By Air to...bottle it!

As promised for the start of the new campaigning year a second WWII Rapid Fire2 set too. I kept the table layout largely the same, but switched the forces around. This scenario saw a British glider borne assault holding Le Grand Bains against a German counter attack from Kampfgruppe Whytt. The Airborne had no armour support but did have a battery of howitzers, another of 17lbers and a 6lb antitank gun. They also enjoyed air support after Turn 3 in the form of a Typhoon with 2 Medium Bombs and one straffing run. As usual now a days, a series of captioned pictures to give a sense of the unfolding action ~

A game changing error: deploying my 17lb anti tank battery in

the only position the German spotter could see it!

Amongst the ruins Brigadier General Bykleigh considers his

options.

Artillery fire was to be the Airborne's only hope against the

German armour. The 6lb antitank gun is already retiring!

The Stugs are out of sight of the Airborne's spotter and the

infantry dug in around Rumfordeville.

Herr Whytt considers his next move while anti aircraft gunners

nervously scan the skies!

Airborne hopes are raised when one Panzer IV is knocked out

and a second heavily damaged by HE. A false dawn sadly as

it turned out!

A cautious advance by Infantry supported by Stugs on the

Airborne's extreme left flank is worrying!

In the German centre infantry go into action supported by their

battalion artillery.

Jabo! No cause for alarm though...

The bombing run fails to destroy the advancing Stugs!

As the Typhoon readies itself for its second straffing attack it

proves too little too late and its all up for the Airborne, failing

their second consecutive Morale Test at the start of Turn 6!

"For you, Herr Bykleigh, the war IS over!"

 I can’t really claim it was a ‘game’ in the sense of an event in which each did their very best to win though. I made a fundamental error in my first two turns from which I miserably failed to recover, though Jon’s subtle play kept me on the ropes I have to say and I was thrashed in six turns! On reflection I think that ‘Personal Morale’ as out lined by Robbie Roddis on his Blog last year played a big part in my defeat ~
https://independentwargamesgroup.blogspot.com/2018/12/on-personal-morale.html
I realised my error but was paralysed by what I could do in response and bottled it frankly! Not my finest hour!

The Allied version of the Field Hospital as the German one in

the last post proved popular! Once more though, the busiest

chaps on the Airborne side!

Next up in GHQ will see a long overdue return to Rhanzlistan where another scion of the military incompetents who are the Bykleighs will pit his wits against Robinski and his S.P.I.F.F. Meanwhile, its back to painting SYW figures!