Donovan's Reef

I love this film, you can't beat John Wayne having a punch-up!

So now I've made my own Donovan's Reef, just need to paint a few figures now.

SAS in the Desert War

Cecil de Leominster (left) and Paddy Mayne (right) of 'L' Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade at an unknown location in Libya, early 1942. Time for a fag and a brew.

Ritterlich im Kriege, wachsam für den Frieden

Just got started on my SAS/LRDG/DAK project. Here are the first of a small DAK column patrolling the desert in Libya.

Rangers of Shadow Deep

This is not a full AAR simply because it's one of the learning missions from:

It turns out to be a really superb game, particularly if you are normally a solo player like me. I thought I'd just post a few photos of my Ranger and his Warband I created for the game. I will be playing more of this.

Part 8 - Operation Pilchard (The Denouement)

Regroup in the main courtyard for some of the commandos.

The reason for the detachment of the Navy Section, they are bringing in a steam-boat in anticipation of rescuing the prisoners.

Böhm manages to wound McScrotum but then succumbs to his own wounds.

Samman is dispatched by McFee on the balcony.

‘Buster’ sprays the upper landing with his Bren and down comes Oberbootsmann August Ronshausen.

de Tassigny has ascended his rope up to the attic window and broken in to save Prince Phillip. Druce has come in through another attic window and shot Engelmann, taking a wound himself. Sir Douglas D’Emfore wrenches open the door of the room where he has been held captive and gives Gustav Werder a mighty wallop with his umbrella.

The badly wounded but triumphant Hector McSnapcase, Laird of Glencairn leads the released prisoners down to the canal where they offer their grateful thanks to him and Snapforce.

After a round of hand-shakes the steam-boat pulls out into the canal, heading in the direction of Much-Piddling.

But what’s this? Prien not dead? Good grief! Coming around from a serious concussion, Prien finds himself alone on the first-floor landing. Not one to waste any chance of freedom, Gunther Prien lowers himself from the window of the Pilchard Inn into the deserted back garden below.

Still suffering from his wounds, Prien boards the abandoned narrow boat ELM, moored on the nearby tow-path.

Finding the lock gates open from the departing steam-boat, Prien steers the boat in the opposite direction towards Market Snodsbury. He will live to fight again.

Whilst the exhausted but successful commandos of Snapforce check the bar area for medicinal brandy, a solitary narrow boat chugs peacefully away.

THE END

Part 7 - Operation Pilchard (Rescue Plans)

‘Buster’ bursts in through the external door and takes in the scene at a glance. The Laird is sitting in the doorway having taken two wounds. Heinrich Heinz has managed to overcome his pin again and has caused the second wound to Hector. Firing his Bren over Hector’s head, Heinz comes to a sticky end.

Bothmann is killed as Shughie and McScrotum race up to the second-floor landing. Gustav Böhm has overcome his pin, left the balcony and appeared behind McScroutm in the doorway, unnoticed as yet.

Outside the stables, the last Fallschirmjäger shuffles off this mortal coil, dispatched by Ronnie Biggs and ‘Stinker’.

In the main courtyard, the snipers have lined up to take care of Sammann and Böhm, but as we have seen, Böhm crawls back into the inn.

The hapless McAuslan who broke and ran from the fight is trampled by a flock of maddened sheep who have stampeded. Flock you, McAuslan!

The ‘rum, bum and baccy’ boys are on a mission, the nature of which is yet to become clear.

Captain Druce and de Tassigny break out the grapnels and are trying to lodge them at roof level.

Old Shut-Up takes charge on the ground floor and prepares to support the assault upstairs.

‘Camp’ Freddie and Miss Spigot (the housekeeper) are relieved that the commandos are now in possession of the ground-floor.

The situation as it now stands.

To be continued...

Part 6 - Operation Pilchard (A L'Outrance)

The Fallschirmjäger who was pinned and one of the wounded from inside the stable manage to make stand at the stable door. Peter Fleming kills one outright with his rifle. The other takes a wound but pins ‘Meat Pot’ in the process. The Reverend ‘Stinker’ Pinker displays a bit of ‘muscular’ Christianity and opens fire with his Thompson.

Fire is exchanged from the ground with the second-floor balcony. Both Obersteuermann Hans Sammann and Stabsmaschinist Gustav Böhm are wounded.

In the bar, the weight of commandos piling through the back door has overwhelmed the Black Shorts. Mosley, Mitford and Spode are all killed. Sergeant Major ‘Shut-Up’ Williams is leading the charge. Even Bill Coleman has regained his feet, suffering from two wounds. Karamjeet Singh was also wounded in the exchange of fire.

Alf Tupper has raced ahead (as he would) and has entered the main door of the inn. Matt Braddock has managed to climb over the railings even though he is wounded. His radioman, Wackford Squeers is with him. CPO Pertwee is still pinned and Staines has caught him up after reloading.

Great drama is now being played out on the landing of the first floor. Prien has fired first and hit McSnapcase who is now wounded. Hector returns fire and Prien is down. Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien, Iron Cross First and Second Class, U-boat War Badge with Diamonds and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves has fallen in action.

Shughie McFee and ‘Tickle’ McScrotum are up the stairs in a flash. Stepping in front of their Laird, they both shoot at Oberleutnant Hans Bothmann who is guarding the second-floor landing. They both miss.

Meanwhile, Matrose Heinrich Heinz has come back out of hiding and is out for revenge.

‘Buster’ Edwards has made his way up the external stairs to the first-floor and will enter the Pilchard Inn behind McScrotum. Hector wants Edwards and his Bren gun to lead the final assault.

To be continued...