8 replies to this topic

[Kenny Noe]

This thread will have several AARs from the staff that attended Historicon 2008A request for AAR was made to all game masters to be submitted. Some are more detailed that others.Thanks to all who attended and played all our games.Comments welcome

[Kenny Noe]

F-390 - Santa Anna’s Last Gasp, Aug. 1847Fri. 10 AM, 6 hrs, 8 playersGM: Don CarterSponsor: Old Dominion Game WorksMexican War 15mm, Rules: American BattlelinesChurubusco has fallen and American Gen. Winfield Scott has his eyes set on the prize; Mexico City. Santa Anna attempts to slow the “Gringos” down with make hasty defenses to give time to the Mexican army to bolster the defense of Mexico City. Can the Americans push past to the capital, or will the Mexicans slow the invaders enough for suitable defenses to be erected?Rules Taught, beginners Welcome.Mexican/ American WarMexican forces trying to stop the Yannkee invaders.Game was Old Guard vs Young GunsMexican were played by YG, Americans played OG.Father faced son, Great dice rolls on part of the defender quickly hurt, Attackers.IE: 9 Texas Rangers killed with first shot. Americans started with bad rolls. IE 12# battery 1st shot rolled 20 2nd shot rolled 20. Mexican were aggressive, kept Americans at bay and controlled, 3/4 of field when game was call. Santa Anna should have had it so good.

[Kenny Noe]

F-392 - Red Beach 1 - PowerhouseFri. 10 AM, 4 hrs, 6 playersGM: JD PerrySponsor: Old Dominion Game WorksWWII 25mm, Rules: Armed Combat through the AgesThe invasion of Tarawa, consisted of landing on three beaches along the northern coast of the island. The 3rd Battalion, to land on Red Beach 1, along the western end of the north side of Betio. The first waves were hit hard by machine gun and anti-boat fire, damaging most of the tractors. Company I, upon climbing out of its LVT's, clambered up over the log barricade and began to advance inland they encountered a heavily fortified structure, the Island Power Plant.Rules Taught, beginners Welcome.The Marines of 1st Company took 25% casualties, but their training and espirt de corp carried them through the first set of bunkers and into the trenches as they moved on the second line of bunker they suffered another 20% casualties including a devastating hit to their Engineering Section. A bullet from a Japanese HMG detonated the tanks on the Flame thrower causing a catastrophic damage taking out the entire engineering section. But the Bazooka Man in the Head Quarter Section set up and delivered a M7A1 Heat round into the Machinegun Bunker destroying the Bunker and the HMG and Crew. Marines on the extreme right flank destroyed the Japanese Forces and started to roll the right flank clearing Green Beach. The Japanese put up a valiant defense, but the overwhelming fire power of the Marines was just to much for them to withstand. As the Japanese moved in reinforcements they ran into a Nest of Scorpions stopping there movement for the turn leaving them in to open, where they were easy target the combined firepower from the Marines and there remaining LVT.The scenario played out pretty close to the Historical Battle, it was a costly Marine victory.

[Kenny Noe]

F-394 - You Sank My Battleship!Fri. 4 PM, 4 hrs, 6 playersGM: Kenny NoeSponsor: Old Dominion Game WorksWWII 1/1800, Rules: General Quarters IIIThis is a registered demo game designed to teach the rules for GQIII. Each player will receive a battleship with one goal... Sink everyone else. Last Man Standing wins! Simple... Yea, right!!Rules Taught, beginners Welcome.This was an introductory game for the convention. The rules were kept at a minimum and each player was given a single battleship. There were seven players including a young seven year old (with his dad for encouragement!!). The battleships engaged were the Tone, Yamamoto, Musashi, Washington, Richelielu, Iowa, Bismark. The Tone and Richelieu suffered catastrophic ammunition fires and exploded. The Yamamoto and Musashi teamed up against the Iowa. They eventually sank her on the last turn of the game. The Washington and Bismark fought their own private war against each other with the Bismark suffering a permanent rudder hit and circling while the Washington suffered some damage in the engagement. There were several collision rolls but with expert ship handling (and lucky die rolls!!) they were all avoided. By the end of the game all agreed to the Yamamoto (our seven year old player) and Musashi had dominance of the seas and all players had a great time.

