D+1 Attack - Widening the Utah beach Landing Zone - Bolt Action Game

Ed: I'm not afraid to edit what was happening...this is my battle report for what was going on for the D-Day event at Crossroad Games this past weekend (the store's 20th Anniversary!). The single 24-foot table (corridor) battlefield was for 8 players per side.  The organizers were calling it Beach-Carentan-Caen (just to make the one British player happy I guess). Since the allied (almost entirely US) force was fighting to gain ground facing the west, I'm saying instead it was (at this scale) the western-most expanse for Utah Beach, D+1, from north to south as Quineville - Montebourg - Valognes (all connected by the local roads).  It fits well, since Montebourg had a church tower that could be seen from Utah Beach by Roosevelt when his 4th ID landed. 

The game play was awesome. Each player provided a 750 point list, following the Normandy selector.  The head judge assigned tables more or less on arrival, so each approx. 6-foot zone had two players per zone.  The equivalent of about 8 depleted platoons per side.  There was no further "historical" guidance on force selection.  The game started with 8 dice per side, and each table acted on that activation. 

I'd assumed in my planning a few days before that I'd be fighting in hedgerows or a village, so I had a mixed force of paratroopers from the 502nd PIR just reinforced with some mechanized support (4th ID just off the beach) to take on my mission.  At the last minute, however, my mission was changed to bunker clearing along the beach as the landing was widened westward towards Cherbourg and the Cotentin Peninsula.  For this, my platoon was joined by another combined team of US Rangers and more infantry from the 4th ID. Neither my platoon or the supporting platoon was ideal for this job, but we talked out our attack and made the best of it. 

My List:
502nd PIR - 
Paratrooper Platoon HQ - 1st Lieutenant and two runners, all with submachine guns.
Paratrooper Squad, 10, rifles, 1 LMG team.
4th ID - 
Veteran Infantry Squad, 10, rifles, 1 BAR team
Regular M3 halftrack, pintle HMG, rearward MMG
Veteran M4 Sherman, Coaxial mmg, hull mmg, wet storage.

My force, ready to go. 

My support buddy's list:
Rangers:
Ranger Squad, 10, SMGs and rifles, cliff climbers
Ranger Squad, 10, SMGs and rifles, cliff climbers
4th ID
Regular Infantry HQ, 2nd Lieutenant and runner
Regular Infantry Squad, 10, rifles
Bazooka Team
Mortar Team

Scenario
As a special rule for the event, the german players could deploy up to half of their units (per player) on the table, at any location, and the remainder would enter following reinforcement rules turn 2 onward. The Allied players would enter any units they want turn 1 using a run or advance order. We had to deploy on the assigned table, but, you could support the adjoining table if needed.

There were 4 bunkers on our beach front.  We were tasked to take them. Our table had the simple win condition of 1 point per bunker. Side with the most bunker points wins. Other tables had their own different win conditions.  All of the win conditions favored the defender. 

Beach with the cliff at the south end. Montebourg in the distance.

 
Deployment
My team partner and I watched the germans deploy and studied the terrain. A pak40 ATG and an 88mm ATG were deployed in bunkers, as were two MMGs. Mortars were deployed with spotters in trenches further back. We realized that due to the layout, there was a blind spot in the terrain through which we could advance to largely mitigate the ATGs (right below the cliff at the eastern end of the beach). We'd still be susceptible to other fire, but not those weapons! Our plan was for the rangers to enter and take the bunker on the high ground immediately to our left, and all other squads to advance rapidly behind the tank and half track to gain the access to the next two bunkers in line. Regardless, the bunkers were 3 feet into the table, so even with just running it would take 3 turns to get to most of them, plus you could only assault the bunkers from the rear doors... 

The game started with a preparatory bombardment that placed a few pin markers on the enemy but little else. 

View after the bombardment - pins here and there. 

