WW2 West Front 1944 Campaign game 02 on a A4 3x4 grid with 6mm forces

Introduction

This is mission 2 in a campaign following a British company through 1944 France.  I am using 6mm forces and playing on a 3x4 grid on a A4 page.  I did a similar East Front campaign in 2017.

Hoping it will scratch the itch for a campaign that is quick, no measurements, and fairly simple rules but has tense and tricky tactical decisions.  Game 01 delivered.

The pink case that the battlefield (well A4 sheet) is in is still here for this report.  It changes next mission.

Rules

I am using my own rules.  I have modified the ones I used in 2017 to be 1d6 for all rolls, rather than 1-3 per attack.  I am using Platoon Forward to generate the missions.

The rules are here: ww3x4 Advancing Companies V2.0c.pdf

In summary, most units move 1 square and can fire out 1 square and non-firing units are seen at 0 or 1 square.  Stacking is 3 units of one side per square.  Each turn normally has one square activated (random side but a chosen square) and units in that square can fire, move or rally.  Then the other side activates a square.  After each side has an activation there is a special melee phase where opposing units in a square fire at each other. Play another turn and keep this up until one side's morale fails.

Mission 2

It is 1944 and a UK infantry force is attacking a German armoured force. The UK mission is a exploiting a successful attack.

The parent force has broken through enemy lines.  This force was held in reserve to exploit this breakthrough.

The terrain is hills, with:

Wooded Hill | Rough |Crops

Wooded Hill | Hill |Open

Open | Hill |Crops

Open | Open |Open

Primary Objective is a Key Building in zone 1.

Battlefield

Victory is to capture the primary objective. Lose if do not capture the objective.

Major Victory is achieved if capture objectives with minimal casualties. Minor Victory if capture objective but take major casualties.

The UK force enters in zones 10 (middle of bottom row). The German force normally would deploy in zones 1-6 (top two rows).

The UK has green morale for its six sections and two leaders. Support includes MMG,2xSherman.

The German has regular morale for its three sections and one leader. Support includes 2xMMG, Jadgpanzer IV 75mm (L48).

6 of the German units (minimum squad + armoured vehicle) are reinforcements that arrive on turn 3 at the right of zone 3 with appropriate transport.  This is what the scenario rolled up - 6 units as reinforcements.  There are only 6 units.  So I will put 1 Gruppe on the objective and the Germans are rushing towards it to secure it with the other 5 units before the British can.  With the objective defended by only one unit, they will arrive on turn 2 rather than turn 3.

Germans

Troops

British

Co HQ Godfrey (Green)

2 Plt HQ Rowley (Green), 2 Plt 1 Sect Turner (Green), 2 Plt 2 Sect Wade (Green), 2 Plt 3 Sect Hartley (Green)

3 Plt HQ Burns (Green), 3 Plt 1 Sect Manning (Green), 3 Plt 2 Sect Hanson (Green), 3 Plt 3 Sect Williams (Green)

MMG

2 Sherman 75mm

Deployment

The lone German Gruppe defender

British plan: Rush up to the wooded hill (zone 4) with 2^nd platoon ready for an assault.  Tanks up the right with 3^rd platoon to approach from the right flank. There is no cover for the advance anywhere else.

German plan: Move squads to the building ASAP.  MMG and tank in the rough in zone 2.  This will provide two zones of fire Vs the one on the wooded hill. 

I have a feeling that wooded hill is going to be a British death trap.

Unusually neither side has any indirect fire available.  This will hurt both sides not having any mortars to call upon to suppress the enemy.

Game

British move onto the table, Germans follow by bringing on the halftracks.  The Brits focus on moving 2^nd Platoon up to the wooded hill.  They get there and fail to spot the Gruppe in the building (required a 6 so low expectations).  The armour for either side is not yet on the table, the main aim is to get the infantry into the field.

Early stages of deployment.

The Brits get a section as a reinforcement; a section from another company has been sent to help.

Bold move – the Brits see an opportunity to assault the building before the halftracks arrive.  They take it with Rowley’s 2^nd platoon.

Assaulting the farmhouse

The British have two sections suppressed but the Gruppe is suppressed and retreats to the rough.

