Flames Of war Early War Fench v German Tank Battle

Escadron de Combat v Czech Panzerkompanie

I decided to give my French tank company a run out today in an early war game against a German Czech tank company. We decided to play a free for all so all the troops would be on the table at the start of the game, I've managed to amass a French army of 1900pts (so far) so this is the points total we used. The armies were as follows;

FRENCH

• HQ Somua

• COMBAT PLATOON X 4 SomuaS-35
• COMBAT PLATOON X 4 SomuaS-35
• LIGHT PLATOON X 4 Hotchkiss H-39 (One long barrel)
• LIGHT PLATOON X 3 Hotchkiss H-39 (all Long Barrel)
• 25mm Anti tank guns X 3
• Fusiliers Portes Platoon (full strength)
                                                     

• RECONNAISSANCE PLATOON X Panhard ADM-35
• 105mm C mle 1935 howitzer platoon x 4 guns
FIGHTER INTERCEPTION AIR SUPPORT                                     
 GERMANS
• HQ Panzer 38t B x 2
• COMBAT PLATOON X 4 Panzer 38t B
• COMBAT PLATOON X 3 Panzer 38t B X 2 Panzer I
• PANZER PLATOON X 5 Panzer II C early
• ANTI AIRCRAFT PLATOON X 2 88mm extra crew
• KRADSCHUTZEN MOTORCYCLE PLATOON
• PRIORITY AIR SUPPORT (STUKA SCHWERPUNKT) 
• RECCE PLATOON X 2 8-Rad          
              
   I placed both the objectives in my opponents right flank and the objectives i would be defending were on both the left and right flank, the Germans started the game:

 The first turn saw the 88mm targeting a platoon of Somuas scoring a direct hit and destroying one of them, this was the side of my army which would be making a push for the objectives.

                               

The Panzer II c platoon pushes forwards supported by the motorcycle platoon who seek the cover of the hedges

 
My 105cm Battery (on the table edge out of camera shot) drops a smoke bombardment onto the 88mm stopping them from shooting as my attack advances, my Panhards manage to KO a 38 t B tank

 
The first of the Luftwaffe make an appearance easy getting past my fighter interception, however the bombs from the stuka don't penetrate the Somua armour this time! The 38 t b platoon return fire destroying a Panhard, the 88mm with no target try to dig in but fail.

 
My 105cm guns fail with there smoke bombardment so the 88mm have a clear line of sight to my advancing tanks, with this in mind one of my Somua platoons goes through the woods to try outflank the Germans guarding the two objectives and keep out of sight of the 88mm. The Panhards again shoot the 38 t B panzer's knocking another out, the rest of my left flank pushes into the town, one Somua bogs down on the hedge.

 
On my right flank my Hotchkiss platoon advances shooting with their MGs at the motorcycle platoon who disengage quickly retreating behind the hill out of range, in doing so they loose a stand. The25mm play cat and mouse with the 8-Rads in the woods failing to cause any damage on each other.

 
The Stukas show up with more success and destroy a Somua in the village after successfully ranging in and the 88mm and remaining 38 t b tanks destroy a further two Panhards, the remaining Panhard fails his morale and retreats from the table, however the 88mm failed to dig in again which will leave them vulnerable to MG fire if i can get my Somuas into line of sight.

 

Both my Hotchkiss platoons advance leaving the long gun to support fire but cause no damage to the Panzer II c platoon, the 25mm fail to dig in

 

The Stukas switch their field of attack and target my HQ which is guarding the objective, the bombs miss their target, however the 2IC 38t b and panzer II C platoon are more successful and KO three Hotchkiss tanks causing the remaining Long barrel Hotchkiss the flee, one of the other Hotchkiss platoon is bailed.


 
My Somua platoon breaks from cover and dashes towards the objective, a combination of 105cm bombardment and MG fire destroy the 88mm guns with their command stand running away, a 38t B tank is destroyed but crucially pass their morale, the infantry dismount and enter the town heading towards the objective.


 
The mixed German Panzer platoon of 38tB and Panzer I tanks and C-C move through the wood to open fire on the Somua platoon, they managed to destroy one and bail the other two, I managed to pass my motivation test to hold there ground all though i was no longer in control of the objective, the panzer's used their stormtroopers move to go back into the wood for cover and a Panzer I bogged down. In my turn i failed to remount one of the Somuas so this stopped me from moving so my infantry advanced onto the objective, the gun fire from the Somua finished off the remaining 38tB tank destroying the platoon. (my Somua platoon which had started the flanking move had managed to bog itself down and were finding it hard to get unstuck allowing the Germans to leave the other objective undefended for the moment to defend the objective under attack from my infantry and Somua platoon.

 

The motorcycle platoon dismounted behind the hedge and started to make a flanking move around my right flank and the Panzer II platoon failed to cause any damage onto my Hotchkisses who in return destroyed two Panzer's, In my firing phase i also killed a stand of infantry with my HQ.

