Normandy 44 - Playing with matches.. game report - pic heavy

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..

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

my forces ready to go... 

infantry over the embankment are hit by Moaning Minnies but don't lose too much strength
they then deal with a couple of PAK40s 

Crocs advance over an easier gradient part of the embankment 

infantry gather in the ditch real to cross the wheat field to my target village

German armour is spotted and blinded with smoke for a key turn 

medics and aid post ready for casualties

The Crocs knock out a couple of PzIVs and then advance with the infantry 

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

pushing on 

small arms fire from the buildings attracts the ire of the Crocs

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. 

Armour waits the clearance of a minefield along the road off advance 

Brit tanks crest the crossing point , having cleared the mines.. who awaits.. 

88s are found firing down the road .. they attract several artillery barrages!

on my far left Martin platoons advance

oops..as Martins armour has yet to get across the embankment he will need his PIATS!

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..