Flames of war - Early war Campaign - Part 1 of 3

The first episode of our Early war campaign is completed

It consist of three episodes, first one is the initial Axis attack during the outbreak of the second world war. The setting is quite Historical taking place in 1939-1940 with the battles of Poland, France but also invasion of Finland and the Japanese expansion in Asia. The first set of battles are at 600 pts and the axis players choose locations and opponents to fight.

The objective of the campaign is to take the most enemy territories at the end of the Campaign. A capital zone is worth Double.

Battle along the Finnish border
Finns attack a French (perhaps expeditionary force) in the Karelian region. The result is a stunning Finnish Victory.

Battle of France
Somehow the Soviets (maybe a trade with the French expeditionary force) defend against the German blitzkreig assault. The result is a German victory.

Battle of Poland
This battle offers a more historical match up. The poles tries to fight back the invading Germans with armed forces. The battle turns out to be a German victory.

All three attacks were successfully executed resulting in new territory added to the Axis side. Score so far is 3-0, with 2 more sessions to come. Now the Capitals are threatened.

Flames of war - Great war - The big push

Forces 1500 pts 
German line division (CT)
HQ+2 AT rifle
Rifle platoon
Rifle platoon
HMG platoon
AV7 tank
AV7 tank
7,62 cm infantry gun
7,62 cm infantry gun

British elite division (CV)
HQ+Sniper
Rifle Platoon
Rifle Platoon
Mark IV female
Mark IV male
18 pdr
18 pdr

In this scenario the Germans make the big push into the British tench lines. The Germans attacks and takes the first turn. Gone to ground infantry is in bulletproof cover everywhere in the cratered battlefield and the defenders starts pinned down. British reserves arrives at random location along their edge.

Turn 1
The platoons and the infantry push forward. The tanks open up with all its firepower towards the 18 pdr guns. However their gun pits seems impenetrable. The HMGs and the infantry guns pics off a single infantry team. The infantry push up towards the barbed wire with an "Infantry vor" move.

A lucky reserve roll mean that the second infantry platoon arrive, and is randomly placed in one trench line. Only one 18 pdr unpins. The sniper reveals itself in the trench, killing the flank infantry gun in its first shot! The 18 pdr fails to hit any tank, and the German infantry saves all incoming fire from the trench platoon.

Turn 2
The German tanks position them self in charge distance from the trench. two barbed wire lines are gaped by the infantry. Massed fire fail to kill any 18 pdr, but the infantry platoon takes another casualty. One AV7 tank bogs down at the trench while the other charge into the infantry killing two teams.

The Male tank arrive from reserve, with a quite lucky placement, being able to flank the AV7. So the male tank destroy one AV7 and the other is destroyed by a lucky shot from a 18 pdr.

Turn 3
One infantry platoon occupy the trench while the other advance. Shooting kills of three infantry teams leaving just a few. The infantry then assault the trench, leaving only two British teams and the CiC alive. One of the 18 pdr's are captured and destroyed.

The last reserve - the female tank arrive along one trench line. The female tank and the infantry together kills of a few teams of German infantry.

Turn 4

Long range fire from the HMGs inflict a damage on the female tank. The infantry gun misses the 18 pdr, but the massed fire from the trench platoon kill the remaining two teams in the British infantry platoon. A rifle grenade, also from the infantry occupying the trench, lands inside the gun pit killing all the gun crew! The Brits are now down to 3 surviving platoons out of 6.

The female tank fail to repair itself. Massed fire at the platoon in the open kills everyone except the anti tank team and the CiC. They do however pass their morale.

Turn 5
The lone anti tank rifle pass its sole survivor test. The last infantry gun moves back to safer position, not risking a company morale test by dying in the intense fire. Shooting proves less successful resulting in only pinning the infantry. However the objective is now held and might secure the victory from turn 6, unless the Brits can take it back.

