A Visit to The Castle of the Columns, Pathos

Visitors to the Pathos generally only bother to see the nearby Ottoman harbour fort.  Its hard to avoid, dominating the entrance to the port.  In reality of course was only part of the harbour defences, and it`s original medieval construction has been masked by subsequent Ottoman rebuilding.  A hundred yards inland another castle, the Saranda Kolones is far less well known, but is a far more substantial fortress, above Paphos Harbour, but these days hidden behind the trees lining the Archaeological Park!

Looking towards the gate from the courtyard

The Saranda Kolones, or Forty Columns, was named because of the recycling of the large granite columns that once lined the Agora in the ancient city.  Actually lots of the columns are still in situ nearby in the archaeology park, a UNESCO World heritage site, also well worth a look.

Constructed by the Byzantines in the 7th century AD the square fort was built  as protection for the harbour nearby city from seaborne Ottoman Arab raids. The castle played a role in Richard The Lionheart's conquest of the island, and was occupied until 1223 AD when it was destroyed by a severe earthquake.  (one of the Osprey books has a great Angus McBride illustration of the destruction of the castle by the earthquake)

Much of what can be seen today is the later renovation and reconstruction by the Lusignans when Cyprus was one of the Crusader States. The initial square fort structure had circular towers added at each corner, and another four round towers positioned along the joining walls.  The moat  was re-dug and enlarged, the only access being via a wooden bridge..

Note the columns fallen to either side of the walkway.

The original Byzantine wall was widened to three-metres thick. Visitors can`t get into the chambers under the castle, but they can still be seen in places.

The squared castle courtyard was approximately 35 metres long and wide, with a circular tower standing at each corner.  The castle’s main entrance was through a fifth tower, which was shaped as a horseshoe on the eastern side.

Looking down into the moat.  

I really wanted to visit the castle again because I plan to model it for my 15mm Lion Rampant games.  I see the castle most days, since it is just behind the main car park in the Harbour,  (just behind the tree line in this photo)  and I admit to being a little obsessed with it.

There seems a mix of Byzantine and Frankish architecture at work here.  Of course this is a 1500 year old castle, so what's not to like!

Late December is a great time to visit the archaeological site.  During the summer it is too hot to do much walking and there is a lot to see, including some of the most beautiful 1st and 2nd Century mosaics still in existence.  

Quintus and the battle of Aduatuca

We left Quintus as the revolting Gallic Tribes gathered around his Winter Camp.  The Legatus (called "the Noblest Roman" by Cicero,* possibly in a bout of his characteristic sarcasm) had sent out his scouting parties and was beginning to get a feel for the enemy.

I decided to tempt "the Noblest Roman" further, and sticking broadly with the events of the Great revolt of 53 BC, and the sieges of the Winter camps in the lands of the Belgae, I mixed it up a little with few reports from the legate's deputies:

I then quickly added the information Quints had actually asked for, details of the Fort`s readiness!

In a private meeting with Quilpius Cacophonous: "My dear boy, you are quite right of course, the Eubrones would never dare attack us on their own, it would be madness. I sure they want us off their lands at once to save them from German wrath and who can blame them. Caesar really has made an awful mess of things.

Now we have supplies for 4 months but I do think we should take everything and march west to join Labenius just to be on the safe side. I intend to set out as soon as the Eubrones can provide us with scouts.

There's no place for an old man like me in today's diplomatic world. Go to Prefix yourself and speak with him. Just think my lad, you could be "The Man who saved the Fourteenth". How would that sound in Rome?"

To Prefix of the Eubrones: Quintus Witmorus sends his greetings and thanks you for your invitation to dine. Regretfully he is indisposed due to an undercooked quail but is pleased to send Tribune Quilpius Cacophonous who enjoys his fullest confidence and will speak in his stead.

Once Quilpus has left hold an immediate council of war with my own senior commanders.

"Gentlemen, treachery is in the air. Those of us who were at Axona know what tricky blighters these Belgae can be. Well we're not going to let these treacherous cheese eaters get the better of us. Brave Quilpus has gone to parlay with the Eubrones, in the meantime......"

