The battle for Al-Milazz

This battle was fought between Rommels 6th Panzer division and my opponents Indian Division, the mission; Maximum attrition. The battle would be fought over the small outpost of Al-Milazz and its life giving oasis.

Neither side started on the board so turn 1 was more about maneuver and establishing bases of fire for the coming confrontation. It was clear that the Indian Division intended to take the buildings to their front and the Axis couldn't prevent them fortifying the buildings. The Axis advanced towards the sand bags and compound walls hoping to turn the court yard into a killing ground. On the axis left flank the team with the anti tank rifle spotted a lone individual moving at the foot of the hill and one sat on the top of the hill. Seeing the glint of binoculars the gunner rightly surmised that this was a spotter for the 25 pounder. Sighting down his rifle he fired a single large caliber round. First blood to the axis! Sadly this choice of target would prove disastrous for the axis later. Both commanders nervously waited for the appearance of enemy armour, the tell tail squeal of tank sprockets echoing ominously.

The allied Matilda crawled slowly up the axis right flank supported by a unit of infanty moving towards the oasis. Looking across the battlefield the axis commander smiled hoping to turn the right flank into another killing ground. He signaled the Panzer III to advance and engage the enemy Matilda, confident its light anti tank gun couldn't threaten its thick armour.

The axis plan began to take shape, fix the enemy on the flank with armour and superior firepower. Sweep around the axis left flank clearing that lightly defended flank. Then assault the buildings while the base of fire provided by the two LMG squads suppressed the allies. This would be helped by the German 233 providing indirect fire with its light howitzer pounding the buildings.

The German kubelwagen advanced and began used its MMG to begin suppressing the allied 25 pounder. Confident of the plan the axis advanced using the cover of the walls to block line of sight to the enemy artillery. Unknown to the advancing axis forces a lone figure at the foot of the hill took a last look with his binoculars before consulting his map. Smiling to himself he raised his radio hand set "Fire for effect"

The axis commander heard the tell tale sound of heavy artillery in the distance, from the tone he knew it wasnt his own. Looking to his left flank he could see his troops were still shaking out their deployment and were horribly bunched up. Screaming at them to disperse and take cover he was blown from his feet as rounds began to fall. His ears still ringing as he picked himself up and looked to where his assault group had gathered he could see no movement. From the moans and screams of the wounded it was clear his force had been dealt a crippling blow.

His runner returned to report that enemy artillery had destroyed the anti tank rifle team and two full squads, plus his second fire support squad was heavily pinned.

On the axis left flank the kubelwagen charged forward to spitefully mow down the artillery observer following his slaughter of his friends. On the right the pioneer squad urged the driver of their staff car forwards desperate to get into the fight. The allied recce carrier joined the battle to see an enemy staff car barrelling towards it. Opening fire with its twin LMGs it killed the driver and the vehicle skidded to a halt. The axis pioneers debussed from the vehicle but couldnt save their squad mate. Peering through the smoking wreck of their vehicle they were surprised to see another group of allied soldiers charging towards them. Unable to shoot back in time the two forces clashed hand to hand. The fighting was viscous and no quarter was given. The allies expected the best of it but even surprised the pioneers fought hard, taking 4 enemy with them.

Meanwhile the Panzer III and the Matilda continued to exchange shots, neither side able to breach the others thick frontal armour. Each hit rang like a church bell inside the turrets of each vehicle making accurate fire more and more difficult (using desert rules makes all vehicles unreliable, so any pin marker generates and extra one!)

The Matilda gunner, now confident of his range and neither vehicle moving called out "On the way!" The armour piercing round hit the turret ring of the Panzer III cleaving the thin armour. The commanders order to bail out died in his throat as the magazine exploded spectacularly blowing the turret 40 feet into the air.

Seeing that both his left and right flanks had collapsed and seeing the defeated looks in the eyes of his men. The axis commander ordered a general withdrawal gifting Al-Milazz to the allies.

