Patton saves the day?!!!

This week our stalwart correspondent simply had to change his underwear, wait six and drive south from the “Northern shoulder“ of Operation “Wacht am Rhein” to witness the American counter-attack to relieve the encircled town of Bastogne. Armour from Patton’s 80th Division was attacking the village of Heiderscheid held by the Fuhrer Grenadier Brigade.

The armour of both sides advanced cautiously through the mist and gloom, unable to see their opponents clearly. Some targets proved to be infantry moving from foxhole to foxhole, others fast moving recce assets. Eventually however the Americans recognised the unmistakeable silhouettes of two Panther tanks advancing down both the southern and northern edges of the table, with two squat Stugs holding the centre. 

The Americans were even more dismayed when one of their M10s blew up , leaving only M4s and another M10 to contest the table. Dave’s M4s gamely contested ground with Chris’ Panther, skilfully using natural and man-made cover to avoid detection. Chris ploughed on finally getting round Dave’s rear for a rear-shot. Disaster, loads of loading practice and no “shoot” dice. Dave pulled back and fired his 75mm into the engine deck of the Panther. “Kaboom”!!

To the North Phil struggled to press his advantage. The Panther took damage and decided that a rampage into the American rear was in order. However, when Malcolm’s Stug died from an M10 shot the Panther decided discretion was the better part of valour and pulled back. The game had swung decidedly Yanks’ favour with the Panther surrounded on all sides and Malcolm’s second Stug feeling vulnerable in the open. Even the destruction of the second M10 was unable to prevent the demise of the Panther with 3 “kills” and zero saves. Malcolm wisely decided to “leg it”.

The Yanks had the village and the road to Bastogne.

Since then we have heard rumours that the American forces have been reinforced by some M18 Hellcats. A nice 76mm gun but even thinner armour than the M10!

Our resident reporter has an Easter break next week but returns after Easter with a likely journey back to 12th century Outremer.”

Simon

'O' Group, a test game

Today we played a test game of the new 'O' Group rules from Reisswitz Press as a rules learning experience. The game was set in Normandy and had a British battalion of three companies attacking a German battalion also of three companies.

The Germans were in the North with the British attacking from the South. The British 1st phase objectives were the crossroads for B Company on the right and the built up area on the left for A company. B company's 2nd phase objective was the built up area on the German left. A company's 2nd phase objective was the bridge on the German right.

The British started off with three infantry platoons deployed, but the Germans had no on table assets. The British won the initiative and advanced infantry and combat patrols and managed to remove one of the German combat patrols, leaving a bit of a gap in their line. However, the Germans deployed an infantry platoon into the built up area to their left and immediately opened fire on the British platoon that was advancing on them. The platoon was very quickly suppressed and eventually lost a section. The Germans also brought on their MkIV tanks to help hold this sector.

In response the British brought on a couple of Cromwells but the defenders of the built up area were proving difficult to dislodge. 

As B company's advance was grinding to a halt it was decided that the main attack should shift to A company. However, the Germans were defending tenaciously and the British platoon in the centre woods was pushed back. The British advanced a platoon into the woods on the left, removing a German combat patrol. At the same time they deployed two Churchills which advanced down the road to try and support the troops in the woods. As one Churchill rounded the corner it ran headlong into a 75mm PaK round, which damaged the tank. The tank fired back causing some shock on the PaK crew.

Final image shows where we had gotten to as we finished, with the Germans holding off the infantry/tank attack on their left, but with the British infantry starting to outflank them on their other side of the table.

I am sure we got a few things wrong or forgot about but as this was a test game to learn the rules everyone involved was happy with the experience although one person might have enjoyed it more if they had bought the rules.

As regards future Zoom 'O' Group games, the 'to do' list includes,

Create some infantry platoon tags (one per platoon to highlight the platoon position)
Create force lists, with a deployed location record column (which can also be used for ambush locations).
Look at a way to make the battalion HQ order totals clearer (bigger dice)?

A visit to Fort Rocky, Port Royal

After a lovely lunch at Glorias in Port Royal we stopped off at Fort Rocky on the way home. The picture below was taken from Google Maps and shows the layout of the fort which is situated on the southern side of the spit that goes from Kingston to Port Royal.

Built around 1888, Fort Rocky had five gun pits enclosed by a wall. Installed there were 6 inch breech-loaders designed to deny access to the harbour by submarines or armed merchant cruisers. These guns remained in place until the end of the Second World War when most were returned to England.

I took a number of pictures of both the inside and outside of the fort. As you will see the fort is completely derelict and there are no infomation boards. There is a sign outside stating that it is to be developed into some sort of outdoor entertainment zone.

The main gate on the western side.

Outside the fort looking at the western gun pits

 

 

 

 

Inside the western wall showing the loopholes and firestep.