To Marcus Cadaverus: have a word with your fellow member of the Centurions Union, Dextro Illegitimus and get him on board.

To Gaius Crismus Bonus: Start preparing now for a rapid exit by the west gate at my command. Do it quietly, minimum rations, minimum kit, minimum fuss. Once outside the camp we will deploy in legion square. Half cavalry and skirmishers to the north: half to the south. I want to be able to pivot to use the camp as a secure locus should an immediate threat present itself.

Double the night watch and use the youngest lads with the best eyes and ears. If an asthmatic squirrel moves within half a mile I want to know about it. Bulbus tells me that tonight's moon will be a waxing gibbon, I think the man's been smoking mistletoe again.

The Gallic response didn`t really need me to roll any dice.  Caesar recounts a similar situation in the loss of the camp of Sabienus and Cotta.  There are also echoes of the events of 9AD and the Tuetoberg Wald.   The Roman negotiators are promptly executed to give heart to the nascent rebellion.  It sets the scene for the fighting to follow.

Quintus desire to give battle is just as well for me.  I have hastily built a Roman fort, with only some finishing touches left to complete.  For rules I turned to Sword and Spear.  Game on...

By marching out of the west gate the Romans wrong foot the Gallic ambush, which had been fooled by Quintus into thinking that he was going East.  The tribesmen actually facing the Romans at the west gate amounted to no more than a quarter of the Gauls.   These refused to unleash their famous charge, and skulked outside the woods, whilst the rest of the tribesmen attempted to join them.

Quintus threw good command dice, activating his units again and again.  It was quite a demonstration of regular Roman Phlegm.

The Romans withdrew their cavalry and light troops to the rear.

Quintus now formed a double line and advanced, forcing the warbands facing him to fight.

Limited local success by the tribes was rewarded by the death of the Sub Chief Suffix, whilst the Romans virtually annihilated the wing of the Gallic army facing them.

Note that Quintus lurks in the rear forming a group of four cohorts.  This is an old trick he learned from his Republican days!

The remaining tribesmen charged into contact, only to have Quintus himself lead four cohorts onto their flank.

With half of the Gallic army gone the Romans could now push on and capture the all important hillfort.

The rebellion in this part of Gaul had been stamped out before it flared up into something far more serious.



From Wikipedia:

Gaius Crismus Bonus became famed as a landowner in southern Gaul.
Quilpius Cacophonous ended his career as a skull on display in the Gallic hillfort.  He is less noisy these days.
Quintus Witmorus went on to even greater glories as the subject of a heroic poem by Cicero the skinny and less well known, a cousin of the more famous Marcus Tullius Cicero, Orator and poet.

* Marcus Tullius Cicero aka "Chubby Sissy", whose most famous poem begins "there was a young man called Labenius, who was equipped with a very large..."  He never could pull off a decent rhyme.

The "Indianhead" attack at point 88, phases one and two.

Our hero Captain Hanks gave the following orders for his Infantry company of the 2nd US Inf Division:

Phase 1

All Company level bazookas available; these will be doled out to the 3 rifle platoons.

The Recon troop will deploy from EP2, advancing down the hedge line to the lane. They will then take the lane to the main road where they will turn north to the barn. 

The first part of this advance will be covered by the Engineers HMG also deploying from EP2. If resistance is met, the recon troop will fall back to the position marked where they can provide fire support into the lone elm field / farm or into field c.

The Weapons platoon will deploy from EP1 and take up fire positions so that they may fire into the farm or barn as required. The mortars will lay down fire on orchard A and the barn.

The Stuart tanks advanced as did the Engineers .50 cal.  (going slightly beyond their orders to get into the cover of the hedge and wall.)

At this point a German Stug poked its barrel out of the hedgerow opposite and quickly put the Recon troop into a scatter and hide as their leader was picked off.  

Lt Shatner discovered that the Farm opposite was a strong-point, with German grenadiers dug in.  He proceeded to use his 30 Cal machine guns to supress it, with a fair degree of success.  his mortars zeroed in on the orchard and barn, clearing out a German section hiding there, as well as an MMG. My tablet also managed to get itself into the camera shot!

