"3mm WW2 game day pics" Topic

We pulled off a 3-table bash at our local hangout Miniature Market here in St. Louis yesterday.

I ran two 3mm scenarios inspired by the battles for Dompaire and Hatten, and we had another 6mm Normandy game running on another table (didn't manage any shots of it unfortunately).

We're trying to shake off the cobwebs, while still gaming safely (and during a current covid surge here too)……still taking two steps forward, and one step back……

A few photos taken in between my jawing (gamers Bob and Steve here who played the German COs pushing elements of the 25th PzGren. Div. in the first scenario) -

Dompaire, France "rematch" was the 2nd scenario for the day -

Who makes the mats?

Mark, these are my extensive 're-textures' of Wargame Print digital mat images.

The field areas on them mimic a hex grid, and this is used for our game's movement system. I've transitioned away now from also using the fields grid as the range-measuring mechanic for firing too (instead use an increment-marked range stick for measuring attacks…..which also facilitates checking LOS simultaneously).

Beautiful, you really did it the treatment 3mm deserves.

Do you mind sharing the scenarios for those of us who would like to try them out?

Repaint, let me create a little presentation then here, that'll avail you to some resources you can use if you want to run this Hatten scenario (or other games based on this multi-day engagement fought in and around Hatten-Rittershoffen).

For my scenario, one of the first considerations I needed to determine, was whether I had the space and terrain to do a reasonable map of the area, to cover the German attack from the east, and with enough ground for the American sector to be represented in width and depth (this area to be used for the first attack here on Hatten of 9 January, but maybe also for follow up scenarios too).

Since my 3ft. X 4ft. winter mat works to render a 3,000 X 4,000 (yards/meters) battlespace, the answer was "yes". The framed area on the map below in yellow my chosen game board terrain (note the dispositions of the 1st Bn., 242 Infantry around the Maginot forts and Hatten on the overlay map).

These map images gleaned from this great thread on the fighting from on the WWII Forums website -

link

Next thought on the list of considerations, was whether a competitive scenario, inspired by this first attack on the American infantry line in and around the town could be made, that might be interesting to play, and offering up a force roster that would help generate a game with chances for ebb & flow – "command and counter-command decision making". Oh, and to have the hobby time to order, receive, paint, and mount the minis, winter trees, and winter buildings……hey, aren't we always a bit more productive when there's a game date we're needing to meet……"yes" was the answer to all these possibilities.

From the book Winter Storm, by Lise M. Pommois came a hand drawing of the Situation Overlay from the HQ 242d Infantry, on 8 Jan. 45, which showed the infantry platoon positions, and the battalion's AT Gun & attached TD firing placements (confirming also the infantry positions that are shown on the map drawing above, but then with the deployment of the AT attachments shown). This information, combined with the location of Co. A, 48th Tank Battalion, which was in support of the 242nd, allowed the US game forces to be nailed down, and an American side game map to be drawn up.

The squiggly line bases on the map above are locations for dug-in American rifle platoons, some amongst the Maginot bunkers, others back in town (as was C Co. in reserve). Hasty reconnaissance had located the the US front line, but the roving Sherman and M10 Platoon positions were largely unknown, and so these units were not indicated on the German side player map that was next to be drawn up.

A bit of a break here to link some online resources for the battle of Hatten-Rittershoffen.

The first, an excellent virtual map and force series for the battle -

link

The website's resource page, with a link to a PDF report (a similar written copy of the virtual battlefield map study) -

hatten1945.com/resources

Below, an historical study complied at Fort Knox and published in 1950 (with maps) on the battle, and the commitment of the US 14th Armored Division in the fighting (download link rt-side of the webpage) -

link

Working up the German force roster required some give and take (with the usual disclaimer "inspired by" liberally applied), since the fighting involved large infantry formations from the German 25th PG Division (KG Proll), but with little time for this amount of infantry to be presented on the tabletop, nor to fight out within a few hours available for the scenario to play out at the shop.

I decided the infiltrating assault infantry that worked its way through the screening minefields and up to the edge of the American positions during the early morning of the 9th, needed to be included in the game, and to add some fog of war, this German force (a company of Pioniere) would start the game off in position already to attack the Maginot bunker positions immediately on Turn 1 (see map below).

Another dynamic unit for inclusion would be Flamm-Kompanie 352, which contained 10 converted Hetzer TDs with flamethrower projectors as their main armament, that were attached for the task of neutralizing the bunker positions ahead of Hatten.

These two company-level elements formed the initial assault force for the scenario, and to add in as the German exploitation force, contrived from the roster of KG Huss, a Panzerjager Company of Sturmgeschutz IIIs and a Panzergrenadier Company in mSPWs would begin arriving on Turn 2 along the eastern edge of the battlefield.

The German side game map.

Very cool

Thank you TheNorthernFront!

Here's the wrap up on this game – showing the force panels organized for each player side to use for referencing their unit stats.

This info is specific to our group's game system, but it does give an idea of the additional support assets the American side could throw at the Germans.

My hopes for the scenario unfolding on the tabletop, was to see the German team attack, seize, and consolidate a portion of the American fortified line, while also trying to exploit around Hatten, either north or south of the town, which would then evolve the encounter into a meeting engagement with the arriving forces of the US 14th Armored Div., somewhere in the central space of the battle board.

The actual game played out this past weekend pretty much in this way.

Lastly I must say, sometimes as a gamer, I have to sigh a bit after delving into the history of war, and thinking to entertain playing at it on a tabletop. These battles for Hatten and Rittershoffen exacted a ferocious devastation on the units involved (see the chart below showing the actual AFVs losses left on the battlefield afterwards), but knowing more of conflict, is a way perhaps we might begin to appreciate the grievous sacrifices made.

Nice – thanks for sharing!

Thanks a ton FlyXwire! :)

Gorgeous, as always, Dave, great stuff! And a lot of info to take in and ponder, thanks for sharing.

V/R,
Jack