The Battle of Zembin - An 1812 Retreat From Moscow Batrep

 

Seve Rejects got together for another bash with my and Lee's Retreat from Moscow collections.

Surj and Postie picked out the Russians

Richard, Steve and Dave picked out the French.

Both Lee and Richard have already posted up some pictures from the game, check them out here, Lee & Rich.

The Russian army was set up in the village of Zembin, they had to stop the French from breaking through, while the French had to try and breakthrough and leave the table edge by the road.

The French had a very good army.

Including some Guard and THE man himself, but in disguise.

While the Russian had an army made up of mainly Militia and Cossacks.

We deliberately gave the French the first move of their front brigade to get things moving

We kept it though it would have to be a great role for the French Cavalry to move straight into contact, think they wouldn't in the first move.

But didn't count on Steve's great dice throwing, he hit the best Russian unit on the tabletop, a unit of Jagers and knocked them back from the fence line, but they were punished as you can see with 4 Sock markers.

On the flanks of the village the Russians had, Cossacks

And Foot Cossacks and an artillery piece.

The Cossacks started with 1 unit on the table and two waiting to come on

The one crossed the stream and headed for the French.

While the other decided to help out the original unit on the same flank but on the Russian side of the stream.

That's a tempting charge, wonder who's card will come out first???

It was the French.....who pushed back the Cossacks!

Meanwhile on the road the Russian Militia artillery piece is also pushed back, the gunners abandoning the gun.

It wasn't going at ll the French way on the other side of the river, the cards kept coming out in the wrong order, which was very annoying for all involved.

The charge of the Cossacks, Postie took a chance and charged both units of Cossacks into what remained of the Hessian Chasseurs a Cheval and a unit of French Grenadiers.

It was close, the Hessians were destroyed but the Grenadiers were victorious and pushed back the Cossacks. 

Being as the Cossacks got within 12 inched of the French wagon on the road, the wagon was revealed to actually be Napoleon on a sledge!

The French column was able to turn some infantry and gave fire to the Cossacks in the stream, and gave them a bit of a pasting!

We were well over halfway through the game, but the poor French still hadn't managed to get the majority of the army across the stream.

After another turn or two, they did get over, Richard managed to unlimber his artillery

Lots of musketry makes lots white smoke on the tabletop.

The tried very hard to take the road, but alas they just failed at the last hurdle, time was running out and then the final death nail was when the French reached 0 on the Force Morae counter.

Conclusion

The game didn't turn out as Lee and myself thought it would, the French had almost double the amount of points that the French did at the start of the game, but due to the way the cards came out, they couldn't get their troops out quick enough to attack in force, which has to be down to me and Lee, I'm afraid, we didn't think the French would have such a hard time of it???

After some discussion I'm sad to say that our BIG upgrade to Sharpe Practice just doesn't work, Its just not manageable with 15-20 units per side, but hey they were never meant to be. 

So the search is now on for another set of semi skirmish rules that can take 15-20 units per side, if you have any ideas please let me know!!
Even though the Russians got a hard fought win in the end, the main winners were the Rejects ourselves, we all enjoyed the day fighting and chatting, even watching Lee lose his rag a few times...lol!!

WWII Batrep - The 129th Brigades Attack on Hill 112 - Operation Jupiter 10th July 1944

Five Rejects got together in Posties Shed for a game of Rapid Fire, Reject Dan was the Ref and we were using all his great looking 15mm figures.

Both Postie and Steve had already played this scenario at last years Replay Show, they were the brits on that day, so for this game they swapped sides, giving me and Colin the British for todays game.

Our orders were take and hold the 3 objectives, the Crossroads and the 2 wooded areas

Dan had been a very silly boy, he'd forgotten to bring along all the Turrets of our Churchill tanks!!

So they all look a little bit bald!!!

My Command of the left, with my bald Churchill's!

Our centre, split between myself and Colin.

More blad Churchill's!

Colin's command on the right.

Our plan was pretty simple, there were no German's on the table at the start, but the loads on blinds, so we didn't know where they actually were?

My 4th Battalion Wiltshire regt - Commanded by Lt Col Edward Luce advance through the fields.

What to do with my anti tank gun, when there's no enemy tanks to shoot at?

My artillery observers.

Lets kill me some cows!!!
As we got within 12 inches of a blank, they had to be revealed, out came an Infantry Platoon.

Up the hill the tanks go in the centre.

While without much cover to be had, Colin crosses the open ground.

Our first casualties, we lose the Carrier for our anti tank gun, in the centre.

Our Spotter plane spots........nothin!

But as we've moved up within 12 inches, more Germans are revealed. On the hill on our left a 105mm Howitzer is revealed as well as more infantry in the woods, just left of the crossroads.

Also more German infantry the other side of the crossroads.

Now i have to admit, I'm a tactical numpty, when it comes to WWII, I was struggling with what the weapons were, what I could fire at with which weapon and such. I think I need to do a bit of reading before our next game!!!

I moved up my infantry to shoot at the German's behind the hedge, Dan asked if I wanted to assault them, why they hell not I thought, then Dan laid done the defensive position behind the hedge.....Doh!

We're moving as fast as we can with our infantry.

But its slow going.

Back to my assalt....

Ooo, its a big victory for the Brits, what was left of the German defenders run to there closet cover which is the woods in the centre.

Our dice were as per usual pretty crap, we couldn't hit a thing, luckily nor could the Germans!

Keep going boys!

I finally set up my machine gun on the right, gotta get rid of the Panzerschreck behind the hedge.

Now I missed the opportunity to take a few pic until this moment, after beating the infantry on our left, I swung the flank heading towards the woods, when....

Two bloody Tiger tanks appeared on the tabletop behind my tanks!!!

Oh what joy!!!!

We do doing so well, up to this point????

But its ok, we've got another chance to do something with our Typhoon.....but missed again!

I've never seen Postie with such a big grin. But he missed every shot, except his machine guns, knocking off some of my infantry.

Now your really taking the piss!
Another 2 Tigers enter the table on our rear!!
Now Postie unbelievably missed again with the guns but shot my infantry to pieces, forcing a morale check. I went and threw a 1, which meant my troops surrendered, which c=basically was the end of the game!!

When will my dice improve? Soon I hope?

Conclusion

Ignoring the Tigers turning up where and when they did, this was a brilliant game. I do love the rules, even If I don't fully understand them yet. Steve and Postie told us what they thought we'd do, which was charge up the road with the carriers and scout the area more quickly and maybe do some damage quicker, which kinda makes sense. I'll have to remember that tactic for our next game.

Well done to Dan for producing a quite brilliant game, and well done to Postie and Steve to the win, even though they both couldn't hit a barn door! Much like me and Colin!

Oh well, onwards and upwards!

Later that day, Dan sent me a pic, he'd found the missing turrets!!

I think we'd have won the game hands down if we had them! 

LOL!