Defending the cows

This Airborne drop saw US Airborne wind up in the fields with a mix of German infantry and fallshirmjager waiting in the trees for them. It didn't go well, British Para's came out of the church to assist them but they all eventually fell.

The battlefield layout

This shows how simple it can be. We mostly never play on a table this big but it was good to use a nice space. I'd love to do a huge game, just need to paint the figures!

Dunker Church

I aquired the Britains model of Dunker Church from one of the traders at the wargames show. It was an ideal piece for the games and we easily used the rules to have troops fighting from inside, firing out of windows and lobbing in grenades. In the final game on the Sunday two Allied Airborne units fought a retreat from the cow field into the church but later gave up the fight and came out under a white flag to a supperior German force. This photo shows Soviet gunners defending it from a Panzer III and motorized infantry in Opel Blitz trucks.

Note the chaps in the background engaged in a DbC Zulu game!

Battle Group North Show at Elvington (York)

So, the Yorkshire Coast Wargamers went en masse to this year's Battle Group North and took an array of games with us, mostly Db variants but also our hot of the press 'A Game of Toy Soldiers'. The wargames element of the event (it's primarily a military vehicle and re-enactors show) is held in the large hanger with the Lancaster keeping an eye over everything. It was the first time some of our rank and file had played it and it was great to see seasoned wargamers like Jordan get into it and embrace what it's all about. Throughout the day we played three games of different scenarios, all incorporating a cow field with my newly aquired Britains cows. The game was very popular with kids who were quick to grasp the rules and loved being able to 'play' a game rather than puzzle one out. We even had a kid of 2 years old playing! For some of them it was their first wargame and they loved it. I gave away a few play sheets to exited Dads who thought it was ideal. Some of the other wargamers were interested in buying the rule set so now I'm on with polishing them up ready to be made into a proper booklet. A very enjoyable weekend! I spent some of Sunday afternoon flying over York in a helicopter with a WWII veteran who was there for his 90th Birthday that day. A very special gentleman indeed, he was still as fit as anyone.

First batch of Red Devils finished!

I'm extremely pleased with these! I usually try and avoid figures with camo as I can never quite get it right but these have turned out quite well. A bank holiday Monday well spent I think. There are about 20 more on the painting desk.

A desperate defence

Half track gunner, already badly wounded, tries to hold back hordes of Soviet SMG armed shock troops. The half track guns did a lot of damage in the second game!

2nd Play Test

Today we play tested the Yorkshire Coast Wargamers 'Toy Soldier' Rules for the 2nd time. We had two games both similar with a German convoy getting into a tight spot. The 1st game saw prepared British infantry defeating the convoy quite well. The second game saw Soviet shock troops rushing in with SMG's and much more figures on the table. The second game was almost a draw with the Soviets just about managing it with two injured infantrymen and their officer left standing. Both games quite closely run and could have gone either way.

We tweeked the rules very slightly, limiting the use/effect of SMG's and there is some clarification on multiple wounds to make. Otherwise it ran smoothly and produced two good games.

There are now new rules for mortar fire, which worked really well. The first battle was difficult for the Germans from the first move when the Brits lobbed a grenade into the half track, hampering their use of the mounted HMG's on the vehicle. In the second game the Soviets tossed back a German grenade, which saved them from loosing the area they held.

We used more scenery, note new hedges and barbed wire, which made a better game. There was a lot of jumping hedges that resulted in slower movement over the table and making troops more vulnerable at times as well as providing better cover.

I think these rules will continue to evolve but as they are we are ready for the show now!