Game Turns
On turn 1, we started with a good run of allied activations.  The Sherman Tank and Halftrack full of veterans ran up the base of the cliff followed by the paratroopers. The rangers came next, immediately taking two actions to enter and scale the cliff.  They were all followed by the regular infantry - which in the fog and confusion of war decided to flank the attacking force, straying into the line of sight of german guns and artillery/mortar spotters! One ranger squad had climbed directly into the face of the 88 gun, and took a danger close blast in the face.

Units beginning the attack!  That regular infantry squad should have stayed in cover! 

Rangers scaling the cliff see the gun barrel crank towards them!  

On turn 2, the dice began with the arrival of a german artillery barrage (16 inches in diameter) which dropped a big pile of pin markers all over the assault force and a few casualties. Our assault force continued to run directly at the two bunkers ahead (#2 and #3), while the rangers began work on securing bunker 1.Several german reinforcement units began arriving and they ran towards the edge of the beach to take positions in their trench line. 

German reinforcements start arriving and man their trench line! Rangers have made quick work of Bunker #1 and I'm stalled in front of Bunker #2. 

On turn 3, our mortar team began dropping smoke to obscure the pak40 bunker.  The Sherman and halftrack began suppressing the german troops in a trench line just uphill from the beach.  Bunker 1 was secured through assault.  The german MMG team in bunker 4 abandoned their post and began running south (left) to try to get into a useful position.

Paratroopers are pinned by bunker #2, while the veterans of the 4th ID carry their attack to the trenches only to be wiped out by a crossfire! Where did the rangers go? 

Turn 4, we received some assistance in the form of an infantry squad from the inland assault on Montebourg firing on germans in the trenchline behind bunker #2.The Sherman stopped at the beach edge to take up a better firing position on the trench line - and staying beyond reach of the panzerfausts!  The half track advanced into the trench line area and the veteran infantry dismounted to decimate a german squad there.  They were met with withering return fire from other german units which eliminated the squad.  The paratrooper squad was set to assault Bunker 2, but was met with fierce fire from bunker 2, forcing them down (pinned!). German units from the north end of the beach all began streaming south (left), but more smoke shells from the mortar team obstructed their view to the beach.

Firing into the trench line! The infantry will fail to get to Bunker #3...

Smoke is helping, We have cleared Bunker #2, but Bunker #3 is being reinforced and the germans have abandoned Bunker #4. The halftrack has pulled forward to clear the LOS for the Sherman. 

Turn 5, with 5 pin markers, the paratroopers passed their leadership and assaulted and took bunker 2. In response, entrenched german gunners began shooting them up.  One german squad assaulted the nearby paratrooper HQ unit, and lost!  The HQ unit then assaulted the next german unit in the line and won again.  Then they were shot up and eliminated from the fight.  The untouched Sherman continued using just MMG fire to suppress and pin german units, focusing on anything with an anti-tank capability. 

Rangers on the top of the dcliff have a sweeping view of the dwindling germans on our  flank!  Remnants of the paratrooper squad take cover at bunker #2. 

On turn 6, we wrapped up the assault, keeping the germans pinned around bunker #3, but we were unable to reach it. 

The judge ruled the attack to be a draw or stalemate. 

Far and away inland, the battles also pitched back and forth. The overall victory for the side was seen as a slight (minor) german victory (minor german at Montebourg, minor allied in the hedgerows, and minor german at Valognes). The germans still held the two towns, but lost in the terrain between.

In the Montebourg section, an allied win was only achievable by capturing the church and holding it.  It was in the middle of a town square.  Nearly impossible.  An allied player almost did it though by assaulting through the front door on turn 6...it was that close...

Overall, awesome effort by all! 

The best learning moment for me was how mortars can be used to deploy smoke.  Never though of that in previous games.  ALSO as a house rule for smoke - rather than having smoke shells deviate up to 12 inches on a miss to a point selected by the defender, we went with random direction, 2D6 for initial smoke placement.  It was terrific, and worked great for a team game. I also read up on using tanks to assault infantry.  I considered doing it on Turns 5 and 6, but decided to just keep firing...

