29, Let's Go! - Turn 4: St Germain-du-Pert

"Little Bird to control, we have a spot on the target. Over."

"Go ahead, Little Bird. Over"

"Four nine three four north, one zero four west. Repeat four nine three four north, one zero four west. Two self-propelled guns, with supporting infantry. Over"

"Got that, Little Bird. Message received. Over"

"Roger, control. Over and out."

Pulling the stick gently left, the pilot smiled to himself. Job done, they'd found those guns, and no ack-ack this time.  Its twin engines roaring against the headwind, the P38 accelerated as it banked, beginning to turn a wide circle, heading for home.

-----

The duty officer saluted, turned smartly, and walked back to his desk, leaving the small written note in his senior's hand.  Despite the success of his men at Arthenay, the Colonel remained troubled. Cota had been lucky, but now there were more damned 88mm guns on the flank of his tanks. That was not what he needed, not at all. And there was no question about it, there would be no further advance until those German guns were silenced. Too many good men had died on the beach at Omaha and he wasn't going to have more unnecessary deaths on his conscience. Not this time. He picked up the phone to give the order.

-----

The smell of freshly brewed coffee beckoned Lieutenant Cooper, George Company, 3rd Battalion, 175th Infantry, towards the tent at the top of the hill, where an older, heavily moustached man stooped above a field table, poring over a map with two other officers. But for his helmet, and the colour of his uniform, he might have been mistaken for a commander in the US civil war.

"Major Foster?" he asked the group.

"Be with you in a moment, Lieutenant", the older man replied, apparently without even looking in his direction. "Sinclair, get this man some coffee".

In moments a steaming metal mug of black liquid was forced into his hand by a fussing, subservient lackey, who scurried away as rapidly as he had arrived, before Cooper had even registered from where he had appeared. The coffee was strong, burnt and bitter, but still very welcome.

"Lieutenant Cooper". The Major spoke his name as a statement, not a question. "Good of you to join us."

Not as if he had any choice, he thought.

"You'll be aware that we've been ordered to halt again," the Major continued. "Well, you and G Company are going to get us on the move again".

D+4, 10th June 1944

Now the attention moves away from the main attack towards Isigny. Concerned about the vulnerability of their flank, and aware of the presence of a Marder battery around the village of St Germain-du-Pert, the Americans halt until they are able to outflank this German position. The fresh German force defending this position comprises as infantry platoon supported by two Marder IIIs, and begins the game with a Force Morale of 9. American forces comprise a platoon with support points spent on two Shermans, a forward observer and 81mm off table mortar battery, a medic and additional BARs for each team. They start the game with a Force Morale of 10, so begin with the initiative. This is Scenario 5 from the rule book. After the Patrol Phase, German jump-off points are concentrated around the church and houses of St Germain du Pert, with three of the US jump-off points at their starting table edges. One of their jump-off points ends up within the village, dangerously close to the German positions and allowing American troops to deploy in one of the houses.

Dangerously close jump-off points

Sergeant Franks was feeling pretty pleased with himself. After marching through the night, the platoon had split up two hours ago about a mile from St Germain-du-Pert. It was a clear night, with a bright moon, and though they could hear the occasional sound of movement, for the most part it was quiet. He'd pointed out the ruined farmhouse on the far western edge of the village, and the Lieutenant had agreed it was unlikely to be occupied by the enemy, who seemed to have been caught off guard. Not even any signs that they had set a watch tonight. That building would be an ideal position, both to scout out the enemy and to ambush them from the rear when the main assault began, and so his Section had been ordered to take position there. 

Stealthily crossing the fields, shielded by a herd of cattle that barely registered their presence, they reached the edge of the building easily and entered without a sound. A bombed-out ruin, its roof collapsed, the outlying building offered no shelter and understandably had been left abandoned. Finding good defensive positions, so close to the enemy that they could hear at least one man snoring, they waited in silence for the attack to begin.

Turn 1, Phases 1-5

The US deploy their forward observer and one Senior Leader behind a hedge with a clear view of the whole village. Squad 1 with their Junior Leader are deployed in the house at the rear of the village. The Germans deploy infantry squads in two houses and the church, where they also deploy their Panzershreck team. The Americans deploy their remaining infantry teams close to the forward observer and one Sherman along the road. They successfully request mortar support.

Lieutenant Cooper checked his watch. It had been an hour already, plenty of time for Franks to have gotten his men in position. In the silence, Cooper could hear distant metallic squealing; the wheels and tracks of armour - the movement of those Nazi self-propelled guns, no doubt. 

Squinting into the distance, towards the church, he just caught a glimpse of one of the Marders before he was caught unprepared by the sudden explosion. Slate tiles on the church roof and the western side of the steeple flowered out amongst a cloud of dust as the mortar barrage began, covering the area around in smoke. Behind him the he could now hear American tanks behind his position. Shermans of the 747th, announced by the unmistakeable, reassuring drawl of their Detroit motors.

The Americans deploy

Turn 1, Phases 6-7

US infantry squad 1 advances tactically along a hedge line towards the village, as the Germans deploy both Marders in the village close to the church. An immediate mortar barrage is slightly off target but hits troops in the church, killing one man, and one of the Marders, to no effect. The Sherman advances and another appears along the road behind, as the second US Senior Leader deploys.

The 29th Infantry advance

A shadow moving forward towards him out of the cloud shrouding the church took solid shape. There was a brief muzzle flash from the Marder's 88mm gun, as its shell whistled above Cooper's position, off-target, and exploded at the edge of the road. Its target, the lead Sherman, was showered with black mud from the ditch, but otherwise unscathed. Some distance to the left, a second flash betrayed the presence of another Marder, and the wall of the house crumbled in response, the bodies of two of Franks's section tumbling down, sickeningly, to the ground amongst the rubble. Weapons opened up from troops in both houses, each trying to find advantage. Cooper understood now that the house Franks had occupied was too close to the enemy positions, too vulnerable to their response. But he would do what he could. He gave the order to advance,  and his men started to make their way cautiously through the hedge and across the open field beyond.

