Steven & Luke running Pioneers & Panzergrenadiers
vs
Jon and Sean running Tyne and Tees and 7t Armored Cromwells
Mission was Fighting Withdrawal.
Before I start this batrep, why not see what Iron Lydia has cooked up and work up an appetite!
Read on!
PIONEERS
HQ, 3 full Combat Platoons (1 in ambush), 3 Stugs
PANZERGRENADIERS
HQ, 2 full combat platoons, Tiger, 10/5 AAA
CROMWELLS
HQ, 2 full combat platoons, Scout Patrol, Stuarts
TYNE AND TEES
HQ, 2 full combat platoons, 4" mortars, 3" mortars, 2x 6 pounders, Limited Typhoons
Honestly, the combination of mission, pioneers with flame throwers and bocage was reallye stacked against the British players. I feel pretty bad for that to be honest, but they took it in stride with true British resolve.
Cromwells line up ready to race forward.
Brit heavy mortars prepare to shell the German positions.
British rifles prepare to move forward under cover of their mortars.
Stugs and the Tiger move in single file down the road, under cover of the sdkfz 10/5 AAA and both platoons of panzergrenadiers.
The battle kicks off with Typhoons screaming in at tree top level. The pioneers are well hidden in the bocage cells, and the typhoons fly off without finding a target.
Tally ho! Sean's tank force races forward to secure a bridge.
Be on the lookout for Jerries, lads!
Stugs race forward to MG a rifle platoon
The cromwells show true bravery and get in the midst of the Pioneers
Typhoons again try to hit the pioneers but cause no significant damage.
British rifles continue advancing on the left flank.
The Tiger crashes through a building to reach the cromwells on the other side, and knocks one out. 1 flame thrower bails two more.
Stugs prepare to assault.
One Stug gets across the bocage, only to be bailed in the assault. The British rifles are beaten back.
Speedy Cromwells quickly redeploy to engage the unsupported Stugs.
The firefly races forward and tries to engage the tiger but misses the mark.
One cromwell remounts and races away while the firefly stays put. The tiger then promptly eliminates the platoon.
The British securely hold the bridge, but face stiff resistance
Combined fire from deployed 6 pounders (just to the right of the image), and cromwells knock out the stugs.
With the stugs eliminated but time running short the British boldly charge across stream and bocage to charge a platoon of panzergrenadiers.
A brave assault by the carriers through a bocage gate forces the panzergrenadiers back.
The pioneers on the German right fall back to avoid British rifles.
British rifles continue advancing.
The Tiger is in a great position to hold the road.
Cromwells and carriers vie for the objective.
But the inevitable happens when the last pioneer platoon springs its ambush. The carriers and cromwells are destroyed, leaving the 7th Armored below half with no company commander.
THOUGHTS:
Like I said, this was HEAVILY stacked against the British. I'm sorry I didn't take more pics fr a detailed batrep (for instance I didn't show the Panzergrenadier platoon, pioneer platoon, and AAA withdrawing). The Brit players gave a good go of it in the face of abysmal odds. Maybe next time we can do a Tiger company vs armored rifles in heavy bocage or something to make up for it :)
