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IABSM Battle Report;
12/05/05 British Vs Clivey and Max's German
Infantry Company, Holland 1944
IABSM set loosely in Holland 1944 and let him try some out.
The table consisted of a small hamlet with an adjacent bridge crossing a small, shallow river.
Infantry could cross the river, whereas vehicles needed to cross at the stone bridge. To the west
the river was crossable to smaller vehicles at what was essentially a stone footbridge.
The countryside around the Hamlet consisted of small fields of crops, ploughed fields and
hedges. There were also a couple stand alone buildings; a farmhouse and a Windmill, three small
copses and two patches of boggy ground, adjacent to the small bridge. Generally quite good
terrain for making a good defence of things.
a British Infantry Company.
I had a Company HQ of two sections, two Platoons each of three sections, including a 2" mortar
and PIAT. Also attached was a reduced Carrier Platoon of two sections and two Troops from an
Armoured Recce Squadron with Cromwell's. I also had a FOO in contact with the Battalions 3"
Mortars.
Fwd Observer Forward Observer in Jeep, carrier or Humber scout car
in contact with six 3" mortars· [12” Blast radius, D6 effect]
HQ Platoon Two Rifle sections (8 men)
Major. D Saster BIG MAN 1 (D4)
Inf Platoon 1 Three rifle sections (8 men)
PIAT (2 men)
2” mortar (2 men)
Sgt Les Bean Big Man (D6+2)
Two trucks
Inf Platoon 2 Three Rifle sections (8 men)
PIAT (2 men)
2” mortar (2 men)
Cpl ‘Ripper’ Himen BIG MAN 3 (D6+1)
Two trucks
Inf Platoon 3 Platoon HQ of Carrier (Fast, Armour 2)
and Dingo Scout Car (Wheeled, Armour 2, LMG)
Two Rifle Sections (8 men)
One PIAT (2 men)
Three LMGs (1 man)
One 2” mortar (2 men)
Six Carriers (Fast, Armour 2, LMG)
Sgt P. Niss BIG MAN 4 (D6+1)
Armoured Recce Squadron
Armour 1
Tank HQ Troop Three Cromwell Mk IV (Fast, Armour 5, Gun 7)
Cromwell Mk IV CS (Fast, Armour 5, Gun 5, 95mm)
Capt Hugh Jego BIG MAN 5 (D4)
Armour 2
Recce Tank Troop Three Cromwell Mk IV (Fast, Armour 5, Gun 7)
Sgt Dick Endom BIG MAN 6 (D4)
D6 Fakes
National Characteristics Cards
Vehicle breakdown Rally Tank Bonus Fire
Anti-Tank Bonus Armoured Bonus Move Recce Force
I had based Jez's orbat around a much reduced German Infantry Company.
I had worked out an orbat of nine units from which Jez could choose just five to use. That way i
would not have unrealistic knowledge of what I was facing.
Max and Clivey's Force - German Infantry Company
Fwd Observer Forward Observer in contact with four 120mm mortars firing from off-table.
· Must have a static OP.
· D4 pre-registered locations
· 12” blast radius, 2D6 +3 effect.
Sniper [The sniper is a feature of a defending force only. His position is marked
upon the player’s map and fires when his card is drawn. He may not
move and will not be placed on table unless he is spotted, NOT if he
fires. If his cover is occupied he will slip away unnoticed.]
