Saturday, June 21, 2025

Combat HQ bash at Mikes

Game at Mikes using his favoured Combat HQ WWII rules and his 15mm kit.

An encounter type game set in 1944 with Mike and I as Germans (7 Inf Coys, 3 Stugs, 3 PzV, 1 Tiger, 2 Pak 40, 2 x 12cm Mortars, a Puma and off table support from 2 x 105mm Batteries) against an Allied force of British and Americans (8-9 (?) Inf Coys, 2 M5 Stuarts, 6 M4/76, an M10, 3 Cromwells, 1 Staghound, a 6pdr and support from a 105mm and a 25pdr Battery) commanded by Bryn and Simon.

Both sides set up with some infantry 'hidden' in towns and several blinds on table edge with several units in Reserve and then had at it.

Of course first few turns I managed a command failure gifting 'Wild' dice to enemy (1 roll of 5 dice saw 3 given away !) and indeed it looked like Yanks under Simon were going to easily crush my flank but he advanced some Shermans (after brewing my Stugs and the Tiger) well ahead of supporting foot sloggers and a reserve units of Grenadiers advanced from reserve using PzFausts to deal with this armour and a Panther also arrived and his advance was stymied.

It then became a long range attritional shooting match between us as as both weakened greatly.

On left Mike was having a more cat and mouse game with Bryns British initially but his Panthers dealt with Bryns armour and both side reserves came into play with a large field area being hotly contested.

Both sides had a morale pool (don't know levels) and our Pool was expended first ending the game but with Allies having a mere 2 Morale left themselves, so a very close run thing in the end.

A fun game in good company even if it was sauna like at times, as mini 'heatwave' here at present, despite the efforts of couple of air fans, but plenty of extra hot air to contend with from players not helping :-)



German left flank (Mike) note playing cards are blinds







Our right (yours truly)





Mikes Panthers in the ascendancy (before pulling back as targeted by artillery) 







A Pak40 bolsters my defence in town as Allied reserves appear







Panther also aids the defenders







Yank armour pushing ahead (note Shermans were all M4/76 types)







After crushing my Stug Coy in short order







Another view of Mikes flank (Bryns Cromwells died in wooded area on hill)
























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