Securing the keys

This time Terry chose to use this staff car

So, this time it was my turn to raise up against the British government and fight for freedom, liberty and a hard boil egg, or something like that. Having no models suitable for representing the 5th column I borrowed the forces that Terry had used in the previous games.

This saw me taking two squads of ten columnists, four smaller squads, with six in each and a few support weapons including an anti-tank gun. A couple of officers and a spy rounded off the force. In the first scenario, despite my German forces being fended off, the Abwer Agent had been able to slip off into the undergrowth and Terry and I both agreed that it would be the perfect scenario to bring the agent back and he was now dressed as a shapely young lady who's taken the officer's fancy. 

Turn 1:

Hello.
The insurrection begins.

Getting the first dice of the game, I bought on my first six-man squad on the North East side of the board, towards one of Terry's units. Terry's forces were deployed similarly to how I had deployed the week earlier and so I decided to bring on my forces from the north. My Columnist opened fire at Terry, causing a pin marker. Not bad, that I only had 2/3 shots (It was dependant of if the man with the pistol was within range) and they were inexperienced rabble rousers

I had the next few dice, and bought on 3 more of the six men squads and deployed them in the North East and North West of the board edges. 

Terry received his first dice of the game and activated the squad who had gained a pin marker. They easily passed their order test and charged in the squad who had shot at them. It was a grim affair and my squad was quickly wiped out. Though this was a blow for my plan, I had a new idea that the 5th Columnists had been given orders from their German "Allies" no surrender and so I hadn't lost men, they were all martyrs to the cause. 

Nothing to see here.

I then gained another dice and began to send a squad down the side of the building in a nice and stealthy manner. Meanwhile, alerted to the presence of the enemy Terry opened fire with his MMG and wipped out three of the columnists from one of the squads, who were able to pass their morale check, much to my disbelief. 

The Abwer Agent slunk on to the battlefield, knowing that the forces were arriving from the north, he arrived in from the south and hid in a forest. Claiming he was nothing more than a local poacher, as a squad ran by. 

Terry moved the staff car forward so that the Smith Gun had a better line of sight over the square and then charged the angry ladies and wiped them out in a single round of combat. My light mortar tried to drop a shell on the sqaud patrolling the centre of the board and missed. This action, saw them become the target of that squad who charged in, and the mortar was no more. 

As the turn came to an end, and the last few dice for the pair of us came out. I repeated Terry's trick from the previous week and bought on two units of columnists. One squad was able to kill one of the hasty Home Guard voluneters and the other shot at a squad of Home Guard and killed two. As they were green, we checked to see what would happen, and they decided that they were not as inexperienced as they thought and were now treating as regulars. 

Turn 2:

Turn 2 began with the first dice being mine and one of the Big Squads charged forward, and attacked the Hasty Volunteers in combat and wiped them out, before consolidating 5inches towards the objective. 

Terry, spotting this squad advancing forward, aimed the Smith Gun at them, but the shot missed and exploded against the side of a building. Terry then unleashed the MMG at the same target again, and another one of their number was cut down.

My other big squad advanced forward and charged the Home Guard squad. They were able to kill four, with Terry killing three in return. The Home Guard squad was wiped out. Meanwhile, in the centre of the board, one of my six men squads made a dash for it and was now in contact with the building the officer was busy keeping his young "Lady" entertained. 

Forward

The two men, left after getting to close to the MMG, tried to charge in and fight it in combat but decided that hiding would be the best course. Meanwhile the Abwer Agent moved into view, as he crept into a field. He was risking a lot, but he knew it would be time to contact his colleague. 

Terry ran his squad into the edge of the square, hoping to kill the squad who were so near the keys. Meanwhile, my officer and his men took a pot shot at the squad in the North-East and killed two of them. Bellowing orders at the nearby squad, they charged in and wipd out the remains of the squad in combat. 

As the turn came to an end, Terry's officer caused a pin on one of the bigger squads, and in return my Anti-Tank rifle completely missed the officer. No matter, as it was time for me to make my move. The Abwer Agent revealed that she was a he, and cut down Terry's officer in the prime of his life. The keys were now mine, now I just had to escape off the board with them. 