 
The German tanks once again came out the cover of the wood to contest the objective and destroyed a Somua which lead to the remaining Somua abandoning his tank and fleeing! The infantry came under fire from the Panzer I's twin MG killing two stands.

 
After finally freeing them selves from the wood the Somua platoon headed towards the objective guarded by a 38tB and panzer I, all my shots missed and in return a Somua had been bailed, in the German next turn Stukas showed up destroying my command Somua tank which meant that the Somua platoon been leaderless would now not be able to move for the rest of the game.

 
The Germans now made a push for my objective the panzer II C platoon moving forward as did the infantry platoon, the only casualty caused from shooting was a bailed Hotchkiss.

 
The Hotchkiss managed to remount in my following turn and combined fire from the Hotchkiss platoon and my 25mm anti tank guns who had a target managed to destroy three panzer II C and the HQ killed another infantry stand. The remaing Panzer II C passed his motivation test.

 
With my attack on the German objectives petering out i dug the infantry in around the village and my remaing Somuas who cant move destroyed a 38tB panzer tank, the Hotchkiss platoon fell back to cover the objective with the HQ from the closing German infantry platoon. My 105mm battery failed to find a target for the 3rd move in a row and with that the game came to an end. I had come very close to capturing the objective with my Somua platoon and infantry but with my flanking force becoming bogged down in the woods  it allowed the Germans to reinforce the objective, never mind a cracking game in which i really enjoyed using my French tank company especially now been able to move and fire with my tanks with a +1 to hit factor. Both sides retire from the field leaving behind many burning tanks across the battlefield.
Result No winner (STALEMATE)
 

       
                         

Flames of War late war campaign pt 2

LATE WAR CAMPAIGN
FREE FOR ALL

This game saw me and my dad continue our campaign with a 2000pts free for all game. The game ended with neither side capturing a objective but the British manged to destroy an extra platoon of Germans so took the game 3 - 2 on points giving them a slight advantage going into the next game. Below are some pictures and comments of the game unfolding.........

British 25 pdrs with a mortar platoon and rifle platoon guard the right flank objective, opposite is a platoon of Panzer IV's, sd kfz 222/223 Reece platoon and a panzergrenadier platoon



British Humbers and rifle platoon defend the central objective just outside the ruined village, German pak 38's and a A/A 2cm platoon and a Neb 15cm rocket battery are deployed opposite 

 

British armour masses on the left flank, a platoon of Sherman's and Crocodiles supported by wasps a rifle platoon and a HMG platoon in the wood. Opposite is a platoon of stuG's and a panzer grenadier platoon with attached HMG's

 

The pak 38 guns shoot at and destroy one of the Humbers which have encroached into the village

 

I launched my attack on my left flank with all my forces moving full steam ahead, a British fighter plane arrives but does no damage



My attack goes into full throttle with the sd kfz cars getting into assault range of the rifle platoon under the covering fire from the Panzer IV's, despite hitting the 25pdrs i fail to destroy any from their shooting. The British loose a couple of rifle stands from MG fire

 

Fighter planes attack the sTUG platoon but fail to damage any as the crocodile platoon advances towards the Panzergrenadier platoon and objective



The 25 pdrs return direct fire at the Panzer's and manage to KO one of them, again the RAF turn up but this time their numbers are thinned down from A/A fire and the one remaining plane fails its re roll to hit roll

The pak 38's push up into the village where they again manage to KO a Humber 

A stuG  makes a dash out from cover to get around a crocodiles flank so its shot has a chance of penetrating its armour but the gunners aim is way off the mark!

The humbers destroyed the pak 38 platoon by reducing their numbers under half strength and despite been fearless the remaining gun crew and command abandoned their guns and fled. The Humbers pushed on to the flank of the A/A guns but had Humber KO for there troubles, this in turn led to the remainder of the British Reece platoon to flee from the table

The crocodiles now in range started to unleash their flame throwers causing casualties on the panzergrenadier platoon

The sd kfz launch an assault into the British rifle platoon, one of their cars are KO by a 25 pdr in defensive fire (again despite 6 shots from my Panzer's i couldn't destroy any of the 25pdrs). After a couple of rounds of shooting the rifle platoon repel the assault

The 25pdrs KO a further 2 Panzer IV's (i think i picked a fire fight with the wrong target tonight!) and the remaing sd kfz armoured car is destroyed. The remaing Panzer IV passes his motivation test to remain in the fight. The panzergrenadier platoon is hit enough times to pin the platoon, my attack has hit a brick wall and won't be going any further!

The Sherman's seize their chance and spring from cover to destroy the stuG and the crocodiles close in on the objective but fail to hit the remaing stuG's

My left flank falls back from the British defences with the lone Panzer IV retreating behind the cover of the wood leaving the burning wrecks of German tanks and armoured cars behind them.

