503rd Tigers vs 7th Armored Cromwells

Got a quick game in with Tom tonight. 503rd Heavy tank battalion counter attacking the 7th Armored Division during operation Goodwood. Lots of maps and pics behind the cut.






503rd Heer Tiger Battalion Attacking 7th Armored Divison at Caen
NO RETREAT!

TIGERS:
HQ + 2iCTigers
3 zugs of 2 each

BRITISH
HQ & 2iC Cromwells
3 Platoons w/ fireflies
4x M10Cs
Infantry
2x Sextons

DISCLAIMER: The maps are a little screwed up. Somewhere in my saving of stuff I overwrote one, and deleted whole layers on another. But they're 90% accurate!


DEPLOYMENT

The brits deployed their infantry on the objective in the field. 1st Platoon was deployed behind the northern most house where their firefly had clear shots from the courtyard. The observer Sherman (AKA cannon fodder) deployed behind the house, but with LOS to the field.

TheTigers more or less lined up, and then got some very lucky tiger ace skills!



TheTigers prepare to rattack


Keep yer bloody heads down!



The town before them




TURN ONE GERMAN

SCHNELL! SCHNELL!


The German advance!

TURN ONE BRITISH

The firefly opens up, bailing one of the tanks from 1st zug.


End of the first turn

TURN TWO GERMAN
Even with the company commander's re-roll, the bailed tank does not remount! Should've been SS!
The HQTigers along with 1st and 2nd platoon saturate the area with fire, and knock out the observer sherman.

3rd Platoon advances and reaches the outskirts of the town.


TURN TWO BRITISH

2nd platoon arrives from reserve. 1st platoon and the HQ race down the road, prepared to intercept the approachingTigers.






TURN THREE GERMAN

More fire from the northernTigers annhilate both of the fireflies on the other side of the fields. 3rd Platoon crashes their way onto the cobblestone street and knocks out the British 2iC.





TURN THREE BRITISH

The M10s spring their ambush on 1st zug. Despite hitting their weaker armor, they only manage to destroy a single tiger. Meanwhile, 1st platoon rushes forward to get side shots on 3rd Zug, but fails to cause any damage! The 3rd cromwell platoon arrives from reserve.






Give Jerry a what have you!

TURN FOUR GERMAN

1st Zug (1 Tiger now), the HQ, and the 2iC assault the British infantry. They kill 4 stands, before the Brits fall back. The 2iC is bailed in the action.
3rd Zug completel decimates the 1st cromwell platoon, and decides to retire the town, and move back into the clearing.




TURN FOUR BRITISH

The M10s knock out another Tiger (from 2nd Zug). The infantry fails to unpin, and the 2nd cromwell platoon races forward into the jaws of theTigers!

TURN FIVE GERMAN

The remaining Tiger of 2nd Zug knocks out an M10. Combined fire from theTigers in the north knock out 2 cromwells.

TURN FIVE BRITISH

The infantry unpins and charges theTigers! A firefly bails the German 2iC, The piat bounces wildly off a Tiger's hull, which discourages the men and they think better of the assault. Combined fire from the M10s and 3rd platoon (racing around to their flanks) destroy one of theTigers of 3rd Zug!







TURN SIX GERMAN

The remaining cromwell of 2nd platoon is destroyed, and MG fire destroys the remaining infantry. Things are looking bleak for the British!





TURN SIX BRITISH

In a last ditch effort, the 3rd Cromwell platoon races forward outflanking 2nd Zug, and the Old Man himself rushes forward scoring flank shots on the last tiger of 3rd Zug! Unfortunately, it was all for naught, as all of the 75mm shells bounce of theTigers' armor.

TURN SEVEN GERMAN

The British tankers' fate is sealed. TheTigers open up and destroy the HQ and remainders of 3rd Platoon, prompting the few survivors to flee the field.




STEVEN'S CLOSING THOUGHTS:
Well, there were some tense moments where the dice really went in my favor, but ultimately Tom was doing me a favor by running crunchy medium allied tanks against theseTigers. Still, it was a fun battle even though I didn't really do anything to earn the victory besides sit and blast away.


TOM'S CLOSING THOUGHTS:
The Tiger Co is really tough on medium tanks. Especially the western allies' medium tanks. So it makes a good test of theTigers against their favored targets in a scenario where they do not have to worry about defense.

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SS Panzergrenadiers vs FEC Goums

Great battle with Tom tonight. Lots of good pics, and I spent some time making easy to follow maps. Read on to see the report!



Steven's SS Panzergrenadiers attacking Tom's Goums in No Retreat

SS Panzergrenadiers
---------------------------------
HQ
3 full strength combat platoons
Heavy Platoon (HMGs parcelled out to 2 pzg platoons)
10.5cm Artillery Battery
4x Panzer IV H

Goum Rifle Company
------------------
HQ w/ bazookas, mortars, and lmgs
3x full combat platoons
Goum HMGs
Goum Mortars (4x)
Mounted Goum Recon
Goum Pioneers
3x 57mm AT Guns
105mm Battery (vets)
155mm Battery
AOP*
Priority P47

*Though this is unofficial, we decided that it was only due to the outdated PDF.

