Yesterday (Saturday) - we did a WW2 skirmish using a Russian reinforced platoon --and a T-34 platoon--against an unknown German force, our mission was to reconnoitre a German position, and seize a Dacha at the far end of the table.
The Russians start edge
The open area in the table centre..Katyushas have been busy!
Beyond this, the Dacha, our objective.
I placed the inverted markers as usual:
(a) Command , armour and support units
(b) Anti-tank teams (IE Panzerjager teams)
(c) Infantry, and random events (EG Sniper shots, mortar strikes etc)
These were all placed in likely positions for their type, at least an equal number of dummy markers were mixed in each pile, so Iwould be able to play without knowing where things were. In other games, some random markers are discarded from each pile to further confuse me as to whats on table!
I deployed on the right, supporting some partisans.
The Partisans, under Ian, deployed in a wood next to my men.
Phil had his section riding atop 2 T-34s, Gareth was behind in 2 lend-lease carriers.
Lawrence, in command with a squad in support, deployed between us, behind a farm.
In our first move, a T-34 spotted a German squad and fired!
The Germans fired back and a panzerfaust knocked out our Ba 64.
The Partisans crossed the wood and spotted a German squad in another copse.
Back with the tanks, another panzerfaust damaged a T-34!
The crew of the Ba 64 left their vehicle as the ammo brewed up!
My men, supported by a small anti-tank team, moved through the woods to engage the Germans the partisans had spotted.
Back with the tanks..a few Germans advanced from cover to attack the Russians.
The Russians, panicked, returned ineffective small arms fire.
The cheeky germans even used the Russian armour as partial cover!
After a small brush with the enemy squad facing me, the partisans supported my squad as we engaged the Germans with rifles and grenades.
Some Germans fell, and were surpised when..
..Lawrences command group joined the firefight from the farm.
Back with the tanks, weight of numbers finally told!
On our side, our massed fire saw off the squad facing us too!
Unfortunately, a Stug 3 was attracted by the firing!
Ooops!
The Stug saw us and fired..
The hill took most of the hit, but my men were suppressed!
On the other flank, a panzerjager team took careful aim...
..but missed by a whisker!
The Russian tankers heaved a sigh of relief!..but from behind a hill...
BOOM! - a hetzer's 75mm gun roared.
..and blew a track clean off the T-34!
(an overview of the game at this point)
The hetzer's rooftop MG hit a tank rider too, the rest dove off into cover!
On my flank, in a 'David and Goliath' moment, a panzerfaust...sorry, RPG-1 armed Russian raced forward to engage the Stug at short range!..and hit a tree!
The Stug fired point blank at its tormentor and blew him off his feet - uninjured!
The brave Russian was saved by the fifth shot of the anti-tank rifle from my squad on the hill, which disabled the Stug, the crew abandoning it!
The T-34, crippled by the hetzer, was bypassed by the rest of the Russians.
The hetzer continued to pour shells into the wreck, its crew abandoned ship!
The tanks passed between two woods and engaged Germans holding the big hill.
Despite casualties, the Germans prepared to respond with panzerfausts.
Unfortunately, due to a late start, this was where the game had to end!...we all agreed the Russians would eventually win by numbers, but the Germans still held the dacha at game end!
The rules used can be downloaded from: Rules!
No comments:
Post a Comment