Infantry aces campaign - Turn 3 @ G3 in Glasgow

Infantry Aces Round 3

This week’s mission was pincer.

William H Harkin’s forces were allegedly defending some Russian farmhouses just outside of Cassino.
German forces were trying to recapture a small command bunker to the north of their current position.

USP1 Weapons support platoon led by the ever reliable Fatty Atkins took position at the edge of the forest in the north.
USP2 Sgt. J.J. Anderson and his 6 x Bases of Riflemen dug in round the eastern farmhouse
USP3 Sgt. Frank Basilone's 9 x Riflemen were in reserve.

Von Wurstsaugers entire force was deployed from the start
GP1 – Wunderbar platoon led by Unteroffizier David von Hasslehoffen ( 6 x Mortars) deployed centrally
GP2 – Unteroffizier Otto Flick 6 x Rifle/MG Teams deployed in the eastern forest
GP3 – Unteroffizier mikkel nicht 4 x Rifle/MG Teams deployed in the fields to the west.

T1
Ger


GP1 The German mortars stayed in their dug in positions. GP2 and GP3 both advanced down their respective flanks. Staying safely out of range of the American guns. Wunderbar platoon sent a bombardment in the direction of USP2. A lucky 6 then a 6 took out a team of riflemen and pinned them down. (woohoo)




US
In a tactical move that was completely 100% deliberate, the German commander decided to forget about the US reserves.

So despite the fact the US commander had left home without the shonky edge balancing magnetic dice of death, he rolled a 6 for reserves. And onto the table they came. Right in front of the "safely out of range of the American guns" German platoon. (GP3)






A quick volley of pew-pew from the Yanks, A quick volley of crappy save rolling from the Jerries and nearly half the GP3 platoon (2 teams) were off to meet their maker. :-(





Colonel Harkin had obviously decided to wear his cowboy hat and boots to work today. He let out a huge "YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAA" shot his pistol into the air and urged his men to charge forward (in a defensive manner).

USP2 obviously confused at this new form of defending hurtled towards the German lines, before their NCO remembered that they were supposed to be pinned down from the previous round of mortar fire. Holding their two thumbs up at the bewildered German infantrymen they shouted "Keys up. Don't shoot. Sorry. Forgot we were pinned" before retreating sheepishly to their original positions.

T2
Ger

GP3 in the west took some cover behind one of the farmhouses and braced for further American defending.
GP2 in the West advanced a little closer to the US line
The Wunderbar boys sent another bombardment towards the American lines to no avail.



US
USP3 were not messing about and stormed well into the German half. They let off a shot which hit the post and went wide for a goal kick... oops sorry wrong report :-)

USP3 stormed forward preparing for assault. This time they came under heavy German defensive fire. (5 hits) The US took casualties (2 teams) and fell back their assault failing.

USP2 Exchanged fire with GP2 the result being (I think) a single german casualty.



T3
The Wunderbar Mortar Boys decided three weeks of inaction was enough.  Spurred on by their new CO Von Hasslehoffen, his uniform open to the waist, they moved forward to support the GP3 platoon in the west.Unfortunately the USP3 troops managed to take cover in time making all their saving rolls.


Buoyed by the successful repulsion of the US assault GP3 charged over the wall and into the US troops.

Surviving a hail of defensive fire they manage to get their assault off killing two US teams.

The USP3 failed their motivation and their 2ic reroll and ran for it. GP3 used thei consolidation move to take refuge in the nearby farmhouse.

GP2 advanced further up the eastern flank firing at the USP2 without any significant result.

US
Having suffered in the assault USP3 decided to regroup by going to ground and trying to dig in which was successful
USP2 shot some more at GP2 kiling 1 team.

USP1 Fatty's boys launched a bombardment killing no one.

T4
GP3 stayed indoors in the farmhouse shooting out at USP3 (no casualties)

Hasslehoffens Mortars bombarded the USP2 position again no casualties.




GP2 advanced into an assualting position coming under heavy defensive fire (11 dice) it was enough to stop the assault and push GP2 back.




