Friday, August 10, 2018

Dunn-Kempf

Last week Dave and I got together and hatched a scheme that we might just be able to pull off.  We were looking for a modern rules set to host a WWIII game at a future convention.  We tried a few engagements out with a handful of BMP-1s, T-72s fighting against another handful of BMPs and T-72s. 

We ran through 3rd Generation Warfare, Battlegroup: REFORGER, Team Yankee, and a few others.  While all of them were fine in their own right, none of them were really unique.  Our big question to answer? What might be a worthy experience to bring to a wargaming convention?  Enter Dunn-Kempf. 


How about the US Army's tried and true training "game" that saw innumerable spin-off games born from its simple principles of fire and movement?  "If you can be seen, you can be hit.  If you can be hit, you can be killed."  Dunn Kempf was itself born from the old WRG "modern" rules but was simplified so Soldiers could easily grasp the lessons it taught - mainly to move out of sight of the enemy, to utilize cover, concealment, shrewd fire planning, reconnaissance, and ATGMs to "win the first battle of the next war."  While none of the mechanisms in DK are unique to a grognard, playing the game using the percentage to-hit and percentage to-kill will be a worthwhile experience and show the Soviets as a thinking and very dangerous foe with no shortage of artillery batteries to plaster German hillsides.

You can read more about Dunn Kempf here.  Suffice to say, Dave and I are going to host a DK battle at a future HMGS convention, but with a little twist.  The forces will be West German fighting Soviets!  (I'll explain that in a later post).  You can download a free QRS for Dunn Kempf that has most of the rules in it here. [you will have to log in to board game geek with an account but it's well worth your time!]

Dave will be working up the Bundeswehr troops.  I'll be working up the Soviet troops, and here is a little teaser:
The whole Soviet force - 31 x T-62s painted in PSC "Russian Armor Green" along with an Anti Tank platoon, Recce platoon, forward observer, and communications vehicle.

unfinished T-62s.  Still need to apply an ink wash and dry brush these beasties.
 I'll be working on the ground-cover and flocking on my Soviet bases and after the vehicles are done, I'll start on the infantry next.

turrets glued down, hulls glued to the bases.
 These are on small FOW MDF bases and I'll also be using these for "Fate of a Nation" and "Team Yankee" as well.


ZSU-57-2 AAA

Anti Tank and Reconnaissance platoons

Command vehicle or Forward Observer
Okay while these are drying, I'll be flocking British and Spaniards for Talavera.  Hopefully some outstanding Napoleonic action coming soon. 


21 comments:

  1. OOORAW! Played that allot back in the day (about 1979 in the BN conference room) Loads of fun loved it ! Best of luck with this project!

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    1. Thanks Don! Stay tuned - more "old Army" goodness coming up soon!

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  2. I echo the OOORAAA!
    I've seen these and always wanted to have a go. Closest I came was reading through the Candaian inspired 'Contact' (which I think is similar). There's a also a British set from the 50/60s. I'm not sure if all of the officers involved, collaborated whilst in Europe, but really looking forward to these games.

    (It would be inspiring to think that these guys played games during ReForGer exercises, when everyone else was involved with 'hurry up and wait :) .

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    1. Cheers Darren. Rather than offer DK as something unique in terms of its mechanisms.
      , i thought it would be appropriately nostaligc for all involved and want players to think exactly that what you mentioned - that in the not so distant past, officers and NCOs were using DK to train for war.

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  3. Darren / Don,
    We have a ways ahead before the game is run, but we I think it is fair to say that Steve and I definitely have the energy to make it a bit of good fun for the players come Con time! Both the admin and logistics portions of hosting the game are progressing at a good clip.

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    1. Truth! Lots of stuff to do getting ready. I plan on releasing a bunch of blog posts on that very topic, including calculating the To Hit To Kill values, OOBs, map, terrain, and scenario, as well as all the vehicle preparations.

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  4. Wow, that takes me back. I regret the loss of those old training aids with the advent of Janis and the follow on digital tools. One of my favorite memories of the old Fort Knox was that they used to sell GHQ
    Minis at clothing sales. Those were long gone when I got a chance to go back in 2009.

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    1. Glad you were able to reminisce about the good old days! For this project, we are going to use the JANIS data to help derive the West German forces using the JANIS to hit to kill information but converting to DK values (11 to 66). Im going to do a whole blog post about it!

      A long time ago, a unit i was in used the GHQ micro armor to rehearse tank table VIII prior to our field exercises or ranges. The TC would move the tank down range and the whole crew was there to rehearse their actions. That was 1998. Good stuff!!

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  5. Did this project ever result in some AARs?

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    1. Hey Mitch,
      Sadly, no, it did not. We wanted to play DK and had enough forces ready to do so, but I think we ended up playing modern Battlegroup instead (not BG NORTHAG) I'd love to resurrect this project as the forces are completely done and ready to play.

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  6. I'm dusting off my set of Dunn-Kempf boards and taking them to the Fall In 2022 convention coming up in Lancaster PA the first weekend of Nov - gonna run some games with the original minis (repainted) and terrain and such.

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    1. Awesome i will definitely sign up for one of those games!

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    2. I ran my Dunn Kempf game this past weekend at Advance the Colors - practice for the upcoming Fall In events - willing to post pics but don't know how to here

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    3. I don't think you can post pics in the comments section of blogger.

      If you'd like to put a battle report together I'd post it here for you, or if you have one posted somewhere already, you can paste the link in the comments.

      Funny you commented because I was actually working on DK stats the last few days.

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    4. I'll work on a battle report - stay tuned - will try to take more pictures when I run it again at Fall In coming up in Nov

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    5. Thanks Dave. If you out one together I'll post it here on your behalf. My email is Steven dot Whitesell at gmail.

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    6. Also I'd really like to play at your Fall In game

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  7. Excellent - the game is in the PEL - F16:152: Dunn Kempf - US Army Micro Armor Game System Friday, 4:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Lincoln Theater: LT-6 - AND AGAIN - S12:209: Dunn Kempf - US Army Micro Armor Game System Saturday, 12:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Lincoln Theater: LT-6 - I WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU - Description: Germany 1977 can A Co 1/16th Inf (Iron Rangers) keep T-62s
    of the 5th Guards Tank Division from taking Hunfeld? A bit of Nostalgia for
    us old warriors. The US Army's Dunn-Kempf played Rules as Written with
    original minis, terrain and materials - 6 players defend against the OPFOR
    controllers

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    1. Awesome thank you! I need to register!

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    2. Steve - Did I miss you at Fall In? - ran the Dunn-Kempf game twice with great success (the Soviet Opfor players may disagree)

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    3. Yep I had a family event come up and couldn't make it. I had registered and everything. Sorry I missed this game.

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