Turn 1, Phases 8-12

One Marder moves around the church to face the Shermans, and shoots inflicting 1 shock, while the other shoots at US troops in the house, killing 2 and causing 1 point of shock. The troops in the house shoot back and a firefight develops between houses over several phases, killing 1 German, but with the US troops taking the worst of it, with 2 men killed, 5 more points of shock accrued, and its Junior Leader wounded such that he may not activate again this turn.  US squad 1 continues its cautious advance, and US squad 2 crosses the hedge and moves tactically across the field beyond towards the church.

One of the Marders leaves the smoke of the mortar barrage behind

"Take cover!"

As soon as he had shouted the order and fallen face-flat in the damp earth of the field, he realised he and his men were not the target. Another German shell whistled overhead, missing, with two coming back in response. Cooper looked up. The house was still there, just about, though its front wall had largely collapsed, and he could see the movement of men from Franks's section leaving the building from the rear, and Germans advancing to the front. The advance position had been lost - and there was nothing that Cooper could do about it.

Cooper ducked instinctively, cursing as he bit his tongue in the moment of the explosion. He hadn't even seen the shell, but there was now a crater in the road behind, with one wheel and some tracks of the lead Sherman in it. The tank wouldn't be going anywhere, but those men were lucky it hadn't been any worse.

Phases 13-16

The Marder shoots the Sherman again but fails to hit, and both Shermans return fire causing 1 shock. The firefight between the houses continues, the Americans suffering a further 4 kills and 6 points of shock, and they break. The mortar barrage kills 2 Germans in the church.  German infantry leave one of the houses and capture the US jump-off point at the edge of the village. German infantry leave the church to take up positions along the hedge line. Finally, the Marder returns fire successfully and the lead Sherman is immobilised.

Shermans return fire

Shells were exploding all around.

"Sir?"

A young man had rushed to his position, thinking the Lieutenant injured.

"I'm OK son," Cooper reassured, "Just bit my tongue. Nothing serious."

It was time to get the men moving. There was confusion ahead and behind and he knew this was the situation the Germans would take advantage of to counter-attack.  As if on cue, as their advance began, they could make out the enemy at the edge of the smoke ahead, and opened fire. Caught by surprise, the Germans tried to take cover, but the firepower of Cooper's men, alert to the danger all around, vengeful of the friends they had seen killed, was more than they could take. As the Americans ran forward, a young German officer turned, desperately attempting to hold them back, disappearing into the smoke as Cooper opened fire in that direction with his Thompson.

"Forward", the Lieutenant ordered, gritting his teeth as his men advanced toward the German armour which had once again found itself beneath the smoke of the mortar barrage.

Phases 17-20

The mortar barrage shifts, killing two Germans now caught in the open and causing 2 points of shock, while the US infantry continue their advance, despite German harassing fire. The Marder is about to fire, but the Americans use a Chain of Command die to interrupt, and the Sherman fires first. Shots are exchanged but miss. The German platoon opposing the US infantry advance takes heavy fire and is wiped out, and its Junior leader is also lightly wounded. The Marders shift position to oppose the advancing US infantry and the one remaining effective Sherman. 

Dangerously close!

Cooper heard nothing. There was a sudden flash, and he was thrown backward. Blood, warm against his skin, tickled his cheek. Mortar shells were falling nearby, exploding, and at least one had hit one of the Marders, which was on fire. As his hearing slowly returned, he could make out the screams of men caught in the wreckage or burning nearby. War was hell. But before he had time to take in more of the situation, he heard the other Marder, close by. Too close, its shadow emerging from the smoke ahead as its muzzle flashed again. Without a thought, he ordered two of his men forward with grenades. That open turret was too good a target to overlook, and they were so close. Two, three, four grenades, but the Marder's relentless advance could not be stopped. Cooper's men fell back, some of them too slow, trapped between the hedge and the advancing vehicle, bearing down on them with its crushing tracks.

The end of the Marders

But it was not to be. The second Sherman fired and the Marder stopped dead, armour, tracks and wheels destroyed by the perfect hit on its side armour.  The two men emerged, mud-stained, from the ditch, unexpected grins of relief on their faces. Peterson, the first to emerge and, behind him, Garman, the Lieutenant recalled, pleased that in the moment he was able to remember their names.

"Damn, Sir, that was close," Peterson stuttered, and then fell to the ground as a single shot rang out. Cooper swung round instinctively, firing back at the shooter, the German officer, the one who had previously disappeared into the smoke. This time he fell to the ground, dead.

"Damn it to hell," Peterson yelped, holding his leg where the bullet had torn a hole in his ODs and opened the skin; complaining, but knowing his luck - this wound wan not serious.

Cooper smiled. The guns were destroyed and the Germans had fallen back again. Major Foster could rest easy, the job had been done.

Phases 21-31; Turn 2 Phases 1-4

One Marder is hit by the continuing mortar barrage and takes sufficient shock to be abandoned by its crew. US infantry are close enough to attack the other Marder with grenades, which they do over several turns. The Marder tries unsuccessfully to run the infantry over, and is finally destroyed by a shot from the Sherman against its side armour. Finally the wounded German Junior Leader is killed and German force morale is reduced to 0, though the result is close with the Americans ending the game at Force Morale 2.

Vive La Resistance!

Last week at the club we played a game of Chain of Command to introduce new players to the rules. The game was also an opportunity to use Bill's lovely French Resistance figures.