The .50Cal is a devastating weapon.  It began to decimate the Infantry section supporting the Stug, while the remaining two Stuarts took on the Stug itself.  Eventually the US tanks did the business and knocked out the German armour.  Almost simultaneously phase two began.  

Captain Hanks orders for Phase 2

Platoon 1 will deploy from EP1 and advance through orchard A and take the barn.

Platoon 2 will deploy from EP2 and assault he farm via the lane.

Platoon 3 and the AT gun will remain in reserve,

Platoons 1 and 2 will establish a defensive line to hold the road between the farm and the barn.

The US Infantry came on in two platoons at EP1 and EP2.  Lt Crosby lead the 2nd Platoon from EP2, whilst Master Sgt Hope lead 1st Platoon against the remains of the German defence in the Orchard and barn. 

Crosby actually lead a bayonet charge, although the German defenders had already been virtually wiped out by the .50Cal.  

I actually mark all of the big men with names, and the star on the central base denotes the presence of the BAR with that element.

The Germans had however one last surprise, as a platoon sized column approached in counterattack, lead by my Howitzer Stug, an ARV with some limitations, but it sprayed its hull Mg as it advanced.  I needed a Hero, and had one in the commander of 3 platoon, Lt Errol Flynn, who now lead his reserve forward with Captain Hanks.  

Flynn sited the anti-tank gun and the first shot dished up the Stug.  The Germans quickly withdrew and it was pretty much game over.

Having one of the Marshal Petain Club write the orders for Captain Hanks and his company really gave me a better game than simply relying on chance rolls as I normally would. The last German attack had been one of my contingency plans if the central strong-point was lost.  There seemed little point in continuing to Captain Hanks phase three since I had run out of Germans!

I may have to revisit this sort of WW2 game.  Very enjoyable.

Quintus and the Great revolt

The Proconsul, Caesar, has spent the summer gloriously invading Britain.  Autumn is now ending, and he has returned to the mainland.

At this time, the Roman Proconsul had eight legions under his command, but the harvest in Gaul has been bad. He has been forced to divide up his legions and send them into different parts of the province. His military headquarters is in Samarobriva on the frontier between Gallia and Belgica. Four legions will be quartered among the Belgae. 

One legion has been sent out in winter quarters in the territory of the Morini at Portus Itius. Another legion is billeted with the Nervi and one in the territory of the Remi.  Finally one legion, supported by an extra 5 newly recruited cohorts, totaling about 7.500, has been sent to Atuatuca - in the centre of the Eburones’ territory. 

As the legions march towards their winter quarters, Caesar decides to stay at his headquarters in Samarobriva until he receives the message that all troops have reached their destinations and fortified their camps.

Legio XIV Gemina, has had it`s original commanders removed. The Legion is now commanded by the legate Quintus Witmorus, a veteran soldier and originally a protege of Pompey the Great, now one of Caesar`s inner circle. 

The half legion of recruits is commanded by the political Tribune Quilpius Cacophonous, known for his loud voice and strong opinions.  Senior Centurion of XIV Gemina is Marcus Cadaverus.  He has concerns about those recruits but believes that the camp is well sited.

In the territory of Belgea all seems quiet. The tribes were beaten in battle by the proconsul three years ago, and 60.000 were slain, although he showed himself a merciful general by letting the families return to their homeland. The rebellion was brought to a successful close and Roman rule in the area was preserved thanks to the pro-Roman parties that were given power among the tribes. 

The revolting Gauls

In the Oppidum of the Eubrones are the Chieftain Prefix and his brother Suffix.  They have been very worried about having a Roman camp on their doorstep.  After two weeks Prefix reveals to the Romans that there is a barbarian conspiracy afoot.  An army of German mercenaries have crossed the Rhine and are on their way here.  The Belgae intend to rise up in rebellion and attack the four Roman camps within their territory simultaneously.  They ask you to leave Eurbrones territory. 

Quintus has a choice:

1. Stay in camp and hope for the best, 
2. March out and attack the Eurbrones Oppidum, 
3. Send out scouts, 
4. March to join Labenius in the territory of the Remi, 
5. March to join Cicero in the territory of the Nervii,
6. Call a council of war and listen to the views of your subordinates

The Primus Centurion tells you his views privately.  These Gauls are liars and planning to ambush you.  He thinks that these Belgae have form for hiding in woods and striking out suddenly. 

