This week at the Battlefront HQ gaming club I played against +Gareth Richards in the first game of the round robin tournament for Flames of War. Gareth has organised it to get everyone facing off against new opponents which will be great as I've not played against many different types of list so far and it will be excellent practice!
I'm using the Feldherrnhalle Panzergrenadierkompanie from Grey Wolf, while Gareth used the US Engineer Combat Company from Devil's Charge. I'm using the same list as normal as I've not been able to pick up an extra PaK 38 yet and Dietrich von Saucken is currently awaiting assembly.
Feldherrnhalle Panzergrenadierkompanie
Headquarters:Feldherrnhalle Panzergrenadierkompanie HQ, 2 x Panzerfaust & 1 x Panzerschreck - 90
Combat Platoons:
Feldherrnhalle Panzergrenadier Platoon with Panzerfaust - 190
Feldherrnhalle Panzergrenadier Platoon with Panzerfaust - 190
Feldherrnhalle Heavy Platoon, 4 x sMG 42, 2 x 8 cm GrW 34 mortars - 200
Weapons Platoons:
Feldherrnhalle Anti-tank Gun Platoon, 3 x 7.5 cm PaK 40 - 155
Panzergrenadier Anti-aircraft Gun Platoon, 3 x Sd Kfz 10/5 (2 cm) (armoured) - 115
Divisional Support Platoons:
Feldherrnhalle Panzer Platoon, 3 x Panther Ausf. G - 560
Half-tracked Panzerspäh Platoon, 1 x Sd.Kfz 250/1, 2 x Sd.Kfz 250/9 (2 cm) - 115
Rocket Launcher Battery, 3 x 21 cm NW 42 - 125
Total:
1740 points
US Engineer Combat Company
HeadquartersEngineer Combat Company HQ with 2 x SMG team - 45
Combat Platoons
Engineer Combat Platoon with 4 x Bazooka - 80
Engineer Combat Platoon with 4 x Bazooka - 80
Support Platoons
Tank Platoon - 5 x M4A1 Sherman - 415
Armored Anti-tank Platoon - 3 x M1 57mm gun (late) - 100
Field Artillery Battery - 4 x M2A1 105mm howitzer - 185
Anti-aircraft Artillery (Self-Propelled) Platoon - 2 x M16 MGMC (Quad .50 cal) and 2 x M15 CGMC (37mm) - 200
Priority Air Support - P-47 Thunderbolt with 5.7" Rockets - 220
Total:
1725 points
Mission
For the round robin tournament we will be playing a specific mission each week, and this week it was No Retreat. My last game was the same mission so I'm familiar with the scenario, however for a bit of a twist, this time I would be the attacker. As I play an infantry company, attacking is rather a scary prospect as despite being a 'Panzergrenadier' force, I don't own enough transport models to actually use them in game. My troops are very much footsloggers!
Deployment
Gareth was defending, and opted to deploy in the half of the table with the large hill on the edge, so I would be deploying in the opposite half. Hopefully the road would enable my vehicles to advance quickly towards the objectives.
For the purposes of describing the battle, the edge of the table with the large hill will be referred to as north.
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| Deployment viewed from the south-west corner of the table. |
Gareth could only deploy half of his units on the table at the start, and chose to keep both infantry platoons and the 105 mm artillery on the board. The 105s occupied the large hill, sitting behind the northern objective. The two infantry platoons were placed on the eastern flank, in and around the woods and buildings.
I deployed the Nebelwerfer Platoon near the southern table edge out of the way, with the PaK 40 Platoon in front of them in concealed positions. The Panzerspäh Platoon sat in front of the PaKs, though I wasn't quite sure of the best way to use them as I've not used them from the start of a game before. The 81 mm Mortars hid behind the hill on the south-west corner with their command team on top of the hill for spotting purposes. One Panzergrenadier Platoon took up position on the left flank, with the second behind the wood in the centre. The Panthers took up position on the road, and finally I deployed the Sd.Kfz 10/5 platoon spread out accross my lines to provide AA cover for as many units as possible.
