West German Infantry vs British Tanks in No Retreat

BO 105 covers the advancing infantry by suppressing Brit tanks

Game 2 of the Lords of War deescalation tournament was 75 points. I had the chance to play against Craig and his Brit Armour in No Retreat. Craig and I both wanted to defend so we needed to roll off which Craig won and elected to defend.

Big Willie's West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Marder infantry platoon
Full Marder infantry platoon
3 x M109s
Luchs

OC in M113
Full M113 infantry platoon
Full M113 infantry platoon
3 x Leo1s
Luchs

4 x MLRS with mines
4 x Tornadoes
2 x BO 105s
2 x Rolands

Craig's British
OC and 2IC in Chieftains with stillbrew
3 x Chieftains
3 x Chieftains
Full Infantry platoon plus 2 milans
2 x Blowpipes
2 x Swingfire
2 x Scorpions
Highlanders platoon

Set Up

Objectives are just behind the factory far left and just behind the oil tanks central to the picutre

The Brit Infantry platoon holds up in the factory between the Germans and the objective

The left flank of the Germans ready to advance

The right flank of the Germans

Turn 1-2

Leo 1s advance up to the water crossing  taking out the Swingfires only to have the position reinforced by Chieftains

The OC worried about how much damage the Milans are doing to his AFV drops a smoke screen in front of his troops

Turn 3

Marders and  Leo1s have crossed the river while the BO105s attempt to knock out the Chieftains

Newly arrived OC and 2IC combine their fire with the Milans to wipe out the Leo1s!

Tornadoes scream overhead by do nothing to avenge their fallen country-men

Turn 4

MLRS drop a minefield on the Chieftains in an attempt to pin them in place and allow the Infantry to move to strike at their flanks. Meanwhile Recce moves forward in an attempt to seize the objective. The BO 105s continue trying to knock out the Chieftains with no luck

This time the Luftwaffe strike is devastating knocking out both tanks!

After the Chieftains knock out the Recce Luchs. The Marder OC in a bold move moves the Marders in an attempt to physically block the Chieftains from being able to reach the objective. Both Infantry platoons advance, one against the Chieftains the other to the objective.

The Chieftains realise what is about to happen and brave the minefield losing one of their tanks in the process. Their wrath knocks out 2 Marders and gets them close enough to the objective to contest! Over the distant hill another platoon of Chieftains arrive from reserve, will they be able to make it in time?

The combined fire from the M113 company, the M109s and the MLRS is starting to take its toll on the Brit infantry in the factory. After several turns of shooting they are below half strength

BO105 continues to suppress the Brit tanks

The Marders realizing their gambit failed continue advancing allowing the Milans to knock out another Chieftain. This Chieftain was critical as it was the only enemy team within 4" of the objective. With the new missions the attacker can win at the end of their turn if their team started within 4" of the objective and if at the end of the turn their are no enemy within 4"

The game ended in a 4-3 win for the West Germans with significant losses felt on both sides of the battlefield. Craig as always was a consummate gentleman, and I think given his army composition he may have been better off attacking. A big lesson for me was just how tough Brit Infantry can be when they are in bullet-proof cover. I also think that I'm misusing the BO105s and I will have to work at using them better.