Your Tribunes however can`t believe this, thinking that these Eurbrones would not dare to attack Rome on their own, and therefore their story must be true. 


The Roman Commander Quintus responded in the traditional manner...

By Jupiter's Mighty Arse! I expecting trouble from these benighted heathens and I wasn't wrong. An army of Germans have crossed the Rhine at this time of year? Sounds highly unlikely to me but I guess stranger things have occurred. Also the Meuse is no paltry river itself at the moment. In order to join Labenius I should have to cross it myself, twice, so that is a last option at the moment. In fact I will not be going anywhere until I have more information.

Have the speculatores carry out reconnaissance to the east across the Meuse bridge and also to the west and south-west either side of the road. I presume that if any trouble is coming it will be from the high ground to the south which is well within view from our vantage.

The XIV Legion readies itself in 6mm!

Put the Legion on alert. I want those new recruits put through their paces, extra drill, kit inspection, the works. I presume that the good Tribune has no objections to a spot of discipline?! Old Pompey used to say that the best soldier was far more terrified of his centurion than he was of the enemy. Also a full report on the state of the fort, its defences, supplies etc.

In the meantime please have my personal priest, Bulbus consult the auguries. It would be nice to see if the Gods at least are on my side.

Quintus Witmorus

During the night the Primus Centurion of the Gemina carried out his orders:

Bulbus Priest of Jupiter’s Mighty Arse, has inspected the testes of a Ewe. One suspects his eyesight is failing.  He declares that the auguries are good but the senior Tribune, Quilpius Cacophonous, has been stirring it up around the camp.  The Centurions are unhappy that the young gentleman is talking doom, and blaming Caesar.  As a result his command, the five cohorts of recruits are in a state of unrest.  He is demanding a council of war.  He has done nothing to implement your orders for extra drill.

 

Is it just me or is that a 10mm hillfort not a 6mm one?

Scouts have returned.  There are no signs of any Gauls in the fields.  The Meuse is already high from the autumn rains,and the route to the Legatus Titus Labienus at Bibrax is heavilly wooded and mountainous.  The route to the poet's brother Legatus Quintus Cicero is one of rolling valleys and lighter woods.  If there are German mercenaries out there they would have to come across the Meuse. 

 

The Primus Centurion believes, as you do, that the Gauls are in the high ground and woods to the south and around the Oppidum.  There may be as many as 20,000 of this tribe.  With your light troops you can probably muster  half that. The Centurion also wants to arrest and execute the Tribune Quilpius Cacophonous, but then the centurion is not a subtle fellow.  He claims that the Proconsul told him that he should divide all Gauls into three parts. He has had the entire Legio Gemina up, since dawn, inspecting kit and sharpening weapons.

A late morning report by the Senior Tribune of the XIV Legion, Gaius Crismus Bonus, had a similar theme:

Legatus Quintus,

 

Additional information is reported in.

 

The Senior Military Tribune of the XIV Gemina, a solid type named Gaius Crismus Bonus, reports that the Camp is fully in order as far as the Legio Gemina is concerned. 

 

Supplies for three weeks have been gathered. 

You have 1000 Gallic cavalry, mainly from Cisalpina and hostile to these local Belgae tribes, serving under a Tribune of Auxiliaries, Bilious Vexatious .  There are also 1000 light troops, paid mercenaries, who are a mixture of Gallic tribes.  The XIV Gemina was recruited in the Province 4 years ago, so is not the untrained formation that the proconsul seems to think.  After all it has been entrusted with the most northerly and isolated outpost, and did good work at the battle of the Sambre three years ago against these same Belgae.  Morale is good, mainly due to the fact that they are all terrified of the Primus Centurion.

 

The half legion of recruits has more issues.  These were raised in Central Gaul, and their Military tribune is not present, the Junior Political tribune serving in that role.  That young gentleman has been weeping in sight of his men and writing farewell letters to his fashionable friends in Rome.  The Senior Centurion of the Recruits, Dextro Illegitimus, is very unhappy with his commanding Tribune but will not come forward out of a sense of loyalty to this newly formed (Half) legion.

