Camp Cromwell Bulletin 07/04/05

Apprentice's Night Last Friday

Free for all: James Oakes' German Inf v. Dillon Oakford's US Inf on the green table with fairly close terrain.

Due to James' desire for mega weapons we went to 2000 pts. I figured it was the best way to cure him of his mega weapon fetish was to let him have them. This meant that Dillon had 4 M10s, 5 Shermans & 5 Honeys.
After a digging in phase, the Germans made a half hearted attack in the centre while the Honeys went for one objective on the US left flank and the Shermans for the other on the right. The slow Beasts were stuck in the middle and couldn't deal with both attacks and the US won convincingly losing only 2 infantry teams.
The lads made the usual beginner's mistakes, but obviously enjoyed the game, probably to the future detriment of their families' financial situation.

Next morning I told James I'd show him how he should have done it and he took command of the Yanks. My masterful attack by the Beasts with infantry support went as advertised, unfortunately, before it got to its objective, the &%$*#@ Honeys overran one of their objectives. I think James is looking at light tanks in new light now.

Thursday at Camp Cromwell

FOW Free For All Scenario 1500 pts

Steve's Grenadiers v. Jim & Peter's Fucilieri

The Italians attacked their old allies. The initial advance came to halt in the face of German mortar & gun fire as 2 Fucilieri Platoons routed. The 3rd Fucilieri worked around the right flank and attacked the 88s from the flank under smoke cover, taking one out, but were then routed by the other.
But the Germans were being whittled away. The Luftwaffe took out the other 88, one of the Stugs wandered 1cm too close to a 90/53, artillery destroyed a A/A truck, mgs destroyed the Inf guns, & the Semovente 47's chipped away at the infantry while evading the Stugs. Then the Luftwaffe took out the other Stug & the Ities were on top.
It took a while to mop up, but when the Semoventes took out the last A/A, the Germans failed their army morale.

It was a long slog as infantry battles can be. The Regio Aeronautica acheived nothing whatever on the field, though they did intercept several times. The Luftwaffe must have thought the Ities were still on their side - they probably won the game for them by taking out a Stug & an 88. Confirmed my opinion that Air is good fun in friendlies, but too chancy for serious Mahrajah games.

Experimental Rules:

Most of the suggested rules seem to have support from those who replied.

There was one dissent from e) the friendly fire rule (Leigh), but everyone else was for it.
f)3): Some uncertainty about whether air attack should pin.
f)4): Leigh suggested that rather than dicing to target, targets should be limited to LOS of Coy Commander. Maybe we compromise & say you can target any platoon in LOS of CC, or dice to target any other.

More comments please.

Next week:

Thursday as usual