WW2: One Hour Wargames Second World War Rules, Scneario #3. Free French Brigade vs German Brigade in North Africa.

I was determined to sit down today and fight out a battle and a OHW battle at that. "One Hour Wargames" by Neil Thomas, has become my go to set of rules for miniature warfare, even over my own written rules. Anyway I selected Scenario #3 from the book and used the army matrix to select the forces for both sides. The only modifications I made was to convert movement over to base depth using the same rates as given in my book "Brigadier General." and change ranges to 12" for all but the lone French Artillery.

Free French Forces:
4 Infantry

• 1st Bn, 11th Dragoons
• C Sq, 12th Cuirassiers

1 Mortar (Artillery)

• A Bty, 13th A/Tk Reg.

1 Anti-Tank Gun

• B Bty, 13th A/Tk Reg.

German Forces:

3 Infantry

• 1st Bn, 3rd Motorized Infantry

1 Anti-Tank Gun

• 2nd Bty, 39th Anti-Tank Reg.

2 Tanks

• 1st Bn, 5th Panzers

Scenario 3 calls for the control of 2 strategic bridges across a river. Your Commander has called on you to capture and hold these bridges so they may be used as future bases of operation. Turn limits were limited to 15 turns.  Red forces always start each turn first. 

Deployment was non existent as both forces show up on turn 1. So I used a randomized deployment sequence for the French Forces (RED) 1-2 Left, 3-4 Center and 5-6 Right. Every single unit went center. I then inserted my forces as I desired.

Turn 1. Free French forces split into two wings with each one heading straight for a bridge. Each unit moved their max movement but ended their turn out of shooting range.

My German forces advance and begin shooting putting some hurt on the advancing French.

Bridges Held: None.

Turn 2. Free French forces return fire at give as good as they got while capturing the bridge on the left flank.  Seeing German Armor advancing the French Infantry on the right hold back to assault the armor before attempting to hold the bridge.  German forces advance up to engage the enemy and achieve one of their objectives by capturing the right bridge.

End of French Turn.

Bridges Held: Left Bridge-French Army

End of German Turn.

Bridges Held: Left Bridge-French Army  Right Bridge-German Army.

The Battlefield at the end of Turn 2.

From here on it is difficult to relay the action as I became really engrossed in the battle and forgot to take a few pictures. The battle ended on Turn 6 with the complete destruction of Free French forces in the area.

Allied Aerial photograph showing German forces controlling both bridges.

More Memoir '44 Packs and Slim Down My Hobby News

At long last I finally have added some new packs to my Memoir '44 set. As Bob Cordery once said M44 checks a lot of boxes for me.  I'll have some game pictures to show in the coming weeks too.

Now, on a news/update type note. I am forced to concede that I simply cannot have everything, paint it and game with it. Let alone store it. So I've decided it's time to trim back my hobby activities. In the past I've dropped paintball, 15mm moderns, most PC gaming and a few other odds and ends. My current CULLED periods which means my collection in these fields will be going up on eBay are the SYW & Napoleonics.  The latter being a hard pill to swallow. You can see the Trade List page for a link.

The other periods that may soon be under the knife are AWI and historical ACW, though I am keeping 1/72 models for use in a AWI mod of Battle Cry (ACW version of M44) also I am keeping a Steampunk Civil War variant. Other possible future culls include 1/72 & 15mm World War 2 though these require much more thought first.