Arnhem Bridge - Part 2 - Modelling the city

In Arnhem Bridge part 1 I put up photos showing a the bare bridge and a selection of buildings I was using to represent the city area around the end of the bridge captured by John Frost and the paras. In this update I'm able to show the city outline and the relative position of the buildings within the city landscape.

I've put together a basic layout that's just short of 1m by 1m and this will form the area we'll use to fight over.

However, before I get into the detail I want to talk about my approach and some of the constraints I'm under otherwise some of my choices will seem a bit odd.

The object is to create a scale model of the Arnhem bridge area. Any fighting is going to be done with 6mm figures. Using a 1/300 ground scale though would require a huge model.

I don't have anywhere to store a large model, so it needs to be modular and stackable.

Consequently I went with a ground scale of 1:1000 and have used Hexon boards as a base, representing an area about 1km square.

Next, the city is going to require hundreds of buildings, and the fight for the bridge is not the most exciting - first the British destroy the Germans, then there is a brief stalemate, then the Germans overwhelm the British. Any refight is likely to be a one off or pretty infrequent.

Consequently pretty much anything not glued to the board needs to be reusable elsewhere and the buildings used are sourced from my existing (although very large) collection of Brigade Models buildings. I have used the best fit for the buildings from my available figures. With the exception of the bridge the buildings are not scratch built.

I have used photos of Arnhem during and before the battle to help guide the build. Its not exact but I'm pretty pleased with the look.

Initial layout, with river sections inverted

Plasticard used to raise the base level

Level of the main board raised slightly using an abundant, cheap handy material. Other large scale, global sales and logistics suppliers may exist.

Papered and painted. Now the real work can begin

River bed inserted and base colouring begins

Aerial view with river, bridge and initial building layout

View of the bridge from the east

Frosts HQ is the large building with the grey roof on the left with a good view of the ramp.

Eastern side of the ramp

View along the road

Close up of the bridge. Just got a base primer on it for now.

More detailing and supports to be added to the road

Parts of the milk factory and industrial buildings close to the river

I'm pretty pleased with the concrete embankments.

Most of the buildings are painted, but some still left to do.

Buildings are based on plasticard sections so I can lift the on and off the board and use them in other games.

View of the ramp from the west

View of the bridge from the terraces of Arnhem

 

 Here are some of the photos and pictures I've been using as a guide

Still quite a bit of work to do! But the basics are there now, ground cover and trees need adding.
Oh and the river needs repainting. Its the wrong colour and you can see my pen marks and writing through it. Tips on painting over varnish appreciated!
Let me know how you think I've done.
Happy gaming!
Charles the Modeller

US Infantry - Battle of the Bulge

Spring is here, summer is around the corner so that can only mean its time for the Battle of the Bulge. Planning is well underway for a game loosely based on the battles around Rocherath-Krinkelt and the Elsenborn Heights. Here are my newly painted Adler US infantry, as well as some Timecast trenches. My thanks to Roland Grime the Painter for advice and comments. Next up tanks, TDs and guns.

Keep the dice rolling

Charles the Modeller

Arnhem Bridge - Part 1

I've started work on recreating Arnhem Bridge and the surrounding area captured and defended by John Frost and the paras during operation Market Garden.

Overhead view. North at the top. Bridge just off picture in the centre off the southern edge

The buildings I'm using are what I had to hand from several different sets of brigademodels.co.uk buildings and are not exact replicas for the originals.

Aerial view. Bridge to left. Road running through the centre left to right

I intend to base the buildings separately from the terrain so I can use them elsewhere.

The area covered isn't actually that big but there are about 100 individual buildings here.

The bridge is scratch built and has taken about 5 hours so far. It's not my best work but I'm just doing it for kicks really.

I'll probably game the battle to recapture the bridgehead but its likely to be a one off. I don't think the fight will be particularly exciting. The Germans are going to win but they are going to get badly hurt in the process.

I'll post more once I've painted the buildings and created a base.

Keep gaming. Charles the Modeller

Heights and their effect on the battlefield

I’m working with some friends to produce a set of WWII war game rules and I've written about our approach to activation and actions before. We’ve now drafted some rules for hills, heights and depressions that we think reflect the impact that height and height differentials have in battle and we’re seeking feedback on the approach.

The game we have developed could work at any figure and unit scale but is primarily designed for use by smaller scale miniatures at 1 stand represents a platoon and using the battalion as a manoeuvre group. Ground scale is flexible but is in the 1” is 50 -100 yards range.

The rules we have drafted are as follows; 

High Ground

Height advantage in AHLL is based upon the difference in height between two the opposing units or formations. Each change in ground height is referred to as a tier. A battlefield is likely to have multiple hills or ridges, some of which may have multiple tiers. When applying the high ground advantages, it is the differential in unit height which is important, not the height of the hill.

1st Tier benefits

• Units can see 6” further providing that light and weather conditions allow.
• Direct fire does not suffer the long range to hit penalty (the penalty to hit infantry at long range still applies)
• Units benefit from cover when direct fire is targeted at them, even if they are in open ground.

2nd Tier benefits

• All the benefits of the 1st Tier
• Units can draw a line of sight over Linear Terrain features, such as hedges and walls
• Disguised/ Dummy formations are detected and removed if they move to within 24” of any unit or formation on the tier. Genuine formation counters still deploy at 12”
• Any FO or HQ calling in supporting indirect fire or aircraft rolls twice and selects the highest result.

3rd Tier or higher benefits

• All the benefits of the 1st and 2nd Tiers
• Units can draw a line of sight over Tall Area Terrain, such as woods and villages, providing the target is at least 6” beyond the furthest edge of that area terrain
• Indirect fire controlled by a FO or HQ unit gains a bonus to hit reflecting improved spotting and fire correction.

Depressions

Areas of terrain below the general height of the battlefield such as depressions or perhaps riverbanks and beaches below bluffs, limit sight in and out of the depression. Depressions no matter how deep have only 1 level.

Units within the depression cannot see units above them unless these units are on the edge of the depression, and vice versa. Units on the edge of the depression benefit from the 1st tier height advantages.

Blocking Line of Sight

Higher ground has a number of impacts on drawing a line of sight to units on a hill.

• Higher ground blocks line of sight.
• Units on the rear slope of the highest tier of a hill may be declared as hidden by the controlling player. Units forward of these units may not draw a line of sight to them, nor call in fire targeted on them, and vice versa.

Firing at Units on Higher Ground

• Units may fire at visible targets which are on higher terrain as long as their line of fire does not pass through another unit which is within 2” of that higher, target unit.

Heights Example

An American tank formation is on a low hill (tier 1) looking down a valley. Below the tanks a German mechanised formation is attacking a village held by American infantry. Beyond the village the ground rises sharply up a larger hill (tier 2). A formation of German tanks is deployed on this hill.

The American player measures the range and finds he is at medium range against the German infantry and long range against the tanks.

The American tanks have tier 1 advantage against the mechanised formation. In this case providing cover to the Americans against any direct fire from that formation.

Should he fire at the German tank formation, the Germans gain the benefits of tier 1, granting cover against the American tank fire which remains at long range.

The German tanks however have tier 2 advantages over the American infantry defending the village and tier 1 advantage against the American tanks. German tank fire at the American tanks would be treated as at medium range and the American tanks would not be regarded as in cover

Feedback please

What do you think?

Does this adequately reflect the impact of height?

Is it too complicated?

Have we missed anything?

Keep rolling those dice!

Charles the Modeller