MEGA Game Log

Game List - January to June, 2004

Jan 3 - Attack on a Convoy Apr 3 - No Game
Jan 10 - No Game Apr 10 - Bull's Run
Jan 17 - No Game Apr 17 - The Normandy - June 1944
Jan 24 - Eastern Solomons Campaign Apr 24 - East Front 1945
Jan 31 - No Game May 1 - WiF All day
Feb 7- Battle of Three Crossings May 8 - East Front 1945 Cont.
Feb 14 - No Game May 15 - Over Southern England 1940
Feb 21 - Battle of Three Crossings Continued May 22 - Battle of St. Louis
Feb 28 - No game May 29 - Holiday Weekend - No Game
Mar 6 - IRA Ambush Jun 5 - DiCon
Mar 13 - Barracks Battles Jun 12 -
Mar 20 - No Game Jun 19 - LAST HURRAH!!
Mar 27 - Eastern Front - Rear Guard Jun 26 -

  1. January 3, 2004 - Attack on a Convoy
    A British convoy is attacked by German dive bombers and     Italian torpedo bombers with an escort of two BF109-E. Defending the convoy four Fairy Fulmar fighters off the CVE HMS Avenger. The German and Italians came in and attacked the Avenger and a heavy cruiser. The carrier took one bomber and light damage while the CA was undamaged by the attack.

    • British
      • Neil VanAsch

      • Axis
        • Terry Callahan
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    • January 10, 2004 - No Game
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    • January 17, 2004 - No game
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    • January 24, 2004 - Eastern Solomons Campaign

      The Battle of the Eastern Solomon's was the third great carrier battle of the Pacific during World War Two. We played a condensed version of the battle tonight. Each side had two task forces a carrier task force and a surface action task force. They were given identical victory conditions, seek out and destroy the other side. Using the Coral Sea strategic maps both sides began air and surface searches at 0500.

      The Japanese players discovered the US carrier TF right away but were out of range of their carrier planes. On the 0700 turn they lost the US carrier and spent the next several turns searching and only finding dolphin wakes instead. The US player was unsuccessful from the beginning of the game searching for the Japanese. The Japanese had turned both of their task forces west rather than south and moved towards Rabaul and turned south at the western end of the Solomon Islands. Here the Japanese fleets passed through the passage and into the Solomon Islands. The US, frustrated by the lack of contacts in searches eastward searched on the west end of the Solomon's and located the Japanese right away. Their aircraft were out of range so the US player turned both TF west to close the distance to the Japanese task forces. The Japanese in turn were now looking in the wrong zones or getting over cast reports. As the US closed they lost and found the Japanese again, this time both Japanese fleets were in the same zone. The sky over the carrier TF was over cast while the skies over the surface action force was clear. The US was told of the contact and they launched an attack on the Japanese. The Japanese meantime located the US carrier and they too launched an attack on the US carrier.

      Since both sides were the same distance apart the players rolled off and the US player elected to have the Japanese players receive.

      The US attacked with 8 TBF's at Low 1 and 12 SBD's at High 6. There were two F4F4 escorts with each flight and a hunter-killer group at High 6 with the SBD's. The Japanese did not place their Cap at a good altitude to intercept either of the enemy squadrons, so the US planes were very close to the Japanese fleet before the Cap intercepted them. The Japanese fearing the US torpedo planes more attacking the TBF's and leaving the SDB's alone. They didn't learn their lesson at Midway.

      The Japanese Fleet consisted of the CVL Ryujo and four heavy cruisers. The US players centered their attack on the Ryujo and the first to strike were the TBF's. The attack was straight at the bow and three TBF's got within range to launch the torps. In each case, the torps did not go far enough to reach the target. Either AA or CAP shot down four of the TBF's. One of the TBFs turned to starboard and targeted a heavy cruiser. This last torpedo missed its target.

      The SBD's flying with out interference from the Japanese Cap began their dive at the hapless light carrier. A fortunate turn by the carrier disturbed the straight in dive by the bombers. Of the twelve planes going in fours were shot down by AA four had to abort because they began their dive too early and would've crashed into the sea considerably short of the carrier. Of the remain four, one plane aborted because of AA fire and three dropped their bombs. All three bombs missed the target.

      It was late and an ice storm was predicted to begin after midnight so the Japanese did not get to complete their attack on the US carrier.

      Victory: Japanese, Moderator: Terry Callahan

      • Japanese
        • Rich Wright
        • Mike Banasik
        • Bob Gallavan

        • American
          • Joe Shaffer
          • John Nozka
          • Don Cox
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      • January 31, 2004 - No Game
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      • February 7, 2004 - Battle of Three Crossings
        We played an ACW scenario of a small Union command holding a river crossing against a larger Confederate force. we used a new tool I made up to randomly determine what a force will be. We ended up with five US brigades holding out against ten Rebel brigades. The player set up a defense across the three crossings, two bridges and a ford. He also had to protect the right flank in a hilly area. The Confederate players decided to concentrate on one bridge with 5 brigades while using the remaining brigades to hold the Union defenders in their positions.

