Today, we did something we haven't done for a while, WW2 skirmish!
Phil got command of a British platoon, and Lawrence and I got section commands.
Phil had a section with the command section, plus a PIAT team'.
Lawrence had a section, supported by a Royal Artillery 6pdr towed by a jeep.
I had a section, supported by a Sherman tank!
We randomised the Germans so we would not be sure how many - and what type of forces we would be facing.
Phil got command of a British platoon, and Lawrence and I got section commands.
Phil had a section with the command section, plus a PIAT team'.
Lawrence had a section, supported by a Royal Artillery 6pdr towed by a jeep.
I had a section, supported by a Sherman tank!
We randomised the Germans so we would not be sure how many - and what type of forces we would be facing.
Our forces before deployment.
The battlefield, our aim to take and hold the stone bridge.
Phil started, sending his riflemen into a field.
3 men were sent forward to check out the next field.
They saw nothing...
... so the rest of his men went forward, which left room for the command group to follow.
Phil's scouts went forward again to check out the next field.
...again, they saw nothing...
...Where were the Germans?
Suddenly a group of Germans opened fire from their left, Phil's men ducked into cover, luckily avoiding any loss.
His supporting line, so far unseen by the Germans, returned fire with their Bren gun.
A German fell dead!
The rest advanced, firing
They ran into a lot of British fire which halted them!
On the dirt road, my section appeared...
...and came up to support Phil's men.
Suddenly, in the German rear, Lawrence's men appeared.
The poor Germans were surrounded!
The survivors broke...
Only to be gunned down ruthlessly by Phil's hidden Bren team.
Phil's 'scouts' pushed forward. There was a crack as a German sniper killed one of them, before disappearing unseen.
My tank finally came on table!...
...A PaK 40 fired...
...but he was not firing at the tank. Lawrence's men had been spotted and shot at!
My tank fired at a German AFV further up the road, which had fired and missed the Sherman.
I missed too! --The Hetzer fell back to the bridge.
The Pak 40 was still shelling...
...Lawrence's riflemen.
The Hetzer decided to move in support of the PaK...
Lawrence's men were caught between 2 fires and hugged the hedgeline!
My Sherman reacted fast enough to shoot at the Hetzer as it raced across its front...
A hit! - The crew baled out as the Hetzers' ammunition began to 'cook off'.
The German crew decided to leave!
Lawrence managed to push his men forward to engage the gun crew, the Hetzer was no longer a threat to their flank.
Behind the PaK, a MG team was inching forward...
...the gun crew - assailed by rifles and grenades...
...abandoned their gun!
My infantry was supporting the tank, but the Bocage ahead erupted with fire! 2 of my men fell killed or seriously wounded!
My riflemen returned fire ineffectively.
Back on Lawrence's side, his advance came under mortar fire, he was lucky to avoid casualties - but his men were shaken!
Belatedly, Lawrence's 6pdr team set up covering the bridge.
On my wing, the Germans moved forward to engage my tank with Panzerfausts...
...but they were shot to pieces as the tank and its supporting infantry fired back.
With their loss, the British rolled across the bridge...
...the remaining Germans, over-faced, made their getaway.
So, we had won! - but at heavy cost! A full 25% of our men were dead and wounded. But victory is victory!
Excellent post!
ReplyDeleteGood AAR, figures and terrain well done!
Like the image of the Sherman crossing the bridge!
I love WW 2 skirmish games myself I just never play enough of them...
Thanks! I slept in and Lawrence had to set up the terrain! I, too love skirmish gaming, I love identifying with the people on the ground, and imagining what they can see or are thinking!
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