I'd consider my 750 point list to be great for this game.  If we went with slightly bigger lists I'd try to squeeze a mortar in for the smoke...or a FOB to call in a barrage or air strike...or flamethrowers....

There is another bolt action day this weekend! Hoping to get another game in!

All for now,

MING

Yep, my worst gaming year is done

I've been tracking my 40K performance now for 9 years.  And yep, this was my worst year.  The number of games were down. The number of wins way down.  Just terrible. Blue or red, everything dead.

The blog pundits could have predicted it.  Blood Angels and Ultramarines have been less than ideal in the 8th Edition format.

My games and battle reports showed it.  I could hold my own or be looking for a win through three turns, and then bleed away any victory for the remainder of the game.  Several close finishes.  Just not enough staying power.  Usually I'd get into some basic stats and things to evaluate causality and such for my annual performance review.  I'm not going to do that this year.

Now, to the future!

Its almost like GW was waiting for me to finish the year! 

I have already acquired the NEW space marine codex, NEW Ultramarines supplement, and NEW Ultramarines cards. 

Maybe the winds are blowing for a change, and starting soon the new gaming year will charge off for better outcomes? 

I've already been playing Ultramarines per their Chapter special rules (+1 Ld, able to leave combat and shoot at -1 to hit). But now look at all of the other stuff coming! +1 A on the assault. Doctrines. Some points adjustments. Chaplains! All sorts of things that make all Space marines far deadlier. 

Imagine how the existing last Calgar list from my previous posts might work now? 

It will be pretty interesting.

If my opponents would just keep playing their existing favorite factions and lists...

All for now,

MING
 

It has begin - Finally - Oh Wait?

I'm laughing and shaking my head simultaneously.

Ironically, I finally went to my local Warhammer store rather than my FLGS to purposefully purchase the Roboute Guilliman - Primarch of the Ultramarines model.  I did this because they had the kit ready for a quick purchase, and I was in the area for a quick dinner and meeting.

The model was originally released a few years ago, and I just never bothered.  I figured I could do well with my favored Ultramarines with a simple captain or Chapter Master Marneus Calgar (whom I'd purchased with his Victrix Honor Guard a few months ago). Frankly, since I think I've only seen the model twice - I thought it would be bigger! Big "Bobby G" is actually fairly small, and in reality, as my favorite painter to watch from "the Long War" has said - it is detail overload.

Last year I thought about purchasing the model and sending it out to be pro-painted. 

I'm painting this one myself. 

In watching some videos, there were three that stood out on w to do it, and all were worthy as an approach, or strategy, to get it done.

1. GW's thin your paint guy - he recommended assembling the model and then painting the whole model gold, using washes and highlights for the gold, then going back to paint in the blue armor and then final details and washes, etc.  There are great applications for this approach that would extend to Black legion models too. 

2. TLW's painter - he painted the model in parts, but started overall with air brushing and highlighting the blue armor first, then going back and painting the golds, then all of the other details. Then assembly.

3. Some nameless guy from the UK - he recommended assembly, priming and painting the model blue, and then using metallic sharpie brand MARKERS to do all the gold trim and silver metal highlights. Yes, permanent magic markers are available for bronze, silver, and gold.

Of course, the model itself comes with its own painting guide requiring about 20 different colors and washes...

My approach is a hybrid.  I assembled the model, backpack, and base, and then primed them separately.  Painted the gold and washed it.  Now I'm on to the blue phase with a tiny brush and thin paint.  Backpack is done, and I'm a third doe on the main body. Next will be gold touch-ups, then all the other details. I'm painting the detailed base separately, and will use some colors to tie in to my other existing Ultramarines. The most fun might be the dead Chaos Marine stomped in to the base.  Assembly onto the base will be last.  One thing I found with the base is that it had two flaming torches set on thin plastic poles.  I'm going to replace the poles with metal rod - the poles are so fragile they did not last the priming stage. I'm not going to use markers though...just brush work...

