A bit later than usual with this report - I had a bit of a headache when I got back from Barrys place on Sunday so could not be bothered doing the report and then on Monday, I got stuck into more Warlord Soviets on the painting desk and it was too late to start a report by the time I finished - PLUS, I only received mate Johns game photos earlier today!
The table - I commanded two brigades of Siberian troops defending the village to the near left. All the Japanese were coming on the right hand side of the table between the corner and the river (this side of the mountain in the top left - and my reinforcements were coming on way off at the other end of the table, over the river and behind the mountain - BUT, I had a TRENCH - so what could possibly go wrong?!
The aforementioned trench, which I was allowed to position anywhere in defence of the village (which was the object of the Japanese attack)
My initial deployment. I had four batteries of guns - the Japanese opposite me had twelve I think....hmmmm.
The Japanese hordes advance - 12 battalions of the Imperial Guard
The Siberians wait stoically - the Russians do stoicism really well.....
Three battalions of Siberians await the arrival of the 12 battalions of guards!
They don't advance very quickly - guess being guards, they have to keep stopping to dress their lines and polish their toe caps!
As the sneaky Japanese had declined to assault my trench line frontally, I decided to hop out of the trench with a couple of battalions and advance on the guard's flank.
This had the desired effect - half of them peeled off to the right to refuse their flank!
My three battalions at the foot of the hill had a reprieve as the guards' advance ground to a halt - pretty scary, being flanked by two battalions of Siberians when you only have twelve battalions of elite guardsmen!
Meanwhile, the artillery pounded away, but not particularly effectively, thanks to some pretty good saving throws par moi!
The stalled guards get involved in an inconclusive exchange of rifle fire with my two Siberian units on their flank.
The non guards in the other two Japanese commands deploying to the right (my left) of the trench line.
The thin khaki line of Siberians ready to try and stop the Japanese juggernaut
And the Japanese guns continue to blaze away!
They are getting rather close now!
The guards FINALLY risk moving towards the three battalions of Siberians blocking their path!
While the other six battalions heroically take on one of the two battalions who earlier exited the trench to threaten their flank!
What's that you say - where are the Russian reinforcements - we did hear a rumour they might have just finished their breakfast and will be on the way soon - ish!
Nothing too much to worry about, there are only around thirty battalions of Japanese advancing towards the village, accompanied by twelve machine guns, and I have twelve battalions of Siberians and three machine guns - should be plenty!
The Japanese artillery seems to have another target to fire at???
Don't tell me! The relief force is on the way - Urrah!
Here they come - and not a moment too soon - problem is, it's probably several moments too late!
Oh dear, they are VERY close now!
And there are truckloads of them - fortunately, every hit from firing on my units in the trench is saved on any roll but a 1 - so Julian and Paul blazed away at my guys for 75% of the game with virtually no effect whatsoever!
A Russian scout peers gingerly round the corner of the mountain "Is it safe to come out?"
Meanwhile, the Siberians are taking on 80% of the Japanese army on their own!
Including multiple machine gun groups!
The left flank fights a delaying action as they gradually withdraw. The white markers indicate they are moving "stealthily" but all the units are carrying significant casualties
Pauls command lines up to launch an assault on the trench line
"Japs sir, to the front, fassands of 'em!"
We will never surrender! Who knows the words to "Men Of Harlech" in Russian?
The Russian Machine gun spits out death
Russian shells fall amongst Andrews Japanese command
"Look - away over there - isn't that where are supposed to go to help Keith out?"
Despite some heroic resistance by the three Siberian battalions, over on my right flank, Julians guards are finally making their overwhelming numbers tell.
And on the left of the trench, the combination of multiple machine guns and massed artillery fire is too much even for the Siberians stoicism to withstand!
As the left flank falls back, Pauls units snake around the end of the trench, ready for a multi-pronged assault
And those bloody machine guns continued to hammer away each turn!
The end is nigh for my command at this stage
But wait - Russian reinforcements! Nah - it's too little, too late!
The guards have overcome all the Siberian resistance on the Japanese left
Andrew wanted me to take this picture - a lone Russian machine gun from what we jokingly referred to as John and Barrys combined "relief" force managed to get across the river in time to witness the death knell of my Siberians - Andrews Japanese gunners fired a devastating barrage
Although it wasn't as devastating in the end as John saved four of the hits (I really don't like saving throws!)
I seemed to stop taking photos at this stage - but shortly hereafter, the gallant Siberian defenders of the trench were overwhelmed and driven out of their works, and as there were Japanese troops behind the trench as well, I decided they would probably have to surrender and removed them from play.
This wasn't actually a bad game - I quite enjoyed it and I managed to hold off the vastly superior enemy for about four hours. I am not sure what happened with John and Barry - I was actually so busy at my end of the table, I didn't get much of a chance to visit them (hence the lack of many photos) I think they had some poor activation rolls that made their advance "tardy" but it did seem odd they took the entire game to move around 6-800mm when a column on a road goes at 3-400mm per turn..... 😜
Needless to say, the Tsuba figures, all painted by gaming buddy Mark, were superb, as was Marks custom-built scenery, and I had fun ribbing John and Barry about their tardiness!
Here are a few more close ups of the lovely figures we had the pleasure of playing the game with.
This image below is pregame, when I put a few of my "show and tell" Warlord Winter Soviet infantry into the trench. Unfortunately, after the game, Mark had so much "stuff" to take back up to his car that, whilst helping him with that I managed to leave the small box containing all my painted Warlord figures at Barrys place - so this is all I can show you currently - grrrrr!
And finally tonight, our mate Rick wasn't at Sunday game as he is currently en vacance in Cairns, where has today been at a tank museum and sent these images a couple of hours ago on our Whats App group!
T54
Needs no introduction, surely!
Ricks wife in a risky position inspecting WW1 German howitzer!
ISU 152
Various US kit
Firefly with "hide my special gun so no one picks on me" camouflage on its 17pounder!
25 pounder and Nebelwerfer with (I think) and early STUG in the background.