Background

It is the day of the Normandy landings. The Germans have been caught off-guard, having expected the Invasion to have taken place further north, closer to the pas-de-Calais. Believing Normandy to be a diversion, Hitler was slow to release formations from the armoured reserve, which meant that only 21st Panzer Division, based in the wider area of Caen, was immediately available for a counterattack, though many of its units were dispersed.

At the edge of the village of Airan, just over three miles south-east of Caen, two miles north of a muster area for tanks from 21st Panzer, there is a small bridge over the Muance River. Too small and too far from the coast to be a target for air landings, the bridge was nevertheless considered important as a possible route for Panzer reinforcements moving towards Caen. It was important that the bridge was destroyed, and this task was assigned to a resistance cell in the area.

During the previous week, telegraph lines to Airan were destroyed in an attempt to isolate the village, and later, a Lysander landed in darkness in a remote field and weapons and explosives were passed to members of the Resistance.

Now, it is the early hours of the morning of 6th June. Timing their activity to coincide with the landings at Gold beach, resistance fighters approach the village of Airan, their objectives to place charges and blow the bridge before the arrival of armour from 21st Panzer, and thus to help the allies capture Caen before the end of the day.

Unbeknown to the French, on June 5th a German platoon including field engineers who had been tasked with repairing broken communications lines were moved to Airan.

Game Setup 

Bill surveys the battlefield while Alan has a sly nap. The houses of Airan are off to the left beyond the river. The bridge just in the picture on the left in the objective; the French enter from the right table edge.

The houses along one table short edge represent the outskirts of Airan, with a road running through them. Another road leads out roughly along the table centre-line, crossing a small river about 1/4 of the wall along the table from the village, within a band of marshland. Hedges and farmland with isolated trees, and a farmhouse, cover the rest of the table with some small woodland blocks at the table far side.

• The Germans have a basic platoon with no support points, but two Marders of 21st Panzer Division (each with a Junior Leader) are on the way towards the village along the main road. Each of these becomes available to move onto the table along one of the roads in the village when one Chain of Command die is expended before command dice are rolled for that phase - that's one die per tank.
• The French begin the game with 8 points of support. They can spend up to two of these points to give them one or two extra Phases at the start of the game, though they are not allowed to shoot or fight, or set explosives, during either of these Phases.
• The game starts at the point where the alarm has been raised in the village. Somehow, the Germans have become aware of Resistance activity in the area.
• The Resistance get the first Phase.
• The bridge is the objective. To blow the bridge at least three Resistance fighters, which must include a Junior or Senior Leader, must start their Turn on the bridge. They must spend one Chain of Command die to place explosives. At the start of each subsequent phase roll a die. On a 6, the bridge detonates. At the start of each subsequent phase, add another die to this, so the chance of the bridge lowing increases each Phase. If the Turn ends, the bridge will blow.
• The Germans can stop the bridge from blowing if at the start of one of their turns they have at least three engineers plus one Junior of Senior leader on the bridge and they expend a Chain of Command die.
• The Resistance force is comparatively fragile, and begins the game with 8 Force Morale points.
• Regardless of Force morale, the Resistance win the game if the bridge is blown.

The Game

Apologies for the quality of the photos and the general lack of them, which makes the story of the game a little abbreviated. The Germans deployed in houses and ahead of the river behind a hedge, while the French came on from the opposite table edge, advancing boldy despite enemy fire. Their chances looked slim, but luck was on their side...

The Resistance deploy in the woods

And around the farmhouse, with their vehicles

Advancing, they come under heavy fire

They rush down the road towards the bridge in their vehicles. The driver of the Citroen is shot and it ends up crashed in the hedge, but the truck continues toward the objective despite the heavy gunfire.

Despite suffering a lot of shock, the French make it to the bridge, having seen off the Germans in advance positions. They lay charges on the bridge

BOOM! The bridge unexpectedly explodes, killing everyone nearby, and even causing the photo to be out of focus. Many French died to bring Victory to the Resistance!

Despite the Resistance success, if I were to play this again I would add some rules for night fighting to make the approach to the objective less fraught. It makes sense that the French would try to get close to the objective before sunrise, and some mechanism by which the alarm can be raised by the Germans would raise the level of excitement.

But overall, this is a great set of rules, giving a real sense of playing out something out of a classic war film. A very enjoyable game as well and very satisfying to have played it easily in an evening.

29, Let's Go! - Turn 3: Arthenay

D+3, 9th June 1944

Stretching his arms and beginning to enjoy the morning sunshine, Lieutenant Carter's attention was suddenly seized by a jeep sending a cloud of dust up from the road verge as it sped around the halted tank column towards him, two men aboard, one of whom was almost certainly an officer. He corrected his helmet slightly and stepped forward as the vehicle pulled sharply nearby. A young man, who couldn't be more than eighteen, was sitting stiffly in the driving seat, his face betraying the nervous attention to duty of the junior-ranked assigned to the most powerful of the senior. Slouching in the passenger seat, the stub of a dead cigar between his teeth was an older man, a general, his face familiar to every man of the fighting 29th.

"Son, you need to get your men moving," General Cota stated, his tone firm and undeniable. "I don't care what orders have come down to you from Colonel Goode's office. The 29th are taking the initiative again."

"Sir, yes sir", snapped the Lieutenant, smiling, moving back to cascade that order to his men. Thank God there was someone in command who knew what needed doing and was doing his part.

General Cota wryly smiled as well, tossing away the dead stub of his cigar, patting his pockets in search of a new one. He sat back in the passenger seat of the jeep, hunting in another pocket for a lighter, and waved the driver forward further along the column to encourage other units.

"Run me up that road, son."

