Seriously, I felt like I needed a cigarette after this game. I ran my French Escadron De Reconaissance vs Tom running Mittlere Panzers (the gorgeous Panzer IIs are all mine! :P) We rolled for Encounter.
French Escadron De Reconaissance
| Mittlere Panzerkompanie
|
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DEPLOYMENT AND TURN ONE
I started with 75s, SOMUAs, colonial infantry, and Panhards. Tom started with a platoon of Pz IIIs and his Pz IVs.
Colonial Infantry.
Panzer IVs deploy.
75s and Panhards
Panzer IVs move into the wheat on Tom's right.
On the other flank, my Panhards move into the wheat.
Tom's Panzer IIs probe my right flank.
75s drop smoke on Panzer IIs.
SOMUAs foolishly move into range of Panzer IVs.
FRENCH none | GERMANS none |
TURN TWO
Panzer IVs pop a SOMUA.
The SOMUAs decide to pull back.
Panhards and Panzer IIs have an uneasy standoff on my right flank.
Before a smoke barrage isolates one Panzer II and the Panhards pounce!
FRENCH 1x SOMUA S-35 | GERMANS 1x Panzer II |
TURN THREE
Panzer IVs continue moving forward, pressing the SOMUAs.
The first German reserves arrive- 3 Panzer IIs.
75s fire a barrage, bailing a Panzer IV.
The SOMUAs continue to play it safe.
Panhards shift left.
FRENCH 1x SOMUA S-35 | GERMANS 1x Panzer II |
TURN FOUR
Note the French fusiliers that arrived from reserve last turn on the objective in the bottom center.
More German reserves arrive on Tom's extreme right flank.
Panzer IVs continue to nose through the wheat
FRENCH 1x SOMUA S-35 | GERMANS 1x Panzer II |
TURN FIVE
It's now a game of maneuver. Panhards advance laterally in the center. SOMUAs again push forward under a smoke barrage.
Another Panzer IV scores a lucky shot and knocks out a second Panhard!
Panhards continue advancing towards the crossroads.
FRENCH 2x SOMUA S-35 | GERMANS 1x Panzer II |
TURN SIX
The Germans keep pushing the center and right.
On Tom's left, he pulls the Panzer IIs back as a response to 10 Panhards getting braver.
Finally the game heats up as Panhards arrive behind Tom's advancing right flank! A smoke barrage frm the 75s isolates 2 of the Panzer IVs, though the 25mm guns of the Panhards only bail one Panzer IV!
FRENCH 2x SOMUA S-35 | GERMANS 1x Panzer II |
TURN SEVEN
The French begin massing on the right flank.
The return fire is brutal- 2 dead and 1 bailed! My poor panhards!
Their commander decides to disengage and pulls them back after receiving a beating!
My colonial infantry attempt to launch a great assault! 2 bailed Panzer IVs, and panzer IIs obscured by smoke! Only 6 shots in defensive fire… and… pinned Drat!.
FRENCH 2x SOMUA S-35 2x Panhard AMD-35 2x Colonial Infantry Stands | GERMANS 1x Panzer II |
TURNS EIGHT AND NINE
Note the developing situation in the bottom left- French Hotchkiss (freshly from reserve), SOMUAs, and Colonial infantry plus reorganizing Panhards square off against 6 Panzer IVs and 3 Panzer IIs.
The situation. Not the Jersey shore character, my left flank.
Panzer IIs assault, forcing back my colonial infantry!
After spending a turn reorganizing, my Panhards race back out and torch a Panzer IV!
FRENCH 2x SOMUA S-35 2x Panhard AMD-35 4x Colonial Infantry Stands | GERMANS 1x Panzer II 1x Panzer IV |
TURNS TEN AND ELEVEN
Panhards move forward on Tom's right.
And also up the center.
On my left flank, the Panhards take more casualties, but hang in there!
Panzer IIs on my left flank, reposition and head towards my central objective guarded by Fusiliers Portes!
In defiance of my Panhard, Panzer IVs stormtrooper to the crest of the hill exposing their side armor…
Panhards continue skirting the swamp on the right flank.
A smoke barrage on the left denies much of the German armor shots.
Panhards in the center move forward.
The German tankers pay for their arrogance as the one remaining Panhard torches a second Panzer IV. The 3rd tank in the platoon has enough and splits! The first platoon is broken!
FRENCH 2x SOMUA S-35 4x Panhard AMD-35 4x Colonial Infantry Stands 1x Fusiliers Portes Infantry Stand | GERMANS Panzer IV Platoon 1x Panzer II |
TURN TWELVE (ish?)
The last Panhard on my left flank is knocked out :(
It's on now in the center! The Germans strike and… bail one Panhard!
Tom makes a bold strike for the objective, forcing the Fusiliers back! FOUR out of 6 Panzer IIs bog down.
SOMUAs are forced to hastily reposition as the objective is poised to fall.
A Panzer II platoon is wiped out!
FRENCH Panhard AMD-35 Platoon 2x SOMUA S-35 4x Colonial Infantry Stands 3x Fusiliers Portes Infantry Stand | GERMANS Panzer IV Platoon Panzer II Platoon 1x Panzer II |
TURN THIRTEEN (ish?)
The game is very tense right now- in the bottom center Tom has 2 platoons of Panzer IIs threatening my objective. In the top center and right I have 10 Panhards pushing against a smattering of Panzer IIs and an open objective!
Panhards inch ever closer as they navigate the swamp!
A lone Panzer II assaults (his 2 mates are bogged)
And the Fusiliers knock it out, running the entire platoon!
But the Fusiliers also retire!
Meanwhile, on my left flank, the 3 remaining Panzer IVs assault the Colonial infantry! Hotchkiss short barrels knock out one Panzer IV in defensive fire!
The colonials fall back but survive!
Panhards pounce on the Panzer II platoon. Another goes up in smoke!
Panzer IVs contest the right objective.
One SOMUA crashes through the forest to contest the objective. The other lights up the bogged Panzer II.
FRENCH Panhard AMD-35 Platoon Fusiliers Portes Platoon 2x SOMUA S-35 4x Colonial Infantry Stands | GERMANS Panzer IV Platoon Panzer II Platoon Panzer II Platoon 3x Panzer II 1x Panzer IV |
TURN FOURTEEN (ish?)
One way or another this is set to be the last turn! Both armies are severely bloodied. Three objectives are contested, and numerous platoons stand on the brink.
Panzer II return fire leaves the Panhards unharmed but the french Company Commander brews up!
And then tragedy strikes!Both of the surviving Panzer IIs crash through the woods to take a side shot on the SOMUA, bailing it. The SOMUAs then break! With no one in range of the objective, the French must break the German company or else lose the battle!
Two Panhards remain stationary, 2 chase down the German company commander in his little wagon! The French now solidly hold the objective.
The Panzer IIs take a beating! The platoon is knocked below half, but with one remaining tank pass motivation.
And so the Germans start their turn in posession of an objective giving them the game. 4-3 to Tom.
All I can say is- Jebus I am exhausted. That was a hell of a game!
