Churchill visits the front.

Game of WW2 . 

Using Battlegroup Overlord in 20mm.

Organized, using terrain and models by Adam.

AAR by David Pentland.

Players
Allied     : Adam Smith.
German : David Pentland and Mark.

A British HQ and 25pdr battery has been spotted by ariel reconnaissance and an ad-hoc Kampfgruppe directed to raid and destroy the allied units present, specifically the 25pdr battery. The attack would be led by a Fw190 ground attack sortie prior to the arrival of the ground units.

Adam was in charge of the British and his units comprised the forward HQ, an infantry company of 3 platoons plus support weapons, an Achilles, a 17pdr AT gun, the 25pdr battery of 2 guns, a 40mm Bofors and a platoon of Sherman’s as reinforcements. Oh and he also had an RAF typhoon on call. 

Fighting as the Germans, were David And Mark. The KG was divided into two groups, but in total consisted of a PzGren Company with support MMG and 81mm Mortar, a King Tiger with an Ace crew, a Panther, and possibly a Stug or AA Mobelwagen.

The game was played using Battlegroup Overlord with a few tweaks to speed up the artillery system, which seemed to work.

The initial pre game German sortie by a Schlactgeswader (ground attack) Fw190, was an anti climax, it was pinned and damaged as it came under AA fire from the Bofors and others. It abandoned its bombing run, but vowed to return.

Next the German first turn roll for orders proved equally underwhelming. With only 1D6 +1 until both groups had their HQ and officers on, they only managed a measly roll of 3+1. Mark brought on his forward HQ, Kingtiger, and 2 Halftracks with Pz Gren platoons. Allied fire in response was luckily ineffective and the turn ended with the Fw190 unpinned.

The British had their first turn, rolling 2d+3 and getting 11 orders. For the first 3 turns this was the way of things, the Germans second turn they had 2 orders against Adam’s 13, and 3 v 10. The allies continued to pin the aircraft and the only turn of luck was the king tiger managed to knock out the Achilles, while infantry fire suppressed and finally killed the 17pdr.

Also on the upside for the attackers the 25pdrs were not as deadly as they could have been, a hit on the forward HQ only killed a comms team and damaged a truck. The loss of the HQ would have been a different matter.

Eventually by turn 4 the Germans managed to start rolling more orders and some of the second group entered the board. Just in time too as Adam had managed to get his reinforcements, the Sherman platoon, moving to counterattack. Some good shooting from the Tiger II, and the just arrived Panther(firing the full length of the table) knocked out 2 of the 4 Sherman’s.

The British were not to be deterred and the 25pdrs, mortar and infantry opened up across the board, failing to damage the Kingtiger, but wiping out a pzGren platoon of Marks taking cover in the woods.

Around this time the Fw190, did manage to stay unpinned long enough for a bombing run, but all 8 bombs scattered and failed to do any damage. Adam actually managed to get his Typhoon into action, but it too failed in its attacks.

Out of ammo the 25pdr battery decided to withdraw from the fight, and with it the German objective. Along with an unknown (to the Germans) secret objective. Churchill himself had been visiting the front, and had been with the artillery battery when the attack kicked off. His car left the board, the Germans none the wiser.

Shots were traded for another turn, but apart from the loss of another Sherman and a British platoon by mortar fire and small arms, that was the end of the battle. 

With the British losing 17Br to the German 3Br points. It was a declared a win for the Jerries even though they failed to get the guns.

A big thanks to Adam for supplying the terrain and figures, and to Mark for his first game of Battlegroup. I think we all had a good time.

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Photos curtesy of Adam, David and Gary.