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Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: Dan on August 20, 2008, 10:26:42 AM

Title: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 20, 2008, 10:26:42 AM
Hi all , well we had a great weekend playing three scenarios of Dads Army verses the German Invaders . I'm going to post this over a few nights as theres a few photos to organise . I'm also a bit vague on some things that happened so will try and recreate what happened .
The game was played at the Wellington Warlords Call to Arms Convention.

First up the table all laid out ready for action.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/2780265959_d068bd3dc8_o.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3096/2780265901_3b20643c10_o.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3115/2780265843_ecbb3057cb_o.jpg)

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2098/2780265719_4087df2b8e_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 20, 2008, 10:40:14 AM

Date : Late August 1940 Saturday Morning .
Place : Vicars Office , the Church Hall ,Walmington on Sea .
Characters : Mainwaring and Wilson .

Wilson- Its been such lovely weather the last couple of days . I would like to have taken Mrs. Pike for a stroll down by the Sea this evening , but it looks such a sight with all those defense works . Such a shame really.
Mainwaring- Well Wilson , if we are to keep the Hun at Bay we have to  suffer a few indignities . Anyway it  looks like the Germans are too busy with our Gallant  Allies of the French and Dutch resistance  to be of much bother to us.
Wilson- I did say you were taking a risk sending Corporal Cake and the other men away to help with the Harvest . I guess Jones and the others can cope with the Patrols.
Mainwaring- Wilson you worry too much , we now have the Lifeboat crew armed with Tommy guns , so they can help out guarding our part of the coastline for the weekend.
Wilson- Yes I hope they have secured the deckchairs , and have the Tea rooms all locked up.
Mainwaring- Really Wilson , I wish you would take this more seriously.
Jones- (bursting into room) CAPTAIN MAINWARING , CAPTAIN MAINWARING , the Nazi's have arrived , Paratroopers have dropped in the woods near Godfreys Cottage.
Mainwaring- Calm down Jones , who told you this ?
Jones- Mr. Godfrey sent his sister Dolly to the shop to tell me , so I could come and warn you .
Mainwaring- Why didn’t he just phone?
Jones- He wanted to go home for his uniform first . The Nazi's have landed DON’T PANIC. (runs out door shouting)
Ring , Ring (telephone)
Mainwaring- Yes , Hello Mainwaring speaking .
Mainwaring- Godfrey , what’s happening , how many Nazi's have landed? , Yes , how many ,Yes I see. Ok make your way here as soon as possible.
Mainwaring- Wilson , that Dornier that has been flying around the coast the past week has had engine trouble , and has landed behind the woods near Godfreys Cottage.
Wilson- How many have landed ?
Mainwaring- Just the crew , but they are still dangerous .Get the men here , I will phone Area Command.

END OF SCENE ONE

Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: postal on August 20, 2008, 10:41:28 AM
very nice layout.cant wait to see more.
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Plynkes on August 20, 2008, 10:48:28 AM
That table is just bloomin' fantastic.

(What word do you think you can't show, Dan? You are allowed to type the word 'Nazi' here, if it's that. You just can't show pictures of Swastikas, in accordance with German law, that's all.)
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 20, 2008, 10:54:10 AM
The first game the German Airmen had to cross the board starting from the woods near Godfreys Cottage . They had to escape using any Boat available ( LifeBoat , rowboats or the trawler ) . I did'nt count on them stealing Jones Van  , but Pike saved the day by shooting it up forcing the Aircrew to dismount and were then captured by the Lifeboat crew .
I thought I had taken more photos but only found these three on my camera.
Some civilians were controlled by the German players stopping characters from doing anything by getting into arguments .
 
Walker , Jones and a Policeman trying to capture the Aircrew but were handicapped by the Verger .

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/2781148426_b8c863c037_o.jpg)

The Airmen and Spy (Nun) escaping the disabled Van.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2781148380_8c646c5337_o.jpg)

The Secret Plans and last of the Airmen captured just short of the LifeBoat house.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3214/2781148478_7d7fa99430_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 20, 2008, 10:56:30 AM
That table is just bloomin' fantastic.

(What word do you think you can't show, Dan? You are allowed to type the word 'Nazi' here, if it's that. You just can't show pictures of Swastikas, in accordance with German law, that's all.)

Ok thanks , I thought Nazi was not allowed but am happy I can use it . I will go back and edit the first post.

The table was a joint effort with my buddies Ray and Scott . We have been building for about four years using the terrain for three previous Demo Games.
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Geudens on August 20, 2008, 01:03:03 PM
More than inspirational!  I still have the Foundry set unpainted in the pile, but - when seeing this - am tempted to move it somewhere near the top of the mountain...

Rudi
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Westfalia Chris on August 20, 2008, 01:12:31 PM
Superb! That must be the first time I´ve seen a seaside pier recreated on a wargames table!
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Will Bailie on August 20, 2008, 01:53:08 PM
Damn, Dan, that's absolutely brilliant!  Best regards to Ray and Scott - you guys have done a fantastic job.

