TOM'S FRENCH COMBAT COMPANY
| STEVEN'S MITTLERE PANZERKOMPANIE
|
So, a really ridiculous matchup- especially considering we rolled BREAKTHROUGH! We decided to re-roll it, and rolled breakthrough again, so decided it was fate. Tom "won" the roll to be the attacker.
>>>>> Click Here to See the Rest of the Battle Report!
DEPLOYMENT & TURN ONE
Being the defender, I had to start with just one platoon on the board. I decided to start with a platoon of Panzer IIs, and spread them out as far as I could to force Tom back into a box.
Tom started with all 6 Chars. The SOMUAs and Hotchkiss were in flank march.
Panzer IIs act as the screening force for the French counter attack!
Chars ready to go! Tom may have the most famous crotch in all of miniature wargaming.
Chars roll out!
French armor risk the woods.
A pair of (freshly painted!) Stukas swoop in.
(also freshly painted!) Panzer IVs arrive from reserve and link up with the company commander.
Panzer IIs pull back and head towards the objectives.
"Pull back!"
FRENCH none | GERMANS none |
TURN TWO
To get your bearings: Panzer IVs are in the top left, panzer IIs in the center.
Every char in the woods bogs down!
A second platoon of Panzer IVs arrives from reserve.
THe first Panzer IVs and company commander move toward the objective.
A char falls to stuka bombs!
FRENCH 1x Char B1 | GERMANS none |
TURN THREE
Note the Panzer IIs near the objectives and Panzer IVs on the left.
2 chars free themselves and move forward. The third will be bogged for several turns.
The other platoon of Chars continue forward.
The developing action.
SOMUAs arrive from reserve and spread out. One bogs down immediately. Stukas lie in wait off table.
SOMUAs are impenetrable to Panzer IIs.
Panzer IIs isolate one SOMUA and load up side shots.
The developing action around the objectives.
Panzer IVs get into position.
Panzer IIs arrive from reserve and double time it for the objective safely out of French gun range.
Panzer IVs nip at the heels of the Chars.
Fire from the Panzer IIs bails the SOMUA.
Stukas swoop in again and bail a char.
FRENCH 1x Char B1 | GERMANS none |
TURN FOUR
A Char crashes through the stone wall.
More Panzer IIs arrive, and double time it to catch up to the first platoon.
Panzer IVs open up on a bogged SOMUA, but the sturdy armor absorbs the rounds.
Panzer IVs continue nipping on the heels!
FRENCH 1x Char B1 | GERMANS none |
TURN FIVE
The CHars are pushing in. The SOMUAs are in the fight as well. Panzer IIs race to get there!
The last French platoon arrives as the Hotchkiss crash into the woods.
Chars rumble towards the objectives.
The mass of Panzer grey
Going for side shots!
Another bailed Char. Damn 2+ firepower! The French C/Os tank is sniped by a Panzer IV! He jumps into a nearby Char.
One Hotchkiss goes up and another bails.
The Company Commander snipes a SOMUA before bogging while attempting a stormtrooper move!
The situation.
FRENCH 1x Char B1 1x SOMUA 2x Hotchkiss | GERMANS none |
TURN SIX
vengeance is sweet. The 2iC and another Panzer II go up in flames.
8-rads arrive from reserve.
German armor is prepared to go to the slaughter to knock out the french armor.
The gun line.
The bogged char still can't free itself. The Panzer IVs relentlessly hammer it, but can't take it out.
FRENCH 1x Char B1 1x SOMUA 2x Hotchkiss | GERMANS 2x Panzer II |
TURN SEVEN
Chars are getting into the thick of it now!
The shootout has devolved into a stationary gun battle.
Another Panzer II goes up!
The company commander's stationary Char knocks out a Panzer II at range.
The Panzer IIs are run off! Now more Panzer IIs have to be continuously fed into the objective to keep the game going!
The 2 Panzer IVs hanging around the French deployment zone get lucky and snipe a Char!
Another SOMUA and Hotchkiss fall to massed fire. Both platoons are below half, but stick around.
FRENCH 2x Char B1 2x SOMUA 3x Hotchkiss | GERMANS Panzer II Platoon 1x Panzer II (2iC) |
TURN EIGHT
Chars continue advancing
ditto. The 4 remaining chars are going to be very difficult to dislodge now that they are too close for air cover.
Both the Hotchkiss AND the SOMUA platoon go down in a fiery mess.
And again, the Panzer IV sniper team takes out a 2nd char- the company commander!!
FRENCH 3x Char B1 SOMUA PLATOON HOTCHKISS PLATOON | GERMANS Panzer II Platoon 1x Panzer II (2iC) |
TURN NINE AND BEYOND
At this point, Tom has 3 chars remaining, and no company commander. Though he's still in the game! Many many turns pass here in rapid succession, so I will only show the highlights.
Lone Panzer IIs are continuously fed to the objective monster.
Chars contest both objectives
The Panzer IIs can do nothing besides contest objectives, so the Panzer IVs swarm the lone char in an attempt to score the lucky sideshot!
The company commander always fires last, saving smoke rounds for the char to cover his boys!
A char is bailed! So close but so far!
A panzer IV falls to a char.
The Chars are backed into a wood and surrounded by 4 panzer IVs when BOOM! The first char goes up in a brilliant display!
Not to be outdone, the lone survivor of the hero Panzer IV unit also knocks another char down!
With that- the game goes to Steven 5-2.