Gareth's observer was placed in the monastery tower in the centre, while my Nebelwerfer observer sat on the hill on my deployment area, and the mortar observer occupied the wheat field on the right flank.
Everything started the game in prepared positions so everyone that could dug in and counted as gone to ground. As I was attacking, I took the first turn.
Feldherrnhalle Turn 1
Both Panzergrenadier Platoons advanced toward the objective, with the one on the eastern side taking up positions in the woods. The Panthers advanced down the road and opened fire on the observer in the tower of the monastery, but failed to do any damage. The Panzergrenadiers nearby did the same but again failed to do any damage. The Panzerspäh took up positions behind the woods out of sight of the enemy.
US Engineer Turn 1
Air support arrived this turn and took up position to attack the Panzergrenadiers on the left flank, but no reserves arrive. One Engineer Platoon moved into the buildings, while the other remained in the woods and building overlooking the objective. The 105 mm Artillery Platoon fired on the Panzergrenadiers on the left flank, killing one stand and pinning the platoon. The P-47 was fended off by the AA cover provided by the Sd.Kfz 10/5 Platoon.
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| The table at the end of turn 1. |
Feldherrnhalle Turn 2
The Panzergrenadiers unpin, so the advance continues! The Panthers advance in order to fire on the Engineer Platoon in the woods, with one skirting round the left flank of the ruined monastery. The Panzerspäh Platoon moved back around the hedgerow onto the road, and the Sd.Kfz 10/5 Platoon advanced slightly to cover the new forward positions of my platoons. Both Panzergrenadier Platoons move forward, with the one in the centre occupying the woods fully so they cannot be seen by the Engineer Platoons in the buildings (nor indeed the artillery from their commanding view on the hill). The Panthers and Nebelwerfers opened up on the Engineers near the woods, killing two teams and pinning the platoon. The Panzergrenadiers on the left flank then assaulted the observer which was unable to break off and so was destroyed.
US Engineer Turn 2
This turn the Sherman Platoon arrived, and the P-47 made an appearance for a strafing run. The Shermans moved on from the north-west corner and keeping out of sight of the Panthers. The 105 mm Artillery Platoon opened up on the Panzergrenadiers that had just assaulted their observer, killing four teams! The P-47 would not be driven off by the AA fire and bombed the Panzergrenadiers too, causing two casualties and forcing them to break and run off the board. I had forgotten to move the 1iC last turn so he was unable to give them a reroll for their morale check.
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| The 105 mm Artillery Platoon open fire and destroy a platoon of Panzergrenadiers. |
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| The table at the end of turn 2. Notice the rather large gap where the Panzergrenadiers used to be, marked with a ranged in token! |
Feldherrnhalle Turn 3
The Panthers move down the left flank towards the Shermans, while one occupies the woods almost in range to contest the objective. The remaining Panzergrenadier platoon advances out of the woods, leaving the HMG teams in the wood to cover their advance. The Sd.Kfz 10/5 Platoon advances to keep an eye on the Panthers, and the Panzerspäh Platoon move up the road behind the Panthers. The Nebelwerfers fire on the Sherman Platoon but fail to range in.
US Engineer Turn 3
No reserves arrive this turn, the P-47 arrives and lines up to take a shot at the Panther next to the cratered road. The 105 mm Artillery open fire on the Panzergrenadiers in the centre, pinning the platoon. The LMG teams in a nearby house open up on the same platoon but do not cause any casualties. The P-47 opens up on the Panther but doesn't cause any damage due to a very luck armour save.
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| The board at the end of turn 3. |
Feldherrnhalle Turn 4
The Panzergrenadiers fail to unpin, and the Panthers try to advance into the woods to reach the objective but one bogs down on the cratered road, though the other two make it in. The Panzerspäh Platoon advance behind the bogged Panther, while two Sd.Kfz 10/5 move around the wood and up the road, hoping to support the advance next turn. Again the Nebs fire on the Engineers and cause one casualty.