Turn 3:

This was going to be a vital turn, and so I needed to get everything right. I was lucky enough to pull the first dice. Excellent, activating one of the bigger Columnist squads they were going to move and reinforce the men with the keys. 

Things don't go so well. 

Except, they had a pin marker on, and I failed the order test. Not good.

  Terry then got the next couple of dice. He charged the squad that had just decided to find out what tarmac had been used for the road. We both killed 2 each, and so another round of combat was fought. I killed another four of Terry's men, but he killed five in return. He had won the combat, and consolidated forward 5inches.

Meanwhile, in the north, Terry charged one of the six men squads, who shot as he came in, and gave them a pin marker. Terry, caused four wounds, ouch, and I was unable to cause any wounds and another squad had died for the cause. I then charged in another six-man squad hoping to do some damage. We both caused four wounds, and Terry was then able to gain the upped hand by wiping the squad out in the next round of combat. What was that about the turn needing to go perfectly.

On the other side of the board the last 2 men, passed their morale check and charged the MMG. They were able to kill one of the team, before being wiped out. 

However, the German Abwer Agents were not concerned about the Fifth Columnist, they needed to get the keys out of the building and off to the German Command base. The problem was, Terry had a squad in the way. The Agent in the field, opened fired with his SMG and put a pin on the last two men of the squad. 

I've got them, now run. 

And in a somewhat foolish move, the Abwer Agent with they keys charged into combat with these two men. Killing one of them. Terry only had to inflict a wound, and he would have the keys, and killed my Abwer Agent. 

The dice did not go in his favour and he missed. Thank goodness for Abwer Agents being veterans, or as the narrative would have it, the man fumbled as a man-man, dressed in an evening dress, came charging out. My Abwer Agent then consolidated 4inches. 

Terry then spun his Smith gun and opened fire at the nearby officer and his men. All three men were hit, but the officer stepped forward, unscratched. In response, I targeted Terry's officer with the Anti-Tank Rifle and killed him with a single shot. 

As the turn came to an end, Terry retreated the staff car backwards, and I moved the last of my six men squads into the centre of the board. I still had the keys, and so this turn was a sucess just not how I had planned it. 

Turn 4:

Terry got the first dice and, after passing his order test, ran the rest of his troopers into the Staff Car. The engines were revering and somebody began to hum a chase tune. The chase was on as the Staff Car set off in pursuit of the keys. 

The chase is on. 

In response the Abwer Agents nodded in agreement, and both fled towards the board edge and the win. It was close, but even with a 12inch run, they were not able to make it this turn. 

Meanwhile, the remaining Fith Columnist unit, braving a hail of Machine Gun fire charged in against Terry's MMG and wiped them out in a single round of combat. There was a bunch of manoeuvering by the remainder of the 5th Columnist forces with the Anti-Tank rifle, seeing the Staff Car, moved into a better position to take a pot shot the following turn. 

Turn 5:

This was it, the keys were mine and my agents were close to the board. All I needed was the first dice out of the bag, and I would be able to escape. I reached in and pulled out....

And they make their escape.

One of Terry's. Not what I wanted. Terry used this dice to move the staff car close to the escaping Abwer Agents. I reached into the bag and pulled out a dice. It was mine. I did think about using the perfectly positioned Anti-Tank rifle to take out the staff car. It would a beautiful narrative thing to do, but knowing my look, the men inside would survive, Terry would get the next dice and shoot the Abwer Agents down.

So I legged the Abwer Agent with the keys of the board and won the game. 

That was a fun game, with a very good narrative feel, that came from the scenario. Though, I wouldn't be in a hurry to use the fifth columnist again any time soon. I was glad that I was able to use them for the greater good of the German invasion. I had escaped with the keys, and when Terry decided to give chase with the last few surviours of his squad in the staff car, it truly became a game from the movies.

This gave me another 13 campaign points and so after three games the scores are.

Terry 32, David 26.

Until the next game.

5th Column Raid

After two scenarios with the Germans trying to land on the beaches of Kent, this next scenario, the third in the Operation Sealion book, takes us as the 5th column rise up and try and steal the keys to the local armoury from under the keys of the local Home Guard officer who was busy with his lover.

