My first Early War Flames of War game.

In a word AWESOME!

Points: 1500

Forces: German Light Tanks vs SS Pioneer Infantry (source for both was Blitzkrieg)

Mission: Fighting Withdrawal (rolled randomly).

Table: Built using the ideas from Blitzkrieg. Roads, Hills, Forests (bog on a 1), Stream from long edge to long edge 3 bridges, 1 Ford, but trying out the Tree Lined idea (which seems to work really well so I will be using that again), and a standing crop.

I have never been a big fan of the Fighting Withdrawal mission. The defender has to defend 3 objectives across the table. Sure Objectives get gradually withdrawn but until then defending the entire width of the table is a big task.  The defender also has a shrinking force which makes it harder to defend with. I am not sure what my fix would be…maybe a platoon in ambush would help improve it.

 

Lists.

My list (Tank List)

HQ 1 x Befhelpanzer 1 x Panzer II

Combat 1 2 x Panzer II, 1 x Panzer 1

Combat 2 as above but an upgrade to one platoon with Panzer II Late.

3 x Panzer III E

2 x BunkerFlak

4 x 8 Rads (2 Platoons of 2)

Limited Stukas

SS List (Infantry)

2 Lots of SS Pioneer Infantry FT with Supply trucks

Arty 4 x 105 CT

4 x 2cm Halftracks

Stug Platoon (2 x Stugs and 1 Cmnd Halftrack)

1 x 2 gun AT gun Platoon (door knockers I think)

Priority Stukas (with Schwerepunkt)

2 Minefields used as the defensive item allotment allowed by the Supply trucks.

How did it roll?

I pulled of a win by taking an objective on around Turn 4.

I didn’t think I was going to do as well as I did in this game. I went and stacked most of my force on one side of the table in an effort to take a removable objective early. This was an obvious choice for me as that end of the table was isolated with the Tree lined stream blocking Line of Sight to supporting platoons except at bridges. If the game goes too long my platoons will only shrink in size or slowly (or quickly) be destroyed. When this happens my attack/assault power is so reduced it is hard to be affective.

My plan miraculously worked. I reckon for the most part I got lucky. I managed to pin the Arty and it stayed pinned for a few turns and was withdrawn as the first platoon to be removed. My Stukas seemed to turn up more often than my opponents despite being limited and his being Priority with the Schwerpunkt upgrade. I thought I was taking a big risk by trying to close the distance across open ground as well. I faced 2 x Concealed AT guns, indirect Artillery, Stukas and behind a hill 2 rock hard Early War Stugs to counter attack (yikes!). I thought my Bunker Flaks would have drawn more attention from Stukas and Artillery but they managed to get up the hill after the AT gun platoon was destroyed by lots of shooting. Destroying the AT gun unit caused the loss of the Companys 2iC and an Arty Observer. This left only the Stug Platoon to contest the Objective.

A platoon of SS Pio Infantry headed on over towards this objective to help out but by then I had 3 tanks keeping any eye out for them and they faced a stack of tank MG bullets zipping into them. A flame team did manage to bail my 1iC but not destroy his tank. Def Fire was also too much to allow any assault.

Here are some game pics...

Deployed ready to roll. White paper is a Mine Field.

Stuka Attack!! 4 Tanks under the template...Yikes!

Near end game. Closing down on the left side Objective. The 2iC is on the bridge keeping an eye on the Infantry trying to rescue the StuGs.

2 gamers who had lots of fun. I am the four eyed fat head with the hat.

Cheers