Thanksgiving Battles with G Company

Next up for my extended weekend of ridiculous amounts of gaming, were games featuring my multi-figure based WWII Eastern Front collection. You know, the ones I post all the time lately.

Thanksgiving evening saw a return to The River with G Company, not once, but twice!

The first game was a complete rout as the Soviets decimated the Germans with HMG fire and artillery, including taking out their Forward Observer, leaving the Germans without smoke to cover their advance. It was a bloodbath and ended in a handful of turns (it was that bad).

The second game things went a little better for the attacker, but in the end, the Germans took too many losses to continue.

First game setup.

From the first game. Germans have no smoke - the FO was eliminated - and so must cross without any cover. It didn't go well.

2md game. A Forward Observer - having crept onto the bridge -  finally gets the smoke he requested. In the background, the Germans pour across the river, shielded by smoke from the HMG fire coming from the pillbox.

Brutal close combat ensued shortly after this was taken.

On Friday ("Black Friday"), the German advance tried again, this time with The Hill.

The first battle went to the stalwart defenders who drove off the Huns.

I set it up again - because why not? - but this time, after three games in less than 24 hours, I was feeling vaguely dissatisfied with the G Company turn sequence, which works well for me and isn't complicated, does look complicated and requires the solo gamer to change hats almost every other step.

In addition, I have been noticing that the artillery in my games just never even comes close to using the number of fire missions available. So, the mechanics were the same but the turn sequence was a greatly simplified, traditional,flexible (units can move/shoot in whatever order suits the battle plan, but can't split their actions with another unit - although the enemy can fire in reaction)  IGO-UGO, and artillery calls/arrival was available to both sides each turn.

The result was a much faster playing game that didn't involve as much mental side- switching for the solo gamer. I jokingly call it "G Company: Toy Solider Edition".

Whether I continue to use the simplified turn sequence, the artillery rule change may well be brought into G Company, as I felt it made it more fun - ordinarily, the limit on fire missions is theoretical - one side never gets enough opportunity to call in a lot of artillery (off-board heavy mortars),  but now the limit was quite real and required decision making to best use those resources..

Incidentally, the Germans had their first victory of the SoloCon celebration. Now, the attacker has won The Hill scenario about half the times I've played it, so I'm not convinced the rules changes had anything to do with it, but it does merit some more play testing.

The Hill in all its glory. There's a LOT of open ground covered by the Soviet HMG.

Defenders of the Motherland.

A Soviet sniper takes aim at a German NCO.The polka-dotted strips are the mines.

Germans cautiously advance under cover.

German right engages the Soviets on the Hill. On the German left, sort of visible in the background, left, 2nd platoon advanced around to flank the Soviets.

The victors in Game 1 (the German force was devastated and forced to retreat)::

 Contrasted with the end of Game 2:

This photo was staged after the battle. The final fight was a close assault scrum on the hill.- with units from both German platoons, and the mortar team - that eliminated the remaining Soviet units, save the PL and the FO.

Friday evening, I moved fully in the direction of simplified gaming, but up a level (platoon per base), with Morschauser's Modern rules, with some modifications, and a OHW scenario. But I'll spare you and post that later!