Colonel Goode's call for a halt at La Cambe has been overridden by personal order of General Cota. The US immediately seize the initiative and attack during Turn 3.

Just over a mile to the west, the Germans, retreating from La Cambe towards Isigny, had halted overnight at the hamlet of Arthenay, where they planned to fight a delaying action against the advancing Americans. They had had little sleep. The radio operator was frantically trying to make contact with HQ, but the lines were still down. On the western horizon the orange-red glow of Isigny burning persisted, as it had through the night. But there was a glimmer of hope; they had made intermittent contact with a self-propelled gun battery to the north-west, well-positioned to support their position.

Moving back after darkness fell at La Cambe had been essential, but Unterfeldwebel Lund was all too aware of the effect this had had on his men. Sullen, stern faces everywhere; but the NCOs were doing their best to bolster morale, keeping soldiers busy and even cracking the occasional joke, despite their lack of sleep. Here, at Arthenay, they would halt and attempt once again to slow the relentless American advance. A small farmstead, the woods and hedges at Arthernay seemed a reasonable defensive position, especially if they could get the support of those Marders to the north-west.

German infantry defend the hedge line at the edge of the orchard

The Germans are defending with a denuded force following the US victory at La Cambe. Their basic force finds itself nine men short, with six dead and three wounded, returning next game. The one man they were missing after turn 1 has now returned to duty. The Germans select two snipers and an MG42 on tripod mount as support. They begin the game with 8 Force Morale points.

The Americans are supported with two Shermans with Junior Leaders, a forward oberver with 81mm mortar batters, additional BARs for all rifle teams, and a medic. They begin the game with 10 Force Morale points.

By the time the first of his men had taken up positions, there were already signs of the American advance. Movement within an orchard, partly concealed by a hedge line, betrayed the presence of enemy scouts. Lund snapped the order for his men to move faster and they took up positions swiftly.

Turn 1, Phases 1-5

US deploy Forward Observer, Squad 1 and Sergeant.in the front corner of the orchard and along the hedge line. With three consecutive turns the Germans deploy Squad 1 in the house 1 with Junior Leader, Squad 2 on left hand flank at small hedge line, a sniper in the front left hand building, Squad 3 at the front of the small orchard, their MMG team in the front left hand house and the Senior Leader in the front right hand building. The US deploy Squad 2 in the orchard and call for support fire from mortars.

The simple option would have been to stay in position, holding as long as possible, hoping to wear the enemy down. But that would not work today, Lund knew. Morale was low, and the enemy determined and numerous. A static defence wasn't going to hold for long, and he would simply lose more men if they sat still. Their only hope was to take the fight to the enemy, and Germans were strong in counterattack.

Obergefrieter Schmidt was given his order. "You four and you three with the machine gun", he shouted, pointing, "With me, now". He scrambling forward with his men, leading them to the opposite hedge, to draw the enemy towards them. Half-crawling, the soldiers worked their way across the muddy field to the opposite hedge line, as American mortar fire opened up on the German lines, hitting the house with a shower of roof tiles, a second shell landing nearby as the squad took cover in a field ditch alongside the hedge. As the noise of the shells subsided, they could make out the unmistakable sound of tanks moving along the road towards them.

German troops advance to take up forward positions

Turn 1, Phases 6-10

The Germans send a four-man rifle team around the small hedge moving tactically towards the Americans. The US mortar barrage  is on target and causes 1 point of shock to each of the sniper, MG team in left hand house and the rifle team in right hand house. The US then deploy the first Sherman. The German rifle team advance tactically with their LMG team and Junior Leader and reach the hedge line.

From the cover of the hedge the German squad watched the Sherman approach ahead of them, pursued by a jogging platoon of fresh-faced GIs. There were certain to be others in the column, following behind. Mortar shells flew overhead, exploding around the houses and the positions they had moved from only moments before, their sound interspersed with the screams of the injured and the shouts of NCOs trying to encourage their men to hold. Smoke from the mortar barrage obscured the landscape all around the houses, and then, suddenly, the barrage ceased.

In the comparative silence, the German officers tried to establish control, sending a Panzershreck team forward as more tanks and men appeared as the enemy column continued its relentless approach.  In support, American infantry on its flanks moved forward, leaving the cover of the hedgerows and moving cautiously across the open fields towards Arthenay, while a supporting squad provides support, waiting in the hedgerow, their weapons trained on the German positions.

US troops, supported by tanks, advance

Turn 1, Phases 11-13; Turn 2, Phases 1-2; Turn 3, Phases 1-3; Turn 4, Phases 1-2

US Sherman advances along road, while the US 3rd Squad deploys along the right hand hedge. The mortar barrage continues, delivering 1 point of shock to the MG teams in both houses and killing the Junior Leader in the right hand house. The German Senior Leader removes 1 point of shock from all the teams in the right hand house. Squad 2 MG team reaches the hedge. The Germans use a CoC dice to end end the turn, hoping to stop the mortar barrage, but the US use one of their own CoC dice to maintain it. The barrage is moved 6” towards their own lines to improve the smoke screen, causing 1 point of shock to the MG team, and 1 point of shock and 1 kill on the rifle team in the left hand house, and 1 point of shock on the MG team in right hand house. The Sherman advances. The Germans remove 1 point of shock from each team in the right hand house, and spend another CoC dice to end turn. This time the US mortar barrage ceases, and when requested again it becomes unavailable for the rest of the game. A second Sherman in deployed, as is the Panzerschrek team.

From the upper storey of the house, Lund could just make out the enemy troops moving in and around one of the farm buildings on the opposite side of the field. The radio operator beside him was attempting to make contact with the artillery battery to the north as he scanned the horizon. Seeing an opportunity, he gave the order to open fire. Gunfire burst through the air, smashing through the windows of the opposite building. In response, the Americans behind the hedge fired back at the German positions, killing the man standing adjacent to the radio operator, sending him tumbling backward into the furniture in the centre of the room. The enemy fire intensified, supported by the forward tank, and a shell burst through the wall, exploding, throwing Lund to the floor.

