Flames of War

As promised it's time for last weeks Flames of War report.

Pippin

The Paras first operation was an away mission, an early launch of the operation was interrupted by the gas safety inspection and then a call from the dog walker saying she refused to walk Pippin any more has he is a pain in the bum!

Sorry for the low quality of Pictures again, I forgot my camera and had to use my Blackberry!

We (Mike, Rod and I) played 3 battles, Paras v Germans, Germans v US Paras, and US Paras v Germans again


Battle One, Paras v Germans

2000 points. Paras: CHQ, 3 platoons of Paras, 1 Para Assault Platoon, HMG Platoon, Mortar Platoon, 8 gun Artillery Battery, 6pdr AT platoon and a flight of typhoons

2000 points Germans, CHQ, 2 platoons of panzer grenadiers, HMG Platoon, 3.7cm AA platoon, Tiger Platoon, Panzer IV platoon, Nebelwerfer battery (I think, correct me if i'm wrong mike)

We decided on the encounter battle, half our forces started off table, and were subject to (in comparison to 40k) harsh arrival rules (no attempts until turn 3) 

HMG Platoon with nice fields of fire

 The Battle Started with the Germans advancing through the corn fields, and a ineffective opening barrage from the Nebelwerfers, unfortunately for the Germans this gave away their position to the Para artillery spotters which today were on top form, one barrage from the howitzers destroyed 4 of the rocket launchers and sent the rest packing.

Next the Paras revealed their snipers hidden in the fields and started to snipe at the enemy spotters and HMG platoon, pinning them down. The Para artillery now ranged in on the Tigers but caused little damage, the Mortars proved more effective against the pinned HMG platoon.

On turn three a Para platoon arrived, but still no sign of the Typhoons that were proving to be very elusive. German Platoons also started to arrive but with no cover to hide from the now very forward Para artillery spotters they took heavy damage as soon as they arrived. and the following turn after their Panzer IV platoon took a battering from the guns (2 destroyed and 2 bailed out) the Germans decided to conserve their forces and pull back.

This game being the first proper one we played of FoW proved a learning experience for both of us, artillery is very important, both for destroying the enemy and pinning them down, even 3" mortars can take a platoon out of action and even cause tanks to worry.The only assault we tried was the para assault v the Tigers but they refused to engage, oh and I like snipers!

Game Two US Paras v Germans

While our host Mike went and made lunch (bacon and cider) I took over command of the Germans and went up against Robs Americans. we played the same battle, again 2000 points. German force the same, can't quite remember the US order of battle but I think it was CHQ, 2 platoons of Paras, Howitzer battery, sherman platoon and a flight of fighter bombers.

 So again  we started with half our forces in reserve, I decided to leave the armour and CHQ in reserve and deploy as much infantry as possible. The Americans done the reverse and had the tanks on the table to start. These raced across the table towards my line and all the sudden I wished I had something bigger than an MG42 available, then the Thunderbolts turned up, and boy! aren't AA platoons useful!

The Nebelwerfers, now not facing a massive counter battery proved much more effective than the last battle, bailing out the shermans for a turn and slowing them down.

Not for long though, they soon were on the move and machine gunning their way through a German panzer Grenadier platoon and HMG platoon. Almost reaching the objective in the German deployment area.

Now in a classic, perfectly timed and placed rescue five Panzer IVs roared into the fray right in front of the Shermans and effectively blowing them away (think 3 dead and one bailed out)

 One loss to the Germans was the AA platoon, destroyed by the US artillery before their last spotter was killed which silenced them. Now the thunderbolts had free range over the battle and destroyed and entire platoon on the right, allowing a double timing Para platoon to again threaten an objective.

Tigers! they arrived again perfectly placed in front of the American paras, machine guns blazing and cut them all down in the open

It all proved too much for the Americans and they left in a hurry!

Battle Three

My turn to watch as rob (US) and Mike (Germans) battled it out again, same forces, but this time with the free for all battle so everything started on the table.

Er oops 6pdr AT can't actually damage Tigers!

 I still have a few more bits to get for my Paras, but next I think will be a SS panzer Company!