Hmmm...fuel problems....that would be nice!
If I had a tank to put it in!!!
So I decided to forgo turn five in favour of getting some troops down the track...but again on turn 6, no bloody bridge.....so no bloody tanks!
I probably should have attacked somewhere....but without a tank, I didn’t fancy my chances. Ok, pass again and get some guys down to “D”
Turn 7....STILL no sodding bridge....I do not believe my crap luck!
I can’t justify waiting again, so decide to launch an attack on field 4...the outskirts of Consthum.
I had a choice, probe or att@ck and defend.....stupidly, I missed the chance to scarper along the tree line in a probe dash, but instead decided to attack from the top left as you look at the board here.
I ended up with jump off points behind the left most house and to its left...plus one on the table edge coming this way. The Americans had one in / at the White House to the right and two along the road hedge line running toward this edge of the table. I rolled a bit higher for morale this time and deployed my first section, lmg squad into the soft cover on the right of my fist house, near the green house and a senior leader in the house who put them on overwatch.
We had figured out that we had been mis representing the ability of the senior leader to remove shock in the previous game ( though as it benefitted us both...didn’t matter) and that our understanding of being pinned was wrong ( that it lasted until turn end if you removed shock! ). Not something we had encountered much though to be fair.
Jamie had stuck two minefields , one of which stopped me using the next house along! The sneaky rat!
A sniper deployed about 10 along the white fence and went into overwatch. This was necessary as I was certain much was going to happen from the Custer of houses (right top as you look above).
The houses near my jump off afforded me limited view into this cluster though as all fifer from the fronts was in a 45 degree arc to their fore.
Having lost my last clearance team to mortar fire...I was still prepared to give them an outing and promptly deployed against the minefield. On their very next phase...I rolled a six! They had cleared the first first in record time allowing me access to the house! A second section, with their stg44’s subsequently moved in.
Jamie deployed a section into a defensive position on his right and my sniper took a shot, inflicting two points of shock, but not giving himself away. A senior leader appeared, helped with their shock and placed them on overwatch.....thus making the sniper think twice about taking a further shot and betraying his position.
Over the next few phases, Jamie kept his cool and allowed me to get my final section on to the field (I also got an MMG into the top floor of my first building covering towards the other two jump off points toward the Forrest edge) and move them up behind the closest house to his dug in section.....I was going to charge in, lob a few grenades and rely on the massed fire of my stg’s to carry the day.......
.....and then blow me.....a hulking great M16 half track appeared and sprayed me with 50 cal....killing two and adding a bit of shock! Thwarted!
My guys dived into the house!
I had taken a panzershreck team (I have a rep for using RPG’s...it would be rude not to, especially as I had thought I may encounter an AFV. My next phase saw me use it in anger, one shot and BOOM! Retribution served!
Jamie reminded me I could have used panzerfausts carried by the section attacked...but in the heat of battle, I kinda panicked, and opted to hide instead! To be fair, I’m as green at this game as my men! Lol
Stung into action at the loss of their half track, the dug in section were ordered forward to storm the house before the new inhabitants could bring fire on the position (Jamie I think wary of the stg44s firepower at close proximity from the previous game and not wanting me to set up so close to his position)
He ordered a couple of grenades to be thrown in....and rolled a double one as his minor league baseball pitcher fumbled and dropped the grenade at his feet!
Not sure but I think he lost a guy.
Anyway, they pressed the attack, threw more grenades and hosed the building from the open windows, killing a few and breaking my section that subsequently scarpered!
My mine clearing team had been ordered to work on the next minefield, and very quickly cleared it too! (2 fields in four/five attempts....heroes!).
Jamie then used a CoC dice to end a turn seeing my broken unit rout from the field and all my overwatch disappear.
He then deployed a section at each of his two markers along the hedge (in hind sight, I would have put one in the building at his first jump off as it afforded hard cover with a clear field of fire and limited return fire due to my angles ) one section into a dugout and his furthest out simply into soft cover afforded by the hedge.
This gave him a great view of my units and he started pouring in fire, concentrating on my lmg section by the greenhouse.
And some dice like this... 10 hits from twelve...would have been dangerous but for some prompt saves and an attached leader dealing with the shock.
But now I too had a good field of fire and over the next half a dozen phases, I concentrated all my fire on the furthest soft cover section...slowly killing a few and stacking up the shock.
Jamie had to move his 2ic along the hedge row to be able to help them.....but no sooner had he arrived, when an effective burst of fire hit and wounded him, dropping him.
With his morale dropping I had to keep up the fire, first pinning them, then breaking them! They bugged out dragging their wounded leader with them.....
I decided I wanted to keep up the pressure and the mmg shot another in their retreat whilst my remaining assault team was ordered to put covering fire on his dug in section (well, one team at least).
Jamie brought on his last support, an anti tank 57....I’d like to think he may have been expecting a tank....and took a shot at my mmg team inflicting some shock.
Then I rolled a few fives, gathered my second CoC dice (I’d used the earlier for an interruption), ended the turn and routed the broken guy from the table, dropping Jamie’s morale to zero, giving me the table!
I hadn’t expected the win without a tank, but I will gratefully take it!
In the post action bits, because I still had a healthy morale, I only permanently lost one soldier with another missing the next round.
The host fed me waffles (it’s been over 40 years since my last but they were great - thanks! Great table and fantastic opponent. Cheers.
Welcome, Guest. Please 
April 25, 2024, 05:49:14 PM
July 03, 2015, 05:54:35 PM
