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Saturday 16 January 2016

Brits in Normandy!

Today, we did a WW2 skirmish game using a British platoon against a roughly same sized German force.
We randomised the enemy, who may have up to a reinforced platoon, MG teams extra, and/or a Hetzer.
We had diced for who would command our force, and I got stuck with it! I had a squad plus the command group, with an attached PIAT - Lawrence had the other 2 squads.
We decided our mission was to secure a dry crossing for our vehicles, across the stream.
We placed a mix of dummy and real markers in likely enemy positions, minus a few counters which could be dummies or real units, and got stuck in!

My squad came on the road, supported by the 2" mortar team.
I decided to filter through the wood and clear anyone there out to protect our flank. 
Lawrence sent a scout on first, to recce the open ground to the left of the stream. 
My lead fire team made first contact, as 2 80mm mortars shot at them. Fortunately, my men were only suppressed. 
 Lawrence brought on a section in dispersed order to support the scout.
 The scout spotted a group of Germans in some trees ahead. 
He tried a pot shot, the following section saw nothing! 
 The Germans, alerted, returned fire! 
 The scout hit the dirt and kept his head down as a hail of bullets chewed up the ground around him!
Lawrence's second squad now arrived, and filtered through a wood in the centre of our deployment area. 
My men, the mortaring having stopped, now advanced again. 
My following Bren team now spotted the Germans firing on Lawrence.
 These were now using an MG34!
 Lawrence's scout was in a bad position....
 ...a burst of MG fire killed him, just as the following section spotted the Germans! (better late than never!...)
The Germans were pinning the whole left wing down. 
 My Bren tried to help, and I brought my 2" mortar team forward.
 Lawrence's men now fired effectively...
...but my Bren and the 2" mortar firing in enfilade really spoiled their day!  
 The last surviving, unwounded German ran for his life!
My command group now came up. 
My first fire group pushed forward... 
...covered by the mortar team. 
 We spotted another group of Germans near the bridge.
They spotted me! and opened fire. 
The fire just forced my men to duck back into cover. 
 I brought my other rifle team up to help clear them.
 Lawrence, meanwhile, was filtering down the left.
My command group moved round the back to support him.
He filtered across the stream. 
 Back on the track, the Germans had wounded one of my men. 
 The following fire team would now have to attack in the open...
 ...the mortar and my Bren would support them.
The Bren had immediate effect. 
 The rifles advanced, firing.
The Germans were unable to reply effectively.
My men all halted to fire.
..but it was the Bren which accounted for a second German, the others fled.
Back with Lawrence, his lead section was suddenly hit by more mortar fire, killing 3 men...
 ...the survivor ran for his life! - my Lieutenant let him go!
 The rest of Lawrence's men advanced, cautiously. 
 On my side, my men were shot at from the flank by a group of Germans.  
...who advanced, firing.
My command group decided to let them fight, the main attack was to be made by Lawrence. 
We managed to suppress and halt them.

One of my men was hit and fell.
Then one of my riflemen was wounded too...
...Fortunately, my Bren and the other rifles managed to kill 2 of the Germans in return.
The Germans now fled....
....much to my relief!
 Lawrence was now approaching the bridge, our objective. 
 He now saw a worrying sight on the ridge overlooking the bridge...
An HMG! 
 It saw them too, and opened up a galling fire. 
Some of Lawrence's men were pinned down. 
 Some accurate rifle fire killed one of the gunners.
One of Lawrence's men was killed by a burst. 
The MG was still being harassed by return fire...  
 ...they decided to retreat 
 Lawrence's men now had a clear route to the bridge.
 My men had secured the right, and the track leading to the bridge.
 
We had won! - though having lost 7 men it was something of a Pyrrhic victory! 
 It was clear we were lucky that a full squad, a sniper, and the Hetzer decided not to turn up on the day!!!!

That was a tough game, but we had fun getting killed!!!


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