George Kelln
Elder Member
Playtest Q38.2 – Belgian Bottleneck
Germans (Attacker) Ernie Cameron
Belgians (Defender) George Kelln
Game Turns: 1-2-3
Victory Conditions:
Belgians: Amass ≥ 20 CVP.
Germans: Clear ≤ 2 hexes from (U5) Bridge of Belgians MMC.
Turn 1
Belgians set up across the width of the board and in depth with clusters of concealed units on the (N8) hill and the (R3) hill with LOS to the main road and trail on the north side of the (N8) hill.
Germans’ main line of advance is along the north edge, utilizing the (L9) trail. A secondary line of advance is through orchards.
The Germans’ advance gets halted at the (L9) trail and they get stacked up as the (M8) gully slows them. The Germans have more success pushing through the orchard and by the end of the turn have pressed up against the stone wall south of the unpaved road.
The Belgians lay down effective fire and some residual FP on the (L9) trail and in the orchard hexes on the edge of the hedge north of the unpaved road.
Turn 2
The Germans continue to push forward along the north side of the hill, coming under fire from a Belgian HMG located in the upper floor of the (V8) building supplementing the platoon on the hill.
Meanwhile the squad and a half defending the (M1) building starts to pull back, as it is quickly becoming outnumbered.
The Belgian 50mm mortar team start to engage the Germans who have moved on to the (J7) hill, albeit ineffectively.
Other Belgian forces skulk back and then advance forward to avoid the German FP.
The Germans’ reinforcement of an Assault Engineer Platoon and a platoon of three Panzer II’s enter along the east edge. While the engineers moved through the orchards, two of the Panzer II’s press the attack on the Belgians stymieing the Germans on the north hill, managing to lock up a couple of Belgians squads.
The third Panzer II supported the platoon fighting for the (M1) building, locking up a HS in the (N1) woods, while the platoon+ advanced up to west side of the woods to be in position to get into CC with the locked-up HS.
The Belgians’ half of the turn saw some adjustment of forces from the middle to the north hill, reinforcing the troops stopping the Germans’ main axis of advance. The south while worrisome, still was manageable with a platoon on the ridgeline in position to hold back the Germans.
By the end of the turn, the southern flank had been secured by the Germans while the north flank was struggling to clear out the Belgians defending the stone buildings a top the hill. Between them in the middle, the German started to divert forces north to help clear the hill and south to help reinforce the platoon pushing out of the southern woods.
Turn 3
The Germans had consolidated their forces and aided by the two Panzer II’s cleared out the Belgians from the building on the north hill. A combination of Belgian FP provided by the HMG (before it malfunctioned and then was eliminated) halted the Germans advance off the north hill.
In the south, the German pressed towards the bridge, along the ridgeline. The Panzer II moved out of the woods, on to the ridgeline, and advanced up to (S4) building to VBM freeze a Belgian squad. Meanwhile, the German infantry advanced along the ridgeline behind it.
The Belgian 76mm INF gun crew which until now bided its time, open fire and struck the lead Panzer II, turning it into a blazing wreck, before turning its sight on to the infantry behind.
The Belgians had held their positions forcing the Germans to close combat them. A tactic that proved rewarding, with the death of two Assault Engineer squads and an 8-1 leader.
At the end of the turn, the Germans have cleared the north hill and most of the ridgeline; they have lost a Panzer II and the other two Panzer II’s have malfunctioned MA. The Belgians have amassed 14 of 20 CVP needed for victory, while the German have closed up to within sight of the bridge and have established a firebase on the north hill with eyes on the bridge and have troops in position to push across the bridge.
Stay tuned for the conclusion next week.
Germans (Attacker) Ernie Cameron
Belgians (Defender) George Kelln
Game Turns: 1-2-3
Victory Conditions:
Belgians: Amass ≥ 20 CVP.
Germans: Clear ≤ 2 hexes from (U5) Bridge of Belgians MMC.
Turn 1
Belgians set up across the width of the board and in depth with clusters of concealed units on the (N8) hill and the (R3) hill with LOS to the main road and trail on the north side of the (N8) hill.
Germans’ main line of advance is along the north edge, utilizing the (L9) trail. A secondary line of advance is through orchards.
The Germans’ advance gets halted at the (L9) trail and they get stacked up as the (M8) gully slows them. The Germans have more success pushing through the orchard and by the end of the turn have pressed up against the stone wall south of the unpaved road.
The Belgians lay down effective fire and some residual FP on the (L9) trail and in the orchard hexes on the edge of the hedge north of the unpaved road.
Turn 2
The Germans continue to push forward along the north side of the hill, coming under fire from a Belgian HMG located in the upper floor of the (V8) building supplementing the platoon on the hill.
Meanwhile the squad and a half defending the (M1) building starts to pull back, as it is quickly becoming outnumbered.
The Belgian 50mm mortar team start to engage the Germans who have moved on to the (J7) hill, albeit ineffectively.
Other Belgian forces skulk back and then advance forward to avoid the German FP.
The Germans’ reinforcement of an Assault Engineer Platoon and a platoon of three Panzer II’s enter along the east edge. While the engineers moved through the orchards, two of the Panzer II’s press the attack on the Belgians stymieing the Germans on the north hill, managing to lock up a couple of Belgians squads.
The third Panzer II supported the platoon fighting for the (M1) building, locking up a HS in the (N1) woods, while the platoon+ advanced up to west side of the woods to be in position to get into CC with the locked-up HS.
The Belgians’ half of the turn saw some adjustment of forces from the middle to the north hill, reinforcing the troops stopping the Germans’ main axis of advance. The south while worrisome, still was manageable with a platoon on the ridgeline in position to hold back the Germans.
By the end of the turn, the southern flank had been secured by the Germans while the north flank was struggling to clear out the Belgians defending the stone buildings a top the hill. Between them in the middle, the German started to divert forces north to help clear the hill and south to help reinforce the platoon pushing out of the southern woods.
Turn 3
The Germans had consolidated their forces and aided by the two Panzer II’s cleared out the Belgians from the building on the north hill. A combination of Belgian FP provided by the HMG (before it malfunctioned and then was eliminated) halted the Germans advance off the north hill.
In the south, the German pressed towards the bridge, along the ridgeline. The Panzer II moved out of the woods, on to the ridgeline, and advanced up to (S4) building to VBM freeze a Belgian squad. Meanwhile, the German infantry advanced along the ridgeline behind it.
The Belgian 76mm INF gun crew which until now bided its time, open fire and struck the lead Panzer II, turning it into a blazing wreck, before turning its sight on to the infantry behind.
The Belgians had held their positions forcing the Germans to close combat them. A tactic that proved rewarding, with the death of two Assault Engineer squads and an 8-1 leader.
At the end of the turn, the Germans have cleared the north hill and most of the ridgeline; they have lost a Panzer II and the other two Panzer II’s have malfunctioned MA. The Belgians have amassed 14 of 20 CVP needed for victory, while the German have closed up to within sight of the bridge and have established a firebase on the north hill with eyes on the bridge and have troops in position to push across the bridge.
Stay tuned for the conclusion next week.