Wednesday, January 25, 2017

82 Airborne Glider Engineers vs 101 Easy Company in Breakthrough


The OC, Capt America watches the deployment of his forces

Game 3 of the Lords of War 1750 LW Bastogne themed tournament was against Matt and Easy Company of the 101st. Those that have read my other battle reports know this would be the second time that my 82nd had gone toe to toe with the 101st. The final mission was Breakthrough and the special rules we used were ice, snow and fog. Fog would be a real challenge for me because until it lifts its just like fighting at night. Which meant my observers would have a hard time seeing Matt's army.

Big Willie's 82nd
OC and 2IC
Full Engineer platoon with cart and 'zooks
Full Engineer platoon with cart and 'zooks
Cav Recon platoon
4 x Sherman platoon with 8 Easy 8s and a Jumbo
3 x 105mm guns
3 x Priests
2 x 155 Long Toms
Limited Air support

Matt's Easy Coy 101st
OC and 2IC
Full para platoon
Full para platoon
Full para platoon
4 x AT gun platoon with 'zooks
6 x glider 105mm
2 x para 75mm
4 x Int Jeeps
2 x 81mm mortars

Set Up
Objectives are on the road by the edge of the wire and near the top centre corner just behind the hill


Easy Coy dug in ready to hold off the All Americans

More Screamin' Eagles dug in near the guns

101st fire support

Wire from the 82nd pioneer supply carts is placed in no man's land to slow down Easy Coy

Tanks are ready to advance on the left flank while the infantry advance under cover

Capt watches as his platoons deploy supported by Priests

Turn 1
Easy Coy advances to the wire to breach the first line

Shermans advance but can't see anything through the fog

82nd advances through the house line while the 82nd Arty opens fire knocking out 4 stands of paras

Turn 2
The return fire from the 101st knocks out a stand while the Priests continue to advance taking out more paras

Turn 3
Cav Recon arrives from reserves and is met by a para platoon while another platoon seizes the nearest objective

The veteran 101st make short work of the wire obstacles

The 82nd Recon platoon breaks contact and moves back hiding in the fog

Turn 4
Shermans take out the 75mm guns and prepare for the counter attack from the AT platoon

2nd Engineer platoon advances along the edge of town

OP sherman gets into position to call in the steel rain

Turn 5
Paras continue to advance clearing the wire

AT guns and 'zooks move to engage the shermans with no joy

Priests continue to engage the 105 knocking two of the guns out while the Engineers continue their advance

Turn 6
Shermans give the AT guns a wide berth and attempt to attack the 81mm mortars

Paras breach the wire and seize the rear objective pushing the Cav Recon to the edge of the board

With the Grey hound bailed the paras are ready to assault

They destroy the platoon

Around the central objective an Engineer platoon attacks Easy Coy only to eventually break while the paras stay firm

In the end the 82nd lost 2 platoons while the 101st had lost 3 platoons. However, the 101st were successful in defending the objectives so the final score is 4-3 for the 101st. One of the important lessons I didn't realise until now was that when someone shoots everyone else can see them and fire on them. That means that I should have been shooting the depth platoons there were hitting my Recon platoon.

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