A suppressed unit in the same square as an unsuppressed enemy must retreat.

The British take the objective.

In the following German turn, they assault the farmhouse.  Germans can move in halftracks and unload into assault.

All the British are suppressed, as are the Germans.  No one is required to retreat.

Germans assault the farmhouse

 Random artillery hits the British Burns’ 3^rd  platoon at the rear.  All are suppressed.

 

Random artillery causes the British to be suppressed.

In melee at the farmhouse, one German Gruppe is routed while the British MMG is also routed.  The British fail to unsuppress while one of the Germans recovers.  Rowley calls on the platoon to retreat.

 

The British retreat

The Germans get 2 activations and move onto the battlefield the remainder of their units – a Jagdpanzer and a Sdkfz 251/1 with another MMG.  The German MMG in the farmhouse opens up on the British on the wooded hill but do no damage.  The British bring on the Shermans and the last section of the 2^nd platoon.  They are taking a bit of a gamble as the units on the wooded hill are exposed.

The German advance

The Germans deploy in the Rough brush and the MMG crew disembark.  The Jagdpanzer and the 2 MMGs pour fire into the wooded hill but fail to rout any of the two British units (2^nd platoon) there.  Statistically one should have gone by now, with a good chance of both of them. The British Shermans and the other infantry unit move up on the hill and are now visible to the Germans.  The choice to use an activation to move new units up Rather than ralying the wooded hill was not too hard – each British unit requires a 5+ to rally.

The British advance

The Germans activate and now need to decide if it is the Shermans or the infantry that are the threat.  Why not both?  The MMG fires and destroys the newly arrived section and the Jagdpanzer takes out a Sherman!

After much ineffectual fire over the last few turns, two shots and a section and a Sherman are KO’d.

The Sherman can only damage the Jagdpanzer on a 6; It also could move into the farmhouse to disrupt the objective but expect the Germans have Panzerfausts.  The Sherman instead fires with its MG at the MMG in the rough.  Manages to rout it!  The Germans can ill afford to lose units – they started with 6 and have lost 2 already.  The British have lost 3, but most of the remaining ones are suppressed.  They do have on infantry section (the reinforcement) left they have not yet brought on.

The MMG in the rough is routed.

Game note: the best roll for activation for the Germans is a 5 as they get two activations, and then the British get one.  For three turns in a row the Germans rolled 5 for activation, ensuring they got to activate two squares for firing compared to the one square for the British.

The German Jagdpanzer brews the remaining Sherman, and the German MMG routs a British unit.

Another Sherman gone, and also another section from the hill.

The British 3^rd platoon decide they have had enough and to the rear pulls back due to being in the open while trying to rally.

British rear suppressed platoon pulls back

The last onboard British section is routed, along with the Company HQ and the Germans hold the field.  The British fail in their mission.

Last British section routed

Post-battle status

Co HQ (Godfrey) routed during the mission and has been replaced.  Major Godfrey did not last long...

1 Plt HQ (Spencer) was replaced prior to the next mission.

1 Plt 1 Sect (Burns) was not in the battle.

1 Plt 2 Sect (Knowles) had no troops prior to battle but have received replacements.

1 Plt 2 Sect (Davies) had no troops prior to battle but have received replacements.

2 Plt HQ (Rowley) routed during the mission and has been replaced.  Another Lieutenant of the company gone.

2 Plt 1 Sect (Turner) routed during the mission and are ok to continue.

2 Plt 2 Sect (Wade) routed during the mission and are ok to continue.

2 Plt 3 Sect (Hartley) routed during the mission and are disbanded.  No enough men left to maintain the section.

3 Plt HQ (Burns) OK

3 Plt 1 Sect (Manning) OK

3 Plt 2 Sect (Hanson) OK

3 Plt 3 Sect (Williams) OK

 

Verdict

Another failed mission.  At least in this one the British had a chance and then the combination of the Jagdpanzer and MMG ensured that the British would not be able to respond with enough weight of fire to advance.  This game was fun – a few tough decisions had to be made. Unfortunately a loss of the Company commander, Major Godfrey, and second platoon's Lieutenant Rowley.