[Kenny Noe]

S-397 - Tank Fight at the Chinese Farm, Oct. 1973Sat. 10 AM, 5 hrs, 6 playersGM: Kenny NoeSponsor: Old Dominion Game WorksModern 12mm, Rules: Mein PanzerThe Sharon Division has crossed the Suez and taken the fight to Egypt itself! The only problem is an heavily defended area known as the Chinese Farm. Come play Mein Panzer Core Rules with a little modern twist. Command Units of Israel bent on revenge to the surprise attacks or lead the Egyptian forces that are threatened to be surrounded and cut off from the homeland.Rules Taught, beginners Welcome.This was a game I have run a couple of times at conventions and it always seems to play different. We had a full table once a walk up player was volunteered to assist the Eyptians. The game is based on historical events during the 1973 Arab / Israeli War. The Egyptian players had 2 forces in the north around the Chinese Farm and the third player commanded relief forces coming up from the south. The Israeli players had 2 forces representing Sharon forces coming back from the west and attempting to hook up with the Israeli army driving from the east. All forces were to converge and occupy a crossroads area in the center.The first turn had most of the Egyptians in the north sitting in overwatch positions but a unit of T-62’s were on the road heading south toward the crossroads. The relief Egyptian player driving from the south wasn’t able to move on until turn two. The Israeli Players all moved on board and were immediately under attack from Egyptian infantry carrying AT-3 Suite case Sagger anti tank guided missiles (ATGM). Turn two saw little action as the Egyptians were content to duke it out with the Israeli’s, however the Egyptian southern forces started to appear and the Israeli’s were in a dog fight. Turn three saw a push by the Egyptian players in the north toward the crossroads with their T-62’s. Unfortunately the lead couple of T-62’s got smacked by long range Israeli gunners as soon as they came out of the farm area. This pretty much stalled the only Egyptian thrust for the cross roads. The Israeli’s for their part attempted to move forward some but were constantly harassed by the Egyptian ATGM teams. Turn four and five were stagnant with neither side wishing to advance nor possibly loose units. Even with the encouragement of the game master and the ever boisterous prodding of other ODGW staff members (JD being the most helpfull!! Thanks JD!!), the players allowed themselves to ground to a halt. After the allotted time had passed the game was called and ruled a draw as neither side were within 18” of the objective. Although the game was a draw and tedious at times, the players all agreed they enjoyed themselves and the scenario. There were of course several lessons to be learned and the flavor of modern combat was exciting to all.

[Kenny Noe]