This was another fantastic game on Micks (allied player) new desert board and those palm trees really made a difference to the overall look. Starting this game I was pretty confident as I thought I could overwhelm his units one at a time on my left flank. But that damn forward artillery observer! Well placed by Mick it came in straight away. Normally I wouldn't be too concerned as they usually just dish out the pins. I have never seen so many 6's rolled though, followed by 3d6 hits averaging 12 easily wiped out my units. That really took the wind out of my plan as I had few large infantry units to take on his force. I was hoping to kill his Matilda as its something of a tradition that I blow his tanks up, sadly this wasn't the case this time. To Micks delight he was able his new vehicle destroyed markers, which i'm sure you'll agree look fantastic.

Skirmish in the sand

My gaming buddy and i decided that we'd try the scenarios from the new campaign book by Warlord Games; Duel in the Sun. In particular scenario 5: Skirmish in the sand (page 51), with its unusual deployment rules. Basically for each unit you write the unit on a piece of paper, plus a piece which is blank. I had 9 order dice so had 18 pieces of paper in total. These are then placed in a container and we take it in turns to place a piece of terrain and a paper at random on each terrain. Once we felt there was enough terrain, then any units not drawn were in reserve. Then it was time to see which units would be deploying where, exciting stuff! Though to our amusement the first phase was pretty spartan. My Germans had a panzer II  near the tower and the 2nd Lt dug in, in the rough ground. The British/ Indian division had an anti tank rifle in the sandbagged area and a truck horribly exposed in the centre. 

We also used the rules for climate conditions, in particular Hot, Damn Hot, Sand, Sand... And more Sand. These essentially add an extra -1 to shooting at long range. Vehicles get an extra pin if they're pinned (we forgot about this rule) The effects of dehydration added something different to the game also. If you wanted to run we have to roll less than the current game turn number. So it becomes harder to run as the game progresses, unless you start your run near an oasis.

The Germans lost the roll for Blindside, which meant that firing towards the long edge of my opponents side gave an additional -1 to hit. This had a huge effect on the game as at long range I was hitting at a -3 to hit, before any modifiers for cover or small team. We were concerned that it would be a sniper fest with so little cover but these additional modifiers made for a challenging game.

Axis and Allied columns advanced towards the small settlement both aware that the other was doing the same. The intent was to establish a defensive perimeter, rest and refresh their water supplies. Sadly they became disorientated in a sand storm and all units hunkered down to wait for the storm to pass. They were shocked to find that their lines had become intertwined. 

With so few forces on the table, turn 1 was fast and uneventful. The 2nd Lt started dug in and stayed down while the panzer II opened up with his turret mounted MMG at the anti tank rifle, which returned fire and was equally ineffective. The British truck finding itself horribly exposed ran for its own table edge to avoid being automatically destroyed at the end of the turn.

Turn 2 began with the panzer II traversing its turret, tracking the truck as it ran for safety. Sadly advancing in the open, apparently unaware of the danger the driver didnt even see the thing that killed it, first blood the Axis! Both forces begin to bring in reinforcements from reserve. The Indian division swarms towards to the rear of the Panzer hoping to assault it next turn. Seeing the danger it pivots on its axis and attempts to open the distance. Axis reinforcements are delayed by soft sand and struggle to reinforce their 2nd Lt.

Turn 3 & 4 unfolded slowly as all reserve units moved into position and began to advance. The German Kubelwagen used to rocky escarpment as cover while being able to provide enfilading fire to anyone moving into the open. 

A small 5 man team ran into the building on their left flank and took up position on the roof affording them a commanding field of fire. The troops paused briefly as they heard the roar of a motorcycle. Cheering as it swept past their position to harass the advancing infantry.

Axis forces dug in, confident that they had superior fire power and planned to mow the Allies down as they advanced. The 2nd Lt spotted the enemy recce carrier and recognized it for the threat it was "achtung carrier!". "Jawohl commander!" replied the panzer, ignoring the advancing infantry to its rear and accelerating towards the carrier.

