Painful Poles

 Wednesday 14th July,

                      Back to basics tonight with a Garvald Film Production of a Bolt Action game set in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.This was actually a last minute call up as the intended players were all waylaid by maladies,rearranged games and forgetfulness so the tracksuit was taken off and I was straight off the bench into war torn Warsaw and what a game it was.

The gathering.

Getting down to business.

      El Presidente for life had set up a very nice table festooned with buildings and rubble ready for an exciting game of tooing and froing throughout the evening especially when myself being the German thought we had it all tied up only to be shot in the back-literally .

House party-Polish style.

Polish flamethrower team.

              The forces were divvied out and I found myself in charge of German police units and some unenthusiastic Ostfront troops who were to prove that they would rather have been somewhere else.Their job was to hold the fort to give time for my bit more motivated reinforcements time to muster and counterattack.The Polish resistance had the ability to basically appear anywhere as they had the benefit of the sewer system to help them with hidden movement.They also had traps and other sneaky tricks up their sleeves as I found out to my cost later on.I imbedded my men behind cover in various buildings and awaited the vengeful hordes which weren’t to long in coming.

Reinforcements arrive.

Colonel Radl wishing he was back in Alderney.

Fisticuffs at close quarters.

                                                             It was mostly hordes of infantry who threatened to overcome my mere garrison so I made sure that they were well behind cover and this proved to be fruitful as my two German police units were doing most of the spadework and holding the Polish resistance off but this would only be for so long as Colin started to pour infantry backed up by a flamethrower into the first building losing a lot of attackers in the process.Even when he finally got the flamethrower into the firing line,the damage was minimal with the indignity at the end of the attack of running out of fuel.My first police squad rallied and done away with these usurpers.The only problem was that force of Polish numbers was doing away with this squad.I  moved a squad of Ostfront infantry towards them to give them some support but this squad was ambushed by insurgents coming out of the sewers in front of them making them hit the dirt.This squad began to take fire from all sides and even the presence of Colonel Radl straight out of Eagle Has Landed didn't help them as firstly he was taken out by a sniper and the rest of the squad just disintegrated.A bit of irony for Radl,escaping a firing squad on Alderney to get shot by a sniper in Warsaw.

“Get oot ma way!”

Shot in the back.

Coming out the sewer.

                                                  The Poles were getting the upperhand in the early skirmishes due to El Presidente getting lucky when it came to drawing his activation dice so it was no surprise when another of his squads appeared out of a sewer in front of the townhall and proceeded to do away with my other Ostfront squad who were moving to support the German HQ and mortar team who were being isolated in the townhall.Time for some reinforcements from the German side which came in the form of a proper army squad backed up by a Brummbar.Time to make these Poles pay-wrong!

A great combination.

Not a very good ambush.

Trying to take care of business.

                                                   As soon as my first reinforcement squad arrived on to the table they were met by a resistance squad who were hiding in one of the first buildings ready to gun down my poor lads.Luckily the Poles couldn't shoot for toffee and even the PIAT they had been given was useless so I turned my lads towards this enemy and eventually cleared this nest of vipers,leaving my Brummbar without any real opposition and a chance to mop up.As I said one was getting overconfident.I drove the Brummbar straight up the mainstreet straight into Colin's trap!

Plotting revenge.

Pioneer transport.

Rache-Revenge.

                                                       Maybe if I had read a wee bit about the uprising I would have read about some of the Polish ruses.As my Brummbar passed the so called wreck of a Panther tank covered in oily rags and spewing smoke it suddenly sprang into action and turned its turret towards the rear end of my Brummbar and opened fire turning it into a lot of scrap metal-bummer!This is what you get for being overconfident and sending armour up a street that hasn't been cleared by infantry first.

Ready for a scrap.

