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.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

The charge of Lt zur See Wehneit

Been playing multiple games but none have been overwhelming. Still working on a scenario generator for SAGA.   I think 4 squads total is about all one person can handle in Combat Patrol which for the solo player means two squads a piece.  After that the game starts to slow down.
Pictures of recent battles:
SAGA battle with workers building a church forced to defend it!

The Vikings approach!

Final assault on the church.  Vikings lost.  It was fun!

Combat Patrol Afghanistan    Needs more period flavor. 

 

Tunisia.    Game bogged down.

Tunisia; even here the Italians are retreating!

Now on to the sea.   Release the Hounds is done and I have moved on to Flotilla Forward.  These are the campaign rules for any small craft battles.

OLzS Schwartzmann looked at the stars; the clouds had been clearing which was a mixed blessing for his small force.  He could find convoys easier but the British escorts could see him more clearly!!

OLzS Schwartzmann   Flotilla leader.  ( These are the characteristics rolled up for your characters)   Ardent Nazi seeking wealth  Avg leader
LtzS Bareuther  Cultured man who believes in Germany's quest but not the Nazi party.  Natural born leader
LTzS Wehneit   Pessimistic about surviving the war in small boats.  Father was naval officer in WW I on a Cruiser.  Is reckless
LTzS Rudorffer  Naive but lusts for battle.  Father is a mid-level Nazi official so Schwartzmann likes Rudorffer and cuts him slack. 

Convoy intercept  Viz 7K yrds

OLTzS Schwartzmann on patrol. 
The lookout on Schwartzmann's boat called out a large ship dead ahead.  Schwartzmann took Bareuther towards the ship and sent the other two boats around in front to see if there was a convoy near.

HMS Rifleman

He identified the British ship as a minesweeper of the Algerine class right after it started firering.  He crew could do nothing but grin and bear it as he tried to closed the 3.5 miles toward the convoy.  ( He was saving his torpedoes and 20mm guns don't fire very far.)  Unfortunately several near misses from the 4 in gun caused moderate damage to his ship.  When a shell fragment went through his torpedo tubes he decided to quit while he was ahead.  He peeled of towards a squall and gave command to Bareuther.  He told Bareuther to fire his torpedoes and peel off as well. 

Schwartzmann seeks the shelter of the rain.


Rudorffer signalled a new ship was sighted but it was not a freighter.  It was a Hunt Class Destroyer.

HMS Southdown arrives guns blazing.

Situation when scale is reduced to each hex 100 yards.  Bareuther is lower left with Wehneit and Rudorffer to the right trying to get around the DE. 

At this point there is an explosion at the right end of the E-boat line.  A (un)lucky direct hit from the Southdown sinks Rudorffer's ship.   

Rudorffer and crew KIA/LAS

HMS Southdown laying smoke screen

With half the ships gone Bareuther fires his torpedoes at the minesweeper (haven't yet seen a merchantman) and orders Wehneit to fire at the DE then peel away for home.

As Bareuther banks hard to port he and his crew are rewarded with a large explosion as the minesweeper is hit!!

HMS Rifleman badly hit but will actually survive the night to be towed back to port. 

What is this?  LTzS is continuing on hoping to find the merchants. 

He continues on...

At last; he sees a merchantman.  Now his fish won't be wasted.  He fires and then turns hard to port.  Unfortunately for him, no explosion is heard or seen-- he missed.

Schwartzmann and Bareuther are furious with Wehneit.  Needless to say Wehneit's crew is not fond of him either.  He is given a formal drewwing down by Fregat Kaptain Froshler the CO. Rudorffer is not found.
Froshler is not happy with Schwartzmann as he can't lead his officers, lost a Nazi officer and failed to hit a merchantman.  He blocks the flotilla getting a replacement boat and crew. 

Great game!   RtH continues to work well as a moderate complexity game.  Flotilla Forward is also shaping up.

Enjoy

Joe















4 comments:

  1. Great AAR Joe - is RtH available anywhere? or projected to be?

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  2. Great stuff, Joe! Looks like you've really gotten a lot of gaming in lately. Me, I'm in a bit of a rut; I'm getting a lot of painting done, but it seems like I'm pyching myself out of playing with all the pre-battle stuff I need to get done for my various campaigns.

    So keep yours running please, they're very inspiring. And I may have to take a look at RTH, I'm looking at running a Solomons campaign on air, land, and sea (with initial inspiration from your Doggies at Alligator Creek).

    V/R,
    Jack

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  3. Jack,
    Thanks. Yes I have been pretty fortunate with the weather so bad on the east coast.
    CMNASH
    I am currently talking to several publishers- will let you know how it shakes out.
    Thanks
    Joe

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Joe
    Very interested in your rules. Please let me know if your sets get published.

    ReplyDelete