40K: Valhallan Reinforcements

There is some progress on the reinforcements for the 1500 point list: 2 more autocannons and flamers as well as a sarge and some troopers for the mix. This should get me to fully painted after they are touched up and based. Flamers need some soot/scorch on the nozzles and fur needs some white (forgot that before I stained them.)

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Sorry for the silence. I had three classes this term at university and still have my full time job to boot. I finished the term with straight A's but had no time for painting or playing. It happens.

That said, I'm back to painting this weekend and maybe some Memoir at some point soon.

I have 3 more classes this term but I'm hoping I'll have a breather for room enough to paint once a week for awhile.

Stand by for some updates.

Best,

Yeti

Memoir '44: Breakout at Klin

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WWII's most famous Russian, videogame Gary Oldman.

Memoir '44: Breakout at Klin

Those that play Memoir ’44 are familiar with 2 things already about the Eastern Front expansion featured in this write up: Eastern Front is probably the best army expansion to date and many people have already reviewed how the army works (so I’ll avoid a run down, better supplied by better reviews like this one: http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/11/11710.phtml

Instead, I’ll just share my impressions of how it went for me as a desperate Russian force in a holding action, trying to stem the tide of advancing 1st Panzer Division looking to break out from their faltered offensive against Moscow in early December, 1941 (aka, the first time I played with these new rules.)

My cousin Patrick played the Germans in this scenario. Pre-game I presented him with some brass actually fired from an M1 Garand. I thought he’d take it easy on me because of that, but no such luck.

Set Up: The interwebs seem to peg this scenario as an average 80% chance to win for the Germans. I agreed with that before I even played the scenario. See the mission here, page 12: http://cdn0.daysofwonder.com/memoir44/en/img/mm_eastern_en.pdf

The Eastern Front has an interesting mechanic meant to demonstrate the political influence on Rooskie forces in the field. For those versed in Memoir, you are used to the cards in your hand simply being played turn-to-turn. Not so with the Russians. Basically Russians have to decide which card to play one turn ahead, putting the selected card under a “Commissar” chip next to your hand, signifying the infinite wisdom and stubborn inflexibility of a paranoid, dysfunctional Russian military machine (read: inflexible and slow to adapt but win by attrition.)

A few exceptions to the harshness of Russian card rules aside, it did bring awesome depth to the play, I felt like I was a frustrated Russian officer at disadvantage, just not getting the support I needed as I marshal a fighting stop, and counting on a lot of luck for my men.

I suppose this is great for fluff players and frustrating for power players, if such a thing exists amongst Memoir players.

Russian Pre-Game Prediction and Tactics: Russian loss. Looking at the mission I figured it made the most sense to play left flank cards as priority from the start to abandon the vulnerable positions the 2 infantry units held North of Golyadi. The town itself gave two medals for German occupation in a 6 medal game, so why feed two unit medals into that inevitable attack, lead by elite German armor of all things. I could almost loose the game on that left flank (which is historically accurate) and that is pretty much what ended up happening in real life.

Assuming I could disarm the ticking West flank, I would then try to consolidate enough of my back line to absorb a German push down the center and a German flank to the Northeast of Nekrasino. I counted on mob tactics, pincer assaults. From there I would get a feel for the Russian Command Rules and also try to adapt to the German’s wealthier card play as best I could.

Game Highlights: Unfortunately for Russia, Patrick rolled with 6 command cards to my four, went first and early-turn trounced my Golyadi pickets almost immediately, not even giving me a chance to redeploy them to the woods in the South.

Ouch. 2 medals early game and the elite 1st Panzers sped into the Western outskirts of Golyadi.

To their credit, my infantry bled the Germans well in terms of the time it took to give up Russian medals (the second squad stuck to a man and ignored retreat flags, stubbornly.) But it didn’t look good.

CRACK. THUD. BOOM.

Still standing.

By turn 3 or so Patrick had 4 medals out of 6 by holding Golyadi and inflicting casualties.

