1500pt FoW 51st HD vs 21st Panzer Division AAR (Part 1)

This week myself and YD had decided to try a slightly larger game than previously - mainly based on our growing confidence with the rules. This time we also agreed to play one of the scenarios in the rule book, rather than me attacking dug in positions as the last two games had been.

While we got organised and I looked my figures out (cursing at my foam carry case, it's damaging my paint job and I need to switch to some sort of magnetic storage and carry system asap) YD revisited his army list. Our previous encounters have reinforced his need for artillery support and switching from a SS list to a 21st Panzer Division list helped free up the points for some Nebelwerfers.

We settled on an Encounter Scenario, so half of our platoons were on the table and the other half in reserve. We agreed that the random entry of our reserves should be restricted to our own table edge rather than any table edge.

The Table

From memory, YD had gone for:

Company Command
2 x Platoons of 4 Panzer IV's
1 x Platoon of 3 Nebelwerfers
1 x Platoon of 3 PaK40's
2 x Platoon of Panzer Grenadiers

While I had:

Company Command
3 x Infantry Platoons (One was supposed to have De-frocked Priests as transport, but I forgot them!)
1 x Pioneer Platoon
1 x MMG Platoon w/ carriers
1 x Platoon of 6 pdr A/T guns (4 gun platoon)
1 x Platoon of 17 pdr A/T guns (4 gun platoon)
1 x Gun troop of 4 25 pdr guns
1 x Armoured Platoon (3 x Sherman I's and 1 x Sherman Firefly)

I had planned on using my newly painted Hawker Typhoon (priority air support) but as YD has no option to field AA at the moment I left it at home as well and went for the 17 pdr guns. A choice that would prove lucky for me I think!

I deployed my 17 pdr platoon in the field and forest on my left (top of the picture), with one of the infantry platoons ready to advance on the building to it's front.

 
My 25 pdr artillery platoon was in my centre for max coverage of the board and last ditch anti tank defence. On my right I placed my second infantry platoon, ready to advance into the field and form a stepping off point for my attack towards my objective (which YD had placed where the rightmost road left the table). My company commander and artillery spotter were ready to drive up and unload into the big building in the centre.

YD had placed his 2 Panzer platoons on the roads and one of his infantry platoons along the centre. His other units were still on his table edge, but not yet deployed.

We diced for first turn, which I ended up with. Everything started moving towards it's designated position.

 

With no shooting to do, I passed over to YD. I then read the rules on reserves, and realised I should have rolled a dice for mine in my first turn. I rolled at the same time as YD and got a 6. YD decided to bring on his Nebelwerfers, which came on in his left corner.

 In his usual aggressive style, YD pushed his tanks up the roads and advanced his infantry towards the ruined building and forest in the centre.

On my left, some of the tanks broke off the road towards the hill on my right.

YD's PSC Panzers

Back to my turn, I decided it would be a good idea to use last turns reserve roll to bring on my 6 pdr platoon. These came on randomly into the centre of my table edge and I decided to double time them forward behind the large building. Other than this, I didn't get any other reserves. My artillery spotter and Company command teams moved into the same building while my leftmost infantry platoon made it to the building on the left and occupied it (we forgot about rolling to see if the building was clear till later in the game).

Still with few targets, my 17 pdr platoon dug in. The leftmost gun fired on the advancing Panzer IV's, but hit nothing.

My artillery spotter called in a barrage on the tanks advancing up the road on my left, managing to bail one of the tanks.

In his turn YD brought on his second infantry platoon and set it advancing up the centre towards the large field. His tanks continued their advance, on the left moving forward and engaging the 17 pdrs. With a flurry of rolls...

Being dug in didn't save my leftmost gun! First blood to YD and I started to get a little worried at how easy the gun died!

Back to my turn, and I rolled for reserves. 3 dice this time, and no reserves... My 6 pdrs unlimber and the teams push the guns forward into position supporting the infantry on my right. The infantry try to dig in (for the second time) and fail. Obviously that Norman chalk is causing issues. My infantry on the left sit tight - nothing in range takes my fancy and I figure with the Panzer's bearing down on me, the concealment and gone to ground bonus might be needed!

My 17 pdrs now have some targets in range and a gun team to avenge. On the left all my shots went wide. However, my gun towards the centre could see the leading Panzer IV trundling down the road. With a wham the high velocity gun sent a 76.2mm shell down the road - via the front and rear armor of the lead tank.

End of my turn. YD rolls reserves and gets his last remaining platoon on, the PaK40's. The come on in the centre and start moving (slowly) forward - he begins to see the benefits of transport vehicles! His bailed tank crew remount, and the other two tanks in the platoon round the hill on my left.

On my left, the Panzers split up, with two keeping to the road and two heading cross country.

There's some smattering of fire, mainly against my anti tank guns, but all the shots either miss or are saved.

So onto my turn four... and I will continue the report tomorrow!