Last Saturday we gathered at Powermongia for a final try at a home-made scenario of Battlegroup Blitzkrieg. We have played it several times before with the French as adversaries. This time we thought was an opportunity for the BEF, to show his quality, and field the full might of its 1st Army Tank Brigade.
THE TERRAIN:
This is an encounter scenario over the short edges.
View from the East (the germans come this way)View from the SouthView from the NorthView from the West (The BEF come this way)
THE OPPOSING FORCES
We agreed on a battle of 600 points a side with equal number of scout units on each side (that´s key for scenario balance). Panzer Division list vs BEF.
The BEF: (BR 48, 5 officers) Eduardo & Alejandro
A force from the 1/8 Lancashire Fusiliers (4th brigade), suported by tanks from the 1st army tank brigade.
Forward HQ in Guy Lizard Command Vehicle
Forward signals unit in a radio van (model layed resting in the display box all battle!)
Infantry Platoon mounted in 4 medium trucks
Vickers HMG
Boys AT rifle team
2pdr AT gun w/truck
A11 Matilda I tank troop (4 tanks)
A12 Matilda tank troop (3 tanks)
Vickers MkVI tank troop (3 tanks)
25 pdr gun w/morris tractor
2x 3” mortar battery (off-table)
Dingo scout car
Morris CS9 scout car
Scout carrier (with boys AT rifle)
Infantry patrol in a medium truck
The Germans: (BR 48, 5 officers) Iñaki & Kata
A combined force from the 2nd Panzer Division.
Forward HQ in a sdkfz 251/3
Forward Signals in sdkfz 223
Schutzen Platoon mounted in 4x sdkfz 251/1
Pak 36 AT gun w/protze tow
Light mortar team
PzI platoon (3x PzI B)
PzII platoon (3x PzII C)
PzIII platoon (3x PzIII E)
Sdkfz 231
Sdkz 222
Sdkfz 221
Kradschutzen Recce Patrol
Bunkerflak 88mm (all players in awe……)
Pz I munitions-schlepper
THE SCENARIO:
The scenario is an encounter battle with a twist. Both sides deployment zones lie over the long edges. That would result in a very sharp encounter, as the distances to engage will be significantly shorter.
There are 3 objectives:
Main objective: Charles, a French tank officer whose tank was knocked-out a few hours before. He is cowering behind the WWI memorial in the center of the table. He is positioned nearest the German side than the BEF one.
Southern Flank secondary: The keeper of the foundry has a little house just beneath the orchard. That would be a secondary objective.
Northern Flank secondary: A little privy just outside the ruined Church.
Victory Conditions:
Decisive victory: Breaking the enemy´s BR + control the main objective.
Marginal victory: Breaking the enemy´s BR + control any one objective.
First turn: the side that start farther from Charles (the BEF in this case) goes first.
DEPLOYMENT:
Both sides deploy their scouts first anywhere within their half of the table but no less than 10″ from the center line. Then, it´s 2 units each side on second turn (+1 unit for the side that did not went first). Then it´s 1D6 each turn afterwards. HQ units freely deploy on turn 2.
THE BATTLE
There were no scouting roll. The escenario dictates that the BEF has the first turn (as they choose the side nearest the main objective).
Turn 1.
Both scout forces deploy on table, well ahead of the main force (10” from mid table). And the scouting duel begins. Each side has 4 scout units,
The BEF move first, but the Germans strike hardest. Sdkfz 222 destroys the Morris CS9 with a salvo of 20 mm autocannon and a good penetration roll. Both sides grab an objective on the sides, but no one gets the more important, central one (the french WWI memorial)
BEF patrol captures the first objective.Dingo looks for a good position from where to call the 3” mortar batteryScout carrier & Morris CS9 drive fast for the central objective, but German scouts are in the wayBoth BEF vehicles fire away their Boys AT rifles against the towering sdkfz 231. Both miss!On their turn, the german armoured cars answer the fire with teutonic efficiencyThe Kradschutzen speedily move & disembark, and then grab the west objective (the foundry secondary side house)Sneaky kradschutzen get into the Foundry orchardTableview at the end of turn 1.
Turn 2.
Both main forces deploy at their own table edge. Please note the game is an encounter over the long sides. BEF deploy 2 units plus HQ. Germans deploy 3 units plus HQ. No dice is rolled for reserves, unit deployment is fixed by briefing on turns 1&2. Both sides have 2d6 plus officers for orders. All main force units deploy on their own edge, leaving 12” from the sides.
Lorried infantry from the 1/8 Lancashire Fusiliers (4th brigade) is ordered by the FHQ to go for the church and support the scout patrol already thereGo for the church Ladz!Supressive fire boys, aim high! Support the Fusiliers!An A12 Matilda II tank from 7RTR arrives on the battlefield. The scout carrier fires again at the sdkfz 231 but could not find his aim.Galahad, the troop commander tank, look out for survivors from the 12th lancer’s burning Morris CS9 armored car.Mexican standoff between the scouts. The Matilda has just arrived and causes some fear into the nazi cowards. Note the french tanker besides the monument, just cowering there after the last fight.The BEF scout officer commands the carrier to improve his accuracy, from the safety of his Dingo armored carThe scout patrol from the Northumberland fusiliers take possession of the Church.
