Mighty Empires - Gronbef-Afor - Orcish realm - Log entry 1

 Deep in the Gron mountains lay the ruins of the GronAfor Dwarfs, in 1629IC the Orcs of the Waaagh Gorwaz overran the Karak and slaughtered all the defenders as Warboss Gorwaz-bag fell from a Warhammer to the skull. Shortly after the sundering of the Karak Gron the Orc Waaagh! broke down into several Clans as no Warboss was able to rise up and take control of the throng.

  Ingrim-Ruk Chaos deamonsmith of the Chaos Dwarfs, descends upon the Orcish realm of Gronbef-Afor. In a bloody ritual where hundreds of Golin slaves were sacrificed to Hashut, the Tower of Dun-Gabab was raised from the scorched earth, with months of work the minor forges and mills of their dark industry began to churn out weapons and minted coin.

The Campaign began with Orkish expansion south west, subgegating the Yellow Snake goblin tribes before turning east and massacring a remant village of Dwarves. 

The Chaos Dwarves Expanded south and east, looking to secure the rivers as a frontline against the incursion of Orcs. The Human city of Altenberg refused to submit to the Chaos Dwarves, the Chaos dwarves then marched to besiege the city - but the Men of Altenberg Sallied out!

I had basically forgotten how to play warmaster - and my opponent who was playing as the orks was playing for the first time so it was a good start!

I marched the Chaos Dwarves forward with no real plan and was met with a hail of handgun and Cannon shot, the intense shooting destroyed a stand of Blunderbuss and drove a unit of chaos dwarves from the field also destroying the Hero on Bullcentaur.

The following turns were a series of advances and retreats and the Blunderbusses tried to break up the Empire knights, the Bullcentaurs then turn the flank around the forest and charged into the Knights destroying 2 of the 3 bases.

The Empire flagellants and a unit of Halbadiers charged, bouncing off of the shaken Chaos dwarfs the combined Chaos Dwarves and Hobgoblins then ground the two units down winning the combat then withdrawing.

The Final act of the game was a big charge by the Chaos Dwarves, smashing into the big block of Halbadiers and Handgunners, in two rounds of combat the empire lose 2 units and the Chaos dwarves lost 2 stands. Ultimately the game was a tie, with the Chaos Dwarves losing the most points. I suspect the Empire will now withdraw into their city and continue the siege but lets see!

Combined arms - Normandy! Log entry 3

 

Following the successful allied landings near Rouen and an unsuccessful strike towards paris the reeling armoured formations moving away from Paris turned the flank of the Coastal defences and forced the defenders to withdraw lest they be cut off. GI's in the Vanguard of the US Army then pushed the Heer outposts, during the fighting a Storch light aircraft crash lands in no mans land carring important orders and intelligence to retake the Atlantic wall defences.

Today's scenario is Top secret! Documents in the middle of the map must be secured and run off of the Map to secure victory. The Germans in this scenario are outnumbered 2:1.

The USA brought an army of infiltrator veterans and dominated the table from setup, the Heer made up mostly of Penal Battalion troops were quickly shot down and pinned by the Veteran GI's.

With allied trucks on the objective end of turn 1 and half the already ounumbered Germans down off of the board, I called the game for an Easy US victory!

What happened next completely shifted the Game, the Germans fell back but maintained contact with the defenses objective, the allies moved their tanks in to chase the retreating Heer. The German infantry and Kriegsmarine support outflanking from the sea shifted the focus of the battle north, the allied armoured tried to disengage but was destroyed in an ambush (when campaign tokens try to move in a hex adjacent to an enemy the enemy can roll to destroy the enemy token for free).

The Allies then tried to bomb the Kriegsmarine squadron but was quickly driven off by the luftwaffe before the German bombers tried to destroy the advancing allied infantry, but failed to stop them. The Heer then launch an assault on the communications centre. This battle will be resolved in Log entry 4.