US Engineer Turn 4
This turn the 57 mm Anti-Tank Gun Platoon arrive from the north-west table edge and advance toward the wood. The Shermans move up to contest the objective. The 105 mm artillery fire on the Panzergrenadiers again and kill another team.
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| The board at the end of turn 4. |
Feldherrnhalle Turn 5
The Panzergrenadiers fail to unpin, and the Panther fails to unbog. The Sd.Kfz 10/5 Platoon advance again. The Nebelwerfers fire on the Engineer Platoon in the woods but fail to range in. The other two Panthers remain where they are, not wishing to expose themselves to the inevitable artillery barrage and Sherman fire if they were to leave their safe position in the woods.
US Engineer Turn 5
The P-47 arrives and lines up for a shot against the Panther again, the AA fire forces one plane away but the other strikes home, bailing the Panther. The remaining Engineers in the woods and houses charge in the direction of the objective to contest it. The half-tracks towing the 57 mm Anti-Tank Guns move forward to skirt the woods.
Feldherrnhalle Turn 6
At last the Panzergrenadiers unpin and continue the advance. The Sd.Kfz 10/5 platoon advance to fire on the Engineers in the open. The Panthers fire on the Shermans and knock out one, bailing another. The Nebelwerfers, HMG teams, Sd.Kfz 10/5 Platoon and some Panzergrenadier teams open fire on the Engineer platoon in the open and wipe it out.
US Engineer Turn 6
The Anti-aircraft Artillery (Self-Propelled) Platoon comes in from reserve in the north-west corner and advance their full move. The Shermans move close enough to the woods to see the Panthers and open fire, destroying one with a side shot. The 57 mm guns unlimber and open fire on the Panzerspäh Platoon, knocking out all three vehicles!
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| The table at the end of turn 6. |
Feldherrnhalle Turn 7
The bailed Panther crew fail to return to their vehicle. The Panzergrenadiers and 2iC advance again, and move into range to engage the Shermans. The Sd.Kfz 10/5 Platoon advance towards the objective, and one vehicle contests it. The remaining Panther, the 2iC and Panzerschreck team fire on the Shermans, destroying two and bailing a third, causing a morale check that they fail. The objective is now secure.
US Engineer Turn 7
The P-47 makes an attack run on the Sd.Kfz 10/5 Platoon, bailing one vehicle and pinning the Panzergrenadiers. Another Sd.Kfz 10/5 is knocked out by direct artillery fire, causing a platoon morale check, but thankfully they pass and remain contesting the objective.
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| The table at the end of the game. |
Feldherrnhalle Turn 8
At the start of my turn the objective is taken so I win the game! It was a Minor Victory for the Feldherrnhalle Panzergrenadierkompanie, with 4 victory points to me and 3 to Gareth.
Conclusion
Crikey now that was a very close match! There were several times when some very lucky dice rolls saved the day for both of us, and to be honest it could have gone either way right up until the end. It was a very enjoyable game overall, and it has made me realise that I need to make some modifications to the list to make life easier in the future if I end up playing the attacker.
Lessons
- I desperately need to pick up some transports for the PaK 40 platoon. Though being the attacker will be a rarity, in games like this the PaKs quickly became useless as they were unable to move up to support the advance, and transports can be added to the platoon for only 5 extra points.
- In hindsight I should have deployed the Panzerspäh Platoon on the road behind the Panthers and kept them out of the way for a while. While they didn't take much fire from their starting positions, it would have made more sense to keep them in the rear until they were needed to lift gone to ground on infantry or support an assault
- I need to learn all the characteristics of my weapons, I made the mistake in this game of thinking that the 2 cm FlaK 38 on the Sd.Kfz 10/5 fires 6 shots per turn, when it actually fires 4. I didn't realise until about halfway through the game, but it has taught me not to rely on memory all the time.
Next week we will be playing Dust Up, so I had better get reading up on the scenario!
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