X-Wing 2.0

I had a chance to try out the new 2.0 rules for X-Wing and I enjoyed them quite a bit.  The game had become pretty bloated after so many expansions, and the new app support seems to work pretty well. I took three X-Wings and my friend Reno had three TIE Advanced.

Luke Skywalker went head-on vs. Darth Vader and scored several hits, knocking out his shields early.  Unfortunately that wasn't enough, as the younger Skywalker was shot down on the next turn after some seriously lopsided rolls!  Jek Porkins and another Red Squadron Veteran fought a valiant battle, but in the end Vader was just too strong.

Pacificon 2018

We had ten players for an 80 point North Africa MidWar event at Pacificon this year in Santa Clara.  I brought German 90th Light Infantry, a formation with some interesting and rare support.  We would be using the Fog of War cards, which were provided by Battlefront for the event.

In the first round I would play Mason and his British Churchill Armored Squadron in Free For All.

I used my recon to get my infantry up a few inches, but Mason would go first.  He used a card to mark the 8-rads for death, and knocked them out, immediately scoring two points!

My Dianas would hold this side and Mason didn't want any part of them.

After a good bombardment knocked out two of Mason's 25 pounders, I used a card to target that position, hoping I'd earn some points if I took it.

Mason concentrated his Churchills in the center of town, and deployed a card which would be worth 2 points to whomever held it near the walled mosque.  I would get there first, but he could take it from me.  I used a card to make one of the buildings in town worth two points to me.

If Mason's heavy tanks took this position he would secure enough points to win.  I would need to hold on.

I moved my PaK36 (r)s to engage the Churchills and knocked one out.  I held on long enough for my other forces to secure enough points for the win!

I'd win this one 8-3, with my 25 pounders winning a gun battle with Mason's.

For round two, I'd be playing against Tim's German Afrika Rifles in Dust Up.

I held the corner pretty solidly, with artillery, PaKs, and two infantry units.  I would up playing pretty defensively until my reserves arrived.

When the Dianas came on they caught Tim's Marders from behind, knocking one out.  The other three would fall back behind cover.

My reserve infantry would advance, taking a card position and earning several points.  We would ultimately run out of time.

I still earned six points in this one, and had I pulled off an assault in the last round I might have broken Tim's formation.  6-2 draw.

I was matched up against Russ and his Italian Tank Company in Free For All in the final round.

Both of us would set up defensively, and didn't really want anything to do with the large open center.

Russ would commit six points worth of cards to the pass, and I knew it would be an easy victory for him if I let him take it.  My PaKs would hold the approaches, but once he got in there he could just sit and fire at whatever came near.

Meanwhile on the other side, my Dianas fought a duel with some M14/41s, one that they would eventually win.

I had several points worth of cards counting down towards victory and just had to make sure Russ couldn't push me off of the embankment.  He was able to destroy most of my guns with his Semoventes, but the Dianas just kept killing little tanks. 

I would win 8-2, as most of Russ' cards were tied up in the pass.  He would've won had he cleared it.

I would score 22 points for the day, good enough for second place and Best Axis (Brad's US Armored Rifles would score a perfect 24)  Thanks to Dave for hosting, and thanks to Battlefront for not only enough cards for everyone who attended, but for great prize support, too! (four copies of each of the new Eastern Front V4 books)

90th Light Afrika vs. Italians

Hal and I found time for a game to test out some 80 point lists for the upcoming MidWar event at Pacificon.  I built an infantry list using the 90th Light Afrika Rifle company so I could try out the 76.2 cm PaK36(r)s and Dianas.  I also took captured 25 pounders, as those were in the division, and a pair of Panzer IVs to sub in as the unit's pair of StuG Ds.  We played Free for All.

2 HQ 2x SMG

8 Rifle 4x MG34 1x 2.8cm ATR 1x HMG

8 Rifle 4x MG34 1x 2.8cm ATR 1x HMG

8 Rifle 4x MG34 1x 2.8cm ATR 1x HMG

15 ATG         3x 7.62 ATR

14 Artillery 4x 25 Pounder

10 Diana 3x Diana

12 Panzer 2x Panzer IV E

2 Scout 2x Sd Kfz 231

1 Brandenburgers card

Hal took an Italian armored list supported by 88mm AA and infantry.

I used my recon to push my deployment up a bit and gave my PaK 36(r)s some better shots.  My infantry move to occupy the buildings, while the guns knock out a tank at long range.

Unfortunately the Italian artillery ranged in on the first turn and immediately knocked one of the guns out.

My PaKs lose to the artillery, and my armored cars are forced to try and slow down the Italian tanks, but they fail.  They would immediately run for it.

The infantry and their anti-tank rifles would need to hold, and they do!

Support fire from the Dianas and several well-placed ATR shots would see the M14/41s all destroyed.  Time to advance!

My Panzer IVs aren't able to hold back a unit of Semoventes.

They would advance and try to capture the objective.

The formation commander's tank would hold long enough for the Semovente's to win out.

I think I did pretty decent against a large force of light armor, though I learned that four Semoventes are better than two Panzer IVs!  I also need to use my artillery earlier to disrupt opposing batteries.