It's been a while, but me and Tim finally got in a game of Flames of War this Sunday afternoon, our first game since last summer. Rather than our usual setup outside on the patio, given it was January, we decided to take over the lounge. This involves much delicate maneuvering of fold-out tables, but once set up gives a rather nice gaming area which unlike our summer venue has no danger of play being stopped due to rain!
We like to randomize mission selection so a couple of dice roles later and Tim had apparently selected Dust Up, a fair fight mission. This sees the two sides fighting out over four objectives across diagonally opposite deployment areas. Reinforcements are delayed so aren't rolled for until turn three and half for both forces are kept in reserve. In addition reinforcements come on the the corner of the table directly opposite their side's deployment zones creating an interesting mission where both sides must attack, but also be wary of the enemy reserves attacking their flank.
Tim selected to play as the 82nd Airbourne from Market Garden, fielding two full platoons of paratroopers, a mortar platoon, two Sherman squadrons from the Guards Armoured Division and a unit of Sexton self propelled guns. I couldn't choose what I wanted to field from three different lists so asked my wife to pick a number between one and three. Clare picked three so I would be playing a half track mounted infantry list from the 9th Panzer Division from D-Day.
My list comprised of two platoons of panzergrenadiers in four half tracks each, the CiC in his own half track, the 2ic in a mini platoon with two panzerschreck teams in two half tracks, a full batterie of Nebelwerfers (15cm version), a unit of four panther tanks and a half track mortar platoon.
I decided to attack from the table quarter containing an orchard and a nice big open field for the nebelwerfer batterie to deploy in. This left Tim to deploy in a rather open area containing two hills.
Axis turn one, I raced blue platoon down the road in their half tracks and moved the artillery spotters in their kubelwagon jeeps off on their way to good vantage points, the nebelwerfers failed to dig in.
Allied turn one, Tim had deployed his paras along the back edge and decided to move up to cover his objectives.
This ended our first turns without any shots being fired.... Something soon to change!
Axis turn two, I immediately realised that the defensive position I'd put red platoon in was the wrong choice if i was going to commit to an early attack. I think after having been away from Flames of War for a while I had been surprised at the mobility of blue platoon racing along the roads in their half tracks. So apparently had Tim!
I kept blue platoon moving, bring them right in front of Tim's paras who were now out in the open in front of fair number of machine guns. My observers kept their kubelwagons moving and would be in good spotting positions for my next turn. On to the shooting phase and my half tracks opened up on the paras, though only causing the loss of one stand! As Tim put it, the "300 paras" that had opted to hold the pass between the two hills were holding true to their inspiration!
The image to the left show just how close blue platoon's half tracks had managed to get by turn two.
In the assault phase I opted to dismount from the half tracks using my storm trooper move to maximize possible defensive fire in what I thought would be the inevitable assault by the paras. As they all carried gammon bombs (giving tank assault 3) and no less than two full platoons were bearing down on me I was starting to think I'd probably send blue platoon to their deaths!
Allied turn two, the paras on Tim's right moved up onto the hill and both platoons open up on the panzergrenadiers and their half tracks causing the loss of two stands. I'd got off lucky, without being pinned down and the mere threat of the combined defensive fire of the unit dissuaded Tim from pressing his attack into the assault phase.
Axis turn three, the half tracks moved to cover the paras moving in from the left over the hill and the panzergrenadiers moved towards the objective contesting it. Now the spotters were in position they called in a smoke bombardment successfully covering the oncoming assault into the objective. Firing from the hip as they moved in, blue platoon managed to cause another casualty on the paras in front of them, pinning them. The half tracks opened up on paras on the hill pinning them.
With as much going in their favour as I could hope for blue platoon charged onto the objective killing off half of the para platoon who stubbornly decided not to counter attack and broke off. Rated as fearless both I and Tim couldn't believe it! I consolidated around the objective to mean that Tim would have to assault next turn to stay in the game.
Allied turn three, Tim successfully got some reinforcements and opted for a Sherman platoon which headed straight across the field in front of them, directly towards one of my observers teams who was not doubt wondering how they'd escape from this one! Instead they opened fire on red platoon who had so far spent the game failing to get out of the orchard, their half tracks bogging down in the rough terrain of the apple trees.
With that side show over, Tim pressed his attack, only one platoon unpinning and able to make the assault. Shooting caused no losses but pinned down their target. Charging in defensive fire caused the loss of one stand of paras. In the assault the paras managed to take down all but two stands of blue platoon, who successfully rallied to counter attack and took down more stands of paras in close combat. The game was literally at a knife edge. Could Tim wipe out blue platoon and counter attack across the field taking victory from the jaws of defeat? Well no, because despite being fearless the paras failed to counter attack and broke off leaving the few survivors of blue platoon to consolidate on the objective now uncontested.
Axis turn four, with the objective held and uncontested my gamble with blue platoon had paid off, the game ending in an Axis victory! A good game, played out fairly quickly and really only fought out by two platoons. I have a feeling mine and Tim's next game will be more closely fought now we're getting back into it again. Next game I think I'll try and salvage the honour of the 82nd airborne!