US
USP2 launched everything they had at the retreating GP2 killing everything but the platoon commander, who passed his motivation test. :-)
At this point we had to end the game for reasons.

It was declared an allied victory for purposes of the campaign.

Flames of War @ Common Ground Games

Battle Report 7th Sept 2013

US commander William H Harkin surveyed the field. The German infantry were dug in to the south of the small village of Grenouille Vicié. Intelligence suggested the captured British agent was being held in one of two possible locations. The ruined church on the South East of the village or in the forest to the South. 

Rumour had it that the Germans might push forward to hand the agent over to a unit of French collaborators. The rendezvous point was the windmill at the north eastern side of Grenouille Vicié  Reinforcements were inbound but he didn't have time to wait. Strike now or the opportunity to save the agent would be lost. 

US - Attacker - USP1 6x Riflemen,  USP2 3xmortar, 2 MG  USP3 (reserves) 9 x Riflemen

Ger - Defender - GP1 6 x Rifle/MG,  GP2 6 x 8cm Mortars + 3 Observers, GP3(Res) 4xRifle/MG

Quiet..... Too quiet.

Turn 1

US - Harkin's luck is in tonight, as a platoon of Riflemen(USP3) led by Sgt Franke Basilone

 appear from reserve immediately. USP3 Move onto table in the east and truscott trot their way forward staying out of range of German mortars.

 USP1 under the command of Sgt J.J. Anderson move cautiously into the village using what scant cover they can find.

 USP3 loose few shots at forward German observer team but miss. 

Harkin curses his luck. The Germans would know for sure they were here now. No point hiding now  and he orders Cpl. Beauford E (Fatty) Atkins to open fire with his mortars. After much sighting and deliberation Atkins launches a barrage at the edge of the church. 

The German observer in the ruined church remained safe.

Ger - Much as he would have liked to execute the British pig-dog spy, German commander Klaus von Wurstsauger had his orders. Keep the prisoner alive and prevent him falling into enemy hands. The prisoner would be collected and transferred to Berlin at a suitable opportunity. Which wouldn't be right now as a company of US troops were close to the village. He ordered his men to stay down. All Platoons/Observers who can, go to ground. He had trained his mortar platoon into the ground after the fiasco of the previous battle had almost got him killed. He orders them to fire into the village. Despite lots of whooping and high fives from the German team for finally getting the bloody things to work the only damage was a few slates from roofs. No damage. Wurstsauger cursed his luck, and where are those bloody reserves?  Forgot about my reserves so we did it now - I failed the roll anyway :-(

Turn 2

US - Despite the poor performance of the German mortars, they were enough of a threat to keep the Yanks wary. USP3 moved up slowly in the West. They had a few more pot shots at German observers, all for nothing.

USP1 moved into the houses at the northern end of the village.

USP2 mortars launched a few harmless fireworks in the general direction of the Germans.

Ger - Another failed roll for reserves at the start. (grrr)  GP1 sat tight defending the objective(s). 

Hans? Does the pointy end go up or down?

Then.... the sound of birdsong began quietly rising to a crescendo of beautiful noise. The clouds parted and a single ray of bright sunshine shone down onto the German mortar platoon. Ready, aim......Fire! The little bombs arced through the sky the sun glinting on their noses. They reached a peak and then down, down onto the target. When the fire had ended, and the smoke cleared at last. A rainbow appeared over the dead bodies of a single team of Riflemen. Success! At last... if only minor. 

Turn 3

US -  Harkin could see most of the German positions from the top room of this house. This would be a good spot to conduct the operation. His USP1 platoon consolidated their position in the village staying in the cover of the houses and taking pot shots at the German position.

No hits on the well dug in Germans though . Only mortar could dig them out. He called it in.

I think I lost a German Rifle/MG team to mortar fire at this point, Brian employing the shonky edge balancing magnetic dice of death tactic.

