The 7th FoW day at Fort Lee, VA was fought on Saturday 14 Jan 2012. As in the past six Battle Barn sponsored tournaments this was a two round themed game day held at the US Army Women’s Museum. This year’s theme was “The Race for Rome; Italy, Jan-Jul 1944.” All troops types, weapons and AFVs must have been available and used in Italy Jan-Jul 44 and there were limits put on certain types of Companies that could be played (Tiger Co, SS and US Rangers, Nesei for example) and to be the BEST GENERAL you must be the high score on the side which won the most victories for the day, (German team with high points but Germans lost more battles in the tournament becomes the 2nd place winner) There was awards for the Best Panted Army (Voted by players and museum visitors) Best Infantrymen (won the most INF Assaults) and Best Tanker (Tanks killed the most enemy AFV’s)
Ron giving the Pre-battle briefing
There was a few changes to the games format this year: for the first time we held a 1000pt doubles tournament. The two 1000pt teams must have fought side by side in Italy. I also two non-playing slots to be a Army Commanding General both sides. Each Army Commander was allocated 6 special reserve Units (SSU) to be issued as reserves during the heat of battle, the option to change up two armies battlefield before each round began and 1 re-roll morale option per team during the tournament. The SSU were Air Support, Tiger Plt, Sherman Plt, 105s SPs, Brumbar’s. Panther Turret, both a German and US Pio/ENG Plt , a bombardment form the 280mm Anzio Annie and a B-26 Carpet bombing strike. LTG Bill served as the Allied Commander and Generaloberst von Mac took charge of the Germans
B-26 Carpet Bombing strike & template on Monte Cassino
Brumbars one of the Germans Commanding Generls Speical Support Unit(SS)
I had allowed 16 team slots and 14 of were filled with 28 players and 2 Army Commanders for a total of 30 gamers…becoming the largest of our tournaments so far.
FoWarriors being briefed (Tom wearing his French Goumier outfit)
3 of the Battlefields
The Allies included US Armor and Regular Infantry, US Armor Co, British Inf w/Churchill support, Free Polish , Special Service Forces (US/Canadian SSF) and French Goumiers
US Ar INF and British Shermans
US INF in city fight (Cassino Town)
US/Canadian SSF attack Mt Cassino
Polish TD
Fr Goumiers
The Germans defended Italy with PzGrenadiers, Panzer Co, Herman Gorring Div, Grenadier INF, Fallschimerjagers and Mountain Jagers.
SP's support HGD (passing USA OBJ)
Luftwaffe 88 support FJs on top of Mt Cassino
German AAA
26th PzGrn Div 10.5cm battery
All seven terrain tables were designed to represent battlefield in central Italy and were heavy on terrain and special “Italian Campaign 1944 rules”
1) Cassino Town city fight (Not one step back)
2) Monte Cassino Abby (Modified No Retreat)
3) Hell on the Rapido (Modified Meeting Engagement w/ Domination points)
4) Italian Village (Dust Up)
5) Counter attack on the Anzio Beachhead(Modified No Retreat)
6) Italian Hills (Frontline Domination)
7) Italian Tobacco Factory (Cauldron)
Cassino Town board RD 1
Ifantry fight in Cassino Town
Monte Cassino board RD 1
88s defend the Abby on top of Mt Cassino
Hell on the Rapido board RD 1(game played in a thunder storm w/night rules and a flooded torrent of a river)
SSF and British Churchills near the Hell on the Rapido RD 2
Italian Village RD 1
Panzers attack Italian Village RD 2
Anzio Beachhead RD 1
Burning Polish AFVs on Anzio Beachhead RD 2
Italian Hills Board RD 1
Burning Shermans in the Italian Hills RD 2
Tabacco Factory RD 2
US Bz team defends an OBJ in the Tabacco Factory RD 2
Also in the past we have a special event during the lunch break, last year we had a German and Russian re-enactor give a presentation on Leningrad. This year the Ordnance Museum gave a guided tour of the infamous and one and only “Anzio Annie: K5 railway gun now located at FT Lee. ( Ihope to add photos of anzio annie laster in the week)
The scenarios proved to all to be very tough as no team finished in less than 2 hours. A time limit of 2.5 hours was in place for both rounds. In the 1st round the Germans won two games and the allied three. The last two ended in a draw. The 2nd round the tides turned greatly for the Allies as they won six out of the seven games and drove into Rome for victory! The only bright for the Germans is they held and won both battles for the Abby on top of Monte Cassino despite being Carpet Bombed in both rounds!
Best Winning Generals were James and Jeff (Free Polish Corps)
James and Jeff on the Tabacco Factory board RD 1
Best Losing Generals were Ken and Matt ( PzGrenadiers/Pz Co)
Ken and Matt (seated) on the Mt Cassino board RD 2
Best Painted Army Tom (French Goumiers w/ hand crafted Algerian smocks)
Tom wearing his Algerian smock
Best Infantrymen Luke and Eric (US Armor Inf) winning 9 assaults vs. INF or Armor
Best Tankers Adman and Doug (26th PzGren) killed 12 allied tanks
The Battle Barn appreciates all the help given by our group members for the work they did in preparing for the event. Also a BIG Thanks is given to the I-95 guys and Central Maryland Gamers for each designed a scenario and provided a battlefield, the Italian Hills and Tobacco Factory. And last to the FoWarriors who drove from as far as Baltimore, Wash DC, North Carolina and Norfolk and I cant forget my Richmond area pals. Thanks Guys….and I hope to see you next year for:
“Barbarossa; Attack on a Sleeping Bear! Jul-Oct 1941” that is if BF releases the EW Russia book? I will announce the finalized 2013 game theme in October.
Ron