Possibly my fav board to play on. 

Terry had arranged a lovely looking table, and I brought my growing collection of British Expedition Force. I had an officer, 4 squads of inexperienced troops, a smaller Home Guard Squad, and a single MMG team in 500 points. Not knowing where Terry's forces were going to appear on, I deployed my squads in four corners and set up the MMG in a place to cover the square.

Oh what a lovely lady.

Turn 1:
The game began and the first dice and the following 9 dice went to Terry. Using this advantage Terry brought on a small squad of 6 Columnist and shot at the the squad in the North West area of the board giving them a pin.

Waiting for the 5th Columnist

Terry then brought on a Spy, moving towards the house where the British officer was having an enjoyable time with his lover. Two more squads came in on the North West and North East corners of the board. A man was killed in the North West squad, and the squad in the North East lost a man carrying the Lewis gun.

In the middle of the board, a squad of armed and dangerous ladies came charging in towards the village square. Terry finally finished up his run on dice with bringing on some officers, and a light mortar and an anti-tank gun.

Finally, it was my turn, the wounded squad in the North East, tried to shoot but failed their order check. Not a great start to my turn. In the south-east, the squad advanced towards the charging ladies and killed two of their number. Whilst the MMG began to prepare an ambush, the squad in the south-west moved towards the centre, hoping they could raise their officer.

Meanwhile, as the turn came to the conclusion, Terry brings on two more squads, each with ten columnists in the squad, giving more muscle and firepower for Terry.

Turn 2:
Terry, began this turn, as he did the last and gained the first dice. His squad charges against my north-wast squad and killed 2, in return, I killed 5 and wiped out the squad. Boyed by this, I charged the ladies with the Squad in the south-east and wiped them out.

Funny looking sisters

Terry's mortar dropped a shell on the squad in the North-East killing two and adding two pins. This squad tried to charge a nearby 5th columnist unit but failing their morale check. Meanwhile, the Home Guard squad shot at the nearby big 5th man columnist squad, killing one of their number.

Terry charged one of his smaller units, and charged the North-East squad and wiped them out, before consolidating them towards the centre of the table. Terry then advanced forwards both of his big squads towards the centre of the table. His smaller squad took a pot shot at the squad in the North-West and killed two of them. This squad then went down, after failing their morale check.

In the South-West, the squad advance and took aim at the ten-man squad and added a pin. Meanwhile, pulling another dice for Terry, he charged the squad in the North-West and wiped them out.

As the turn drew to a close, Terry's officer passed his test and was able to wipe out another member of the Home Guard man. His Abweragent moved towards the centre and revealed himself and killed one of the South-West squad.

Finally, the turn ended with the MMG moving into a better position.

Turn 3:
Terry began his turn by trying to charge his ten-man 5th columnist unit forward, hoping to take the officer, by surprise. Thankfully, for me, they failed his test and the squad went down instead. However, Terry got the second dice of the turn and another squad charged forward and enter the building, taking the officer by surprise and killed him. Terry now had the keys to the armoury and I had to do something about this.

To do this, I charged the south-west squad into the building, to retrieve the keys. I killed six of Terry's men, only losing three in return. I had won the combat, and more importantly, I've got the keys.

Meanwhile, Terry's officer took another member of the Home Guard unit out, leaving two of them behind. In response, the Home Guard charged the officer and wiped him, and his two men, out. Terry shoots at the south-east squad and wiped out another 3 of them. His mortar then tried to add to the damage, but failed to hit.

In the centre, the South-East squad charged forward and wiped out 5 of the ten-man squad out. Terry then responded in kind and killed 5 in return. Fighting an immediate second round of combat was a bad idea for me, as I failed to kill any of Terry's men, and he killed two.

Terry then got a run of his dice being pulled and was able to move his officer, spy, and another of the squad to the centre of the board. My officer tried to shoot at the spy but failed to hit. The turn came to an end with the MMG going on ambush again, and Terry moved his anti-tank gun towards the Home Guard squad.

Turn 4:

Suprise.

