Thursday 7 January 2016

Armour, The Big Bang Theory and Big Chain of Command continues...

"Let's just have a quick look before we scramble out of this cover boyz!" - US Airborne on the move during the game.


The game was starting to reach a very exciting point.  The US forces on the right flank had advanced rapidly through the wheat fields and encountered some heavy fire from German positions in the woods.  Alex had also sent out a scout team which was just as well as he very soon walked into a pre-prepared minefield about forty yards in front of the Command Bunker (which by the way was still unoccupied).


In addition, my most forward section had come under fire from a sniper secreted in the Church spire (of course!).  He managed to hit my section causing one kill, which of course ended up being a hit on my junior leader as well.  I roll a six and this is not a good start for the allies.  Fortunately a Medical Orderly managed to stem the bleeding and we pushed on again.



German section makes for some more ideal ground.

The German Recce vehicle pooped out and was subsequently dispatched by a PIAT round from the Canadian troops on
 the flank.  Armour is very vulnerable if not supported by infantry and this is an aspect of the rules I really enjoy.

British troops follow up with a run past the old farmstead


The Dead-Eye Dicks look for more armour to take on

Back on the right flank of the allies, the First Platoon has one of its sections looking to get on the flank of the
enemy position by going around the hedge line.  You can see the use of dice wells for the LMG team from an idea from
The Silver Whistle.  I think it looks very good and is quite practical as well. 

Slightly fuzzy image showing the Platoon Mortar team laying down some HE on the spire of the Church. 
Success and he is driven away never to return.  Well done that man!

Never get in a fire-fight with the Germans...Airborne troops hit the ground in the fields.

German section from the centre makes a break for the hedgeline

The Flanking force sends out scouts...

...and just as well.  Stugs make their first appearance on the field on that very same flank

Another Stug appears on the German right flank to try and stem the British advance

I don't know if these boys have seen the AFV yet or not.

German HMG sets up to lay fire on the advancing American sections

A fresh German section appears and makes for the Church grounds

At the same time the US Second Platoons lead section leaves the safety of the bocage lined field and makes a
 helter-skelter dash for the woods outside the church 

Close up as the JL takes another wound, I roll another 6 for Force morale and go off to make a cup of tea!

These chaps remind me of Laurel and Hardy for those of you old enough to remember the legends of
early black and white Hollywood comedy.  They proved to also be a very fine team on the day as well.

Two counters used to record shock on sections and teams.  I like this.

First platoon senses an opportunity and their Bazooka team pops out from behind the fence posts and takes a shot
at the Stug in the far distance (just behind the wood to the left of this shot).  It hits but bounces off forcing a short
withdrawal but little else.  It would be their last action as they then bolted over the hedge outside command radius
 and had a smoke. 

The game warms up for the German commanders

Whilst the Allied commanders look decidedly relaxed


On the hill the Stug Platoon Commander surveys the field feeling reasonably calm about the entire situation. 
Certainly calmer than those cows with quite a few Panzer grenadiers for company.



So as this post concludes, the battle is quite evenly poised.  The Canadians are continuing their advance through the centre however their lead section has come under heavy fire from the troops moving up from the Church and woods to its rear.


On the allied left the British have kept up a cautious but steady advance and are now in a position to possibly co-ordinate with the allied armour due to arrive soon.


On the allied right flank the appearance of the Stug has stymied somewhat their young commanders advance and the Airborne troops in the centre have also had their drive towards the church and olive grove halted under intense fire.


The loss of the German half track early upon its arrival sent a warning to all the players that the ground scale of the game and the infantry friendly terrain would make any mad dash into the enemy fool hardy to say the least.  I really think that Richard has got these rules perfectly balanced and the armour rules are beautiful in their simple, effectiveness as a gaming mechanism.  Perfect in my opinion hence the title line "Big Bang Theory" - these rules refuse to allow the tank to rule the field unchallenged when a determined anti-tank team can linger just around the corner.


The battles conclusion will follow shortly.

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