Operation BLUE ANGEL II - Hammer and Tarmac

Our Clash of Steel campaign continued at the Wollongong Wargamers this week with game 2 of 3.

The campaign dynamic meant that our kit could be improved to the Operation Unthinkable catalogue and points level increased to a base of 80 points. However the Soviets would benefit from their margin of victory points from the first game in the campaign to a total of 100 points.

It was a struggle to put together a powerful list for the British, so we allowed a free upgrade from Cromwells to Comets - it felt much more 1948 than 1945!

The Soviet list looked remarkably similar to last week, but with IS-3s replacing most of the ISU types. After all, it was this beast that caused all the panic in the first place!

The mainstay of the British force was a pair of Tortoises.

The US spent most of their points on a pair of T29s.

Set halfway between Helmstedt and the outskirts of Berlin, the autobahn was surrounded by woods and farms.

The random scenario we pulled was #5 Flanking Move with Immediate Scattered Reserves. 

This meant both sides could quickly arrive on one of the two objectives using their Spearhead forces.

I sent in my trusty T34-85s. Bit dated by this point, but fine for recon and hasty land grabs!

Daniel similarly used his Recce Comets to get onto his adjacent objective.

These were hastily backed up with heavies!

Daniel deployed a scary looking T28 to completely dominate the centre of the battlefield!

So at this stage of the battle, each side was sitting on one objective and attempting to take another.

The Comets looked like easy meat to my IS-3s...

But they weren't lacking in aggression!

They paid the price!

Over at the other objective, I was being anything but aggressive - my IS-2s were using the farm to hide... 

 From the powerful T29s...

Which were heading for the objective now only held by my T34-85s!

The other objective was looking dodgy as well as Daniel's reinforcements showed up...

Now I was in hiding on both flanks!

Fortunately my reinforcements also showed up eventually...

And were directed to bolster the T-34's tenuous hold on that objective:

By a stroke of good luck my next wave of reinforcements - T54-1s - were able to be deployed deep into the Allied Flank, seeking and obtaining side armour shots on the otherwise invulnerable Tortoises. This changed the dynamic of the game immediately!

With my hold on what was now revealed to be the principal objective racking up my VPs...

Daniel decided discretion was the better part of valour before the points imbalance for the next and final game would be insuperable.

Bullion Run!

 

This week's Sunday Solo game was very informal. I just wanted to get some toys on the table and roll dice!

A small Spanish squadron (288 points but with veteran crews) is trying to evade the larger French Fleet (518 points with trained crews)

Perhaps the 1st Rate, Santa Anna, is carrying a cargo of bullion from the Americas, or an important personage...

The mission of the Spanish Armada Real is to get the Santa Anna off the far narrow table edge. As well as superior crews, the Spanish have the wind gauge, a fresh Nor' Easterly.

The Spanish Admiral places the slow moving Santa Anna in the rear, and the fast moving frigate St Elena in the van. She will try and run some interference!

The French flagship, Formidable, 84, is in the van.

St Elena soon draws ahead...

Tacking into the wind to attempt to get up wind of the French - she is trusting to the French battleship's sense of 'honneur' not to engage a mere frigate!

But after the Bahama ,74, fires her first broadside into Formidable, the latter does not fire back at her assailant but instead targets the Santa Anna, firing as she bears.

As the French column wears around, each succeeding ship follows the Flag's example, all firing high, steadily chipping away at the massive Santa Anna's rigging and masts...

Until finally Fougeux, 74, dismasts the Spanish 1st Rate!

Drifting and helpless, she is now easy prey to a French boarding action. The precious bullion is brought up on deck and 'Deep Sixed' rather than surrender it to the enemy! Oh well, a quick game is a good game...