Ger - Wurstsauger cursed under his breath. The Americans were closing in and he didn't have enough men. Where are those reinforcement? He was about to get on the radio to HQ when finally they appeared. They (GP3) move on to the board in the East to defend against the US Riflemen. My observer beats a hasty retreat to the edge of the forest to avoid any assault. 

GP1 - A few harmless Rifle/MG shots into the village before the Mortar boys - boosted by their success in the previous round decide to rain vicious death upon the Riflemen in the houses. 

Finally more than one team under my template! This should be good...... No prizes for guessing the outcome :-( Bulletproof cover is a bitch!

Turn 4

US Harkin can smell victory. We'll need to dig them out though. He orders an advance into the trees. USP1 advance from the cover of the houses moving behind the garden wall. 

Shooting takes out a team of Rifle/MG men.

USP2 the platoon commander instructs his mortars to defend the objective at all costs and takes his two MG teams forward into battle.

USP3 advances to the top of the hill finally killing the German observers as they retreat.

Ger - Wurstsauger knew they were in trouble. The Americans were going to overrun them and he would lose the prisoner and probably his life. He briefly thought about making a run for the rendezvous point. He could get his mortars to pop smoke and obscure the advance. Yeah right. those mortars couldn't hit Eva Braun's backside with cello. No one won a medal hiding in a fox hole though. He radioed the reserve troops (GP3) to assault the Americans on the hill.

They moved forward in preparation. Shooting resulted in one US casualty. The resulting assault killing two US teams while one German team bought it during defensive fire.

The Germans won the assault due to the US failing motivation to counter attack. The US troops fell back and the Germans retreated to the cover of the trees under their consolidation move. 

Turn 5

US - USP1 Advance leaving the cover of the wall and head for the edge of the forest. A single German Rifle/MG team is despatched during shooting.

The advanced MG half of USP2 attacks the German Observer in the church who survives the onslaught.

Convinced that the German advance into the village won't be happening Cpl Atkins squad pack up their mortars and head forward to support Sgt Basilone's men.

USP3 regroup and attack the remains of the German Reserves killing the platoon commander. The Germans pass their motivation test and stay put.

Ger - Wurstsauger has one last chance. If he can hit the American platoon closet to him, hard he might swing the fight his way. Advance under cover of mortar fire! GP1 leaves their dug-in positions to try and stop the US advance. They move into firing range. 

The plan was to pin the Americans down before assaulting. The mortar platoon also targets the USP1 platoon. out of 13 dice we manage a grand total of 4 hits, all saved. Failing to pin the Americans. The assault gets cancelled (didn't get near enough lol). GP3 The two remain Rifle/MG teams retreat into the forest. 

Turn 6 The End is Nigh

US - USP1 moves into assault range of the Germans. Shooting and defensive fire is poor. The assualt on the other hand (aided by the shonky magnetic dice of death) is decisive detroying the Germans (4 killed)

 The rest of the Germans motivation is somewhat broken so they flee.

On the East USP3 rips the remnants of the German reserves apart killing 1 and the other fleeing.

Finally the German observer team in the Church is overrun by an assaulting MG platoon and the game is done. 

The remaining German mortar platoon flee once again glad to have survived once more

von Wurstsauger cursed his luck against Harkin and his new secret weapon, the shonky magnetic dice of death. (not bitter right) :-D

Infantry Aces @ G3. The First Tentative Steps...

We played our first round of the Infantry Aces campaign for Flames of War at G3 in Glasgow last night.
Myself and Brian are still trying to come to terms with the huge number of rules in this game, but we are slowly getting there. What I like about FOW is that almost all of the rules make sense if you try and apply it to the real world setting. It - so far - feels like everything is very fair and balanced.

Apologies for the quality of the pics. Lighting in the hall is a bit ropey.

Edit: Mark, who is running the campaign, is blogging all about it.
Have a look  HERE

Setup

The US forces were dug in protecting an area just south of Castle Hill.
Resources were stretched to the limit with only a single under-strength rifle platoon (6 teams) and a small weapons platoon (3 x 60mm mortar teams supported by 2 x MG teams) in the vicinity. The US commander had been assured that reinforcements were inbound. His larger concern were the intel reports that the Germans were readying an attack.
Reports expected a light German force of a single Rifle/MG squad (6 teams) and a squad of 80mm Mortars.(6 teams). Likely they would have reinforcements too.

