JP040: Ugly Faces (German)

[UP844]

Turn 3 - British

And just while I was wondering where the 18-pdr were, they appear just before my troops: one of them immediately kills an armored car, the other fires - without causing any harm - on stone building containing the B* leader (which has just rallied), the MMG and an ATR.

The British B* leader joins the party, but the HMG fire is also ineffective.

In the upper section of the village, a self-rallied British squad fires on the German units (which are out of command, anyway) but does not inflict any damage.

[UP844]

Turn 3 - British

In the Defensive Fire Segment, the German MMG stack fires on the 18-pdrs and breaks one of the crews: unfortunately, it is the crew of the malfunctioning gun.

The Germans in the upper section of the village fire on the lone adjacent squad, which first breaks and then becomes battle hardened (but remains broken [:D])

A German squad fires its ATR to the remaining Daimler (just for fun: as far as I remember, I only once managed to kill an AFV with an ATR, and it was a BT-2, whose armor is more or less equivalent to a beer can). The wannabe Panzerjagers fail to hit the British armored car.

All the remaining German units (including the armored cars) fire on the British B* with the HMG: the squad is broken, but the unflappable leader is Battle Hardened and becomes a B** [Do you remember what I said above about why I love ToTH? [:D]]]

[UP844]

Turn 4 - German

Let's play rules lawyer... [:D]

According to the Victory Conditions, I have already won a Decisive Victory. The British could conceivably retake one or two VP hexes, but I don't think they can avoid taking some losses, which in turn will further increase my VP count.

So, it's time to find some nice, high TEM position and wait for the Britons.

[UP844]

Turn 4 - German

The MMG stack fires at the 18-pdrs, kills one crew and breaks the other. The MGs, which have retained ROF, join all the other German units and fire at the British B** with the HMG. Unfortunately, the only result achieved is a Pin on the squad. I am not looking forward at taking fire with a -2 modifier, so I will have to devise some clever move before the British Defensive Fire.

[UP844]

Turn 4 - German

Do you love the adrenaline rush? Join the HS and scout the world!

The first HS Moves (yes, correct, it does NOT Assault Move: I want to provide a good target for the Brits) and is promptly killed by HMG fire. The second one is a bit more lucky (and takes fire at 1/2 FP in a wood [:D]) and is only pinned.

Now the B** stack has fired twice, and can only make a Final Fire: two squads Assault Move adjacent to them, but no fire comes from the wooden building.

Other German squads deploy to fire on broken British units, just to keep them at Broken+ status.

An ATR-armed squad moves in the lowest VP hex, so as to be able to fire on the Daimler.

[UP844]

Turn 4 - German

The two squads enter CC with the British B** and the pinned squad (even though I lose them, they should keep the British leader busy for some time, and I hope to bring some reinforcements)

A lone leader advances to provide some Command & Control in the upper sector, while in the lower portion of the map another bunch of wannabe Panzerjagers sets up its ATR.

In the CC Segment, the German squads kill both the B** and the squad [:D]. Now, the sole serious threat is the remaining 18-pdr.

[UP844]

Turn 4 - British

The British crew rallies, mans the 18-pdr and fires at the stone building causing no harm. (Big sigh of relief!)

From the rear, a MMG directed by a B* leader also fires at the same location but it also fails to inflict damage.

In the Movement Segment, the Daimler moves forward and stops in full view of the two ATRs and four ACs. This is nice, but I'm afraid I'm going to experience a reversed Villers-Bocage.

A C leader with a couple squads follows the Daimler, takine a stroll in open ground: a squad is pinned by the German squads that just killed the British B**, then the remaining squad and the leader are broken by the German MMG stack (I expected more by a fire with a -3 modifier). [NOTE: The caption in the screenshot is wrong]

[UP844]

Turn 4 - British

With the Daimler in their sights, both the ATRs and the ACs open fire: they get some hits but no penetrations (as expected).

The only other fire in this Segment causes no additional damage to the broken unit in the lower part of the village, but it becomes Battle Hardened.

[UP844]

Turn 5 - German

In the Fire Segment, the ATRs and the ACs all fire on the Daimler with no result other than making new scratches in its armor. Since so far the British AC has taken a dozen hits with no penetration, I think it's time to use an old favorite of mine: a CC attack.

The MMG stack and the squads who just killed the British HMG leader fire on the 18-pdr with no effect.

