AARs: Show Us Yer Games!

mluther · Post by **mluther** » Sat Oct 05, 2019 7:03 pm

We are still playing games that represent a historical battle in Marietta, GA Not seeing a lot of that on this forum anymore, which is too bad.
Inspired by issue 184 of After the Battle magazine, I decided to do a late war game based on actions in one of the Oder Bridgeheads in Feb, 1945. It allowed me to try some loaded-for-bear SS foot units and was a change of pace from the Normandy kick I was on.
The Soviet 49th Gds Tank Brigade (with T34/85s) drove the SS Fallschirmjaegers out of Grabow on Feb 5. But when the Kampfgruppe Schwedt defenders received reinforcements-2 batteries of Sturmgeschutz-Brigade 210 and Fallschirm-PanzerJagd-Bataillion 54 So along with units already in the bridgehead, SS Jagdverband Mitte, SS Fallschirmjaeger Btn 600 and the snipers of SS Scharfschutzen-Zug, the Germans counterattacked on Feb 7.
So many long words, so many automatic weapons.
Link to flickr pics and AAR: https://www.flickr.com/photos/6mmgaming ... 1012111861

StuHs spot the MG and drop a few 105s on it by Mark Luther, on Flickr

And here come some Emchas by Mark Luther, on Flickr

Lots of cover for the tricky M4s by Mark Luther, on Flickr

Another StuG gets hit by Mark Luther, on Flickr

M4s in the rear by Mark Luther, on Flickr

Looks like everyone is leaving by Mark Luther, on Flickr

Mark

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Sun Oct 06, 2019 1:31 am

Great looking game, Mark! The models and terrain are spectacular! I agree, we need more posts like this on the forum! Keep them coming!

Begemot · Post by **Begemot** » Mon Oct 07, 2019 12:24 am

Mark - Great AAR, as usual, and your boards are just amazing. Agree that the history orientation has declined on this board. Hopefully your work will encourage others to reengage with it. Thanks for posting.

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Mon Oct 07, 2019 1:22 am

Love the pics! Very nice. Thank you for sharing.

I actually had to hunt for the T34s in the pics as the initial pass only saw M4s. Pretty cool.

Very well done. The only item I would bring up is the vehicle destroyed markers. Maybe add some black smoke to them (oil, petrol). A vehicle fire should stand out on the beautiful board and not blend in. A touch of black smoke will force the eye to focus on the marker to pick up the damaged/destroyed vehicles.

Great stuff.

7.62 · Post by **7.62** » Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:11 am

Mark, Super looking game, excellent photos and report.
Thanks.

BurtWolf · Post by **BurtWolf** » Mon Oct 14, 2019 6:35 pm

As usual very nice looking game Mark, thank you for posting and keeping our juices flowing. Just curious, whatâ€™s the biggest game youâ€™ve laid out there?

mluther · Post by **mluther** » Tue Oct 15, 2019 7:19 am

Tablesize is always 4X6 feet. As far as players, it would max out at 3 per side. IABSM is not designed for loads of players since it is card/chip driven. You don't want to have a lot of down time for other players as the current one is doing their thing.
Mark

Quartette · Post by **Quartette** » Sun Dec 15, 2019 2:19 am

A few photos from a test skirmish we ran today.

Scenario:
A USMC recon unit detected a Chinese AA detachment. The Chinese AA was guarded to the north by infantry and a BMP, and protected by a river to the south. Spotting an opportunity, the recon unit directed an amphibious force to the target. The USMC were able to approach and cross the river using AAVs, taking the Chinese by surprise.

I can't seem to get the photos to embed, so here's a link to four photos in an album:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmK1VVaa

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Sun Dec 15, 2019 4:41 am

That's great looking terrain, Quartette! And your vehicles and troops are awesome! What rules did you use for your skirmish? Thanks for sharing and motivating those of us with stuff to paint!

Quartette · Post by **Quartette** » Sun Dec 15, 2019 2:56 pm

Thanks. We're using a homebrew rules system (called Intervention) that we were getting pretty close to publishing... and then we decided to overhaul the shooting system, so that has set us back significantly as it will need a load more playtesting and checking the rules for inconsistencies etc.

Summary:
- Intervention uses activation chits to determine the order in which units activate. (This keeps everyone in the game and helps prevent unrealistic behaviour)
- Each unit gets two actions (usually some combination of move and shoot)
- Damage is abstracted to escalating morale conditions (suppressed, pinned, fall back and knocked out)

The terrain is a mixture: buildings are Gamecraft; river, fields and mat are from terrainmat.

The USMC were painted by Rutger from this forum, he did an awesome job.

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Sun Dec 15, 2019 9:05 pm

Q, nice, thank you for sharing the link. Appreciate you doing that.

mluther · Post by **mluther** » Thu Jan 30, 2020 6:29 am

This I Ain't Been Shot Mum game was really designed to fit in with the Viking month at GigaBites CafÃ© and to be played in under 3 hours max. The idea was taken from actions involving the SS Wiking div during their drive to relieve Budapest during Konrad II. On January 20, 1945, the 5th Company, SS Panzer Rgt 5 had just occupied a slope ridge covered with corn when they were attacked from the north by the 110th Tank Brigade. T34s and Panthers were the main armour.
The table was dominated by a ridge in the center of the table with a farmstead. Most of the are is covered by old corn fields. The sky is overcast and roads are iced over. Snow covering is not deep.
I couldn't let the 28mm boys get all the Norse action.
Link to flickr AAR https://www.flickr.com/photos/6mmgaming ... 2876373686
Mark

Tukrosmajor farm by Mark Luther, on Flickr

One exploding T34 by Mark Luther, on Flickr

And Panthers on the left by Mark Luther, on Flickr

Barn burning by Mark Luther, on Flickr

Tank riders push ahead by Mark Luther, on Flickr

Panthers on the left pulling back also by Mark Luther, on Flickr

redleg · Post by **redleg** » Thu Jan 30, 2020 6:42 am

Awesome vehicles and terrain, Mark! Looks like it was a lot of fun - I always love your battle reports!

PolishGI · Post by **PolishGI** » Fri Jan 31, 2020 2:59 am

Great pics Mark. Always cool to see your terrain.

How do you keep from bending the barrels? (eek) That is the primary reason I use the bases that I do. I do not trust myself. I am very consistent in bending, and then, breaking the barrels off on my model.

Well done!

mluther · Post by **mluther** » Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:16 am

Well, they do get bent. I guess we are just not that clumsy with the models. I use the various carriers made for microarmor to store them.