George Kelln
Elder Member
Q23.1 Campoleone Salient playtest v. Ernie Cameron; aggressive British advance breaks through for victory.
Turn 1: The west flank (top of map) sees the main British advance. One platoon (9-1, 2x 4-5-7, 2x 2-4-7, MMG, & 2” Mortar) skirts the hill on the west side, placing a squad with MMG a top the hill to provide overwatch, while rest moved towards the road through the woods. The other platoon (7-0, 2x 4-5-7, 2x 2-4-7, LMG, MMG, & 2” Mortar) moves along the east side and closes with the road via the orchards, moving a squad with MMG and 7-0 leader in the L17 woods to provide overwatch. Some sporadic fire from a German squad with LMG located in the I18 woods.
Turn 2: The British 2” Mortars start plopping smoke down to provide some cover for the advance. The western platoon moves up to the road to lay down fire on the German squad with LMG while the Squad with MMG a top Hill 491 (M19) lays down some ineffective covering fire on the German squad with LMG. The other platoon sends 2 ½ squads, behind grenade and 2” mortar smoke across the road and into the (M15) stone building, the (M14) orchard, and into a suspected German unit in the (K15) building (which turned out to be a 2-4-7). The British 2-4-7 advanced into CC with the German 2-4-7 and prevailed – first blood!
Meanwhile, the British reserve platoon (8-1, 3x 4-5-7, LMG, PIAT) moves forward along with a troop of 3x Sherman III tanks, entering in the centre-eastern half of the board. It carefully moves up the road and the gully on the east flank. One tank is dispatch to assist the western advance, moving to L16.
During this time the German kept his concealment, finally opening fire on the British units on the western flank in the DFPh. That is when things started to go wrong; first the 81mm Mortar malf’d, then the HMG Malf’d and finally the LMG malf’d with ineffective results. I suspected Ernie had to conduct a PMC (Personal Morale Check) to continue with the game – he passed.
Turn 3: During the RPh, the German eliminated his LMG and his HMG – D’Oh! But despite this set back he had only lost a HS from his force and repaired his 81mm Mortar. The British still had some open ground to cross to get to the hills.
With British tanks as overwatch (firing smoke and firing at any German units) the infantry used the gully to aggressively close with the Germans. In the village, the British Platoon cross the gully to gain a foothold in the woods and buildings on the other side; once again under support of the Shermans.
The Germans were facing the dilemma: stand and fight and face MMG and tank fire or keep out of sight hoping to catch a Tommy moving in the open. For the most part the German succeed in the latter, breaking a unit here and there; but was slowly being pushed back towards the hill. The German 7.5cm PaK 40 finally revealed itself in the (H12) woods and started pounding the British platoon located in the (I13) gully, (I14) woods, and (H13) open ground. The gun KIA’d a HS on a CH, broke a 4-5-7 with MMG at Crest in the gully and gained a -1 Acq on the squad in the woods.
Turn 4: The turn where the British had managed to close-up with Germans at the based of the hill on the west side and in the village on the east side. At this point things started to happen, first a British 2-4-7 on the (G13) hill BH & created a Hero from the fire of 9-1 and 4-6-7 in the Smoke of the adjacent hex. Later this same 4-6-7 would go Berserk from the return fire from the HS + Hero. The German squad later charged across the open ground at the HS + Hero and was gunned down (4-3) DR3 = 2 KIA.
The British had closed with the 81mm Mortar crew, advancing a HS into CC with it – this Melee would continue until game end, with the only elimination being that of a British HS that later joined in Melee and was CR. The British 9-1 and 4-5-7 caught a German 4-6-7 in (E16) open ground as it tried to withdraw from the gully back to the hill (4-3) DR 4 = 1KIA. Now with the west flank open the British rushed for the Level 2 hexes of Hill 523.
In the centre the British was forced manoeuvred through the gully trying to get around the German Pak 40. In the end the crew abandoned its gun and advanced into CC with British HS + Hero, joined by the 9-1 leader from the other side. The result of the CC was the German leader being CR and wounding; but this tied everyone up in Melee – not what the German wanted.
In the village, a German 8-0 & 4-6-7 caught a British squad toting a PIAT across the (H8) orchard road like the German stacks were “just dummies” and should have paid the price (8-1) but managed to survive when the Germans rolled a 12 – D’Oh! The follow 4+0 was also in effective. The other German squad in the village skulked back and forth between the (H9 & G9) buildings and the orchards, trying to say out of the LOS the two Sherman tanks on either side of the bridge.
Turn 5: With both the German 75mm Pak 40 and the 81mm Mortar out of action, the way was open for the British to rush the hill. Meanwhile in the village, the Sherman tanks moved forward through the orchards and climbed on to the first level of the Hill 523; while the British Platoon pressed forward across the (H7) orchard road. The British 8-1 & 4-5-7 managed to ambush and eliminate a German 8-0 leader, after which they advanced forward towards the hill. By the end of the British player Turn 5, the German was either tied up in Melee or had only one squad free to move. With the British needing ≥ three squad-equivalents (mobile tanks with functioning MA count as two) on Level 2 of Hill 523 for victory, the British had 1 ½ squads on Level 2, with another 2 ½ squads and all three tanks on an adjacent Level 1 or able to climb up to Level 2 during the last MPh unhindered - the Germans conceded the game.
In retrospect, the Germans malfing both machine-guns and 81mm mortar in two fire phases (Turn 1 DFPh and Turn 1 PFPh) and then eliminating both MG in the subsequent RPh, greatly affected the Germans ability to slow the two British platoon’s movement on the western flank.
The British armour provided the much-needed smoke-making capabilities, allowing the infantry to cross open ground and gain the cover of the gully so that they could be in position by Turn 4 to assault the Germans.
