Brits vs Germans, Somewhere in Italy, Late '43, Game 5

All,

We've come to the final fight of the operation.  Let's review: the Brits started with a hasty attack supported with light armor, in which they did okay, forcing the enemy to fall back.  This Germans immediately counterattacked, and the Brits again did okay, but lost their CO when he was cornered and forced to surrender.  This was followed by a rapid attempt by the Germans to close the loop and encircle the Brits, but they ferociously fought there way out of the closing trap.  The Brits immediately counterattacked, making good use of supporting armor to throw the Germans back to their last line of defense.

Lt Page spoke to his key leaders, letting them know armor support would be on hand, but that's because the German line was expected to be formidable, with recon parties reporting the Germans were well dug in.

At dawn Lt Page led his men across the line of departure, hot on the heels of the pre-assault stonk.  It was mere seconds before the chatter of machine guns interrupted the early morning calm...

Overview, once again with the German defenders starting on blinds; rifle squads and dummies are white, two support weapons and dummies are black, I'll place their CO where it makes the most sense once the enemy troops are placed on the table.  Once again north is up, with the German baseline at top and Brit at bottom.

The Brit assault force, with a CO, a Vickers MG, a 3" mortar, an M4 Sherman, and 9 rifle squads.

The German force: a CO, an MG42, a PaK-38 ATG, and 5 rifle squads.

The Brit assault forces, at the moment they crossed the Line of Departure.

The defenders are placed: a rifle squad in the far left bunker; the MG42, the CO, and a rifle squad in the center bunker; a rifle squad on the road behind the wall between the center and far right bunker; a rifle squad in the far right bunker with a rifle squad at the wall in front of them; and the PaK-38 in the house at top right.

German positions on the left.

And the right.

The ATG in the northeast (tip right) corner.

I resolved to play this game correctly (regarding activations), with each side getting one activation per three units on the table (not including the CO, who gets a free move each turn.

Let's get it on!

The attack gets off to an auspicious start; LCpl Dawson's 4th Squad (center left, behind wall) moved up and the German 1st Squad (top left) snap fired on them, forcing them to flee.  Then Cpl Everson's 5th Squad (center, with casualty figure on it) move up, and the German 2nd Squad (center bunker) snap fires, putting them out of the fight!  Sgt Nelson moves his Sherman up, the coax MG rattling, getting a pin on the German MG42 (center bunker), while Cpl Foster's 6th Squad follows them.

Due to the loss of Cpl Everson's squad the Brits are already down to 3 activations per turn...

The German CO, Lt Prinzen (Capt Penzig was captured in the last fight) rallies the MG (top left) and the MG42 opens up on 6th Squad (bottom right), pinning them while LCpl Ersatz led the German 5th Squad (top right) forward.

Lt Page rallies 6th Squad (far right, behind Sherman, with German squad just above them, and 4th Squad below them with the red bead), while the Sherman fires on the MG in the center bunker, forcing them to fall back (to the left of the bridge).  The Brit MG (just to left of 4th Squad) and LCPl Crews' 3rd Squad (bottom left) move up, but the German 1st Squad (far left bunker) snap fired, getting a knock down on 3rd Squad!

The German CO ran from the center bunker back to the wall, trying to rally the German MG42 hiding there, but they ran again (far left, behind building)!

LCpl Benz' German 2nd Squad in the center bunker (far left) fired on the Brit 6th Squad (bottom right), forcing them to flee, which clears the way for the German 5th Squad (top right) to close assault the British Sherman!

And that's exactly what happened.  LCpl Ersatz advanced his squad into close combat with the Sherman tank, and there was nothing anyone could do as the Sherman was facing the wrong way to snap fire, and the two Brit rifle squads (4th and 6th) at bottom left were both hunkered (and 4th was facing the wrong way).

Lt Page and his headquarters section rush into the fight, but to no avail.  LCpl Ersatz' riflemen swarm the tank, opening hatches and dropping hand grenades in, while using their machine pistols to gun down the British commander...

The Brits roll a scurry, so 4th and 6th Squads try to rally and are successful.

On the far left, the 3rd Squad recovers (bottom center), while the MG, 1st, and 2nd Squads moved up (bottom left, opposite the German 1st Squad at top right).

On the Brit right, the 3" mortar, 7th, 8th, and 9th Squads move up and turn left to encircle the German 5th Squad (at the knocked out Sherman, with 6th Squad at bottom left and 4th Squad just off camera at bottom left).

