Sunday, I was able to get some learning the basics in with Steve at his place.
Once arriving we arrived in Steve's game room. I must admit that Steve's inventory of terrain takes the whole game to another level. I don't think there is any gamer that can argue that scenery makes a game. Bravo Steve .... your terrain made learning the basics a treat.
We covered the following during class ... infantry shooting & movement
and assault steps. We used the following to assist my learning process ...
1) US Glider Platoon defending against a German Grenadier Platoon
2) US Glider Platoon defending against German Panzer IVs in the open
3) US Glider Platoon defending against German Panzers in Woods
4) US Glider Platoon defending against German Panzers in Buildings
5) US Glider Platoon attacking a German Grenadier Platoon
6) US Sherman Platoon attacking German Grenadiers in the open
7) US Sherman Platoon attacking German Grenadiers in the Woods
It was a good learning experience. Steve was great in explaining the basics and answered many questions. After those topics we covered basics on mortars and artillery.
After many questions and scenario "what ifs" we played a short game. Steve was in command of 2 German Grenadier Platoons while I commanded 2 US Glider Platoons with light machine guns attached to the infantry and a mortar platoon. The Germans were holding a road vital to US supply lines. The US had to dislodge to win.
Beginning point of US Glider troops, Steve's German positions in the horizon.
Steve's Germans in difficult terrain ...
The first movement phases saw the Americans moving into shooting/assault positions. One platoon took the right flank while the other moved towards the left flank in a pinch maneuver. The mortar platoon began to setup in the middle to prepare the assault with covering fire.
The battle actually fell into two separate but brutal confrontations. The US left flank fell into a quick and dirty fight with the German's entrenched in the woods (difficult terrain). The Americans moved into positions just on the edge of woods facing the German positions. Steve, being a great teacher and aggressive opponent dove into the fight. Shooting phases killed many on both sides just before closing into hand to hand combat. The Germans inflicted heavy casualties on the Americans whom had to fall back. The Germans also took many losses and had to make a morale check which they failed and fled the battle field. The Americans also failed and fled back to the field hospital.
The left flank of the Americans setting up in the woods ... just before the carnage
The Germans getting in range to assault ...
The assault phase hurting both sides .... which caused both factions to flee the field of battle
The German's east flank was approached by the Americans right flank platoon. They were assisted by the US mortar platoon which pinned the German defenders. The Americans had been engaged but due to the mortar cover were able to close into assault phase. The Americans were able to sweep down the German positions but not able to force the Germans out of the road area before the time limit.
US right flank pressing the attack ....
Mortars supporting the attack ....
Another view of nice support fire ...
Hand to hand erupts .... but too little too late.
Good job by the Germans. I found that defensive units dug in could be hard to approach, engage and defeat. I did find out though that support platoons such as my 60mm mortars were vital in my approach.
I had a great time and a huge thanks to Steve for the learning experience and great time I had. I am looking forward to more battles and hope to learn the basics quickly in order to be a challenge to others.
Joe
That was a bloody fight! I thought the yanks had a great shot of it. Your boys came really close to cutting off that supply line, but needed another platoon to make it happen!
ReplyDeletenext time we'll mix up infantry, tanks, and artillery and try out an attack with some backbone!
Yeah we almost had it ..... I had better rolls than normal lol. A combined arms battle will be awesome ! I am looking forward to it !
ReplyDeleteWhat particularly interests me in this account is a set of rules that actually allowed for *both* sides to rout from a fierce combat. That's unusual to see happen with a ruleset.
ReplyDeleteYes ..... rare but happened. I look at it as the Germans although victorious had little or no manpower to press further attacks. Seeing how brutal the attack was on the Germans made them leave the field of battle as well as the Americans.
ReplyDeleteSteve could explain it better I am sure ....
Well I would say you don't really need to think of it as a rout. It could've been a tactical withdrawal- I mean both sides suffered tremendous casualties. It's highly likely that their COs decided they'd lost enough men and it was time to fall back and get the ones who were only wounded to the aid station!
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, both sides fleeing a combat like that isn't terribly common, but it can and does happen in FOW. It makes it so you really have to plan your assaults carefully. I, on the other hand, tend to drive headlong into assaults and it often costs me whole platoons if not the entire game
See ..... he explained it better than I did :)
ReplyDelete