A full report of World Crossfire Day with photos has just been published in the latest Miniature Wargames Magazine (Issue 316 – August 2009). Continue reading “World Crossfire Day Report in Miniature Wargames”
Tag: AAR
WCFD Game 18
Date Played: 04 April 2009 4.00pm US PDT (04 April Midnight GMT); 1830 WCFD Game Time.
Game Report by Stephen Phenow.
The Germans had retreated to the fortified head of a steep valley. Here they had emplaced a very well-camouflaged ‘88’ that was picking off Allied vehicles on the road (off-table). The 88 couldn’t be used vs. targets on-table because it couldn’t depress sufficiently to target the valley, and its view was obscured as well, but it was a menace to the off-table traffic. The British had to send in men to find it and destroy it. They had an air liaison officer who was having problems calling in Typhoons, and the British could resupply infinitely. How long could the Germans hold out?
WCFD Game 9
Date Played: 04 April 2009 11.00am BST (04 April 10.00am GMT); 1230 WCFD Game Time.
Game Report by Martin Groat.
Each side has released their respective propaganda, published with this report (see below), and provided here is also the third “neutral” report, and a discussion of the terrain and scenario.
The Germans were given the task of defending 2 pillboxes sitting on a hill in the North West corner of the board. They commanded a road to the West, off board. This road was of some significance to the games that followed and the Allied forces were ordered to seize the Pill Boxes so as to secure the road.
WCFD Game 2
Date Played: 04 April 2009 11.00am NZDT (03 April 10.00pm GMT); 0630 WCFD Game Time.
Game Report by Errol Hooker (Umpire).
Table is 4′ x 4’ – the whole table has quite dense terrain all over it – woods, rough ground, hills, hedges and the like – plenty of sight blocks. Down the southern edge runs a river. Elsewhere are two buildings and a supply dump.
There must be plenty of cover for entering Americans, so that they do not get mown down just trying to walk onto the table – some of it contiguous with the table edge, and some sight-blocking features not touching the edge, so that it is possible to get onto the table and be out of LOS of the Germans.
WCFD Game 1
Date Played: 04 April 2009 10.30am NZDT (03 April 9.30pm GMT); 0600 WCFD Game Time.
It is 1944 and the Germans are on the retreat. Allied forces are pressing forwards and hoping to encircle pockets of the enemy and force surrenders on a large scale. The Germans, though being forced back, are still resisting well, and have not collapsed. Every game of the WCFD campaign will have some knock-on consequence for later games. Both sides must conserve forces and resources, and yet both are pressed for time. The allies must advance quickly if they are to catch large numbers of Germans before they can retreat and regroup. The Germans must react to the changing situation rapidly to ensure that they are not encircled.
WCFD Campaign Summary
The following are summarised Game Situation Reports taken from those actually posted to the Crossfire Group during the course of World Crossfire Day on 04 April 2009.
The Allies today launched an operation designed to cut off retreating Germans in the central salient. Reports coming in are mixed:
Game 1 (New Zealand – 0600 Game Time)
A German force was able to inflict substantial casualties on a small British force holding the front in a surprise counter-attack, during which the Germans managed to recover a Tiger tank that had broken down in a depression. Though other Allied forces were within call, no reinforcements were summoned by the local British commander.
World Crossfire Day 2009
What was it?
World Crossfire Day grew out of the desire of a large group of Crossfire players from around the world to do something to promote the rule set we all love; Crossfire. After discussing numerous alternatives it was decided the best way to promote the rules and to do something special that no one may have done before was to have a World Crossfire Day, and get people in as many countries as possible all playing Crossfire on the same day in local time – and after talking about it for a few months we arbitrarily settled on Saturday 04 April 2009 as a suitable date – mostly thanks to Nikolas Lloyd taking a decisive lead in the organisation of the event.
What then grew from this was a desire to do something more connected and with far more interaction between the games.
Kofler’s “kommt zum Abendessen”
In Kofler’s previous adventure (Kofler “befehle die Marines”) the forces of the Kaiser were endeavouring to suppress the activities of an (apparently large) band of Zanzibari Sklavenhändler – this they were only partially successful in doing, although they did avoid the very angry Rhinos’ who didn’t appreciate their lunch being interrupted by a battle! However things were sufficiently peaceful for the column to return to base and nothing untoward occurred until the news that a German Archaeologist, his Austrian Mistress, and Hungarian assistant, had all gone missing and were apparently being held by a rather disreputable tribe! It would be up to Kofler, Muehlbauer, and company, to come to their rescue!
BC’09 Conclusion: Results & Aftermath
Well what a weekend – we had had two really intense full on challenging battles, one rather frustrating indecisive game, and one very decisive win. As with previous BattleCry events games were generally played in good spirits and the environment was great. The new venue at the ASB Basketball Stadium was fantastic and I look forward to future events being there… Once again Philip and Andrew had the ‘most ancient’ army present, and special thanks to Battleline Miniatures for the competition prizes. Continue reading “BC’09 Conclusion: Results & Aftermath”
BC’09 Round 4: Kushite Egyptians 700BC
Sunday afternoon saw us facing the Kushite Egyptians of Philip Abela and Andrew Hunter. For deployment we placed two very large open fields and 2 roads to try and restrict their terrain placement (see the green & brown areas in the photos below) and force them to deploy in the open. However they were able to get two patches of scrub into their deployment zone and consequently corner sat with their force crammed into less than half the width of the table on the Kushan right. They also had a command off-table which we expected to flank march on on the Kushan right (see photo below) to support that deployment. The Kushite’s also pulled out a Guides Stratagem (again) and placed a hidden track through the scrub on the Kushan extreme right. Continue reading “BC’09 Round 4: Kushite Egyptians 700BC”
BC’09 Round 3: Later Carthaginians 202BC
Sunday Morning saw us facing Andrew “Benny” Bennetts and Al “the Spartan” Donald, running Hannibal’s army from Zama, complete with Hannibal as the Brilliant C-in-C. Cam and I switched roles for the second day, and I’d command 2 fighting Commands and he just 1 plus the baggage. Faced with the Carthaginians mass of Expendable Elephants we were a bit gun shy and we basically had our worst game of the tournament – being both indecisive, excessively complicated in our plan, and overly cautious (although Cam may argue the last game was definitely our worst). Terrain had come down very conventionally with nothing affecting the game other than a convenient piece of scrub in the Carthaginian deployment area (see below). Continue reading “BC’09 Round 3: Later Carthaginians 202BC”
BC’09 Round 2: Medieval Portuguese & English Allies 1385AD
For our afternoon challenge we were assigned Ivan Truong and Richard “Uncle Dickie” Foster, and their dastardly Medieval Portuguese. Personally I have bad memories of the latter army from back home in Christchurch in the early nineties (playing DBM 1.1 & 2.0), and my 15mm Minoans & Early Mycenaeans getting regular drubbings by it from Corbon Loughnan! Anyway Campbell and I were a bit concerned by this army, I was actually of the opinion of being prepared to risk our Kn(X) Cataphracts against the Irr Kn(O) but Campbell wasn’t so keen as we would be fighting at a disadvantage due to being graded ‘I’ (inferior) against them. Continue reading “BC’09 Round 2: Medieval Portuguese & English Allies 1385AD”