La Gleize 2019 - What a Tanker

So, after our short break in the Ardennes, it was back to Hitchin on a Thursday night. 

Elsewhere in the club, there was a 6mm Jacobite rebellion game, using a adapted FK&P rules, looking very nice. Fred, Chris and Malcolm also played a sci-fi game using FUBAR. It looked nice but seemed slow. As we were close to finishing Chris told me that they had just finished turn 4!

Inspired by our recent travels, Phil put on a WAT game set in La Gleize, December 1944. I supplied my pristine “Frostgrave Autumn” mat to give the appropriate wintry feel, which almost immediately Tony decided to add a coffee stain to!

 So to the game. A Panther and King Tiger faced 4 Shermans, an Achilles and a Stuart. My Panther started in the centre of La Gleize and Greg’s King Tiger on the outskirts.

Phil’s initial foray saw his Recce Stuart skirt round the village but foolishly gave my Panther a flank shot. One dead Stuart. Not really worth a kill ring. Tony hid behind a wood much to Greg’s frustration. Dave then attempted to attack with his two 76mm armed US Shermans, but another well-placed Panther flank shot saw another “Ronson”.

Tony still cowered behind the wood but now Greg was coming to get him... With the Yanks taking a beating Phil decided they needed the Achilles help and he raced towards the village covered from the King Tiger by a low hill. A cunning move.

“Bang”.....the Panther hit Dave’s 2nd Yank M4 causing heavy damage. However, now we had a Panther vs the nippy Achilles in an urban environment; this could be hard!

Greg's lumbering King Tiger now attacked Tony's two Sherman's hiding behind the wood. One dead Sherman and one running for dear life.

 Finally, the Achilles got behind the Panther and dispatched it with a shot in the rear. Posthumous Iron Cross for Simon! Tony and Phil then decided to take on the remaining big cat head on. Miraculously Greg rolled exactly what was needed for two shots. Result a dead Sherman and a dead Achilles! All that was left was Dave’s crippled M4 to take on the King Tiger. With these odds the Allies....or is that Ally singular.... it withdrew, allowing Peiper to escape. A most enjoyable evening’s entertainment.