ESCADRON DE COMBAT
| TOM'S LEICTHE PIONEERS
|
The French elect to start with the 75s, one Hotchkiss Platoon, and the SOMUAs on the board. The Germans begin with the 10.5cm battery, the Panzer IVs, and the large pioneer platoon. Objectives are in the bottom right, and top left. The ground is soaked through and muddy per the heavy rains rule.
75s prepare to fire!
Panzer IVs line up in the wheat with the 10.5cm battery.
The board from the German right flank.
Pioneers move out!
German artillery opens up on the bunched SOMUAs, knocking one out!
French reserves arrive immediately. One Hotchkiss bogs down in the plowed field, and doesn't unbog for the rest of the game.
2 SOMUAs bog in the mudy wheat field. The Hotchkiss all move forward.
Mass MG fire on the German artillery knocks out one gun.
FRENCH 1 SOMUA S-35 | GERMANS 1 10.5cm Gun |
Top of Turn two.
Pioneers continue to advance up the French right flank.
10.5cm Battery repeats the barrage, but does no damage.
Panzer IVs open up, but cause no harm.
Even more French reserves arrive, but stick to the road!
On the French right, the Hotchkiss brave the mud to MG the advancing pioneers causing light casualties.
Another 10.5cm gun goes down to fire from the massed French armor. In the background, the 75s smoke the Panzer IVs.
FRENCH 1 SOMUA S-35 | GERMANS 2 10.5cm Guns 1 Pioneer Stand |
The last of the French reserves arrive as the Panhards drive on from the board edge.
Hotchkiss secure the objective and continue to machine gun the advancing pioneers.
The Hotchkiss tanks line up and open up on the 10.5cm batter, but cause no harm.
More pioneers fall to the massed MGs.
FRENCH 1 SOMUA S-35 | GERMANS 2 10.5cm Guns 4 Pioneer Stands |
The pioneers press on despite losses, nearing the French objective.
Panzerjaegers arrive from reserve just as the ground solidifies.
A repeat bombardment from the 10.5cm battery knocks out another SOMUA.
Panzer IVs line up and light into the French tanks.
From the other side.
Panzerjaegers take long range pot shots.
The french realize they have taken too long to contest the far objective, and have no choice but to book it at full speed!
Meanwhile on the right flank, 4 Hotchkiss catch Tom's last reserves arriving as they march at the double.
Panzer IVs back off to form a firing line with the Panzerjaegers.
The marching pioneers are shredded, but stay in the fight.
FRENCH 2 SOMUA S-35 | GERMANS 2 10.5cm Guns 9 Pioneer Stand |
The Hotchkiss tanks are rocked by fire from the artillery, Panzer IVs, and Panzerjaegers. The one tank who can contest the objective lives, however! He even passes the platoon check, and with the company commander in range, Tom just barely misses his chance to win the game by grabbing the objective!
The lone Hotchkiss, lead by the Company commander, high tails it into the wheat field, just barely contesting the objective as turn 6 looms! Panhards, more Hotchkiss, and SOMUAs surge forward under the cover of a smoke barrage.
More pioneers fall to the Hotchkiss MGs on the right flank as they fail to dig in.
FRENCH 2 SOMUA S-35 4 Hotchkiss H39 | GERMANS 2 10.5cm Guns 11 Pioneer Stand |
The Germans open the turn by concentrating fire on the Panhards. 1 brews up, and 3 more bail.
As more fire is concentrated, two more Panhards go up leaving just a lone bailed armored car! The remaining car fights on, surrounded by the burning wrecks of his comrades.
the Lone Hotchkiss contesting the objective (obstructed by the tree).
The Hotchkiss tanks boldly drive forward in the face of the Jaegers! Vive La France!!
The Hotchkiss on the French right line up, ready to assault the pioneers.
The SOMUAs charge boldly forward and assault the pinned artillery!
One gun is knocked out, before the brave German artillerymen force the SOMUAs to fall back.
The Hotchkiss charge! Three pioneer stands go down.
But the pioneers knock out one tank and push the others back.
FRENCH 2 SOMUA S-35 5 Hotchkiss H39 3 Panhard AMD-35 | GERMANS 3 10.5cm Guns 14 Pioneer Stands |
Note that the French 75s smoked the Panzerjaegers.
The Panzerjaegers move forward to square off with the Hotchkiss tanks. The Germans spectacularly whiff every shot this turn!
SOMUAs again rush forward, MGs blazing. The gun this time falls to the MG fire.
The Hotchkiss open up on the Panzerjaegers and annhilate the platoon.
Another assault from the H39s run the pioneers. At this point, the French will clearly begin their next turn holding this objective unless Tom can break the company.
The SOMUAs and remaining Panhard face down 3 Panzer IVs.
This is Tom's chance to break the French company.
The Panzer IVs knock out another SOMUA, and bail the remaining Panhard AMD-35. They are unable to pick off the lone Hotchkiss on their objective.
In the end, the bailed Panhard broke, but the 2 remaining SOMUAs stayed in the fight.
The game goes to the french 5-2.
FRENCH 3 SOMUA S-35 5 Hotchkiss H39 Panhard AMD-35 Platoon (4x) | GERMANS 3 10.5cm Guns 2x Pioneer Platoons (15 stands including CiC) Tank Hunter Platoon (4x Panzerjaeger I) |
