Last night saw the return of the Scales of Anubis Campaign to the shed, this was the first game played in over a month so it was good to get some of the guys around and throw some dice.
A quick recap on where we have got to… The Nazi’s Order of
the Black Sun have already secured two parts of the Scales of Anubis. From the
deserts of Egypt to the jungles of Central America these boys mean business.
The latest episode sees the adventure move back across the Atlantic to the
quiet County of Dorset in the south west of England.
Like all the episodes I produced a fictitious background
based on some of the locales and people of the time. If you haven’t read this
you might want to now…
http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-scales-of-anubis-feather-of-truth.html
http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-scales-of-anubis-feather-of-truth.html
Before I kick off with the report just a few words on the
game. In the previous two games we had used the excellent Pulp Alley rules but
in this game we returned to the more familiar territory of Bolt Action. This
was to be more of a ‘classic wargame’ , although it did have a certain pulpy
feel.
Its November 1936 and the Order of the Black Sun (Nazis)
have determined through their research and the artefacts gathered so far that
another piece of the Scales of Anubis could well be located in the ancient Egyptian
collection housed in the English Manor house of Kingston Lacy. Although they
had few clues to go they believed that a quick strike could potentially
secure the Feather of Truth. Their mission was simple Find the Feather although
it was complicated by the fact that no casualties could be left behind (the
prospect of evidence of German Paratroopers on English Soil in 1936 was a
prospect that not even the higher echelons of power in the Reichstag could
sanction.
Major Gruntz (now newly promoted following his escapades in
Egypt and El Salvadore) would lead the elite unit of Fallschirmjager. His
number two - Kapitan Vier (if you recall Einz, Zwei und Drei all died in
previous episodes – would Kapitan Funf need to warm up…read on)
The force consisted of the two officers and six squads of
six men. Each squad was typically armed with rifles & smgs. A total of 38
Fallschirmjager would parachute into England.
What did this force know…
The Feather or Clues to its location may well be found in
the manor house, there could be some evidence on the obelisk in the grounds, or
could the feather be buried up on Badbury Rings? With three locations to aim
for and little resistance expected, the force dropped into the West Country, in
the early hours of a cold November morning.
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| Kingston Lacy - Starting Points |
Back in
Dorset….
Unbeknownst to the Nazi planners was that their last minute
secret plans had been intercepted and although these came through late in the
day PITH Units from Salisbury were on their way to Kingston Lacy. Two squads of
heavily armed agents were only minutes from Kingston Lacy when the Germans
landed. Additional support would be offered by a unit of Land Defence
Volunteers (think Dads Army) on training manuevers on the estate. Finally PITH
had contacted the Lord of the Manor Ralph Bankes (great grandson to the
original Banks) and had alerted him to the threat. Supported by his armed
gamekeepers this little bit of England was intent on giving Jerry a bloody
nose.
But what of the feather…well the current Ralph Bankes knew
of its existence. It was buried by his grandfather almost a century ago on the
summit of Badbury Rings. Its exact coordinates etched in hieroglyphics on the
base plate of the obelisk standing tall in the garden. To interpret these runes
would require the use of the old diary kept in the safe at the Manor.
The Game
Mechanics
I took a
picture of the table and copied this into PowerPoint onto which I marked the
various Zones. Given it was night-time and that I did not want each of the
teams to see what the opposition had in the way of forces each squad was moved
using hidden movement. Only when the teams moved into the same zone would they
be revealed. Common sense would determine the location of each unit – for example
if they moved into a zone with a building it would be assumed that the unit
would take cover inside the building. Should a unit wish to stay still it was
automatically assumed to be in Ambush mode.
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| Zones on the table |
Being a
relatively small board the hidden movement only lasted a couple of turns and
all the forces were on the table. Should point out there were no AFV’s or
indirect fire weapons.
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| I used pins to denote the troops positions |
How did
it play?
Well
sure enough the Germans made a beeline for both the manor house and Badbury
Rings.
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| The Germans in England in 1936 !!! |
The latter was quickly climbed and a unit of Fallschirmjager dug in
amongst the standing stones.
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| into the Stone Rings... |
Meanwhile the first squad s approached the manor
house with caution. They soon saw off Ralph Bankes and his gamekeepers from the
obelisk gardens and launched a full frontal assault on the Manor.
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| Ralph Bankes deciphers the obelisk |
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| Soon to be driven off by advancing Paratroopers |
A turn later
the Paratroopers had captured the building and soon were rummaging through the
contents of the house. The safe was quickly discovered and pried open. With the
clues in hand they could radio through the codes to the translators off table. A
couple of turns later the Germans knew the Feather was up in the standing
stones and its precise location.
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| Storming the Manor House |
However
things weren’t going so well for the Fallschirmjager up in the stones. Accurate
fire from Pith agents began to drop these elite troops – it was looking like a
charnel house. The other squads in the area were just too far back from the
action to offer supporting fire. But it was getting lighter (ranges could get
longer).
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| PITH Agents arrive on scene |
By now the good Captain of the LDV had got his men up and moving. He
decided to dash for the nearest phonebox and call the manor to see what all the
fuss was about. (the player controlling the LDV was not briefed on the purpose
of the raid and could only surmise that hostiles were in the area – he could
only receive a full briefing if he spoke to either Ralph Banks or one of the
PITH agents) – he dialled the number and imagine his surprise when the voice
answered on the other end ‘Ja’….
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| Hello.... |
by now Ralph and his followers had expedited
their way out of the gardens and bumbled into the good LDV captain.
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| Flight of Bankes and his ground staff |
Things
were getting worse for the Germans up at the rings – the stones were now being
swarmed by MG toting Pith agents and further fire support was coming from the
LDV who had taken up position in the pub.
Major Gruntz was starting to worry as he began to start collecting up his fallen comrades and dragged them into a captured van.
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| The Pub is a good place to defend...last orders ! |
Major Gruntz was starting to worry as he began to start collecting up his fallen comrades and dragged them into a captured van.
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| PITH assault the Rings |
Could
Kapitan Vier and his forces in the Manor render assistance. Three heavily armed
squads began to traverse the table towards the rings.
This was proving a most fluid game as these forces came under fire from Banks and the LDV hidden in the hedgerows.
German rifle fire and morale proved better..as they pushed forward (albeit with heavy casualties). Corporal Jones section was all that remained of the LDV…these came under fire from. Five of the squad dropped leaving Jones on his own.
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| Advancing from the Manor |
This was proving a most fluid game as these forces came under fire from Banks and the LDV hidden in the hedgerows.
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| Hiding in the hedgerows |
German rifle fire and morale proved better..as they pushed forward (albeit with heavy casualties). Corporal Jones section was all that remained of the LDV…these came under fire from. Five of the squad dropped leaving Jones on his own.
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| Jones squad... |
Seized with anger Jones rushed the Nazis with his cold steel…(a bitter hand to hand fight ensued) – Jones only just losing out to five heavily armed Boche.
These
reinforcements soon managed to mop up the Pith agents – the field was clear and
the feather in the hand of the Nazis.
Major Gruntz smiled he’d won yet again. Total Body count – 18 Nazis and 32 British Agents/LDV. Ralph Bankes managed to escape and warn PITH That the Order of the Black Sun now had the third piece of the Scales of Anubis…
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| Mopping up... |
Major Gruntz smiled he’d won yet again. Total Body count – 18 Nazis and 32 British Agents/LDV. Ralph Bankes managed to escape and warn PITH That the Order of the Black Sun now had the third piece of the Scales of Anubis…
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| The Nazis win again... |
Part 4
coming very soon…
