Gazala Encounter

 

Last night at the Wollongong Wargamers Peter laid on a Flames of War / Clash of Steel mash up to represent the encounter battle during Op GAZALA between 15th Panzer and the 4th Armoured Brigade.

An 8 x 6 foot table was dressed with a few rocks and hills. The rocky outcrops around the centre objective represented a bogging hazard, and the hills gave hull down cover.

The mission best suited to an encounter battle seemed to be The Clash. Reserves were Delayed, the game would last 8 turns, and the Germans were the attacker.

The British had two squadrons:

Making up quite an eclectic mix of vehicles, including a troop of venerable Matildas. However, these were to play a key role...

The DAK 15th Panzer was much more homogenous, with a variety of Pz IIIs, and a platoon of the dread Pz IV Specials. Peter and Stuart as the German players advanced very aggressively, taking the center objective by the second turn:

With my Honey squadron I sought as much cover as I could...

Whilst Darren with Grants and Crusaders was more adventurous, seizing our right hand Objective early doors.

As the Germans took the fight to Darren out on our right...

I plucked up the courage to break cover on our centre-left with the fast moving Honeys:

Whilst the sedate Matildas slowly trundled up on our far left. The left hand objective was revealed to be a dummy by this stage, but given their ponderous nature it was too late to redeploy the 'Tildas!

My Honey's soon closed on the Panzers. After the painful realisation that front shots would just bounce off the Pz IIIs, let alone the Pz IVs, they managed a lucky side shot!

Retribution was swift!

Things were getting desperate - but that initial side shot was the only one that hit the target!

However in the grand scheme of things Darren was also closing in from our right flank, subjecting the Panzers around the objective to a hail of fire. Whilst shooting rolls on both sides were dire, the Germans were getting the better of it and steadily picking off our units troop by troop, ratcheting up their score!

As the final turn came around we were about 15 points down! However, we gained a nutmeg of consolation as the Matildas, eventually strolling up to the stoush, picked off a might Panzer IV Special at long range with a side shot!

Once again Clash of Steel, used to adjudicate a armour only game of Flames, delivered a fast and furious game with lots of lovely toys on the table!

Waterloo Express!

 

Yesterday's Wollongong Wargamers meet was also the 211th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, 18 June 1815. We were committed to run a second playtest of the draft Valour & Fortitude Version 4. Therefore...

Unfortunately, real life intervened with a couple of key players having to drop out. The plan was heavily curtailed. The Prussians weren't coming!

The French order of battle was slightly reduced:

Caesar, the French commander, strategically deployed his two additional 'Divisional Leaders' we were playtesting so as to have good C2 right across the 10 foot battlefield:

French brigades were large, which also eases C2 and makes for a quicker game:

Historically, Caesar deployed the French in strength on his left wing, opposite Hougomont. With the Imperial Guard leading Reille's Corps from the outset. So not that historical!

In the centre, D'Erlon's Corps was well supported by cavalry...

Very well supported!

 

Stormed on three sides by the Old Guard, Hougomont fell after a bloody melee...

An evening's game of this size was always going to be short, so I tentatively advanced a counter attack to retake the chateau - General Haig's drinks cabinet couldn't be left in French hands!

But the Old Guard beat me to the punch and came on fast!

It was time to send in the heavy brigade! The Scots Greys duly charged and broke a square!

But this didn't have much of an impact on the French hordes. I came down off the ridge in a bid to make my volley fire tell...

It worked for a short while...

At least I had gained some breathing space!

On my left, the French cavalry kept me pinned to the ridge, the British gunners doing all the work:

Belatedly, my Light Brigade joined in the fun!

Only to be met by the Imperial Guard Heavy Cavalry - Light Dragoons against the Horse Grenadiers!

To cap it all the French assault on La Haye Sainte in the centre fell at the first assault!

On a positive note, we had a good and thorough playtest which picked out a couple of anomalies and questions. (These have been posted on the Valour and Fortitude - Gamers Group)

But overall, we concluded that Valour & Fortitude is now even better at delivering large games fast with authentic outcomes. And just as much fun as before!