HQ + shrek
2x PGs
3x pak 40s
3x hummels
7x armoured PGs
Final selection: Chris took sporadic stukas, I took 3x armoured cars (and less panzerfausts).
Game 1: My US paras attacked.
I tried to use the tank rider rules of the infantry but failed and lost 3 teams, including the commander which left the grenadiers stuck. A couple of fireflies fell the the hummels. My two infantry platoons advanced supported by the 57mm at guns but in the end the panzer grenadiers wore them own. i got one platoon below half strength but then the ambushing armoured pioneers appeared (turn 5 ish) and ripped through my force.
6-1 to Poochie.
The guards infantry are riding on the Shermans.
The paras reach cover.
We capture an objective.
One platoon has just been massacred by the armoured pioneers, the other tries to take on the panzer grenadiers but is beaten back in defensive fire.
The PGs counter attack.
Game 2
We reloaded and this time Poochie's US rifles (3rd Infantry- CV) attacked and the result was similar. Poochie decided to leave his company commander wth his 2 artillery batteries and this was to prove disastrous. As he advanced I ambushed (turn 2) with the pioneers (why waste eh half tracks), killing 6 teams and pinning a platoon. 2 of my teams died n defensive fire and 2 US teams fell and the platoon retreated and broke. The other platoon failed to unpin (it had ben hit by my MG teams) but managed to kill 2x armorued pioneers and break the platoon- there goes my fun half tracks. However the rest of my force concentrated on his remaining platoon and it too was destroyed. The m10s had fallen to my hummels and so Pooch was left with nothing on my side.
The massed US artillery finally knocked out the last hummel to break the platoon on turn 5 and so grab a 2nd VP for a 4-3 to me.
Thoughts & lessons learned
What can I say, ambushing armoured pioneers are nasty!
We both made mistakes and learned some valuable lessons- for me it was to support my paras with the tanks and concentrate my forces (a lesson I seem to regularly relearn!) and for Poochie it was to use the company commander to motivate your combat platoons, not your artillery!
Finally, we both really liked the Germans list! Armoured pioneers are one of my favourite units and this force makes them very viable!
A few pictures
The US rifle company prepares to attack.
Hummels range in on M10s- the next round Poochie doesn't move and two more are knocked out.
The Americans are making progress. Time to Ambush!
They were fun while they last4ed- which wasn't very long. Artillery + small arms fire forced the survivors to retreat.
The last few survivors are slowly whittled down.
Hill 213
After we'd finished we ran the Hill 213 scenario from Monty's Meatgrinder. a Squadron of bailed Cromwells ambushed by Witmans platoon. The cromwell;s fdfomr the City of London Yeaomanry (reluctant vets) have to remount and then deeast the tigers- not an easy task.
The game was fought on a 4x4ft bocage table.
In game 1 I knocked out 9 cromwell's and fireflies in 3 turns (all my tanks had re-roll misses) to win the game.
Game 2: It took Chris about 5-6 turns but he managed to kill 10 cromwells and break the company for the loss of no tigers (although I had failed to knock out 2 with firelfes when I failed my FP tests).
So all up 19 cromwells knocked out for the loss of one tiger!
It was fun 30 minute game that I will definitely repeat and might use at the club to try and get some interest in FoW as it is always fun rocking round in a tiger!
Craig
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