Welcome to Platoon Forward!

Welcome to the site where the story of the battle is as important as the battle itself. Here we will focus on men thrust into extraordinary situations of life and death. They must lead other men with duty and honor to meet their countries objectives. Some will be blessed with great skill, some will carry great shortcomings. No matter what nation, no matter what war, no matter what theater, they are all called to move their Platoon or Squadron forward!

These are their individual stories as played out using my various campaign rules . Hopefully these stories will entertain and inspire you to use your own troops, airmen and sailors to accomplish your own great heroics.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

A small town in southern France

This should be my last post from the British Isles.  Mover's come Tuesday then it is off for a month's holiday in Europe before we head back to the good ole' USA.  Blog should be up and running by end of August-- mid September.   Have been playing some Bag the Hun and my P-38 "Headhunters" are getting a workout.

WW II donnybrook is about done.  Just need to work on the vehicle rules.  It is still a little too deadly but most people prefer that anyway.  To see if it would work with just a squad a piece I set this small scenario up in France.  I didn't use any of my Platoon Forward platoon's because I wasn't sure it would work.  Using PF I rolled up an american squad and sent them into the town using the "Patrol" scenario.  I did not roll up the Germans but gave them a squad for this test.  To allow better tactics at this small of scale I gave each side a Grade 0 ASL.

Inspired by War Panda's blog I decided even if I can't paint like him maybe I can make my story a little more comic book.  I don't have Comic Life 3 but decided to use photoshop.  I think it worked pretty well but was time consuming.  Let me know if you like this style and maybe I will repeat it.

MISSION:    Take a patrol into the town up the road and see if the Krauts occupy it. 

Sgt Travers      SL  Gr I leader
Cpl Paul   ASL     Gr 0
1 Bar team 3 men
7 riflemen

Germans
Sgt SL   Gr II  leader
Pvt  ASL Gr 0
3 man LMG
5 riflemen



































After the germans make it into the church a firefight breaks out.   The 5 man rifle team takes casualties as the the US BAR team.   Then Sgt Travers sees a back door to the sacristy. 







Great game that took an hour.    The german NCO was wounded and taken prisoner.  2 US casualties

Total casualties

US  0 KIA   4 WIA
German  2 KIA   4 POW( WIA )   2 WIA that escaped. 

See you on the other side of the pond

Cheers

Joe

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Platoon Forward has earned the Liebster award!


  Platoon Forward has been nominated by JJ's wargaming for a Liebster Award.  Thank you JJ!

I had heard of this award but didn't think I blog regularly enough to get it; surprise!  Thanks again.  Am glad folks enjoy the stories.  I get a kick out of playing them and recording them.

 I have copied JJs copy of Jonathan's succinct list of what's involved.
  • Copy and paste the award on your blog linking to the blogger who has given it to you.
  • Pass the award to your top 11 blogs with less than 200 followers by leaving a comment one of their posts to notify them that they have won the award and listing them on your own blog. 
  • Sit back and bask in the warm fuzzy feeling that comes that knowing you have made someones day! 
  • There is no obligation to pass this onto someone else but it's nice if you take the time to do so. 
In addition to "flagging up" those blogs that would be well worth having a look at from time to time it also provides an opportunity to answer and pass on some questions about the blogger behind the blog. The questions you have been dying to ask but have never got around to posting. So as well as answering these myself, I will be passing them on to my nominees.

My only problem is I don't regularly follow 11 blogs with less than 200 followers.  I actually don't regularly follow my own blog!  Below are eight blogs that I find especially entertaining.  I follow others occasionally but these eight really stand out.  One, Paul's man cave has already received this award so I won't add him below but you should check his out too.

Warpanda.blogspot.ca    [His pictures are amazing! ]
blackhawkhet.blogspot.co.uk  [ Jack's posts on TMP are funny.  I jump around from unit to unit.  He has played 16 vietnam games in a row!  amazing]
themadtinhatter.blogspot.co.uk  [ It wanders occasionally but there is good stuff here. ]
herkybird-richardbradley.blogspot.co.uk  [ Richard likes solo systems and is always thinking so this is normally a good read.]
sagatapestry.com  [ Since I play a modified SAGA I don't really know while I find this site so interesting but it is well done!  ]
cstoesen.blogspot.com  [ Chris' blog wanders as much as mine does!  I really like his stuff on AWI. ]
madpadrewagames.blogspot.com  [ This is another one I just find interesting ]

1. Why did you start blogging?
I was posting battle reports on several groups that I belonged to and it just seemed easier to put them in one place rather than repeat them. 

2. If you could change one thing about the wargaming hobby, what would it be?
I would bring back the "corner game store".  While the internet has opened up a wide array of choices and brought the price down it has killed local stores.  I realize it is a pipe dream as no store could stock everything but I use to love going to the store to look at figures before I bought them. 

3. Do you read Battle Reports and what makes them inviting to read?
Yes I do but the pictures make them inviting.  If the pictures tell the story then it is perfect.   I started out here with few pictures and lots of text.  Over the years I now have changed to a long intro to set the stage and then mainly pictures to tell the story. 
 
4. Is figure painting a chore or pleasure?
It depends on the mood I am in.  Sometimes I find it relaxing and sometimes I just want the figures done and on the table!  This is especially true for my medieval figures-  I hate painting them because each one is so different the process takes forever!

5. Napoleon once was quoted as saying he preferred a general that was lucky over skilled. In gaming, are you lucky or skilled?
Neither! 

6. Could you limit your gaming and collecting to one period and one size? If so, what?
I have limited my gaming to one size.  As a solo player it gets expensive if you don't!  15mm for land, 1/300 for air and 1/1200 for sea.  I play primarily WW II but have branched out recently as readers have noticed.

7. How do you deal with burn out?
I don't have enough  time to play to get burn out!  If I do start to burn out on one aspect of war I switch to another.  For instance if land battles are getting boring I will start an air battle.  The good news with all my campaign rules is you can pick right up where you left off.


8. If you could only buy from one miniature company from now on, which one would it be?
One company it would have to be Peter Pig as they have the biggest selection.  Blue Moon and Essex make some nice figures though.  Scotia for aircraft and Figurehead for my ships.