WW2 German Assault

This week we introduced Andy to the rules and re-introduced Chris Flowers.

Chris and I would assault two towns with a Panzer Grenadier battalion and two tank battalions each with a company of tanks riders. Steve and Andy defending with 2 Russian battalions, a regiment of anti tank guns and 2 battalion of tanks coming on as reinforcements. Both sides had off table artillery support.

A large town near the Russian table edge and a smaller town in the middle of the table were the German objectives. With most of our infantry on foot moving at 4 inches the further town was going to be a stretch. The Tank riders would be invaluable.

Chris got good movement on his PZR IV battalion and pushed forward, a little too close as it happens as a regiment of anti tanks guns were spready across the front of the Town and opened up causing some serious injury. 

On the right one of my Panther companies pushes forward down a gully with a view to outflanking the small town i the centre.

The other one pushes straight at the village with a company of Panzer grenadiers to its right. In heavy fighting I loose half a company but eventually drive out the remnants of a company from the front of the town. Steve drops a number of artillery strikes on us and adds to the casualties on the grenadiers and one hit on a Panther.

Steve and Andy's reinforcements come on and 6 tanks against my 2 is a nasty surprise. T34 85's in the main.

I push the panthers into hull down position at the end of the gully with the infantry holding the edge of the wood in support. My firing inflicts minimal damage on the T35's.

On our left Chris's tanks have pulled back to the wood leaving the tank riders to shoot it out and providing longer rage support along with the Tiger inflictign steady losses on the anti tank guns. 

The Panzer Grenadiers have some staying power so despite beign hit by mortars are able t whittle down the gun crews.

Andy's Russian armour closes with me and starts to knock lumps off the Panthers.

In the centre Andy fires a light AT gun and I am able to drop heavy artillery on him, turns out the wood has alsorts in it and I end up getting shots at multiple targets, we dont know but his HQ company has been wiped out along with the AT gun and some infantry,

I manage to inflict some hits on him including one tank brewed but in return he destroys one of mine and suppresses the other.

I should really have kept the Panthers together and having pushed the Russians from the front of the town I try to remedy my error by supporting the front company, too little too late really.

Having inflicted lots of damage on the guns Chris sends the Tiger to support my flank.

My infantry opens up on the next house int he town and we also drop mortars on them, this forces a morale which they fail, 

Next move we occupy the house and fire into the retreating Russians causing more casualties. This causes a battalion morale as we had earlier wiped out their HQ and supports with artillery in the woods. They fails and one battalion of Russian foot leaves table/Surrenders.

Against my better judgement the fresh Panther company drives to the top of the hill to fire on the Russians, these are all on overwatch and 6 shots result in 3 hits to one panther which fails its morale and routes. The remaining tank takes out a T35.

The Russians still have 4 tanks with minimal damage so capable of coming at us. Which they do.

The Tiger takes a long range pot shot and scores a single hit on a T35. They all add up I guess.

Artillery and mortar fire take out two of the anti tanks guns and with just one remaining Chris advances his three remaining tanks on them.

The Panzer grenadiers also start to advance from the woods albeit with a very long way to go.

Chris's tank riders close assault the gun in what should eb a forgone conclusion, 3 dice vs 1. Chris gets no hits, Steve gets one and the grenadiers are thrown out.

Fortunately the Tanks then get a clear shot and destroy the last AT gun, leaving the way open to close with the town.

On the right the remaining 4 Russian tanks push forward and the Panther and Tiger take up positions to contest their advance.

A tough game this week with the Russians a bit stronger and some mistakes leading to higher casualties for the Germans.

We perhaps needed another 30-40 minutes to get a final result.

All four of us enjoyed it, honours were fairly equal but on balance a narrow Russian victory as we had yet to take the main town. Another few moves might have allowed the Panzer Grenadiers to take the town, they now had support of 3 tanks with no anti tank capability to stop them.

