Tempest 2012

Tempest 2012 was early this year. I think the reasoning (don't quote me, I am sorta on the committee but have been a bit of a club absentee recently) was that Tempest is a charity thing and had become one day.... so there should be a new 'Tempest' called CAVCON to actually be two day and raise club funds and Tempest could be rushed through at a point that seemed opportune. That personally suits me fine. Overall, the event was exceedingly low-key but not FOW! We had a great field of players: 16 involved all up. And, better yet, it was four games of 1100 pt MW with players encouraged by the TO to take true 'Ironman' forces. Not naming any names but SOME people instead took infantry!

I took my brand spanking new and just painted (no pics, they are workmanlike but I like the dirtyness of them) Gepanzerte PanzerGrenadiers (Eastern Front).

The 1100 pt list was: 

HQ and 2iC with Panzerkanckers in '251 HTs

Full PzGren Plt with Panzerknacker in '251 HTs

Short PzGren Plt with Panzerkancker in '251 HTs

ATG platoon of two Pak 38s (combat attachable, and I always did) with two '251 HTs

ATG platoon with three Pak40/97s and trucks

Tiger Ie

I lived in dread of the thought of having to take on proper Tankovy forces but in the end I got off lightly!

First up I was against John's Hungarian Light tank Company. His Pz Ivs gave me a surprising amount of bother (defensive Veterans are a bit like that) but fortunately he was bogged down trying to reduce my left flank (where I was the defensive Veterans) while I managed to NOT lose the Tiger I and eventually see off his Pz IVs and infantry to take the objective on my right. 6:1 to me. Thought for the day: German HT transports rule! His version of the battle is here.

Next up was against Craig (wielder of a dreaded Tankovy army) as defender in a Surrounded. Looking at the table now, I can't say I am a fan of it in terms of fairness to the defender. Basically, the defender's middle third of the table is cut across by a river and the crossings are right by the attacker. At 1100 points, I would have been doomed if Craig had just spread the objectives one on each side. But luckily he didn't, my Tiger didn't die AND his smallish T-34 unit was forced to test for motivation very early in the game and of course ran. Another 6:1 to me (though I caught a break there), going pretty well so far, eh? 

However, remember that pic of the burning Tiger from earlier? Game three was Stephen S's patented diagonal FFA vs Lional's Brit armour. I put my Pak 40/97s and short PzGren with Pak 38 covering the front of the left OBJ (and right, if needed - they are close in this setup) and then intended to move my Tiger and Full PzGren plt forward through a wood to crush Lional's OBJ to my right. The Tiger bogged turn 1, widetracks and all, and there is stayed till turn three where it unstuck, only to bog again. Lional took his chances and got it after two turns of flank fire with my little Pak 38 plugging away at the Shermans. Once I got one bailed I did at least attempt some assult revenge with the infantry but one tank of that plt escaped after I failed tank terror to bagg it two turns running. Sigh. At least I got both his HQ tanks and the other tank Plt elsewhere. If both Sherman plts had gone down my plan B had been to break him by chasing the recce with my HTs but I was instead left having to try it by breaking his infantry platoon - since his Sherman hid. So it eventually timed out for a 2:2 loss. Ouch. 

Last game of the piece was vs Jeff's US armoured rifles in a No Retreat. Happily I got to defend but didn't really do the BEST job of it! I slaughtered one of his AR plts and had the other pinned down with his Scott's also destroyed but didn't take the M-10s seriously enough, early enough, and paid for it. Eventually (it was literally 5 min to go) he managed to win by breaking me after I lost ATGs, the Tiger and a PzGren platoon trying and failing to see off the M-10s - which stood there with one tank remaining laughing at me as my force broke after losing the CiC. Well done Jeff, we fought tooth and nail but you were the last man standing! Jeff went on to take first overall - he tells us that was his first event win in 20 years of wargaming, and well deserved it was.

Overall, despite tanking in the afternoon, I had the most fun I've had playing FOW in ages. I credit that to the format - not too many points and certainly not the bloated grind-fests that are 1750pts and most players were running cool attacking mobile forces so all my games involved a lot of dashing a bout and desperate fights. It didn't hurt that this was MW either. I've heard the idea floated that LW is the more popular, with newer players having LW armies only... BUT I'd be inclined to highlight how enthusiastic everyone got over this hastily organised, unexpected, and largely un-promoted event.  Likewise, suggestions to put the proposed LW and possibly EW for Conquest 2012 aside for a MW desert theme got a lot of enthusiastic support, very quickly. 

Cheers to Stephen as TO and all involved for a very enjoyable day's gaming.