Luke and I got together for a Flames of War game to test out my new Irish Guards list from the new Market-Garden books. Luke's has really taken a liking to the Panthers, so he made up a Wiking list. We decided to just run a simple Free-For-All mission to get right into things.
Luke's List:
Fearless Trained SS-Wiking
CiC, 2iC in Panthers + Bergepanther
3 Panthers w/Kanonen
3 Panthers w/Kanonen
3 StuGs
2 Nebelwerfers
Jon's List:
Confident Veteran Irish Guards
CiCm 2iC in Shermans
3 Shermans, 1 Firefly
3 Shermans, 1 Firefly
4 M10 Achilles
4 Stuarts (Recce)
2 Daimler Is, + 1 Dingo (Recce)
3 Universal Carriers (Recce)
So.... let's get to the action!
German Setup:
Standard placement of objectives. Luke is holding an objective with a platoon on Panthers and his CiC, the other is held by StuGs and the 2iC. He has put his other platoon of Panthers in the center, ready to go either way. The Nebs are in the only place that offered a little bit of cover.
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| That's some good stuff on the objective. |
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| Panthers and Nebs hold the other objective. |
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| Luke smartly positions one platoon of Panthers in a field with cover and the option to cover either objective. |
I placed my three Recce platoons across the board evenly and first to conceal my strategy. Pushing for the objective with the Nebs seemed to make sense, as I could just machine gun those to death if I went first. I placed the Stuarts, M10s, the Daimlers and a platoon of Shermans + Firefly on the left to push the objective. On the right, I decided to try to hold off the Panthers and StuGs with a platoon of Shermans + Firefly, the Universal Carriers and the CiC and 2iC. I figured that the Universal Carriers can pin someone on the objective and/or soak up shots.
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| The Gun Line, hub to hub. Think I care? Nahhhh!! |
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| Looks like some StuGs in the distance... let's get'm! |
The Brits get the first go and basically just run up and shoot. I figured that getting in a duel withTrained Panthers was just fine with me! On my right, I sent the CiC, 2iC and the other platoon up to keep Luke's other assets occupied. The Riha can tell me if math was on my side!
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| Stuarts and Daimlers run up and MG the Nebs to death. That's one platoon down! The 17pdrs kill one Panther and bail another. |
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| On the far side, the Firefly manages to kill a Panther as well -- good shooting on the opening turn. |
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| The gun line on my right. I hope that I can keep things pinned down over here while the other side rushes forward. |
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| Lots of AT 15 there! |
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| The Nebs are destroyed. |
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| Luke shoots back and crushed the Stuarts. No one knows better than Luke what Stuarts on the side of Panthers can do! However, every shot at these guys is one NOT at AT 15 assets. One Stuart survives. |
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| Luke gun tanks the Firefly down, which leaves me with no AT 15 assets on my right. Damn! |
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| Panthers edge over to reduce incoming fire from the British forces. Luke is not making this easy. |
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| Luke sues for peace....or indicates it is Turn 2 -- you decide! |
Turn 2:
I need to continue to push on the left to have a chance, so I decide to be all aggressive. I had some great shooting on turn one, and that need to continue for this turn. I just need to keep stuff busy on the right to get that objective on the left.
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| I shoot at what I can hurt - the StuGs. I get pretty lucky in shooting. The Universal Carriers are moved up to threaten the objective. |
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| The 2iC anc CiC move into the town to keep the remaining Panthers honest. |
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| Stuart on the side -- learned that from Luke! |
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| I move up and take my shots....to no result. No Panthers go down this turn -- ut oh. |
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| Luke returns fire and really beats up the Shermans. I just love that the Guards get to re-roll platoon morale checks, and that saves this platoon. |
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| I get pretty lucky here and only lose three tanks with another bailed. Luke's Kanonen have good skills like re-rolls and full ROF on the move. |
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| Luke has to move up to make sure sufficient forces are close enough to the objective. My Recce cannot kill much, but they can take objectives. |
Turn 3:
Luke is sneaking up the 2iC on the right - you can barely see him in the picture. I need to end this before he can get on MY objective and win the game. Luke has taken out my command team on the left Sherman platoon, so they won't be moving. I have to win this now.
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| Another Panther bites the dust and the platoon quits the field. One more platoon and we are in checks for theWiking! |
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| CHARGE! Command rushed forward to take on the StuGs - two bailed. Ugh. |
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| Luke kills my 2iC. The platoon runs and takes the CiC with it! This is bad news for Team British! |
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| Fire from the Germans is largely ineffective, and the other Panther platoon is now in a bad position. |
Turn 4:
Strategy: Roll dice well, win game.
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| The Brits destroy the other Panther platoon -- that's three down! |
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| Daimlers and Achilles manage to bail the CiC! |
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| ....and Luke rolls a one for the check. |
The Brits had a pretty good opening turn and that pretty much did it. It got a little dicey there in the middle, but when Luke needed some good rolls, they didn't come. AT 15 made all the difference in the world, as Luke and I noted several times that he would have made a ton of armor saves if the shots were the old AT 13. I like the new list and will continue to play it. Cheers!
