Wednesday War - Dux Bellorum and Battlegroup Overlord

Wednesday war will summarise the weekly games played by the Lone wolves.  essentially an after action report or battle report in varying degrees of detail depending on the game and the memory.

After a failed raid on the Welsh village, the Irish licked their wounds and mustered a second attack, this time meeting their foes on the outskirts of Bedwas

 To inspire the Irish force, they brought along some monks, whose pre war prayers and chanting hoped to give their counterparts that extra punch.

 The welsh lined up a splintered battle line of infantry with Warlord in the centre, and cavalry on the right flank.
The Irish matched the welsh battle line, countering the knights with some noble warriors.

Both battle lines charged towards each other, the monks holding back out of conflict range, but close enough to give extra LP's, which would hopefully tip the balance of the fight in their favour.
The welsh knights and Irish nobles on try the flank both failed to move for 3 turns, being left behind from the fight.

Once in conflict, the battle swung back and forth, with the Irish getting the upper hand to start with, but as the war of attrition set in the Irish line began to crumble.

Once the welsh cavalry broke through the Irish line and threatened the monks, the attackers were in trouble, and soon it was all over.

With the religious inspiration wiped from the battlefield the Irish warriors broke and they fled from the battlefield, leaving behind them a victorious but seriously depleted wish force.

A good game, and without Neils usual shield wall approach, a much closer game. Looking forward to the next game in 6 months time 😊

 

 

me

Last Wednesday Simon and I played clash of reconnaissance with the Battlegroup Overlord (BGO) rules.  We chose 500 points which was flexible as a handful of points here are there don’t really make a lot of impact.

 

Si chose British Infantry

 

Forward HQ

Comms unit

Infantry Platoon + 6 Pounder + HMG

Sherman Platoon + additional Firefly

25 Pounders + Tow (2)

Off Table Artillery Support (4+)

Sniper + Spotter

I chose German Panzer

 

Infantry Platoon

Panther Platoon (3)

Recce Command

Artillery Spotter

On Board Grille (2)

Off Table Artillery Support (4+)

Off Table Artillery Support (4+)

Supply Trucks (2)

 

Three objectives were placed generally in the centre of the table crossroads (1), Church (2) & ruined farm (3)

 

The British won the roll off for deployment and first turn.  The Sniper captured the church and the recce command took the ruins.  The crossroads is where the action was going to focus on.

 

 



The British command is dogged by slow arrival of units or lack of orders or on occasion both.  The Germans had a much more even spread with a boon in the early turns.

 

Turn 1 sees the British infantry platoon command take position in the woods looking down the road at the cross roads.  The German recce take the opportunity to pour fire on the British pinning them but then withdraw into the ruins as the British armour begins to arrive. 

 

The British armour advance through the woods and another pair advance down the road but by this time the German panthers have picked good positions where at least two panthers can engage any point on the battlefield and a duel begins

 

 

 The British infantry advance along the hedgerow towards the crossroads and managed to capture the feature under the nosed of the German commander.  However the axis reinforcements are coming thick and fast and soon the Germans are enjoying a local superiority and look to capitalise on it.  Communications are dreadful and despite repeated calls no artillery is available.

The British commander assess the developing tank battle and realises that if he continues a long range gunnery duel he will run out of munitions before he can win the exchange – a firefly was unlucky not to penetrate the armour of the Panther in the wood line.  The Shermans forgo a round of firing to get close to the panthers and hope that they can make their final shots count the next turn.  Sadly the gambit fails as the British lose 3 Shermans inc 1 firefly in a single exchange.  The do manage to account for a panther but it’s to late.  With the German supply trucks now 'bombing up' the Panthers they dispatch the final firefly and turn the efforts to suppressing the British infantry.

 

The British Forward HQ arrives  and the their 6 pounder advances to engage the closet panther but the range is long and the frontal armour is good there is no effect.  Artillery support is brought in and one Panther is pinned along with some infantry elements who are advancing toward the crossroads.  Casualties for the Germans are still very light. 

 

The British infantry section holding the cross roads are pinned by sustained MG fire and a Grille fires directly on their position but the infantry cling on.  Where possible the Infantry and armour advance to better positions the first and only successful artillery barrage is carried out to no significant effect; the German commander unpins the remaining (5) units.

 

The Allies call for more artillery and despite the accuracy of the fire the result is the chit drawn for a destroyed unit is for aircraft which the German commander takes control of on 5+

 

The British commander withdraws, his BR is at 20 from 35, the German commander is at 5 from 28.

 

Great game.  In hindsight the British needed a supply truck and the Sherman charge just didn’t pay off.  The dice evened out over the course of the game but the bias was for the Germans early on and it helped but the British were in the game although under the cosh because the Axis couldn’t get the artillery support required to mount a confident assault on the crossroads.