Turn 3.
From now on, each side rolls 1d6 for reserves each turn. Each side now rolls 3D6 plus officers for orders. BEF get 4 reserves: Matilda II, Vickers MkVIC, 25prd gun & a section of lorried infantry. Germans got all 6: last 251/1 schutzen section, PzI (hq), PzII (hq), 2x Panzer III’s and towed Pak36. Remember you can rerroll reserves every turn if FHQ is on table. We play only officers already on table add to the orders roll. The struggle for the central objective becomes fierce.
More of the 7th RTR armor is committed. Second A12 in the troop, mighty “Gamecock” drives to the sound of battle on the BEF left flank.So also does the troop commander of the 13/18th hussars in their Vickers light tanks.The field artillery also contributes its direct fire support. It moves & disembarks straight into table, and proceeds to fire some supressive shots into the distant, towering Bunkerflak… The behemot is pinned! (medium guns pin open-top AFV’s on 3+).More infantry come into the table. The 1/8 Lancashire Fusiliers sends a section of lorried infantry speeding down the road with the intention of debussing straight in the nose of those pesky Kradschutzen in the foundry.The speed of the movement must have dazzled the fusiliers, for they fail their close assault roll, and remain exposed in the middle of the road! Galahad’s tank commander took his head as he cannot believe the lack of gallantry of those rascals.zzzzz….Swoosh!!!! What was that?? Bunkerflak fires an aimed shot at Galahad, and the AP round barely misses. Bloody scaring!Start of german turn 3. Tableview.Sir, We are very exposed here!! (Says the driver). Two more AP shots coming. This time from the PzIII zug commander. Both rounds hit, scratching some paint from the mighty “J” armor of the matilda. Steady ladz! (tank crew morale rolls passed…). Surprised Kradschutzen also try to pint the tank from the safety of the foundry. But Galahad just ignore them.Last section of schutzen enters the table and double moves straight ahead on the left flankTwo new PzIII move & fire straight into table and try some more AP shots on the Matilda. Again, to no avail. Those shots that hit, cannot go through the thick armor.The sdkfz 222 positions itself in a place where to take out any incoming infantry. A bold move, in sight of mighty Galahad.German FHQ and signals unit command the battlegroup from behind the woods. Oberst Müller succesfully tactical coordinates the Bunkerflak who has become hesitant under the 25 pdr fire.Over on the right flank, a pak36 enters the table and position itself in order to block the incoming Matilda “Gamecock”. The gunners were told at schule their gun is the best AP weapon in the world….General view at almost the end of german turn 3.That damn Matilda resisted all shots from all available units. With the last order, the german commander tries the impossible. Orders some supressive fire on the british tank from the puny 50 mm leichte granatenwerfer. Incredibly, one shot did the trick (a 6 is rolled), and the Galahad is pinned at last. Unbuttoned tank commander pays the price of riding open hatches in a BUA (built-up area)
Turn 4.
Each side rolls 1d6 for reserves each turn. BEF get 4 reserves: Last Matilda II, 2x Vickers MkVIB, & the lorried infantry platoon HQ section + supports. Germans got all remaining units: 2x PzI & 2x PzII. Some serious firefigts and close assaults take shape.
Vickers mkVIB from the 13/18th Hussars enters the table and double moves at freaking speed to make contact with the fusilier patrol in the churchPlatoon HQ from the 1/8 Lancashire fusiliers enters the table and rapidly debuss from their truck. Completely squeezed in the truck there are also a Vickers HMG team and a boys AT rifle team. Their intentions are to support the 1st section in erradicating the Kradschutzen from the foundry.The third and last Vickers MKVI from the troop joins battle and is sent to reinforce the right flankAfter lack of motivation on the last turn, the first section assaults properly this time. No doubt the presence of their platoon commander inspired them. After some grenades and much yelling, the Kradchutzen surrender to the brave fusiliers. The foundry is taken!After removing the bodies and providing appropriate escort for the prisoners, The recently debussed platoon HQ takes possession of the Foundry ruins. Setting up a Vickers machine Gun for support. From the first floor they are in position to provide good support to the ladz already at the church.Vickers MKVIC troop commander takes revenge from the lost scout carrier and find his mark on the sdkfz 231. Frontal armor penetrated by the BESA 15mm autocannon. Black bereted Nazis bail out from the wreck. The Dingo tries for the second time to contact the mortar battery, with obvious results (damn comms breakdown!)On the german left flank, the zug HQ and the first section take positions behind the objective in order to prevent any BEF coupé-de-mainBunkerfkak pours again two AP shots on Galahad, but misses again. 88mm is having a hard luck afternoon.After some massive suppressive fire preparation from all available units in range (panzers + infantry), the germans order both 2nd & 3rd sections to assault the pinned enemy in the church. Both passed their experience test, prepare some handgrenaten and load machinepistol magazines. Here we see the assault on the fusilier scouts by 3rd section.And here the assault by 2nd section. After flashes, loud bangs, lots of handgrenatten and short range SMG fire, the german commander could not believe the result. Both Lancashire fusilier sections stoically resisted, taking a lot of casualties (pinned troops cannot fight back) and passed their morale tests. Scheisse!!As a last order, panzer Zug commander Jürgen Funk aboard his 404 panzer III F, moves & tries a side shot on that damned Matilda tank. With total awe, all players look amazed how a hit is scored and a roll of 11! is obtained for penetration. Galahad, troop leader tank of the 7th RTR, is destroyed! (read this aloud with Galadriel´s voice)
Turn 5.
