Internal CONflict Rheinland 2022

Finally - an update in the event category! Conflict Rheinland returns after a 3 years break with a private event, and 2019 was our last visit to the event in Langenfeld. Yet, the return is a bit special, as this is not a public event, as they had to cancel that format about a month ago and went for an invite only meet up of some of the hosts and clubs, that would just do a private get-together.

Torsten kindly invited me to join that round of wargamers and I happily accepted the invitation as it would be my first wargaming event in over a two years (my last wargaming road trip was January 2020 to Nottingham, visiting Warhammer World).

Various open tables and partipaction rounds were set up, for example these Battlegroup Market Garden or Necromunda tables.

Already prepared with two armies was this Field of Glory table, using 15mm miniatures, recreating a Landsknecht battle of the 15/16th century.

With a lot of water and a coastal settlement, this Blood & Plunder covered a scenario in 28mm.

And my first game of the day would be Action Stations, using the 1:300 scale Cruel Seas miniatures.

Gunnar from the Hamburg wargamers had multiple scenarios prepared and I was given a hosted single player mission:

Norway, 1944. The third reich occupies the Scandinavian country and used the coast line as part of the northern Atlantikwall. The Royal Navy has the task to deploy an agent with the local resistance. The fjords and coast line is fortified, in some cases with mines and other sectors simply by patrol boats. A Fairmile D MTB was sent out in the middle of the night to drop of the agent at the docks of small coast village and received a light signal from one of the resistance nests. It is a dangerous mission, as the light will attract patrols on land and the Fairmile doesn't have much support along the heavily guarded coast section.

We were using rules for limited vision during the night, along with flares and had a fog bank as a terrain piece. Decided to use the fog bank as cover and shot a flare to spot one of the blips on the radar. It was only a buoy, but behind the fog bank a Vorpostenboot revealled himself and I was introduced to their 8,8. Taking serious damage, reducing my hull points to a frightening 2, I managed to escape into the fog bank and out manuveur the slow and not very agile Vorposten boot.

I had to hurry, as the longer I took to make it to the docks, the more likely it would be that the light signal would be seen by someone else. The Fairmile managed to drop of the agent, but went a bit fast along the coastline, scratching the paint on some parts along the vessel but beyond that could head back home to Great Britain.

The only problem, a new blib was shown on the radar and so the quickest route out of the enemies territory would be in the blind spot of the Vorpostenboot, just staying out of their range of sight during night time (while not going too fast, as the engine will attract them more likely). I took the chance being behind the Vorpostenboot to send off two torpedos, one going just slightly in front of the bow and the other one not detonating (welcome to torpedo warfare).

And while I didn't manage to damage or destroy the enemy vessel, I decided to shoot two flares at them, that would further distract (along the barely missed torpedo spots). The blinding effect of the flares created enough diversion to open a time slot for me to escape. The King would be proud. Thanks a lot to Gunnar for hosting that entertaining scenario!

Torsten brought along his amazing Spectre Operations setup in 28mm. I wanted to try these multiple times over the last few years, but never managed to catch an open time slot and unfortunately I missed that opportunity again this time. But I'll be back. I really love how much attenation to detail he put into the scenery and different factions. Especially the conversions on the vehicles are simply amazing.

Gregor told me a couple times about Musket & Tomahawks by Studio Tomahawk (german translation with Stronghold Terrain), yet I probably have to at least watch the Last of the Mohikans beforehand to get some kind of connection to that period. Never the less, nice table.

And as Martin and Phil from the Tabletop Club Rhein Main showed up, my second game for the day was set. A round of  Silver Bayonets by Osprey Games, written by the talented Mr. McCullough.

As Martin / Zigor is a Hessian, through and through, he goes for the extra mile to write scenarios with a deep connection to the region. We had Frankfurt beer riots, we had captured bakers, and now we have a From Dusk till Dawn scenario embedded into the last victory of Napoleon near Hanau in 1813. As Silver Bayonets is a Napoleonic Gothic Horror, the night of All Saints Day (on which the battle of Hanau was fought, is perfect to set up the halloween horror).

We played a coop mission, with the Brother Grimm (who lift during that time and in that area) having to rescue the love interest of Wilhelm Grimm, Jenny von Droste zu Hülshoff, who is said to be abducted.

So we went on to the Chausseehaus, where according to rumours she was held. But it was unvealed, that a vampire would keep here there and the Chausseehaus was just a front for a brothel, called the "Twisted Teat". One more reason for the Brothers Grimm to save a damsel in distress.

Thanks again for hosting a great game! Looking forward to play more often.

It was great seeing a lot of people again, I haven't had the chance to meet in such a long time. And I'm looking forward to the next opportunity, which currently seems to be September 10th, when Rhein Main Multiversum returns for their 2022 installment.

Thanks to Torsten for hosting and having me overe. Thanks to everybody who set up a table at the (Internal) Conflict. Stay save and see you soon.