Friday 8 March 2013

WWII Battle: German Panzer Grenadier Attack (Send in the Support Battalion) Part IV

Unfolding events and serious consequences ...

Events across the other side of the table had a precipitous effect on the British player morale as another infantry battalion (this time the one furthest from the Germans) "retired" in a disorderly state (with their backs to the enemy) towards its own (or was that the the French) baseline. The British commander  (with his hand caught in camera shot "Gotcha") 'lagged back' as many of his stands as possible within the confines of his operational zone and command radius to HQ . I could see the logic but also its ultimate futility as 'if' the half tracks broke through on the other side PIB "two legs" could not hope to catch "tracks and wheels" (see below):


The 'retreat' continued as far back as possible leaving their HQ as the 'advanced picket'. I'd like to see this one explained to the members of the Imperial Staff College and Monty (see below): 

Note: Please observe that the stands are all facing the wrong way!


The middle British battalion also felt obliged to go to the "Teddy Bears' Picnic" in the woods (see below):

Note: Please observe that again the stands are all facing the wrong way! 


Meanwhile the 'faltering' (i.e. its morale state, as it was still fighting hard) British battalion bore the brunt of a mechanised infantry attack from a fresh (veteran) German infantry battalion, the 'crack' unit of the German infantry regiment was being thrown in against the vulnerable 'wavering' British battalion.

Note: See how the initial attacking infantry unit fell back a half move facing the enemy (allowing it count 'in support of the attack'), this left enough space for the half tracks to plough through to be within an inch of the British rifle platoons to enable them to first 'see' the concealed enemy and fire on them during their 'moving fire phase' (see below): 


As the defended hill crest was not suitable (as it counted as cover) for an armoured 'overrun' attack, the Panzer Grenadiers dismounted out of their half-tracks and awaited the inevitable incoming defensive fire (see below):


The third fresh German infantry battalion also now moved up, from the 'operational sphere' to make a 'tactical' contribution (see below):


The infantry combat is bitter and brutal.

Despite the odds against them the British still manage to kill a German rifle "Platoon" (and again this will cause an annoying 'status check', that if failed would derail the strict assault time table"), but in return the German 'veterans' (with their dreaded +1 combat bonus) 'cull' a whole British infantry "Company". This means the British battalion will face an extreme "status check" and in its current dire morale state it could mean a complete morale disintegration (see below):


Next: "Status Check" time and "Who will rid me of those troublesome 25 pounders?"

3 comments:

Monty said...

Great stuff Geordie, it's got me thinking of micro-gaming again!

Monty said...

Great stuff Geordie, it's got me thinking of micro-gaming again!

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Micro armour bur perfectly formed ;)

It does let you handle battalions easily :)