The infantry unpin. The female tank repair and push its engine to reach the trench in a charge later on. It opens up on the lone anti tank team and kills it with MG fire, resulting in 4 destroyed platoons out of 7 for the Germans. Both the male and the female tank bogs down in their attempts to assault the trench! The infantry does however charge and kill two infantry teams (one which is the CiC, but it passes a warrior save). The objective is still held by the geemans...

Turn 6
Make it or break it, a company morale test will decide if the Germans continue to hold the objective or if the company breaks... the roll is... failed....leaving the Brits as winners - holding their ground.

British 4-3 Victory.

Comments
It was a Close and fun game coming down to a 4+ roll. Exemplifying the big push, the German infantry were halted by the barbed wire while the tanks pushed forward. The tanks attracted all firepower allowing the infantry to occupy the trench. Taking back the trench was something the Brits was not ready for, and instead hoped to break the German morale. In this case it was successful, with some help from lucky reserve rolls.

Warhammer 40 k - 7th Edition - The Scourging

Eldar Codex 2015 (1500 pts)
Farseer skyrunner
6 fire dragons
12 guardians w/warlock
12 guardians w/warlock
3x windrunner
Nightwing
Nightwing
2x Vyper Jetbikes
Fireprism
Fireprism
Falcon

Chaos Codex 2012 (1500 pts)
Terminator Lord
4x Terminators
10x Chosen marines w/Rhino
10x marines
10x marines
Vindicator
Predator
Land rider

The scourging with Dawn of war deployment
Eldar takes first turn with Chaos failing to Seize the initiative. Night fight is in effect first turn. The following pre-game rolls apply:

Farseer
Eye on distant events (warlord trait)
Guide (primaris power)
Doom
Will of asuran
Fortune

Warlocks
Conceal/Reveal (primaris power)
Empower/Enervate (both warlocks)

Chaos Lord
Lord of terror - Fear (warlord trait)

Turn 1
Top side Fire prism kills 2 terminators and scores a wound on the lord. The top guardians kills a marine with their Shuriken cannon. Bottom fire prism misses the Predator while the Windriders kills a marine.

The Land Raider shoots at the top Fire Prism witch saves both Lascannons. A missile launcher from the marines stuns the prism. The vindicator kills a single guardian, though hitting 7 of them. They gain the benefit of 4+ cover with shrouded from warlock and stealth from night fight. the Predator fails to penetrate the prism while the Falcon saves both a missile and plasma with some cover saves.

Turn 2
One Nightwing arrives. Guided by the Farseer (psychic power) the Nightwing kills vindicator (and gains First blood). The top guardians kills a single marine while the Prism stuns the Predator. The Falcon shakes the Rhino.

The Chosen marines bail out of their transport and destroys the falcon with 3 meltaguns, killing a firedragon in the explosion. The Land Raider destroy one Vyper and damage the other.

Turn 3
Night wing 2 arrives. The bottom Fire prism scores a glancing on predator. Both Nightwings and the Fire prism shots at the Land raider but only causes a single glancing hit. The Fire dragons kills 5 marines antd then assault the decimated squad killing another in assault.

The Predator shakes the Fire prism. The Rhino kills 4 guardians while its squad of Chosen kills a Windrider. The Land raider scores two Lascannon hits at the Fire prism but fails to penetrate it! Terminators makes a run move towards the guardians.

Turn 4
The Nigthwing and Fire prism once again fails to penetrate Land raider. The other Nightwing blast off the last hull point off the predator wrecking it. The Vyper and the Guardians torrent of fire kills the Lord and terminators. Guardians immobilize the Rhino.

The Land raider immobilize Fire prism, now left with one hull point. The Chosen destroys the other prism with a melta gun.

Turn 5
The Fire prism now destroy the land raider with a lucky penetrating shot (though with S9 AP1 lance the odds are quite good). The Guardians destroys the rhino with its Shuriken cannon, and massed fire from Nightwings and Jetbikes destroy 6 chosen marines, leaving only three of them alive.

The top Rocket launcher miss the immobilized Fire prism. The Chosen marines run to contest the 4 point objective and score a line breaker, in case the game should end.