Deafened and bruised, as Lund came round, he became aware of the men lying dead and wounded beside him. Obergefreiter Steiger, a young, enthusiastic man liked by his men, was one of them. Another life wasted by this terrible war. The gunfire continued, peppering the room, but the radio operator was excited, alert, shouting co-ordinates to someone on the other end of the line. In moments, a shell, fired from a distant gun, whistled through the air and below, at the front of the column, the lead Sherman exploded with a direct hit. A momentary success, but the mood was clear, and in the ensuing firefight he saw another of his NCOs fall. Too many Germans lay dead or injured; they had failed to hold the enemy back or delay their advance, and the defences of Arthenay would soon be overrun by the enemy. Lund did not have to issue the order as his men fell back in disarray and the relentless American advance across this corner of Normandy continued.

Turn 4, Phases 3-8; Turn 5, Phase 1; Turn 6, Phases 1-7

German and US forces exchange fire over multiple phases, the Germans taking the majority of shock and kills and using command points to remove shock as a priority. American firepower is more intensive and more effective, helped by their having three successive phases. The Germans use a CoC die to shoot with the off-table Marders at the lead Sherman, knocking it out, and spend their final CoC die to end the turn, healing one of their injured Junior Leaders. Opening Turn 5, US Squad 1 shoots at German Squad 2 killing 3 and causing 1 point of shock and wound to Junior Leader. The German Squad 2 runs away. German Force Morale is reduced to 3. The Americans use a CoC die to end the turn, and German Force Morale is reduced to 1. With little to lose, the Germans continue shooting, but shock inflicted is easily removed by the US Leaders. US shooting wounds one of the German Junior Leaders in due course and German force morale is reduced to 0 and the game ends.

Campaign Movement at the end of Game 3

Again the Germans have suffered a loss, this time with 11 casualties, one of whom is Obergefreiter Steiger, who on a roll of 6 is not replaced. This means that when Lund's men next take the field they will be denuded by 10 mean and 1 Junior Leader dead plus 3 wounded. All others retired safely. With the German CO still out of radio contact, his opinion remains unknown. The attitude of the men moves from -1 to -4, which will affect future force morale, and Lund's own outlook remains Worried.

The 29th's successful breakthrough at Arthenay improves Colonel Goode's outlook to Worried.

Bretons for Saga: The Dark Ages

6pts of Bretons for Saga

This is an army that has significantly jumped my painting queue - I had no plans at all to paint Bretons, but my local club (http://www.wycombewarband.org) decided to start a Saga campaign (you can look at the battle reports at http://sagaofsagas.blogspot.co.uk/) and so I chose to use this as an incentive to build an army I don't have rather than use one I already own. For the record, our Saga campaign does not use the Age of the Wolf rules, as we started it before these were published.

After some thought I decided to go for Bretons, partly because they are so completely different to every other Saga army I own and also because I had a couple of boxes of Conquest Plastic Normans that I thought would be relatively easy to convert at minimal cost.

There's not a lot known about Breton armies from the Dark Ages. Most of what I have been able to find out has come from less than an hour's worth of material from Wikipedia. The Bretons of the Dark Ages came from Celtic and Roman origins influenced through their interactions with the Franks and their neighbours to eventually become very like the Normans. They fought against the Franks for independence, and made alliances with Vikings and Normans.  Documented battles against the Franks describe their use of mounted warriors throwing javelins - and this is I presume the basis for the Saga list - but it is likely that by 1066 they had fully adopted the Norman method of fighting. Certainly the Bretons depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry are visually indistinguishable from the Normans they are fighting alongside.

My intent was to make up an army that looks good (and look a bit different to Normans) and to paint it fairly quickly, and then to learn a lot by playing a force that is completely different and that I am totally unfamiliar with.

With the expedient of getting an army on the table top as rapidly as possible, my core army list was initially 24 mounted Hearthguard and a Warlord. For a little more flexibility I would paint one mounted banner bearer. The campaign rules, though, meant that if I chose this I would be stuck with it against all comers and in all scenarios, without any option of foot troops. So after a quick rethink my list changed to include a couple of units of Warriors as well:

Warlord

4 points of Hearthguard

2 points of Warriors (who can be deployed either mounted with javelins or on foot).

Although Bretons of this period are most likely to have been very similar in appearance to Normans, I've taken a few liberties with history and opted for a slightly more Celtic/Gallic impression to give my Breton army its own distinct appearance and sense of identity.

Hearthguard

Hearthguard #1

Hearthguard #2

16 figures and 2 standard bearers (see below) made from Conquest Plastic Normans. Because I am not aware of any contemporary depictions of Breton knights (other than those that are indistinguishable from Normans) I've allowed myself some artistic licence in the look of these fellows. I chose to use armoured Norman knights with kite shields painted with designs favouring animals, and a couple of shields that mimic older Gallic patterns. They are all of course equipped with javelins. I chose to add cloaks to them as well as I like this effect.

I cut off their plastic spears and drilled hands to take javelins that I made from 1mm brass rod. Javelin points were made by flattening the end of the brass rod with a blow from a hammer, clipping it to a point, and filing off rough edges, then cutting the rod to suitable length. The javelins are all approximately 25mm long, which I think looks about right.