 

The camp has a solid rampart and ditch and is much stronger than an ordinary marching camp.  It is on slightly higher ground than the surrounding plain, but clearly not as high as that Gallic hillfort on the hills to the south.  There is a strong spring inside the walls so that water is not an issue. 

WW2 ETO. The "Indianhead" attack at points 88 and 89.

My WW2 US forces, 10mm Pendraken, Minifigs and Wargames South

This game is loosely based on the US 2nd Infantry Division attack on Trevieres and the Aure River during the days  immediately  following 6th June 1944.    The actual map is based on point 88 and the Tilly map and so is not accurate, but it should make for an interesting game next week.   

For this game I`ve asked one of the Marshal Petain Society to plan the US attack, and have pre-programmed the German defence, using the letter codes to place my forces.  

My Big Men are, as is usual for my WW2 ETO games, Hollywood actors.   Programmed orders are for each big man, telling him when to give up the position or fight on etc...   I`m interested to see how long Kampfgruppe Fassbender of  916th Grenadier Regiment can survive the assault. 

This may break down into several IABSM or even COC games.   The hedge lines make the advance routes of critical importance, but that high ground to the North East looks over the whole area.  Let`s hope no SS Tiger tanks appear up there!

To:

Captain Thomas Hanks;

Baker Company, 

9th US Inf Regt 

8th June 1944

Captain, we are advancing towards the Cerisy Forest, and have taken over the line between 1st Infantry Division and 29th.  Baker Company is our forward team.  Capture both Point 88 and 89.  You may use your own company, all 4 platoons, (including your Weapons platoon Lmgs) under Lt Bill Shatner (but keep and eye on that boy he has a hero complex and wants to make Captain) 6 mortars and two medium machine guns with three halftracks. 

2nd Reconnaissance Troop will support with three Stuart light tanks commanded by Lt Braddock Pitt.  You may also use a single 50 Cal Mmg team from our Divisional Engineers, and an Anti Tank gun with Jeeps and crew from A/T Support.  Please note that all of our heavy weapons, from heavy machine guns to large calibre artillery, are still tied up in supply depots on Omaha Beach. 

Fassbender is hiding his Kampfgruppe somewhere among this lot

The Map is gridded into likely areas for the German defence.  HQ will need to know your plan and entry points into the battle zone.  Watch out for those hedgerows.

Discount the rumours of two SS Panzer Divisions approaching from the East.  We are sure that this is only Enemy propaganda.  Honestly.

Major General  George C. Scott.

Commanding 2nd "Indianhead" US Infantry Division

Somewhere in the South Atlantic 1939, Game 2

The carrier HMS Hermes was built on a cruiser hull, and was therefore somewhat smaller than the later WW2 fleet carriers, but she was purpose built to carry planes (sea-planes initially) and had fore and aft lifts.  She carried a squadron of twelve Swordfish torpedo bombers, and in my second game, with the Kriegsmarine capital ships Blucher and Scheer being shadowed by HMS Cumberland I decided that it is the swordfish that will be next to have a go at the Germans.

Two of the aircraft failed to get onto the tabletop, one being lost in a catapult accident, and another having engine problems and ditching.  That is annoying since I had painted up all twelve.  Come to think of it I painted the carrier as well, and that doesn't get on table. .  That left me with two formations of, five aircraft to take on the Germans, Red Flight and Blue Flight.  They entered the table at mid ceiling, level 3, dropping quickly to level 2 height.   

Red flight was first to attack, taking the port side of the German ships.  The Nord-Reich as a Merchant ship was an easy target, but not the priority here.  She turned and moved off to the east.  I divided red flight into two waves.  The first three dived to level 1, 100 feet, and moved in.  The German AA Flak should have dealt with this easily.  

The Swordfish was a notoriously slow aircraft, and almost immediately young Ginger, leading red Flight, found himself exploding at 100 feet, failing to drop his torpedo.  The remaining two in the first wave did manage to drop and began to climb to level two trying to avoid the flak.

