2022 Grimsby Cold War Commanders Game

 The weekend of the 7th to 10th October saw those Cold War Commanders who could make it assembling at the Grimsby Wargames Society venue for a mega game of CWC 1.5 (not quite CWC 1 and not quite CWC 2).  It was an opportunity to get my French armor on the table, with a French armored division (really only a reinforced brigade) shared between two players, each getting an armored battalion and a mechanised battalion, with each also getting a uniquely French armoured car battalion mounting the same gun as their bigger tracked AMX-30 chums.  There was also a VAB motorised infantry battalion and another armored car battalion in reserve.

On my left was my French commander, to my right was a light infantry battlegroup of US paratroopers, with some specially airlifted Sheridans in support, betong them a unit of British armor/mechanized infantry and beyond them on the far right a US battlegroup with M1s.  The French were deployed behind a substantial river, with flooded banks.  On the first day of the Warsaw Pact offensive, an East German Motor Rifle batt attempted to fan out on the French side of the river and roll up the defences, but some good initial moves meant the French were able to push into some key wooded areas ahead of the East Germans, who could then make little headway into the ring of French armor, despite using pre-planned smoke as a screen. 

French mechanized infantry on my left flank in contact with French armor to their left - a solid defence against river crossing.

French armor holding trees on the flank of the little town thinly held by the US paratroopers.

East Germans trying to close with the French.

Waves of French coming up in support.

East Germans advance beyond the smoke and are punished by withering French fire.

On the French right, armor and US ATGMs deal with another East German thrust.

River crossing still covered.

Overnight, the French on my left push amphibious mechanized infantry across the river and construct bridging points to allow the heavier armor across. 

The bridging column arrives.

Next morning, the Soviets push infantry and armor forwards to try to pinch out the crossings.

To my front, the French mechanized infantry consolidate their hold on the woods.

On my right, the US infantry look in danger, with a concerted WP effort to push through the boundary between them and the British.  To support, my armored cars moved into the town to form a secure firebase, while the French armor in the woods attempted to shift laterally to the right.  First turn orders weren't too helpful.

Eventually they got moving, just in time as the first Soviet tank brigade (in the far distance) was beginning to see the danger and swing to their right towards the new French menace.

Sheridans slow to get moving as well.

French pushing forwards.

In the excitement of the last couple of turns, I forgot pictures.  The French armour on the right were unable to take up better firing positions in the woods, but were able to put multiple activations of fire into the lead Soviet tank battalion, effectively destroying in.  The second battalion was more canny and from hull down positions on the ridge took out most of the French armor with some long range help from the East Germans.  However, the danger had past and the British and US were able to contain the Soviet push.  But for how long?  Lots of fun, a great weekend with good company, good food and drink and lots of laughs.

Thanks for looking.

6mm CWC post-lockdown game

 Some of the Cold War Commanders managed a get together to play a socially distanced wargame in a well ventilated room between players who had all had both jabs.  A nice scenario pitting three NATO brigades carrying out an opportunistic spoiling attack on a degraded Soviet and Czech troops.  In the photo below, Canadian (far left), German (middle left) and French (near left) were advancing left to right on hastily dug in Soviet (far right) and Czech (near right) defenders. 

After an initial couple of turns of programmed artillery fire and scouts moving and spotting, the first hidden pact troops were spotted and NATO advances their initial forces (two battalions up and one in reserve, awaiting the identification and degrading of key pact strongpoints).  Initial French advances (nearest the camera) were great, especially on the right flank where a mechanised battalion seemed particularly full of elan.

However, they were advancing on an apparently empty terrain (the hills in the foreground had just been swept by a particularly effective French artillery strike by a regiment of 155mm SPGs, wiping out a Czech AT company.

The French attempts to sweep around the hill to their front was a slow affair, not helped by programmed artillery hitting the crossroads in the village on the left, which pinned one of the cuirassier battlegroups.

The French mechanised battlegroup exhibiting wreckless elan - the fields to the right of the minefield were a programmed artillery point.

Czech defenders rush into the town to defend the crossing point, just in time to make the weak French mechanised battlegroup pause for thought.

Another cluster of Czechs attempting to pour flanking fire into the Germans to their right front, but doing so in the face of two squadrons of cuirassiers.

The final positions around 4pm on the day.  The French trying to get a move on, but failing command roles or blundering.  The cuirassiers beyond the road did get some telling fire into the Czech tanks and ATGMs supporting the infantry battlegroup in the woods in the distance.  The mechanised battlegroup nearest the camera were trading shots with tanks on the edge of the built up area around the river crossing.

Sadly, too few turns, but mainly due to us having a great laugh and enjoying the company of like-minded wargamers, something we've sorely missed in the last 18 months or so.

Nice to get the toys out on the table and a great venue for weekend gaming - one we hope to use again very soon.

Thanks for looking.

20mm WW2 Goumiers

A small 8 figure unit of Goumiers (Moroccan soldiers in French service) from Raventhorpe, representing a section for Battlegroup or Company for Rapid-Fire.  Four different poses, walking and advancing with rifles (3 of each) with a single SMG gunner with what looks like a Thompson and a single LMG gunner armed with what appears to be a Bren or perhaps more likely an FM24/29.  Their helmets appear British, while their webbing looks to be US, so suspect these are aimed at the post-Torch fighting in Algeria and Tunisia, although they would also be suitable for Sicily and Italy, possibly even the south of France, although I suspect there would be progressively more US weapons and equipment as the war progressed, in line with the rest of the French army.

These guys are depicted wearing their traditional striped coats in various shades of brown, sand and off-white.  Helmets are Russian uniform and webbing is khaki lightened with Iraqi sand.  All are washed in Agrax earthshade before gloss and matt varnish.

Three riflemen and the LMG gunner, Bren or quite possibly an FM24/29.

3 more riflemen plus the Thompson SMG gunner.

Rear views.

At some point I will probably bring them up to platoon/battalion strength, with a suitable French officer and a Hotchkiss HMG for support.

Thanks for looking.

20mm Free French North Africa (lockdown 7)

Strelets release of a box of Free French for North Africa came at just the right time to ride the wave of N African interest triggered by the release of Battlegroup Tobruk.  Sadly, they didn't make it to the painting table before interest at the club waned following disillusionment with BG Tobruk.  Well, lockdown gave me the incentive to get them out and paint them up.

I've organised these along similar lines to an 8th Army infantry platoon, with a platoon HQ of 5 men and three 10 man sections.  I need to research whether they would have followed UK organisation or retained their French organisation.  If the French, I'll need to add some rifle grenade launchers and another handful of riflemen.

Below shows the platoon HQ, with officer waving pistol on the right and, next to him, a senior NCO beckoning troops on.  Shorts and some shirts are Iraqi sand, some shirts and socks are khaki.  One figure wears long trousers, which are painted in a mixture of khaki and English uniform.

The platoon.

The two leader figures in more detail, photo not as crisp as I'd have liked.

First section.

Second section.

Third section.

Hotchkiss HMG team.  No kneeling figures in the Strelets box, so I used an 8th Army ESCI figure for the third crewman.

Support weapons aren't supplied in the Strelets set, so I will have to use 8th Army figures for 2" and 3" mortars and ATRs.  I may have to treat myself to a Hotchkiss AT gun from First to Fight with some early French crew.  Then I'm tempted to look out some figures suitable for colonial French or Italian local levies.

Thanks for looking.