From a practical point of view, if you are reliant on throwing javelins as your main method of attack, it is reasonable to assume you would have a ready supply of them. While peasants might simply carry extra javelins with them in their left hand, it stands to reason that any well-equipped knight who wants to control his horse would have his personal supply in some sort of quiver, either attached to the saddle (probably) or on his back (in the manner that Roman javelinmen of a much earlier era are thought to have done). I therefore scratch-built quivers to contain spare javelins. After some trial and error I made two different types of javelin quiver, one style for Hearthguard, one for Warriors. And if anyone reading this knows of a better name for these than "javelin quiver"please correct me!

Hearthguard figure showing scratch-built javelin quiver

I made javelin quivers for the Hearthguard from plastic approximately 1.5mm thick. The plastic was actually cut from some of the bases that came with the Plastic Normans that I wasn't going to use. The main quiver body was cut out and filed to shape and drilled at the top to take three spare javelins. I glued on small strips of paper to give some raised detail, then made some extra javelin heads from offcuts of brass road and glued these to an appropriate length in the drilled holes to finish.

Javelin quivers were added to figures on the right hand side of the horse behind the rider, as after thinking about it for a while this seems to me the most practical position to access your supply of javelins if you're on a horse and carrying a shield in your left hand. I decided not to attach quivers to the backs of figures as it seems to me more practical for the quivers to be attached to the horse rather than the rider when mounted. Using strips cut from plastic card I made a sort of harness for the rear of the horses to which the javelin quiver would be attached. Also, it's practical that if a horse was equipped in this way some sort of counterweight would be required for the other side of the harness so I added pouches to fulfil this role on the opposite side of the horse. I know it's all speculation, but at least it is reasoned sensibly.

I filled in any small gaps I could find on each figure with green stuff, and finally added cloaks made from green stuff to all the riders.

To add a little bulk to these figures, which are otherwise very light, I attached two 1p pieces to each mounted base (Renedra 20mm x 50mm) before attaching the horses. Bases were then textured with a mixture of PVA, filler and builders sand, textured on the surface with sprinklings of small stones and Chinchilla dust.

When dry the models were primed with off-while emulsion and painted.

I'll write an article about the approach I use to painting horses at some point, but essentially I have done my best to get a representative mixture of different credible horse colours. There's nothing special to painting the men themselves - I do the faces, starting with the eyes and working outwards, then gradually colours are blocked in, shaded and highlighted. I printed out a selection of what I thought might be appropriate shield designs as templates, and did my best to paint these designs on the finished figures.

Warriors

Warriors #1

Warriors #2

I made up 16 mounted Warriors with 1 standard bearer. If I am to field these on foot then for the time being I will use my Anglo-Danish Warriors as these look reasonably similar, but I might make  up some specific Breton foot figures in due course. These figures are all converted Conquest Norman Knights, but I've only used the unarmoured figures or the ones without chain armour - these are the few figures in every box wearing what appears to be lamellar armour, which I am assuming is made of leather.

I made the mounted Warriors distinctive from the Hearthguard by giving them round shields, a different quiver design, and bare heads.

West Wind heads

These heads are brilliant and excellent value, from West Wind Games, intended for their Arthurian range. These were attached to the plastic Norman torsos using small lengths of wire inserted into holes drilled in the neck and top of the body. Green stuff cloaks hide the inevitable imperfections.

Warrior showing the cylindrical javelin quiver

I made less fancy javelin quivers for the mounted Warriors. I used a cylindrical design, made by cutting lolly sticks into approximately 15mm sections, to which I added surface detail made from paper strips. I drilled three holes in the top of each quiver and attached extra javelin heads made from brass rod offcuts cut to length to the top of each.

Warlord

Breton warlord

To make my Warlord stand out from the crowd I used a spare caparisoned horse from the Fireforge Mounted Templar set from which I cut down the saddle to fit the body of one of the Norman knights. I bent the horse into a more dramatic rearing pose. The rider was given a crowned head cut from one of the Perry miniatures personality figures from their Crusades range, attached by drilling head and neck and pinning with a small section of metal rod and glue. Despite my initial fondness for a Warlord called Conan (historically plausible for Bretons, who had at least two kings of that name) and the idea of using a suitably bemuscled barbarian figure, a Warlord with a crowned head is more accurate, mimicking the earlier Duke Salomon, (self-professed) King of Brittany, who was given a crown by Charles the Bald of the Franks and wore it with pride along with a purple cloak. He's depicted in a stained glass window in Rennes Cathedral.

I armed my Warlord with a javelin but decided not to give him horse harness or a quiver - as a king he would almost certainly have a servant carry his javelins anyway. Small gaps were filled with green stuff and I gave him a particularly large green stuff cloak (to be painted purple, of course).

The painting challenge with this figure - which I think from a distance I have achieved (but don't look too close) - was to paint the caparison of the horse in typically Breton colours. This means in heraldic ermine.

Heraldic ermine

I'm completely unsure whether this is actually a pattern that would have been worn or a representation of wearing real fur - or even just tassles - but there are illustrations of this design on horse caparisons of a later time so, well, why not? The finished effect, along with my efforts to paint a rather more complex Celtic-style shield design, I think looks OK.

Standard Bearer

Standard bearers

Made generally in the same way as the Hearthguard, but each holding a standard rather than a javelin.  I could find no contemporary illustrations of Breton banners other than those that are identical to the Norman ones - these it appear come from the Bayeux Tapestry. I therefore painted two flag standards using the ones provided in the Conquest Plastic Normans in designs broadly in accordance with the flag of Brittany (essentially black and white designs). I'm happy with the finished result.

All completed figures were varnished first in gloss (for strengthening) and then in matt (for effect) using Vallejo varnish. I added flock (Army Painter) and grass tufts (Gamer's Grass, from Great Escape Games) to the bases to finish them off.

And off to battle they went...

29, Let's Go! - Turn 2: La Cambe

D+2, 8th June 1944

"Where the hell you heading, boy?"

