FOW AAR: French Armor vs German Armor (pic heavy)
My friend and I got an Early War game in tonight. I still don’t quite have enough stuff to make a legal 1750 Infantry list for my French, so ran with tanks tonight. Brian ran with his Czech Panzers as well, but tried to squeeze in some of his recently painted stuff. The mission is Breakthrough and I roll for attacker.
NOTE: both lists are a hair above 1750- we know, we both knew and were cool with it
FRENCH ESCADRON DE COMBAT
HQ- Hotchkiss H39 long
4x SOMUA S35
4x SOMUA S35
5x Hotchkiss H39 (1 long)
4x Panhard AMD-35
75mm Gun Battery
Trucked Infantry Platoon
Sporadic air interception
CZECH PANZERS
HQ + 2iC 38(t)
3x 38(t)
4x Panzer II Early
2 Panzerspah patrols (4 total armored cars)
8.8 Battery w/extra crew + armored transports
Panzerschutzen platoon
Light Pioneers
Limited Air
Brian was defending and elected to start with his Schutzen, 8.8s, and light pioneers (all sans transport), and his 38(t)s on the board. I put my infantry and Hotchkiss H39s as my flank attack.
Deployment. Objectives are in the top right behind the church and the small row houses to the “west” of the church. 8.8s in the north west field. Panzerschutzen at the crossroads, light pioneers in the east, and the 38(t)s in the south east.
French 75s in the south west, SOMUAs in the south and center, and Panhards on the road between them.
The view from the French artillery.
38(t)s sit waiting in the field.
8.8s dominate the field.
SOMUAs and Panhards line the road.
The SOMUAs charge out from the road, MGs blazing!
Meanwhile, in the south, the SOMUAs spread out to avoid Sukas and open fire on the 38(t)s to no effect.
The Company Commander and a Panhard keep an eye on the Schutzen.
Just to the west, a smoke barrage covers the other 8.8. With gusto, the SOMUAs charge!
One SOMUA is knocked out in defensive fire, and one bailed (couldn’t quite pin the lone 88, but the frenchies assaulted anyway!). The 8.8 platoon leader pulls back after one gun falls to the SOMUA assault.
Light Pioneers move forward to contest an objective.
38(t)s consolidate and pull back to draw in the French armor.
TOP OF TURN 2. Note the burning SOMUA in the road in the central and the smoke barrage covering an 88.
The bailed SOMUA remounts and all 3 charge the 88s who failed to unpin. The Company Commander is caught in the open with no foxholes to dive into, and is gunned down!
SOMUAs maneuver cautiously in the South.
The 8.8 platoon breaks after losing the commander.
Artillery rains down on the light pioneers, but causes no harm.
Stukas swoop in.
Light Pioneers proceed to the objective.
The Czech panzers are just small enough to navigate an archway allowing them to reach the road!
And take long range shots on a Panhard, failing to cause damage.
The Stukas only shake up the SOMUA crews.
TURN THREE
COMBAT CASUALTIES:
French: 1 SOMUA.
German: 8.8 Platoon.
SOMUAs charge out in the south. They expected a smoke barrage to blind the enemy panzers, but the barrage never comes.
SOMUAs advancing through the city.
The SOMUAs are left in plain view with no smoke to shield them.
The 38(t)s come racing out, gunning for the SOMUAs’ side armor! But their fire is ineffective!
The first of the German reserves arrive. 4 Panzer IIs sneak cautiously through the fields in the south.
TURN FOUR. Still no French reserves.
The SOMUAs rotate their turrets to return fire.
Panhards, the company commander, and SOMUAs square off against 4 38(t)s.
Both 38(t)s brew up!
Artillery bails another 38(t) and pins the Schutzen.
Stukas swoop in on the guns.
Pioneers dig in on the objective.
The Cauldron in the center of the board begins heating up with the arrival of the Panzer IIs.
Panzer IIs and the remaining 38(t) wipe out the two SOMUAs in the road.
Stukas take out a 75.
Close up of carnage.
TURN FIVE. Still no French reserves arrive! Note the SOMUAs in the North making their way towards the church.
COMBAT CASUALTIES:
French: 3 SOMUA, 1 75mm gun.
German: 8.8 Platoon. 2 38(t).
Artillery repeats a barrage on the cauldron, but doesn’t do anything substantial.
Return fire from the two remaining SOMUAs, the company commander, and the Panhards knock out another 38(t) and bail the remaining one. Additionally, 1 Panzer II is killed and 1 bailed.
The remaining 38(t) quits the field!
SOMUAs in the North have hooked around co contest the objectives.
German armored cars arrive in skirmish formation, gunning for the French artillery.
Panzer IIs swarm a SOMUA, and open fire on the Panhards. The SOMUA survives unscathed, but 1 Panhard is bailed.
The haze of battle.
TURN SIX.
Still no French reserves!!
COMBAT CASUALTIES:
French: 3 SOMUA, 1 75mm gun.
German: 8.8 Platoon. 38(t) Platoon + 2iC. 1 Panzer II
Return fire wipes out the Panzer IIs. The French have won the tank battle but are no battered. All the burning armor makes crossing the road very difficult.
The SOMUAs blaze way at the dug in and gone to ground Pioneers, doing nothing.
Stukas swoop in over the tree tops!
The Armored cars form up and use a building for cover on their approach to the French guns! The French guns hastily dig in in anticipation.
Brian, seeing one of his only opportunities to strike back charges the SOMUAs with his light pioneers!
The SOMUAs score enough hits in defensive fire to stop the attack, and kill 1 stand.
Armored Cars ready to pounce.
TURN SEVEN
(Sorry no overhead shot!)
COMBAT CASUALTIES:
French: 3 SOMUA, 1 75mm gun.
German: 8.8 Platoon. 38(t) Platoon + 2iC. Panzer II Platoon. 1 Pioneer stand.
Finally, on turn 7, 1 french platoon arrives from reserve! The French infantry must have been off drinking somewhere as they never showed up the whole game.
Panhards begin nosing their way through the wreckage.
MG fire from the French tanks shreds the light pioneers who moved out of their foxholes.
With that the platoon breaks. Brian is now down 4 platoons, with 3 fighting. His company commander stayed hiddin in the archway providing morale re-rolls, but unfortunately no one is within range of the objectives.
Game goes to the French 6-1.
