Game 14 Play Test 4th October
In tonight’s Principles of World War Two play-test we decided to fight a primarily infantry based Game.
The Germans had an infantry regiment (3 battalions) supported by a company of Tigers together with two batteries of A/T guns and two batteries of infantry guns. Once the objectives have been deployed, the Germans choose to deny their right flank, leaving their support artillery and one battalion on the hill anchoring their right and defending their line of communication. The other two infantry battalions supported by the coy of Tigers are deployed on their right, one targeting the objective in the centre of the table while the other is deployed on the objective in their deployment area with orders to advance over the table to take the objective in the Russian deployment area.
The Russians have a reinforced infantry regiment (4 battalions) supported by a company of KV1s, two batteries A/T guns, two infantry gun batteries, two 120mm mortars and a SU76 battery. The Russians have the initiative, and they also deploy two battalions supported by armour on their left. These were ordered to take the two objectives in the centre of the table, then to engage towards the German line of communication. The Russians deployed one battalion in the centre with an attached A/T gun to move up the centre and occupy the central objective, hoping to deny it to the enemy. The last battalion with no supports was deployed on the right behind the crest of the hill with the last objective. The C-in-C occupies the central hill with all the artillery to give supporting fire.
In the game, the two Russian battalions on their left move slowly forward. They are delayed by German recon units but take the two central objectives without any German opposition. In the centre, the Russians use the initiative and move their central battalion into the centre of the table and go to ground occupying the central objective and the cultivated land. Under cover of continued off table artillery and support from the Tiger Coy, the German central battalion advances to the central objective but comes under heavy fire from Russian off table artillery and all the on-table artillery, their leader being hit multiple times and ending up hiding in a ditch for most of the game leaving the C-in-C with the Tigers to drive the attack forward. On the German left their third battalion advances slowly over the table delayed by the Russian recon unit and occasional fire from Russian off table batteries, and does not manage to get to its objective to engage the Russian defenders. The end of game comes when all three companies of the German central battalion break and their support company is forced to retire.
At the end of the game the Russian hold 40 points worth of objectives and have only suffered 7% casualties so finish the game with 133 points. The Germans lost 25% casualties only taking 10 points of objectives and losing 40 points of objectives so end up with only 45 points.
Game 15 Play Test 12th October
In this week's game we move to the Western theatre in 1944.
The British have two under strength Battalions (3 coys and support and carriers) supported by an under strength battalion of Cromwells (3 coys), with two 25pdr batteries, two 6pdr A/T batteries and two light recon units, total 210 strength. The Germans have one full strength infantry battalion (3 coys and supports), one Volksgrenadier battalion (4 coys and supports), two coys of Panzer IVs, two platoons of Tigers, two batteries of light infantry guns and two armoured Recon units, total 180 strength.
The British use two dummy blinds to cover their right and one dummy blind behind the hill on their left. Their two infantry battalions are deployed in the centre of the deployment area covering their line of communication with the A/T guns and 25pdrs with orders to go to ground and hold until they receive new orders. The C-in-C and two carrier platoons are attached to support the armoured battalion on the far left with orders to take the 40 point objective on the opposite side of the table.
The Germans attach their staff officer to their Volksgrenadiers on the left in front of their line of communication with orders to take the two terrain objectives on the centre line (10 points each), The German line battalion is deployed in the centre of the German deployment area supported by the two platoons of Tigers and two light infantry gun batteries with orders to take the two objectives in front of them (10pts & 20pts) The Panzer IV battalion will enter the table to support the Volksgrenadiers. The Germans, having the initiative, move the Volksgrenadiers and Panzer IVs slowly forward forcing the British recon unit back and taking their two uncontested objectives. The German regular infantry move forward occupying their two objectives on the first turn. In the British first turn the regular German infantry in the centre and the two Tiger platoons come under heavy fire from off table artillery, (two 25pfdr batteries, two infantry support coys and both A/T guns). The British armour arrives on table but is slowed down by the presence of German recon unit.
In turn two, the British armour comes under off table artillery fire but in their turn they wipe out the German recon which allows them to start strategic movement towards their objective. In the centre the German regular infantry continue to be hammered by the British concentrated fire and the Volksgrenadiers continue their slow move forward to their objectives. In the next turn the German C-in-C, seeing the British armoured flanking movement, tries to change the orders for the Panzer IV battalion but fails the communication check and instead he joins the two Tiger platoons and personally moves them back to protect his flank. The German infantry in the centre are beginning to crack under the weight of fire. The Volksgrenadiers are now under off table artillery and air attack. The British recon exposes the two German dummy bases on their right allowing the British armour to rush forward to occupy their objective with a carrier platoon while the armoured units proceed to take the Germans in the rear. This turn the German C-in-C manages to get through to the Panzer Battalion and changes their orders and instructs them to move to support the Tigers against the British armour.
Over the next turns the British C-in-C changes the infantry battalions' orders instructing them to advance to the central objectives. Two regular German infantry coys and the support coy in the centre rout under the weight of fire, the third coy being forced to fall back from their objective. On the British left their three armoured coys get into a fire fight with the Tigers and supporting Panzer IV’s, both sides calling in off table artillery support, the British having the advantage of air support and their Infantry with accompanying A/T guns bringing the Tigers under fire from the rear.
When the game ends the Germans have suffered 50% casualties, they have lost a 10 point objective taken two 10 point objectives and failed to take their 20 point objective. Giving them a final score of 50 points. The British have suffered 20% casualties and taken their one 40 point objective giving them a final score of 120 points, a decisive victory to the Brits. The Germans over extended themselves by trying to take too many objectives.