Gembloux Gap-Get the Guns (7)

I have to admit I really do not have a clear idea on how to take this table. The initial plan for my first go went OK in respect that I denied one of the houses to the French for a firing position in hard cover, but now they will get a free entrenchment to convert 1 team to hard cover and will probably add one for a single support point. They are already set up for hard cover in the north because of the stone wall. I am finding without armour the approach through the cornfield is quite treacherous. It is covered by the canon de 75 m1897 which is lobbing covering reducing 6 HE at a time. My hope was that I could move through the forest and get at the edge with 2 units on overwatch before the French could get behind the stone wall and overwhelm them.......best laid plans!

The canon de 75 was in position at the beginning of the game.

Dice were rolled and the game started:

Germans (FM 10) (3 Schützen Regiment)

Schützen Platoon #2 (less 5 men)

Supports (13)

Red Dice

Pre-game Barrage

IG18

Off-Table MMG

Jean-Claude

MO

French (FM 9) (110e Régiment d'Infanterie)

Infanterie Platoon #2 (less 11 men)

Canon de 75 m1897

Supports (7)

MMG

Entrenchment

As usual we played out the Patrol Phase on P-Y's ap. The smaller dots are the JOP's, while the numbered dots are the PM's at their final positions. The game was based on the Attack and Defend scenario from the CoC rulebook. I had 4 free moves but really did not advance my PM's through the northern forest to gain much advantage.

The Action

Unlike our previous games, P-Y's dice were quite good, he started off with a double phase and despite me having a pre-game barrage he got all his units on the table within the first few phases....all on overwatch .....before I had got any troops in position aside from the OT MMG.

Not even sure how to approach this defensive line.

I had taken an Off-Table MMG which was able to kill one of his rifle teams but solely because they were in light cover, everything else was in hard cover.

Anyway a placed a squad in the cornfield on tactical, got Jean-Claude in position. The sniper was good at scoring hits on the French leaders but every saving throw was a 1 or a 2, thus no effect. The IG18 went in the forest but really could not advance safely and the squad in the field started to get chopped up and made a run for the forest line but got pinned before they could make it and before I knew they had broke, a series of poor FM rolls brought my FM down to 3, time to withdraw. I ended up having my platoon reduced by a full squad, dropping my CO and MO, and advancing the campaign clock by one with the only gain being a single French gun team crewmen killed. A very unsuccessful game.

Jean Claude, the collaborator; you are leaving me alone!

Butcher's Bill

Germans (platoon 2)

Final FM 3

7 men killed 

(7 killed, 3 missing next game)

CO 0

MO -2

Cautious (-1 FM)

French (platoon 2)

Final FM 8

1 man killed

(10 dead next game)

CO +4 (+1 support)

MO -1

Sociable (+1 FM)

SAGA-AoM

Had my second in-person game this Monday at the Hobby Bunker at it's new location in Wakefield. It is funny how reliant and sophisticated we have come with Virtual wargaming but it is fun to get together and have a game. This was a SAGA game with my friend Adam. I actually have another in-person game coming up in Montreal at the end of next week, it will be my first trip in 18 months and I will be quite happy to be there.

Game Set-up (BoB Chaos)

Scenery-Unknown Lands

Deployment-Refused Flank

Special Rule-Hostile Land

Victory Conditions-Show of Force

Game Length-Until Dusk

The Lords of the Wild (8 SAGA Dice)

The Hunter (1)

Monster Titan (1)

Creature Flyers (1)
Ranger (4 warriors)

4 Mounted Hearthguard (1)

8 Bow Armed Hearthguard (2)
8 Bow Armed Warriors (1)

4 Warriors (1)
Sacred Ground-Primitive Totem

The Horde (6 SAGA Dice)

Warrior

Champion

Behemoth

3 Trolls
16 Hearthguard
8 Warriors
Sacred Ground-Sacrificial Stone

We were a little rusty, but the game went fairly quickly. I quickly got 4 points for getting my flying creatures on Adam's edge. We then engaged in multiple small skirmishes, some I won and some I lost. I put my Warlord in jeopardy but was able to pull him out to safety although he lost one of his companions. I took several shots at the Trolls but they were invincible. Six turns went quickly and when we tallied up the points it was a clear victory (Lords of the Wild) for myself 19-11.

SAGA is always both fun and a challenge, we are however planning something different for our next game as my Spanish fleet is going to finally sail into Salem!

Gembloux Gap-Get the Guns (6)

We had the next game in our Gembloux Gap campaign on Monday morning this week. The Germans have moved on to Table 4, this is a tough one. Speed is of essence, but no armour! The French have a free heavy artillery piece.

Here are some photos of the table.

I had a simple plan in this game, to destroy one of the houses and try to run up the table to deny one of the JOP's to the French. I expected to lose this game but I wanted to be in a good position in the next try on the table which uses the Attack and Defend scenario from the CoC rulebook.

