Adventures on the Wargames Table

Very recently we were lucky enough to be allowed a preview of a new set of Great War wargaming rules penned by Wargames Table chum "Orange Dave". They're entitled "Zero Hour" ... and sub-titled "Instructions for the gaming of offensive actions in the Great War". They're aimed at battalion (or larger) sized actions for two or more players and should be playable within an evening, i.e. 2-3 hours. The rules are still at an early-ish stage but all the basic mechanisms for moving, shooting, supporting fire, checking morale, managing the 'command integrity' of the companies and battalion, etc, are in place and work smoothly, resulting in a well paced, fun game of toy soldiers. Here my BEF advance towards a newly constructed German (ably command by Jenny) trench line, with a Mk IV leading the way! The smallest infantry unit is the platoon, represented by 10-12 figures including an LMG team. Support teams such as HMGs and Mortars either operate...

Here's some more of my chaps. This is the third squad, all lovely Artizan Designs figures. BTW - Artizan/North Star are having a sale so you can pick up a German platoon including a free tank - bargain! There's also deals for British and American forces. The Obergefreiter (a 'Junior Leader' in CoC parlance) ready with his Panzerfaust. Steady! A Panzergrenadier platoon also includes a Panzerschreck team. In their first outing they missed a Centaur... three times... consecutive shots. Supports next!

Yes, I've been painting again! :o) Here's some more Germans for my Panzergrenadier platoon for Chain of Command. First we have two Senior leaders. Both Crusader figures and based on octagonal bases with some flowers to aid spotting them during play. The second figure is a support list option, but I've found the extra leadership quite useful in the few games I've played so far. Next is a second squad for my force, consisting of a Junior Leader and two LMG teams, one MG42 and one MG34. Mostly Artizan figures. Here's the MG42 team - I rather like the prone pose of these figures. I didn't have enough MG42 teams but I did have some (Crusader) MG34's - I reasoned that if the weapons were still serviceable then some may have been in use in '44 ? Another squad to go then it's on to the supports!