On my right flank we had just two tanks left but a panther and a Tiger had the edge on the remaining 4 Russian tanks and I was supported by infantry where they were not so all in all a close game.

Good fun, thanks gents.

Finished Units for the Punjab

 So with Partizan only a few months away and the first test game in July I am keen to get some more finished units on table.

First completed a unit of Pathan Tribal Foot.

A big mix of manufacturers, Foundry, Perry Metal, Perry plastic, Wargames Atlantic, and Empress. 

Very versatile, Afghan troops for the whole Victorian Period of course Muslim troops for the Sikh Army but also Pathan levies supporting the British against the Sikhs in the second Anglo Sikh War. Can even be Pathan tribal irregulars fighting the Sikhs in the slightly earlier period of expansion. The Sikhs would have the same uniforms so very do-able for me.

Then another unit of Sikh irregulars with blade weapons. The lighting was working well for a change.

These are the Jagdiri, feudal levies of the Sikh landowners.

A real mix of figures, some plastic Perry and Wargames Atlantic Afghans with Sikh heads such as the leader figure in blue drawing his sword, plenty of metal Foundry Sikhs and a couple of Old Glory for good measure. 

Pretty pleased again with these.

An Indian Leader figure, Hindu or Muslim, from the Empress Mutiny range, lovely figure, not sure I am happy with the turban but otherwise very colourful.

So plenty more finding its way on table ahead of T'Other Partizan.

Thanks for stopping by.

Russian Offensive, WW2 AAR

Another WW2 play test. This time I would be attacking with the Russians and the German defenders were a much more mixed bag.

I needed to capture two towns held by a decent SS Battalion supported by artillery, a company of Police, a company of Volksturm and a mixed Tank Hunter unit of a Jagdpanther and a Stug.

To take the two towns I had 3 weak Guard motor battalions reasonable troops but only two companies with an MG to each battalion, they are supported by heavy mortars, a couple of light guns 3 SU75s and 3 JSU150's. I also had a combat engineer company with a flame thrower in a half track.

The off table artillery grid is pretty massive and Steve rolls for each unit under it, so in this first shot he can fire at two companies and a JSU. Fortunately for me the German firing dice were not great today.

As the IS75's advance on the town in support of the infantry a PAK40 unmasks and fires. The first IS75 is knocked out.

The remaining IS's and infantry return fire with effect and destroy the Pak.

As the infantry move further forward the SS company in the wood open fire on the Russians and each side takes heavy casualties.

On the left the advancing Russian infantry bump into Volksturm in the houses and a company of police in trenches to the flank of the town.

I take 3 casualties but manage to save all 3.

The SS use their anti tank capability to hit one of the remaining IS's. 

My return fire at the SS is not so great.

I close assault the company of police and they are over run.

The SS in the lead house open fire, inflicting a couple of casualties.

fortunately I have quite a bit can fire back including indirect fire from mortars and in one round of firing the lead company of SS are destroyed.

My engineers pile into the empty house and the first building in the village is taken.

The light tanks have taken a real kicking whilst providing pretty minimal support for the infantry, two destroyed one damaged. Still they kept the pak40 busy!

Finally the German armour push forward, Steve has been lurking in the woods hoping I will charge forward but the Towns are nearly lost so he needs to come get the Russians tanks or risk losing.

I fire my JSU but the range is long and no effect. The red marker is overwatch.

Both German tanks gang up on one ISU and take it out. Bugger!

The Engineers take the house with just one casualty, the flamethrower adding 4 dice to their fighting. Just one building in the town now held by the SS.

Steve pulls an extra move card, move only, he pulls back his armour so I now have to fire at effective range or take a minus for moving one before getting to close range. Grrrr.

Last move I push right up, Steve ambushes me with infantry from the rear building but misses, my fire with JSU's destroys the Jagdpanther and damages the Stug. No more time but at this point the Germans dont have enough left to win.

Fabulous game.

A victory to the Russkies.

A couple more tests but the rules seem finished for me.

Thanks for stopping by.