FoW: Breakthough

Monday night saw me taking on Adam's Paras again. This time however I was using my LW Panzerkampfgruppe from the Panzer Divisions Ost PDF. We had decided on 1750 pts and my force comprised:

HQ - 2 Panther D's

Panther Platoon - 3 Panther D's

Panther Platoon - 3 Panther D's

Anti-tank Gun Platoon - 2 PaK 40s

Rocket Launcher Battery - 3 Nebelwerfers

I don't have Adam's OoB but he had 17pdrs, 6pdrs, howitzers, a Pioneer Platoon and a few platoons of Paras with jeeps.

We set up the terrain and then rolled for the mission and got Breakthrough. Coincidentally Adam had set out the terrain with a river skirting one quarter of the table which made things interesting. I decided to set up the objectives in the quarter bounded by the river and deploy in the opposite corner. Adam deployed first and proceeded to line the edges of his zones with 17pdrs, 6pdrs & howitzers, filling in the gaps with his infantry. He obviously expected me to deploy my forces and make a run for the bridges over the river. But I had a cunning plan and decided to hold my Panthers in reserve as they could come on in the quarter with the objectives. The only problem was that they were delayed reserves and if I didn't get something on table in turn 3 I would probably have to face some of Adam's redeployed troops. I deployed my nebelwerfers and ATG's as safely as I could in the corner knowing that they were probably dead meat. As we didn't know if I could keep my CiC or 2iC with the reserves I also deployed those on table.



My initial positions.

I went first remaining stationary and my fire was ineffective. Adam's howitzers opened up on my nebelwerfers but only pinned them. He also started to hurriedly redeploy his troops across the river.

The start of Adam's redeployment.

Turn 2 saw me move my 2iC forward to MG some paras moving to threaten my guns causing one casualty. The rest of my fire was ineffective.  As I wanted to threaten some of Adam's forces to make him slow down his redeployment I assaulted with my 2iC causing his paras to fall back. Adam then killed the nebelwerfer's command team and pinned them again. He then assaulted my 2iC and after a few rounds of combat I'd inflicted some casualties but Adam had rolled well for morale, helped by British Bulldog rerolls, and killed my 2iC. The redeployment continued as well.

The Paras now control the objectives and look to soon
dig in on the hill to await my reinforcements.

Turn 3 arrived and of course no reinforcements turned up. My guns fire was ineffective but my CiC did MG another base off the advancing Paras. I then assaulted with the CiC and caused casualties but again after a few rounds of combat my CiC was knocked out. Great morale rolling again from Adam.
The redeployment continued with some forces starting to dig in. Fire from Adam's howitzers killed one of my Nebelwerfers. Adam then assaulted my ATG and killed it and as I failed the morale roll they were lost.


The Paras continue their advance on my guns



Paras dug in on the hill and in the woods with ATG's
lining the river banks awaiting my reinforcements.

Turn 4 and still no reinforcements. My nebelwerfers score their first hit which is saved. Adam digs in and then kills another nebelwerfer but the morale roll is good.

Turn 5 and my first platoon of Panthers arrive. MG fire kills a base of the Paras on the hill. The Panthers then assault the Paras and push them off the hill. Adam moves his unit out of the woods and bails one of the Panthers with a Piat, he also assaults knocking out one Panther but gets pushed back. He also kills my last Nebelwerfer. So now I am down two of my four platoons and both my CiC & 2iC are dead. But I know I'll get my last Panthers on table next turn.


My Panthers successfully push the Paras from their position on the hill.

Turn 6 and and the Panthers arrive, MG the Paras near the wood and then assault them. The assault is a great success and the Paras fail their morale check and break, clearing the objective. However Adam then kills one of the Panthers in the other platoon, I fail the morale check and it's game over.

At the end of the day Elite Paras with a British Bulldog reroll are always going to be a tough opponent. And Adam playing well didn't help :-)

Another good game with my Panthers, they're proving to be more fun than I expected. Next week though it's a return to Warmachine.