"Just another Darn Bridge"

A while ago I promised myself that I would try to get more actual gaming in.  Of course with a toddler in the house getting the time (and space) to actually get the toys out is the main problem.  Then an occasion around Christmas got me trying something new.  The other half arranged to go out with schoolfriends but, not wanting to be away from the little miniature for too long, we decided I would tag along and we would stay overnight in a hotel.  I’d then be on Dad duties while she was out and we’d take the opportunity for a nice day out afterwards.

That left me with an evening in a budget hotel with a sleeping toddler to plan for. So I decided to take pen and paper, and Nordic Weasel’s Five Men in Kursk to try out.

Then a bit later I found the time to take some photos to go with the game that played out.

Here’s the Scenario:

It’s the morning of D-Day, small units of paratroopers are ranging across Normandy trying to seize their objectives, find each other and generally making a nuisance of themselves.  One such group has been sent out to seize a small, secondary road bridge.

My hastily scrawled map

US: 7 paratroopers including an NCO with Thompson, 2-man .30cal Browning team and four riflemen with Garands and Carbines.

German: 4 riflemen with Kar98, one NCO with MP40

The Germans deployed to riflemen overlooking the bridge.  The NCO and another rifleman took position on the opposite side of the road.  The final rifleman was perched in the top of the church tower with a good view of everything.

The US entered from the left.  The squad advanced along both side of the road using bounding overwatch.  As soon as possible the .30cal team and a extra rifleman, for security, split off to the north side of the copse to set up their MG  on the edge of the woods overlooking the bridge.

.30cal taking up an overwatch position

Good job too, as the Germans overlooking the bridge opened up on the US NCO and a rifleman as they reached the edge of it. As the two yanks took what cover they could at the far end of the bridge, and the remaining riflemen took cover in the copse south of the road, the Browning opened up using Reaction Fire (a new feature added to the rules).  This successfully pinned the germans and, when the initiative switched back to the US, aimed fire from the MG soon put the first two germans out of action.

 The view from the US perspective

And now the German

Supporting fire from the main body of riflemen in the trees then occupied the German NCO and his comrade as they tried to get into a better position to fire on the two soldiers at the bridge.  The relief from fire allowed the two US paras to leave their cover of the bridge and get within grenade hurling range of the Germans at the other end of the bridge, resulting in one more German down and the enemy NCO scurrying off.

Fire in the hole!

With more than half of their unit out of action, the remains of the small garrison decide enough was enough and headed off, leaving the bridge and hamlet to the US.

All in all a short, but fun game.  The rules are working nicely; the introduction of reaction fire helps move things along, and encourages more tactical thinking.  Activation is diced for each model now, giving a greater chance of getting a scurry or firefight result, but I think I prefer the original method, which gave a nice structure to whole turns  I’d still happily recommend them to anyone.