A Freikorps Run Ashore

Wednesday 30th January'

                                           Tonight's game took us back into a bit of reality after a few few weeks of fantasy through the canals of Venice.Freikorps action from the little known backwater Baltic port of Straisund which is nearby to the state of Graustark.Graustark was a state concocted by Colin Jack and is predominately populated by women.What more can I say.

Downtown Straisund.

Situated somewhere near Bremen I think.

The red view.

                                                          The gist of tonight's game was that red sailors fresh from their tribulations in Graustark had arrived into Straisund telling tales -somewhat exaggerated-of their exploits in Graustark's defence and of  the spread of socialism and communism and how they had come to spread the word and like sheep the local sailors beckoned to their call.Those opposed to these devilish ideas immediately sent for the help of the local Freikorps and like the cavalry came to the help of these put on innocent citizens.Or something along these lines.

Manning the barricades.

On all sides.

With a wee bit of heavy support.

                                                           I took the part of the heroic Freikorps and Dave O'Brien took on the mantle of evil communist for the evening'usually he's just evil.Colin assisted myself until pizza time was called after two moves whereupon we were joined by our new local inhabitant Andrew.Actually we all met in the pub to partake of freshly made pizza washed down by some foaming ale.

Hiding up an alley.

Colourful transport.

Targeting the reds.

My unit of the evening.

                                 The game started with Dave's defence force all dug in awaiting our onslaught.Our forces slowly made our way into town looking for the inevitable ambushes that would come from Herr O'Brien and they were not long in coming with rifle fire opening up on my gallant jaegers causing them to go to ground.Reprisals were soon forthcoming as my Granatewerfer(medium mortar)went into action and scored an immediate hit on Dave's sailors who were cowering behind some wooden logs.It wasn't to long before my mortar hit them again decimating the traitors but not before he had done some damage to my lead infantry squad        
                                                         On the other side of town Andrew's forces had taken the first casualties when Dave's militia who were waiting in ambush in a building opened fire on them killing the squad leader and doing away with the machine gun.Colin had changed sides due to the arrival of Andrew and was lying in wait for Andrew's forces but since Andrew has played a few games in his life decided to err on the side of caution and make his way up the street very slowly.I,meanwhile,was making my way up the right flank hoping to do away with this nest of revolting vipers and hoping to build on the damage caused by my mortar.My field gun immediately struck the building defended by Dave's minions and caused casualties and after a further hit from this gun Dave made the inhabitants retreat towards the harbour speedily running past the Seekadettes that come all the way from Graustark to help them.

Real time of Andrew's lads taking cover.

They look as though they don't need a boat.

The gun disembarks.

                                              The Seekadette company had debarked from their steam gunboat bringing with them a wheeled heavy machine gun and yes they were all women.

Colin's girls-Well a small portion of them.

Taking Aim.

This was to be the first of the hordes of reinforcements that Colin and Dave would receive but the latter ones all came from a dirty great big boat namely the SMS Pinguin which docked along the side of the harbour and proceeded to spout various squads and support mainly Polish POW's.Time for meine Junge to find cover.The first cover was obtained by evicting one of Dave's squads from the railway station but after a short period of rejoicing the victorious Freikorps were subject to abuse from all directions as firstly a lorry mounted gun opened up on them and then a red squad who had arrived into a neighbouring warehouse added their tuppence ha'penny worth.This spelled the demise of my poor unfortunate squad but due to Dave's inability to garrison the building the opportunity was still there.

My Bavarian reinforcements taking their time coming on the table.

Andrew was slowly making his way up his side but due to two buildings being strategically filled with hordes of commies his advance was going to be fraught with danger as due to layout of street support was proving difficult to maneuver into position to threaten these upstarts and said upstarts were quite happy making these Freikorp keep their heads down.

Take that Herr O'Brien.

Booyah!

Now you see them,

Now you don't!

Meanwhile the red reinforcements were piling off their ship but were finding the quayside a tad crowded.Some of them were being funnelled across the bridge in order to meet my advance.Dave wheeled his machine gun complete with female crew behind a barricade in order to engage my depleted squad who had earlier came into contact with Dave's machine gun which had been ensconced very ungentlemanly in the adjacent warehouse and my lads came out worse for wear.

On sight of this wheeled machine gun,my mortar engaged it and lo and behold and a six on the dice,the female crew evaporated.My machine gun which had been placed on a railway wagon was now engaging Dave's other machine gun and managed to do away with two of its crew but couldn't stop it from being a thorn in our side.

The Red reinforcements arrive.

Red machine gun.

First of the boat wins a coconut.

More Poles.

Dave moving the lorry for a better shot and he still missed at point blank range.

             As time was ticking on Andrew went for the final push and finally got some of his Freikorps into an inhabited building and immediately evicted the squatters.No such luck for him in the adjacent building as just as they were ready to act similarly they rolled a double six which meant they had to retire very swiftly..this.This was time for Andrew to reveal his secret weapon mainly an ungainly looking armoured car which although big wasn't going to be able to maneuver passed the red barricades so just became  a mobile machine gun post.

Some house clearing.

Once again-Now you see it-

Now you don't!

The armoured car cautiously moving forward.

On my side my lads were gathering together out of sight of Dave's gun and ready for the final push .My field gun opened up on Dave's Polish reinforcements who were heading across the bridge but alas missed.

One last shot.

An awful lot of hanger on's on the harbour.

Full time arrived too soon with my lads just about to educate the red rabble in some proper force management.Once again the game fizzled out into a score draw but with an advantage towards the Freikorps.

All figures,scenery and scenario provided by Colin.

Hopefully I'll be indulging in a game of sorts next week.

See You All When I See You!