WW2 NW Europe Battle Report

Over Sunday I was able to get a WW2 game in. The scenario somewhere in North West Europe had both forces probing forward into a gap in the lines. The terrain was fairly busy with hills and woods around the small spread out farming town of Roalun.

To start the game both forces had three probing battalions (represented by markers) advancing on the table moving at 9" a move. Both sides rolled dice to see who could move any of their markers. This continues until a couple of opposing markers can in to observation range. Once this occurred, all forces were placed on the board within 12" of the marker they were associated with, and not within enemy observation range. Except for the initial contact where one model was placed. Contact was made at 14:15 (Game clock start time) in the town of Roalun.

German Forces

British Forces

The Germans have a Tiger company and supporting armoured infantry company 45min away with an estimated time of arrival of 15:00h.

Game Report...
14:15h - An advance British infantry company which had entered Roalun fired upon German armoured reconnaissance travelling alone the road towards the town.

Initial Deployment

14:30h - The British quickly deployed around the town. Meanwhile in the centre German forces quickly took up cover in the surrounding fields in the centre and on British left flank in readiness for the advancing Shermans and Churchill tanks supported by armoured infantry.

14:40h - Some effective British artillery barrages and shooting eliminated a German self-propelled AT unit and armoured infantry in front of the advancing tanks. The Britsh advance infantry company in the town quickly succumbed to German fire.

British centre push forward

14:55h - In the centre the British pushed forward and in the process lost their self-propelled AT unit (Achilles). The town of Roalum was being fiercely contested by both sides.

15:10 - The British were successful in elimination the treat of a German armoured reconnaissance unit and motorised infantry unit. However, a Tiger tank unit with supporting armoured infantry had arrived.

15:25 - The British advance had a set back with the loss of two reconnaissance units which had been leading the advance. The appearance of a Tiger tank unit on the British left flank was posing a major treat.

Unit of Tigers and supporting armoured infantry arrive

15:50 - The German counter attack was now beginning. After the loss of the Churchill unit, the British started to shift their units towards the Roalum to form a defensive line, and support the defenders in the town who were under increasing German pressure.

German counter-attack in full swing

16:05 - Ineffective shooting (read poor dice throws) allowed the German counter attack to make good headway and clear the town of all defenders.

16:30 - Remaining British units start to retire as the Germans finally occupy the town of Roalum.

For this game I did not use my grid-based rules and instead used a smilier set with simplified combat mechanism and measured movement/ranges. (see page tab at top.)