Then the Panther arrived !

Game of WW2, France 1944. 

Using McGilton Homebrew rules in 20mm.

Organized, using terrain and models and nominally umpired by Phil McGilton.

AAR by Phil McGilton.

Players
British     : Phil McGilton.
German  : Adam McGilton.

This month Adam and I decided to play a small WW2 game with my own rules based on Wargames research Group rules from 1974. This time two small battle groups German and American fought over a small village in France 1944.

The sleepy French countryside before the combatants arrive.

The armies having pre-game R&R.

This time as the battle groups were smaller than normal we used Hidden movement with counters see photo.

The two battle groups were evenly balanced in terms of points. This give the American battle group more tanks 4 Shermans including a Jumbo with a platoon infantry. The Germans had a Hetzer and a Panther based around a Platoon of infantry. Each battle group had also a few extra support options.

The American force got off to a great start controlling most of the board and destroying a Puma Armoured car

Then the Panther arrived!

But the American force had a Sherman Jumbo and an A10 Tank destroyer lucking in the centre off the board. The American luck continued with the A10 knocking out a Panzer 4 on the edge off the village.

As more hidden markers were revealed it was clear the Germans had placed much off their infantry in the village. Despite the American infantry being supported by 3 Shermans they would make little progress in removing them.

It was in the centre that the game was won by the German Panther. First the Jumbo and then the A10 were knocked out by the 75mm L71 gun.

The German infantry well placed in the ruins of the village destroyed the two American sections sent in to dislodge them. The American Shermans knocked out a Hetzer and a Flak panzer. The German infantry knocked out a Sherman with a Panzershreck. The Panther after securing the centre of the board now moved to remove the last threat, the two remaining Shermans

The quality of German tanks is made clear in this game. The two remaining Shermans could not even penetrate the frontal armour of the Panther needing a side hit to kill the beast. It was at this stage the American forces decided to withdraw to fight another day but with more tanks and possibly air support.

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Photos curtesy of Phil and the Editor.