Take the bridges

On Sunday my dad and I played a 600 point Battlegroup Overlord game. The objective of the game was to capture both bridges over the river and hold them until our agreed finishing time. We started with our reccee on table plus D6 units which were deployed in opposite table quarters from each other. The bridges were separated by a heavily bombed town either side of the river. I played the British and my dad the Germans.

The table before deployment

The British force were,

X 1 Forward HQ with Jeep

X 2 Cromwell's and X 1 Firefly

X 1 M10 

X 1 Wasp

X 1 Motorised Infantry platoon x 1 HMG with Bren carrier x 1 medium mortar, and medic

X 1 Forward HQ with observer

X 1 Sniper

X 2 25pdr off table

X 1 pre registered target point

X 1 M5 

 

The Germans force,

X 3 Panzer IV H 

X 1 Panther

X 1 Supply truck

X 2 81mm mortars

X 2 105mm mortars off table

X 1 forward observer in Kumblewagon 0

X 1 HQ

X 1 SS Panzer Grenadier platoon with combat medic

X 1 Sdkfz 222

The first of the British forces head out down the road to secure the bridge, leading the way is the M5

German half tracks head towards the bridge dismounting a squad of SS rifle men and a MG-38 behind the hedgerows ready to defend the bridge

The HMG dismounts from the bren carrier and takes its position in the house guarding the bridge and with a field of fire across the ruined town. The M5 goes into fire ambush

The M3 half tracks move through the bombed town towards the bridge now held by the Germans, a Cromwell takes its position behind a house.

German reserves flood into the town fronted by a Panther

The lurking Panzer IV over the river comes out on top in a fire fight with the Cromwell

More British tanks brew up as the M5 fails to spot the Panzer IV with its reaction order rolling two 1's leaving the Panzer a free to shoot and a supporting Cromwell on the bridge becomes the first victim of the Panther leaving the bridge very light on defenders

British rifle take cover behind the wall after its transport dismounts them and heads back to the rear

The Panzer IV races towards the British held bridge after the British HMG team was destroyed by mg fire from supporting infantry, however a British piat team had different ideas and with a rush of blood left the cover of the hedgerows to take a single shot finding a week spot in the Panzers armour destroying it! True British Bulldog spirit

The SS troops pinned next to a burning Sdkfz just managing to contest the bridge still despite taking heavy casualties from indirect British artillery support and MG fire

A German SDKFZ Halftrack rushes to the cover of the hedgerows to help defend the bridge amongst the smoke from the burning Sdkfz 222 and Panzer IV both victims of a British 25pdr barrage.

A German Sdkfz half track rushes the bridge and with mg fire forces the piat team to fall back pinned, putting the bridge in controller of the  Germans

What could be around this corner.......the Panther moves through the town centre

British riflemen dismount and move through the cover of the ruined building 

105mm mortar fire slams into the British advance as a direct hit destroys the M10, a M3 Half track  survives to stay on the bridge but the infantry is pinned

After suffering a hit from the Firefly the AP shell only equals the Panthers armour rating forcing it to pass a morale test which it dually does with a 6 allowing it to preform a Beyond the call of duty order......... Needless to say it didn't make the same mistake, shouting for the farther land the Panther, with its return fire easy destroyed the Firelfly leaving all the British armour in flames  

SS infantry dismount from there transport

The Panther heads back towards the supply truck ready to be re armed after running out of British tanks to destroy 

A British observer  looking for targets for the very effective off table artillery support

The battlefield at the end of the final turn

Our decided finishing time was upon us with neither side securing both the bridges. The Germans held one with the other been contested by both sides. If the game had lasted a few more turns we agreed the Germans would have probably have taken both the bridges as all my armour had been destroyed with my right flank looking vulnerable. Fortunately my off table 25pdrs were on song and caused the destruction of 2 Panzer IV's and the Sdkfz 222 during the game and hampered the German infantry which stopped me been over run early doors. My late push to take the steel girder bridge was halted when a salvo of 120mm mortar shells found there target pinning my infantry and destroying the M10 archilies.  Adding up the break points which surprisingly had not thrown up any special chits showed  the British had 28 to the Germans 26 giving the Germans a tactical victory,  The British would have to return at a later date to take these two bridges.....