W
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Malamute on August 20, 2008, 02:18:10 PM
Wonderful stuff. I love Dads Army and reading your scenario. I could see it playing out on the TV.  :)
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: marrony on August 20, 2008, 05:55:15 PM
Great stuff Dan!Excellent tables and smashing blokes too.More please! :-*
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Supercollider on August 20, 2008, 06:03:19 PM
 :-*  Fantastic!
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Grimm on August 20, 2008, 07:27:20 PM
 :o :o genius terrain !!!!
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: pbeccas on August 21, 2008, 02:40:02 AM
And the winner of the gold medal is ...... Dan
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Backyardpatrol on August 21, 2008, 03:37:06 AM
I've always wanted to game Seelowe; Something about panzer III's (with snorkels) mysteriously surfacing en masse on a peaceful seaside village.  :o
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: archangel1 on August 21, 2008, 04:11:36 AM
I've always wanted to game Seelowe; Something about panzer III's (with snorkels) mysteriously surfacing en masse on a peaceful seaside village.  :o

Crossing a river with a snorkel would have been claustrophobic enough.  Can you imagine having to cross anything larger, with your lives dependent on a thin tube feeding you air, in a vehicle where visibility would have been nil? I have visions of a pelican hitching a ride on the open end, cutting off your air, somewhat like poor Sylvester the cat, with the seagull happily landing on his breathing tube!  :D
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: aircav on August 21, 2008, 07:53:56 AM
Looks fantastic  :D :D
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Hammers on August 21, 2008, 10:31:45 AM
Fantastic, Dan!
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 21, 2008, 10:33:21 AM
Date : Saturday Evening .
Place : Church Hall .
Characters : Mainwaring and Wilson .

Mainwaring- Well Wilson that was an interesting day , those German Airmen certainly gave us a run for our money .
Wilson- Yes they seemed just like us , rather normal chaps . Shame they didn’t like Godfreys tea . I suppose they prefer coffee .
Mainwaring- Really Wilson , I hope you aren’t going to offer Hitler’s Storm troopers Tea when they come knocking on your door.
Wilson- Well I hope we have some coffee for them . Maybe we could get Corporal Cake to bring some back with him just in case .
Mainwaring- (speechless for a few moments) Glad we called Cake and the rest of the platoon back , they should be here soon.
Ring , Ring  (telephone)
Mainwaring- Yes Mainwaring here.
Mainwaring- Area Command ? What Paratroopers again , it must be a mistake . Oh I see .
Mainwaring- Wilson , get the Platoon ready . Area Command advises that German Paratroopers have landed near the woods and are making their way here .
Wilson- Oh how awfully inconvenient , I was hoping to have a fish supper with Mrs. Pike . I suppose I will have to postpone it now .
(leaves room)
Mainwaring- Area Command , this what we have been training for but we can only hold them for so long .
Mainwaring-  Ok , we will do what we can until you get us some help
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 21, 2008, 10:47:07 AM
Thanks for all the replies  :)

Next game the German Paras landed in the fields and had four objectives to take out . Phone Box , 2 x Search Lights and an Anderson Shelter . Achieving any of these would give them a point each . The HG got a point for any Paratroopers that they captured ( max 4 ) .

I seem to have forgotten to take many photos again  :-[

Para Command setting up defense.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3132/2783162873_224f390ac7_o.jpg)

Section two arming themselves.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/2783162899_6a6feb1e3b_o.jpg)

Hq and section one advancing but coming under fire .

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2783162921_f4cec47930_o.jpg)

Home Guard capturing section two's container and a Paratrooper. The container dropped just outside the Church Hall.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/2784015644_38ce74c644_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Hammers on August 21, 2008, 10:53:02 AM

I seem to have forgotten to take many photos again  :-[


I know what that is like. One should have a dedicated non-game-participant doing that.
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 21, 2008, 10:59:10 AM
This game was quite a bit of fun as we used the FOW Air Drop rules for the Paras but modified them by doubling the measurements . We also had a night time rule that meant after six turns it was dark . Limiting visability to 16 inches and adding a +1 to hit. The Paras took advantage of nightfall by using a table edge to move so the HG could not see them (or shoot ) most of the final turns .

The Paras managed to destroy the Telephone Box which was quite a battle for awhile .
They also stole Jonse's Van and attempted to drive to the house near the Lifeboat house , but were stopped short of destroying the Anderson Shelter which was in the back yard. I was really worried that they were actually heading to the Church Hall to retrieve the prisoner , taking away my point .
Another group stole some bicycles that the HG had left behind and attempted to get to the Searchlight which was on the end of the Pier but were shot up too much so failed .

So this game was a draw with one point each.

End of the first day of gaming.
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 21, 2008, 11:02:21 AM
Superb! That must be the first time I´ve seen a seaside pier recreated on a wargames table!

Wait till you see it filled with Zombies  :-* ( my next project ) I was also trying to make some deck chairs and Beach Huts , but ran out of time. :'(
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 21, 2008, 11:07:32 AM
The two Search lights were located ; in front of the Pier Tea rooms and above the steps mid centre of the Seawall ( just above trawler ).

