Having always been interested in the Battle of Arnhem, I have finally bought British Airborne figures to use for Blitzkrieg Commander. This is the first part of an Arnhem project.
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Will post an update when painted and based.
Excellent, I'll be keeping an eye on this!
What Leon said 8).
Begun painting the British for this project. First up is the Para Battalion.
(https://stratoqswargames.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/img_2827.jpg?w=768)
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More pictures available here:
https://stratoqswargames.wordpress.com/2019/04/25/bkc-iv-british-airborne-pt-2/ (https://stratoqswargames.wordpress.com/2019/04/25/bkc-iv-british-airborne-pt-2/)
Nice progress :)
Agreed, Steve.
Look forward to seeing this project progress. :)
Cheers - Phil
Thank you. Although it was my interest in the British Airborne that led to this project, I'm starting to think the varied German forces will be even more interesting to research and build up.
Good to see these coloured in!
I've got a big interest in the Market Garden campaign, and the German forces are very mixed, and interesting, I've gone for a representative mix, rather than anything too representative, to try to give the option to play many of the different engagements. It Never Snows in September is a very good book for the German side of it.
Then you can add US Airborne, and XXX Corps with its tanks. Lots of stuff to buy.
Some of my stuff can be see here http://www.kerynne.com/games/BritishParas.html
Fred, :-bd =D> :-bd =D>
Quote from: fred. on 25 April 2019, 08:26:18 PM
Good to see these coloured in!
I've got a big interest in the Market Garden campaign, and the German forces are very mixed, and interesting, I've gone for a representative mix, rather than anything too representative, to try to give the option to play many of the different engagements. It Never Snows in September is a very good book for the German side of it.
Then you can add US Airborne, and XXX Corps with its tanks. Lots of stuff to buy.
Some of my stuff can be see here http://www.kerynne.com/games/BritishParas.html
It Never Snows in September is an excellent source for the German units. That being said there seems to be a lot of debate regarding the strength of the German units between sources.
Very nice models! Something to aspire to.
Nicely done! I'm looking forward to seeing the progress of this.
Next up is the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron. There are a few options for fielding this unit so any thoughts would be much appreciated.
(https://stratoqswargames.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/img_2823.jpg?w=768)
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First question is would it be best to use 3 or 6 jeeps to represent the 3 troops (each with 8 jeeps) of the Squadron?
The other part is more specific to the British Airborne list in BKC IV. The options I believe could work are below:
Option 1:
1x HQ (CV8)
3x Platoon (Recce)
3x Jeeps (from the recce section)
This option uses the recce jeeps and infantry platoons (or troops in this case) but the jeeps don't have the stats for a Vickers K gun.
Option 2:
1x HQ (CV8)
3x Jeeps, Vickers (from the lend-lease section)
This option provides the stats for the Vickers K gun but these jeeps do not have a transport slot as per the rules nor do they have the recce ability.
Option 3:
House rule a comprise between the two options. I would want to do a bit more reading around how the Squadron operated before deciding exactly what to change.
Of course any other suggestions are welcome.
Very nice!
If you buy the Infantry Recce and put them in the jeeps - the jeeps can use the Recce movement rules.
The passengers act as Recce in the usual manner. If they dismount from the Jeeps the jeeps can behave as a normal unit if desired.
Its a compromise (for now) but we can put a jeep recce in the updated list PDF.
Also, worth trying your Paras as Elite status, rather than Veterans.
Elite: No Command value for assaulting the enemy and deduct one dice when rolling for suppression/fall-back
This should have been an option in the Special Characteristics list and will be included in the PDF errata.
They look great
Mark
Looking good ! :)
Cheers - Phil
Thank you very much!
Once I get round to playing some games with them I will explore those options. They seem like a good idea.
Next up will be some German units. A bit harder to piece together what was there but should be rewarding.
Shouldn't British airborne be CV10?
Mark
If you look at Market-Garden, the British command at times was quite poor. Of course you could say the same of the US Airborne in the same campaign. Generally I would say that a CV of 9 reflects their overall C&C in both Normandy and Market-Garden. This is of course just my personal opinion.
I'd agree with that Steve. Their strength was in the quality of their troopers not necessarily the skill of their senior command.
What IS the CV of a CO hiding in a Dutch attic? :)
Have to agree about the commanders. Combined with the problems with radios etc it would be hard to justify a CV of 10 for the CO or a CV of 9 for the HQs.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 03 May 2019, 12:06:03 PM
What IS the CV of a CO hiding in a Dutch attic? :)
Perhaps 0? :D
No problem with command at bttn level - far from it. Frost, Fitch, Dobie et al all performed very well. Issue is that Brigade and Div leadership get lost for the most critical period in the battle - advancing on to the objective in the face of serious opposition. Without overall direction the div plan falls apart. Hence when 4th Para brigade arrives it all comes as a bit of a shock how badly things are going to many of the junior leaders. Hacket was expecting 50% casualties in the first 2 days and told this to his bttn and coy commanders before they flew in. Correct, but perhaps a little disconcerting? :(
Radios? This is a myth promulgated by that bloody film. They all knew the radios would be a problem in the town areas and woods.
