Saturday Night CROSSFIRE: Mac's Missions & Hobby Focus

My buddy Alex was over last night to play a game of Crossfire using the "Mac's Missions" [click] rules for pickup games.  We played with my Eastern Front forces, with Alex taking the Soviets and yours truly taking the Germans.  We each drew our missions secretly.  I drew "probe" and Alex drew "Breakthrough."  We used the time clock to "75" which also added a great element of tension to the game.

Mac's Missions add specific parameters to use for each side's victory conditions.  They're fun because you're left trying to guess the enemy's plan all while trying to execute your own.  Now if I can figure out how the point system works, I can tell you who won last night! 

Forces on the table - looking towards the Soviet lines

This was Alex's first game of Crossfire and I think he really enjoyed it.  He took up some great positions and also took advantage of some clear fire lanes and made my life as the German Hauptmann very difficult!

Alex causing trouble for the Germans on his left flank

 Alex had the German right flank pretty much locked down and advanced his troops up to a small farm hamlet where he was able to keep my 3rd platoon locked down.  The 3rd platoon had to literally claw their way up to a small hill.
On the German left, I quickly realize that the Soviet forward area is covered by rifle fire and HMG fire from 3 directions.  My decision to weigh down the left was a bad one!  My troops occupy the treeline overlooking some rubble piles and a wheatfield, only to start mixing it up with half the Soviet army!

The German left - the "main effort" proved a mistake

Alex had some great dice also and his shooting was deadly, mixing it up with my 1st Platoon in the treeline.  He quickly learns the value of a "Crossfire" and starts directing fire onto my lead squads and an HMG section.  I have 3 suppressions on my hand already!

The squad in the rear pictured would end up being my saving grace.

Alex surges a platoon forward after some intense firing and assaults the treeline, wiping out a squad, and an HMG section.  We did have a question about supporting squads (can 1 squad in the rear lend support to multiple combats) but we overcame it.  Alex wins 2 out of 3 combats but the third one sees 2 squads sent packing!  Germans get the initiative and shoot up a squad in the open, eventually killing it.

We also realize the time clock is clicking down.  The remnants of my platoon here on the left move into the rubble piles in Alex's forward area and are fired on by a 45mm AT gun.  Meanwhile Alex still has the German right flank locked down and is starting to maneuver against it.

Soviet FO calling in mortar fires from battalion

We ended the game with 2 of my squads in Alex's "forward area" and 2 of Alex's squads in my "forward area" who, it turns out, were headed to my rear area because Alex had "breakthrough" orders.

This was a great game - lots of fun, tension, and decisions to be made.  Crossfire keeps both parties engaged and also keeps you focused on the big picture throughout the game.

I would also mention the game took a little less than 2.5 hours with plenty of discussion and demonstrations with the rules.

We then switched gears and had a great conversation about some ideas for a Grand Tactical version of 1HW.  As always Alex had some great ideas and suggestions and it looks like we're sneaking up on a concept here for fighting simple, Corps-Sized actions using the 1HW scenarios!  I am super excited about this project so far.

Speaking of projects, I thought I'd snap a picture of my first completed Egyptian 6mm Battalion for Fate of a Nation.  I'm basing the second now (Just Jack's models) and will then start the Egyptian infantry and then the Israelis.

Next is to pick my 2 x main priorities for 2019.  This year I comfortably focused on WWII and less so on AWI. 

So here is a wrap-up of projects that are ongoing:

Fate of a Nation / Team Yankee / Dunn Kempf 6mm Project: 2 x Egyptian Tank Battalions, 1 x Infantry Company in BTR152, and supports (SU100, PT76, BTR50, Artillery) Israeli Magach-3 Company, I-Sherman Company, and Infantry Company.  Also working the Team Yankee vehicles by re-doing all of my MERDC (ugh...) Americans, rebasing the infantry, and rounding out the force to include a full M1 Company, full M60A3 Company, full M113 mounted Infantry Company, air support, M109 battery.  Of course all my Soviets for Dunn-Kempf are completed.

One Hour Grand Tactical Project:  Minis are done and ready for this one.  Corps level rules using the model from One Hour Wargames.  Just need to put the rules down on paper and give them a spin, trying out various mechanisms for combat and attrition.  After conversations with Alex last night, there are 3 courses of action to work through.  More on this in another post down the line.

AWI Project:  I didn't forget that the second main "priority" for 2018 was my AWI project.  I still have some work to do finishing off a 15mm Colonial Ranger unit, and the last of my continental line, generals, and the encampment.  Hopefully there is enough to host a big SARATOGA mega game in the late fall. 

10mm Fantasy Project:  Need to start work on painting and basing my collection of 10mm Low Fantasy Units for use with Alex's Dark Age / Medieval Wargaming rules "Spear to the Strife" which I LOVE.

Napoleonics Project:  Need to finish work on some more 10mm Austrian units, 10mm Prussian units (all are RISK pieces) and flock all my 15mm British and Peninsular Allies.  My intent is to use my 10mm games for more Grand Tactical gaming, while my 15mm units are used for more tactical gaming with battalions on the table.

WWII 15mm / 6mm Project:  Is this one ever over?  Happy to report most of my Eastern Front projects that were started have been brought to near completion or completion this year!  All Soviets and Heer units have been rebased repainted and are in their new storage.  Just need to finish up the SS units who will do double-duty on both fronts.  Next year we'll be focusing on the British (Canadian 3rd Inf Div) and the Americans who will finally get done!  Once all the Germans are finished (Heer and SS) I will switch to starting up my 6mm project again and base them all for 6mm Flames of War (which I feel is a perfect microarmor game). 

It's an exciting time to be wargaming - if I can only FIND THE TIME! 

Lots of gaming coming up in WWII to include more CROSSFIRE, Up the Blue, and of course BATTLEGROUP.

Stay tuned!