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Author Topic: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1  (Read 3291 times)

Offline V

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1427
Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« on: August 03, 2014, 12:57:40 AM »
Crehen, Belgium 1940... a big playtest for the new Battlegroup Blitzkrieg we are currently working on.




French troops valiantly try to hold off a mechanised German assault on Crehen, while trying to bring more forces into action.










The game began with the German recce troops mainly heading for the walled farm complex on the Crehen-Hannut road. They worked their way through the network of fields and orchards to get into position to occupy this key position, while the German mortar support kept up fire upon the ridge held by the French with some of their artillery dug in upon it. The French would respond in kind.





At Crehen, german forces probed the village, hindered at first by roadblocks, and then by a minefield, all the while a lone French 75mm gun with a solitary crewman who fought to the death after his comrades were killed... All alone manning his gun he knocked out an approaching armoured car and then a Panzer IV before being cut down.







The actual German assault on Crehen would prove to be a violent close quarters affair, with each house having to be cleared and taken, often with the use of flamethrowers and tank support. But the key position in Crehen - a fortified house - refused to fall. Despite everything thrown at it, the defenders refused to quit and the Germans couldnt take this final and vital piece of real estate. The defenders held on so long that the French reserves put in an appearance and the French launched an armoured counter-attack which saw the Hotchkiss H39s indulge in a long range gunnery duel with the Panzers... and come off better!







Towards Hannut, a battle between recce troops developed and this alerted the reserves in Hannut. As a gaggle of German Panzer IIs rolled forward to support the recce troops, from Hannut out rumbled four Char Bs. Then began an unequal firefight that raged for sometime, but eventually left one Char B knocked out, one with a shed track but with five burning Panzer IIs opposite them.







In the end, the French defence proved too tough for the Germans to crack and with losses mounting, and options running out, the German high command called off the attack... With the German BR broken the French secured a well deserved victory, albeit at heavy cost.


As always, more pics on our Facebook page;

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.350723755080070.1073741844.239624736189973&type=1

Offline FramFramson

  • Elder God
  • Posts: 10681
  • But maybe everything that dies, someday comes back
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2014, 03:27:21 AM »
Fantastique!

Nice to see the French get a little of their own back. Can't wait to see your images of the Chars when it comes time!


I joined my gun with pirate swords, and sailed the seas of cyberspace.

Offline joekano

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1200
    • My blog: Major Thomas Foolery
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2014, 03:57:10 AM »
That is a fantastic looking table!  :-* Well done to all of you!

Chris
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room." -President Merkin Muffley
http://majorthomasfoolery.blogspot.com/

Offline Sparker

  • Student
  • Posts: 14
    • Sparker's Wargaming Blog
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2014, 03:59:13 AM »
Yes as always an outstanding set up - the scenery and photos are amazing, and impressive armies!
Kind Regards,

Sparker

By the Grace of God, and kind permission of Her Gracious Majesty, formerly Lieutenant Royal Navy

Offline pacofeanor

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 253
    • paco fait le zouave
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2014, 09:48:03 AM »
beautifull table !! houses are very nice!!

best regards
paco

Offline gamer Mac

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 8207
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2014, 10:33:26 AM »
Lovely set up :-* :-* :-* :-*
Can you tell us a bit more about the paint jobs on the buildings? They look so real.
The weathering on the church is  :o :o :o :o :o :o

Offline fred

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4360
    • Miniature Gaming
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2014, 11:01:26 AM »
Really nice setup.

I like the low level shots - how did you take these, and with what sort of camera? I have problems getting the camera to the right place to try these shots - but they make the game look much more real as the point of view is what we are used to seeing, not the overhead look.

Offline majorsmith

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3763
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2014, 11:08:20 AM »
Love the early war period I find it so much more interesting

Offline marrony

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1195
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2014, 05:36:36 PM »
Brilliant thanks for posting. Early WW2 is a fave of mine.
'The night is gone and the sword is drawn.And the scabbard thrown away!' -Cry of the People by John G Neihardt.

Offline Gunbird

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2297
  • With miniatures, anything is possible!
    • 20mm and then some
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2014, 06:32:01 PM »
Lovely set up :-* :-* :-* :-*
Can you tell us a bit more about the paint jobs on the buildings? They look so real.
The weathering on the church is  :o :o :o :o :o :o

Mac, the houses are not painted, they are foamboard covered with printed photographs of real houses.
Who is Gunbird? Johan van Ooij, Dutch, Mercenary Gamer, no longer mobile and happy to live life while it lasts >> http://20mmandthensome.blogspot.com/

Offline gamer Mac

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 8207
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #10 on: August 03, 2014, 08:23:27 PM »
Mac, the houses are not painted, they are foamboard covered with printed photographs of real houses.
That works amazingly well :o :o :o
Is the church the same?

Offline Blodwin

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 374
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #11 on: August 03, 2014, 08:30:15 PM »
beautiful - enough said

Offline Gunbird

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2297
  • With miniatures, anything is possible!
    • 20mm and then some
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #12 on: August 03, 2014, 09:07:33 PM »
That works amazingly well :o :o :o
Is the church the same?

Yup, the church is the same.

Offline warburton

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1955
    • Classic40K painting blog
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #13 on: August 03, 2014, 10:57:32 PM »
Brilliant. Very impressive.

Offline General

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 356
Re: Crehen 1940 - Battlegroup Weekend Game 1
« Reply #14 on: August 03, 2014, 11:23:07 PM »
Absolutely amazing!  Magnificent work! :-*

 

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