Stephen and I got together for another game of BKCIV in the Western Desert. My forces were unchanged from last time, while Stephen brought a mix of Italian armour, infantry and a German recee company and we played 'Encounter' again. Eight turns of fun to go!
Colonel Antrobus (Family motto 'Forsitan postea') and the 3/139th Borcester Light Heavy Infantry had arrived further into the Western Desert. No one is quite sure how they got there in the first place. They just sort of arrived in Alexandria one day, and when reporting to HQ for orders, after having been told to 'Naff off and get lost', had picked what they thought was a nice, quiet, sector. The Borcester's were not looking for action, but again, action has found them.
The desert, nothing deployed yet, but much closer terrain than before, allowing us cover and defence.
(https://i.imgur.com/yHnMmA1.jpeg)
Turn 1: All of us (including Stephen's two commanders on CV9 and one on CV8) failed to appear.
Turn 2:
The Borchester's arrived, truck carrying HMG and mortars, Bren carriers and 2 Pounder Portees heading to find suitable vantage points while the infantry sloggs through the desert heat behind.
(https://i.imgur.com/9C1wVpl.jpeg)
British armour arrives. Two squadrons of Tank, Cruiser, Mk III (A13 Mk I & II), a squadron of Crusader IIs and a Humber A/C.
(https://i.imgur.com/Qn4ybu5.jpeg)
Then, nothing for a turn, for anybody.
Turn 3:
Italian infantry and anti-tank deploy. Italian armour waits to get 'go' orders.
(https://i.imgur.com/vGSLUFW.jpeg)
German recon arrives on the same front as the British armour. Stephen getting his usual amazing dice (this game likes people who roll low).
(https://i.imgur.com/xQdbWNE.jpeg)
The 59th Hussars commanding officer orders his tanks forwards, confident of easy kills against the German light recon.
AND BLUNDERS!
Not only does he blunder, but he also rolled a 10 - All units in the command make one full move backwards. This takes the while command straight off table! Yes, we checked the rules. Any unit that leaves the table edge is counted as 'knocked out' That's a whole 10 armoured vehicles in one turn.
(https://i.imgur.com/A3Rh9JA.jpeg)
Followed by their commander. (Good riddence)
Guess that's me losing the game then, as I had already given away over 25% of my forces with 9 units withdrawing, another two units and I would be over 50%!
We played on.
A few turns of shooting later...
The Italian infantry advanced into the central scrub and the building nearest the oasis.
Turn 6:
The Portees took out an L3/35 tankette, and two infantry platoons assulted an Italian infantry platoon in the building next to the oasis. First assualt was a draw, second attack saw the Italians being well and truely stomped on by the British. Green counter shows suppressed.
(https://i.imgur.com/IinKBP6.jpeg)
Turn 7:
Italian armour kills a Bren carrier, things are now really dodgy.
(https://i.imgur.com/zIwBKfF.jpeg)
Turn 8:
German recon after four turns of sitting still manages and advance and surpresses the 3/139th Mortars, but not much else.
(https://i.imgur.com/6YEBWCZ.jpeg)
End of game. A moderate loss for the British with the armour breaking off earlier in the game, but the Italians had lost two units out twelve, as the allied Germans did not count towards their unit count. One more and I could have claimed a draw!
(https://i.imgur.com/XZRRumV.jpeg)
Fantastic game, even if I lost.
Colonel Antrobus is drafting a strongly worded letter to Horse Guards about the lack of 'Moral Fibre' in British Armoured Regiments.
Great looking game Will and nice to know you had fun. Personally units that Blunder off the table edge would not count as knocked out, but would be available to return on a successful command roll. Units that left the table due to falling back from hits received would count as knocked out.
Quote from: Steve J on 17 July 2025, 05:25:21 AMGreat looking game Will and nice to know you had fun. Personally units that Blunder off the table edge would not count as knocked out, but would be available to return on a successful command roll. Units that left the table due to falling back from hits received would count as knocked out.
Page 23, note 2 on Blunders ' If a unit exits the table as part of this move it is Knocked-Out '
740 points out of 1405 in one roll! Drat!
Good thing the 3/139th had proportionally more units, or it would be break tests ago-go!
Lovely looking game.
Especially like the big sand dunes, would love some of those.
Also, like the scenic effect of the morning sun on the ripples of the tablecloth, nice.
The Blunder off table KO bit is important in a fixed turn scenario game, as it stops those units returning to the table knowing tge eneny dispositions. But yiu can always play a house rule whereby they can return with the HQ at -1 to CV for rest of game.
Do keep the reports coming.
Well done that man!
Cheers
Mark