 

The game ends with the British taking a narrow points lead into the 3rd game of the campaign

Late war campaign part one Encounter

THE CAMPAIGN STARTS

My Dad and i have decided to link our next few games into a campaign series. I will be using GOTZ VON BERLICINGEN 17.SS PANZERGRENADIER DIVISION and my Dad will be using his BRITISH INFANTRY COMPANY throughout the campaign. We decided that the encounter mission would be a good start to the campaign and from here on we would roll random missions. I started the game with a full platoon of 3 mortar sections, 3 A/A 2cm flack guns which would give some covering fire to my mortars if there was any pesky allied fighter planes buzzing around, a pioneer platoon with supply truck and 2 attached HMG, 2 88mm A/A guns with extra crew and a Scout platoon who were mounted in Schwimmwagens. In delayed reserve i had a Stug 1V platoon, a Marder III M platoon, 2 15cm siG33 Infantry guns and 2 full platoons of Panzergrenadiers with a attached panzerschreck. The British had a platoon of mortars, HMG's, 25pdr Battery and 2 rifle platoons on the table with a Humber recce platoon, Wasp platoon, Crocodile platoon, Sherman platoon and a rifle platoon in reserve. They also had limited air force. My Dad won the roll off and was the attacker.....

A British rifle platoon and a 25pdr battery guards the right hand side objective

A British rifle platoon makes for the cover of the hill with the chimney, the 25 pdrs knock out my Pioneer supply truck and pins both the pioneers and mortar platoons. The SS scout platoon move up behind the wood ready to dismount. The Pioneer attached HMG opened fire on the rifle platoon teams left in the open killing two stands (the unit unpinned in the morale step)

British fighter planes arrive and manage to range in and destroy a 88mm in the wood

The British rifle platoon occupies the house and ruined area on the hill, the German pioneers move up into a position ready to assault next turn but are pinned down from the 25 pdr bombardment losing a infantry stand, the German C-C is close at hand though.

With the help from the C-C the Pioneer platoon unpins and after a combination of fire and assaulting they drive the British rifle platoon from the hill. The rifle platoon pass their morale test. Also at the beginning of the turn they pass their sole survivor test and are removed from play. The pioneer platoon consolidates into the ruined walls.

German reserves arrive on the far left in the form of stuG IV and head straight for the the British right hand side objective. Only one plane arrives and although they are out of range of my A/A 2cm guns they fail to hit the target.

More German reserves arrive this time a Grenadier platoon and the heavy infantry guns, the infantry double to support the pioneers. The scout platoon have now dismounted and have taken position at the edge of the wood over looking the objective. The pioneers take a gamble and push for the objective in the open, with the British guaranteed at least one reserve i have to hope they arrive on the opposite flank!

British reserves arrive in force in the right position, first a Crocodile platoon arrives to confront my stuG IV

And the British humber recce platoon arrives just in front of my pioneers and open up with 15 mg shots killing all but the two hmg stands of the platoon. The remnants of the platoon manage to pass there motivation test.

Another Grenadier platoon arrives in the centre so i position them around my left hand objective ready incase the Crocodile platoon start to head this way

Also the Marder III M  platoon arrived in the centre, i doubled these straight up behind the wood ready to threaten the Humber recce platoon. The Grenadier platoon pushed up into the wood on the right.

A stuG IV is knocked out from a long range shot from the Crocodiles, with their firepower unable to trouble the Crocodiles front armour i decided to find cover to make them harder to hit.

A British rifle platoon arrives in the centre from reserve securing the British objective along side a platoon of Sherman's. A smoke bombarment from the British mortars gives cover to the Reece platoon as they move towards the SS scout platoon and remaing Hmg stands.

A British Wasp platoon arrives on the right flank and waste no time time in flaming the stuG IV platoon. However the shots fail to cause any damage. 

The Humbers made an assault move against the SS Scout platoon, however when they shot before they assaulted the scout platoon managed to successfully retreat from the shooting so they only lost one stand before getting out of line of sight. The Humbers were now out of range of the the defending teams to make contact, however they still consolidated due to shooting to successful and managed to bog two vehicles. The rifle and Sherman platoons both advance in support with the rifle platoon killing the remaing two hmg stands.

The stuG IV return the fire and destroy all three of the wasps with little trouble

The game was now pretty much at a stalemate with both sides in full control of there own objectives and not troubling the enemies, the British rifle platoonsuffered some casualties from a mortar bombardment and the SS scout platoon dug in in the face of so much armour.

The Marders get into a position to fire on the infantry platoon as the Humbers are out of sight on the other side of the hill but cause no damage.

With time running out and very little chance of anything other than a draw with both our objectives well guarded we called a halt to the game.


Score 1 - 1

Conclusion

The game ended as a stalemate and with so little casualties we each received one point for the game. If my stuGs had arrived on the other flank to support the Pioneers i may have had a better chance to threaten the objective but alas the didn't and the pioneers were left in the open to the mercy of 15 mg shots, but aside from that both our reserves arrived where they were needed as regards to protecting our objectives making it almost impossible to claim a win.
To win this mission i feel you need your opponents reserves either to be very late turning up or arriving on a flank where they are not needed both of which did not happen. Anyhow the campaign is under way and we rolled for the next mission in advance which was a Free for all, stay posted for the outcome to part two......