Regarding the mortar, I hadn't done anything with it as it's not really useful against all the Germans in the bunkers, plus the ATG has yet to be spotted.  But I am kicking myself in the ass because I could have used the mortar against the German 5th Squad, which was in the open the turn before it charged the Sherman...

However, LCpl Ersatz feels the pressure and falls his men back (from the Sherman to top center).

The German CO continues to try to catch up to the cowering MG42, in order to rally them and get them back into the fight.

Then the Brit MG (bottom left, with 1st and 2nd Squads just ahead of them and 3rd Squad to their immediate right) find itself in trouble; caught in the crossfire between the two German bunkers, LCpl Jay's machine gun team is out of the fight...

Having just watched their buddies in the MG get gunned down, Pvt Alston (yes Pvt Alston is now leading 1st Squad) leads his men forward (far left) and fires on the German 1st Squad, forcing them to flee!

While Cpl Bates' 2nd Squad (bottom left) and LCpl Crews' 3rd Squad (bottom center) rush on the German center bunker and fire, getting a pin.

The the Germans rolled a scurry, and while the MG42 finally rallied, their 1st Squad which had fallen back from the bunker at bottom right, failed its roll and retreated all the way back to the MG42 and their CO.

On the Brit right, the German 3rd and 5th Squads (center) move up into a flanking position to challenge the Brit 7th, 8th, and 9th Squads (bottom right).

And the Brits react, with their 1st Squad (far left) moving up to the rail line, while 2nd and 3rd Squads move in closer on the German center bunker (center of picture), and 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Squads start to straighten the line on the right.

The Germans have a squad totally un-involved in the bunker at top right.  It's been a conundrum; you don't really want to leave the bunker, and you have only a couple activations per turn anyway, but you also don't want them to be only spectators...

The leaderless Brits figure it's time to get stuck in, and it starts with LCpl Alston's 1st Squad moving up and firing on the German 1st Squad (under Pvt Aprohe), forcing them to hunker.  This presents an interesting situation as the German 1st Squad is extremely vulnerable, and no one is in position to protect them (the CO can't fire, and the CO is blocking the MG's line of fire).

Pvt Alston screams, "Let's go lads, follow me!" and charges into close combat.

But a @#$% draw is rolled (the Germans through in their CO to help), so because the German squad is in cover, the Brits must fall back (bottom right)...  @#$% it!!!!  I hate this game...

Undeterred, the Brit and German 2nd Squads exchange fire to no effect, and then Cpl Bates leads 2nd Squad into a brawl, and the Germans are evicted from their bunker!

And then the Brits got a break: the Brit 3" mortar finally gets into action, and begins dropping rounds on the German MG42 (far left), and the barrage is enough to cause the MG42 and the German 1st Squad to break and flee, barely hanging on to the edge of the map.  Lt Prinzen follows them.

But then the Germans roll a firefight, and the MG and 1st Squad rally!

Then the ATG (top right) decides to make its presence felt; the gun commander, Cpl Leib, yells "fire!" and a 50mm shell hurls at the Brit 3rd Squad (bottom left), but doesn't affect anyone.

On the far right, the German 3rd and 5th Squads get into a firefight with the Brit 7th, 8th, and 9th Squads, at very close quarters.  The Brit 7th Squad gets a 'flinch' (yellow bead), while the 9th Squads gets a 'knock down' (white bead).  The Brit return fire is ineffective...

Pvt Alston leads 1st Squad forward to fire on the Germans at the board edge, and simultaneously mortar rounds begin falling on the German position, causing the MG42 to flee off the map.

Back on the right, Sgt Ingersoll's 9th Squad recovers from knock down.

German roll firefight, and the PaK (top right) fires on 3rd Squad, forcing it to flee (from center of the picture to the bottom left).

While the German 1st Squad fires on the Brit 1st Squad, with the Brits gaining the upper hand with a knockdown.

On the far right, the German 3rd and 5th Squads shoot it out with the Brit 7th, 8th, and 9th Squads again.  The Brit 9th Squad is forced to flee, but both German squads receive knock downs, essentially sealing their fate.

Pvt Alston leads 1st Squad into close combat with the German 1st Squad and their CO.

And the Germans were eliminated!

Back on the right, the Brits charge in, eliminating the German 3rd and 5th Squads in a pushover (due to both enemy squads being knocked down).

The German 4th Squad (top right), watching their comrades get butchered by these crazed Tommies, throw down their weapons and raise their hands before the Brits have a chance to close the distance, while the sole remaining German unit, the PaK-38 anti-tank gun crew, flees off the map.