F-393 - A Stroll Across No-Man's Land, 1916Fri. 4 PM, 4 hrs, 6 playersGM: Jon CoulterSponsor: Old Dominion Game WorksWWI 15mm, Rules: Mein PanzerThe Germans must plan and mount a classic infantry assault across No Man's Land against a British position. Preplanned artillery, machine gun fire lanes, mortars, and a few tanks are at your disposal. Will your plan be sound? Will you use your rolling artillery wisely? Will you die?Come and take a stroll across No-Man's Land and find out.Rules Taught, beginners Welcome.Due to a limitation in figures, I had to deviate a good bit from the event?s original description. Never-the-less, a good game was played.Background: The British had launched a successful attack on a German position, knocking them back to a small town where the Germans immediately began to dig new trenches. In the process, three brand spanking new A7V tanks joined them and took up positions in the town. The British, hearing the Germans didn?t fall back as far as they thought, brought up their trench assault tanks and along with some infantry launched an offensive operation against the Germans. Their goal? To knock the Germans back before they had the chance to complete their trenches.The Game: The game was designed for six players, but only three showed up to play. I wound up playing as one of the German players to even out the game.The German Forces: The Germans were short on manpower (meaning I didn?t have enough lead) and were limited to a total of 6 3-stand infantry platoons and two heavy machine gun sections. In addition, there was a platoon of three A7Vs, two 4-gun batteries of 170mm trench mortars, and one 3-gun section of 77mm infantry guns.The British Forces: The British had a total of 9 heavy 4-stand infantry platoons. Three of these also had a single HMG attached to it. In addition, they had 152mm off board artillery (for preplanned artillery only), a 3-gun section of 13lb field guns, a platoon of cavalry, a platoon of 3 armored cars, and a mix of 9 female and male Mk. IV tanks.The Battlefield: On one half of the German side of the table was a small town of about 15 buildings. A road lead out of the town and off the British side of the table. The other half of the German side of the table was an incomplete network of trenches. About 4" in front of the trenches was a long line of barbed wire. About 12" off the entire British table edge was light woods, leaving the space between the woods and the barbed wire as No Man?s Land. The Germans had two dugouts they could position anywhere in their trench network.Deployment: Prior to deployment the British had 6 turns of 152mm artillery to preplot from an off-board battery of six-guns. Once completed, the Germans were to deploy first. The A7Vs and infantry guns deployed in the town, along the edge. The two mortar batteries were deployed in a partially completed support trench. Each dugout was populated with two infantry platoons and one machine gun section. The last two infantry platoons could not fit into the dugouts and deployed in the trench. The British deployed last with each tank being attached to an infantry platoon along the inside of the woods. The cavalry deployed further back into the tree line, and the field guns deployed along the edge in the center. Finally, the armored cars deployed to the extreme left.The Game: The game started with the first British barrage coming down in the middle of the town. Despite being right on target, only one of the infantry guns were close enough to be pinned. Three of the British tanks across from the town opted to disobey orders and decided to stay in the tree line and take pot shots at the A7Vs and infantry guns in the town. One of the British tanks failed to crank up and was disabled before getting off the starting line. The other five Mk IVs lumbered forward with infantry following close behind. The A7Vs and infantry guns traded fire with the British Mk IVs and field gun across from them. Most of the guns were out of range, but one of the British tanks was turned into a pill box, and one of the A7Vs took one hit (those monsters can take two). One of German infantry guns was also destroyed. No activity on the rest of the battlefield, other than British tanks and infantry slowing moving across No Man?s Land.The second turn started with the British pre-planned artillery barrage moving from the town to the right flank of the trench. Some German infantry was pinned and one stand bit the dust. The rest of the turn was pretty much the same as the first turn. One of the British tanks was destroyed and another immobilized. The A7Vs continued to take hits but none were destroyed. One of the German mortar batteries laid a barrage immobilizing a British tank and pinning a bunch of infantry.The third turn saw the British barrage moving yet again to the other flank of the trench. It pinned a bunch of infantry, and caused a partial collapse of the trench. No casualties. One of the German infantry guns started taking pot shots at the infantry crossing the battlefield but came up short. The armored cars flanked the A7Vs but weren?t able to penetrate the armor. One was suppressed, however, from all the MG fire from the cars. The surviving Mk IVs continued to fire up the A7Vs as well and damaged another. The British field guns managed to immobilize and suppress the third A7V ... so all the German tanks were still alive, but all suppressed. The German infantry in the dugouts were ordered to take up positions as the British tanks were getting close to the barbed wire. The two MG sections made it out while the other infantry lined up inside the dugouts for their turn to exit. The other British tanks continued toward the trench but one became confused and disoriented from all the smoke and noise and began to wander to its left.Turn Four and the British artillery stayed put, pounding the left flank of the German trench. The fire was more accurate this turn causing TWO full collapses of the trench, trapping the infantry command stand and one rifle stand in between. German infantry continued to pour out of the dugouts and the MG sections were setting up their guns. The A7Vs and Mk IVs continued to trade fire with another Mk IV going up in smoke. Somehow, the A7Vs continued to survive the armored cars, field guns, and enemy tanks. The mortars took out some more infantry crossing the battlefield, and a German Fokker joined the fun strafing one of the tanks and the infantry following it ... killing a rifle stand but doing nothing else. The four British tanks moving toward the trenches breached the barbed wire, while the wandering tank continued to be affected by the fog of battle and wandered even more to the left. It iss now driving down the center of the battlefield away from its brothers and sisters. The infantry following realized the tank was way off course and decided to head toward the trench without tank cover.At this point the game had to be called as one of the players had to leave a little early. The British, however, were closing in on the trenches. Another turn and they would have been right in front of the trench, and two turns they would have crossed. The A7V were taking a beating but were still in the fight and probably would have taken out the remaining Mk IV opposing them. The armored cars, however, would have been in the German rear in turn five and behind the trenches in another turn or two after that. No way the A7V could have run them down. It was a matter of time, but it was looking like a British victory was going to take place.