The HSs continue their exciting life as sacrificial units: one of them is killed by fire from the Daimler and the 18-pdr, the other is pinned by a British squad.

Two squads move towards the Daimler, but are pinned by a British squad in the VP hex near the river. Another squad tries to close on the Daimler, but is killed by Subsequent First Fire (It could have worked...)

In the upper part of the village, the few German squads try taking the uppermost VP hex: the defending British squad fires on the first squad as soon as it enters its LOS, then fires again and breaks the attackers when they enter the adjacent hex. When the C* leader approaches with another squad it fires again and fails its FPF MC. The two British squads will now be forced to rout in the open.

[UP844]

Turn 5 - German

In the British Defensive Fire Segment, the MMG fires at the MMG stack, pinning a squad and Battle Hardening the B*. I'm looking forward at blasting away that pesky 18-pdr in my next Fire Segment.

In the Advance Segment, the C* leader and two squads capture the uppermost VP Hex.

[UP844]

Turn 5 - British

In the Fire Segment, the Daimler forces a 22 to Button-Up (big sigh of relief, again!)

The 18-pdr and a couple of squads fire on the two German squads that attempted assaulting the Daimler, but they only manage to pin them both.

[UP844]

Turn 5 - British

In the Defensive Fire Segment, the German deliver an impressive volume of fire: unfortunately, this huge firework show fails to inflict damage to the British.

[UP844]

Turn 6 - German

In the Fire Segment, the HMG stack finally manages to break the 18-pdr crew. The Daimler takes some other non-penetrating hits, but I am fairly certain I will be able to attack it in CC.

[UP844]

Turn 6 - German

The Movement Segment starts with Germans moving in the upper part of the map: a C* leader and a squad move into the VP hex and take fire from the squad in the VP hex, which has no effect beside Battle Hardening the leader, which becomes a B*. The stack continues moving and draws fire from the Daimler, which causes no damage and which will be unable to fire on the infantry assaulting it . Finally, the B* and its squad come adjacent to the British squad in the last upper VP hex and are fired with Subsequent First Fire: the squad is killed outright and the just promoted leader is wounded.

The remaining Germans in the upper part of the village move down the river, aiming at the last VP hex. First, a single squad moves downriver and enters the building, but the British squad does not fire. The C* leader and the remaining squad follow the same path, and the British fire... after they have entered the building (I would have fired when they were in the open). FPF has no effect, and the squad fails its MC.

In the center, one of the squads is OOC, so only a single squad Assault Moves forward and comes adjacent to the Daimler.

The BU 222 returns to Crew Exposed status.

[UP844]

Turn 6 - German

In the Defensive Fire Segment, the British fire only once, but with great effect: the MMG fires on the stone building, breaking the B** leader and two squads. The last squad is pinned. My firebase is neutralized, but it would have been far worse if such result had occurred before: now, it's a nuisance, but it is too late to stop the Germans.

[UP844]

Turn 6 - German

In the Advance Segment, the German squad enters CC with the Daimler and promptly kills it. The Germans also take the last upper VP hex and in the next turn will force the broken British units to rout in the open... [:D]

[UP844]

Turn 6 - British

The 18-pdr crew fails to rally.

In the Fire Segment, the British MMG fires again on the stone building, but this time it causes no harm.

The last remaining two British squads fire on the squad that just killed the Daimler and on the last surviving HS, breaking it.

[UP844]

Turn 6 - British

In the Defensive Fire segment, the Germans fire like madmen, but the only results they get is breaking a squad, which also fails its ELR check, and keeping the 18-pdr crew at "Broken+" status.

[UP844]

Turn 7 - German

The British defense crumbles: the only remaining intact units are those in the MMG stack.

The German MMG fires at them in the Fire Segment but causes no damage.

In the Movement Segment, the various German units move so as to kill as many British units as possible for Failure to Rout, taking care to remain outside the LOS of the British MMG.

The German armored cars sprint forward: the 231 moves before the British MMG, so as to provide an hindrance and protect the MMG stack in the stone building. The 222s help the infantry units to surround the scattered and broken British units.

The British MMG fire in the Defensive fire segment has no effect.

In the Rout Segment, several British units are killed for Failure to Route and the game ends with a clear German Major Victory.

[Peter Fisla]

Unbelievable, thank you UP844 [;)]