So, how was it for you?  I had a great time, playing five battles in two days (it took about as much time, if not a little more, to type all these batreps up).  I am perfectly happy with the rules, with the only adjustment I need to make being to add more scenarios, which I'll work on and solicit help with.

I think it's pretty cool to be able to get in a five-game Operation so quick.  I  believe I'm going to transition my French Foreign Legion campaign to these rules.

If you got this far, thanks for sticking with me ;)

V/R,
Jack

Brits vs Germans, Somewhere in Italy, Late '43, Game 4

All,

Following the Brits' successful escape from the German encirclement, they immediately go on the counterattack, looking to catch the Germans dispersed and off balance.  Lt Page organizes his men, gathers up what armor is available, and launches his men at the enemy forces.

Overview, north is up and the German baseline, bottom is south and Brit baseline, though the Brit forces will be split, with one force under attack by the enemy, while the relief force makes its way to rescue them.

The Brits, with 7 rifle squads, a CO stand, an MG, and a Sherman tank (75mm).

The German force, with five rifle squads, a CO stand, and a mortar.  The Germans do not have an anti-tank weapon: only the PaK-38 is available as its 1943, so no Panzerfausts, and I don't have any Panzerschrecks for my Afrika Korps troops (though I suppose I could have borrowed one from my late-war Germans, now that I think about it).  The Germans only hope to defeat the British Sherman is to close assault it with infantry.  The Germans went with a more mobile force, opting to defeat the British (win the game) by destroying the Brit hold outs before the Brit relief force can get there, then fall back, conserving their force.  It wouldn't quite work out that way though...

Starting positions: in the top left (NW) corner are the Brit hold-outs and the German force, while the Brit relief force enters from the bottom right.

Three Brit rifle squads and their MG on the hill, with the Germans to the north and east.  There is 1 rifle squad and the mortar at the top, two more rifle squads and their CO behind the wall faced up to the Brits, and two squads keeping an eye to the south (where they expect the Brit relief force to come from).

The Brit relief force: Lt Page, four rifle squads, and a Sherman.  They'll be busting brush to get to their mates on the hill.

The Brits start the game LCpl Dawson and Cpl Everson's 4th and 5th Squads (of the relief force) moving up (bottom right, with Germans at top left).  The Brit plan (at least so far) is to advance the relief force with their activations and leave the hold-outs to fend for themselves via reaction (snap and guard) fire.

The Germans roll a normal activation, but then disaster strikes!  A random event ("distraction") is rolled, and so the German mortar crew, in its haste to displace, does not have ammo ready and is unable to act this turn.  This is crucial, as the mortar was key to pounding the Brit hilltop hold-outs so the German infantry could get in close and eliminate the Brits.

So the plan changes, and the German 4th and 5th Squads (top left), led by LCpl Droll and Cpl Egan, move up to counter the Brit relief force (far right).  They both sprint, but neither make it to the cover of the treeline...

Then the Brit Sherman is escorted forward by Cpl Everson's squad, with Lt Page and LCpl Dawson's squad in trace.

The Germans get their 80mm mortar (top right) going, and it causes Cpl Bates' 2nd Squad (far left, with red bead) to fall back, while Cpl Colgen's 3rd Squad (bottom center) fires on LCpl Crews' 3rd Squad (center, with white bead) and gets a knockdown!

At first glance, the Brits get just what they needed, a 'scurry,' which will allow them move everyone without drawing reaction fire.  But they also roll a random event ("Ouch!"), and so a stray round sets off some spare ammunition, giving Cpl Allen's 1st Squad (above the squad with the white bead) a knockdown too!

The Brits on the hill try to rally/recover, and 2nd and 3rd Squads do, but 1st Squad is still in knockdown.

The entire relief force moves up (across the entire bottom).

The Germans react: their 4th Squad loops around (bottom center), splitting the difference between the Brits on the hill and the Sherman, while their 3rd Squad (center top, sitting astride the hedge) moves up and their 5th Squad (top right) backs up into cover, though this was probably the wrong move as it isolated them from the main body...

LCpl Arretz leads the German 1st Squad out of the house in the north and up the hill, trying to get into close combat with the Brit 1st Squad, but the Vickers opens up and knocks them down!

And it's time to go for the tank, so LCpl Droll leads the German 4th Squad in a charge to close with the Sherman, but the coax chatters and the German squad gets a knockdown also!  Sgt Nelson then orders his driver to pivot and advance, and the Sherman rolls over the suppressed German squad, then backs up, and runs over them again.  Then backs up, and runs over them one more time.

While Cpl Foster leads the Brit 6th Squad (far right) up to the wall to fire at the German 5th Squad, to no effect.

