Tank Recovery Wargame

Hello There! I am always looking for the opportunity to play wargames that are different to the usual scenarios of lining up opposite each other and blasting away at each other. Although these games have their place and can provide a lot of entertainment, because after all wargamers like nothing better that to 'shoot' at targets and blow thins up it is nice to do something different for a change.

While watching the episode of the World at War about the desert war I saw the recollections of a Desert Rats veteran who recounted that the Germans always seemed to remain on the battlefield and have the opportunity to recover their knocked out vehicles so helping to maintain their tank and vehicle strength despite their poor or intermittent supply situation.

I mulled over this statement for a while and thought if I could make some sort of game out of this scenario. On searching the internet I found that not only did this happen but the British also tried to recover their vehicles and if not able to do so immediately they would take the co-ordinates of the wreck to return at a later date to recover it, depending on how useful it could be later. Even badly damaged vehicles could be taken back to base workshops to recover parts.

Also British troops also made a point of destroying German vehicles, usually with satchel charges to make the tank a total loss so unrecoverable to the enemy.

This work of maintenance and recovery was part of the LAD, (Light Aid Detachments), and RASC attached to brigade or divisional formations on the British side and of the German equivalent. Each made use of their own and the oppositions vehicles during the desert war which makes for an eclectic mix of vehicles and figures.

The rules used will be 'Rapid Fire' but played with very few troops so that casualties will be kept to a minimum and each side could be given game orders to recover certain vehicles or parts.

Also each side could be tasked with destroying other vehicles to deny them to the enemy or recovering enemy vehicles for their own use.

Some normal armed troops could escort the mechanics and even some limited visibility could be included in the game as this was often carried out at night.

The figures can be sourced from existing sources as SH have some mechanic figures and the ubiquitous Luftwaffe Ground Crew from Airfix can also be used.

The vehicles are also easy to source as the plastic model market provides some useful models as does some metal model supplies.

Off the top of my head their is:    Airfix Scammell Tank Transporter, British

                                                          SHQ Ruxtall Tank Transporter, British

                                                          SHQ Kublewagen Light Engineer car, German

                                                          SHQ Motorcycles and Sidecars, German

                                                          IBG Scammell Tank Transporter, British

                                                          IBG Scammell SV/2S Heavy breakdown, British

                                                 

Also some simple conversions can also be done to make some gantry vehicles for the LADs

So there are the targets for this project. Fortunately I have some of these items including a now long out of production Trux SV/2S breakdown vehicle. There is little detail on this model but with an IBG Scammell Heavy Breakdown as well I can make that then use it as a copy to make the Trux version.

Also I would like to add some posts which show the construction of some of these models, 'warts and all' as I will certainly make a few mistakes along the way and will include how I can rectify them as well. These posts will be continuously added to until completion so will be growing as the work is done.

Hope you like!