[Bob Benge]

Kenny did you not get my AARs?

[Kenny Noe]

My apologies to Bob... I seemed to have lost his AAR e-mail. So here is his Historicon AAR..F-389 - Welcome to Wargaming 101: A Kid's GameFri. 10 AM, 4 hrs, 6 playersGM: Bob BengeSponsor: Old Dominion Game WorksWWII 10mm, Rules: Mein Panzer JuniorKids, it's time to play a tank game like your Dad. German and American tanks from late in WW2 will be used. Game is designed for kids age 8-14 that have a little understanding of wargames. We will be using Mein Panzer Junior level 3.Kids 8-14 Only. Rules Taught/Beginners Welcome.The game is designed for kids 8-14 that have a little understanding of wargames. The game utilized Mein Panzer Jr. and 21st Century Toys 1/144th scale plastic tanks.A band of 3 young men joined in combat with a Mom in learning how tank battle is conducted using Mein Panzer Jr. 2 of the lads had some wargaming experience and delved into Level 3, the highest complexity game rules. After engaging in a very close battle between 5 x Pzkpfw-IVHs and 5 x Shermans with 76mm guns, the American player came out on top with one of his 5 Shermans left. In a rematch of sides the German player brought in 5 of the potent Pzkpfw-V Panther tanks versus the previously victorious American player with 5 of the venerable Sherman’s. Another close game ensued with the German player coming out on top with 2 of his Panthers left on the battlefield. The lads then switched sides and the battle was refought. The German player was victorious again with 3 of his Panthers remaining on the battlefield.While the other battles were being hard fought, the Mother and son were learning Level 2, Mein Panzer Jr. After a couple minutes of instruction, the battle was on. The young son, playing the German side with Pzkpfw-IVHs versus Mom playing the American side, pulled out a close victory with one tank left on the board thus gaining his Mother’s ire. A second battle quickly ensued after the two combatants requested to learn Level 3 rules. The rules were quickly taught and the battle started. An equally hard fought battle ensued with Mom coming out on top with 2 Shermans left on the board.After the all of the players finished the above games, the players decided to fight a battle royal with 2 players on each side. The German players, 2 young lads one of which was Mom’s son, were each driving 5 x Pzkpfw-VIe Tiger tanks, 5 x Pzkpfw-V Panthers and 1 Pzkpfw-VIb King Tiger tanks while the Americans, Mom and a young lad, were maneuvering 13 x Shermans and 13 x M-18 Hellcats. A tough battle was soon engaged. Turn 1 saw on of the massive King Tigers taking a lucky shot and being knocked out of the game. The Germans luck just seemed to wane from there with the American players getting well placed shots (read excellent die rolls) on the heavier German tanks. German reinforcements arrived to the tune of 5 x Pzkpfw-IVHs for each German player to try to counter the numerical superiority of the American players as the Germans were down to 2 tanks total of which both of these belonged to Mom’s son. The reinforcements were only a little help as the American players claimed victory 3 turns later with 4 x Sherman/Hellcats left on the board. All in all everyone had a great time and the young guys left with a free copy of the game and a 1/144th scale tank of their choice as mementos of the game.

