Early War Escalation League (6)

Yesterday we had another gathering of our Flames of War early war escalation league at Adler Hobby.  We're nearing the end of the escalation phase of the league and this week we were scheduled to begin our 1750 point games. Three players showed up: two French players, who played each other last time the league gathered while I was on vacation, and myself with German Pioneers or Czech Panzers. Since each of the French players played each other in a blue on blue game last week they were both looking for a new opponent....ME! Store owner Gordon hasn't finished enough of his Polish Cavalry to field a 1750 point army yet (although his armored train looks AWESOME) so we came up with a creative solution: Each French player would field a 1000-point company and Gordon and I would each field 1000 points of Germans from my collection and we would play a 2000-point 2 vs. 2 game for fun.

These photos and the one above are after the German half of the first turn and give a good indication of the initial deployments. Our German force on the left side of the battlefield consisted of a pioneer company containing a pioneer platoon with flame throwers, a battery of 105mm howitzers, a platoon of 105mm chemical mortars and a platoon of PaK 36 AT guns with some Stuka Air support. Opposite them was a French infantry company with two platoons of infantry, two batteries of artillery an AA gun battery and an AT gun battery.

 On the right flanks a French squadron of medium tanks with fighter anti-air cover opposite our German Czech Panzer Company. Our plan was simple: occupy the church ruin with the engineers hoping that their flame throwers would discourage any attack attempts on that flank and attack with full force on our right with our panzer company supported by the artillery and Stukas.

Early on things looked bleak as a platoon of French Hotchkis tanks gored our PaK36 platoon while they were still being towed by their trucks. This was due to a failed stormtrooper move to unlimber the AT guns.

Our main concern was the French Souua S35 Medium tanks. Their heavy armor was going to be a challenge for us to take out. Early in the game our only Stuka attack to get through the French fighter cover was lucky enough to take out a couple of the hard-skinned tanks along with a Hotchkis and an infantry stand. The remaining two S35 tanks were taken out by direct fire from our 105mm howitzers and some flank shots from our Panzer IIs. The Hotchkis squadron was dispatched by a combined effort from our 35(t) Czech tanks.  With the company commander of the French Armor eliminated earlier, they quit the field once their losses forced a company morale check.

We had VERY good luck early with the Stuka attack on the S35 platoon and this really helped us secure a victory. Without that one attack this would have been a bloody fight to the end. Still we all had a good time and I got to see my newly painted Panzer IIc and Czech 35(t) tanks get used which was good fun.  The photos above were taken close to the end of the game. Note the wrecked transports for the PaK 36 platoon and the wrecked French tanks.

Thanks to everyone for a fun game! See you all again soon.
AJ