Editor - Publishing this bonus batrep at the Overlord deadline. Make sure to get your games in today!
Luke and I played a
Flames of War game last night to prepare for the
Guns of August I-95 tournament - this also counts for
Overlord! The tournament format requires 1500 point, open, Late War, Mech or Tanks with only 1 Arty platoon, maximum. We decided to play a bit terrain-heavy, as that would better simulate the likely boards.
Eric has stated that most of the missions will be Mobile Battles, so we rolled randomly - Counter Attack. Ugh. This is a tough mission for Tank Companies, and Luke was unfortunate in rolling to Defend. With his list he only gets two of his eight platoons starting on the board, while I get everything.
Luke's US TDs:
Jon's Panzerkompanie:
The Setup. Luke took the lower left corner, so I chose to attack from the same long table side. I was figuring that the road would be very useful, especially since I have the Pumas with Jeep movement. In the above picture, see how far ahead the Pumas got on the Recce move.
Luke is set up defending the objective in his deployment zone. He has 105s with a TD platoon in Ambush.
The CiC and 2iC are there for support....
...but here come the Pumas racing toward the Company Command!
The parking lot. German Panzerkompanie ready to advance!
Pumas Recce Move - right up to the railroad tracks -- the objective is in sight!
TURN 1
Attacker gets the first turn, and I decide to shoot at the CiC and 2iC -- too good an opportunity to pass up!
The German Zerg!! Go go German Sherman! You may notice that I have 2 PzIII Ms subbing in for Pz IV Hs.... and IV Js as Hs....sue me!
Killed the 2iC and Bailed the CiC! Woo hoo!
The horde Stormtroopers in an attempt to avoid a Time-on-Target bombardment.
Panzers march up the road and the Marder III Ms hide. Luke could get reserves on Turn 1.
Contact with our Recce Advance Guard!
Pumas Stormtrooper into the field for cover.
Luke springs his Ambush, ready to pummel the Pumas.
Luke did not get reserves on Turn 1 and has only two platoons on the board. Ugh.
M10s Bail Out two Pumas, forcing a.....
....Platoon Morale Check that they pass! Yay, Jerrys!
TURN 2
Panzer IVs move up to blast the M10s. Not a ton of shots, but AT 11 is going to hurt the Trained TDs.
After all the German firing, 2 M10s destroyed, 1 Bailed. Luke makes his Platoon Morale Check and they stick around.
The active M10 fires at the PzIVs, but manages only to Bail one.
Time on Target bombardment is going to hurt bad, unless.....
...only two tanks get hit and Luke fails his Firepower Check.
TURN 3
The whole German Company races forward to engage the enemy!
Panzer IVs advance within Assault Range and blaze away at the US Arty Staff Team and Command Stand.
Marders move up to engage the M10s as well.
The M10s are destroyed by a hail of German fire.
Panzer IVs Assault the Arty. One bogged and two stands are dead. The CiC was also destroyed in the previous shooting step.
It is not looking good for the US. Objectives are not 'Hot' until Turn 6, but this is pretty disastrous so far.
The Germans are preparing to kill the US 105s.
Reserves arrive in the form of a US TD platoon. Hope!
The 105s direct-fire and knock out a Marder III M.
TURN 4
The situation. Luke will be getting a second platoon this turn - already placed at the bottom.
Panzers move up to shoot the heck out of the 105s and Assault, if necessary.
A hail of fire kills all the US guns. With a 5+ save and a 3+ firepower, this was not hard to achieve.
The Germans consolidate with stormtrooper moves -- time to switch to defense.
Luke gets more Reserves and brings on the Stuarts. At this point, it is looking pretty dim for the Amis and we call it. We do think Lukee would knock out the 88, so he earns a point. 5-2 for the Germans.
I think this mission is very, very hard for the defender if both companies are armor. Luke had very little chance, and I did nothing magical -- I just pushed models and rolled dice. I think we both learned some things about this mission and we both learned a lot about our lists -- not a bad night, indeed.
I like this list, but I am not sure I want to run Germans for this tournament. I may just have to pull out the RV Cromwells I like so much. I have a couple of weeks to decide.
