British vs Germans at El Alamein in a Fighting Withdrawal
PLUS IRON LYDIA episode 2. Lydia's battle this week was with Avocado. She made delicious guacamole, plus chicken and rice with a guacamole/mango sauce. It was great. Check out her blog here to see how she did it all!
The Germans, exhausted of supply and colossally outnumbered are hounded by the British across the desert. Hauptmann Jaime has been tasked with covering the retreat, buying time for the Axis supply columns to make their getaway and regroup at Benghazi.
Major Sean is commanding a British Heavy Tank Squadron, while Jaime is defending with a Schutzenkompanie.
Current Campaign Standings
BRITISH HEAVY ARMOUR
HQ (2x Shermans)
2x Sherman Troops
2x Grant Troops
Universal Carrier Scout Patrol
Full Strength Motor Infantry with Sticky Bombs
SCHUTZENKOMPANIE
HQ
3 Schutzenkompanies (one with a 'knacker upgrade)
Full heavy Platoon (Kamfgruppe Mortars)
8.8cm Heavy AAA Battery (deployed in Ambush, duh)
Armored Cars
3x Panzer IV F2
Major Sean, rocking some pit stains in the desert heat :)
Hauptmann Jaime, secretly an American Football fan
Jaime's right most objective. This is the objective placed by him. Defending it is a Schutzen platoon and Panzer IVs. Opposite them you can see a platoon of Grants and Shermans backed up by the 2iC Sherman.
Jaime's center, with one of Sean's objectives defended by Schutzen
Jaime's left, with another of Sean's objective. On the plateau, HMGs and Mortars cover the approach.
Looking East from Jaime's left (West).
Sean's right, with Shermans and Grants ready to pounce, screened by the carriers.
Infantry and the company commander.
Sean's left flank (East).
The word is given, and the Brits begin their advance.
Alright boys, let's have at Jerry!
The Western edge of the Battlefield.
The Panzers react to the grants, their long 75mm gun easily punches through the Grant's armor, even at range.
The British heavily weight the Western flank.
Shermans and the HQ tank blast away at the HMGs, trying to clear the way for the infantry
The Grants relocate to the other side of the battlefield in the face of the superior Panzers.
Two HMGs are knocked out by Shermans
Tommies!!!!
Grants lead the charge, killing one stand and forcing the Germans to pullback.
The British are doggedly aggressive.
The Panzer IVs zero in on the shermans
Knocking out the 2iC, and gutting the platoon.
Mortars rain down on the tommies, but their knees are brown and they know how to hit the sand. No casualties are suffered.
The British forces in the West spray MG fire into the schutzen who failed to unpin.
The remaining functional sherman relocates to a concealed position.
The schutzen are mowed down by the MGs
Another HMG is knocked out, putting them below half and running them off the board!
The British prepare to assault.
The assault goes off without a hitch, and the platoon is eviscerated. One stand was left behind in the building to the left, however, and he manages to pass his Sole Survivor roll, so the platoon does not count as destroyed.
The armored cars are withdrawn
The 8.8s spring their ambush just outside of the "bubble" created by the universal carriers.
The Panzer IVs continue to hound the remaining Shermans as the British Grants who earlier fled, near their old foes again.
The 8.8s are predictably devastating. 3 Grants and 1 Sherman are knocked out.
Mortars again rain on the tommies, this time killing an AT rifle stand.
The British bring everything they can to bear on the 8.8s, which stand between them and the objective.
The Grants go for flank shots on the Panzer IVs.
One Panzer IV is bailed.
The 8.8s are completely wiped out. The Universal Carriers make a "shooting was too succesful" move towards the objective as the relocated Sherman moves to contest it.
Hauptmann Jaime cunningly sends one mortar stand in to contest the objective.
The Panzer IVs shoot at the grants and Sherman that has failed to unbail. The Grants are unscathed, but the Sherman is knocked out forcing the remaining sherman that is contesting the objective out of the battle due to poor morale!
The Grants again tear into the Panzer IVs flanks'
The Universal carriers race forward backed up by the company commander.
The Carriers assault the mortars, killing two stands. Jaime then proceeds to withdraw them on the following turn.
One Panzer IV is annhilated
The Schutzen charge forward to assault the Grants!
Miraculously the Grants manage to score 5 hits (out of 6 dice), forcing the Schutzen back!
Jaime is just able to hold on long enough for the objective to be withdrawn from right under the nose of the british! The clock is now ticking!
The Panzer IVs swing around to engage the infantry and Shermans.
The Grants open fire on the schutzen, killing two stands.
The Universal Carriers try to head down the draw.
Grants prepare to assault the battered Schutzen.
The Schutzenkompanie is destroyed and the Grants consolidate onto the objective. Jaime is now down to just a single platoon surviving, and must move out AND pass a stormtrooper to stay in the game!
Jaime passes his company morale check and moves out. Then his luck holds and he passes stormtrooper keeping him in the game!
As the objective is withdrawn, only one objective remains. The British have one final shot at securing a victory. Jaime is down to just the one full strength schutzen, but all of the british platoons are too far away to lend a hand. It's up to the two grants now.
The British shooting kills all of the schutzen stands in the open! The Grants must show their resolve and assault into buildings!
One Grant bogs on the charge, the other makes it and kills a stand! Jaime withdraws, ending the assault but still contesting the objective. All Jaime has to do now is pass a company morale check and he wins!
And Jaime rolls a 6! His ragtag company holds on, securing him a 4-3.
Sean was so ridiculously close! What a great game.
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