Having got the keys, I need the first dice to make sure they moved away from the centre building and off the board. Off course, the first dice pulled was Terry. He tried to charge the squad in the building, and retrieve the keys, but he failed his order test.

Thankfully, the second dice was mine, and I moved the keys off towards the nearest board edge. The third dice was mine, and I was able to charge the Anti Tank gun with the surviving Home guard members, wiping it out.

However, Terry was then able to charge the squad with the keys and killed three. I only killed one in return and Terry was able to retrieve the keys. With a good dice roll, Terry was able to advance five inches towards the board edge.

With the last squad being wiped out, my officer, leading my example, charged in and killed one before being cut down. This left me with the MMG, which I needed to use to kill Terry's squad in Turn 5.

Last man standing

Turn 5:
The first dice was, once again, Terry's and he used it to advance the squad into contact with his spy. Needing the second dice, so that I could shoot with my one unit, I pulled one of Terry's dice, and the spy was off the board with the keys, and the win.

Terry had won.

This was a great game, with the keys going back and forth and being quite tense. My only issue, looking back at the forces I used, was how I set up the MMG, with a good spot covering the square, I thought it was going to be a useful deterrant. However, it turned out to be a bad spot.

Terry and I both agreed that this game, and the soon to be written up replay with Terry as the British and myself as the 5th columnist have been ideal for us. We are both Narrative players and this was the perfect scenario for us.

Onto the next game.

We will fight them on the beaches.

It's been a while, but a busy March which saw travel to Rome with work has delayed the write up of the next few scenarios. With my German force storming the beaches of Kent in the previous game, it was time for Terry to try and win the shores of Britain.

To stop him, I bought a solid force of 4 squads of BEF, a few artillery pieces and support teams,  a squad of the Navy finest men backed up with those Home Guard veterans. A nice 1000 point force. I spread my troops over the table, hoping that they will be enough to stop the German forces. I decided against any reinforcements and went all in.

Don't Panic.

The game started with Terry launching a bombardment from the Naval ships just off the coast and he did a lot of damage. Lots of squads received 2 pin markers and worse 6 of the Navy squad were wiped out.

Turn 1:
Turn 1 began with Terry receiving the first dice of the game and bringing on the first of his small boats. My Home Guard squad seeing this arrival, passed thier moral check and missed the boat. The officer could be heard muttering about missing a barn door. Despite this hail of fire, Terry received another dice and jumped a squad out of the boat, who returned fire on the Home Guard squad, killing one of there number.

Dead before it could do anything. 

Nestled in some undergrowth the British Sniper shot at the squad and gave them a pin marker. Meanwhile, more enemey reinforcements were arriving, as a German Tank was seen swimming it's way through the tide only to become some stuck on an underground reef or sandbank. This was good for the morale of the British.

However, a second Panzer, a Swimpanzer no less quickly came on and wipped out the Smith Gun, without it being able to let off a shot. The Mortor, dispirited by seeing their freinds wipped out, failed to hit the squad on the beach front.

As the Navy squad rallied, from their pregame mauling Terry was able to bring on more boats woth squads jumping out and running up the beach. Terry's Pioneer Squad ran forward and shot the Home Guard, killing another one of their number.

At this point, Terry had a sucession of dice, and soon the beaches of Kent were littered with German boats and the sounds of Germans taking up postions. One of their squads, charging up the German right flank suddenly found themselves in ambush from a British squad and lost one of their number to the gunfire. In return, they targeted the hidden sniper and gave him a pin.

As the turn came to a conclusion, the Germans had gained a foot hold, and cemeted this with the invasion barge came crashing into the beach head.

Turn 2:

Terry tried to advance his squad on the right forward, but losing a man in the previous turn had spooked them and they decided to hunker down where they were instead. I managed to land a mortor shell on the boat, but no damage was done, but it did receive a pin which was spread to all of the squads within.

My squad on the German left flank advance forward and opened fire on the dastardly German flamethrower. Somehow, despite the hail of bullets, the Germans survived and then in return wiped out the squad.

Fill the gap.

The Swimpanzer continued it's march forward and let rip at the second right hand squad of British, who decided to go down and suffered no casulties. Terry's other Panzer still remained stuck in the mud.

