This was my second Arty Conliffe game in the same day!
Popped round to Robin's to get, well, thrashed at Spearhead.
And a good time was had by all!
Actually, to be fair, Robin wanted to try out a Defend list in terms of the density of 20mm figures and vehicles on the table, so he pulled out about 350 points worth of stuff (Usually a defend list has 450 - well, for a 6mm game on an 8' by 5' anyway).
I could only muster about 380 odd. Quite a bit short of the 650 usually spent on an attack list.
I probably won't do a blow by blow recount - just post a heap of piccies - but suffice to say at the end of the game I was contending the west/my left flank, but had been pounded to pieces in the centre by Robin's off table heavy artillery, against which I had no counter battery fire available.
Robin has done a fantastic AAR here.
Anyway, Robin set up the table, selected the figs, and away we went.
Two battalions- a Battalion Commander, 12 infantry stands, 1 F/O, a Carrier platoon and 4 75mm Shermans in the west (left) and...
- a Battalion Commander, 12 infantry stands (4 companies), 3 HMGs, one 6 pounder, 2 F/O for a couple of off table 25 pounders each, with 4 Shermans in the centre.
Robin set up a bit more forward that I was expecting. Like, already in two town centres, left and centre respectively.
Advancing in the centre (right)...
Carrier platoon at the right flank of the left platoon hiding in the centre. Aww, cute!
...and advancing on the left...
Centre again.
Aww stink, Robin's already got in there.
First suppression from Robin's mortar in the west.
Closing in on the centre town sector.
Nasty nasty F/O brings the pain...
Even as I try to assault the town.
But at least my tank can see something to shoot at!
Not only am I getting slaughtered by that jolly indirect fire, but Robin brings on his Panzers. Commanded my by own Pz IV! Arrgghh! Traitor!
Did I mention I was getting slaughtered in the centre by indirect fire?
Things were at least going a bit better in the west.
Back to the action in the centre.
And here's the casualties thereof!
Finally, I manage to suppress something in the west...
...and centre.
And even more than suppress!
And in I go into the town.
Yay! (That's the second time I've been able to take a town sector from Robin. He still can't believe it!)
Meanwhile, in the centre...
And that was all she wrote! End VPs - 2 to me and 6 or so to Robin.
Still, it learned me a thing or two. Now we're both fiddling around with lists and such like. With various bits and pieces, including off board heavy artillery, I can do about 625 points worth of Kiwis/Brits, and Robin...well, Robin's pulling together some Ruskies!
Nick
Nick
ReplyDeleteIt was indeed a great game.. with balanced points the attacker stands to inflict much more 'wargaming pain' on the defender..he! he!
That's why I preferred to describe this as a reconnaissance in force in my AAR..you were never going to be able to apply enough pressure on me to succeed in the attack .. however at least now we are seeing what's possible in 20mm.. I reckon we can do a pretty good game..
Your 600 vs 400 points suggestion next time might well just about do the trick.. just a matter of seeing what the troop densities are like visually. As long as we don't overdo the vehicles I reckon we should be right.
Thanks for the game
Robin
Ahh, but I do so enjoy playing the victim! :-)
Delete600 points? You're on!
A good day out I suspect. The only way to negate even odds is to not spread your attack along the whole front, but instead stack the odds at a certain point while threatening another area so they cannot reinforce to any depth.
ReplyDeleteThis probably only negates the odd's and Robin is quite correct in his 2nd paragraph.
Well done and a great AAR.
Quite right Paul. Refuse a flank and all that...
DeleteCheers.
Most battles aren't evenly balanced- that's something we like to do for our tabletop battles. I think the comments about it being a recce in force are very apt, because if a real commander had known what was waiting for him he would have drawn on more support to deal with a determined defender.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you getting in so much WW2 fun Nick.
Cheers,
John.
Ha! A real commander would have pulled back! (Which, as near as I can figure, is impossible for the Brits to do - change orders when under fire, that is).
DeleteSo, I'm not sure how to bug out when the odds aren't good...
But yep, it was fun!
Still it looked like fun, although being savaged by your own model is hard to take. You guys have got me hankering to take a look at Spearhead.
ReplyDeleteSpearhead's a great game - a real thinking man's game. You gotta think through the plan way before you put models on table. Quite challenging.
Deletevery cool game lads
ReplyDeleteCheers Al.
DeleteThis game re-enforced for me that Spearhead is a thinking man's game. You gotta plan - your advance, to where, by when, your artillery stonks, your air attacks, when to move when...and my plan for this game didn't really survive contact with the enemy! The Brits can't really change on the fly...
Still, it was pretty cool non the less!
Nick