Ginger comes to a quick end.

As I turned the Kriegsmarine ships away the second wave dropped from level 1, and also turned away climbing.  Miraculously, apart from the loss of their red headed leader, Red Flight had four of its aircraft regrouping for the return to Hermes.

I turned the Blucher and Scheer sharply to port, as Blue Flight dropped to level 1.  Sly old Squadron leader Quigglesworth, leading Blue Flight in two waves, dropped the first torpedoes cleanly.  Then the havoc started as Bertie's Swordfish lost its engine to flak and dropped into the sea astern of Scheer.  Another of Quiggles flight exploded as it failed to climb away quickly enough, and the Squadron Leader himself had an oil fire in his engine.  That however has never stopped a hero like Quiggles, and he probably made it back to the Hermes with a blazing engine, smoking a woodbine and drinking a horse`s neck of gin!

Quiggles loses half his flight to Flak

I suddenly realised that Quiggles had spread his torpedoes so that one was aimed at Blucher, the rest at Scheer.  Amazingly the Scheer took two torpedoes to the stern, exploded and rolled over.  Blucher took a torpedo midships, essentially undamaged, but critically in game terms, slowed.

Not sure why that lead Destroyer is going the wrong way!

So it seems that the campaign will come down to HMS Renown and her Task Force B.  With Blucher damaged that is probably overkill. (to put it mildly)

Please note that the model of HMS Hermes is in perfect proportion, being the same size as the Cruiser Cornwall in this picture.  My Ark Royal is of a similar length to Renown.  

With the South Atlantic out of the way I will probably turn to the cruise of the Bismarck!

Battle of the River Plate, sort of...

I rediscovered my 1:6000 WW2 Naval collection this morning.  With a huge electrical storm closing in on Cyprus today some gaming seemed the best thing to do with my time  I went for early 
war, and some cruiser actions.  As a wargamer I added in some what if... angles.

The Battle of the River Plate was the first naval battle in the Second World War and the first in South American waters. The German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee was loose in the South Atlantic  and one of the hunting groups of Commonwealth cruisers discovered her off the South American coast.

In my version of history Admiral Scheer (and note that the Brits thought that the Spee was in fact the Scheer) has escaped into the South Atlantic.  The Admiralty has however realised that a second German capital ship, the Blucher, a Deutschland class heavy cruiser, and the Nord-Reich, an auxiliary supply vessel, have made the journey to join her.  


A naval task force has been sent in pursuit of Blucher, hoping to meet with her before the Germans can unite their capital ships.    

In the first game I gave the Commonwealth four cruisers.  HMS Exeter, Ajax and Achilles all fought at the River Plate so were my first choice.  HMS Cumberland was refitting in Port Stanley in the Falklands and so missed the battle, but rejoined the squadron in time to blockade Graf Spee in Montevideo.  For my alternate history Cumberland would be with her sisters, and the first game would have them fighting the Pocket battleship Admiral Scheer.  

The Scheer was sighted at 12000 yards, against the Commonwealth Squadron which was steaming parallel in two divisions, Ajax leading Achilles, and to starboard Exeter leading Cumberland.  The rules would be GQ3, really super detailed, so this one would take a while!

Sheer opened fire as the Royal Navy split forces, their lines diverging.  Ajax came under fire, and immediately took damage as Scheer ranged in.   The other Royal Navy ships began to range in on Scheer, but it was too late for Ajax, as both her front turrets were lost and she was severely damaged.  Making smoke Ajax fell out of line, circling away.  Achillies speed was reduced after a shell exploded among her boilers.  Both light cruisers were out of the fight.

Exeter`s 8 inch guns managed to range in on Scheer, and caused some damage, but the Germans now turned their guns on Exeter and Cumberland.  Trading salvos Exeter was silenced and slowed to a minimum speed.  Her bulkheads gone and clearly sinking by the bow.  Cumberland running past her made smoke to cover herself as Scheer turned away.  

I decided that Scheer had done enough, and turned for the table edge heading for the horizon.   With Cumberland nervously shadowing her the Scheer went in search of Blucher.

