"Weird War Two" 28mm Battle Report: Dunkirk Evacuation

THE BRITISH BRAVELY TRY TO HOLD OFF A NAZI ZOMBIE INVASION AT DUNKIRK

This game was played using some homemade rules (M.I.S.S.) in order to allow us to play out a game utilising many of my painted "Secrets Of The Third Reich" 28mm miniatures by "West Wind Productions", and took place upon a 3' x 3' "Deep Cut Studio" Beach Playmat. The battlefield was populated with a variety of sandbagged positions produced by "Tablescape" from their dugout range.

The British started 'holed down' inside a series of trenches running the length of the tabletop's eastern half and consisted of two units of Commandos armed with carbine rifles (20pts), a unit of Commandos armed with Bren light machine-guns (10pts), a heavy machine-gun team (10pts) and a two-man sniper team (10pts). Whilst the German forces started the fight along the western edge of the table, and consisted of two units of Mech Grenadiers armed with 45 auto rifles (20pts), a unit of Mech Grenadiers armed with assault rifles (10pts), a unit of Mech Grenadiers armed with sub-machine guns (10pts), a two-man sniper team (10pts), and five zombie packs (50pts). In order to win the Germans had six turns in which to either eradicate all of the British, or have a unit still at full strength reach the English Channel.

THE TABLETOP - DUNKIRK BEACH

“The story so far… British Prime Minister Winston Churchill has authorised Operation Dynamo and initiated the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in northern France. Cut off from any reinforcements and surrounded by German troops, a small force of British infantrymen decide to make a final stand so as to give their colleagues as much time as possible to escape. However, the brave Tommies soon realise that they won't just be facing the Wehrmacht, but an undead enemy which is desperate to feed upon their brains...!"

THE BRITISH FRONT LINE AWAITS THE WALKING UNDEAD OF NAZI GERMANY

With a disconcerting groan of "Brainssss" the forces rushed east towards the British lines with their zombie packs leading the way. Stumbling forwards on their cumbersome legs, the flesh-chomping ghouls didn't worry about seeking any cover in the grassland and were completely exposed to the weaponry of their enemies. Behind them, the Axis infantry matched their pace, using the walking cadavers as a 'meat shield'.

Only the Nazi's Sniper Team held back, simply adjusting their position so as to have a better view of the Allies' Heavy Machine Gun Team. However, this availed them naught when it came to the Shooting Phase. Indeed, the German's firepower was sporadic and ineffective as their bullets sought to bypass the flailing zombies just in front of them in order to penetrate the sand-bags of the British positions. A lucky shot from the Second Wehrmacht did though manage to take down one of the British Heavy Machine Gun Team's operatives.

THE GERMAN ZOMBIE PACKS RACE TOWARDS THE BRITISH POSITIONS

In return, the British remained steadfast at their posts with the First Rifles, Sniper Team and Bren-carrying Commandos unsurprisingly focusing all of their firepower upon the oncoming zombie packs. All of the zeds in front of the Mech Grenadiers armed with Assault Rifles fell before this stinging attack, whilst another brain-hungry cadaver fell further north was brought down by a shot from the Second Rifles. Ominously, the British Heavy Machine Gun Team utterly tore up a second zombie pack, yet despite being riddled with holes the German Undead continued to rush forwards with loss...

The zombie pack's continued to rush east regardless of the casualties they had already taken, and would soon potentially be in charge range of their decidedly mortal prey. At their backs, the German infantry kept stride, lining themselves up into positions so as to wreck havoc across the entire length of the British lines once they opened fire. Both the German Assault Rifle section and those Grenadiers armed with submachine guns poured bullets into the British First Rifles, killing one of the brave Tommies. To the north, the British Heavy Machine Gun Team were similarly peppered by the Nazi Sniper Team and the Second Wehrmacht. The Allied crew was reduced to a single soldier, and he only survived thanks to his bullet-proof vest sparing him from a bullet.

AS THE GERMAN ZOMBIES CLOSE THE BRITISH SOLDIERS START TO GIVE GROUND

Realising that the Germans were about to overrun their first defensive position, all the British units apart from the Heavy Weapons Team began to fall back. This move invariably lead to an impotent firing display, with only the Second Rifles and the lone member of the heavy weapons team causing any casualties to a fast-approaching zombie pack.

Desperately outnumbered and on the back foot, the British continued to retreat behind the sandbags of their secondary line, with only their Heavy Machine Gun Team remaining in its initial position. Disappointingly, the Allied southern flank continued to fire poorly, causing the British to once again rely upon the Second Rifles to finally dispatch the last zed of a zombie pack. However, in a moment of heroic magnificence though, the British Heavy Machine Gun Team also managed to mow down an entire unit of flesh-craving cadavers too.

THE GERMAN FORCES REACH THE CLOSEST BRITISH TRENCHES

Despite the sudden appearance of three large holes in their Undead 'meat shield', the Germans continued to advance east, with their southern zombie packs finally reaching the Allied trench vacated by the British First Rifles. Behind them, the bulk of the Axis infantry marched on, with the Second Wehrmacht even cautiously approaching the noble British Heavy Machine Gun Team in the hope that their Sniper Team would take out the lone Tommy operating the lethal gun before they died before it themselves. With the Allied forces hunkered down behind their sandbags, the Germans had few targets except the somewhat exposed Commandos carrying Bren guns, and resultantly, two of these brave lads fell dead into the sand.

With a savage snarl the zombie pack closest to the surviving Commandos armed with Bren guns, launched themselves into a frenzied charge upon the infantrymen and tore them to pieces. To their south, the other zed horde closed in upon the British First Rifles' position, whilst to the north the Second Wehrmacht dispatched the Allied Heavy Machine Gun Team with some murderous bayonet work. The vast majority of the German forces were now stood in the first line of British trenches, and peppering the Allies' sandbags for all their worth. This formidable firepower slowly started to whittle away at the Allied numbers, as a Tommy from the Second Rifles fell to a Nazi Sniper's bullet.

THE BRITISH START TO FALL BENEATH THE TEETH AND BAYONETS OF THE THIRD REICH

The situation for Winston Churchill's men was getting increasingly desperate. However the firing from the First Rifles and their Sniper Team managed to reduce the zombie packs swirling about them. But disappointingly the British Second Rifles were unable to wound any soldiers from the Second Wehrmacht.

Gritting their teeth, the First Rifles gripped their carbine rifles tightly and bravely charged the Undead enemies before them in the south-east corner of the battlefield. Medals were clearly in order for all, as unbelievably the Tommies emerged from the brutal slaughter victorious, having wiped the gruesome cadavers out. Inspired by their colleagues' 'steel' the Second Rifles charged the Second Wehrmacht, and managed to topple one of the German soldiers.

NAZI ZOMBIES OVERRUN THE BRITISH TRENCHES WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE WEHRMACHT

In retaliation, the Axis response was game-winning, with the remaining zombie pack tearing through the British Sniper Team in seconds. Behind them the First Wehrmacht raced east to reach the coastline, but victory wasn't claimed until after the combined firepower of the German's assault unit, submachineguns and First Wehrmacht had completely eradicated the heroic First Rifles. Only the battered British Second Rifles survived, and wearily they were forced to surrender to the Second Wehrmacht.

Adolf Hitler's forces had won the day, and now only the English Channel stood between the Axis army and the green grasslands of the United Kingdom...