Operation Martlet (Revisitied) - Mission 4b: The Punch From Wunsche

The Scenario: Once the German main line has been cracked, there is the option for a counter-attack scenario to be played, when German armoured units try and roll back the British advance.  I don't remember playing this one the first time around, maybe I ignored it.

The Forces: The British platoon again, but it is allowed to pick different support options (I will pick up on this in the game notes).  I was delighted to be able to three 17lbers and an extra PIAT team!

The Germans don't use their normal Panzergrenadier Platoon, but instead use a force of:

2 x Panthers, 2 x Demags with infantry supports; for a small extra option, I picked another rifle team and a Hanomag.

The Battle:

Same terrain as for the previous scenario

The British deploy their three 17lb AT guns in cover with long lanes of fire and wide arcs, concentrated on the more open side of the road

The British rifle platoon, augmented with an extra PIAT, is hiding in the farm.

The Panthers come in on the British right flank.  Good move in normal circumstances, as it is, they trundle pretty much directly into the 17lbers line of fire.

And seen from behind the AT guns; one of the infatry section is providing support too

A minute later, both Panthers are brewed up!

The Hanomag then turns up on the same flank..it doesn't last very long either!

While the Demags come around the other flank

There is a short, inconclusive gun battle

After which the Germans fail their morale check and are gone!

 Game Notes: Whilst satisfactory as a tactical exercise, it didn't make much of a game.  AT screen set-up; Panzers blunder into it; ambush sprung; game over!  So all in all, highly disappointing as a game.  I do however, have a solution: next time I play the game I am going to have a 50% chance of activating the "Punch From Wunsche" at each appropriate moment; if it is activated, then the British have to go with what they have remaining from the last scenario with the same support choices (depending upon how I am feeling, they might have spare points from any supports which were destroyed); this should give a much more intense game, as the successful British platoon, just after a hard fight, then has to face a pair of Panthers!
Tank/AT combat is much more deadly than infantry combat in these WRG rules, especially at these ranges under 500m, particularly as infantry is very difficult to acquire unless they are moving around in the open.  This does give the dynamic where the side that opens up first will usually win (because the chances of a first hit are relatively high; and a second hit very high).
Figures still by Baccus 6mm, the Panthers are from GHQ, the other vehicles and guns are from Heroics & Ros,  the buildings from Leven Miniatures and Timecast. Rules by WRG.  Played on a 3'x2' homemade mat, using a 1":10m ground scale.