Christmas is coming...

But the Heer is not getting fat.

The first campaign tabletop games have been concluded:

• The opening battles around Elsenborn saw the US rescue their threatened artillery parks, but lose the better part of two Infantry Divisions.  
• The Eupen road stayed firmly shut to the Germans. 
• Houffalize did not fall but was masked and the roads to Bastogne seized. 
• An attempt to seize Malmedy on the march was rebuffed.  

We're now part way through the second set of tabletop games, and these have seen the advancing Germans encounter British opposition for the first time, as well as their regular American opponents.

Under the eye of an Umpire the German (Left) and British (Right) table captains conduct the Recce Game in the area around  Manhay

Once the plotting of Corps/ Divisional Operational Areas and Combat Command boundaries has been done, and Battle Groups have been plotted both sides then deploy their recce forces in a bid to see beyond the enemy front line and give them an informed artillery (and air of the weather permits) fire plan.  The number and type of assets committed to the fight is relevant here. The Germans with their doctrinal emphasis on fighting recce have an edge here, if the area is densely populated, whereas the Allies tend to go with Recce by stealth, so can swarm all over the front.

Sometimes you just have to look at a really big map to know what's important on your table.

At the end of the first set of games the Umpires reassess the situation, adjudicate the supply state of the units involved, update the command staffs and players, receive the orders for the next set of battles and then issue out the force lists, table briefings and terrain notes so the terrain can be rebuilt for the next day's battles.

A table about to be rebuilt, an Umpire hard at work

The main actions for the 22-24 December lie around:

• Diekirchen - in the bottom left of this picture.

The Americans are once again intermingled with the advancing Germans

• Werbomont, where the British meet the Germans for the first time.

Both sides have deployed on the tabletop, the British (left) seem quite relaxed.

• Wiltz and Eschweiler, Wiltz is at the far end of this shot, Eschweiler in the clearing.  The Germans are advancing into shot.

German Army commander in a front line role advances his troops toward Eschweiler

• Bastogne, as the Germans seem quite keen to take possession

Flanked by German players the American seems quite unfazed.

And they're off...

We've done all the map movement and now its down to the tabletops:

• Setting out 6 to 8 gaming tables, varying from 12 x 6 up to 24 x 6, 
• laying out road networks, forests, hills, rivers, settlements, 
• Unpacking the forces and cross checking what's in the box with the OOBs
• issuing rule-packs, national doctrine and table briefing notes to the players, delineating front lines

We've played 6 games for the opening stages of the campaign - the games themselves last two real days and cover three days (and two nights) of campaign time, and the situation, when viewed from either HQ, is fluid.

Wargamers in action! - note the rulebooks being studied, heads being scratched, lips pursed... this is tense stuff

Although the games are all separate there are links between them, so a breakthrough on one table does not result in troops heading off into the void but, rather, reappearing (with a little adjudication from the Umpire team) on a game somewhere else in the room.

Thrusting German Panzer Commanders (Gordon and Andy) consider the  route to Bastogne

Here at Houffalize, it seems to be in American hands, though perhaps not for long.  US troops face attack from at least two directions, and are unable to stop the Germans using the road to Bastogne.

American troops in Houffalize face Fallschirmjager and StuGs (entering stage left)

German Panzers (the greyhounds of 116 Panzer) have cleared a path to Bastogne

This demonstrates the links between the tables, the 116 will leave the area of Houffalize and, after a suitable interval, appear on the Bastogne table.  The American defenders will have some idea of its approach, as they've posted OPs on the approach roads, but for the moment the guys there seem quite relaxed - those nearest the camera are commanding the German assault on Bastogne, those furthest away are its defenders.

Fallschirmjager attempt to divert the Americans' attention from approach of 116 Panzer.

Players assume the major command functions, CinC, Army  and Corp Commanders, making key decisions and briefing/ inspiring the other players.  However that's only part of their job, they also get to run troops on the tabletop. In this case, somewhere near Elsenborn.

German CinC (left) takes an active part in the tabletop game too.

Though, as force commander, one is also occasionally invited to consult with the Umpires as the situation updates itself.  This one seems to be going quite well...

German CinC meets an Umpire for a friendly chat about the war plans.

It's nearly time....

Well it's nearly here...and nothing says it more than looking out of the hotel window at the view across the bay, that is if it's not obscured by snow, which is the current forecast for the weekend.

There are still a number of tasks on the 'to do' list, including about 1800 platoons still to label, and a couple of building tasks, but all should be done on time.....

However, I had wanted to repaint some units, but that is looking increasingly unlikely. Still these are tasks for the next few months, although I might try and sneak a repaint session during the week, especially if there are volunteers around to help...

Despite a few last minute cancellations, we are ready to rumble...

Updates of the game on a day by day basis are planned, but information may be vague as 'careless blogging may cost lives'...

Test games and arrival times

For those who are attending...

 

I will send out an e-mail regarding arrival times at the hotel over next few days, so that Membly Hall has some idea of those likely to arrive on the Friday night. Also I am planning to have a couple of test games running on Saturday afternoon, from about 2pm onwards. This should help everyone get back into the swing of the rules. We (at the Shed) certainly found playing a couple of test games a useful exercise over the last few weeks. We will have games running throughout the afternoon so whenever you arrive you should be able to participate, should you wish, or just sit back and catch up with old friends.

On the model making front, a few hundred feet of woods edging is in the process of being made, the fields are nearly all completed and about 100ft of main road sections are done. Still plenty to do but the jobs are slowly being ticked off the list. Will publish some pics of the new kit ASAP, I promise.