Launceston Gaming Club

I took advantage of a work trip north to attend the Launceston Gaming Club's Thursday meeting.  They now meet at the St Leonard's Memorial Hall, a much smaller and less well located venue the Punchbowl church hall they used to have, but they compensate by meeting twice a week.  There were a couple of dozen attendees playing a range of sci-fi and fantasy games plus Flames of War. I took two pike & shotte armies, but although there was interest, everyone interested had already arranged another game.  I was asked to give more notice next time.  This time I just watched the FOW.

Nick's Soviets v. Shane's Panzer Lehr in a 1750 pt Late War Encounter Mission

Shane (deployed on the right of the table) made a bold strike at the objective behind the cornfield in the centre.  On his turn 3 his Stugs destroyed the scout platoon defending the objective and took it.

Nick was in deep doo doo - to save the day he  needed to throw 5+ to get reserves and 3,4 to get them in the right place.   This he did and 4 IS2's came on to contest.   The battle was nearly over in 3 turns, but instead it now turned into a slugfest that went on until 11.30.

The IS2's wiped out the Stugs, but the German reserves of 3 Panthers, 3 armoured cars & werfers smashed the Soviet infantry on the near flank and the IS2's moved right to face the Panthers.   The big boys slugged it out and with the help of Surmoviks, the Soviets prevailed.

Now it looked like the Soviets were on top, but the German infantry was brought up and attacked the IS2's.  Loaded up with every panzerwhacker they could have the Germans gave the IS2's a hell of a fright, destroying 2 of them including the commander.

But the price was too high.  A counterattack by the remaining Soviet infantry finished off the German infantry.  The Soviets won on morale without setting foot past the table centreline.