Overall, I expect OK results.  Not painting award quality, but OK.  Overall, I'm looking forward to getting it done!

NOW, to make things interesting, of course, is this week's notice from GW on the release of a new Space Marine Codex, Cards, and Ultramarines Supplement!  WOW! But what does that mean for list building?  All I can say is that I'm happy I did not make other purchases yet! Will Bobby G go up in points? Will regular old scouts and tactical marines be absent from the new books?  How deep will I need to dig in my pockets as I upgrade my marines to the modern era? I don't know, but it means I still have a few weeks to meet my goal of an updated list by month's end...

Leave a comment on the Chaos Marine Chapter to be the victim on Bobby G's base and I'll take it as your vote.  I was thinking Nurgle (commonly encountered in my local meta), but....

All for now,

MING

See - you scrolled to the end...as a reward, here are two shots of Ultramarines from a friend's miniatures display cabinet...dang....I might need to get a glass case next...of course, they are all second company...and very nice....

Here it is - no more delays!

It's finally time I got around to this!  It's my wrap up of the July Rockport Invitational!

1500 Points - Narrative Team Event

Synopsis: The Imperium vs Everyone Else - 9 tables each with their own city-fight based scenario, 3 rounds, attackers and defenders! Team Captains determined the parings for each table.  I was on the Imperium side...we lost but narrowly. Terrain was awesome, the food was awesome, the beer was awesome, it was a great day and I thank the host for putting it on!

Here are some army tray shots (just part of the 18 competitors):

My display board...Its a new Calgar model!  

Looks wet and death-world muddy...

The claw...and chaos....

So misguided...GSC...my round 1 opponent...

Don't be snotty...be nurgly green!

Well, spray on tans for dreads are a hit...

Ummmm...

Bugs....my round 2 opponent...very creative!  

Waaaaaaaaauuuuuuggggghhhhh! Round 3 opponent...

Shiny...

My List: (1500 pts, 11 CP)
Battalion Detachment
Marneus Calgar, Warlord, Ultramarines, Adept of the Codex
Chaplain in Terminator Armor
Infiltrator Squad (5)
Infiltrator Squad (5)
Scouts (5) w/ Camo Cloaks, 4 Sniper Rifles, 1 Heavy bolter
Terminator Squad (5), 1 Cyclone Missile launcher, homer
Venerable Dreadnought, TLLC, HF, DCCF
Landspeeder, HB/TML
Suppressor Squad (3)

Spearhead Detachment
Lieutenant in Phobos Armor
Eliminator Squad (3)
Whirlwind (Castellan launcher)
Whirlwind (Castellan Launcher)

The list has a few multi-purpose functions.  The major ones are -

(1) As Ultramarines, everything is +1LD, and can withdraw and shoot at -1.
(2) Calgar was the focus of a firebase, giving rerolls to hit. This fire base would normally consist of the Venerable, and two whirlwinds and Landspeeder.  His warlord trait helps to reclaim CPs.
(3) Snipers would take advantage of hellfire rounds on the HB to create more mortal wounds. 
(4) Lieutenant, Terminators, and Chaplain created a deep strike reaction force.
(5) Snipers and Infiltrators could deploy forward to create early game board control.

The Games
Overall, I feel like I failed. The list always started strong, but failed around turn 5. Here is a run down of my games and pairings - plus or minus remembered details...

Game 1.  Slay the Warlord.  I was the defender, and had to deploy my warlord and a few other units in the table center - in this case a four floor ruin and bunker/trenhline. My opponent would deploy around the table edges. My units that were destroyed could become a never ending tide.  My other units could enter from a table edge.  If my Warlord died, the opponent won.  No other primary win conditions. My random secondary was to have a single unit pass three morale checks. My opponent - Genestealer Cult!  Needless to say, Calgar died in the ruins around Turn 3, and the unit I hoped to take 3 morale checks also died.  My opponent won. 