AERIAL RECONOISSANCE:

The Goums have entrenched in the East, holding 2 vital bridges. GHQ demands this strategic point be recaptured in a timely fashion. Hauptmann MacLauchlan has been charged with the task. The forward bridge lies in a narrow pass, in the midst of rocky and wooded terrain. A small Italian church and monastary are the dominating man made features. Recon reports the Goums are heavily fortifying the buildings.


DEPLOYMENT


The Panzergrenadiers, having long since lost most of their trucks, lined up broadly across the front. The 105s and mortars set up where they could draw line of sight on the enemy, and the panzers prepared to race across the first bridge, hopefully taking the goums by surprise!

The Goums deploy one platoon far forward, backed up by the pioneers. The 57mm AT guns are in ambush, and the 105s and 155s are deployed off the board.


View from the German starting positions


The Goums


Panzer 213 takes point


The Goums prepare for the attack


Goum 2iC


The Goum pioneers check their ammunition


Deployment

TURN ONE (GERMAN)

The order to attack is given, and the men and tanks race forward under the cover of a smoke barrage laid by mortars and 105s. The Panzers rush across the bridge, and open fire with their main guns. The Goums, though well entrenched, suffer some light casualties. HMGs deployed in Panzergrenadier platoons 1 and 2 find good firing positions, and prepare to open up on the North Africans.


The Panzers race across the bridge


2nd Platoon takes up good firing positions


The Goums keep their heads down

TURN ONE (FRENCH)

Within minutes of learning of German movement, an L4 grasshopper appears over the ridge, and calls in artillery fire on the approaching panzers! Simultaneously, a well hidden 57mm AT gun platoon opens up from the southern ridge. Despite all the concentrated fire on the panzers, only minor casualties are reported from platoon 1.


L4 Observer

TURN TWO (GERMAN)

A second smoke barrage is laid down, providing cover for the southern elements who prepare to assault the Goum positions. 2nd and 3rd platoons continue moving forward. The Panzers rush headlong into the enemy lines. A swirling melee ensues, seeing many dead goums, and 2 burning panzers. In the confusion, the two remaining panzers slip behind the goum lines. Panzergrenadier platoon 1 assaults the 57mm AT guns, and wipes them out to a man. Hauptmann MacLauchlan is pleased with the progress his men have made in such a short period of time.


The Panzers prepare to assault


PG platoon 2 pushes forward


two panzers burn thanks to American bazookas


1st platoon takes out the Goum AT platoon


The panzers slyly push behind the Goum lines

TURN TWO (FRENCH)

Things are looking very bad for the Goums, but hope arrives in the form of a single, silver P47! The P47 strafes the 1st panzergrenadier platoon, absolutely decimating them! The platoon continues to exist in name only, as only the commander and an attached HMG survive! Being SS, however, they do not falter in the face of such events. 155mm artillery rains on the Panzers, bailing one out. 105s saturate the area around panzergrenadier platoon 2, but casualties are light. When the barrage of the panzers lifts, the brave Goum pioneers charge forward. The tank commander is very experienced, however, and causes horrendous casualties with bullet and tread, and the pioneers decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and retreat back to the building!


A lone P47 annhilates Panzergrenadier platoon 1


Platoon 2 weathers intense artillery fire


The Panzers, deep behind enemy lines, weather an assault and a 155mm barrage


Goum Pioneers are killed in droves

TURN THREE (GERMAN)

Despite heavy casualties in platoon 1, things are looking good for the Germans! The bailed panzer remounts, and 2nd platoon unpins, and is in a fine position for assault. But fate has a cruel way of turning on you in the blink of an eye. The panzers race forward and charge headlong into the scant forces defending the rear bridge, only to find themselves completely swamped. One of the tanks is captured, and the 2nd is left burning on the bridge. 2nd Platoon charges forward, and makes a good showing for the first few rounds of a bloody assault, until the Goums finally overwhelm and wipe them out to a man.


2nd Platoon is decimated in the face of the overwhelming amount of Goums.


Left only with 1 panzergrenadier platoon left, and in the face of overwhelming numbers, air support, and artillery, as well as Tom's reserves coming on strong, Hauptmann MacLauchlan decides to gather his remaining forces and retire the field of battle, giving Tom a 5-2 victory.



Steven's Closing thoughts:

First off- I really like this mission. Obviously it's harder on the defender than Hold The Line, but you get into the action so much faster!

What can I say? I don't feel like I made any major mistakes- except underestimating Tom's air support. I think having my panzers breakthrough into the rear area could've really paid off- if I hadn't rolled horrible armor saves in the one round of fighting I had to endure! Small, elite forces really do not appeal to me, I think I'm a little too wreckless with them, and am always punished for it. If these SS boys were US Armored Rifles we'd've gotten the job done and been home in time for hot spam sandwiches!

This was a fun game, and again, I highly encourage you to look at the pictures I censored out on my blog- Tom's Goums are great!

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