And the game ends due to random game length...

Results - Eldar victory

Eldar (7)
Slay the warlord
First blood
3+1 pts objectives
1 Line breaker (Fire dragons)

Chaos (3)
1 Line breaker (Chosen marines)
2 pts objective

Comments
It felt a little bit one sided with my (eldar) army being stronger composed on paper and my dice rolling turning out better. The key to fun games is usually balanced armies - It was still a very fun game, but even with a lot of terrain and cover the units died off quite quickly.

Flames of war - Late war - Hasty attack

Forces 1500
Overlord - British - 11th Armoured Recce (CT)
HQ 2x Cromwell + 2x Cromwell CS

Recce Platoon 3x Cromwell

Recce Platoon 3x Cromwell

Recce Platoon 3x Cromwell

Recce Platoon 3x Cromwell

Regimental Recce 3x Stuart V

Tank platoon 2x Sherman, 1x Firefly

Panzers to the Meuse (pdf) - Panzer Lehr (CV)
HQ Panzer IV
4x Panzer IV J
Gepanzerte panzergrenadiers w/ tank hunter
2x Wirberlwind
2x Puma Scout car
2x Jagdpanther
3x Volks Nebelwerfer (Reluctant Trained)

This scenario is a Hasty attack somewhere in the french bocage landscape of 1944. In this scenario both sides have delayed reserves and two objectives to defend in opposite corners. At the top corner, the Germans hide in the fields while the Brittish tanks start in the town at the bottom corner. The Brittish force goes first.

Turn 1

The British Stuarts platoon and Cromwell platoons make a reconnaissance move to come closer to the action before the game starts. Grenadiers and Nebelwerfers fail to dig in. The Nebelwerfers hits two Cromwells but fails to damage any. Not much movement or action this turn.

Turn 2

Still not much action. Both sides are waiting for the reinforcements. Nebelwerfers dig in, but the grenadiers fails. No targets visible for the Nebelwerfers.

Turn 3

One Cromwell platoon arrives from reserves, blasting away two infantry teams in the open. A luckily tank hunter team survives the torrent of bullets.

Grenadiers unpin and dig in. The Panzer IV platoon arrives from reserve, getting off a few shots at the Cromwells in the town, resulting in two bailed Cromwell tanks. A Jagdpanther gets off a shot that miss the Cromwells that just arrived from reserve, while the Nebelwerfers fail to penetrate any armor.

Turn 4

Another Cromwell platoon arrives from reserves and move forward supported by two other Cromwell platoons and the Stuarts. Their shooting only result in one dead infantry team! In the town, the Cromwells shoots back at the Panzer IV platoon and hits two tanks, but they both save the hits.

The Pumas arrive from reserve. The Panzer IV destroys the Cromwell platoon from long range. The Pumas strikes a lucky Bailed result at the Company command. The infantry (one Schreck and one Faust) destroys one Cromwell and bails another. The Panthers destroys one Cromwell. Then the Company command tank finish off the Bailed Cromwell.

Turn 5

Both the Sherman tank platoon and the CS tanks arrives from reserve and then moves toward the infantry. Two Cromwell platoons push further into the German lines getting a side shot at one Jagdpanther - which misses. The other Panther is smoked. Massed MG fire kills another three infantry teams forcing platoon morale - which fails, the grenadiers runs away! 

The Jagdpanthers destroy one and bail one Cromwell .The Pumas and Panzer IV platoon moves into better positions.

Turn 6

One Cromwell platoon is rushed (doubled) towards the town to stop the Germans! The firefly miss the Panthers, and the Cromwells smokes one of them to reduce return fire. The Company command Panzer IV escapes being hit. 

The Jagdpanthers destroys the bailed Cromwell, which is also platoon command, leaving the last immobile. The Wirbelwind platoon rushes towards the objective and the Pumas secure the other objective. The Panzer IV platoon advance towards the town and destroys the Company command tank. 

