Battle of the Bulge - 30 December 2010

Back to Jonathan's for another big WW2 game, this time the Relief of Bastogne over Christmas 1944, part of the Battle of the Bulge.  We were greeted by a 4'x12' table covered in scenery and dozens of figures and vehicles waiting for deployment.  Jonathan had resisted the temptation to dust the entire table in icing sugar to recreate that winter wonderland feel but there was enough snow outside to keep us happy.

Here's the setup on the first turn.  Patton's 4th Armoured Division are entering the near edge, aiming to break through the German-held Sibret to link up with the American's occupying Bastogne in the centre of the table.  The German Panzergrenadiers (and others) are entering in the far left corner, intending to clear the outlying buildings and destroy the American's holding Bastogne.

Sadly, Adrian couldn't make it at the last minute, so Jonathan's cunning plan was for him to play the Defenders (Germans in Sibret, Americans in Bastogne) with James as Patton and Andy as the attacking Germans.  This worked well without slowing us down too much and also meant that: we each had our own areas of play to deal with; Andy got his wish of not having to play on the same side as James(!); and Jonathan was guaranteed to be on the winning side(!!).

James first mistake was not sending any infantry into the building on the very edge of the game board.

Fortunately, the chap inside with the Panzershreck bottled it and ducked out the back door.  James continued bringing on his tanks regardless since his figures weren't aware of the German even if he was, and subsequently the Panzershreck fired on Sherman bulldozer but didn't take it out.  The Sherman's MG made short work of the German.

James also brought tanks on the right hand side in a formation now known as the Artillery Deathwish.  They survived to split up into more sensible formation and it was the jeep on the road that took the artillery hit.

On the other side of Bastogne, Andy's troops started to advance after pulverising with artillery Jonathan's paratroopers holed up in the buildings in Champs.  Those out in the open started having firefights across the hedgerows.

Jonathan's artillery was similarly effective - taking out one of Andy's Stugs (although the other had a free rein to drive into town without any paratroopers left to threaten it) and having a devastating effect later in the game as Andy's infantry pressed on towards Bastogne.

Back in Sibret, American artillery was taking its toll on the German defenders.  But as proper daylight hours approached, there was worse in store...

Avoiding the church (this time at least - it did turn out to be full of Germans!), the airstrike dropped two medium bombs on one building and strafed the other with MG fire.  Very satisfying!

With the town softened up, the Americans moved in and occupied it.  As the Germans did with Champs on the other side of the board...

This is where Jonathan's (American) artillery was particularly lethal and Andy's Germans started to thin out on their approach to Bastogne.

The Americans pushed on beyond Sibret and started successfully clearing the bunkers of German defenders.  On the other side of Sibret, Andy's 88 and Panzershrecks slowed but couldn't stop the rest of the tank command making progress.  It was then that Andy brought on his Panzer IVs around Hermanville - just visible on the left hand side below:

The Panzers did some damage but were heavily damaged themselves by American artillery and tanks, and couldn't hold back Patton's advance.

This final photo shows the good progress the Germans had made through Champs and Hermanville to reach Bastogne but in the foreground American tanks have breached the German defences and relieved Bastogne.  A victory for the Allies!

Thanks again to Jonathan for organising and setting up the game.  Lots of fun.