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/2784047454_ac68e6cc80_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Lowtardog on August 21, 2008, 11:13:37 AM
A fantastic game, well done your hard work has surely paid off :D
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: MadMö on August 22, 2008, 07:32:06 AM
Great! Wonderful!
I´m waiting for the third battle.
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Overlord on August 23, 2008, 08:11:03 AM
Excellent looking game Dan.  :o :-*
The hard work obviously paid off.

Wonderful stuff. I love Dads Army and reading your scenario. I could see it playing out on the TV.  :)
Same here.  You can see the scene in your head as you read it  (well, I can.... o_o )
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 23, 2008, 10:15:17 AM
Hi all , I wrote the introductions as I am such a fan of Dads Army and wanted the other players to get into the spirit of the game beforehand .

Date : Sunday Morning .
Place : Area Command.
Characters : Colonel Square , Major Loftus and his Batman Nigel.

Colonel Square- Bit worrying Loftus , we’ve not heard from Mainwaring since last night.
Major Loftus- Yes we’d better send those units we’ve managed to alert down to support them , and I guess we’d better have a look ourselves .
"Nigel  bring the car round".
Colonel Square- Better bring those Documents , don’t want them falling into the wrong hands .
Nigel- Should I bring the Golf Clubs ?
Major Loftus- Yes this could be just a flap about nothing , we might have time for a round or two.

I neglected to take some photos of the first moves but this will set the scene with the second section of the HomeGuard leaving the Hall on bicycles.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/2789334270_51cfd8d3d6_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 23, 2008, 10:24:21 AM
The Germans are "INVADING " :o

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/2788482145_7b45026b24_o.jpg)

The Germans are Landing .

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/2788482195_e8f781cd80_o.jpg)

The Germans have Landed.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/2789334372_b3df277532_o.jpg)

Unfortunately for the Germans the British reinforcements arrived very quickly ( I have to rewrite the scenario for another go ) so they were pinned down on the Seafront by a Hmg , a sniper ( Mr Brown ) 2 x Vickers and a Matilda . The Infantry began to arrive very quickly to reinforce the defense .
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 23, 2008, 10:32:10 AM
The landings continue with the trawler making a nusience of itself after shooting up a Vickers Tank .

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/2789335380_29f64d3319_o.jpg)

The Boy Scouts taking command of the road to Godfreys Cottage , The objective of the game.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/2789335434_229db50164_o.jpg)

Mainwaring controlling the defence ( at a safe distance of course ).

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2789335468_3694d608f1_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 23, 2008, 10:45:40 AM
Not sure how but this Soldier managed to remain by his Searchlight the whole of the game , right in the centre of the front line . The game was called off at this stage as we were running out of time and it was obvious that it was a hard slog for the Germans .
I should have allowed more transport as rolling 6's to land the Char B tied up one lighter for ages.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/2789335552_f223a3b38c_o.jpg)

The End.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3023/2788484121_bd05256c8a_o.jpg)

The rules we used were a variation of Mordheim which my friend Ray modified for WW2 . I think they were originally used by his old Club in Edinburgh and he made some further changes for vehicles and some other thing we wanted to add.

Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: joroas on August 23, 2008, 11:00:33 AM
Lovely photo to end on...........
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: argsilverson on August 23, 2008, 08:31:33 PM
Very interesting and inspiring.
Where did you get the searchlight from? I need a couple for my boats!
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 24, 2008, 01:59:41 AM
I found the searchlight in my local railway shop. I reduced the height and added a handwheel .

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2418/2391319901_00861a1cee_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Plynkes on August 24, 2008, 09:36:51 AM
Searchlight chap deserves the laurels. That particular duty was probably the most dangerous thing the Home Guard did (apart from getting to mess about with live ammo with not much training). My grandfather did it on the Long Mynd hill in Shropshire. The town where he lived had a newly-built by-pass but during the war it wasn't opened, just used as a tank and vehicle park.

Luftwaffe bombers coming back from Liverpool would use it as a secondary target if they had failed to drop their bombs on any Scousers. There were two searchlights on the hill, and one team was totally wiped out one night when a plane was caught in the lights, and a gunner fired his MG down the beam.

Luckily my grandfather was manning the other one, so I narrowly missed being erased from existence by the Luftwaffe that night, about 30 years before I was born.
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: raymondh on August 25, 2008, 05:58:58 AM
Nice write up Dan.   :) I'll trawl through my photos, I may have some more of the characters. It was definitely one of the best demos weve done.

Can't wait till next year!
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: MadMö on August 25, 2008, 08:37:36 AM
Thank you vera much.
I´m looking forward to another story.
Title: Re: Operation Sealion
Post by: Dan on August 25, 2008, 09:39:19 AM
Nice write up Dan.   :) I'll trawl through my photos, I may have some more of the characters. It was definitely one of the best demos weve done.

Can't wait till next year!

Yes I really enjoyed it . Would be good to get a few more photos on here.