Turn 1

Through the treeline of the small copse west of the German objective, Colonel William H Harkin of the 1st Infantry Division spied the German advance.
Grenadiers – a single squad – moving slowly up his flank, just out of range of both his guns and mortars. Intel reported a German mortar platoon south of the cornfields. They would be in range but strangely they seemed reluctant to fire and were staying dug-in, in their position. They would have spotter teams out and about in the area.
Harkin was stuck in the copse. If he moved now the Germans would see him.
He radioed his riflemen to advance upon the nearby village. The houses would give them cover from the advancing Germans.

Turn 2

Harkin watched through his binoculars. The Germans led by Klaus von Wurstsauger, were slowly moving up the flank.
Gunfire!
The German troops had opened fire. The US commander spun round to look in the direction of his own men. Nooo! They were too far west. A single team of riflemen were killed. Two still left in the open.
Now mortar fire on the exposed Americans. A poor rifleman was heard to cry “why are they shooting everything at just us Sarge?”. Twelve mortar shots at two rifle teams, 4 hits, two teams dead.  The German mortar squad whilst experienced in combat had only just received these new model weapons, and were under-trained, so never realised the potential of these weapons for the whole encounter. (Doh! @ Me  )

Movement behind Harkin’s position signalled the arrival of the US reinforcements.
A full platoon of riflemen (9 teams) marching at the double into the arena. They hold position at the edge of the copse.
The US troops in the village scatter under fire, taking cover as best they can around the buildings.
The Germans in their haste for combat had strayed into range of the US mortars.
Harkin calls in a bombardment on the German position. Three mortars land in their midst, the resourceful troops take cover behind some daffodils (3 x 1s rolled for saves) and 3 teams are downed.

Turn 3

The German reinforcements arrived (about time - the German dice were out of sorts all game) An under-strength platoon of Grenadiers (4 teams Rifle/MG) arrives to the East, their eyes on capturing the allied objective. They hope the fighting in the West will distract the Americans and march double time up the field.
The first German platoon seeing the US reinforcements diverts into the village to take cover. Wurstsaugel must have taken a piece of shrapnel to the leg in the mortar attack as he lags behind the rest leaving him exposed.
The German mortar platoon are still trying to work out which is the dangerous end of the big tube and do nothing useful. Their platoon commander places a call into tech support.
His call is very important to them. He is 9th in the queue.

The US commander senses the battle turning his way as the reinforcements move through his copse to the edge of the trees taking up shooting positions near the Germans. One lucky son of a gun takes out the German leader (Klaus!! Noooooo)(Infantry Ace, My A*se!)
A further German team is downed by MG fire from the village. The Germans are made of strong stuff though as they pass their motivation test and fight on.

Turn 4

A very sheepish German mortar platoon is all that remains at the end

The German reinforcements make an all or nothing charge towards the allied objective. (doubletime)
The first German platoon take cover in two houses in the village, taking pot shots at anyone in range but hitting nothing.
Finally the mortar platoon commander gets through to tech support (Norman sitting next to me :-) ) who explain how to fire the weapons correctly. Unfortunately they are cut off before they can discover how to range in. They fire everything they have at the US reinforcements. It wildly overshoots and misses everyone (Yes they did and I had 4 failed attempts at it too)

The end was nigh for the Germans. The US troops in the village diverted their attention eastward and ripped into the German reinforcements with a devastating barrage of MG and mortar fire, wiping them out to a man.

Finally the US reinforcements lined up to assault the Germans in the houses, killing 3 teams. The last remaining team fled.

The battle lost, the surviving German mortar platoon beat a hasty retreat, pledging that none of them talk about this to anyone and that defeat was down to the incompetence of von Wurstsaugel and not their inability to point a big tube at the enemy and shoots bombs out it.