A nice little match which took just under three-hours to complete - thanks Ernie for the assistance.
Turn 1: The west flank (top of map) sees the main British advance. One platoon (9-1, 2x 4-5-7, 2x 2-4-7, MMG, & 2” Mortar) skirts the hill on the west side, placing a squad with MMG a top the hill to provide overwatch, while rest moved towards the road through the woods. The other platoon (7-0, 2x 4-5-7, 2x 2-4-7, LMG, MMG, & 2” Mortar) moves along the east side and closes with the road via the orchards, moving a squad with MMG and 7-0 leader in the L17 woods to provide overwatch. Some sporadic fire from a German squad with LMG located in the I18 woods.
Turn 2: The British 2” Mortars start plopping smoke down to provide some cover for the advance. The western platoon moves up to the road to lay down fire on the German squad with LMG while the Squad with MMG a top Hill 491 (M19) lays down some ineffective covering fire on the German squad with LMG. The other platoon sends 2 ½ squads, behind grenade and 2” mortar smoke across the road and into the (M15) stone building, the (M14) orchard, and into a suspected German unit in the (K15) building (which turned out to be a 2-4-7). The British 2-4-7 advanced into CC with the German 2-4-7 and prevailed – first blood!
Meanwhile, the British reserve platoon (8-1, 3x 4-5-7, LMG, PIAT) moves forward along with a troop of 3x Sherman III tanks, entering in the centre-eastern half of the board. It carefully moves up the road and the gully on the east flank. One tank is dispatch to assist the western advance, moving to L16.
During this time the German kept his concealment, finally opening fire on the British units on the western flank in the DFPh. That is when things started to go wrong; first the 81mm Mortar malf’d, then the HMG Malf’d and finally the LMG malf’d with ineffective results. I suspected Ernie had to conduct a PMC (Personal Morale Check) to continue with the game – he passed.
Turn 3: During the RPh, the German eliminated his LMG and his HMG – D’Oh! But despite this set back he had only lost a HS from his force and repaired his 81mm Mortar. The British still had some open ground to cross to get to the hills.
With British tanks as overwatch (firing smoke and firing at any German units) the infantry used the gully to aggressively close with the Germans. In the village, the British Platoon cross the gully to gain a foothold in the woods and buildings on the other side; once again under support of the Shermans.
The Germans were facing the dilemma: stand and fight and face MMG and tank fire or keep out of sight hoping to catch a Tommy moving in the open. For the most part the German succeed in the latter, breaking a unit here and there; but was slowly being pushed back towards the hill. The German 7.5cm PaK 40 finally revealed itself in the (H12) woods and started pounding the British platoon located in the (I13) gully, (I14) woods, and (H13) open ground. The gun KIA’d a HS on a CH, broke a 4-5-7 with MMG at Crest in the gully and gained a -1 Acq on the squad in the woods.
Turn 4: The turn where the British had managed to close-up with Germans at the based of the hill on the west side and in the village on the east side. At this point things started to happen, first a British 2-4-7 on the (G13) hill BH & created a Hero from the fire of 9-1 and 4-6-7 in the Smoke of the adjacent hex. Later this same 4-6-7 would go Berserk from the return fire from the HS + Hero. The German squad later charged across the open ground at the HS + Hero and was gunned down (4-3) DR3 = 2 KIA.
The British had closed with the 81mm Mortar crew, advancing a HS into CC with it – this Melee would continue until game end, with the only elimination being that of a British HS that later joined in Melee and was CR. The British 9-1 and 4-5-7 caught a German 4-6-7 in (E16) open ground as it tried to withdraw from the gully back to the hill (4-3) DR 4 = 1KIA. Now with the west flank open the British rushed for the Level 2 hexes of Hill 523.
In the centre the British was forced manoeuvred through the gully trying to get around the German Pak 40. In the end the crew abandoned its gun and advanced into CC with British HS + Hero, joined by the 9-1 leader from the other side. The result of the CC was the German leader being CR and wounding; but this tied everyone up in Melee – not what the German wanted.
In the village, a German 8-0 & 4-6-7 caught a British squad toting a PIAT across the (H8) orchard road like the German stacks were “just dummies” and should have paid the price (8-1) but managed to survive when the Germans rolled a 12 – D’Oh! The follow 4+0 was also in effective. The other German squad in the village skulked back and forth between the (H9 & G9) buildings and the orchards, trying to say out of the LOS the two Sherman tanks on either side of the bridge.
Turn 5: With both the German 75mm Pak 40 and the 81mm Mortar out of action, the way was open for the British to rush the hill. Meanwhile in the village, the Sherman tanks moved forward through the orchards and climbed on to the first level of the Hill 523; while the British Platoon pressed forward across the (H7) orchard road. The British 8-1 & 4-5-7 managed to ambush and eliminate a German 8-0 leader, after which they advanced forward towards the hill. By the end of the British player Turn 5, the German was either tied up in Melee or had only one squad free to move. With the British needing ≥ three squad-equivalents (mobile tanks with functioning MA count as two) on Level 2 of Hill 523 for victory, the British had 1 ½ squads on Level 2, with another 2 ½ squads and all three tanks on an adjacent Level 1 or able to climb up to Level 2 during the last MPh unhindered - the Germans conceded the game.
In retrospect, the Germans malfing both machine-guns and 81mm mortar in two fire phases (Turn 1 DFPh and Turn 1 PFPh) and then eliminating both MG in the subsequent RPh, greatly affected the Germans ability to slow the two British platoon’s movement on the western flank.
The British armour provided the much-needed smoke-making capabilities, allowing the infantry to cross open ground and gain the cover of the gully so that they could be in position by Turn 4 to assault the Germans.
A nice little match which took just under three-hours to complete - thanks Ernie for the assistance.