Combined arms - Normandy! Log entry 2

 Destination Paris!

The Allied armour pushes towards Paris, due to bad weather and effective Luftwaffe patrols the allies need to secure information on the defences of the city before proceeding further. OSS operatives located an SS Panzer commander who can tell them the in and out details of the defences so the allies despatched a taskforce to capture him.

Scenario rolled for was Manhunt! So the Germans began the game deployed in the middle of the board.

The first wave of GI's arrive and are met by a hail of LMG fire from the SS.

Turn 2 the Luftwaffe Support arrives and drops a large bomb on the Lt. Gaylord killing him, his batman and 3 GI's from an adjacent squad.

The SS then move up and using their Panzerfausts knock out the Stuart from point blank range, the LMG's then poured fire in the Veteran GI's pushing up from the south.

The Half track then comes on and is immediately assaulted by the Regular GI squad hiding in the wheat field, what they didn't count on was the 5 kitted out Veteran SS inside wiping them out to a man.

The Bazooka Runs on, only to be chased down by the Recon Bike and killed with MMG fire.

The Panzer II Luch's then moves onto the board and combined with the Flamethrower attack from the Sturmpioneer breaks the 2nd squad of Veteran GI's.

The US observer calls in his airstrike and hits the SS Veterans with a small bomb, they went down so only lost 2 men but took 4 pins.

The Veteran GI's ran forward with the Aircraft suppressing the SS only to be outflanked by the second squad of SS coming on from their half track.

After 2 turns of shooting the GI's are finally brought down to 1 man - but pass their break test!

The SS charge the solo GI and capture him.

The Allied armour is forced to retreat from Paris and the Axis armour pursued.

Combined arms - Normandy! Log entry 1

 "The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you." D. Eisenhower

Campaign turn 1 was the Storm card so no aircraft orders, the Allies used the bad conditions to rush the channel gap securing the fortifications and the communication centre. The Germans counter attacked with their infantry and drove the allied armour away from the fortifications.

Turn 2 saw clear weather and the allies assaulted the fortification with their armoured unit.

 

Scenario rolled for was Envelopment, the German defenders were selected from the Atlantic wall resistance nest list whilst the US Army drew from the Normandy list.

The Preliminary barrage killed the Panzerschreck and suppressed the Osttruppen.

The Sniper duel began early with the Americans losing to the experienced Eastern front Veteran.

Towards the end of turn 1 the Allies rolled their Sherman up the road, The Germans responded with an air strike from the FAO I got for free from an Initiative card I played in the campaign.

Start of Turn 2 the FW190 rolled into a strafe the Sherman Lighting it up and detonating the fuel and or ammo. The artillery barrage marked by the blue marker next to the fence failed to arrive this turn.

The rest of turn 2 culminated in the Germans going into ambush whilst the allies pushed forward hard.

Turn 3 the artillery strike scattered away from its target, but still pinned down 4 units.

The Big Allied push began, the German flanks were well defended by MMG's so the GI's went for the centre, using the forests to cover them. German Reserves now began to pour onto the board, the LT bolstering the wavering Osttruppen and Grenadiers and B2 Flammenwerfer tank supporting them.

Turn 4 the GI's charged to Osttruppen in the open wiping them out but losing 3 guys before consolidating into the ruined farm house.

The Germans then began failing every order test turn 4 and everyone was pinned down.

Turn 5 the Gi's finish of the Sniper in close combat, the Grenadiers clear the ruined farm house whilst the B2 Flame tank wipes a squad of Gi's in the other farm house and MG's 2 guys from another squad.

Another GI squad charges the downed Osttruppen, initially the combat was tied 6v6 then round ended the Ostruppen careers losing 2v1.

Turn 6 the Flame tank moved forward and tried to clear out the GI's at the fence on the road but misses before a Bazooka punches a rocked through the thick side armour and detonates the tank.

The Germans win the battle 12 to 7 but fail to destroy the armour.