'Taking the Gembloux Gap' a pint-sized campaign.
Turn 8, Game 7, Scenario '3' the 'Blitz on Villeroux!'
The Scenario
This table-top (left set up since the last game) should be familiar to all by now as this scenario has been fought twice before, here (Link) and here (Link).
Just a quick reminder though; the Germans have to exit two units off the French table-edge before the French player acquires two CoC dice - so the Germans can't hang about.
So now, it's straight on to the ...
Pre-Game Phase
And, dropping out of the overcast, it's John's Stuka.
John's fingers were firmly crossed as he willed on the Luftwaffe to obliterate the buildings that might provide cover for the French.
This leaves me with very few buildings I can use without being at risk from their collapse, or the detonation of an unexploded bomb (UXB). But now, it's on to the patrol phase, and John rolled a D3 to get three free moves before the patrol phase proper started. With John's pushing all his patrols down his right flank the patrol phase ended fairly quickly with the patrol markers locked down as shown.
John seems content to be constrained to one side of the table, and given that that was where he pushed all his patrols, he clearly has a plan in mind, but what is it? If he pushes everything down one line of approach, I should be able to concentrate my firepower against it and make it pay. Whatever his plan is, I would find out now as it was time to start the game proper.
As the attacker, the Germans took the first phase.
1GE(2,2,3,3,5): a really useful set of command dice, this should be enough for John to set his master-plan in motion, and he did! First to deploy was an SdKfz 222 armoured car (a/c).
This immediately put the pedal to the metal and motored off flat-out (24")! It was joined by a second SdKfz 222 that sped off (26" flat out) overtaking the first car.
Already, it was apparent that John was going to try and charge the armoured cars through the French position and off the table before I could deploy through the bombardment to stop him.
Next, he deployed (tactically) his motorcycle (m/c) recce section, at which point one of my gallant bands of Francs-Tireurs stepped into stop them deploying. Unfortunately, they were batted aside like midges trying to stop an elephant - John rolled a D6 and got the necessary '6' to overcome them at the first attempt! As a result, his men deployed at the edge of the Large Wood, courtesy of their 9" (high mobility) deployment distance.
And finally, nr.I section from his core platoon attempted to deploy behind the Large Wood, but met my second band of Francs-Tireurs. But, John rolled another '6' to see them off and his nr.I section deployed from his JOP in the cornfield.
Ouch! That was a scary first phase, with the Germans pouring onto the table, and about half-way across it already - see below.
John, clearly meant business and, with a good set of command dice and two lucky '6's on the trot to see off both bands of Francs-Tireurs, was clearly on a roll. I now had to stop those armoured cars, and quickly!
2FR(1,3,5,5,6): the '5's are a nice start towards building two CoC dice, and the '1' and the '3' allow me to bring on my most potent support weapons. First, to take on the armoured cars, I sought to deploy my 75mm gun (aka soixante-quinze) in an entrenchment a safe distance from the burning and unstable Boulangerie. But, up popped the inevitable 5th Columnist / 'Shabby Nazi Trick' and my deployment was foiled (I couldn't manage to roll a '6' to overcome this).
The '3' was saved for deploying my R35 tank which successfully passes its hesitant deployment roll (caused by the Stuka strike).
Unfortunately, the only road onto the table for my armour was on my right flank, not the left where the Germans were coming. A speedy redployment was called for so, revving up the motor, the tank went flat out to move 3D6 inches.
I couldn't help but laugh, we both did, but as the R35 set off waddling along the road, I had the feeling that this just wasn't going to be my day.
3GE(2,2,3,3,5): a near-perfect set of command dice for what John had on the table. The two '3's saw both armoured cars continue racing forward towards the French table-edge, motoring 20" and 24" respectively. This enabled them to reach the road, where they were joined by the recce m/c section from the wood who doubled forward heading towards my JOPs.
I was clearly in shock at this point, or I would've pointed out to John that he forgot to add the shock for doubling his men forward like this.
Behind these units, the German nr.II section deployed into the Large Wood that was getting rather full of Germans.
The one bright spot from all this, was that the armoured car on the road (see above), unable to move less than full distance when moving flat out, was now available as flank shot to my R35 tank coming down the road.
4FR(1,2,2,5,6): I made a mistake here, as I combined the '1' and '2' to try and deploy the soixante-quinze again, only for its deployment to be again foiled by the 5th columnist. This left me unable to activate the R35, albeit a flat, small, low profile target was never going to be an easy shot, which was why I'd wanted the gun's junior leader to improve the 75mm gun's chance of hitting - I just didn't think it through.
