Operation Pomegranate = Battle 4

Today most of the old guard met and fought the next battle of Operation Pomegranate, the taking of Noyers Bocage. This is James' main focus of his collect and he put on another great battle. James was the Germans and umpire, fielding constant multiple questions from the Allies - Me, Angus, Ian, Roy, John and Pete. The German deployment was done by Dave from London. We each received an infantry platoon and a 3 shermans with me and Ian under captain Angus getting a HMG platoon and a pioneer platoon. John and Roy under Captain Pete got a heavy mortar platoon.

The Geography

The beautiful battlefield. Noyers is to the bottom and we will enter from the top - Pete's command and the left - Angus' command

How cool is this

The main objectives are the ruined church in the centre and the roads to the bottom and right

Pete's force will enter through these fields

We decide to attack before dawn so infantry only - Shermans can't see at night. We (Angus' lot) advance close to the town

Pete's lot

We advance to the hedge line and the empty house. German AAA and AT appear. THe single house is occupied by a german platoon

Pete's lot are facing lots of AT of various sizes inc 88s. THe counters are collected by the Brits as they advance and can be used to call up artillery or reinforcements

My platoon advances and prepares to assault the house. I have to pause to attack and take hits from next door. I charge home and the house is bloody empty. 

Our tanks arrive

More infantry pop over the hedge into a ditch and the Vickers section advances to take their position

Supported by concerted artillery bombardment Petes force advances to the AT line and takes it. John is closest and most advanced. Roy charges home in the centre and clears the house. Pete's men have been pinned and are stuck at the top 

A pill box opens up on John's men and they take a couple of casulaties

One of the German AT guns takes out one of Pete's tanks

Pete calls in a typhoon strike on the 88 and takes it out

Stugs appear in the town

We are struggling to clear the houses and send for Crocodiles

Ian advances his tanks down the street. I'm in the brown corner house and we've brought on our pioneers who are in the closest house

We take out one of the Stugs and have captured the lone house at the front. But SS have stormed out of neighbouring house and kicked us out. We have troops in the the houses on the square

The tanks advance

Germans in one of the houses faced with Crocodiles assaults one of Ian's tanks and brews it up before retreating across the road away from the tanks

But it's too late and we are in the town with lots of tanks

Pete's forces have cleared a 2nd line of defence. I say Pete. it was Roy, whose platoon, fired up on Dutch courage stormed the hedge line. John attacked the hedge flank and the Germans were toast. Pete however is still stuck at his jumping off point, right at the top of the map. He will be mentioned in dispatches for all the wrong reasons while Roy will get medals and Alker Sletzer for his hangover from all the dutch courage.

It was an awesome battle played in the right spirit, ran brilliantly by James. I'm so taken by the game that I've bought a British Para Company and support. Expect more battles

A Sunday at Dave's

Today me and James (http://themadtinhatter.blogspot.co.uk/)  met at Dave's (http://onemanhisbrushes.blogspot.co.uk/) to play Team Yankee and the 1st scenario in the Iron Maiden rules - Covering Force. James came and lunchtime and I arrived in the morning to play Death in the Dark Continent. This was our 2nd go at the rules and the 1st ended in bloody slaughter of the African natives at the hands of the French. This time Dave had set up an ambush scenario with Brits and Egyptians vs mahdists. I was the Brits and had to cross the table clearing Mahdists as I went.

The Egyptians - 3 units Egyptian Infantry, I unit Naval Brigade, Gardiner gun and medium artillery piece and a baggage train. 

I have to cross this with 2/3 of my force left

Immediately I am engaged on the left by Mahdists and an Egyptian unit turns to face them and they are disordered

On the right there is a large empty space behind the mesa and I wander off to investigate

The 2nd Mahdist unit on the left tries to charge home but fails and I butcher them and their mates

More Mahdists emerge from the wadi

Behind the mesa I form a line just as the Mahdists charge. Melee rules are very very brutal and even though I'm ready

This happens

THe Madhists on the left are in deep trouble and although I'm now disordered Dave must make saving rolls to survive

Which he fails

I'm ready for more action but the Mahdists retreat

In the face of hearts of oak

I start to advance

and cross the wadi

Glamour shot

On the other side is high grass and lots of Mahdists. If I wait then they will charge out of the grass and butcher me. So I advance the Egyptian infantry to get a clear shot. Dave rolls to charge and hits me

The Egyptians die and their mates run off leaving the Naval Brigade alone and defeated.

The game was great fun but we had too much long grass and I couldn't get a field of fire. Needs a set fire to the grass rule, or less grass. The artillery rules make it too weak and the melee is totally brutal

Team Yankee tomorrow, stay tuned

Another Challenge Update

I've started to pick up speed after a slow start and am currently 5th on the leader board with a nice big post for this week.
Painted this stuff

Hasslefree hot chick in a fun coat

4 ACW regiments - various manufacturers

Close up

Hasslefree Chick with guitar

Newline Picts

Newline Pict command

MrLee Massive Beaver

Crusader Numidians

Pilum Markers for KoW Romans - no use they keep losing

Numidian Elephant - Northstar safari conversion

That's all folks