CapnJim's WW2 stuff (More Volksgrenadiers...Page 14...08 Apr 25).

[CapnJim]

This is my first foray back into WW2 since I joined this distinguished group called LAF.  I've posted AARs and/or pics on the Conflicts that came in from the Cold, Old West, and Pulp boards.  But I decided it was time to head to 1944 for a bit.

These guys are all Warlord plastics.  I took a sprue each of Grenadiers, Blitzkrieg, and Afrika Korps Germans (all free, courtesy of Wargames Illustrated!), and put this Gruppe together, mixing bits from all 3 sprues.  I even added an arm from Warlords plastic US GIs (the arm with the hand holding the cigarette on one of the Feldwebels).

These pics show the Feldwebels and the MG42 team, from various angles.

[CapnJim]

These pics show the Schutzen from various angles, along with the Gruppe all together...Enjoy!

[voltan]

I even added an arm from Warlords plastic US GIs (the arm with the hand holding the cigarette on one of the Feldwebels).

One of my favourite ways to do a quick conversion, good work on these.

[MaleGriffin]

Outstanding! Not everyone creates lifelike poses, but yours come to life!

[CapnJim]

Thanks, fellas! 

@MaleGriffin:  I do try to make my plastics into realistic poses.  Thanks for that comment especially...   

And I stand corrected.  This is my SECOND foray into LAF's WW2 section.  I forgot I posted an AAR of a GIs vs. Heer battle a while back...

[CapnJim]

Well, these guys finally got to see some table-top action.

My gaming group played a WW2 scenario this Wednesday past.  It was a 28mm scrum, using Fistful of Lead: Bigger Battles.  I used the "Counterattack at La Fiere" scenario from one of the SkirmishCampaigns scenario books.  It takes place at 1315 hrs on 06 June 1944, and involves the German counterattack on Cauquigny (located across the causeway from La Fiere).

Gene played the US airborne forces.  He had the following troops at his disposal (all rated as "veteran" in FFol:BB):

Patrol, 507th PIR (deployed hidden in and around the church in Cauquigny (see map below)
     Patrol Leader         
     Patrol BAR team         
     Patrol MMG team      
     Patrol rifle team         
Reinforcements, 508th PIR (these chaps had to advance along the causeway from the east board edge)
     Platoon Leader         
     Platoon Sergeant               
     Bazooka team               
     2 parachute infantry squads               
 They also had access to 14 smoke rounds fired from off-board (up to 6 could be fired per turn).

Ted played the Germans.  He had the following troops at his disposal, all of whom could enter from the west board edge, or the western 2' of the south board edge:

100th Panzer Training Div.
     SdKfz 234 Puma
     StuG III
1057. Infanterie Regiment
     Platoon Leader
     2 full squads
     2 reduced squads (less their MG42 teams)
     Mortar FO

I acted as umpire/GM.  The only change I made to the scenario was the Puma and StuG.  It was supposed to be 2 Sumoa 35Rs, but I don't have any of those.  The StuG and Puma I did have.         

Also, for the smoke, we used the regular off-board arty rules from FFoL:BB to land them (with a 5" diameter for each round).  Then, at the beginning of each turn, the US player had to pass a medium task roll for each round that had landed in previous turns to keep it.  Several ended up dissipating due to that...

And, for hand grenades, we used regular to-hit rules, using 6"/12" as the range for them.  We used a deviation range of 1/2 d10.

The game worked out well.  I'll post Part 1 of the AAR later this evening... 

[CapnJim]

And now, on with the show!

     The German objective was the church.  As such, the Germans came on from the west, concentrating their effort on the north side of the main east-west road.  They advanced 3 squads abreast with the 4th squad, the LT, and the mortar FO behind.  The StuG came on in front of the center squad.  The US had deployed their patrol units with the MMG in the church tower, the patrol leader and the BAR team in the lower level of the church, and the rifle team in the house just southwest of the church.  Meanwhile, the US reinforcement platoon began crossing the causeway, one squad on each side of the road, with the platoon leader, platoon sergeant and bazooka team interspersed among them.

     First blood went to the Americans. Their M1919 team in the church tower opened up on the Germans advancing through the fields to their west, causing casualties and shock.  The Germans kept going forward under fire from that MMG, which had a commanding view of their approach.  The German Puma moved up ahead of the advancing infantry.  Meanwhile the US reinforcements worked their way further west along the causeway.  And American smoke rounds began to fall in the village between the Germans and the US reinforcements.

     Second blood went to the Germans.  One squad dealt with the US rifle team in the house, while the rest kept up their advance, all under fire from the US MMG in the church tower.  But the Germans kept up their advance, with the StuG and the Puma beginning to work on the church tower with HE shells.  The Puma, however got too close to the church, and ahead of its infantry support.  The US BAR team, who had AT grenades, close assaulted the Puma from the church.  Two of the 3 assaulting US troops fell in the assault, but they still managed to KO the Puma.  That KO'ed Puma would later flummox the German StuG, as it blocked its path through the village. Back to the east, the US reinforcement platoon approached the west end of the causeway, and prepared to get into the fight.  Some of the American smoke rounds dissipated, while others fell anew. 