        The Confederates placed their artillery behind several buildings which protected them from counter battery fire while supporting the main attack on the Union position. The artillery fire was especially hard to defend against as it became flanking fire on the Union position when the first US regiment had to pull back or be destroyed. Continued fire reduced the defenders position enabling the Confederate Commander to move up the road against the bridge. At one point to support the main attack two CSA cavalry regiments charged in column across the secondary bridge against the Union. Two artillery batteries did have to temporarily retreat as two infantry regiments routed the cavalry men back across the bridge. The game halted at this point for a two week break and resumed again on Feb. 21st.
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      • February 14, 2004 - No Game
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      • February 21, 2004 Battle of Three Crossings (cont.) -
        Tonight we saw the Confederate main attack on the Union defensive position. Confederate Regiments supported by their flanking artillery fire charged across the bridge and         established a bridgehead on the Union Side. Two Union cavalry regiments being held in reserve were dispatched to shore up the Union position. The Union cavalrymen dismounted and held a secondary position until other infantry brigades could be moved into position. The Union commander quickly transferred two elite brigades that had been supporting the flanks to the center. These two brigades pushed back against the Rebel bridgehead and threw the Confederates back across the river. Several CS regiments routed back up the road disrupting the Rebel column moving up in support of the bridge head. The Confederate artillery batteries that had been so effective earlier in the battle had expended so much of their ammunition that they were unable to continue. (In other words the Confederate players rolled snake eyes three different times for the artillery). The Union player had his dice rolling woes too, he rolled box cars three times killing three brigade commanders all at crucial points of the battle.

        In the end the Confederate commanders pulled back and awaited reinforcements to take the Union position. The Union holding off the assault won the game but with alot of casualties.

        • Confederate
          • Joe Shaffer (main assault)
          • Pat McGarrity CSA right flank week one)
          • Keith Welch (Replaced Pat McGarrity the second week)

          • Union
            • Terry Callahan
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        • February 28, 2004 - No Game
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        • March 6, 2004 - IRA Ambush on Black and Tans

          This game was a practice game for Barracks Battles. I remember it more for Bob Gallavan's accent and comments during the game that had us all in stitches. The best was "No, I didn't bring the Dynamite. I had to choose between the dynamite and the whiskey and I brought the whiskey" (In Irish brogue)

          Players: Joe Shaffer, Terry Callahan, Bob Gallavan, Pat McGarrity, and a few others I can't recall right now.

          Victor: Somebody won but I can't remember who.
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        • March 13, 2004 - Barrack's Battles

          At Barracks Battles I hosted two games and played two others.

          Games Hosted

          On Friday Night
          Hornets Nest
          Last stand by the Union 6th Division and others at the Hornet's Nest during the Battle of Shiloh.
          Rules - Johnny Reb (modified)

          Saturday Afternoon
          Battle off Samar
          The Sho Plan was Japan's last stand effort to destroy the USN by an attack on the Leyte Gulf Landing Force. Three naval forces were to converge on the Philippine, one was a decoy and the other two sent to destroy the American Navy. An order for the US Navy's Third Fleet was written to form Task Force 34, the 3rd Fleet's battleline. It was to be sent to guard the San Bernardino Strait and the Leyte landing force, but the order was never executed. When it became known that the Japanese had attacked through the San Bernardino Strait TF34.5 was formed out of TF34 and made a high speed run to intercept the Japanese Center Force. This game simulates the what-if, what would happen if TF 34.5 had been sent to Leyte Gulf and the battle that would've ensued when the Japanese Center Force ran into TF 34.5 while attacking the Taffy's

          This game included surface action and aircraft attacks on surface ships.
          Rules - Ship Base III

          The Battle off Samar           After Action Report by Joe Shaffer and moderator's comments

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        • March 20, 2004 - No Game
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        • March 27, 2004 - East Front Rear Guard

          German rear guard action on the Eastern Front. The Germans got wiped by the Russians in this game, they never had a chance as the Russian players used their tank regiment very effectively against any all German defenders. The Germans tried to set up a defense in depth which was not enough to hold against the three pronged attack by the Russians. It was down hill from the beginning.

          Russian Victory Moderator Joe Shaffer.

          Moderator's note: This was the first time the Russians had won this scenario in three tries. The two earlier games were all German victories.

          • Russian
            • Neil Van Asch
            • Zac Votrain
            • Kelly Richie

            • German
              • Terry Callahan
              • Pat McGarrity
              • Ray Gluck
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          • April 3, 2004 - No Game
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          • April 10, 2004 - Bull's Run reprised

            Joe Shaffer will be writing the After Action Report for this action.
            See his AAR for the             Battle off Samar from Barracks Battles for more insight on why we replayed the scenario.

