Today, we did a WW2 skirmish, we had to devise a scenario allowing Americans and British to fight together, as we, once again, had rather a lot of players to find commands for, and no more than a platoon of Brits or Yanks!
We therefore decided to do a scenario based on the reconquest of the 'Bulge' in early 1945, with a British platoon supported by an American infantry platoon. The British had a Sherman, and the Americans 2 M10 Tank destroyers.
The village would be the objective of the game, and included Lawrence's nice new Norman church!
4Ground make some nice buildings!-and telegraph poles!
The Germans (solo run) would defend the village and its vital crossroads.
Andy had a British section on the left.
Phil had a squad on a large hill. I had the command squad behind, with a Vickers gun in support.
Rod had a section alongside the road into town.
Ian, for a change, decided to run the Sherman, and only reluctantly accepted a few soldiers from my command group! .. I thought he would need them!
On the right of the road, I placed the American armor and their supporting infantry.
Phil began proceedings by detaching 2 scouts to check ahead.
The Americans too, sent a recce, all their infantry!
Rod, in the centre, cautiously pushed forward.
Suddenly, one of Phil's scouts crumpled, shredded by a mortar hit.
Rod's infantry too, took casualties from...
2 German heavy machine guns.
Lawrence's infantry on the right pushed through the wood without incident, and were approaching the road I had ordered them to take and hold. Surely this would be the main German line of defence....
...or perhaps not! (all the random counters were dummies!)
Having secured the area, the 2 TD's came forward.
The German HMG's were firing at the advancing British...
...Causing a few casualties...
...and a lot of suppression!
On the British left, Phil and Andy's infantry were pushing through the woods to outflank the German machine gun position.
The Germans were blissfully unaware of this move, and continued shooting at targets of opportunity.
Rod's infantry were pinned down, so I sent the 2" mortar team to smoke the Germans, and allow our advance to continue.
Rod's men were fighting back now, and a German gunner fell to a well aimed burst from a Bren gun.
I had ordered the Sherman forward to help against the Machine guns, as the 2" mortar repeatedly failed to create an effective smoke screen!
However, it was not needed, the massed British in the wood stormed the German position, despite losing a man to a sniper as they broke cover!
However, Andy's section halted as they began the attack, as they had spotted..
However, Andy's section halted as they began the attack, as they had spotted..
This!
On the German MG position, the smoke screen finally took hold, effectively screening most of Phil's men from shooting!- however, from the flank, a grenade took out one of the MG's.
All this attracted the attention of the StuG platoon, and 2 75's barked!
One of Andy's fire teams took the brunt of the fire...
He was lucky to only lose 2 dead and 1 wounded!
However, elsewhere, things were going well...
However, elsewhere, things were going well...
The British too resumed their advance, covered by the tank.
I advanced my PIAT team, having been informed of the presence of the StuG's.
These were surprisingly still in their original position.
They had, however, effectively stopped the British left.
They had, however, effectively stopped the British left.
Lawrence's Americans crossed the road, and immediately came under fire.
They returned fire and called in their armor.
Fortunately, the TD's had swapped some HVAP rounds for some HE with their M4 mounted comrades!
The German half section was soon outgunned.
The German half section was soon outgunned.
I had asked, meantime, for Ian to send a runner to get Lawrence to come and help against the German armour...he decided to take his tank!
The Americans had found more German infantry...
...and made short work of them!
...and made short work of them!
Back on the road, another German infantry group opened fire from a wood on Rod's men.
The British returned fire, fortunately, my Vickers and 2" mortar teams were close by to assist.
Rod sent his infantry to cover, leaving my Vickers to engage the Germans.
Their fire was most effective!
Back near the StuGs, I had advanced my PIAT to support Phil's men.
At long range, Mickey (the mouse) scored a hit!
As the ammunition started to explode, the StuG crew baled out.
Phil's infantry had thrown a 'gammon' bomb, which missed too, but the Germans decided to fall back to cover.
Back with the Yanks, the armour headed to outflank the StuGs.
My Vickers was still managing to engage the German infantry.
..though they were firing back now, and keeping the Vickers gun crews heads down. This reduced their fire!
Seeing my PIAT driving off the StuGs, Phil and Andy moved towards the town.
They found another group of Germans near the town, a Panzerjager group!
As Lawrence and Ian neared the town, the Sherman crew spotted movement in a ruined house...
The hit scattered a group of Panzerjagers!- these had been waiting till the allied armour were in effective range of their Panzerfausts.
The hit scattered a group of Panzerjagers!- these had been waiting till the allied armour were in effective range of their Panzerfausts.
The Panzerfaust men now began to filter forward and fired ineffectively at the advancing allied armour.
The allied infantry now had targets, and killed all the attacking Germans.
My Vickers, meanwhile, managed to kill another German, though these bravely held their ground!
The allied infantry now had targets, and killed all the attacking Germans.
My Vickers, meanwhile, managed to kill another German, though these bravely held their ground!
At this point, the Americans assaulted them from the rear!
The remaining StuGs passed their burning comrade, and began to attack.
My PIAT disabled the front vehicle with a hit on its tracks.
Meanwhile, Phil and Andy assaulted the Germans on the hill.
The battle was quickly over.
Meanwhile, Phil and Andy assaulted the Germans on the hill.
The battle was quickly over.
Another group of Germans now advanced on the attacking Americans
Although they managed to stop a TD with a track hit from a Panzerfaust, they were soon overwhelmed.
Phil advanced his infantry past the burnt and broken StuGs forcing the last StuG to retreat off table.
My PIAT helped persuade it too, though I only hit a tree!
At this point, the German position was untenable, though as night was falling, they would have been able to fall back safely...and probably recover their broken StuG!
The random choice and deployment we used meant that the Germans were short of a fair amount of infantry, a Pak 40, and a lot of sniper/mortar support, though we all felt we had fought a brave and tenacious enemy!
And good triumphs over evil again :-)...
ReplyDeleteGreat AAR and good looking game with figures, terrain and vehicles well done!