All,
So, with 2nd Squad having accomplished its objective, it was now up to 1st Squad to evict the Germans from their defensive positions in the village of Fondue. In retrospect, just looking at the 2' x 2' board below, with ten Brits and six Germans looks like too much. And it was...
I'd already played one game that took way longer than I expected (I was hoping to get four games in during the period it took me to get the above game in), and I'd had a few interruptions (I did not include these in the time accounted for), but I was resolved to play another game, even though I knew I was running out of time (how gallant of me?).
The board: the Germans, which consist of a LMG team, a German Sergeant w/MP-40, another SMG gunner, and two riflemen, are all behind the wall at top. The Brits entered from the bottom in three groups: the company Sergeant Major, SgtMaj Travers and three riflemen on the left, the Platoon Sergeant, Sgt Freduelve with the Bren gun and his assistant in the center, and the Squad Leader, Cpl Gwydion, with a rifleman and Sten gunner on the right.
The action starts on the left, where SgtMaj Travers leads his group up on the left, drawing reactive fire from Germans behind the wall. No one is hit, but the SgtMaj and the German LMG gunner are both hit the deck (green beads). The German LMG gunner manages to pop back up and fire at Sgt Freduelve's group (off camera to right), to no effect.
Then the German MG-42 (top center, behind wall and between the two bushes) rakes the Brit left: one rifleman hits the deck (center left), while SgtMaj Travers and another rifleman are both suppressed and forced to fall back (bottom center, w/red beads). Next to them is Sgt Freduelve's group, still in its starting positions.
On the far right, the German rifleman on that flank grows antsy and decides to move up (top left), opposite Cpl Gwydion (bottom right). The two trade fire, to no effect.
Germans on the left fire at their opponents on that side, to no effect.
Then the Brits rolled up a firefight. The Bren gunner (bottom left) opens up, suppressing the German MG gunner (top center). Ineffectual small arms fire is traded on the left. Cpl Gwydion (bottom right) again trades fire with the German rifleman near him, forcing the German to hit the deck.
But during the German turn, the enemy rifleman (top right) pops back to his feet and fires, dropping Cpl Gwydion in the street!
Meanwhile, the German A-gunner helps the machine gunner rally and the far left German rifleman rallies himself, while their NCO fires to no effect.
On the right, the Sten gunner and rifleman move up on the German that just shot Cpl Gwydion, but their rounds have no effect.
The Bren gunner (red base) fires at the German LMG, once again suppressing him, while Sgt Freduelve and his rifleman move over to help SgtMaj Travers and his rifleman to rally.
The German machine gunner rallies...
On the right, the German SMG gunner moves to his left (far left, in corner of wall) and fires down the street, forcing the Sten gunner to hit the deck. The Brit rifleman returns fire, but misses, while the German rifleman shoots and makes him hit the deck (both Brits are at right with green beads).
Then the German NCO (top center) fires, suppressing one of the Brit rifles on the left.
Off camera at bottom right, the Bren gunner opens up, suppressing the German LMG gunner yet again.
While SgtMaj Tragers sprints ahead, helping one of his riflemen to rally.
On the right, the Sten gunner pops up (in the street) and fires on the far right German rifleman, suppressing him.
Then the Germans roll a scurry. This should be a good thing, but their morale rolls don't go well. First, the German MG gunner decides he can't take anymore and bolts. Then, the German rifleman on the far right rolls double 6's, so I have him surrender to the Sten gunner and Brit rifleman.
On the left, a Brit rifleman pops up, then reaction fire shots snap by close to his head, and he returns to the deck. Same thing happens to the other Brit rifleman at bottom left. SgtMaj Travers and the German NCO trade SMG fire, to no effect.
Back on the right, the German SMG gunner fires down the street again, this time putting the Sten gunner down, but the plucky Brit rifleman returns fire, suppressing him (red bead at top left, Brits at bottom center).
On the left, German NCO SMG fire forces SgtMaj Travers to hit the deck, while the German LMG A-gunner (the gunner left with the machine gun, he's firing his rifle) fires and suppresses the Bren gun (bottom center). Then the Brits roll firefight, but more than half their men are suppressed or have hit the deck and don't have LOS! The Brits manage to suppress the German rifleman on their far left.
Then the Germans roll scurry. They have two able-bodied men in the center (NCO and A-gunner), and a suppressed man on each flank. The two able-bodied men move outward and help their buddies rally successfully. Then the Brits roll firefight again! The far right Brit rifleman fires and misses, and the German SMG gunner returns fire, causing him to hit the deck.
A bunch of fire breaks out on the left, but results only in one of the Brit riflemen being suppressed.
On the far right, the Brits have two men down and only a rifleman left, and he's guarding a German prisoner. So, with their blood up, the German A-gunner (top left) fires at the Brit rifleman (far right), to no effect, while the German SMG gunner climbs over the wall.
Sgt Freduelve (center, kneeling guy with silver base) moved up to the Bren gunner to try to rally him, but he decides to fall back (bottom center, w/red base). Since Sgt Freduelve couldn't get it done, another activation was wasted to bring a rifleman over to help the Bren gunner to rally, which succeeded.
On the far right, the Brit rifleman (far right) fired at the German SMG gunner (that had just scaled the wall), and put him down! Finally, things are looking up!
On the left, one of the rifles tries to rally and fails, falling back, while SgtMaj Travers trades ineffectual fire with the German NCO again. Then the Germans roll as scurry, which doesn't really help... The Brits go again, and manage to rally some folks and build up their line on the left.
But then the German A-gunner on the far right fires (I can't believe I didn't get a pic of this), and puts the Brit rifleman over there down. Not only do the Brits now have no one on their right flank, but the German they had captured now finds himself freed, and he picks up a weapon to rejoin the fight.
With that, SgtMaj Travers addressed the men: "Easy lads, we've had it for this go around, we'd better regroup." And so the remaining troops fell back to regroup and reorganize in preparation for another push on the German held village. The Germans lost one man killed, while the Brits lost one killed, while Cpl Gwydion and his rifleman were both lightly wounded and captured by the Germans.
If I'd had more time I may have kept playing, but I may have ended it there any way as I was pretty worn out. Again, this could easily have been two separate, quick games. It wasn't as bad as I previously alluded to, but I was frustrated not only at all the stuff I previously mentioned, but also with getting my ass whooped (again!)!!!
So, I need to have another fight or two just to crack the line at the village, then I still have 3rd Squad's task to carry out. Hopefully next weekend.
V/R,
Jack
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