The game was 1250 points pitting a late war French force against strong German force from the Hermann Goering Panzer Division.
We used the Demolition Scenario from the Main BA rule book. Russ played the French and I played the Germans. We each had our objectives set in hard cover terrain within 4" of our respective table edges.
THE ARMIES
The French Army is a force that I have been working on for awhile. This is a late-war army which can be found in the Battle of Bulge theatre book. The army has two regular infantry squads, a Veteran 1LT, a veteran Goumier squad, a veteran Brigade de Choc (para-commando types), a veteran Jeep with MMG, a regular bazooka team, a veteran Sniper team, a veteran MMG team, a regular Light Howitzer and a 3/4-ton Dodge truck as a tow vehicle and capped off with a regular M4 Sherman. Overall command is a veteran Captain. I use US Infantry for the French regulars and the Bazooka team. I have Goumiers from Artizan Designs, and I use the new plastic American Airborne to represent the 1er Regiment de Chassuers Parachutiste (1 RCP) for the Brigade de Choc squad. The artillerist are the American 75mm Pack Howitzer with US Crew. The Jeep is a Rubicon model with Old Glory crew painted as the paratroopers.
On the German side I use Old Glory (Westwind) for the majority of my forces. I have two squads of regular grenadiers, a veteran Kubelwagon with MMG, a veteran Marder III, an regular Sdkfz 251/1 half-track, two veteran MMG teams, a regular Medium Mortar, a veteran 20mm light anti-aircraft gun, a veteran Pioneer squad with Flamethrower and LMG teams, a veteran Sniper team, and a regular Goliath Team. Command is provided by a veteran Oberluentnant (1LT) and veteran Hauptmann (CPT) The pioneers and Goliath team are primarily Warlord plastics with a couple of metal figures in the mix. The 20mm AA gun is a kit from Ace Models with crew from the extensive Victory Force line of WW2 figures.
THE BATTLE
We were playing the Demolition scenario and that makes you try to both take the offensive and capture the enemy HQ while defending your own HQ. We both placed our HQ well back and set up our forces to protect.
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| Here is the game table. Russ set up on the left and I set up on the right table edge. Russ' HQ was behind the hard cover ruins at the middle left. I set up my HQ in the ruins behind the destroyed building middle right of the picture. The Sherman would move down the road in the middle of the picture with impunity thanks to my terrible dice rolling! |
Russ played an excellent game and with the luck of the dice got to place his Sherman last during deployment so he could see where my Marder set up. He of course placed the Sherman on the opposite side of the table. on the road in the middle of the table photo above. The Sherman would move with impunity down the road due to terrible dice rolling (one of the German grenadiers was heard to exclaim, "Herr Hauptmann, there is something wrong with our anti-tank weapons today!").
In succession, the Goliath team, the Marder and two Panzerfausts either were destroyed by fire or missed the Sherman - or both! He basically drove the Sherman down the road and right up to my HQ. Totally fearless, totally crazy and TOTALLY EFFECTIVE!
Meanwhile the Kubelwagen was making an end run on the other flank aided by fire support from the Pioneer squad and the Hauptmann command squad. Destroying any Frenchman who got in the way, the Kubelwagon managed to get to the objective and with the German commander covering the flank from those who would cause harm - we managed to secure the draw.
Overall the game was vicious from the start and included very effective flamethrower shots, close combat that went very well for the French as the attacked, but also went very poorly for them as the HG Grenadiers gave as much as the got. Russ did a great job pounding away with the howitzer almost causing one of my grenadier squads to break and run for it. The combat also included some very effective longer range shots from my AA gun on a dominating hill. Neither one of our sniper teams could hit anything. The German MMG teams chewed up several of his units before they could get within range to threaten my HQ.
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| One of the regular Grenadier squads from the HG Panzer Division! |
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| The Marder overmatching the German defenses. The Sherman would come down the left side of the picture and although I did get turned towards hime and fired off a round, it bounced and he killed me as soon as he got the chance! |
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| The German pioneer squad and Kubelwagon. They would play a key role in capturing the German HQ. |
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| One of my Grenadier squads holds off the French Goumier squad in close combat. My guys ended up winning and routing the Goumiers as they couldn't kill any Germans! Only killed one of them, but that was all I needed. |
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| The German pioneers take on another French Squad after destroying the French Marquis squad. Note the flamethrower in the lead! This is the first time that I have use a flamethrower in a BA game. |
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| The Sherman makes quick work of the half-track, the mortar squad and he starts to take on the LT. |
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| A grenadier squad also gets between the Sherman and my HQ. |
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| Doesn't make a bit of a difference! I passed my morale test, but that only means that we get out of the way and he reaches the objective! |
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| On the other side of the table, my Kubelwagon captures the French HQ! The game is a draw! |
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| Another view of my guys on the objective. Kubelwagon and the Hauptmann squad. |
Overall I have to say that this was a super fun game! There were great dice rolls on both sides - a terrible dice rolls on both sides! We had a very good Chinese Food dinner at half-time. The company and social interaction was excellent! Best night of gaming I have had in a long time.
