Operation Martlet Revisited - Mission 5: Winning Your Spurs

The Scenario: There is little in the way of defensive positions between St.Nicholas and Rauray.  The British, led by the Duke of Wellington's Regt, must advance along a spur to the outskirts of the village.

The Forces: The British Rifle Platoon is at full strength and has an extra rifle section, plus two FOOs with two 3" mortar batteries in support.  The Panzergrenadier Pl is down to two sections' strength, and is supported by an infantry gun this time.


The Terrain: 

The spur.  The hedgeline marks the edge of the game world.  The stream is really supposed to be a drainage ditch but I figured it would serve a similar purpose.  The key thing to remember is that it is supposed to be lower than the surrounding ground.  Otherwise, a fairly open terrain.

And looking up the table from the British side.

 The Battle:

Given the sparseness of the terrain, the British advance in extended line, with a rifle section advancing along the ditch.

A closer view.  The British troops seem to be successfully blending into the sparse cover!!!!

Contact Front!  A German section opens fire.  The nearest British rifle group is cut down immediately.

Note the gap in the line above.  However, the majority of the British platoon then put fire down and suppress the German section

The British section in the sunken stream advance without being noticed!  A combination of rifle, machine gun and mortar fire have eliminated the threat from the German section in the field

Another German section opens up from the edge of the hedgerow.  The range is a bit greater this time, so the British avoid taking casualties.

The Germans are eliminated by the same combination and the advance resumes.

With the lead rifle section covering both directions and another in the rough ground (top-left), the British continue their advance across the field.

The position at the end of the battle.  There are a couple of photos missing; basically a Germaninfantry gun appeared at the bottom of the table, but although suffering few casualties, they failed their morale test and routed pretty quickly.

 Losses:
British: 1 Rifle Group, 1 LMG Team
Germans: 2 Rifle Groups, 3 LMG Teams

Game Notes: The campaign ended at this point, as although there is another mission to do, the Germans didn't really have enough troops left to field even a barely viable platoon.  I think that this mission just confirms the lessons of the rest of the campaign: for the combination of WRG 1925-1950 rules and the Threat Generation System to work, the rules need to make LMGs more effective and the solo system needs to be able to generate potentially larger number of threats all at the same time to create the possiblity of overmatching the British platoon.  As it is, against methodical play, the Germans were eliminated relatively quickly.  Unfortunately as well, the infantry gun was activated right at the end; an early activation might have been more of a test for the British.  As it was, fairly straightforward.

So, a successful campaign fought, with some interesting challenges.  I don't think I will play it again as is, but may return to it in the future with a different rule set.  When I have sufficient 15mm terrain to tackle it, I think that it may make an excellent campaign for Nuts!

Many thanks to the many of you who have read and commented on this campaign.

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.

Operation Martlet (Revisited) - Mission 4: Striking at St. Nicholas

The Scenario: Having broken through the main German defensive position in Fontenay, the British are driving southeast towards Rauray.  The terrain is mainly open and so is largely dominated by the large famrhouse at St. Nicholas.

The Forces: After the bloodbath of last time, both sides are fielding new platoons.  The British could have used the same platoon filled out with replacements (the Germans don't have that option), but I decided the Scots Fusiliers could use a breather, so in come the likely Yorkshiremen from the Duke of Boots...

The British are supplemented with a FOO and 3" mortar battery, 2 Shermans and a fourth Rifle section.  The Germans have an additional rifle group and a PzIVG in support.

The Terrain:

St. Nicholas' farm is centre-right, the Duke of Wellington's Regt will approach from the left (NW).

A closer shot of the farm

And the view along the road

 The Battle:

The British infantry and armour advance by rushes towards the cover; some rough ground to the south of the road, some hedgerows to the north.  Thankfully no Germans were activated straight off, so some good defensive covering positions can be adopted.

The FOO calls in the 3" mortars to fire a smoke mission between the farm and the last hedgerow: with any luck this will allow the Duke's soldiers to advance safely across the large field.  They are still advancing by alternate rushes though: in these rules you must must must have some static fire support ready to suppress enemies that pop up.  Not a bad tip for real life either...

Okay, first action; another German section activated on the right flank (for some reason this regiment of SS Panzer Grenadiers really loves to open up from a flank!); thankfully most of the Yorkshiremen are in reasonable cover

The Germans in turn are hit in the flank from the sections covering amongst the stones to the left; pretty much a replay of the last battle so far, except the Germans opened up at greater distance here so achieved less; the Sherman at the hedgeline is adding to the weight of fire with HE and MG fire.  Thankfully a German panzerfaust actually missed for once!!

Just as the first German section is routed, a second pops up, better protected in a trench this time.  The canny Yorkshremen are still in decent cover though, and again the weight of fire suppresses the Germans

A combination of infantry, tank and mortar fire pummels the German trench and eliminates most of the second German section

The dour Yorkshiremen halt fire for a moment, hoping to unsurpress the Germans, so they will then fail the morale check and run, which they promptly do!

Finally, the German PzIV shows up...amazingly enough, in ambush on the British right!

A close-up of the tank.  My painting doesn't really do it justice, but GHQ tanks are tiny works of beauty!

The Sherman gets off the first shot, but precious good it does it, since it misses the Panzer.

12th SS Panzer seem to have an endless supply of Panzer aces deployed on this front; another 1 shot: 1 kill from the German tank crews!

Luckily the second Sherman did manage to knock out the Panzer!

