I am running a Kursk month (75th anniversary) for july, a mix of boardgame, figures and some Lloyd Clark reading - all good.
blog link
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/july-means-kursk.html
As scenario 1 gets set up, there is a new intro post looking at the Dark July map / terrain and mention of the rather convoluted start to the lloyd Clark book.
Link
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-battles-intro.html
Off to read it now Norm as I attempt to cool down before bed!
Very nice stuff, Norm !
Cheers - Phil
Interesting
Take care
Andy
The Kursk Battles Month continues with first scenario, the attack on hill 252.2 has been played and is up. It is a longish post and further posts will be shorter as there will be less to explain.
Link
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-assault-on-hill-2522.html
Excellent battle report
Take care
Andy
Thanks all.
Kursk Battles,
The second scenario from the Dark July module, Clear the Ditches has been played and an AAR is up on the blog. This covers a German attack against a long anti-tank ditch that flanked Hill 252.2.
Link
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-clear-ditches.html
"Kursk, the mostly hotly defended piece of real estate in the Twentieth-Century"!
Another great AAR and a tough nut for the Germans to crack, but then that sums up Kursk really.
Next up in the ongoing Kursk Battles (Lock 'n Load Tactical) - the battle for Oktiabrskii State Farm.
For those that know the system, there is a neat special scenario rule that only allows units to enter a fortified building to melee with enemy ..... if the remaining defenders are all shaken. It certainly changes the criteria for taking buildings and impacts significantly on play and game tension.
Link
https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-secure-oktiabrskii-state.html
Thanks again Norm for another great AAR :)
Thanks Steve for following the action.
The fourth (of six) scenario from the Dark July expansion has been played and is up on the blog in the usual format.
LINK
https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-road-to-prokhorovka.html
I had a quick look at work before I had to head for home. As always it looked to be full of action and heading off to your Blog for a proper read through :)
Thanks for the comments at the blog Steve. You are right, it is the very location of the VP hexes that makes the task so difficult.
There is a good argument for all the forces to attack over open ground away from the woods, ensuring that the Soviet tanks and HMG (i.e ranged weapons) are destroyed quickly, since the actual Soviet Airborne squads have short ranged weapons and so being in the open is not as dangerous for the Germans as might otherwise be the case.
An advance through the woods probably plays into the Soviets hands - yep, plenty of ideas for a re-run :-)
I have a face-to-face figure game tomorrow (Pendraken 10mm) and then back to Dark July to do the big mapper!
The face-to-face didn't quite work out .... I set the game up, but Mike was late, then I realised that we were not gaming this week - Doh!
played it anyway,
Another Kursk battle - Breaking the Line, this time using 10mm figures on 4"hex terrain. One of those games that didn't quite behave itself!
Blogged
https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-breaking-line.html
A one sided game, but that sometimes happens when the die Gods are against you!
This is the big one.
I played the large tank battle scenario from Lock 'n Loads Dark July module today.
Nice double mapper and a good demonstration as to how this infantry centric game handles armour so well, with 17 tanks initially on the table.
Observations and AAR over on my blog. LINK
https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-midday-counterattack.html
An great AAR Norm :). You certainly captured the feel of an open and fluid battle out on the Russian steppe.. Nice to see the game on a larger board as well. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Steve, even though in reality this was a one mapper stretched into a two map area, the visual trick to the eye was that the tank gun ranges and manoeuvre capabilities seemed more realistic. It was a good opportunity to get another perspective on this system.
Played the final scenario from the lock n' load Dark July supplement, which covers the Kursk battles.
This scenario moves to the northern shoulder and the interesting battle of Ponyri. Know to those that fought there as Little Stalingrad, this scenario covers the fight for the School and Tractor Station.
Observations and replay notes over at my blog - LINK
https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-front-porsche.html
Thanks Norm for yet another great AAR and this one sounded a really good game, full of loads of action. I like the idea of some unknown/random events, which I might try an incorporate in my BKCII games.
So, what's the plan for the eleven months of the year?
Quote from: Steve J on 25 July 2018, 08:18:08 PM
Thanks Norm for yet another great AAR and this one sounded a really good game, full of loads of action. I like the idea of some unknown/random events, which I might try an incorporate in my BKCII games.
Thanks Steve, the Special Events worked very well, two out of the three made me smile .... through gritted teeth!
Quote from: mad lemmey on 25 July 2018, 08:28:24 PM
So, what's the plan for the eleven months of the year?
Well, I could do Ardennes for December and rest up between now and then :-)
Seriously, I have not done a themed month before, but it provides great focus and made me set a gaming pace that I doubt I would have achieved otherwise and of course my handle on the rule system is now total ..... for now :-)
Really enjoyed your Kursk month, Norm, even if I'm not a big boardgamer these days.
Plenty of ideas and inspiration.
Like the idea of the Ardennes in December :D