Counter Attack At Quenan Le Purv

A Bolt Action Batrep

Following on from our last Bolt Action battle, where the The Glendarroch Highlanders took a bit off a biffing, we followed up with a linked game. In this scenario,  the Germans, having seized the crossroads, decide too follow up  their success by launching a counter attack so we set up the table with the crossroads now in the German deployment zone and a ruined church, a barn and a small wood in the British half of the table.

Points wise, the Germans (Rich) had 1500 points and the British (yours truly) 1250. We also decided to do something different to add to the friction of the game by not declaring what each side consisted of (we don't normally write lists as we mainly game amongst ourselves) which I like to think, brought a little more uncertainty to the game as it means you can't anticipate accurately and plan accordingly. 

After the last game, where the German Tiger had ran amok, I was keen to take along something that might give me a fighting chance against such a beast and give Rich some pause for thought so I invested in both a Sherman V and an AEC armoured car which, I think, is the best armoured car in the British and Commonwealth list as it has a medium anti tank gun as well as a coaxial MMG. 

Suspecting that I might also be facing either/or a medium mortar, Nebelwerfer or 251/9 with its light howitzer I decided on a mobile defence so I split my points to give me two platoons, 12 Platoon led by 2nd Lt Timmy Tompkinson  and Platoon Sgt Big Tam McTurk in the case of 14 Platoon with two Regular sections in each, the Sherman V, the AEC Armoured Car with 14 Platoon and a sniper team and Churchill AVRE as well as the obligatory Forward Observation Officer. with 12 Platoon

Across the battlefield Rich had changed his tactics, choosing a very thematic SS Panzer Grenadier force; three Veteran SS squads all mounted in 251s, a Regular Heer squad, an MMG, a sniper, a medium mortar and a Panther V all led by Lt Helmut Schiner.

As the British were the defenders, I deployed half my force and the Germans, after deploying their sniper and spotter, fired a preliminary bombardment, which wasn't half as damaging as it could've been, before advancing; Vorwarts for the Fatherland!!!!  

As the artillery pounded the British positions, the German armoured vehicles ground forward, engines roaring, tracks squealing and scraping the road surface. The SS grenadiers crouched in the back of their half  track, bodies tensed and feet braced to stop them from being thrown about as the transport vehicle carried them forward towards the coming battle, guided by the vehicle commander shouting directions into the drivers ears; the combined noise of the exploding shells and revving engines making verbal communication all but impossible below a shout. As the bombardment ceased, the noise level within the vehicles felt marginally and the grenadiers could hear the commanders instructions. "Watch out for those craters, steer right..right...forward.." The 251s MG42 gunner let rip a long, speculative burst at the ruined church ahead of them, empty cases spilling into the vehicle as the vehicle shuddered and jerked forward...

Quenan Le Purv; battle scarred and pockmarked. The Germans were attacking from the left

"Right lads, we've got to hold this position; CO's orders" shouted Sgt McTurk to the men of 1 Section, crouching in the church ruin. The German bombardment had just ceased and, though they had gotten off lightly, the men's nerves would be shaken, McTurk was trying to stifen their resolve "Bloody 'ell, sarge, what with? We've got no anti tank: Jerry'll just roll over us!" retorted Pte Simpson. "Just you haud your weesht, young Simpson" retorted McTurk "There's a wee Sherman over to our left and there's more of our tanks on their way; Captain Hunt says so. In the meantime, we shoot any bastard Jerry we can; got that?" "Aye sergeant" replied the men of 1 Section knowing it was pointless to argue with Sgt McTurk. Beyond the smoke and slowly settling dust they could hear the squealing and clanking of tank tracks approaching. They checked their weapons and settled them on the ruined walls and peered forward, watching for the first glimpse of the German attack..... 

Platoon Sergeant Big Tam McTurk, 14 platoon acting commander

1 Section (fairly) safely dug in in the ruins of Notre dame du Quenan Le Purv. The sniper team have taken up the rather obvious position in the ruined bell tower, still, it might be an obvious choice but it's also effective, if only their shooting was effective (5 shots, 1 kill...mmmm...)

"Stand fast, lads!"

14 Platoon under 2Lt Tompkinson deploy on the right flank

The huge bulk of 2Lt Timmy Tompkinson loomed up behind 12 Platoon's 1 Section. Brushing the dust raised by the bombardment from his battledress, the former university rugby forward bellowed at his men "Any injured, Cpl Brown?" This to 1 Section's commander. "No sur! All present and correct, sur!!". Replied Cpl Brown. "Jolly good; our armoured support is on it's way. We've to keep the Boche occupied till it gets here....not long now chaps". So saying, Tompkinson and his runner dashed off to where 2 Section were forming up behind a nearby hedge. "Not long now to what, Corp?" asked Pte Muir. Cpl Brown looked towards the German lines, and, spotting a half track approaching, pointed towards it and replied "Good question, Pte Muir; think that might be your answer; Stand to!! Pte Billington give them a burst!! In response the section Bren gunner opened fire on the half track. To the sections amazement the half track exploded and ground to a halt; the men inside spilling out into a nearby wood. "Well bugger me..." said Pte Muir.