Staff Sergeant, First Class, Jonas J McKenna was as proud of his uniform as he was his Irish-American heritage. The war was straightforward as far as he was concerned. He was here to do a job and that was to drive the Nazis back to Berlin where they belonged. He didn't care to understand or even waste time on those who didn't feel the same way, so one of the things he really hated to see was an American soldier on the retreat. It didn't matter that the GI had obviously been in action, and by the look of the mud and smattering of blood on his left sleeve, very recently. Wasn't good for anyone to see Americans on the run. The GI, flustered after realising he was the one the Staff Sergeant was shouting at, stopped, looked up, and saw a fat man standing behind the turret of a Sherman tank, pointing at him with the stub of a cigar.

"You're going the wrong direction, boy. Pretty sure the road to Berlin's thisaway." The Staff Sergeant gestured along the road to Isigny, the line that the column of tanks was moving. "Get your men and join the line", he said calmly. "No damn Nazis going to stop us now. We're gonna get them back for what they done to our boys at Omaha."

The US platoon is supported this time by 25 support points, spent on additional BARs in each squad, a medic, a forward observer from an off-table 60mm mortar battery, and three Shermans. The Germans spend their 12 points on a sniper, an adjutant, a forward observer from an off-table 60mm mortar battery, and an MG42 on tripod mount. The Americans begin with 10 Force Morale points, the Germans 8.

The patrol phase ends with American jump-off points in roughly the same positions as for the previous game, one behind the manor house and the other two along the main road. The Germans have one jump-off point at the house, one along the orchard hedge line and one positioned slightly forward behind a hedge along the main road.

Almost an hour had passed since the Americans had pulled back. With some relief, reviewing the situation, Lund saw that the damage had not been as bad as he had originally thought. Light wounds for the most part, and bandaged but relieved, the majority of his men had now returned to their foxholes behind the hedge, and were watching for the enemy. The guns were out of action, though, which was a problem, and intermittent interference on the radio, which two of his men were frantically doing their best to fix, was causing difficulties contacting the FlaK battery. His defensive line had held, but it was unlikely to last for much longer.

There was one piece of good news, though. HQ had called, advising that a mortar battery just over a kilometer behind his position had been ordered to give him support. Good news indeed, as long as that radio could be repaired soon.

US infantry squad No.1 deploys

Turn 1, Phases 1-2

The Americans have the first turn and deploy squad No.1 in front of the house on the left flank and squad No.2 and the Platoon Sergeant behind the manor house. The Germans deploy their senior leader, sniper and forward observer in the house on their right flank, and infantry squad No.1 behind the hedge line in front of the house.

The Germans deploy beside the house

The sniper rifle had been lying on the floor as if placed there deliberately. A few scratches, but no serious damage - unlike the body of its former owner which must have protected it when the roof fell and part of the wall of the house had collapsed in the explosion of a direct hit from an enemy shell. The sight had needed adjustment, but that had been a simple task for its new owner. Gunter had been considered a good shot during basic training. "Bullseye", they'd called him, but he'd never had the chance to use a proper sniper rifle. So of course he had raised his hand when the Unterfeldwebel had asked for a volunteer, and now here he was, crouching over a heap of brickwork with his rifle poking through a hole in the wall staring at the La Cambe manor house, where there was some movement. As he made out the enemy soldier pushing through the hedge, he fired, missing, but forcing the surprised GI to jump back into cover. Then, as the sniper reloaded, he could see the Americans scrambling rapidly across the open ground and into the relative protection of the manor house itself.

US infantry scramble for the safety of the manor house

Turn 1, Phases 3-6

US squad No.1 moves tactically forward to positions behind the hedge, while the German squad No.2 deploys along the orchard hedge. The sniper shoots at US squad No.2 inflicting shock while the forward observer calls for a mortar barrage. The Americans control the shock, deploy their forward observer and medic and advance into the manor house. Squad No.1 goes into overwatch and squad No.3 is deployed behind the house on the left flank.

There was an explosion in the field and spout of muddy soil was thrown into the air as a mortar shell - a mere ranging shot - hit the ground, several yards off to the right from where the Americans had been scrambling and a good distance away from the manor house, its intended target. Gunter turned to the right now that his target near the house had disappeared into the building. Peering down the road he saw a broken line of American soldiers moving cautiously around the edge of a house to take up positions behind a hedge on the opposite side of the ploughed field.

US forces steadily build up on their left flank, waiting for support

He took aim. Perhaps he would have better luck against this target. More men were joining them now, edging cautiously around the house. It seemed like the enemy were assembling their forces ready for an advance across the fields on that flank. Opposite, in their positions behind their own hedges, the Germans waited, watching expectantly, as the mortars of both sides exchanged ranging shots that fell wide of their targets.

Turn 1, Phases 7-11

The German forward observer calls in a ranging shot onto the Manor House but it falls widely off target. The sniper changes target to shoot at US squad No.1 and deploys the MG42 team in position to fire at the same target. The third German squad deploys along the orchard hedge. The US forward observer calls for a mortar barrage. A second ranging shot on the Manor House is closer but still off target. The Americans deploy their platoon leader in the house on left flank and a US mortar ranging shot falls wide of its mark. All German squads are put on overwatch.

Germans defend from the cover of the orchard hedge line

The Americans were waiting as well. They had learned that crossing that open ground was fraught with peril, but this time their advance would be better supported. Wheels squeaking on the tarmac, a Sherman was moving up along the road, the head of a column of armour.

The Germans behind the hedge ducked as another ranging shot from the American mortars flew overhead, much closer, this time crashing through the upper storey of the house, and exploding in a cloud of shattered masonry, which rained dust and brick fragments on the men in their foxholes. The house, which had already suffered earlier today, held together despite the damage, but the sniper had been silenced, killed remorselessly before even having the chance to prove his worth. Though no-one spoke, the mood along the German lines was sullen.