The General Quarters 3 rules are really some of the most detailed I`ve ever used.  I quite liked them but it made for a very slow game.   I may have to cut them down to size a little, but overall I`m on to someting with them.  The photos show that this is an empty battlefield.  My 1:6000 ships are lovely models, and they really convey the sense of distance needed for WW2 naval.  

So it`s on to game 2.  The Battle Cruiser HMS Renown, of 15 inch guns, with the Carrier HMS Hermes and her (814) squadron of Swordfish torpedo bombers, have followed Blucher to the South Atlantic.   Next time it`s a bigger game altogether (and may even need two games?)

Major Mick Dundee at Bardia, 1941 game 1

I`m part way through Robert Avery's Operation Compass scenario/campaign book, using the great "I Ain't Been Shot Mum" rules from Toofatlardies.  The next three games cover the assault on Bardia, a coastal fortress held by the Italians.  In the first game the 6th Australian Division attack a fortified position held by Italian Infantry and Artillery.

The battle is covered in Barrie Pitt's Crucible of War, as well as the Official Australian online history.  Both make great reading.  I made my Big men fictional characters: this was a battle with heroism and tragedy on both sides.  

The paper wargames journal on the table in this photograph is as a result of my returning to bad habits!  I`ve kept one of these on the go for years and I`m meant to be blogging this sort of thing.  Now I`m back in Cyprus I`ll see how I get on, but I used the paper journal to plan these three games.  
   

To create the Italian strongpoint I used light sand coloured felt to represent the trenches.  This is the lighter coloured sand dug out and piled around the trenches.  The anti-tank ditch is a darker brown colour to represent its depth, as are the dugouts.  The main wire at the front of the emplacement was made using strips of cloth from an old ragged tea towel, and the wire perimeter of the outpost itself made from much thinner strips of a stone coloured felt, twisted and looped. 

It works for me! 

Major Mick Dundee of 22 Aus Inf Brigade has only a single platoon of Infantry, plus three Matilda II tanks. The good news is that he has outflanked the fortified position and is attacking the weaker Italian flank.   The tanks went onto the table, being spotted almost immediately.  The following Infantry remained on their blinds a little longer.   

Tenente Alphonso Pachino of the 62nd Italian Infantry division, has two full platoons plus a reserve, as well as MMG and dug in artillery.  His men are in trenches, and he has placed himself, with his reserve, in the rear dugout. Most of his forces were spotted automatically since the tanks were almost on top of his trench line. The tanks were also enfilading the trench line.  After a "Hussar!" of a dice roll the machine guns from the tanks minced the Italian Infantry.  

Major Dundee then lead his own Infantry forward, Australians, elite in close combat.  They day was about to get a lot worse for Tenente Pachino.  With the Italians losing section after section of Infantry to the bayonets of the Aussies the Tenente lead out his reserve in a bid to stem the rout that seemed imminent.  

The Tenente leads out his reserve sections.

I really like the Italian Officer figure in his pith helmet firing his Beretta pistol. This is a Minifigs 12mm figure, but it fits perfectly with my Pendraken 10mm.  Style over substance... that`s my WW2 Italians all over!  
He inspired his gunners to immobilise a Matilda, but its a tank that is quite rightly hard to kill. 
  

Even so the immobilised tank still used its machine guns to spray the reserve as they charged to the rescue. Pretty soon the Aussies came to grips with the Italian reserve, killing two and inflicting four more shock.  The Tenente failed his survival roll and his men promptly ran away.

The fighting around the central Italian gun pits grew nasty as the Aussies closed in, although the Italians managed to kill one man and inflict two shock.  Not really enough since they lost four men and received four shock points too.  

At that point I called it job done.  Mick Dundee had proved that he had a bigger knife than the Italians, although to be fair it was the Matilda Tanks of  7RTR that really won this.  They focused on the Infantry, and especially on killing that Italian MMG, largely ignoring the danger of the Italian artillery.  A risky strategy but it paid off. 

Really nice to get back to IABSM.  I`m looking forward to the next couple of games.  Let's see how Capitane DeNiro does against Mick and his Aussies! 