The British assault the last Germans, defending the farm; although the position is strong, the combination of superior numbers and combined infantry, tank and mortar fire prove too much for the Germans after the initial fire destroyed a British rifle group (Truly attentive readers will notice that is photo is out of synch and should be before the previous one, but both actions were happening pretty much concurrently)

 

The victorious British advance!

Losses:
British : 1 Sherman, 1 Rifle Group, 1 LMG Team
Germans: 1 PzIV, 3 Rifle Groups, 4 LMG Teams

Game Notes:
Very similar to the previous game in many ways, although the slightly greater distances played into the British hands, since the results of the intial German fires was suppression rather than destruction (except in the case of the unfortunate Sherman!).  Otherwise, the same notes apply and I think strengthen the case for revisiting the MG fire.  When I first played this campaign I rather though the issue was the randomness of the Threat Generation system, but now I am pretty convinced that it is the relative weakness of German LMG fire.  The Germans again suffered very severe casulties, and there are still two missions to go.  I'm not sure that they can afford another mission like that one...

Figures still by Baccus 6mm, the Shermans and PzIVG from GHQ, the buildings from Leven Miniatures and Timecast. Rules by WRG.  Played on a 3'x2' homemade mat, using a 1":10m ground scale.

Operation Martlet (Revisited) Mission 3 - Attack on the Hauptkampflinie

The Scenario: The advancing British, having dealt with the German defensive outposts, must now attack the main German defence line.

The Forces: The British rifle platoon from the Royal Scots Fusiliers is still more or less at full strength, so I kept it in action.  For this battle, it was reinforced with two Shermans, an extra rifle section and a FOO for a 3" mortar battery.
The German Panzer Grenadier Pl was very weak by now, so it was quite a difficult decision as to whether to replace it or not. I decide to leave it in there, feeling that there were at least three more battles to go and I would bring in the replacement platoon for the next battle.  I chose a PzIVG to support it.

The Terrain:

The main German defensive position around the chateau of Fontenay; the Scots will again approach from the left (Northwest)

A different angle on the Chateau, outbuildings and junction

And another angle; obviously that large open expanse doesn't look too inviting!!

The Battle

The Scots Fusiliers cautiously edge through the trees at the bottom of the gardens, covered by another rifle section, when a click alerts them to the presence of German infantry (bottom-right, in the trees); neither side can acquire the other though.

Another view, this time from behind the German section, sadly reduced in strength after the hard fighting in the earlier missions!

The British bring up a Sherman to support when out pops a hidden German section in ambush!! A panzerfaust screams out and brews up the Sherman, whilst the MG42 team cut down the Bren gunners mere yards away!!!

A confusing firefight begins; two distinct German positions makes it harder for the Scotsmen to concentrate their firepower on a single target

The Scots' Corporal doesn't panic, but instead delivers a volley of grenades and rifle fire into the German position; for grenadiers are hors de combat and the MG42 team is suppressed by the flanking fire from the rest of the British platoon (right)

A flukey shot eliminates a second German MG42!

Just as the Scots think that they are safe to advance (the previous German Grenadiers very understandably ran away) another German section ambushes them in the flank!!! 

A wider view of the situation at this point; you can see the Scots by the trees being ambushed by the Germans in the trench, the fleeing Germans just by the road (bottom-right); just out of shot to the left, more British infantry are firing from the trees

10 Scotsmen become casualties in short order, but finally the platoon commander gets sufficient weight of fire down on the German position, helped by mortar fire, and a brave Scottish corporal leads in the charge

But before you can say anything, the German Panzer support turns up!

Cannily, I had placed the second Sherman in a position to cover the road and it gets off first shot - the main determinant of victory in tank-vs-tank combat is who gets off the first shot..

...unless you miss of course, and the Panzer ace puts one straight in your turret.  Another Sherman brewed up!

Another aerial shot; note that the final Pz Gr section (extreme bottom centre) has lost its rifle group and the MG42 team is pinned down, the Germans have no infantry left now really

The PzIV makes a heroic advance to try and cause a few more casualties on the British and break their morale

But a good PIAT shot puts paid to this!

Losses: (very heavy!)
British: 2 x Shermans, 2 x LMGs, 2 x Rifle Groups
Germans: 1 x PzIVG, 2 x LMGs, 3 x Rifle Groups

Game Notes: Some might question the wisdom of the final German tank advance; basically, the Scotsmen were wavering and if they had lost another element, and taken the following morale check, it would probably have led to a retreat result and thus won the game for the Hitler Youths.  But to get that to happen, the Germans needed to try and at least achieve another neutralization result on something.
Tank combat continues to be very bloody.  I can't speak to the accuracy of this - do automatic kills of Shermans and PzIVs against each other at 500m make sense (assuming that the tanks hit in the first place)?  Even Tigers would have a hard time surviving on boards of this size; if I recall correctly, Panthers do stand a chance against frontal shots, but that is about it.

Update: Whilst looking at this issue, I found the following link.   Read down to the contemporary report about Shermans fighting Tigers and Panthers...around Rauray and Fontenay!!!!!

The Threat Generation System really showed what it could do in this game: the German defenders were generated in genuinely surprising and difficult positions.  I haven't bothered with simulating the initial artillery preparation bombardments, but if I had, there is no way that I'd have picked the locations that the Germans turned up in.  The flank ambushes gave the Scots real problems, and there was a "match point" morale roll that the Scots had to pass to continue.


As ever, figures by Baccus 6mm, the Shermans and PzIVG from GHQ, the buildings from Leven Miniatures and Timecast. Rules by WRG.  Played on a 3'x2' homemade mat, using a 1":10m ground scale.