Smiling the tommy manning the anti tank rifle sighted between the sand bags, waiting for the Panzer to roar past. Squeezing the trigger he was as suprised as the Panzer crew when he hit weak point in the armour. The antitank round penetrated the magazine and the tank exploded sending its turret arching through the air. All heads turned at the sound, the Allies cheered and the Axis groaned.

The Allies renewed their advance, pressing the Axis in all areas. Unable to recover the initiative after the loss of their armor the Axis held on pouring fire into the advancing enemy, unfortunately for them the low sun blinded them making accurate fire impossible.

The Axis commander sensing things were running away from him glanced over his shoulder as he felt the wind picking up. "bring me sand or bring the Luftwaffe!" Troops from the Axis left flank left the safety of the house to attempt to reinforce the centre while the kubelwagen moved to plug the gap on the right. The Allied carrier, realising the Axis now had no anti tank capability brazenly advanced down the field pouring fire into the exposed troops.

The 2nd Lt received the radio message that he had dreaded "no reserves at this time. Withdraw and wait for further orders". Pondering how he was supposed to achieve this with no covering fire and the Allies almost at their throats. Looking from his makeshift bunker he could almost make eye contact with the enemy commander who was advancing behind his troops.

Fortune smiled on the Axis forces as the sand storm that had ruined their plans came to their rescue obscuring the battlefield and allowing for a less than ordered withdrawal. 

At the end of turn 6 both sides had lost 3 units each so technically a draw. However I think its fair to say that the Allies had the best of it. 

Battle of Raseiniai AKA the Beast of Raseiniai

Rock on Tommy and I decided to fight the Battle of Raseiniai where a KV-2, broken down held up the advance of a German division. 

See http://www.warlordgames.com/scenario-monster-in-the-road-the-battle-of-raseiniai/

Soviet forces quickly moved to support the stricken beast taking up positions in the sand bagged emplacements.

German forces massed and began their advance.

The German forces began their advance by firing lots of smoke hoping to blind the KV-2 but to no avail, the shots went wide allowing it to smash the heavy field car as it advanced up the road. The Pioneer squad inside bailed out with minimal casualties but proved unwilling to leave the cover of the wreckage for the whole battle. Effectively ending their campaign from the outset.

The German artillery observer called in his barrage well wide of the KV-2 hoping to walk it into the tightly packed Russian infantry. However the battery was quicker than expected and the barrage landed on and empty road way, only pinning one unit of Russian infantry behind the sand bags.

The 8-Rad continued to fire smoke shells in the hope of covering the advance of two units of heer up either side of the road. One unit moved through the fields to take cover behind a fence. The other unit took shelter in the building preparing to ambush what ever moved around the woodland to their front. The unmistakable whinnying of Cossack cavalry giving away the Soviet intent.

The Cossacks galloped around the woodland hoping to smash the German centre but were cut down mid charge, ambushed by one unit while the charged unit had time to pick off the horseman. Only one Cossack made it across the open ground, taking two Germans down before being torn from his horse and dispatched.

More Soviet reinforcements poured in presenting an intimidating line of infantry, thankfully their inexperience resulted in their inaction. The commissar was forced to shoot several soldiers as an example to the others, this had the desired effect.

The 8-rad and light mortar continued to pepper the battlfield with smoke, finally blinding the monster to the road ahead. Unfortunately the Hanomag and two SS inside chose this moment to advance into the open on the left flank. Thankfully they had debused before the Hanomag was blown apart killing the now redundant artillery observer manning the MG34. The KV-2 then killed all 6 SS before the other unit was reduced to half strength by the combined fire of the entire Soviet left flank.

Sensing the German attack had fatally stalled the Soviet right flank began to advance putting additional pressure of the already shaken Germans.

The German attack stalled on the left flank and the remaining troops attempted to switch flanks using the thick smoke screen as cover. Sadly this was far too little, far too late. 

The now unsupported infantry wavered and eventually began to withdraw under the rapidly diminishing smoke screen. Sadly reporting that the Beast still held the cross roads and a much stronger German force would be needed to capture it.