 

Looks like some barracks

Tower in the centre faces the south and is just behind the gun pits. Probably a fire control tower as it has a good view out to sea.

Western gun pit

View out to sea from the western gun pits

Looking back into the fort from the western gun pits

View out to sea from the eastern gun pits

 

 

Looking back into the fort from the eastern gun pits

 

 

Last of the gun pits

 

 

As it wasn't a nice Roman fort I didn't have to drag Mel away, unlike previous experiences when visiting Hadrian's wall.

Karnage in Kinkeld!

Nearly a year into the lockdown our hardy reporter switched last week’s 12th century desert garb for WW2 winter clothing as he ventured into the Ardennes in December 1944. General Kraas’ 12th SS Hitlerjugend were struggling to take the “twin villages” of Kinkeld-Rocherath which sat across “Rollbahn A” of the northern advance route. The US 2nd Infantry Division were proving tough defenders and he now unleashed his Panzer regiment and supporting assault guns into the fray.

The Yanks advanced onto the table using blinds whilst the Germans pushed onto the Eastern edge shielding in the woods. Rob’s Stug immediately got lucky sending a shot into the lead blind which proved to be a very real M4. We now knew why M4s were nicknamed “Ronsons”…..”They always light first. time”. 

With Dave advancing across the north of the table Chris pushed his Stug across the open ground in the centre.

Malcolm’s M10 swung into action and despatched it with a single shot before retreating behind cover.

Dave’s cunningly camouflaged Panther despatched another M4 and continued to roar forward stalking the American tanks as befitted its name. However the Yanks made good use of cover and commanded the southern axes of potential advance,. forcing Rob to dash across open ground to join Dave in the North. A MkIV died and even the mighty Panther began to take damage and lose command dice. Chris’ attack faltered as he tried to shoot a blind which proved a dummy, allowing Malcolm’s real Sherman to pull back and fire. 

The Panther took more hits with matched saves but with three rolls of 6 was eventually abandoned by its crew.

Things looked grim for 12th SS but they fought on, destroying an incautious M10. A shot into the rear of an M10 was never going to end well……

However the Yanks had the advantage and themselves outflanked the remaining Germans and destroyed what was left of their tanks. A tough day for both sides.

As a neutral it looked an epic encounter. The game swung both ways and the loss of the Panther was both unlucky and critical. However its combat power was badly degraded before the crew scarpered! The result matched the reality of the events of December 15-18th December, albeit back in 1944 much of the damage was inflicted by infantry bazooka teams.

Simon

Gembloux Gap, Defending the Heights

Today we played scenario 5 (Defending the Heights) from the Gembloux Gap pint sized campaign book.

To win the Germans had to get one unit off the far edge of the table whilst clearing the French from two thirds of their side of the table; not an easy task. However, the patrol phase went well for the Germans with them getting jump off points far into the French sector whilst limiting the French to the centre of the table. However, this would mean that the Germans would likely have to push the French out of both the woods and the building.

The Germans deployed three sections to line the hedges and woods to the west, with the French deploying into the woods to try and halt the advance. The French also deployed an artillery observer in the building which immediately drew fire and ended up wounded, but still able to operate.

Meanwhile a couple of dodgy looking nuns sauntered down the road.

The Germans deployed a light infantry gun to hopefully destroy the building and the observer, whilst the French deployed another section to the north of the woods. In the woods a brief firefight was underway, with both sides taking casualties.

A section of French leapt from the woods taking the nuns by surprise. Outgunned and disguise seen through the Germans quickly surrendered.

The supporting section in the woods moved up to help their beleagered friends causing the French to pull back.

The rumble of metal on tarmac caused the French to look up only to see a panzer heading their way. Now where was the anti-tank option. Merde, we didn't select any.

The artillery observer finally got his act together and called in a mortar barrage. However, this did limited damage and the Germans immediately ended the turn, thus stopping the barrage.

With no anti-tank capability observed, the panzer raced down the road hoping to outflank the French in the woods.

The Germans now deployed the last of their troops in readiness for a general advance.

Once the panzer had passed them the French section in the woods to the east of the building relocated into the building. However, a few infantry were caught crossing the road.

The infantry in the building now brought down fire onto the advancing Germans and thinking better of an advance into a hail of bullets the Germans jumped back over the hedge. 

With cover being supplied by the panzer the Germans sent a section around the north of the woods to outflank the French in the woods. Also they sent a section to the south to outflank the building. Things were now looking a bit sticky for the French as they were effectively surrounded and outnumbered.

With game time running out and little chance of a French victory the game was called with a German victory. Another good game, although it was felt that the points spent on the red dice were wasted as it was fairly ineffective as it mostly rolled fives or sixes, with only one to four being of any use. The French were also heard to question their use of mortars.