BEF got all remaining units as reserves: the whole A11 Matilda I troop and the 2pdr AT gun. The Germans have no units left on reserve. Fight intensifies around the church and the tank vs tank battle escalates. Battle rating is consumed at a fast pace on both sides. Each side controls an objective on the flanks, but the central one is still contested
A11 tank troop commander “DEOCH” comes as a reserve behind one of the Vickers mkVIB. It is only a few of those Matilda I´s equipped with a 0.50cal Vickers Machine Gun (we give it a ROF5, penetration 1 value)“Demon”, another A11 from the 4th RTR, follows his troop leader into battleLast tank of the A12 troop, “Gorgonzola” came down the road , followed by a towed 2pdr AT gun. The mighty Matilda II tank is full of rage and wants to take revenge for the loss of Galahad.Having debussed previously, sneaky Boys AT trifle team, fires on the incoming light panzers, but to no effect. In return they become pinned by fire from both schutzen squads down the road.“Deoch” approaches the foundry orchard supported by a Vickers tank. Inside the orchard a Panzerbüsche team awaits menacingly (ja!)From within the foundry, the Vickers HMG team provides some enfilading suppressive fire onto enemy teams attacking the church.Full of anger, Gorgonzola makes short work of the puny sdkfz222 with a 2pdr roundAnd after that takes careful aim at one of the distant PzIII and destroys it also. Galahad is avenged! (that one was not the actual one who killed its friend, but who knows that!)“Gamecock”, the second A12 tank in the Matilda II troop, has made good progress and is now in a position to both support the infantry in the church and guard the left objective. A Light Vickers tank comes to its side to obtain some intelligence from the scouts in the church. “…we have seen a Jerry AT gun up front somewhere…”Suddenly, several AP shots blaze past. The PAK 36 on the german left is now unlimbered and ready. With a well-aimed shot destroys the incoming Vickers MkVIB tank. But the supporting Matilda tank to its side its another story….
Turn 6. Final turn.
No more reserves. Now with both sides in possession of an objective and neither side wanting to risk for control of the central one, a pounding, slogging match ensues.
A lonely Fairey Battle light bomber fly over the battlefield. But the slow plane decides this is not his battle (you need a 6+!) and follows higher ranking orders instead. A forecoming doom?Blimey! That tiny gun has its punch sir! Gamecock’s crew see how the vickers MkVIB to its side is destroyed by the pak36.Where are those bloody mortars?????? Someone run up to them and tell there is a battle here! Comms breakdown has made its damage in this game. Not a single comms check passed. The BEF should have tried its old good runners instead! Well, some blame must be placed on the umpire also, who forgot to put the Radio VAN in the army tray!Finding his LOS totally blocked by the wrecks on the main road, the 25pdr gun seeks another position from where to provide supporting fireMighty DEOCH produces a “clank!” when some panzerbüsche rounds harmlessly impact his armor. And proceeds to quickly silence the enemy AT rifle crew with a volley from the 50cal.Dolphin is a latecomer, but full of zeal.The Bunkerflak continues to do nothing but miss or staying pinned. But what a great sight for pics isn’t it?Eventually it’s incompetence ended when Gorgonzola puts a well-aimed AP 2pdr shot deep into its engine deck.Panzer Zug leader 404 keeps destroying things. This time a tiny Dingo.BR counter drawn puts the BEF above its limit and is game over.With the end of german turn 6, the game ended. German victory!Tableview at game’s end. View from the southTableview at game’s end. View from the north
DEBRIEFING:
There was no glorious nor cinematic end to the game. A vicious, attritional fight ended when the BEF consumed all of its 48 battle rating. The germans were a little behind so a German marginal victory! A decisive victory could be claimed only by controlling the central objective.
Personally I do not like encounter type battles just for these reasons. I’m more for the classic att-deff games. But the players enjoyed it, so i’m happy too. And what a great opportunity to see all my BEF toys on table! even if they lost! shame on them! next time, next time….. With so many games of BG already played, one does not stop learning new ways to improve the scenarios (both standard ones and my own designs). Experience, and playing often, is the key. Next time, for example, I would make the A11 platoon to mandatory deploy first. Otherwise, they take no part in the battle, as they are sooo slow. If you give the players free choice, they would always select them to deploy last, and my toys would not appear in the photos!! Same thing I do with some soviet armies where a lot of the infantry end the game at the back of the table or even in their own transport tray!
Excellent AAR, Diego! And the terrain and troops are outstanding!