                                                 This made the rest of my reinforcements spring into action firstly with the arrival of A Stug all guns blazing but alas it couldn't hit a barn door.I brought another infantry squad on this time armed with a Panzerfaust but it had been taking lessons from the Stug and it also missed but that wouldn't last forever and third time lucky a squad of Pioneers decided to rush the tank and luckily overwhelm it rendering it useless.Hurrah!

My mortar boys.

This was my HQ but I don’t think the horse would have went down well in the townhall.

                                    By this time the Polish resistance were taking a toll on my beleaguered defenders as firstly the Ostfront squad lying in the middle of the street were done away with,the townhall was cleared of Germans and finally the Poles had swarmed through the first Police garrisoned building doing away with my first squad in the process leaving only my second police squad holding on for dear life.This now drew fire from all quarters but they hung on behind the thick Polish walls only vacating the premises once due to a terrible rally dice roll but they quickly regrouped and headed back into their original building depriving the Poles of some victory points.

Cossacks moving up-only in the Garvald Film Studios.

Meine Junge holding on.

                                                       The game was heading for full time so I started moving my forces up to try and retake some buildings and victory locations.I proceeded to move one of my squads into the townhall but they were thwarted by resistance fighters holding on for dear life and this was to be the last piece of action as the game fizzled out to a score draw.If the game had gone on longer I'm sure due to my reinforcements arriving,both armour and infantry,a German victory would have been assured or something along these lines.

The final scene!

                                             Once again a great game played as always fair square by gentlemen as all our ruffian members were all away doing trivial things.My thanks to Colin for putting on a great table to fight over and also provide all the figures a lot of whom had their first outing.

                                          I'll see you all when I see you.

                                   This has been a Garvald Film Studio presentation. 

       I

             

Swedish Damp Squib!

Wednesday 7th July.

        Tonight’s Garvald Film Production was a project that I have been planning for nearly three years and just when you think you have everything prepared and raring to go Murphy’s law kicks in. I always say that sometimes expectation far exceeds the event and tonight was to prove no exception,drove out to sunny Garvald only to realise that I had left behind some of the important ingredients for the game-bummer!Although we improvised it still cast a gloom over the game.

Auntie Aggie’s pad!

Sven arrives for a quiet holiday in the country.

Soviet submarine.

                     Anyhoo,tonight’s game was a retelling of the Whisky on the Rocks incident from away back in 1981 when a Russian submarine was grounded on rocks near a Swedish naval base.Since then many theories have been banded about ranging from drunken crews to the attempted placement of a nuclear mine.Whether you believe them or not it does make for a good story and likewise an interesting game.I took a liking to the game idea a few years ago and have gradually built up a lot of ingredients for the game coming in the form of figures,model cars and of course a submarine which was actually built by our dear departed friend Shug Wilson from a Mousetrap game.

Auntie Aggie and Uncle Iggie greet their nephew complete with loaded shotguns.

A towing boat complete with Captain Haddock’s Swedish cousin.

Swedish navy on the hunt.

                   The game was played using the 7TV rules and involved Swedish Intelligence whom I believe go under the acronym of SAPPO which I’m sure means something to someone.Tonight’s episode concerned their top agent Sven who was taking a short break with his fellow agent Anna  visiting his Aunt Aggie and Uncle Iggie at their research centre out in the sticks.They have been instructed to investigate the sighting of a Soviet submarine which is believed to have run aground near to Aunt Aggie’s residence.Also strangers in strange uniforms have been seen acting suspiciously in the area.Sven and Anna decided to investigate the submarine whilst his aunt and uncle would look for the strangers.

Invading Sweden.

Sleeper cell lines up for a photo shoot.

“Nobody will see us in this orange boat!”

          Sven and Anna jumped into Sven’s chic 1970’s Volvo and headed towards the shore  where upon arrival were met by the sight of the Bourbonski submarine stuck fast on some submerged rocks going nowhere.Sven stopped the car and both of the occupants headed for cover behind the car- well it was a Volvo,as some Soviet sailors had come ashore and were defending their boat with all guns blazing.

