The third mission in the
TooFatLardies' Operation Martlet campaign and crucially, the first one that takes place after the fog lifts! This time I took armour-heavy support choices:
Platoon HQ + 2" Mortar + PIAT
3 x Rifle sections (1 at half strength)
Support: Sherman, Sherman Firefly, Rifle section, 2 x PIAT teams
My basic plan was to go right-flanking with the armour slightly held back to give supporting fire, along with the mortar, whilst a rifle section was detached to cover the very open left flank.
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The empty battlfield. Again, the British advancing from the left |
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The centre of the village |
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British infantry at their form-up point. The Sherman Firefly is by the road; the other Sherman supports the infantry at the bottom of the wood. |
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Same position, shot from the other table edge |
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Turn one - TGS activates a Panzer IV using a wall for cover: it opens fire...1 shot and 1 kill! The Firefly is brewed up...7 of my 20 support points waxed on the first turn. Oh goodie. |
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The main offender.... |
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Okay Fritz, Tommy doesn't give up that easily! Actually that is a total lie, I did consider withdrawing and taking the time penalty but I decided to press on...Anyway, the 2" mortar begins firing smoke bombs for all it is worth and the infantry advance, using every scrap of smoke and cover... |
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Slightly easier to see the lead British section advancing through the woods... |
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The British infantry push on - a PIAT team outflanks the Panzer IV and knocks it out (under the smoke between the buildings) |
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Crikey! A German infantry gun opens fire on the British infantry in the buildings. Luckily their shooting is rubbish... |
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The gun crew's view |
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Eek! Two full German squads bring down masses of fire on the British infantry in the buildings and in the hedgeline... |
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Overhead shot...You can just see a second PzIV skulking in the middle of the village. It withdrew to a safer fire position on the far side of the crossroads. This enfiladed the road and forced the British to use fire rather than movement... |
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Oh my beer and whiskeys...the Germans eliminate a Bren team and a group of riflemen...and the British force wavers! All troops not under direct fire pull back... |
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...but come surging back!! Amazingly, the Germans missed seven consecutive short range shots!!! The pinned British troops give it back to Jerry to pin them then the Pl Comd co-ordinates the mortar fire. The Germans break and run, losing 10 grenadiers in the process as well as the infantry gun... |
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The position at the end of the battle |
Game Notes: One of the closest battles I've played solo: I thought I had lost it when I had failed that morale check. Luckily my ability to roll a '1' at crucial game points saved me!!! In all fairness, I was defeated by the TGS system and was working out how to conduct the retreat when I remembered that the Germans would still be firing at the troops pinned in the trees and buildings. The game is effectively over for the attacker if that sided loses 4 elements because they will really struggle to pass any further morale checks under WRG rules. Defenders can lose a few more elements before the same thing happens. I have been really impressed by how the TGS system has worked: it does provide genuine
threat and
tension and I heartily recommend that any soloists who have been struggling to get modern tactical wargaming to work for them.
Casualties: British - Sherman Firefly, 6 infantrymen; Germans 10 infantrymen, Panzer IV, IeIG.18 gun and crew
Like the previous battles, played using the
WRG 1925-1950 rules and the Threat Generation System published in
Miniature Wargames 373.
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