An AOP calls in the steel rain on Germans in the woods!
This weekend was the OMG's late war Flames of War tournament held at their normal club location. It is also a Soccer teams club house and I thought it was an awesome venue. The tournament organizers had pizza and pop as part of the entrance fee and had water and pop on site for purchase (very cool!). The tables looked great but I would have prefered more terrain as tanks really had massive lanes for fire. The tournament was 1500 points and we played 3 games each one allocated 3 hrs to play. This was a little to much time in my opinion, I would have like 2 hr games because we are done earlier and it forces players to push the action. I ran the Tyne and Tees (50th) from the Turning Tides book and this is how my army looked:
HQ
2 x Rifle Platoons with 2 sections
2 x 6 pdrs with carrier transport
3 x UC Recce
2 x 5-ton transports
4 x M10's with 17 pdr
3 x Crocodiles
8 x 25 pdrs battery
1 x AOP
My first game was against Dean, who was running a Fallshimjager Pioneer list that had
HQ
2 x Full strength Pioneer platoons with flame throwers
3 x StuG IIIs
2 x Nashorns
4 x Nebs with PaK 40 and trucks
We played Dust up (created by the I95 guys) and it was my first time playing it. Take a look at the link to WWPD's downloads so you can see the mission brief. I really enjoyed it even though it pushed me outside my comfort zone. I deployed my guns, Crocs, UC's and an Infantry platoon with the rest held in reserve. Dean deployed a Platoon of Pioneers and the StuGs.
GROUND ORIENTATION
Objectives are the two flames of war icons, then bottom right by the guns and top left in the woods.
Crocs and Infantry ready to hey diddle, diddle up the middle while being supported by guns and UCs taking the other flank (Recce moved into wheat field)
Pioneers support by StuGs ready to advance into the woods.
TURN 1
Pioneers move into the woods to find cover but are unable to avoid the AOPs watchful eyes. The 25 pdrs take out 3 stands!
StuGs set up to smash the UCs as soon as they break cover.
The Crocs and Infantry start their lumbering advance towards the enemyCasualties
German
3 x Pioneer stands
TT's
Nil
TURN 2
AOP continues to call in the steel rain, killing another stand!
Crocs and Infantry continue their advance
StuG's use the defilade from the house to avoid fire from the advancing Crocs. The UCs back off to make them out of range from the StuGs.
Casualties
German
2IC
4 x Pioneer stands
TT's
Nil
TURN 3
The rain continues to fall destroying another stand!
The M10's with 17 pdrs arrive from reserve while the UC's swing around to deal with the newly arrive Pioneer platoon. The Infantry and Crocs continue their advance, the Crocs open fire with their cannons and knock out 2 StuGs!!!
The trained Achilles have a problem even with the simplest obstacles.
Casualties
German
2IC
5 x Pioneer stands
2 x StuG IIIs
TT's
Nil
TURN 4
The Nashorns arrive to support the FSJ Pioneers who move to attack the 25 pdrs. Arty starts to fall on the infantry in the open killing 3 stands while the UCs advance in the face of the Nashhorns to try and gun down more of the paratroopers.
The StuG positions itself to take advantage of the smoke from it's destroyed partner.
The other Brit Infantry platoon arrives and moves into the defilade of a burned out building while the StuG bails out an Achilles
The Nashorns open up destroying the UCs! Two of the Crocs move to roast the FSJ Pioneers
The Nebs arrive finally only to be hammered by 25 pdrs while they are unlimbering!
StuG moves into the woods to avoid the closing Infantry
Achilles push the action by advancing while the veteran 6 pdrs still have problems crossing the obstacle
2 of the guns are firing over open sights trying to take out the advancing Pioneers!
Casualties
German
2IC
5 x Pioneer stands
4 x Pioneer stands
2 x StuG IIIs
2 x Nebs
TT's
UC Platoon
TURN 5
Brit Infantry finally in Assault range knock out the StuG and the Nebs observer before moving to cover the objective
The FSJ Pioneers make their move against the Crocs using their flame throwers to bail the tanks. Unfortunately the fearless troops then fail their motivation to assault the tanks. The Crocs remount and roast the remaining teams to a man (TSN turning point!)
The Stationary Croc pops both Nashorns using semi-indirect fire! The battery calls in a Mike target that knocks out the remaining Nebs the PaK 40 and the transports the Pl Comd quits the field.
Before the StuG died he took an Achilles with him.
At this point Dean had a single platoon left and I cotrolled the objectives, his company ended up breaking and leaving the field. Dean was really handicapped by this mission with the small number of platoons. I think his Nebs and Pioneers would have been a better choice to start on the board. Good times and starting a tourny with a 5-2 win is always nice.
enjoyed the AAR, agreed that 3 hours is far too long.
ReplyDelete