            • Japanese
              • Joe Shaffer
              • Bob Delwood

              • US Navy
                • Terry Callahan
                • Pat McGarrity
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            • April 17, 2004 - Normandy June 1944

              Our game this week was at Pat McGarrity's. He had set up a scenario for Normandy 1944. An American task force was given the assignment to occupy a chateau in Normandy. The forces were a mixed bag of Germans including a Skfz251/9 HQ unit, two Lufftwaffe and two Waffen SS infantry squads, one 88mm ATG and a PZVg. A late reinforcement was a 37mm AA gun for the Germans. The Americans had five squads of infantry, a FAO with a half-track and FAC in an armored car and a platoon of M4 Shermans.

              I arrived late and was given the command of the HQ unit and the PZVg. The Americans were pushing hard on the flanks, splitting their forces to each side. The main force of attack was on the German right flank through some hedgerows and woods. Three M4's, three infantry squads and the FAO's moved against the flank destroying one German squad that had moved out of the Chateau's walled compound. On the left, flank a Flak 88 with one round of ammo left hit some infantry that had pushed through a hedgerow. The PZvg seeing that the M4's were going to flank it position moved back behind a row of houses and eventually up and into the compound setting up and ambush at a cross roads on the left flank. Patience was rewarded with a hit on M4, taking out the American tank, one down 4 to go. The other M4 on the left moved out of sight around a large building. The Pak88's crew close assaulted it. The close assault was unsuccessful. An American squad shot up the crew wiping them out.

              Meanwhile in the center, a Waffen SS squad had taken up positions next to the HQ track alone the front and right front walls. A sniper taking up position in an out building hit several enemy as they were attempting to cross open ground in front of the Chateau. The Americans moving up to assault the right flank wall was hits hard by a German heavy MG even as artillery rained down on the Chateau compound.

              The American FAA moved it half-track into a position that was visible to the German Skfz251/9 which after 4 shots took out the American M3 track. This ended the artillery barrage falling on the German position.

              The Panther moved to the right to support the 37mm AA, but this was a grave mistake. Although it assisted in repelling an American close assault on the AA, it became exposed to the three M4 tanks in the woods.

              As the M4's moved, up the PZvg hit one M4 causing catastrophic damage and killing a BAR man standing too close to the tank. The second tank was able to get a shot off damaging the Panther's gun. Without a main gun, the PZvg immediately began to pull back. An attempt was made set up an ambush using the 37mm of the Skfz251/9 and a couple of panzerfausts but the game ended at this point.

              Moderator: Pat McGarrity

              • American
                • Alex Gluck
                • Adam Jones
                • Ray Gluck

                • German
                  • Joe Shaffer
                  • Terry Callahan
                  • Bob Gallavan
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              • April 24, 2004 - East Front 1945
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              • May 1, 2004 - WiF All Day
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              • May 8, 2004 - East Front 1945 cont.
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              • May 15, 2004 - Over Southern England 1940


                Southern England 1941

                We played a Battle of Britain scenario tonight. An attack by nine HE 111h escorted by three BF109e's and one BF110C. British defenders consisted of three Spitfire II's and three Hurricane II's. Today's target for the Germans was a railroad-marshaling yard in southern England.

                The British had inexperienced pilots in their planes but they had some good schooling as would be borne out in the after action reports.

                They British pilots came in on the left side of the German formation. This side had only the BF110 as escort; the BF109's were on the other side of the Henkles. The British fighters all combined on the German escort and shot him down. While the German plane was overwhelmed, he did get a couple shot in on the enemy fighters damaging two planes. With the German escort temporarily out of the way the Spitfires and Hurricanes dove in and began to shoot up the trailing flight of three HE111's. The British pilots concentrated on one plane at a time shooting each one down.

                The German escorts flew over the bomber formation and attacked the Englanders who were getting unopposed hits on the bombers. An exchange of fighters and a couple lucky shots by the defenders whittled down the British fighters. The British pilots although they were being harassed by the BF109's never lost sight of their objective of shooting down bombers. A running gun battle ensued between the bombers, its escort, and the British on the approach to the target.

                The last British attacker was shot down as the bomber adjusted their target approach. By this time the flight had lost four of the nine bombers and had one other well shot up. To destroy the target the German's needed forty-eight points of damage on the target. The first three bombers dropped their load on target. The fourth bomber missed it target while the fifth hit the rail yard with its bombs. The rail yard while damaged was still repairable and back in use the next day. Victory: British, no moderator

                • British
                  • Robert Delwood

                  • German
                    • Terry Callahan
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                • May 22, 2004 - Battle of St. Louis


                  • Union
                    • Andy Gallavan
                    • Joe Shaffer

                    • Confederate
                      • Terry Callahan
                      • Bob Gallavan
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                  • May 29, 2004 - Holiday Weekend - No Game
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                  • June 5, 2004 - DiCon
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                  • June 12, 2004 -
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                  • June 19, 2004 - LAST HURRAH!!

                    Today will be the last Saturday for MEGA at the Shiloh Address. I will be moving to Omaha, NE this coming week. We have planned an all day game session starting early in the morning and going on until we don't have the strength to roll dice anymore. Many of the regulars will be putting on games during the day and on into the evening. At the end we will take down the table to get it ready for moving.
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                  • June 26, 2004 -
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