Overall, and I passed this on to the team leader - was that Calgar should have started the game on the top level of the ruin...it might have helped! On turn 1, I was totally surrounded by Blips...no place to run.  In reality, it was pretty close. Huge GSC casualties.  Very fun game.  However, rock saws, GSC deep strikes within 9-inches, etc., and horrible eliminator dice rolls were all were painful. At the end of the game I had zero points for my team.

After deployment...its like the Alamo...

Reserves arrive, but too late...

Game 2. Don't Kill the Troops. I think I was the attacker this time. Table quarters deployment.  Primary scoring was killing for points: +3 for warlord, +2 for all other units except troops, -1 (yes minus) for killing troop choices.  My randomly selected secondary was something I could not get, like "kill a flyer".  My opponent was Tyranids.  He had a Warlord, 2 other HQs, one Elite, and 6 troop choices. Probably 94 bug models.

At the end of the game, I had zero points for my team. My opponent only had a wounded warlord off in the far far table corner, I still had Calgar and a few other units. I'd lost like a score of 8-0. This game was just a tremendously bad pairing.  But I'd killed 93 bugs in the process. Had to.  They were all over me. Actual loss score was probably 8-0.

Turn 1 begins...bugs on the move! I have a bit of buggle wrap...but it wont last!

Game 3. Keep the Loot.  In this game there were about 6 objectives, and you scored points at the end of each battle round (after the first) for the number of objectives you held. We had table quarter deployments again. In this case, my infiltrators and eliminators and scouts captured objectives during deployment - so I started the game with 4 out of 6.

My opponent was Orks!  They had two or so truk-borne boyz mobs, two or three grot mobs, commandos, Zaggstruck, jumping boyz, meganobz with a truk, weirdboy, and relic shock attack gun, warboss on bike, mechboy on bike, something like 90 models (again).

I started off with more objectives, but I started to lose two of them pretty quick. One objective got cleared of eliminators, captured by orks, recaptured by the landspeeder, recaptured by orks, cleared of orks...in the end I'd lost again, but might have scored my secondary for my team. Final score was probably 5-3. Giant ork dead pile.

Mid game...Chaplain vs the horde...gotta respect that! 

Cleanup crew bringing in the pain... 

In Closing....
Overall, in looking at the list, the Chaplain just did not deliver, and the new eliminators were a disappointment.  Since then I saw a eliminators tactica video which recommended just using the frag rounds...

My MVPs were the Whirlwinds and Terminators and Calgar and Landspeeder. 1500 points is a difficult spot for list building...If I do it again I'll use three Whirlwinds...I love the fact they can hit the entire table.

Since then, I've played a game using the 2000 point list from earlier this summer, but had to swap in a replacement for the regular dreadnought.  Overall, I slaughtered the Nurgle opponent's units but fell short again towards the end...I'm peaking mid game...

Feedback on my list variants is to drop the Chaplain. 100+ points for a storm bolter 2+/4++ dude who is mediocre in close combat it just too bad.  He does provide a CC benefit, but fails his ncharges half the time. The new concept is to replace him with a jump-pack captain with a hammer...similar number of shots, but far better in CC and still provides a reroll bubble.  The other concept is to consider replacing the phobos lieutenant (who can deep strike with the terminators) with a cheaper lieutenant and just deploy it with the warlord at the fire base.  Rerolling those 1's to wound from the very start would earn lots of benefits downrange. The other concept is to replace Calgar and the Lieutenant with Bobby G...(who I just purchased and will build/paint this weekend...)...

All for now.  I have other things to try...but yeah, my losing streak is probably 12 games in a row...I'm continuing to bring in new models now...painting stuff...I like the new contrast paint for Ultramarines as their base coat...it helps on the transition to Primaris...But....

Still having my worst gaming year ever,

MING