Four men and a bomb.

Sven drives his Volvo into action.

Auntie Aggie and Uncle Iggie.

        Meanwhile Auntie and Uncle had come across a group of four soldiers who were dragging along what Aggie believed to be a bomb and one that could cause an artificial sunrise,I.e Nuclear but for some reason decided to open fire on the Soviet sailors that had come ashore leaving the four soldiers with peace and quiet to let them get on with their nefarious deed.

           The Soviet original plan was to land the four Speznatz soldiers and wait for their return after planting the bomb and head back for the safety of Russian waters.We can only assume that extraordinary amounts of alcohol was consumed as the submarine found itself high and dry.After the Spetznaz were landed the plan was for members of the crew to take a small boat and look for a bigger boat in order to drag the submarine off the rocks. The captain actually took it on himself to lead the dinghy crew leaving the submarine in the hands of the ship’s commissar .The commissar’s own mission was to make sure the submarine didn’t fall into enemy hands.

           

Taking cover .

Rushing the sub,stupid boy!

 After trading shots with the Russian sailors leaving Anna with a flesh wound,Sven decided to take the bull by the scruff of the neck and make a beeline for the sub leaving Anna to lick her wounds.Some boyfriend!Being the untypical Swede he charged across open ground taking two hits along the way but still reached the stranded sub..His aunt and uncle gave him covering fire and done away with all but one of the sailors and the commissar. This dash towards the sub by SAPPO Sven inflicted on him two wounds and he seemed to be heading for his demise when he suddenly made a bold jump towards the submarine and succeeded to board and make his way to the conning tower ready to do battle with Commissar Romanova.

Swedish reinforcements arrive.

So does a Soviet sleeper cell.

            Meanwhile Bill’s Speznatz squad had a change of plan and had decided to head back to the sub nuclear device in tow-why I don’t know.Colin who was in charge of Sven decided to have him go into hand to hand with Romanova which initially proved successful but alas he was eventually worn down culminating in his demise which doesn’t fare well for a second episode of SAPPO Sven.Adding insult to injury the returning Spetznatz squad had a lucky shot and done away with Auntie Aggie-bounders!Obviously reinforcements were required and this came in the form of my newly painted Marines who motored in on their patrol vessel ready to do away with the invaders.

Getting oot the car.

         By this time Bill’s returning saboteurs had just about reached the sub when they were informed by Captain Gilkristi that they would be going down with the ship when the scuttle charges were detonated.Well his captain was a Jack-booted sadist.

            To try and help Bill capture the boat in order to tow the submarine I gave him the benefit of the local Soviet sleeper cell which came in the form of three agents arriving in their Lada/Polska Fiat.Their job was to capture a boat which belonged to Captain Haddock’s Swedish cousin but they couldn’t even do away with the other boat crew member never mind the captain.Sven’s girlfriend not even batting an eyelid over Sven’s demise joined forces with a vengeful Uncle Iggie and attacked the late arrivals in the rear.

Marines heading the wrong way.

            The Marines eventually arrived and even although they were hit by some mysterious fire bolt courtesy of a random event card drawn by comrade Bill causing casualties,managed to hit the Lada with rocket fire albeit only scratching the paintwork which must be tantamount to great Soviet engineering-whatever.

Anna and Uncle Iggie taking on the bad guys.

               Bill as I said had decided to place self survival before valour and had his commissar and captain embark onto the zodiac boat and head for the safety of Soviet waters leaving his commando squad and their mine to their own devices.Loyal to the end!Meanwhile on the other side of the peninsula Colin’s marines were taking care of the other Soviet interlopers leaving Anna to care of the third member courtesy of a roundhouse kick!The result of the game was an exploding submarine complete with nuclear weapon polluting the local water.

Anna goes hand to hand with Soviet baddie whilst the car takes a hit from a rocket launcher.