The rest of the turn was spent repostioning squads for the British, as the hole in the right flank caused by the sudden incineration of the British Squad was opened up by a charging squad out of the Invasion Barge. The only casulty was Terry's squad on the right hand flank took another casulty.

Turn 3:

This turn opened with Terry charging a squad into combat with the sniper, who, predictably, disappered under a hail of combat. Terry used his Swimpanzer to shoot at my officer, who somehow managed to survive under the hail of bullets.

Meanwhile, boyed with landing on British soil, Terry's squad that had apepared out of the boat moved forward and wipped out the oppoising NCO and LMG of the nearby squad. The squad tried to charge them, but failing thier morale check, decided to stay where they were. My nearby MMG opened fire on the Germans and killed 2.

Terry's Pioneers advanced on the mauled Navy squad and killed one more of thier number. In response, and with a blood curdling scream, they responded by charging into combat and wipping out the Pioneer squad.

Terry bought on his officer, to join the men on the beaches, and was suprised to find that one of his tanks was still stuck on the sand bank. Ignoring this, the German forces were ordered to move forward, and were soon making thier way across and into the English country side.

Things were looking bad for the British, most of the squads had pin markers on, as well as losing several men.

Where did that come from.....

Turn 4:
Turn 4 did not start of with Terry's mortor landing a shell on one of my squads, which killed 4, and sent them fleeing. As Terry, now seeing a big hole in the British flank, began moving his forces forward at a run, I charged into Terry's other pioneer squad and wipe them out.

Only to loose the squad to the flamethrower that appeared from nowhere to me. At this point, I knew Terry had the upper hand especially, as his previously beached Tank, sprang forward. The only consilation that this turn had for me was, that I was able to wipe out one of Terry's squad with the Machine Gun, but as the game came to a close, I knew that I had lost the game.

Turn 5:
This turn starts of well, and my mortor lands a shell on Terry's tank, exploding it. The cheer from the badly mauled British side was short lived as their officer was enveloped in a hail of flame. His adjuandt died, but the officer step clear with nothing more than some singes on his trousers. The evil flamethrower had to die, and a squad were sent to to deal with this and it was soon wiped out.

Meanwhile, the rest of the turn saw Terry move his forces forward and get closer to the edge of the table. Knowing there was nothing that I could do to stop them we moved on to turn 6, which might be the last of the game.

Turn 6:

2" letting rip.

Terry's 2" artilery peice aimed at my squad and killed 7 of them in one explosive blast. This turn had not started out great for me, and it would continue to get worse as Terry was able to get squads of the edge of the board, gaining him campaign points in the process.

Meanwhile, the only thing of note from my perspective was that my mortor failed misserabley to hit the tank, let alone damaging it. And my last surviving squad deciding that cowardace was the best option and going down instead of charging into combat.

There was only one thing left to do, and that was to role the dice to see if another turn would be played. I hoped for an end, but the dice came up and said one more turn.

Turn 7:

Right, next stop London.

With the dice saying we had to play one more turn, and the writing, at this point being fairly on the wall, but being British, we would not go down without a fight. I targeted Terry's mortor with my last squad and was able to wipe it out. However, in response they became the target of Terry's 2" artillery and wipe out the squad.

Despite giving it all they could, Terry's tank was not able to get off the table denying him some more victory points. Instead, they targeted my mortor, and killed one of them. I in response, aimed the mortor at his 2" and killed it.

At this point the game was over, and it was time to count up victory points.

David 10 Terry 28.

Terry had well and truely deserved this game. I think I selected my forces poorly, it was done in a rush, and didn't really go with the scenario. I also think, with hindsight, that I should have taken an Anti Tank Gun, and maybe deploy some force in support, to have as reinforcements.

Terry, was able to exploit my weakness perfectly, and break through the thin British line, perfectly. Gaining him 13 campaign points to my 0.

After 4 games, and 2 sceanrios, the campaign points are like this.

Terry 19 David 13

And also Axis 23, Allies 9.

Terry,'s taken quite a lead, and lets hope I can claw it back in the next few sceariors.