     Things were heating up in Cauquigny...the US patrol was still (barely) hanging on, and both the Germans and the US were closing in on the church in force.  The US patrol was down to a few men, but the Germans had also already lost several men and the Puma. 

     Stay tuned for Part 2...           

[Harry Faversham]

The WI 'freebies' are an excellent way to glean some very nice Squads for FFofL games. Your German Infantry look excellent Cap'n.

[flatpack]

Sounds like, and looks like fun, using FFOL BB.
Nice to get the figures to the table.

[CapnJim]

Thanks, chaps!  Now on with Part 2...

     At the end of Part 1, the German platoon, supported by a StuG and a Puma, were advancing from the west toward the church in Cauquigny.  They had taken several casualties (mainly from the US MMG in the church tower), and had lost their Puma.  The US patrol was still holding on, but had lost a few men, as well.  And the US reinforcement platoon had advanced across the causeway from La Fiere to the east.

     The Germans continued to press toward the church, taking casualties as they went.  But with the StuG blocked from advancing through Cauquigny any further by the KO'ed Puma, it simply supported the grenadier's assault on the church by firing HE rounds into it.  And German small arms fire finally silenced that US MMG.  Meanwhile, the US reinforcements entered Cauquigny, with the LT, the Plt Sgt, 1st squad, and the bazooka team angling right toward the church, while their 2nd squad angled to their left to try an end run on the German's right flank.

     Too bad for the US 2nd squad.  The Germans mortar FO had gotten himself set up on the upper floor of the house to the SW of the church, with his eyes on the US 2nd squad.  German 8cm mortar rounds began to fall with some accuracy on the US 2nd squad.  Between their shock and casualties, that pretty took them out of the fight.

     Back at the church, things were coming to a head.  The US reinforcement 1st squad had beat the Germans into the church.  The Germans had parts of 3 squads lined up to assault the church.  Grenades flew in both directions, with some accuracy.  The US paratroopers pulled back from the windows.  A German squad went in.  A deadly struggle inside the church ensued.  Several men, wearing both khaki and field grey, fell.  But in the end, after a valiant struggle, it was the US paratroopers who had to beat feet out of the church. 

     Then, it was over.  The US paratroopers (what was left of them) retreated back to the east, toward La Fiere.  The Germans, at great cost, had retaken Cauquigny.

     Interestingly, the result of our fight pretty much mirrored the historical result, albeit just a bit more deadly for the Germans.  In the real battle, the US paratroopers did take out one of the German AFVs, and did indeed end up retreating back to La Fiere having inflicted and taken some serious casualties.  The Germans would go on to attack La Fiere across the causeway, and once I paint up another Puma and a US airborne 57mm AT gun, maybe we'll play that battle (it is included in the same Skirmish Campaigns scenario book we used for this fight).

     This is the 2nd time we've used FFoL:BB for a WW2 battle, and we think it works quite well.  I will say that the casualty dice were hotter than usual for both sides this game, with more W/KIA then shock being inflicted.

     Hope you all enjoy reading about the game.  We sure enjoyed playing it!     
     

[BaronVonJ]

Great report. Thanks for posting. I get lots of people asking about Fistful of Lead Bigger Battles for WW2. I just don’t have time post anything.
The great part is you can use use regular scale FfoL for small raids and thrn up the scale for latger battles, even using same characters.

[CapnJim]

Thanks, Jaye.  I don't (yet anyway) do FaceBook, or I'd post something on Wiley games' FB page...

But feel free to lift any of the text or photos here and post it. 

Please not that this was our 2nd foray into WW2 with FfoL:BB.  See here:  https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=131835.0

Also, for anyone interested, here are the US and German scenario sheets and maps, FfoL:BB'ized.  Please note again, to give credit where credit is due, that the original scenario came from the SkirmishCampaigns Normandy "44 First Hours scenario book.   

[BaronVonJ]

Excellent, thanks!

[Grumpy Gnome]

Great work, across the board. Excellent poses (something I really need to improve on) with your Germans. Outstanding battle report information. There is a certain…. “tone”… to what you present that sort of reminds me of how much I have forgotten over the years. Hoo-ah!

[CapnJim]

Excellent, thanks!

You're welcome. Glad to help! 

Great work, across the board. Excellent poses (something I really need to improve on) with your Germans. Outstanding battle report information. There is a certain…. “tone”… to what you present that sort of reminds me of how much I have forgotten over the years. Hoo-ah!

Thanks!  I do try to make my plastics in realistic poses.  That's one reason I like working with them.  And I'm glad you noticed that "tone" in my reports.  I do try to make them sound appropriate for their genre....