We had another of our day games today - this time we were back to Normandy with a large table in a new venue James has found (
see Martins post) . We were doing a full British battalion attack using the full 12 foot size of the table. There was a railway embankment to cross with all the usual nastiness ahead - minefields, nebelwerfers , and not knowing where the Germans actually are we had to flush them out.
Classic Normandy wheat field advance..
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period wheat field shot! |
Martin picked the Battalion orders - I had the best part of two infantry companies , 3 inch mortar section a Churchill Crocodile squadron and AVRE with Petard.
main table view Brits attacking toward the villages , over the railway embankment
We discussed getting some more matting to make bigger wheat fields for our larger games as we have a few shades competing with each other here
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my forces ready to go... |
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infantry over the embankment are hit by Moaning Minnies but don't lose too much strength
they then deal with a couple of PAK40s |
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Crocs advance over an easier gradient part of the embankment |
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infantry gather in the ditch real to cross the wheat field to my target village |
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German armour is spotted and blinded with smoke for a key turn |
medics and aid post ready for casualties
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The Crocs knock out a couple of PzIVs and then advance with the infantry |
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One platoon pulled a lucky event causing them to get into the orchard and muller a German mortar unit freeing the way into the village |
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pushing on |
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small arms fire from the buildings attracts the ire of the Crocs |
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right then.. pass the matches ... 5 deadly dice per unit... saw the boche bugging out... |
The village is burning , but its in British hands
meanwhile to my left Ian is pummelling the farm complex , but the Germans are dug in deeper than ticks and are repulsing every infantry assault.
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Armour waits the clearance of a minefield along the road off advance |
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Brit tanks crest the crossing point , having cleared the mines.. who awaits.. |
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88s are found firing down the road .. they attract several artillery barrages! |
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on my far left Martin platoons advance |
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oops..as Martins armour has yet to get across the embankment he will need his PIATS! |
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the village burns from artillery and mortars |
Phew - Martin and I manage to capture our target villages - Ian is finally advancing past the farm complex - casualties in the infantry have been high in places .. the inevitable counterattack is awaited!
altogether a great game it felt very representative of the hard Normandy battles - and it looked right too..
our new occasional venue is good - we can get at least another 3 table in to make a 16 foot x 6 table..