A Postscript to Normandy 1944

Jon popped over for a game this week and as the table was still set out following my Rapid Fire! game with Phil we decided to replay the scenario. As Jon had not seen my earlier Blog entry describing the game he was able to take command of the Air Landed Brigade and I took command of the Germans. As the German armour is split into two elements, of which only the Stug III's are on table at the start, I determined on a two pronged assault against the two most forward objectives {See previous Blog Post} I reasoned that the arrival of the Panzer IV's with their accompanying infantry reinforcements would allow me to develop either attack to exploit any early advantage. What do they say about plans surviving contact with the enemy ...

My attack on the most isolated objective soon ground to a halt: one Stug III destroyed and the other failing its morale certainly did n't help me, while the infantry met stiffer resistance than they were expecting.

Meanwhile, over on the German left flank my attack was slowly building momentum. Exchanging fire with the farm's defenders soon reduced their number considerably. I might even have gained the objective had my artillery barrage been more accurate!

In fact my inability to hit much with artillery was to prove my undoing in the end. Losses were mounting and despite the arrival of the Panzers it was looking suddenly bleak. Even with the farm finally freed of Paras I could not advance to occupy it, failing a morale check and having 'No Offensive Action', while over on the other flank the isolated ruined farm was reoccupied by elements of the Air Landing Brigade while my remaining Stug III was abandoned by its crew and the supporting surviving infantry were routed!

Game over in Turn 7! We both thoroughly enjoyed the scenario and felt that if German fire/ dice throws had been more accurate/successful then the game may have gone the other way as the Paras were reduced from two objectives but the Germans could not exploit the situation and gain control of them. Both games had been great fun, fast and furious and, for me, further indication of Rapid Fire!'s position as THE premier rules for gaming WWII in 20mm. Next week I'm off to Phil's for another 20mm WWII game, this time on the Eastern Front: posting me there perhaps hardly surprising really after two demoralising defeats this week!