Game TwoMission: Counter Attack
My British Rifles defending against an Italian light tank company, had my concerns here as while I have the guns - they would be on the wrong side of a wood to cover both objectives.
Had to get infantry into position…
British deployment, enemy artillery in the distance, one platoon tasked with going for them if the chance occurred, otherwise as a screen. The other two and the 2pdr guns massed in the bottom left to go through the forest to the objectives off screen to the left, the
had to set up a defensive position quickly.
Lots of enemy tanks, three platoons of five plus the CiC, CiC and one reluctant the other two confident, all trained.
The did the unexpected, they doubled, none broke down (indeed none broke down all game and the doubled a lot). Tight formation, which my artillery could see.. Tasty…
Turns out we brought the guns, but not the shells, couldn't get the range.. Needed a 3+ to get them, and failed, on all three attempts.
The enemy speed and poor performance of the artillery put a lot of pressure on the troops.
Enemy ploughing forwards, maintaining high speed, nearly past the forest and ready to hook round, thankfully a few bottlenecks waiting for them.
They burst round the corner, managed to drop some ambushing scout carriers, my reserves due to arrive in the top left corner but not just yet.
Three scout carriers, with Anti Tank Rifles, against 16 tanks.. what could possibly go wrong? Ummm yeah, did manage to slow them down and stop them doubling further through the gaps as they took formation to remove the carriers, which they then did - Managed to do squat except slow them down.
Enemy tanks in position after removing the carriers, a few more coming round and a platoon yawning in the face of my little Mk IVB towards the top in the middle, managed to do not a lot against the enemy armour.
2pdr to the bottom however took out two enemy adjacent to the building and made themselves a cause for concern. You can also see the massing infantry, who were not going to be in place before the fast moving enemy.
Enemy platoon got on the objective, out of sight behind the hill, thankfully its not live but have to remove them. Infantry moving to keep the 2pdr fire lines open, most of the five in the middle now dead, but not all, they dare not get closer though with that many troops in the wood.
Finished off the enemy tanks in the red box and dotted, actually managed to kill two enemy armoured platoons which given the tools we had amazed me, both infantry platoons advancing to at least contest the now live objective. Facing four enemy tanks, with no guns able to support - the 2pdr moving up to below the hill.
Two turns later, Italy victorious, both infantry platoons massacred and fled, the guns shot out, didn't manage to get any further enemy tanks.
In the other flank, did take a few guns down but lost the infantry trying.
Game ended a 3:4 defeat due to enemy casualties caused, managed to take down two enemy platoons which was enough to stop them claiming more points but couldn't stop them in the end.
Of note the artillery, who didn't manage to actually kill
anything all game,
12 guns who either never got the range or couldn't actually do the job when they did… Indeed just about every kill was managed by the four 2pdr guns.