Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Bolt Action Tank War

 2,500 pts late war Germans v. US

The Germans are on the far side of the table.  On their left Chris a platoon of Hetzers with a mounted panzergrenadier squad. On the left Steve has 3 Panthers & mounted panzergrens.
On the near side of the table, Jim, Mike & Mark each have a platoon of late war US tanks with armored infantry.
There are 5 objectives.
The US plan was to take advantage of the Hetzer platoon being deployed off to the German left.  MKike to attack the centre with Jim's support on his left while Mark supported his right until the hetzers came up, then hold thm off.
The US infantry overwhelmed Steve's panzergrens, stormed the village & went on the take the objective on the road junction while the tanks engaged in a lot of ineffective shooting.  The Panthers absorbed a lot of punishment without beiomg knocked out, but also shot poorly.  
By the time the Hetzers got into the action the Panthers, though not knocked ou, had been partly suppressed & Mark was able to take on the Hetzers with his armour & infantry.
Only in the last couple of turns did the tank casualties get signiifcant, but the US had the upper hand holding 4 objective after turn 7.   



Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Back after a Covid break: ECW English v. Scots

I had never tested positive for Covid, but I had the symptoms & if it was actually a flu the effect was the same.   Aches, pains, coughs, lethargy & isolation.  The symptoms have gone apart from weakness & the occcasional cough.  I should be beyond being infectious, but wore a mask tonight anyway.

Scots: Mike & Steve
English: Mark, Mitch & Jim

The Scots are on the far side: All their cavalry on the left flank, muskteers in the orchard, pike & shot on their right.
The English Put half their cavalry on their left, half in central reserve, musketeers right of centre opposite the woods, 2 pike & shot on their right & the rest in the centre.
The Scots made a general advance on the whole front.
The English advanced their musketeers into the woods & began moving their cavalry on the left to the centre while elsewhere forming a defensive line. 
On the far flank the English mix of pike, shot & cavalry detered the Scots cavalry from attacking whle teh Engklish consolidated their cavalry.
The msuketeers slogged it out in the wood.
The highlanders charged the pike & shot on the central ridge.
On the near flank 2 english pike & shot are facing 4 Scots. 
On the far flank the Engklish cavalry have charged.
On the left the English pike & shot are defying the odds.
On the far flank the cavalry fight is indecisive, but the English have turned their rear line of cavalry to the left to support their pike & shot on the hill.
On the far flank the Scots cavalry have gained an advantage, but the depth of the English formation prevents any exploitation.
In the centre the highlanders are crumbling after bing attack front & flank.
On teh near flank, the out numbered English pike & shot are still hanging on.
The far flank is a stalemate.
The highlanders have been destoyed in the centre.
The English left has lost half their number, but still hold the line.
The Scots concede defeat.