NUTS the second time I played

Last night we got together to play a game of NUTS from Two Hour Wargames. Howard and I had played them years ago but only once or twice. Nate and Matt had tried them of few weeks back but I was unable to be at those games. The rules have had gone through some revisions since I had played last and it seems for the better.  I don't own the rules but Nate had a set and both he and Matt pick these things up much quicker than I do so just as well. We chose a scenario involving Russians attacking a German position and attempting to cross the bridge. Matt provided most of the miniatures and scenery I brought a themed beer.

T-34s protect the Baltika #5 from the Huns.

So the scenario had the Germans defending the bridge with a Pak 40 and one squad of Infantry. Other forces would arrive based on some rule I didn't quite follow but worked pretty well. The Russians had two tanks, one halftrack, a squad of scouts, two squads of infantry, and a commissar with a heavy machine gun. Their objectives were to capture the command bunker and exit one tank off the bridge. Here's the link to the scenario. sbminisguy, nuts-stalingrad-filippov-at-the-bridge.

The Russians moved first. I raced my tank up the road hoping to reach cover before Nate could fire at me. I didn't make it. Luckily the tank was only immobilized but could still fire. 

Crossing open ground in front of a pak40 is never a good idea.

The tank offered no protection for the riders.

Howard worked the scouts and halftrack up the right flank and came under fire from a German squad on his left which forced him to duck back. I managed to knock out Nate's pak40 but was forced to duck back from the same squad hitting Howard troops. 

German HMG holding up the Russian assault.

The Russians are forced to duck back.

Nate rolled for one of the hidden units (there was a term for this but don't remember it.) It appeared in a house in front of Matt's group. He close assaulted the house with grenades and sub machine guns remove the threat. Matt then moved up his tank and took out the troops causing the Russians so much grief.

Scouts and tank begin there advance.

Surprised by a German squad the Russians go in for a close assault.

With the infantry ducked back the T-34 heads for the bridge.

I laid down covering fire as Matt's squad went in for the attack on the bunker.

Two Russian squads prepare for the assault on the bunker.

For the rest of the AAR you'll need to visit Matt's blog saltflats1929again.

So how did the game go. Very well. We came to a conclusion in under two hours even with some reference to the rules. Years back when we played I seem to remember activating each figure and going into what was a mini turn as the the figures reacted back and forth to each other, this game seemed much more stream lined.  Having not read the rules and nor really using a crib sheet it didn't take long to figure out what was needed to activate and fire. I'm looking forward to playing a few more games of this.