Game 3- Bocage FFA vs Urdany

Estelle is pretty new to FoW and we played a FFA on a bocage table that I had provided for the comp. She had never used the bocage rules before so the movement was a bit of a pain to get used to. Etelle is also the first woman to take part in Conquest in the years it has been run.

She ran: Urdany
HQ + 2x attached 45mm guns & pioneers
2x Urdannny Coys
4x Flamethrowers
4x HMGs
4x ISU 122s
4x 122mm artillery

As it was boocage we started at least 12" apart- much nicer than 8 inches vs Dave's Urdany mob.

There were few fields of fire but I was able to stretch out my nests to cover the whole front.

Turn 1- All the flamethrowers were attached to this company. I decided to dig in and await developments- not liking the idea of attacking four flamethrowers.


On the left flank my FJ advance into a field- and in my next turn dig in as the Soviets have begun advancing.



The ISUs advance. The stug gets a lucky hit, destroying the lead ISU!


My next turn the stug bails another and a panzershrek kills a third. The last one fails its morale test.


With pak nests, flak nests, stugs and a full FJ platoon with attached stummels I was confident that I could hold my right flank- the key would be dealing with the infantry on my left.




Anti-Flamethrower tactics 101: Send a lone team (or two independents) forward to create a no go zone- the FT have to attack this team as they can't get past it and closer to the rest of the platoon and so casualties are minimised. If the team dies (as this one did) send forth another one next turn- no problem with mission tactics :)


Estelle assaulted before I was ready to- my nebelwerfers and stummels causing casualties no doubt forcing the issue. My defensive fore was enough to stop her in her tracks and I then let rip with everything I could, gutting the platoon.


To her credit she valiantly tried to attack on both flanks but without the ISUs to worry about my infantry and assualt guns were enough to stop the attack cold and wear her force down.

The bocage minimised our artillery and I managed to kill Estelle's observer so hers was next to useless.

A bit one sided in the end but Estelle played well and satyed positive thoughout, even thought the last couple of rounds were a bit one sided (6-1 to the FJ).

She played well and I hope had a good weekend- I gave her my vote for best sport, the way the game went and the way she continued to stay positive she deserved it. As it turned out she won best sport overall.

Fortifications
They played an excellent supporting role I this one- the flak nest even killed a few stands.

End of Day 1
So after the disastrous start I've clawed my way back into the pack of players on two wins out of three, with Poochie ahead on 3 wins. I am a point behind him on BF points but its wins first, BF points to decide tie breakers (we are 16 vs 15). Not sure how the others are going but the comp is still wide open as lots of people have 2 wins a piece and some have racked up a few 6-1s.

Day 2 tomorrow....