles
3 x Whrilbilwinds
4 x Cannon half-tracks

Set Up

Objectives are in the woods centre foreground and just in to the left of the woods behind the windmill

King Tigers vs Canadian Infantry in Dust Up

Lines of sight confirmed

The other weekend I was able to go to Council Fires in Brantford. It was a mostly historical gaming convention with some fantasy games mixed in . As part of the convention there was a 1420 point LW Flames of War tournament. My first game was against Craig and his wonderfully painted Canadians.

Big Willie's King Tigers
OC in King Tiger
King Tiger
King Tiger
Full Grenadier platoon with fausts
2 x armoured mortars
2 x Pumas
3 x 2cm SP (AA) guns

Craig's Canucks
OC and 2IC
Full infantry platoon
Full infantry platoon
Breaching Sherman platoon
Breaching Sherman platoon
4 x 25 pdrs
2 x 3 Wasp platoons
2 x 17/25 pdrs

Set Up

Objectives are behind the woods top centre and middle of the frame on the road for the Germans and behind the building and alone in the fields bottom centre