My 2017 gaming plans

With Christmas music beginning to be heard in the shops, baubles now openly and officially on sale, (no longer an under the counter item) and the first spray of snow being applied to the windows (and it`s mid October for goodness sake!) I thought that I would turn to my planning for next years solo gaming.

With the move to Cyprus last year I didn`t actually plan out my games as I normally would.  The planning for the move, and the dreadful decisions of which wargames collections to keep and which to lose took most of my time.  But this year I am ahead of the game... so to speak.

Actually I have several games in the pipeline, some of which have absorbed a few months of plotting already.  My Bronze Age project will of course be at the forefront, but I want to return to I Ain't Been Shot Mum, and some 10mm WW2 games, as well as develop my Naval gaming with Post Captain. Since this blog is acting as my de-facto wargames journal I thought that I would set out some of my ideas, mainly so that I can refer back to them.

I have been playing through the Toofatlardies brilliant supplement Op Compass, by Robert Avery, for a couple of years now.  Nobody ever accused me of rushing.  I`m not built for it. 

My 10mm 1940s Western Desert setup is pretty well advanced, the British and Italians are complete, and the 1941 Afrika Korps about 10% done.  Next for my Op Compass games are the three interlinked scenarios for the siege of Bardia, a prelude to the fighting for Tobruk, and the first action for the newly arrived Australian Infantry Division.  

Major Mick Dundee will be squaring off against Colonello Alphonse Capone.  I'm planning to get the other members of the Marshal Petain Club to program the forces for me to enable me to fight these three games impartially.  I haven't told them that yet though.

I am carting about a hundred 28mm Sea Peoples figures back to Cyprus with me soon.  The plan is to get these painted and do some skirmish gaming.  I have completed a great little map of Bronze Age Karia, basically Bodrum and Marmaris for the ancient world. 

Three factions compete over this area.  The Karians, allies of the Trojans, as well as fighting for the Hittites against the Egyptians at Kadesh; next the Lukka, allies and enemies of the Trojans and Hittites and like the Karians named among the Sea Peoples in the Egyptian Inscriptions; and lastly the Akwesh identified as Achaeans, holding Rhodes and the Aegean islands.   

This Bronze Age game will allow me to scratch build some Bronze Age ships in 1:600 or thereabouts, and have a few games of

Naumachiae, as well as some skirmish gaming.  A High King such as Priam or Agamemnon is given the title "Anax," so if I end up using Dux Britannium as my rules for some skirmish games I`ll be able to call the games that.  It will however be largely a narrative and character driven game based around raiding and "Sacking cities."  I have some wonderfully camp heroic names worked out.

For my second foray into the Post Captain rules I intend to carry out another Naval Kriegsspiel, this time using the events of Lord Howe's Glorious First of June campaign in the bay of Biscay, concentrating on the scouting frigates and their actions.  It has been meticulously planned and plotted, awaiting only my return to Cyprus to start.  It will need my 1:2400 collection of Napoleonic Naval ships, as well as my 10mm Naval crews, Marines and guns.  Can our Heroes brave the Biscay storms, and maurauding French, and can that elusive Knighthood still be won?  

The last wargame I will mention here is another naval game.  Having used Post Captain last year I am keen to revisit General Quarters III.  One of the collections I kept for my move to Cyprus was a large setup of 1:6000 WW2 Naval.  I plan to start with a simple Hunt the Raider game, a German pocket battleship against a squadron of British cruisers.  I have some great  vintage charts of the Falklands, so with the Germans reinforced for games two and three a repeat of the First World War battles of the Falklands and then Coronel, but using WW2 ships seems like a good idea.  The early war setting and remote geography will limit the role of aircraft.  

These are of course only a few of the games I have in mind, and actually these ones are the most advanced in terms of planning them out.  In terms of painting the Sea Peoples are the main event, but I have several projects just waiting to get onto the painting tray: reinforcements for my Marlburians and Jacobites in 10mm, two 15mm Sci Fi Infantry platoons for the Lardy Q13 rules, a group of 15mm Archeologists and Tomb raiders for some Pulp gaming Chaos in Cairo style games, and of course my 28mm Sharp Practice2 setup(s)  Its going to be a busy year.