I had played 2 or 3 hands with the Russian Command rules and already felt the stress of holding “good” cards for the predicted enemy movements and mulling when to get them under the Commissar chip to play next turn. In this scenario, Russians held 4 cards, which meant that card management flubs were extremely unforgiving.

With my one Air Power card essentially committed ahead of time (reducing its effectiveness when played too) and a Recon 1 card held as a wild card (see Russian Command Rules on pg. 3 of the PDF) that left 2 cards to consider and have as options. Through the game I held mostly left flank cards which didn’t do me much good after Patrick wrapped up Golyadi. I also found I didn’t have much time to “burn” useless cards from my deck on a weak play but I may have to try that in the future more. I did have one particularly stubbon squad of infantry in trenches hold off combat engineers (who ignore dice modifiers for terrain.)

This guy right here... this is the guy

Mid-to-End Game: I was able to play the Counter Attack card once which helped ultimately get a medal and my Air Power card did thin his artillery and reserve tank units a bit but the Commissar chip delayed the opportunity for a strong Allied air attack (I almost never get to roll two dice in a section!) A German thrust down the center sealed the deal for Patrick. At one point the Luftwaffe sent Stukas against the Westernmost T-34’s, forcing them to retreat into the frozen river near Nekrasino and then loose a tank to the thin ice.

Conclusion: 7 turns, 6 Germans medals, 2 for the Russians.

I love this expansion so far. I need more games under my belt to internalize how the average Russian card play will be influenced by the Russian Command Rules. This mission seems a German certainty (Germainty?) from the start but that’s why the Russian flavor imbued in the rules works so well… you like playing the missions despite the plodding feeling the army has, or at least, I did.

You may be Great Partriots or from The Fatherland but ya'll made in China, beyotches.

What Next: Fresh Troops/Chimeras or Vendetta?

Based on what I see of my army group shot so far, I think I should update a few other pieces of armor so they are done and get back to painting infantry again.

But then I think about the Vendetta kit I own and haven’t built yet. It seems a must-have piece of gear, especially for groundpounders like the Valhallans.

What do you guys think I should do next? Chimeras and more troops or a Vendetta?

Current Valhallan Group Shot

Click for larger image

Here's the Valhallan force so far. I still have less than a squad to finish up for my specific 1500 point list (the pic shows more than that.) From there I'll get two more Leman Russ to the table then move to more Chimera and my Medusa.

Switcheroo

Let me put my poems in you

Since I’m closing in on a solid 1500 pt painted Valhallan IG list I figured I’d take a small breather from GW and look to finish off the Khador Greylords that I have sitting around.  I had started them before contracting GW IPV (Infantry Painting Virus.)

Overall, I’m continuing the “cold” look with the Greylords, as seen with my Butcher’s skin tones above.

Here’s the Koldun Lord WIP

And Ternion WIP

All the color is essentially blocked in. I’ll look to go back, smooth out some colors with layers and some shading. The Koldun Lord’s insignia of rank was a mystery to me until I got the Forces of Khador book and saw what the sculpt was supposed to be. Up until that point I was painting it like a Star of David. I'll be reclaiming some of that tabbard with some brown, Terracotta and then Blood Red. Then details and finally, basing.

40K: Valhallan Company Command Squad Done

 Valhallan 554th Company Command Squad (minus rocket team)

Here’s Captain Gloval and his company command squad, finished up earlier today. They'll also be joined by the previously completed rocket launcher team to round out the squad to 4 vets.

Captain Gloval:

As described in an earlier post, here is Captain Madison, company liaison to Battlefleet Tiamat, in direct support of planet operations on Hammerfall V:

Company Standard:

You'll notice that the vox officer and standard bearer are the same model. The standard bearer uses the pitchfork pole and zombie hand from the Zombie sprue, Aquilla and antenna whip from vehicle accessory sprue. The pitchfolk pole goes straight into the base and is anchored with greenstuff under the base. His hand is pinned so it is very secure. These models are both ammo loaders for the Valhallan heavy bolters, which I'll have a few of in the army later. At some point next week I'll try to design up some paper banners for the banner bearer and squad pennant bearers.

Up next, melta vets and another squad.