HQ Platoon Rifle Squad (8 men) Extra LMG Rule
Three Panzerschrecke (2 crew)
Hauptmann Bereich BIG MAN 1 (D4)
Inf Platoon 1 Three Rifle squads (8 men) Extra LMG Rule
Leutnant Bockstein BIG MAN 2 (D4)
Inf Platoon 2 Three Rifle squads (8 men) Extra LMG Rule
Unterfeldwebel Pfalz BIG MAN 3 (D6)
Support 1 Two HMG/MMG’s (3 men)
Unterfeldwebel Kendermann BIG MAN 4 (D6)
AT Gun 1 PAK40 (Gun 8)
Armour 1
Panzer Pltn Three PzKpfw V (Fast, Armour 10, Gun 11)
Stabsfeldwebel Ursiger BIG MAN 5 (D4)
Armour 2
StuG Pltn Two StuG III G (Ave, Armour 6, Gun 8) 4 Initiative Dice, shoot-and-scoot
Obegefreiter Wurtzgarten BIG MAN 6 (D4)
Nine units to choose from. German player/s may choose FIVE only.
Add D6+1 Fakes.
National Characteristics Cards
Sniper Rally
Dynamic CO Forward Observer
Off-Table Artillery MMG Bonus
Petrol Shortage Heroic Leader
Vehicle Breakdown AT Bonus Fire
Rapid Deployment Short on Ammo
Only two blinds from each side would be allowed
initially on table the rest arriving one blind at a time
upon the 'Blinds Move' chip arriving. Fake blinds could
be deployed in preference to units at the start and as
reinforcements.
This would, it was hoped, create an air of uncertainty
condusive with a meeting engagement of two
well-armed recce forces, prepared to fight.
The game started.....
Max Maxwell continues;
"This week saw us in Normandy, 1944. Winstons valient
boys were pushing through France attempting to
"bounce" the German defenders of a stream line and
village. The stream was unfordable by vehicles making
its capture a priority for the Brits but their humble
infantry could move through it, albiet slowly.
The Germans were able to select 5 units from a list
(attached) of 9 and chose the HQ, two infantry platoons,
some tasty Panthers and an FO with a heavy mortar
battery. The Brits were made up of most of an infantry
company with 2 squadrons of Cromwells in support. A
strong combination but one that would be channelled by
the need to capture one of the two crossing sites to
make their numbers tell.
The Germans started with the FO dug into some light
woods at the top of their left table edge, and an infantry
platoon behind the town. Other units would come in as
the blinds card turned up. The brits led with a carrier
platoon opposite this left position heading towards a
small bridge with the first infantry platoon, led by the
redoubtable Sgt P. Niss advancing across the fields
opposite the town towards the main bridge.
Clive's propensity for drawing the Tea Break now
showed and some time passed before the Germans
were able to move their next blind, the Panthers.
Entering behind the town, they were to move to a field
adjacent to the bridge to overlook the main line of attack.
The Brits pushed forwardsbut not before the German FO
was able to set severe fire on the right hand blind. The
Germans had elected to site their 3 strikes on the likely
forming points, near the small bridge, left of the central
crossroads and at the far right table edge near the wood.
Readers of this sight will know not to see this as tactical
nouse, we have clearly demonstrated little of this in the
past, they just seemed sensible. This time they were as
Kev advanced Les's men right into 3 strikes! We play it
that the strike is resolved when the blind is revealed.
This saves the mystery a little longer but can bugger
things for the blind owner.
Erratic cards followed with both sides moving new
blinds in, the Germans secreting a platoon to support the
FO and a blind into the far right fields. The Brits moved
their own FO into position and then let loose.
The FO was to be gratefull of this support as the Carriers
were spotted and then rushed the bridge. Kev had
misjudged their keeness as, remembering the 2" tactocal
movement rule, his carriers were snaked out along the
wrong bank. Close terrain (marshy ground) saw Sgt P.
Niss, move keenly towards a damp bush only to find its
owner unwilling to yield! The Germans Panzerfausted
the leading humber jamming the path. The move saw
their HQ take residence in the towns left corner and the
Brits infantry spotted.
Working out the stonks was a rare moment of triumph
for the Fatherland. 120mm Mortars are killers. Nearly a
third of the force were hors de combat in seconds,
crippling their dice and forward momentum. Having been
pinned by these strikes they were hit continuously.
Stray fire also KO'd his FO whose 3"ers would have to
wait until the CO's arrival.
