Fields of Fire

 Today, we returned to an old favourite, What a Tanker. We did two games, the first of which I recorded.

This game was set in France in 1944, Phil and I had M-18 Hellcats, and Lawrence an M4 Sherman

Against us (And run by my Solo System) were 2 StuG III's and a Panzer IV

The table today

Phil took our right flank.

I was in the centre...

...and Lawrence on our left.

The German right...

...Centre...

...and Left.

Lawrence began by moving forward along a hedgeline.

I moved down the road, trying to keep in cover, and failing miserably!

Phil used much better TD tactics, heading through fields, trying to outflank the enemy!

Opposite him, the Panzer IV moved forward too.

The 'Ambush patterned' StuG moved to the edge of a field.

The other StuG replicated Phil's move and went rapidly down the flank.

He went very fast, putting him...

...in a great position to shoot me!

I had acquired the spotty StuG and fired, but ...

...only caused the StuG to retreat a little!

Lawrence had seen the Panzer facing Phil and fired...

...A good hit, damaging his running gear!

Phil was still pushing his flank.

But where were the Germans?

The Spotty StuG returned to the hedge and fired...

My Poor TD was hit...would the crew get out?

...Nope!

Phil moved through a wood.

Lawrence was trading shots with the Panzer.

The damaged Panzer burst into flame, but it wasn't the Sherman!

A kill for the M-18!

The Sherman moved forward, looking for StuGs.

Having destroyed the Panzer IV with a flank shot, Phil now engaged a StuG!

...Another clean Kill for the Hellcat!

The Hellcat went to the edge of the wood.

Lawrence's Sherman was able to keep the spotty StuG occupied...having lost its companions it tried to get off table...very slowly!

Lawrence, using a large rock as cover, moved forward towards the retreating StuG.

Phil moved round the flank again...

The StuG, with only 2 Action Dice, was still not off table.

Phil got his third kill of the day!

So another Allied victory! - a shame I was killed, but hey ho!

In our second game we had three T-34s against a Jagdpanzer IV, and although we couldn't damage it, our mass of shells eventually made the crew bale!

Orcses, farsands of 'em!

 Today, we had a second game of Dragon Rampant at the club, and had a curious game to be sure!

I was given command of Lawrence's nicely painted Dwarves, while he used some newly acquired Elves.

Phil opposed us with an Orc/Goblin force, partly his, partly Lawrences. I provided the terrain, with a little of Lawrence's too!

The Terrain for today!

The scenario was a crystal grab, the side which collected the most would win.

My Dwarves, mostly Heavy armoured, but no missiles.

Lawrence had a mostly light Elven force.

Opposite me, some Wolves, Goblin archers and Elite Beastmen.

The Orcs held their centre...

...and on their left, more Orcs, Goblin archers and Giants!

The Elves sent their horse forward while the infantry line sidestepped to fill the gap in the Elven line.

My Dwarves moved forward as fast as their little legs would allow!

The Wolves raced forward to seize crystals on my side of the table.

The Orc left was slower, their scouts and Giants stood around picking their _ _ _ _'s !

 

The Orc centre advanced in line.

Unfortunately, my Axemen halted for no good reason, forcing my Spearmen to divert around them!

The Elves began a general advance to sweep up the Crystals ahead.

The Wolves continued making good progress across the table.

The Orc centre moved to take a Crystal on a rocky outcropping.

STILL, the Giants refused to move.

I split my Dwarves either side of the wood, to try and outflank the Orcs, My Lord (Khazad Albus) collected my first Crystal.

The Elves too were also moving forward piecemeal.

Lawrence sent some mounted rangers to try and seize the Crystal in the rocks...

...They took a casualty and fled the field! (You rogues, do you want to live for ever? ---We do!)

The Orcs took the Crystal!

The Wolves were almost at the Crystal by the wood!...

...Supported by the Elites!...but the wolves stopped to lick their paws!

My trudging Dwarves took the crystal!

The Spearmen were still slowly going round the wood.

The Orcs in the centre halted - waiting for their Giants I suppose.

The Wolves charged my Lord, but for a light wound, he slew 3 of the 6 Wolves!

The Wolves retreated, licking their wounds, and were charged by my Huscarls and wiped out!

At that point, all the crystals had been collected, and the Elves had won! - what a tame scenario! 

- so we decided to fight it out!

The Giants finally got moving!

Opposite me, the Goblin skirmishers moved toward the centre.

The Goblin scouts moved through the woods and shot ineffectively against the Elves.

The Orc centre advanced on the Elvish archers.

...they took some losses but kept on coming!

I moved the Spearmen through the wood to support my Axemen. We were safe in the wood from all that Orcish bowfire.

My Elite troops were moving to engage the Goblins guarding the edge of my wood.

The Elite Beastmen advanced on an Elvish Spear block.

The Elvish right decided to await the Orcish attack.

Goblin Archers and Giants moved to the attack.

Going through the wood was too slow, my Spears moved to the back of the wood.

The Elf Spearmen surprise the Beasty boys by throwing javelins! - sadly they did nothing!

The Elvish bowfire drove one Orc unit back in disarray...

...but both Archers and Spears on Lawrence's left were driven back by fresh units.

The Elvish right was beginning to feel the pressure...

...but the Goblin Archers were beaten by the Elven spears and routed, easing the pressure a little.

My Axemen charged from the wood and drove back the Beastmen!

My Spearmen were now free of the wood and moving to support my Axemen.

My Huscarls advanced to drive off the Goblin Skirmishers.

Things suddenly got worse as the Goblin Archers shot down several of the Elvish Spears, already weakened by the Beastmen.

They Fled!- Infamy!

The Fresh Orcish infantry simultaneously broke one of the Elvish archer units.

The BFG (Big Fiendish Giant) smacked into the right wing Spearmen.

Things were looking bad as our centre had collapsed!

My Dwarves, in good condition, were simply too slow to recover the situation.

The Giants smashed the Spearmen, who fell back battered.

At this point, it was obvious we had lost, so we conceded.

Well done Orcs, and bad luck to the poor Elves!