Thursday, April 14, 2005

Camp Cromwell Bulletin 14/04/05



Thursday: 3000 pts FOW Free for All

Germans: Steve's 1500 pts Grenadier + Jim's 1500 pts DAK
v.
Russians: Leigh & Peter both with 1500 pts Russian Infantry

The Germans in their usual fashion dug in and let the other side do the hard work.
Peter's advance was painfully slow. Partly this was due to accurate German mortar fire pinning things down, but also due to the Russians matching their advance to the slow advance of the manhandled a/tank guns - needed to keep the Panzers at bay.

On the other flank Steve's Heinies came frequently but never delivered a knock out blow while Leigh's attack proceded relentlessly in the face of terrible casualties. Despite their losses the Russians whittled away at Steve's little platoons. Jim sent his MkIVs over to help, but they did not arrive in time. Steve's company fell below half strength and failed morale.

Jim's company had just one team lost at that stage, but under the multi-company rules - 1 lose, both lose.

A victory for the Russians - probably just reward for a brave attack. Our biggest battle yet with 6,000 pts on the 2.4x1.8m table. It wasn't too crowded (at least not on the German side - see pic). It rattled along pretty well - we finished about 11.30 after a slow start. We had a spectator & hopefully new recruit in Steve Page.


Coming events:

Saturday 16/04/05: Starn & Coreen are down from Lenningrad for the weekend so we are having a game on Saturday night starting at 6. We'll apply the Takeaway Mission Table v2.0. We have a Mahrajah battle arranged - Leigh's Russians to fight Coreen's Germans.

Tuesday 19/04/05: I'll be at Fort Floriet. Possibly a Mahrajah battle - my Italians v. Starn's Russians.

Thursday 21/04/05: Glen will be back from Sydney. Could do a Mahrajah battle - Glen's Germans v. Peter's US.

Last week at Fort Floriet:

Fort Floreat practice game thursday night

USA infantry Nick vs German infantry Chris (Imitation Steve Jendrich army)

A cauldron was rolled and Chris vetoed it so we rerolled and guess what a
cauldron was rolled.

Diced for who was attacker and USA won so they decided to attack.

Germans deployed 2 inf platoons and an HMG platoon. 240 pts HE 129's (jims
favourites)

USA deployed the lot 2 artillery batteries, 2 infantry platoons, mortars,
Stuarts M1o's and a recon platoon. Ouch this was going to hurt says Chris.
100pts of Jims favourite air.

Despite jims fear of air power the planes neutralised each other til late in
the game. with no stands being killed by air until after turn 7.

Surprisingly the artillery did nothing until the recon platoon moved up as
the germans were hiding gone to ground long range etc.

Turn 3 the US pushed the german inf back off an objective with the stuarts
supported by the rest.

The germans counter attacked killing 2 stuarts and forcing the Stuarts off
the objective.

Reinforcements arrived for the germans 1 inf platoon which spent the rest of
the game trying to finish off the USA recon platoon.

The stugs came on and killed a stuart forcing a moral check which the
stuarts failed.

German casualties were horrendous with the loss of 1 platoon and 5 others
close to half strength.

The key to the whole battle was the exchange between the Stugs and the M10s
the M10s baile d the stugs but failed to kill them. The stugs killed an M10
then german air finished the M10s off. The germans lost 1 stug in the
process.

a long hard slog with the germans hanging on Nick conceded as the stug had
the objective and nothing could recapture it.

2 things of interest came out of the game

1) US artillery couldnt do much to germans dug in gone to ground who refused
to fire

2) With both players having air the planes only took out 4-5 stands in the
whole game! We were using original air rules. I think air power is more
psychological in most cases.

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