With the other '2' I tried to deploy my No.3 section to at least take on the recce m/c unit but they couldn't deploy past the 5th columnist either.
Nothing to see here, so no photos.
5GE(1,1,3,3,4): hmmmm, the command dice really seem to like John today, but to be fair he's long overdue a run of luck. Unsurprisingly, the two '1's see both the SdKfz 222 drivers continue motoring flat out towards my table-edge. This time, one falters, only covering 14", while its compatriot manages 28" ...
The recce m/c section then doubles forward again (11") to shut down my JOP, the one currently being blocked by their loathsome ally, the 5th columnist.
... and put suppressive fire on the Charcuterie, which will affect another of my JOPs behind it.
This is all looking terminal, and I am struggling to see how I can turn this around.
6FR(3,3,3,5,5): if I can't manage something with these command dice I'm never going to. I can no longer use my left-hand JOP to deploy in a position to fire around the Boulangerie. However, now the German have come round the back I don't need to. So, I move to deploy my soixante quinze from my rear JOP up against the hedge to try a flank shot on the armoured cars. But I fail the hesitant deployment roll, and again it's a 'no show', curse those Stukas.
My R35 can't shoot at anything where it is so I move it flat out up the road, this time it at least manages a slightly above average 15".
All I can do now is deploy one of my infantry sections, but with the way this is going, and the fact they will only be able to target his expendable support units, I decide preserving them might be the better move.
7GE(1,1,5,6,6): a German double phase, that should be enough to put the cherry on top. The extra CoC point I get for this gives me a full CoC die, but there is no chance I'll get a second before he obtains his objective. Also, with a German double phase, I'm now pleased I didn't deploy an infantry section to face this - that is assuming they would've managed to pass their hesitant deployment roll.
The two '1's again go to the armoured car drivers, and while the lead car exits the table, the second only moves 10" and comes up short.
8GE(1,1,3,4,6): and first things first, the second SdKfz 222 takes the '1' and exits the table for the Germans to achieve their objective.
To rub it in, John advances his recce m/c section up to the hedge from where they put my rear JOP under suppressive fire ...
... and the Feldwebel does the same, ordering nr.II section to again suppress the Charcuterie and the JOP behind it.
If you look closely at the above photo, you can just make out my R35 tank trying to get into the fight, but still too far off, and all alone on the table.
And with that, John dares me to fight on (we play this scenario slightly different to most).
9FR(*,*,*,*,*): with one JOP shut down and both the others suppressed, not to mention the shock and hesitant deployment[1] from the after-effects of the Stuka strike, I decide to call it a day. I don't actually have to withdraw my platoon as none them actually made it onto the table!
The Aftermath
The French platoon: lost no-one and will get 1 lightly wounded man return to duty (RTD) for the next game, for which the French platoon will only be down by 2 men.
With Lieutenant Renard's winning streak coming to an end, his (miserable?) CO's opinion drops from 6 to 5, but will still qualify him for 2 additional points of support. His men's opinion, thanks to them all being kept safe and sound, actually rises from 7 to 8, still a +2 to Force Morale (FM) rolls. The loss has grounded Victor Renard and his 'gregarious' outlook has changed to 'assured', regaining his personal +1 to FM rolls (for a total of +3).
The German platoon: also lost no-one, hardly surprising as the French didn't get to fire a shot (the Germans themselves only used suppressive fire). They have 3 lightly wounded men RTD for the next game, leaving the platoon down by 6 men for the next game.
This win sees the platoon Leutnant's outlook change from 'secure' to 'affable'. But, while his CO's opinion has started to recover, rising from -2 to -1, his men's opinion remains unchanged at zero.
The Next Game
Will be a German attempt to break through the French Gun Line, where it all went wrong for them last time. This time, they get 13 points of support (but no armour is allowed), while the French get 6 points +2 for the CO's opinion for a total of 8 points. They will also get a free 75mm gun.
The Germans now have the bit between their teeth, and will be pressing hard to win the next two games to get a precious draw in place of the threatened defeat.
Post Mortem
Unlike the last game this was blindingly fast, only 8 phases, and the French only got 3 of them. While the dice always have a say, John came up with a simple plan relying on speed and he single-mindedly pushed it through. It could've come unstuck against the wrong dice, but that's true of any plan.
Overall, it felt very much like the first game in this campaign, where the Germans also managed to punch through before the French could even deploy their men. Fingers crossed, that's not what happens next.
Notes:
[1.] This avoids the question about whether you have to test twice for hesitant deployment, once for the Stuka strike and again for the suppressive fire? Answers on a postcard.
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