As the Germans armour thrusts toward 12 Platoons positions..

Support arrives. Rolling up behind them and unheard by the platoon amid the
din of battle, an AEC armoured car of the Fulchester Yeomanry opens
up on the half track at the same time as 1 Section's Bren gunner

In reply, the Panther fires at the AEC Armoured Car, taking its turret off!! Ouch

...before turning it's attention to the Sherman V from the

Isle of Sheppey Border Mounted Horse, which it narrowly missed

 

"Driver reverse!! Back! Back! Back!" screamed Sgt Dinsmore into his mike. The driver needed no second bidding, having witnessed the near miss from the Panther. Once in cover, Dinsmore turned his gun on the German squad by the crossroads but his gunner's nerve had been shaken by their close call...

...though the Germans hit the dirt just the same 

L/Cpl Tom Baker, the attached sniper, added to the German squads
misery though not to their wounded and dead

By the barn on the British platoon's flank, 3 Section played cat and mouse with the SS squad while Sgt Dinsmore in the Sherman had moved forward to closely engage the enemy half tracks and was about to become the focus of no little attention 

..firstly from the Panther, which hit the Sherman twice but was unable to damage it. The Sherman was also hit by two panzerfausts and, eventually, was immobilised. the Sherman then
functioned as a pill box and general pain in the arse!

as more armoured support in the shape of a Churchill AVRE arrived and took pot shot at the cowering Germans with some effect though they were pretty well dug in by now 

the game of cat and mouse continues...

..with the German squad entering the building. 3 Section pulled back out of line of sight and
the AVRE, having a clear target, brought the barn down around their ears

still the Grenadiers pushed forward...

Lt Schiner took personal control of the German right flank

whilst on the left flank, the Panther had all but wiped out a British section..

2Lt Tompkinson was leading the other too wipe out the SS
Grenadiers who had baled out of the half track

As the daylight faded the battle petered out, with both sides blooded and bruised. The Glendarrochs had held their territory but the Germans had the crossroads. The German counter attack had failed, but by a narrow margin.

2Lt Tompkinson organised the remains of his platoon into a defensive perimeter around the shattered and blasted copse. Only a handful of his platoon was still fit to fight and he grouped them in pairs. As he did so, he could hear the roaring of  the German Panther's engine as it reversed away from the British front line, its menacing barrel facing down the road towards the ruined church. The Boche were pulling back; thank you God, the battle was over...for now.

"Cpl Brown, I need a casualty and ammo report and  one man to take a message back to Company HQ!". "Righto sir!" Cpl Brown replied" Private Muir, report to Mr Tompkinson!!. One section, casualty and ammo state; report!!"

Well that was a ding dong battle. Both sides played to their strengths, the Germans with their offensive spirit and (mostly) veteran status. The British, defending, had their hopes pinned on the AVRE delivering the goods and it took it's time getting onto the table. 

The Churchill  AVRE repaid my faith in it when it arrived in turn 3 and the Heer squad in the centre did the right thing in going DOWN when it fired at them as my TO WOUND roll was awful!! When the SS squad entered the barn. I was very tempted to try my luck and charge them with the nearby section but decided to pull back. it wasn't far enough to get then out of reach of an assault by the grenadiers but fortunately for me I got  the first dice of the next turn and the SS Grenadiers were toast. Otherwise they would've rolled up my flank as there was only 3 Section and the Forward Artillery Observer team on the flank beside the AVRE.

Sgt McTurk and the section in the church spent most of the game dodging mortars by "getting off the bus" then "getting on the bus"!! forcing the mortar to reset its aim each time.

Neither sniper had much success and the British artillery barrage only destroyed a half track which was a morale boost for the British but not much else.

As usual we forgot to implement the Tiger Fear rule and it might have made a big difference given my usual naff dice rolling but from a narrative perspective it panned out nicely. (I'm not a fan of the Tiger Fear rule; I think the game has enough checks and balances, rules-wise, without throwing in a test for each unit. Perhaps units should be able to buy a Cancel Tiger Fear option to represent their experience) which meant that 2Lt Timmy and his two sections where able to be effective; one at drawing fire and the other at digging the Germans out of the wood.

Dunno when the Glendarrrochs next Bolt Action battle will be; hopefully soon, but for the moment Richie is actually Normandy (jammy git!)) so it won't be for at least two weeks. But I am sure he'll come back bursting with enthusiasm for our next battle.

till then, this is the General saying "Over and out"!!

pip pip