The British luck was further dented when the RAF came
to help! The most obvoius targets were clearly the
carriers stalled on the small bridge and Albie Rightback
dove in to flatten the central carrier, peppering its
neighbours. The light mortar crew over the bridge tried
to jump out to find cover only to be riddled with MG fire.
The British blinds now arrived bringing on the first
squadron of Cromwells to even the fight.
The Left hand copse became a vicious firefight for most
of the balance of the game. A game that split into two
sectors quite quickly. A brave assault by the dismounted
elements of the carriers, supported by their mgs and the
tanks decimated the German platoon. The Brits finally
moved over the river having killed their Big Man, but it
was too little too late as their casualties rendered them
ineffective. Out of range of the panzerfausts the
Germans were prey to this harrasing fire until the CO
was able to bring in his Panzershrecks. Powerfull as
Anti Tank Guns they dissuaded the Brits from this
riverside jaunt and the vehicles moved off to support the
main attack.
In the centre the Brits blinds brought in another troop of
tanks. The Cromwell is VERY FAST. They moved across
the field quickly forcing the Germans to reveal their
Panthers to try and stem this attack. A lucky shot, first
go, 12! Disabled one Panther. With its engine alight, the
crew bravely ran off to find another one. Poor shooting
by the Germans and great saving by Kev limited the
German response but time was pressing.
Kev threw his big man into an assault and a Cromwell,
part of a team that was dissuading Panzershrecks by
blowing down every building in France around their
ears, sprinted over the bridge. Kev had reckoned without
Panzershreck 3 which shattered it and its crew. One
Panther, ably crewed by Stabsfeldwebel Ursiger, crept
round into the town to hide in its smoking wake and pick
off its friends.
At this point the RAF returned. We randomly selected
Kev sites and Alby's boys clearly liked the carriers. An
overshoot into the FO's position buried them. They
would now have to wait 6 moves at least before the CO
could regain contact.
Kev skirmished his tanks forward and prayed for
infantry. The first platoon struggled forward now clear of
crippling artillary fire and tried to position a PIAT to take
one of the big cats with it. The tanks quite literally played
cat and mouse. It was an unequal battle as they were
picked off one by one.
Finally moving his reserve platoon into position the Brits
tried for one last attempt. Corporal 'Ripper' Himen came
over all heroic! Grabbing the PIAT crew by its lapels he
dragged them over the bridge, bullets flying, set up to the
rear of the Panther, survived a ribald exchange over
Rear Shots(!) and let fly! The ensuing explosion put him
and his crew out of action but so shook the crew that
they needed to retreat on their next action. Bravery
indeed.
Too late sadly for the Brits. A steady tally of artillery
cards saw, for the first time in one of my games, the
German mortars arrive. We agreed that they should land
at whichever site we pulled. It was perfect for the
Germans, the follow on platoon were broken up wth
heavy casualties. At this point Kev threw the towel in.
Probably the only thing he hadnt used to take the town.
A great game, and despite the casualties suprisingly
close.
German infabntry at this stage of the war are deadly tank
killers. Panzerfausts keep light armour at bay whilst, in
closer terrain at least, the Panzersgrecks are as tough as
anti tank guns. The infantry in defence are strong
enough to fend of unsupported attacks as Kev found to
his cost crossing the river. Kev's FO being killed early on
allowed the Germans more time than they deserved and
it was the German artillary that won the day. In fact the
most dangerous period came when the FO was killed by
the RAF (by accident). This allowed Kev to move a
sizeable force up to the town but their luck held and that
final strike was enough to put him off.
The Brits were able to force the Panthers away albiet at
cost. The fear of Air Strikes was very real and hindered
German movement for most of the game. The Brits
shooting also helped. While the Panthers were not
destroyed, fragile crews and sufficient bits falling off
took two out of the game.
A great fun outing although Kev admits, he never
expected to win. But then, he would say that, wouldnt
he!"