Turn 7
Another Cromwell platoon is rushed towards the town. The one Cromwell in position to flank the Jagdpanther do so and destroy it with a side shot, grabbing one objective in the process. The Firefly targets the Company command Panzer IV and scores two hits at long range killing him. The Cromwells at the town shoots at the Pumas (witch fails to disengage). But only one is destroyed witch makes the second one securing the victory for the Panzer Lehr by holding the objective!

German 5-2 Victory.

Comments:
This was a really fun game for both of us. Neither side really hold their ground and it could have changed in any direction after turn five, when most reserves where at the table. And most reserves arrived at their first attempt! In the end only a single Jagdpanther was left defending against the Cromwells, and the Brittish also held one objective with more reinforcements on the way. If the other Puma also had been destroyed it could have gone either way.

Flames of war - Late War - Fighting withdrawal

Forces 1570 pts
3rd Armored tank - Overlord (CT)
HQ 2x M4 Sherman
Platoon 4x M4 76mm Sherman
Platoon 4x M4 Sherman
Platoon 4x M4 Sherman
Tank destroyer section (2x M10)
Armored Rifle Platoon
3xM3 Priest

Schwere Panzerjaeger - Atlantik wall (CV)
HQ 2x Jagdpanther
Karl Heinz Noak
Platoon 2x Jagdpanther (one in kampf-gruppe with 2iC)
2x 2cm Armoured AA-truck
Grenadier Platoon w/command faust (CT)
3x Panzerwerfer w/ extra crew

This takes place somewhere in Normandy where a company of tanks from 3rd armored division press into the lines of the German 654th heavy tank hunter battalion. The sudden attack forces the Germans to fight a retreat out of their lines. The scenario is a fighting withdrawal with US as attacker and Germany as defenders. 

Turn 1
US advance on both flanks. The artillery smoke one Jagdpanther. On the field side the Shermans tries to smoke the other Jagdpanther but miss. On village side the Shermans destroy an infantry team in the house.

Noak and the smoked Panther move into position and fire at the 76mm Shermans, destroying 2 tanks. The Panzerwerfers fire their rockets at the tank destroyer section at the house but fail to inflict damage. The panthers then stormtrooper back from the bocage.

Turn 2
The Shermans on the right side moves up to the bocage, in position to fire at the panthers. The 76 mm score two hits which are saved by Noak and a Jagdpanther. The Shermans fire at the Panzerwerfers, destroying two and bailing the last one. That forces a platoon morale test which they pass. On the village side another two infantry teams in the house are killed by the combined fire from Shermans and the tank destroyer section.

The Panthers move to get some shots at the Shermans on both flanks, killing one 76mm (forcing platoon morale which is passed) and destroying one Sherman at the village. The Panzerwerfers hits the armored rifle platoon bailing one transport, but the platoon remount at the end of the phase.

Turn 3
The Shermans pushes through the bocage into the field, bogging two tanks in the bocage. Two side shots results in one panther being destroyed. The armored rifle platoon position their halftracks to shoot a salvo at the Panzerwerfers through the bocage. They succeed in destroying the last one and forcing the command team to flee of the table. On the right side the Shermans hide from the Panthers while sending the tank hunters forward. The priest fails to hit the Panthers.

Counting only four platoons the Germans get a counter and does not have to withdraw any troops yet. The Panthers destroys another Sherman in the field. By the village the panthers fire at the tank destroyer command, but only achieving a bailed out result on a utility car.

Turn 4
One bogged Sherman un-bog and press further into the field. The tank destroyers move in position for a perfect ambush next turn. A few side shots destroy Noak’s tank and bail the last Panther in the field. The priests miss their target.

The panther fail to remount - and there is nothing able to contest the field objective any more. The Germans did not hold their ground.

A fast US victory 6-1.

Comments
A fast game, both due to time shortage and how it turned out. The Shermans are really deadly when they can flank and should always be heading forward especially against fearsome beasts as Jagdpanthers. On the other hand Changing the Panthers for Tigers would have made things more sour for the Shermans.