The table set up. It's 6 foot wide and 8 foot long. Tiger not included.
Half of the Canadian Paras come on in a first wave, the other half are in reserves. When a Canadian unit comes onto the table, the player rolls 1d6. 1-2 means they deploy on the left side of the table, 3-4 means they deploy along the short table edge near the village and a 5-6 means they deploy on the right hand side of the table. The Canadians forces had 5 units of veterans with a mix of SMGs, rifles and LMGs. A Medium Mortar, Light Mortar, MMG, Sniper and PIAT teams, all veterans. Both a 1st and 2nd Lieutenant, and a veteran Air Observer.
The German defenders of the village consist of three small squads of Inexperienced troops, an Inexperienced MMG, Inexperienced 2nd Leutnant and an Inexperienced Pak 40. All 6 units have the Shirkers special rule, meaning they take an extra pin each time they are hit.
The village defenders set up.
The German convoy enters along the road on Turn 5 and consists of an Officer team and Sniper in a Sdkfz 251/10, two squads of Grenadiers with an LMG each in a Sdkfz 251/1, a squad of Grenadiers with SMGs and 2 panzerfausts in a Sdkfz 251/1, a Sdkfz 7/1 (AA half-track with quad autocannons) and a Sdkfz 222 Armoured Car. They are all regulars.
The German convoy.
The German objective is to get as many units from the convoy off the opposite end of the table as possible by the end of Turn 12, earning 3 VPs for each unit able to do so. The Canadians have to stop them. They gain 1 VP for each German unit they kill, including those defending the village for the first 4 turns. We also allowed the Canadian player to take over the German PAK 40 by moving a unit onto it and recrewing it.
With the scenario set up, we jumped straight in to see if the convoy could be stopped.
With the scenario set up, we jumped straight in to see if the convoy could be stopped.
Battle begins! Canadian sniper creeps on and takes a pot shot at the German squad in the yard.
The Canadian Light Mortar moves on and drops a round onto the German MMG, killing 1 crewman, causing them to fail their following order check.
(A unit of German's run out of the building to help the MMG.)
(As a Canadian squad advances onto the table, they exchange fire with a German squad on ambush, killing none and losing 1 veteran.)
As Turn 2 begins, the Canadian Light Mortar, zero'd in, drops another shell on the MMG, destroying it.
Another Canadian squad advances from the left, picking off some of the Germans along the stone wall, as the Pak 40 turns to face them.
Canadians pour onto the right side of the town, flanking the emplaced squad and killing 2 of their number.
A Canadian Para lobs a grenade into the German position, killing all 3.
The Canadian 1st Lieutenant moves up, killing another German rifleman, before the Pak 40 opens fire, blowing a chunk out of the stone wall and killing 2 veteran Canadians. Seconds later, they return fire on the German infantry, killing the last 2.
A squad of Canadians with SMGs moves up and guns down the third German rifle squad in the yard. As Turn 3 comes to a close, only the German officer hiding in a building and the Pak 40 are left.
Turn 4 sees the Canadian's converge on the Pak 40, piling on the pins, which is made worst by the Germans having the Shirker rule. It survives Turn 4 but on 6 pins.
The rest of Turn 4 sees the Canadian's moving into position. Two LMG squads take cover in buildings, after the Canadian Sniper shoots the German Leutnant through a window, forcing his aide to take off in blind fear.
With the German defenders virtually wiped out, the Canadians prepared to fend off the German convoy. Since we played this battle over two days, so too with this AAR. Stay tuned for the conclusion in the second part of the battle!
With the German defenders virtually wiped out, the Canadians prepared to fend off the German convoy. Since we played this battle over two days, so too with this AAR. Stay tuned for the conclusion in the second part of the battle!