Dice were rolled and the game started:

Germans (FM 10) (3 Schützen Regiment)

Schützen Platoon #2

Supports (12)

Red Dice

Extra Schützen Squad

Stuka

Jean-Claude

French (FM 9) (110e Régiment d'Infanterie)

Infanterie Platoon #2 (less 12 men)

Canon de 75 m1897

Supports (8)

Sniper

MMG

Entrenchments x 2 (this was in error)

As usual we played out the Patrol Phase on P-Y's ap. The smaller dots are the JOP's, while the numbered dots are the PM's at their final positions. The game was based on the Swift to Support scenario from the 1940 book. I started at the #2 arrow and had no free moves, I did as well as I could have with a JOP at the edge of the forest and one in the cornfield.

The Action

The game went as expected, maybe a little better initially. I was able to get 2 squads on the edge of the forest unscathed with 2 squads in the cornfield as well as JC and the 50mm mortar team. The Stuka attack took out the most important defensive building the large villa in the south. It caught afire. The wind blew to the west, thus the smoke had no affect on the game. The French had been able to build their defensive line to the north but still had not got a lot of units in the south. I threw my dice, I had a SL with each grouping of units, it was well set up that I was going to get 2 squads to fire at close range on the French in the north with a back up of the 2 squads in the south. Almost any combination of dice should of helped. I threw the dice and all I could fire was the one squad in the forest...amazing! I threw the dice I got 10 hits, but the French saved them all. In the next phase, the French were able to load up their defensive line and they were able to fire. I had to use an interrupt to withdraw one squad in the forest. All my squads started to come under fire from the French VB team, 2 infantry squads the MMG team and finally the canon de 75 m1897. Time to withdraw despite having a superior Force Morale. Victory to the French.

Withdrawing troops in the forest, struggling to get within 12" of their JOP.

French defensive  line

Butcher's Bill

Germans (platoon 2)

Final FM 10

7 men killed (3 killed, 2 missing next game)

CO +1

MO -1

Irritable (-1 FM)

French (platoon 2)

Final FM 8

1 man killed

1 dead, 2 missing (10 dead, 1 missing next game)

CO +3 (+1 support)

MO -2

Secure

 P-Y played quite a good game, he was patient and waited. It resulted in a win.

Gembloux Gap-Blitz on Villeroux (5)

We had the next game in our Gembloux Gap campaign last night. The Germans have failed in their first two attempts to take this table, time to win!

Here is a photo of the table which should be well known to you now.

Dice were rolled and the game started:

Germans (FM 10) (3 Schützen Regiment)

Schützen Platoon #2

Supports (22)

IG 18

Jean-Claude

Red Dice

PzII

Sd.Kfz 222

Pregame Barrage

?

?

?

French (FM 10) (110e Régiment d'Infanterie)

Infanterie Platoon #2 (less 10 men)

Supports (9)

Canon de 47mm L53 ATG

Pregame Barrage

Squad de Motocyclistes

As usual we played out the Patrol Phase on P-Y's ap. The smaller dots are the JOP's, while the numbered dots are the PM's at their final positions. Again, I really did not accomplish what I set out to do, ie trying to prevent P-Y getting an advanced JOP in the south of the table, you can also see that I completely abandoned the northern approach with my JOP's. I did leave the option open though of deploying in the cornfield. My other main goal was to get the IG in a better position than I had previously. As you can see below I was able to accomplish this.

The Action

These photos were all taken at the end of the game, with the exception of the first.

An early move of course was to try to shut down the forward French JOP, I had a good roll when I deployed my 222 AFV but was just outside of 4", fortunately my pregame barrage prevented French deployment and I was able to shut it down on my next phase.

A big factor in the game was the placement of my IG, this was an excellent placement, but I had to move it there. The squad with it got caught in the open but was able to link up with the IG team to share the shock. The SL placed there helped. the French had set up their ATG at the crossroads and a infantry squad in the White House. I was able to capture the JOP with the 222 and I ended the turn, this dropped the French FM to 9. I was reluctant to ent the PGB but it was worth it. The French could really only deploy to the 2 houses and the surrounding area.

They also placed their VB team in the house next to it. This presented quite a problem to me as every French unit was in hard cover as they had placed the ATG in an entrenchment. Their motorcyclist team was in the entrenchment from the last game.

You can see the infantry squad and the IG team took quite a pounding but were able to stay in place until the end of the game.

I really focused most of my fire using HE coming from the IG team, the PzII and the 5cm mortar team, initially they did not do much but the ability to reduce cover by one started to work. The French FM started to fall, the first unit being the motocyclistes being wiped out with the JL routing. French FM was now down to 6, while I was still at 9.