           An unusual game that would have played out better if someone hadn’t forgotten some of the main bits.My thanks to Colin for providing most of the scenery at short notice and also Bill for his usual forthrightness.

            I’ll speak to you all soon as I intend to indulge in a few games of Pulp Alley as I intend to use the rules in a game I hope to put on for this year’s personal significant birthday.

     

          This has been a Garvald Film Presentation albeit the SAPPO Sven series plan has been shot down in flames as he was potted in the first episode.

                

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.

“So you got lucky!”

Mortar fodder.

            See you again soon hopefully in a couple of weeks when I plan to put a 7TV game on involving some 1980’s Swedes.Watch this space.

        This was Garvald Film Studio presentation.

Ein schone Flugzeug.

Back to semi-reality!

Wednesday 7th June.

                     The Garvald film studios reopened tonight again after the second Nicola lockdown and hopefully this will be the first of many game nights to come.Our first game was a venture into the unknown literally as it was the first attempt at Stargrave which on first reflections looks to be a good skirmish game. We both purchased the rulebook courtesy of the kickstarter to which I also purchased the figures to accompany it. I didn’t have any of them painted so I had to improvise and utilise some Necromunda figures I had acquired a few years ago tfrom oor Shug’s legacy.Colin had utilised some Kryomek figures that he had come across and yes they were all

My fav figure!

Under hive scum being reinvented.

                                 When I arrived I found that a table had been  set up with scenery and plenty of scatter material for our two gangs to squabble over.The figures were placed on the table and the game commenced with as per usual both gangs running to make best use of the cover provided.As this was our first proper game the rule book was perused on many an occasion as the game mechanics were worked through.

Colin’s choice of gang-Female Kryomeks.

Hiding behind the ramen bar.

                 The game consists of two crews scouring the board for booty coming in the form of solid crates or data transfers which had been placed round the board and the more your side procured the merrier.So after initiative was diced for ,which I won,the usual heading for the nearest treasure troves was the order of the day for the Watson gang. Colin’s crew were out to stop me but didn’t start too well as one of his girls went down in a blaze of glory.One down nine to go.The first couple of turns produced the usual early sparring rounds as we both sniped at each other with not a lot of damage done.

The battlefield.

“Here we go,here we go!”

                               Colin’s crew were the first to reach the crates and under fire from my lads they started opening the crates and downloading the data.It looked like it was going to be a short game until my shots started to count and the hits were piling up on the other crew and that was before my flamethrower opened up.Colin’s girls replied with very accurate grenade fire causing my first mate and a minion to utter a few grunts.

Reaching the first crate.

Frying Tonight!

                   The object of the game is to acquire the crates and head for home so Colin’s femme fatales had already reached their first crates and were opening them up in order to transport them to safety.My lads kept up their unwavering fire and eventually done away with Colin’s first mate leaving it’s partner on her own to haul the booty to their side of the board.One of Colin’s girls made contact with a data base and was heading off with it when I used my first ever power which was to make said girl drop the package and move it away from her.This came at some cost to my captain as he soon attracted some deadly fire from various enemy gang members including their leader who had moved into a better firing position but she also put herself into range of one of my lads who was throwing grenades at her like sweeties eventually doing away with her.

“Peek-a-boo!

Downloading the goods!

                                 One of my lads came into contact with another data base and lo and behold he opened it first time but that was the easy bit.No sooner had he picked it up when he was shot in the back making him fall and drop his ill gotten gains.This was soon avenged by my shooting everything in sight and eventually making Colin’s gang diminish by the minute and giving me a very slight victory.

Just about to be shot in the back.

Shooting and looting.

                       As I said earlier this was a first run for myself with this game and now I shall sit down and read the rules again and plan for future adventures and also how to best run a gang.We are hoping that if Partizan goes ahead this year to take the game with us as it’ll be easily transportable by train but I’m not holding my breath about the show going ahead as I think people in general will still be a bit wary of public events but you never know.