Sickles, game 12 - Making a breakthrough

Hi ho folks!
Me and Joel made some new units and some new scenarios to play, as stated previously in another blog post. It reminds us of the scenario 'attrition' in the PMC 2640 rules although we feel that it lacks certain elements, so we made some changes. We introduced a placing/placement 'mini-game' where the key zones should be positioned to fight over, which also dictates where the frontline and defences are. One of them will be replaced with a bunker (per priority level) that counts as a reinforced building, giving us a hard point each. Or, it could be used aggressively. Furthermore, 1/3 of the forces composition points was held as an reserve.

To win the scenario, at game end one side must control more points than his/her opponent. Fluff wise both sides stands down, if none is able to make the breakthrough. Kind off World War 1 style mind you. I don't go into all details here... So, right... the game. Yes!

To the frontline and no mans land, the Sickles brought:
- Field Command 2nd Grade, Captain Staya, tier III
- Regular Rifle Team, Nasty Noses, tier III (new unit!)
- Remote Mortar Section, Ground Gagarin, tier II (again!)
- Light MG Section, Spitting Shpitalny, tier II
- Light Combat Vehicle, Rasputin, tier III (again!)
- Rookie Rifle Team, Velocity Vintovkas, tier II
- Recruits, Kicking Kepis, tier I
- Lhurgg Irregular Troops, Hard Hoofs, tier I
- Lhurgg Irregular Troops, Blue Bandits, tier I
- Lhurgg Nomads, Zero Zeniths, tier II

The Varuna Legion brought:
- Rookie Rifle Team, Whitewood Rifles, tier II (Brave, takes less suppression points)
- Recruits, 3rd Assault Crew, tier I (Brave, takes less suppression points)
- Recruits, 16th Militia, tier I (Last stand, removes all suppression points once per game)
- Recruits, 5th Militia, tier I (Iron discipline, easier to rally)
- Irregular Troops, Red Skulls Assault Team, Tier I (Adrenaline rush, may activate twice in a row once during the game)
- LMG Section, LMG team Bravo, tier III (Superior ballistics, adds 4" in range)
- Regular Rifle Team, tier III
- Light Support Vehicle, tier III
- Light Combat Vehicle, tier III

Deployment

The two bunkers went down in the middle of the map, within 18" of each other (rifle range). The Varuna Legion brought many rifle units of different tiers, from I to III and an LMG Team (tier III). Oddly enough, the rules states that a Team is larger than Section... LMG Teams are scary! Having a ton of firepower and long range (but low defence!).

The Sickles deployed a mortar (lower right corner of the picture), an LMG Section on the hill, Nomads (with stealth) in the north, HQ in the middle (with 'markerlights' for the mortar) while my tier III rifle unit took the center in the bunker. Stealth units are excellent when advancing (if you have more units than the enemy).

A view from Ground Gagarin, and we can see the almighty turn die! The HQ, as a tier III, now got four members. So, captain Staya, his trusty dog Stoy, a lhurgg warlord and the battle standard bearer. What a team! And yes, Staya is the last model to be removed, what else? I'm one of those guys who gets really sad when animals dies in movies (humans, meh)!

Spitting Shpitalny, overwatches from the hill.

Nasty Noses, my new unit! I'm pleased with the result of painting. They really look like elites, in my humble opinion. Or rather, they look like they actually know what they are doing, instead of seem misplaced in the midst of battle.

Zero Zeniths, the nomads. They got a lhurgg leader with three heads and two drones to indicate that they are not irregulars (giving them stealth, maybe?). I put the drones in the wrong direction, kind off embarrassing for my family name. Heck. Hopefully, they don't read my blog.

One roll to rule them all!
So, basically. '9' --> Many hits --> 3 dead --> broken. Rinse and repeat. Check. Win.

Wave, smile and move back!

Argh, to late! That hurt! A lot!

That hurt too! Few units can withstand three dead in one go! Run for the hills! So, that wasn't a flesh wound!

The Varuna Legion even had Chuck Norris with them! But hey, this unit was never broken (what else?!). And they didn't engage in combat during the game, luckily for me! What a game changer that would be huh?

This was our quickest session ever, an hour, tops. When rolling so many '9's (this game also) and then roll '6's on over half of the hits it goes bye bye very fast fast. The Varuna Legion withdrew, saving the rest of the force some potential trauma. But they would be back! My new unit, Nasty Noses, killed four guys! They didn't disappoint me. What a great first game for them!

It is now 5 wins of 12 games! I'm on fire! I'm on a roll! And! I finally got some levels! Spitting Shpitalny got 'superior ballistics' that granted them a further 4" of range, making them reach 28" now! Deadly indeed! Range is very important in PMC 2640! Especially as LMG units have such low defence value. The recruits, Kicking Kepis, that are 'cowards' (-1 morale) due to battle trauma from earlier games, gained the 'into the shadows', thus gaining the 'stealth' ability. It suits the cowards well! One of my personal favorites (they also got a fan club in the community (consisting of one member, mr. Klang as we call him)), Hard Hoofs, got 'determined'. A deadly skill combined with their high unit size! They will now ignore casualties, so their morale will not falter at first sight of danger.

A bonus picture of the reinforcements moving up to make a breakthrough. The enemy was already falling back by then!

Za Sickles!