Turn 1, Phase 12

The first Sherman enters along the road. A second ranging shot from the US mortars is a direct hit on the house and kills the German sniper. The Germans suffer -1 force morale.

A crescendo of mortars commenced, both sides' barrages commencing at the same time, and the battlefield was plunged in smoke and dust. Two tanks had moved alongside the house and were firing on the German lines as well. The smoke and dust was everywhere. Men could not see or hear and kept their heads down, close to the ground, their hopes and prayers focused on survival. It was the break the Americans needed, and infantry moved over the hedge and across the ploughed field, advancing to the German lines, taking advantage of the cover of the smoke and the enemy's preoccupation with the barrage.

US armour advances along the Isigny road

Turn 1, Phases 13-19

A German mortar barrage opens up on the manor house causing minor casualties and shock. The US mortars return the favour as another Sherman arrives and both tanks advance down the road. The US mortar barrage continues, and shock and kills begin to mount. Shock caused by German mortars is more successfully managed by the Americans. US squad No.2 advances into the ploughed field.

Without warning, the enemy barrage suddenly ceased. Lund did not waste time giving the order to fire, and his men were quick to react to the situation. Their enemy, unexpectedly caught in the open expanse of the field, dropped to the ground, seeking cover in the ridge and furrow of the ploughed soil, while their own tanks and mortars returned fire on the German lines in an effort to protect them. Ignoring the explosions of mortar shells, Lund shouted encouragement at his troops, doing all he could to maintain morale.

US infantry advance under heavy fire across the ploughed field 

Turn 2, Phases 1-9; Turn 3, Phase 1

The turn ends as a result of command dice. Units are unpinned and the smoke clears.

The Germans desperately try to reduce the shock on their teams while they open fire on the US squad No.2. Both tanks advance with machine guns firing. While the German fire is sufficient to pin US squad No.2, they are suffering from accumulated shock and kills themselves. US mortars fire again, but off target. The Germans use a Chain of Command die to end the turn and another to maintain their own mortar barrage, but the American mortars are successfully called on once more.

Tended by medics, a wounded soldier was groaning with pain near the wall of the house, a heap of broken timber, plaster dust and brick debris left behind after machine gun fire had torn through the upper storey of the house. This unfortunate man must be the forward observer - he had been the only one still inside the building. That was a setback, for now Lund had no means of calling for mortar support, which he desperately needed. It seemed there would be no reprieve for Lund's platoon. The guns of both Shermans were firing again, tearing branches from the hedgerow and forcing the German defenders to flatten themselves further into the damp soil, wthdrawing even deeper into their foxholes. Lund felt an unexpected surge of pride. Although the faces of his men betrayed their fear - their desire to be elsewhere, loyalty to their duty kept them in their mud-sodden positions even as their companions were being wounded and killed all around. Even now, the intensity of enemy fire was increasing, with American mortars shells raining relentlessly on their position. And above all this Lund felt a far deeper resonance that shook the ground every few moments. Heavy artillery, possibly naval guns, had begun firing - not at them, thankfully, but at some distant target.

The taller of the radio repair men appeared suddenly by his side, spattered with mud and dust, leaping into the safety of the rubble pile beside the house where Lund was crouching. Taking barely a moment to catch his breath, he shouted his report above the noise of the barrage.

"Sir, the radio is repaired," he announced. Good news, but he spoke hesitantly. Lund could sense there was worse to follow. "But we have lost contact with headquarters. The lines are down." Probably the naval bombardment, Lund reasoned. The sky behind their positions, in the direction of Isigny, was glowing, flames from the burning town tinting the overcast clouds with an orange glow. There were few options left now. Behind the smoke and dust raised by their mortars the enemy were advancing, and they would soon reach the German lines. Too many good men had died already today. It was time to go. Lund gave the order to fall back. The relief in the eyes of his men was obvious as they moved cautiously out of their foxholes, back from the hedge line and through the orchard to the comparative safety of positions further to the rear.

Turn 3, Phases 2-4

The Americans use a Chain of Command die to interrupt and shoot one Sherman with full effect as the Germans attempt to manage shock. The US mortar barrage then falls directly on target as both Shermans open fire and the German forward observer is killed. The Germans make the decision to withdraw to safe positions rather than continuing to fight a losing battle, and as all their troops are close enough to jump-off points to retire, the game ends.

Campaign Management at the end of Game 2

US forces win the scenario and take the hamlet of La Cambe.

The Germans suffer 12 dead which is more than the Americans. Because there is no radio contact, the change in the German CO’s opinion is unknown  at this stage, but may be resolved later. The opinion of Lund's men’s opinion moves from +1 to -1, while Lund's own outlook moves down one on the table to “Worried”.

"Damn it to Hell!" Colonel Goode gazed at his desk, deeply troubled. For a moment, during that call, he had felt less worried, but then the same man who had informed him that La Cambe had been captured had told him that while pursuing the retreating enemy his brave boys had been bombed by some stupid American pilots who had mistaken them for Germans. They 'weren't expecting friendly troops that far inland from Omaha', apparently. Disappointing, annoying and stupid, but just the sort of thing he had expected after being given the order to advance his men that fast. He couldn't let that happen again, his men deserved better. They would hold and consolidate their positions at La Cambe for the time being. His mind firmly set, Colonel Goode picked up the receiver and gave the order to halt.

Colonel Goode’s opinion moves up by one after La Cambe is captured, but an immediate attack on his advancing troops by friendly aircraft reverses his opinion which drops by two to “Nervous”. Because of this, he makes the decision to delay for one Campaign turn at La Cambe.