Back on the hilltop, the German mortar gets going again (probably should have done that last turn, instead of rushing their 1st Squad up there, but the Vickers really stood a small chance of stopping them.  But did...).  In any case, the Brit MG is forced to flee and hunker (top left with red bead).  Meanwhile, the German CO, Captain Penzig, rushes up to his 1st Squad (top right) and recovers them.  The German 2nd Squad (bottom right, under LCpl Benz), fires on the Brit 2nd Squad (center with yellow bead) and gets a 'flinch.'

Sgt Nelson sets his gunner to work, and the Sherman's main gun roars, and the German 3rd Squad is eliminated (top center, on the hedge), and the German 2nd Squad (top, with yellow bead) gets a flinch.  The Brit 1st Squad (off camera at top left) rallies.

But the German mortar keeps pumping 80mm rounds out, and LCpl Crews' 3rd Squad is eliminated, and 1st Squad is forced to flee (bottom left).  Captain Penzig leads his 1st Squad to the top of the hill, where they fire down on the Brit 2nd Squad (white bead at bottom left), getting a knockdown.  The 1st and 2nd Squads, and the MG are in bad shape with two hunkers and a knockdown.

This is a key shift, as just a second ago the Germans on the hill were in a bad morale state and their troops covering the Brit relief force is being scattered and pummeled, while the Brits on the hill were doggedly holding on, with the relief force not far away.  Quickly the tables seemed to have turned, at least on the hill.

Sgt Nelson's Sherman blasts the German 1st Squad, causing them to flee (top right), while the German CO goes to his 2nd Squad (far right on road with yellow bead).  Lt Page, the Brit CO (top center) leaves the cover of the tank and sprints to go save his 1st and 2nd Squads and the MG (by rallying them before they can be easily destroyed).

LCpl Dawson moves his men forward (bottom right), taking a shot at the German 2nd Squad (top left), missing.

Then the Germans get screwed by rolling a scurry; they can move everyone, but can't fire and can't move into close combat (to finish off Brit hill troops hunkering/knocked down)...

The German 1st Squad rallied itself (top center), while Captain Penzig rallied his 2nd Squad and led them off the road and atop the hill, while Cpl Egan had his 5th Squad (bottom right) fall back.

At this point the Germans have no way to win this: they failed in their one chance to close assault the tank, and the scurry destroyed their ability to regain the initiative by putting the Brit hilltop troops out of the fight.  Now the Germans are caught in an awkward middle ground, and may not be able to even escape (that Sherman is pretty fast compared to troops on foot).

The Brits react with Lt Page moving up to 1st and 2nd Squads (top left), then LCpl Dawson's 4th Squad escorting Sgt Nelson's tank forward.

5th, 6th, and 7th Squads darted forward as well, chasing down Cpl Egan's German 5th Squad and pinning it to the wall.

Sgt Nelson's 75mm gun roars again, and Captain Penzig and his 2nd Squad surrender to the Brits.

The same occurs on the right, where Cpl Egan's 5th Squad surrenders.  The German mortar team and 1st Squad were able to flee the battlefield, escaping the British.

A soaring success for the Brits, with the hold-outs 1-3 Squads, Vickers MG) holding out long enough for the relief force to punish the Germans and rescue them.  The Germans suffered atrociously, while the Brits lost but a single rifle squad.  Once again, as I type this, I realize it may not look like a close3 game (because of the lopsided casualties), but I can tell you it was very tense, with four key events going against the Germans:
1) the random event that kept the mortar from raining destruction on the hilltop (you could see how effective it was in suppressing squads when it was in action).
2) The Vickers MG rolling 1 dice in reaction fire, stopping the charging German squad cold in its tracks, saving the Brit 1st Squad (which was in a knockdown status and would have been eliminated upon contact).
3) The Sherman firing its MG, rolling 1 dice in reaction fire, stopping another charging German squad cold in its tracks, more than likely saving the Sherman (close combat would have seen opposing D6 rolls, with the Germans getting a +2 for initiating combat).
4) The Germans rolling a 'scurry' when they had the Brit 1st Squad and MG hunkered, and the 2nd Squad knocked down.  This meant  no firing and no moving into close combat, when any German unit moving into contact with the 2nd Squad would have won automatically, and any German unit moving into the 1st Squad or MG would have been +3 in its opposed die roll.

So, it was pretty close, despite how the end tally looks.  A great game pretty quickly, leading to the final fight of the operation, a Brit prepared assault on the main German line.  Stay tuned!

V/R,
Jack