Saturday 16 April 2016

Flames of war - Late war - Hold the line


Forces 1750
Market garden - British - 11th Armoured (CT)
HQ 2x Cromwell
Platoon 3x Cromwell +1x Challanger
Platoon 3x Cromwell +1x Challanger
Platoon 2x Cromwell +1x Challanger
Platoon 2x Cromwell +1x Challanger
Recce 3x Bren carrier (CV)
Field battery 2x Sexton 
(CV)
Limited Air support


Bridge by bridge - Schwere Panzerjaeger (CV)
HQ CiC Jagddpanther + 2iC Jagdpanther
3x Stug
3x Stug
1x Jagdpanther
2x Wirberlwind
1x platoon of Fallschirmjaegers (+PF)
2x Fallschirmsjaeger mortar (+PF)



The scenario takes place somewhere in Normandy where the 11th armored division have scouted the whereabouts of a German Schwere Panzerjaeger company. We roll of o see who is the attacker in the upcoming endeavor.

The British armored division takes the initiative and leads the attack, while the heavy Jagdpanthers take defensive positions. One platoon of StuGs are held in ambush while the second platoon of StuGs are held in reserve together with a Jagdpanther and the mortars.



Turn 1
The British armor advance in the middle and send one platoon down right flank. The Recce platoon lock down a good area in the middle from sneaky ambushes. Air support fail to hit the CiC Jagdpanther.

In return the StuGs ambush the British right flank to get some shots of the flanking platoon, destroying two tanks. The Wirbelwinds manage to destroy one Bren carrier.

Turn 2
The British armor push forward and lay down a cloud of smoke in front of the German 2iC tank, but still can't hit the Germans hiding the the Bocage. The single aircraft arriving is shot down by the Wirbelwind.

The CiC and the 2iC each pick off a Cromwell in the open with their mighty 8.8 cm guns.






Turn 3
The British take revenge on the StuGs by destroying two of them. A long range Challanger shot penetrates the 2iC Jagdpanther, but the hit only manage to bail the tank. Air-support fail to arrive this turn.

The 2iC fail to bail in the crew and the British tanks are suddenly up the sides of the German defensive line. Having conducted no AA-fire, the Wirbelwinds tries a few shots off the Bren carriers and manage to kill another vehicle, breaking the platoon. The lone StuG and the CiC picks of another two Cromwells.



Turn 4
One of the Cromwells gets in position to get a side shot at the German 2iC and destroys the tank. The last StuG is destroyed by a volley of fire from the Cromwells. The aircraft finds a good spot to hit the CiC without getting hit by AA fire... but fails to range in at the target.

Finally the second platoon of StuGs arrives from reserve, moving into position in a field. They open up on the Cromwells and destroys one tank.


Turn 5
Air support is back in business and spots the newly arrived platoon of StuGs. To soften up the targets, the Cromwells destroy one of the StuGs before the aircraft finish the remaining two ones. The German CiC tank is bombarded with smoke and thus out of range and sight.

The mortars and the last Jagdpanther turns up from reserves. With things looking really bad, the CiC tank and the Fallschirmjaegers push forward to protect the flank. The mortars put up some direct smoke to reduce the firepower of a Challenger. The Mortars fearless and Panzerfaust armed Command team decides to go for it and charge into the British CiC tank, surviving all 3 MG hits and destroying the tank with its Faust.




Turn 6
The tide of the battle is now changing and the victory is hanging on a thin line for both sides. With two destroyed platoons an three other reduced to half strength, the test is put to the morale of the company. The Cromwells easily wipes out the mortar platoon and the Germans are now also at half strength. A Challenger gets a good hit on the single Jagdpanther, but again fail its firepower test - and the tank is only bailed.

A grain of salt from a company morale test the Germans take a deep breath.The Bailed Jagdpanther fail to bail in the company now rely on Wirbelwinds, the CiC and Fallschirmjaegers. The CiC bail one of the British tanks and the infantry test for tank terror to initiate the assault. With no fear for British soft skinned armor, they throw everything they can at the tanks and finally breaks the platoon, forcing a company morale test the coming turn.



Turn 7
The British Company morale is failed and the remaining British units retreat the battle.

A very close and even battle, resulting in:
German victory 4-3