Lots of laughs, lots of blown-up AFV's (apart from one heroic Hanomag which refused to give up), good food and good company. Nine members involved in the game, never easy, and thanks to Adrian for organising.
A German counter-offensive charged forwards, spearheaded by Panthers and Panzer-Grenadiers supported by Marder 3's, towards a village held by a smaller mixed British force.T
This was a Steve and Guy 'trial' game, getting further to grips with the RapidFire 2 rules whilst trying to iron-out some of the foibles and illuminate some of the lesser known rules.
Some new issues came to light, and in the end the British lost an heroic Wasp flame-thrower bren-carrier which tried to take out a Panther, three infantry, and had one Churchill lightly-damaged, whilst the Germans lost one of their two lead Panthers to indirect HE fire from a pair of 25pdr Sextons (all the direct AT shots from the British tanks and AT guns missed or bounced off) and three infantry.
Time ran out or the game would have got very interesting/bloody.
The Union and Confederate forces clashed to take control of a ridge between their two armies.
Although equal in size, the Union force was mostly 'green' and was outnumbered by the Reb shock cavalry.
The Union cavalry were eventually forced off the table, but succeeded in their mission to draw the Reb cavalry away from the main objective, that of taking and keeping the ridge.
The Reb infantry occupied the ridge first, as it was closer to their base edge, but in the last move of the game the Union infantry did their job against all the odds and secured the ridge, leading to a Union victory (based upon taking the ridge objective, not the amount of troops lost).
Steve, Ray and Bob set up an ACW 28mm game with roughly equal sides facing each other, although with differing troop compositions. Ian, Norman and Guy joined in too.
The Osprey rules are pretty simple and fun to play (if you activate your battalions).
The Rebs went on the attack immediately, sending in their two regiments of shock cavalry to destroy a Union artillery piece before it got a chance to fire, and also taking out an infantry battalion. Both cavalry units were shot into retreat, but they'd done their job.
The two sides' infantry faced-off and commenced firing, pretty much even-Stevens in the Union centre and right flank, but the Rebs fell back on the Union left flank.
Overall a marginal Union victory.
Look forward to another game soon. Thanks to Bob for the photos.
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A scenario game, based on part of the Battle of Vitoria, Peninsula War 1813.
The French army were deployed and set-up to to defend the village and hill of Arinez, complete with cavalry reinforcements should they be needed.
French were Adrian, Steve K, and Bob, British were Robin, Norman and Guy.
The British moved forward quickly with infantry on the two flanks, and an artillery battery in the centre.
The British strategy was to advance quickly with the heavier force up the British right, push back the French, and then turn into the village and capture it, before moving on to the actual hill of Arinez.
Norman's infantry stormed forwards and quickly made contact with Bob's French left, using skirmishers, artillery and volley fire to force the French back, including a number of well-timed charges. This eventually meant the French lost two brigades.
Robin's smaller artillery and infantry centre, backed-up with some reserve cavalry, had slightly less initial success, but eventually forced Ade's French brigade to leave the table, and as the sun started to set, occupied the village after a short battle with the French occupiers.
Robin also saw-off the French cavalry.
On the British left, Guy's two brigades of veteran light battalions and 95th advanced through trees to the edge of the Hill of Arinez, and then up the rough slope to commence skirmisher and volley fire against Steve and Ade's defending infantry and artillery. Accurate and concentrated fire meant the British destroyed the French artillery batteries and all their skirmishers, and were preparing for the final infantry assault as the game ended.
The British won the game, having achieved three 'sauve qui peut' results and occupied the village of Arinez.
Thanks to Robin and Ade for organising the game, Steve K for his baking, and the rest of us for bringing along food. Lots of laughs and a great fun game.
Robin's battalion takes the village of Arinez
British troops resting at a rural homestead suddenly attacked by a flying column of French soldiers and voltigeurs.
The British managed to get into line as the French units approached in echelon.
Meanwhile to one flank the French voltigeurs pushed back the British skirmishers through accurate long-distance fire, who managed to hide behind a farm building to re-group.
British line fire won the day in the end, eventually shooting-back the French units, but it was a close-run thing as the French voltigeurs started to pick off the British line soldiers.
A few shots from the BattleGroup game on Monday 29th June 2021.
In the early stages this looked like an easy British victory with three German AFV's being taken out in quick succession, but lady luck changed sides and the evening ended with a German victory.
