Hill 107: North Africa in the pouring rain!

Thursday 24th June

Drove through the pouring rain to the Garvald film studios to find that we were playing a game about Second World War in North Africa.We could have done with some of that Mediterranean weather to make for a better atmosphere.Hey Ho we have to take what we get in Nicola land.

The Invasion Force

The Object of American Desires

Waiting for non arrivals.

I had actually expected another game of Stargrave but was pleasantly surprised to find the table set up for a venture into North Africa Bolt Action style.This was a chance for Colin to use some of the many hundreds of figures he has painted during lockdown which in gaming terms was going to be a massacre for somebody.Both sides consisted of new figures as El Presidente painted up some figures that he had been planning I.e. early war Americans and Afrika Korps. The synopsis of the game was an Operation Torch type landing somewhere in North Africa with inexperiencd Americans backed up by some paras against veteran Germans so the stage was set for a dramatic encounter especially as we were a bit rusty on the rules and that was shown from straight the start.

American paras posing.

Officer wi a map-Enough said!

Moroccan Tirrailleurs debarking.

I in my usual guise was playing the Germans and Colin backed up by oor Andrew took the part of the green Americans.My plan was to wait in ambush and decimate the invading Yankees but as usual plans only last till the first bullet goes off.Although Colin had decided to take it house by house,Andrew had decided to bypass the town and come round the side leaving my ambushers twiddling their thumbs covering the town streets.

Nobody

“Nobody in this building,Sir!”

Colin’s first squad came into contact with my first set of defenders which consisted of local militia and although they inflicted a couple of casualties the Americans cleared the first house.One up to the Yanks.This gave Colin the chance to move up his Grant tank supported by Moroccan Tirailleurs hoping to head quickly for their objective which was the airport control tower.Not without a fight as this brought them into line of fire of a squad of entrenched German defenders supported by my only armour.

My Moroccan Militia heading to their doom.

“Come and get me!”

My defenders opened fire on the Moroccans hoping to decimate them but although they took some casualties they held firm giving Colin’s other squads time to house hop their way towards my now isolated squad.My tank opened up on Colin’s tank and although hitting it,just scratched it and gave him a chance to reciprocate and stun my poor boys.Andrew’s squads were edging their way round the outskirts of town and the only thing I had to shoot at him was my sniper which he duly did and missed the barn door to which Andrew replied with one of his squads firing back but they too missed the barn door giving my sniper time to scurry away to another location.

Brand new tank crawls through town.

Fighting off Uncle Sam.

Meanwhile my tank had brushed itself down and started to return fire on the American tank and finally after the second shot drew blood and evened up the score albeit only for a wee while as Colin’s squad combination done away with my first German squad.It wasn’t looking good on that flank.My other squad was still waiting for someone to come into their line of fire but had to wait until Andrew’s Yanks came into view.I had a line in the sand which was basically a very thin Field Gray line in the sand defending the airport so the plan was to engage Andrew’s forces as they seemed to be the greatest danger so I repositioned my surviving squad supported by my machine gun to help stem the Olive Green tide.

One of Andrew’s squads at sixes and sevens.

“Booyah!”

The final phase opened with me firing all possible weapons bar the tank at Andrew whilst the tank would hopefully hold off Colin’s infantry who would have to cross open ground.I fired everything including mortars at Andrew and although the mortar had a direct hit it didn’t stem the inevitable tide of Olive Green who at the last gasp sprinted towards the airport control tower and eventually cleared the little defenders that were ensconced in the building.Game,set and match to the invading Yanks.A great game played in the best of spirit even when I complained about the use of bazookas in North Africa.My thanks to Colin for putting on a pregame repast complimented by a nice foaming ale.All figures,scenery and scenario was provided by Colin and made for a great evening albeit with it piddling down outside.I’m sure the North Africans would have loved some of this rain.