The French squad started to take some shock.

The French ATG with a nearby SL. The ATG was the 2nd to fall with the team being wiped out  with the JL being killed, I believe this dropped the French FM to 2 or 3.

The PzII delivered the final coup de Grace, taking out the LMG team with the  JL on the 2nd floor of the house, French FM 0. Villeroux has fallen.

I did not forget to advance the 222 AFV, it almost got off the table before the French withdrew.

Butcher's Bill

Germans (platoon 2)

Final FM 9

3 men killed (negated by FM difference)

CO +2

MO 0

Prickly (-1 FM)

French (platoon 2)

Final FM 0

3 men killed

1 dead, 2 missing (10 dead 2 missing next game)

CO +2

MO -5 (-1FM)

Cheerful

 P-Y, I felt was a bit unlucky in this game. I had no problem deploying under his PGB but he had great difficulty. He did however get a few double phases as where I did not get any. It was the shortest game we have played, around 90 minutes but that was OK as we both got to watch the Habs game last night!

Gembloux Gap-Blitz on Villeroux (4)

We had the next game in our Gembloux Gap campaign last night. The Germans had failed in their first attempt to take this table so this was their second go.

Here is a photo of the table.

Dice were rolled and the game started:

Germans (FM 9) (3 Schützen Regiment)

Schützen Platoon #1 (less 9 men)

Supports (20)

IG 18

Jean-Claude

MMG Team

Red Dice

PzII

Stuka

2 Cars

French (FM 8) (110e Régiment d'Infanterie)

Infanterie Platoon #2 (less 10 men)

Supports (9)

Canon de 47mm L53 ATG

Sniper

Squad de Motocyclistes

As usual we played out the Patrol Phase on P-Y's ap. The smaller dots are the JOP's, while the numbered dots are the PM's at their final positions. As should be obvious, I did not play this well as I allowed the French a very advanced JOP in the small forest in the south more than midway up the table.

The Action

The first part of the action was the Stuka attack, it did not do much in respect to the buildings aside from the garage catching fire, thus denying the ability of troops to occupy the building but more importantly sending off a plume of smoke blocking line of sight for at least one turn (it actually remained through out the game despite having 4 game turns). I will let the following photos tell the story.

One of my first moves, once I deployed some covering units to the north was to deploy a car with a LMG team and a JL on the road. This was critical as if I could get within 4" of the French JOP, I would shut it down thus denying the ability of the French to deploy east of the burning building. Unfortunately it was not to be so.

The French initial deployments, a squad in the woods and subsequently  the 45mm ATG. My troops in the north which included a squad as well as an IG were able to initially poor a pile of shock on both. 

I also deployed my PzII to further soften up the French.

Covering units to the north of the road.

I also deployed a MMG team and a squad to cover the west with a SL.

Disaster strikes, I roll 4d6 losing all my overwatch and causing a mortar barrage to fall on my vehicles and an infantry squad. Up until then things were going well but this gave a chance for the French to deploy. It was just not worth the double phase an the CoC dice to me.

As the game progressed I started to lose the plot, I attempted to run my squad in the north across the road when I did not have a double phase, P-Y adroitly deployed is motorcyclist squad in an entrenchment and shot my squad up. I was able to kill 3 of French with an Interrupt but it was just not enough, especially once P-Y deployed another squad on the road and killed 6 of my men and routing the rest including a JL. My FM started to drop.

I had deployed my senior SL in a car, as my troops needed a better command, but unfortunately it was a lousy driver just moving 3" on his first move (I forgot to add the wheeled bonus of 6").

I was finally able kill 7 men in the French squad in the small forest and routed the rest with their JL and SL, the French FM was dropping now as well but P-Y cleverly deferred taking a moral test on the routing SL by using a CoC dice. His force in the large forest in the north was able to rout my SL there, and was threatening the MMG team in the forest. The French FM was 3 and the German FM was 2, I through my 2 CD desperately needing a 4 or 3, I threw a 2 and 6. I withdrew. Another French victory!

Butcher's Bill

Germans (platoon 1)

FM 3

8 men killed including 1 officer

4 dead, 2 missing (10 dead 2 missing in next game)

CO 0

MO -1

Prickly (-1 FM)

French (platoon 2)

FM 2

7 men killed

3 dead, 2 missing (9 dead 2 missing next game)

CO +3 (+1 Support)

MO -3 (-1 FM)

Cheerful

 P-Y played an excellent game and turned what looked like an early German victory into a defeat, so we meet again next Tuesday on the same table for our next session in the Gembloux Gap campaign.

Drive on Minsk-Game 4,Session 4

We finished off Game 4 in our Minsk campaign a couple of weeks ago. Here is the final report for this game. 

As you can see the Germans were successful in this game, so in the next series of sessions we will be seeing a novel terrain.