[Kenny Noe]

My apologies again to Bob... I seemed to have lost his AAR e-mail. So here is his second Historicon AAR..S-400 - Where Purple Hearts and Iron Crosses GrowSat. 10 AM, 4 hrs, 6 playersGM: Bob BengeSponsor: Old Dominion Game WorksWWII 15mm, Rules: Mein PanzerArdennes Winter 1944. American units are trying to slow down the marauding Germans from blitzkrieging to Antwerp. Scratch American unitsare thrown together and placed on the line. German Volksgrenadiers and newly assembled armor are moving fast to secure important crossroadsto speed their advanced to the objective: the Muese River.Rules Taught, beginners Welcome.The game utilized Mein Panzer with Infantry and Structures Drop-In and 15mm miniatures.The Board: A small village located in the center of the board amid a single crossroads with roads that led off the board north, south, east and west. There were groups of trees throughout the board that reduced the sighting ranges, mostly.The Players: 3 German players each had 4 activations consisting 1 Pzkpfw-IVH, 1 platoon of infantry with a command stand, 1 platoon of infantry with an attached MG42 medium machinegun and 1 platoon of infantry with an attached Panzerschreck. The Germans would be entering the board from the North edge. The American players each had 1 Sherman M4A3, 1 platoon of infantry with a command stand and 2 platoons of infantry with an attached bazooka stand. Note that all of the infantry platoons consisted of 3 squads of Rifle/LMG or Rifle/BAR stands.The Objective: Major victory to the side that controlled the crossroads that required occupation of all 4 buildings. Minor victory to the side that controlled 3 buildings.The game started with all of the players maneuvering on board toward the objective village for the first turn. On turn 2, both sides continued to maneuver their infantry toward the village while the American Sherman tanks of the center and left flank moved up the center road covering the road into the village. The lead Sherman caught site of a Pzkpfw-IVH that was taking up a position to cover the east and center approach to the village. The lead Sherman and Pzkpfw-IVH tanks shot at each other but missed; moving tanks are poor shots after all. Turn 3 saw the continuation of the infantry moving to the village while the lead Sherman halted and took a shot at the Pzkpfw-IVH missing again. The Pzkpfw-IVH halted, returned fire and missed. The trailing Sherman moved up, took a shot at the Pzkpfw-IVH, and missed. The last Sherman continued moved up the right side attempting to cover and threaten the German left flank. A Pzkpfw-IVH moved up the middle covered by buildings and trees to the north edge of the village covering infantry moving into the village. A Pzkpfw-IVH moved up to road running west out of the town covering infantry moving up the German right flank. Turn 4 saw the Germans gaining the initiative and party started. The Pzkpfw-IVH took another shot at the lead Sherman and knocked it out. The trailing Sherman halted and fired at the Pzkpfw-IVH tracking it and suppressing the crew. A platoon of German infantry caught a American platoon moving in a field toward a house and chewed up a couple of squads. The Germans setup an MMG in another building covering the south approach to the village while the rest of the infantry were moving into other buildings and covering both flanks to the village. The Americans must have had some bad SPAM that morning as they continued to miss everything they shot at, but still continued moving into positions and buildings around the village. Turn 5 opened with the Germans still with initiative. The crew of the Pzkpfw-IVH that was tracked last turn managed to recover. The Pzkpfw-IVH on the west side of the village raked the American infantry moving up with MG fire extracting some casualties and forcing them to ground. The German infantry continued firing away at the American infantry extracting more casualties. The SPAM continued to take its toll on the Sherman that had hit the Pzkpfw-IVH earlier was unable to finish it off, missing its shot. The American infantry was still unable to find the range causing no casualties, but remained determined to get to the objective. Damn that cook. Turn 6 saw the Germans maintain the initiative. The crew of the immobilized Pzkpfw-IVH returned to form and exacted some revenge by toasting the Sherman that had tracked him earlier. The Pzkpfw-IVH covering the west end of the village overran an American squad. The Americans had tried to get a bazooka shot off but the effects of the bad SPAM wore on and the shot missed. The German MMG in the village had found its mark and hit an American stand moving through some trees. German squads on the west side of the village suppressed a couple of American squads trying to move up toward the Pzkpfw-IVH that had overrun an infantry squad earlier. The Americans moved into positions within the village, while 2 squads attempted to assault the German MMG in the building across from them. One of the two squads was shot up and forced to ground, but the other squad engaged the MMG crew and successfully took it out while sustaining casualties. The game had to end at this point due to time.Game Conclusion: The Americans, while sustaining the bulk of the casualties, maintained their focus and fortitude and pressed on to achieve the objective. The Americans actually achieved a minor victory when the squad took the MMG stand out in the building the last turn of the game, giving them three buildings.