NUTS! - Operation Compass Solo Campaign #2 Attack at Sidi Barani

In this second game of the Operation Compass Campaign 2nd Lieutenant Kip Chaplin has been ordered to attack and secure a small building with a courtyard on the outskirts of Sidi Barani and to drive any Italian forces he encounters from the battle field. 

Kip is leading his 1st and 2nd sections in this attack along side the platoon Sgt who has dragged the platoon medic and the 2.5" Mortar team along ... just in case. 

The British deployed with 2nd section on the right flank, ordered to take the ruined buildings and then provide cover for 1st section who would use the the cover on the left flank to move up the field and then assault and clear the building. Platoon HQ with the mortar team would act as support for both sections as needed.

With the Brits deployed the Italian PEFs where placed. 
A hesitant start to the operation saw an additional PEF placed in the building courtyard before any movement occured.  

It was this PEF that first resolved into an Italian squad with LMG and a supporting MMG.
Winning the insight test against 2nd section they unleashed a withering fire just as the section was beginning its advance Killing one trooper and putting two others out of the battle. the rest of the section went prone in response.
The Mortar team however did win an insight test and were able to lay down smoke between the Italians and 2nd section.

2nd sections situation looked to be deteriorating badly as a second PEF that advanced into the ruined walls, second section was heading for, resolved into another Italian Squad. Thankfully the Bren gun team got the drop on them and a burst of fire caused them to duck back. Another Mortar round, HE this time found its mark devastating the Italians in the building courtyard.

1st section on the left flank continued to advance using the cover available and were able to identify another PEF which turned out to be nothing more than some scrub moving in the hot air currents.

2nd section using accurate fire send the Italian troops behind the wall into deeper shock by wounding a number and causing the remainder to break,

1st section continued to advance using the cover of the scrub and flushed out the Italian commander and his Sergeant cutting one down and sending the other running for cover. Further rifle fire then sent him running from the field.

With the Italian forces fleeing the field 1st section move towards the target building and spot the occupants a last worn Italian squad with LMG. The Italian LMG fires and misses and the return fire from 1st sections Bren gun is  enough to knock the crew out. When 2nd section make it up to the courtyard wall their additional fire is enough to see the remaining Italians raising their hands in Surrender. 

In the aftermath of the battle 1st and 2nd sections searched the building and any captive Italians finding a few bottles of Vino and some scraps of food and most importantly a map which Lt, Chaplin took.

 
The platoon mortar man's mate is known for his greedy attribute but spent the entire action under the beady eye of the platoon sergeant, In the after action period I decided to allow him to make a 1D6 roll against his Rep which he passed so I allowed him to slip away from the sergeant and spend some time searching the building as he moved up however the sections had picked it fairly clean and all he found was some chocolate.

After the action was completed Lt. Chaplin attended to his men. The man killed in 2nd section will be replaced but he will have two men out of action in the hospital for his next mission and the section will be rated Tired going forward, 1st section suffered no losses but after two actions are now rated as Exhausted and will need to be rested as soon as possible. 

With the Commonwealth forces succeeding with their attack on Sidi Barani they quickly moved on  towards Bardia where Lt. Chaplins Platoon will again be playing a role in the attack. With only one Section fresh and the other two either depleted or exhausted difficulties await. That map and maybe some of the vino liberated from the Italians may help grease the wheels to secure some extra support on their next mission. 

Black Powder Epic ACW Painting Progress

Having purchased the Black Powder Epic Gettysburg Starter set from Warlord Games I'm starting to work my way through the massive task of assembling and painting the two armies it contains.

 
I've opted to start with painting up two identical Brigades for the Union and Confederate armies.comprising

• Two infantry Regiments of 3 stands
• One Zouave Regiment of 3 stands
• A Cavalry Regiment of 3 stands
• A two gun base Artillery Battery 
• A Brigade commander 

I've also been using this as a chance to try out some Contrast paints for the first time. I began with a Union Brigade which I've recently finished.


 First up are two Infantry Regiments

With their distinctive red bloused trousers and kepi we have the Zouave regiment, These have a little more detail than the normal infantry and required more effort.

The cavalry I've done four riders to a stand because I'll get more regiments for my bucks and cavalry of the period were light in nature being used more often as not as dismounted infantry. 

Lastly we have the Artillery Battery and Brigade Commander

It's taken me about four weeks, a couple of hours most evenings, to get these painted and here I think the contrast paints have worked well. If I'd painted these in my traditional manner of colour blocking then washing and dry brushing it would probably have taken me an extra couple of weeks.

On a general note the paint is a nice consistency that flows well, It takes some adjustment applying the paints as it's only as the paint drys that it's true colouration comes through but they also seem fast drying once applied to the models. Applied in the correct order they are also very forgiving especially at this small scale. My only real criticism is the bloody awful, easily knocked over bottles. 

With the first Union Brigade done it's time to make a start on the opposing CSA Force

O Group Battle of Beda Fomm

Staying in the Western Desert and Operation Compass at SWG this week as Nye and Myself fought The Battle of Beda Fomm. An O Group scenario written by David Brown the games author and published in the Lard Mag last year. It pits the Italian army in retreat from Benghazi with the British Commonwealth forces of Coombe Force, a fighting Column, sent across the Desert to cut off the retreating Italian forces following the Coastal road. 

Here is a view of the table from the Italians side, they must either force the British from the table by inflicting 3 Fubars or capture the BUA at the far end of the table  In the middle we see the 'Pimple' with the Mosque atop and the low rise of rocks across the road. Scattered around are some rock fields and scrub that provide a very limited amount of cover in an otherwise barren area.

The deployment dice favoured the British with an abundance of Ambush positions which being a worn Battalion meant that most of the british deployment was hidden from the Italians making crossing that open ground all the more difficult.

We played 6 turns before the evening came to an end. Neither side was making much progress towards a conclusive victory but the situation was looking harder and harder for the Italian forces. With so much open ground to cover against forces either concealed or in cover the task was beginning to look futile somewhat like the historical battle where British forces were able to cut of the italian line of retreat using a ragtag force in a bold move that was lucky to be in strong positions just 30 minutes before Italian units appeared on the road.
By holding the line at Beda Fomm the British forced the surrender of 25,000 prisoners, captured 107 tanks and 93 guns. The effective destruction of the Italian 10th Army was to be a double edged sword as it played a role in bringing Rommel and the Afrika Kprp to the region just as the battle hardend British forces were pulled from the line to be be sacrificed in the Battles of Greece and Crete. 

Big Thanks to my opponent Nye who supplied not just all the forces on the table but also the pictures in this post.Thanks also go to the members of the Facebook O Group page who helped me track down the missing table plan for this scenario.