Flames of war Early war 2000pts Encounter Mission

CZECH ARMOURED TANK COMPANY V BRITISH ARMOURED TANK COMPANY WITH FRENCH ALLIED PLATOONS 2000PTS

Well for this weeks game we decided on fighting an early war tank battle. I took control of my Germans as i now have my new 88mm models and Panzer 1s painted and ready to go.  Also i was able to use my Dads Panzer IV D which he has just purchased and finished painting. Facing me today was a mixture of British armoured tanks company and allied French who were picked from the Escadron de Combat Tank company with a points value of around 680 pts. The mission we played was Encounter.

My force was as follows:
General Major Ewrin Rommel in a Panzer 38t B
Company HQ Panzer 38t B
Panzer 38t B x 3 and Panzer I x 2
Panzer 38t B x 3 and Panzer I x 2
Panzer II C x 4
Panzer IV x 2
88mm with extra crew x 1
Lieichte Pioneer platoon x 2 squads
Sd Kfz 231 8 rad x 2
Priority Air support

I decided to Kampfgruppe the Panzer I from both Czech Panzer 38t B platoons with the 2ic leading them to give me a total of 8 platoons.

I deployed my 88mm on the hill on my left flank to give it a clear line of sight across the battlefield with the Panzer II C platoon deployed in front of them, these 2 platoons would guard the objectives. Next to the Panzer II C's i placed a 38t B platoon accompanied by Romell. On my far left flank i placed my 2nd 38t B platoon just behind the hill, the rest of my platoons were to be held in reserve. The British deployed both Armoured companies of A13 Cruiser tanks and light Mk VI C tanks and also its divisional cavalry of universal carriers, the french were held off in reserve. The British started the first turn....

My Panzer II C platoon uses Rommels fingertip feeling rule to reposition itself before the start of the first turn.

In the first turn the British managed to bail a 38t which was attached to Rommel.
In my turn the stukas show up but only 1 arrives and fails to cause any damage. The 38t B platoon goes hull down behind the hill and manages to bail a A13.

The British light Mk VI tank platoon move forward behind the wood supported by the universal carriers and the A13 in the field advance on Rommel and his Panzer 38t B failing to inflict any damage, the 88mm destroys one of the A13 in return fire and the panzer II C platoon moves around the wood to face off against the on coming British light tanks and recce vehicles knocking out one of the MK VI Tanks.

My Panzer II C which moved  around the wood are fired at and suffer a destroyed tank and one bailed.

The British A13 platoon destroy a 38t B in the fire fight over the wheat fields

A13's view of the hull down Panzer platoon and guarding the objective.

The Stukas get through the allied fighter interception but fail once again to penetrate the armour of the British tanks.

After a couple of rounds of firing the 38T B platoon wins the fire fight against the British A13's, with two destroyed and one bailed the A13 platoon fails there morale opening up the way to the objective, the British are desperate for the reserves to turn up.

The British universal carriers successfully maneuver through the woods and open up on the 88 causing one hit, although i fail my save i had dug in the 88mm in a previous turn which saved it as the firepower test was failed to destroy it. The 88 returned fire destroying two carriers, although the remaining carrier managed to pass its morale test it was  forced to disengage. Rommel and the 38t B platoon pushed forward to the objective.

The panzer II C platoon having finally destroyed the  Mk VI Platoon moves back around the wood

A platoon of British light tanks moves from behind the white house ruins and hits Rommel and the panzer 38t B platoon in the flank missing with all their shots! Rommel and the 38t B push on to the objective ignoring the light tanks leaving the panzer II's and the newly arrived Panzer IV tanks to deal with them.

Finally the French start to show their faces and a platoon of Somua S-35s turn up but alas for the British they arrive on the left flank were they are least needed.

The Panzer IV platoon moves forward and behind the wood the 8-rad platoon arrived.

Finally the French entered the battlefield were they were needed, a platoon of 25mm Anti tank guns arrived and opened up on Rommel and the 38t platoon, this fire power and that from 3 supporting A13's and a Mk IV Light tank managed to destroy one and bail the other 38t. Despite the damage caused the 38t platoon passed its morale and stayed put.

The Somua S-35 platoon which is supported by MK VI Tanks are attacked by the 38t platoon with flank shots, two are bailed as a result.

At the start of this turn i managed to get three stukas to show up, i decided to take a little bit of a gamble and attack the A13 and CC Tank behind the hill to the right of the objective, this was a risk as if the 38t command tank did not remount his tank he would be with in 16" of the planes and they would abort..... thanks to the protected ammo roll he remounts and he and Rommel drive away across the field to allow the airplanes to range in on there target with devastating effect, all 3 A13 and the CC are destroyed by the bombs of the stukas. Also the remaing light tanks are destroyed by the panzer IVs

The French Panards showed up on the British left flank again were they are least needed.With the company CC dead and only one platoon from going below company half strength my Dad the British commander decided to call it a day leaving the Germans to win by 4 - 0 platoons securing a stunning victory.

Conclusion

Well that all went well for me in this game, my 88mm again proved to be a lethal weapon although i was glad i remembered to dig it in other wise it would have been destroyed by MG fire from the carriers, also although for the first 5 or so turns the stukas did nothing they proved there worth when the destroyed the CC and three A13's in one raid which was the straw that broke the camels back for the allied armies. My Dad had little luck in the game, not once did the RAF manage to intercept my stukas and his French reserves had read the wrong maps and turned up far to far away from the action and abit more luck in the shooting department and things might have gone different. However for the time being Rommel and his Czech panzer company continue to power there way through Europe defeating the allied armies who stand in front of him, till next time.....