In BKC/CWC, is it possible to have CO's with lower CV than the sub-commanders (Bttn HQs in this case)?
There must be cases where individual battalion or company commanders were more motivated and in tune with the battlefield than higher HQs.
Mark
You are right. But no, not in the rules/lists as written.
You can have a replacement HQ who's better than the casualty he replaces if you roll a 6 (a brilliant rule idea), or a CO who's worse than the one lost on a roll of 1-4. So it might come about that way ... perhaps.
The restricted communications because of the radio issue still hindered the overall command and control even if it was expected. Combined with Urquhart being holed up in the attic, it is clear that there were command issues early in the battle.
That being said I wasn't implying that the Bn. commanders were poor. Unfortunately their lightly armed units were unable to deal with German armoured vehicles, even if many of these vehicles encountered on the first day were half tracks and armoured cars. Certainly the 1st and 3rd Battalions struggled with them and also with the infantry that were rushed to form the blocking lines, hence why they were unable to make it to the Bridge.
IMHO for Blitzkrieg Commander, the British Airborne CO probably shouldn't have a rating of 10. The HQs may have a stronger case for being the higher value of 9. Once I build the forces and get some games in, I might play around with the options for command and see what feels right - as ever this will require more reading but can't complain about that.
Next up is a selection of German units at Arnhem. Starting with Kampfgruppe Von Allworden, which fought the 1st Parachute Battalion on the Amsterdamsweg on the 17th September. This was formed from the remnant of the 9th SS Panzerjager Battalion. It mustered 120 men to fight as infantry, 2 Jagdpanzer IVs and 1 Pak-40 7.5cm ATG with transport for the gun. Although there were only two tanks and one gun, I was keen to buy models for them as I did not have any ATGs for the Germans nor did I own a Jadpanzer IV.
(https://stratoqswargames.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/img_2819.jpg?w=748)
(https://stratoqswargames.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/img_2821.jpg?w=748)
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Representing this in BKC, I would look at a list on the lines of this:
1x HQ (CV8)
3x Platoon (Waffen SS)
1x Panzer IV, Jagdpanzer
1x Pak 40, 7.5cm AT
1x Trucks
I would consider fielding the infantry without the veteran rule, given that they were SP gun and AT gun crews fighting as infantry. However they had a huge amount of MG42s available to them so I would want to still keep them with the SS firing value (5).
Impressive
Lovely work, really like the basing!
Nice work and I like the history bit as well :).
Very nice.
Might be worth painting up a Sniper Team and weaving them into your project?
On the Command value question. Technically there is nothing to stop a list having a CO with a lower value than an HQ. It's just that I couldn't think of any examples (maybe this is it!).
Having COs and HQs with equal CV values is already in the lists - the 1940's French is a case in question.
Again, for a specific scenario it is perfectly acceptable to 'jiggle about' with the lists to achieve a specific outcome to reflect a historical situation.
I played a game years ago based on the Saving Private Ryan US Airborne scenario - where the CO had died in his glider and was not replaced - his HQs just got on with the job of running the battle.
It's a really interesting project thanks for sharing.
Thank you for compliments.
It's quite satisfying collecting a historical force, just frustrating at times when there doesn't seem to be much on a particular unit (e.g. the element of the recce battalion that was left behind to support the units to the west of Arnhem).
I noticed the sniper rules in the rule book and would like to give them a go. I think it would be a great addition to the airborne force.
As for command values, I hope to plan a few scenarios for this project and if there is evidence to suggest a particular command unit should have a higher CV than it's CO/CO should have a lower value than its subordinate then I would do this.
I do like those ! :-bd
Damn fine work !
Cheers - Phil
Thank you very much! Now need to order the next 'batch' of miniatures from Pendraken.
Are you using 17pdrs?
If so have you thought about what you'll get to tow them?
Quote from: fsn on 07 May 2019, 11:50:49 AM
Are you using 17pdrs?
If so have you thought about what you'll get to tow them?
Eventually yes although probably not just yet. Next up will be the various German vehicles that were present on the first day, another parachute battalion and probably some 6pdrs.
Most of my reading so far has focussed on the advance of the 1st Parachute Brigade towards Arnhem on the 17th. I will want to look at the role of the air landing brigades in the future.
I feel that I'm about to fall into a trap regarding 17pdr tows?
You are getting wise to the forum quickly Stratoq :D
Quote from: Stratoq on 07 May 2019, 12:12:54 PM
I feel that I'm about to fall into a trap regarding 17pdr tows?
No, no. Just a casual enquiry.
I've been trying to shift my 17pdrs with Jeeps and carriers, and frankly it's all rather disappointing.
Quote from: fsn on 07 May 2019, 03:20:04 PM
I've been trying to shift my 17pdrs with Jeeps and carriers, and frankly it's all rather disappointing.
You need the cut down airborne version of the Morris C8 AT tractor. That was all that pulled the 17 pdr in the air landing AT batteries.
I was going to bite on this, but Dr Dave, has given the answer I would have, first.
Not sure if the airborne Morris is available from Pendraken, but it available in 10mm.
Yes.
No, it isn't.
Airborne version of Morris C8 it is then!