Monday 3 March 2014

Battlegroup Overlord - Continuing action around Haye farm

A very quickly organised game, no points, but a platoon a side with supporting tanks. The British - represented by Ian and Steve, were back in force against the Germans - played by myself, who were determined to regain Haye farm.

British

Battlegroup HQ
Plt of infantry
2 troops of Shermans with Fireflies

German

Battlegroup HQ
Plt of infantry armed with Panzerfausts
1 Panzershreck team - yes they're back for more!
3 Stug's, 1 JagdPzrIV and a PzrIV

The terrain was close but not to close, with a fair bit of cover. The sides were fairly balanced with regard to forces. We deployed 6 inches in, Germans moving first. I moved  a section up to the farm, one into the wood with the battlegroup hq, another up the lane between the two. The Stugs were deployed around the farm, and the PzrIV and JagdPzrIV on my left securing the edge of the wood along with the heroic Panzershreck team from earlier games.
 
 

The above photo's showing the deployment I made of the Germans. I was thinking on the way home, that I made a proper 'horlicks' of the deployment, but on reflexion I'm not too sure. I think I did a proper job of the game as a whole, with added bad luck on the dice thrown in.

Anyway, the Brits with 2 troops of Shermans, they were divided equally, with a section of infantry each, and a bit in the middle. I thought I had a handful to contain either. but concentrated on the farm.
Moving up to the farm, the lead Stug was sniped by a Firefly, totally ineffectual return fire by the 2 remaining Stug's, resulting in a further Stug going up in smoke.

 

The infantry in the farm now, prepared to take on the Shermans, after forcing the supporting infantry away from them. A HMG in the rooftop of the farm managed to keep the British infantry away from the farm, and avoid return fire. The Shermans poured in a pretty concentrated HE fire into the farm to kill as opposed to suppress the German section. Pinning hits kept them down and unable to shoot their Panzerfausts at the Shermans who were within 10 inches. Oh botheration!!

 A long range duel developing between the Shermans on the left, and the PzrIV on the edge of the wood.
The attack developing on the right, and the closeness of the Shermans to the dug in Germans with Panzerfaust. If only they were not pinned- unpinned - then pinned again, unpinned - you get the idea.
The JagdPzrIV managed to get a shot on the advancing Shermans
And then took a shot in return from the Firefly.

What was really annoying was the hail of ineffectual shot dribbling across the table to knock timidly at the front hatch of a Sherman. The most effective unit was the HMG holed up in the farm covering the centre of the table, pinning the advancing British infantry.

A very enjoyable game all told, thanks to Steve and Ian and well done the Brits.