Achtung Panzer! Villers - Bocage

Thursday 13th June being the 80th anniversary of the famous/infamous Battle of Villers Bocage, our choice of battle for our second game of Achtung Panzer! was obvious. 

It was also Daniels' 21st birthday, so we thought we'd give him an easy role: lead the British team against the most celebrated Tank Ace of all time - Michael Wittman!

Initially Michael Wittman's Tiger Panther was on its own, nevertheless Caesar moved forward boldly.

The British 4th City of London Yeomanry also deployed well forward, knowing that it was fatal to wait for the rest of Wittman's Panzer company to arrive.

It looked for a moment as if it might be a quick game...

Shots were fired - and missed. At this point Daniel decided some tactics might be in order and led one troop off to the left flank, whilst his teammate Stuart held the right and brassed up all the ambush terrain in sight!

The Desert Rats presented as few targets as possible...

But Caesar still managed to get a few shots off...

Having made a stealthy covered approach, Daniel felt it was time to confront the beast in its lair...

As first one hit damaged the running gear, then another from Stuart from right across the table.

And a third sneaky shot into the side...

Finally totalled the Panther - Wittman's panzer was knocked out! Daniel had celebrated his birthday with a spot of wargaming nirvana!

By this time the rest of the LAH panzers were turning up so the Brits pressed on without stopping for tea...even the infantry of the 1/7th Queen's Regiment had set up their 6 Pounders and were blazing away in the background, and PIAT armed tank stalkers were making the Germans nervous!

However Caesar and Ed kept their nerve and knocked out Stuarts M10 Firefly!

At this point the elapsed time was 30 minutes so ENDEX! The Germans lost a Panther and the Brits a Firefly, and the Brits had advanced halfway down the table, so we called it a draw.

This being the first game for most we took a bit of time setting up and had to check the rules frequently but even so everyone enjoyed the game and asked for more Achtung Panzer! please... Who knows, we may even replay this scenario with actual Tigers!