Escalation League (3)

Thursday night Chris and I met for another epic Flames of War battle. All summer I got to play Megamind to Chris' Metroman. In other words "our battle were epic, he won some I almost won other." Thurdsays result was some what different.

This particular battle started with Chris' polish infantry in a dug-in position with a unit of 2lb AT gun portees in ambush. Chris also had another infantry platoon and a 81mm Mortar Platoon off board in reserve.

I had a platoon of Panzer VIs(includig the company CO) and a platoon of Light Panzer's two Panzer IIs and one Panzer I.

Chris set his defences well as I have come to expect with the infantry dug in around the objectives and behind difficult terrain.

My Panzer IVs moved up the center while the light panzer moved to the left to flank Chris' line and maybe pull out his ambush. (Chris was to smart to do this of course but one has to try.)

Chirs got reserves on his first turn and moved in his second Infantry platoon... right in Front of my Light Panzer. Shots from is Boys rifles bounce off my panzer and on my turn I used my Panzer Ivs to bombard his second infantry platoon killing two and pinning them. My Light Panzer then moved in firing MGs and killing several more. The rest of the platoon died in the Assault phase.

Chris got his revenge however uncovering his ambush 2 pounder porters. His shots killed on Panzer VI and bailed the other.



A lucky Boys rifle shot bailed my Panzer I. Oh how fast the tide of war can swing.

Chris's mortar also arrived on board but had minimal impact on the battle.

I now faced a choice keep my CO in the line of fire of Chir's Portees and support the bailed out Panzer IV or maneuver for a better shot a them with MGs. (I failed both remount rolls but also forgot I had rerolls for protected ammo) I chose to manuver and my Panzers combined to kill one Portee and it officer. Chris assaulted my bailed out tanks killing both the next turn. My Panzers launch assaults on his infantry killing several but being driven back with the loss of one panzer.

Fortunately Chris failed to hit with his lone remaining Portee and I killed it the fallowing turn. MG fire killed more infantry and Chris' CO and the next turn he failed a Platoon moral check prompting a company moral check which he could not make due to the loss of his CO.

Chris and I always fight a close battle and one finaly broke my way. Chris made a rare mistke marching his men on in range of my light Panzers but he almost made up for it with his ambush. This battle could easily have gone against me.