Hi All,
We played a North Africa desert action yesterday, with a well-worn copy of the Armour & Infantry 1925-1950 rules by the War Games Research Group. These rules had been the mainstay WW2 system used around our local scene back in the 1970's & '80's.
Though it was a dusty trail backwards in many ways, the game delivered a fresh look at why we enjoyed the WRG rules then………they enabled enough encounter depth through simple rule mechanisms, with just basic weapons tech. (fielding multiple combat companies made easy).
I commanded a British Cruiser squadron and a Honey squadron vs. a German light Panzer company in a simple meeting engagement over open desert with a few elevations dotting the landscape.
After the opposing forces exchange ineffectual fire at the flanks and at range, the action heated up over a central ridge feature near the German half of the board. The losses were fairly even there, with a half-dozen wrecks brewed up for each side, but then the WRG turn sequence reared it's ugly head (or would that be – enforced con-sequence)…..it was crunch time. If I, as the British tank CO were to press forward over and around the ridge, my opponent would have the opportunity of first shots as I exposed myself (a simple and all-to-common wargaming dilemma). Knowing that the rules would not shine a forgiving grace if I pressed forward, and that the enemy kills could then elicit possible failing morale checks on top of my losses, I decided my gallant desert warriors had achieved enough…..it was now time to extract my tanks and attempt a hasty retreat.
Retreat they did, to fight another day, but leaving the field to the Afrika Korps, and to the potential of the enemy recovering many of their losses (the near-equal encounter would in affect swing towards a German victory as a result).
All was clear, and these consequences acceptable – because I was making a decision to preserve my force from expected destruction, and taken from a level of command I felt would be my "duty" to do so.
Maybe this short report weighs a bit too much on nostalgia, but it was still nice to make a gaming connection with "my tankers" nonetheless.
We'll be doing more games with WRG in the weeks ahead.
Here's a few of the pictures I captured -