Battle of Hill 64

 A rapid fire reloaded game on the table last week, based on Operation Charnwood the remainders of the 16th Luftwaffe division tried to hold up the advance of 3rd infantry division. The 16th had massive losses to the pregame bombardment with two battalions down 50% as per history. The British artillery during the assault dominated the losses in the first two turns. The sug and Marder did manage to make some kills before being destroyed, Only that the Luftwaffe troops were dug in the kept passing morale checks and needed to be winkled out of the buildings. A narrow win to the English with a tank getting off the edge of table in the last turn. 

Counterattack Saint-Mere-Eglise

A few photos from recent learning game of the counterattack at Saint-Mere-l’eglise. The German assault failed due failed activation rolls, both supporting stugs were destroyed, one by a 57mm and one bazooka. 

A few more games of Chain of Command 2 to grasp the new rules fully. 

Battle of Serabaeum October 1973

Battle of Serabaeum October 1973 

 Pedro and I played a simple Rapid Fire Able Archer.game based on the Israeli attacks west of the Suez in 1973 around the village of Serabaeum. We are play testing the new Able Archer rules before their release later in the year. 

Village is considered as hard cover, observation to fire required, auto observation at 6 inches, armour must morale test to enter village, artillery observation by Observation team and infantry commanders only. Isreali infantry and centurions elite.

Israeli Order of Battle 

243rd Paratrooper Brigade

After taking the village the Orders hold village of Serabaeum for 10 turns against Egyptian counter attack. Support infantry and armour arrives on a D10 turn.

1st parachute battalion (in village) 

HQ 

OC + 5 radio, light mortar team, anti tank team vehicle 

1st company 

8 figs, lmg, grenade launcher 

2nd parachute battalion arrive Radom D10 turn 

HQ 

OC + 5 radio, light mortar team, anti tank team 

1st company 

8 figs, lmg, grenade launcher 

2nd company 

8 figs, lmg, grenade launcher 

Tank Company 

2 x Sho ‘t Meteor Centurions L7 105mm, class 3 gun, class C armour, medium 

Egyptian order of Battle 

Egyptian orders are to recapture the village and prevent the Israelis from taking the high ground to the west of the village. 

73rd Sa’iqa Parachute Regiment  

1st Battalion 

HQ 

OC, radio, sniper, observer element + 2 vehicle 

1st Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

2 Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

3rd Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5

Support coy 

HMG, 81mm mortar, sagger AT vehicle 

2nd Battalion (arrive on D6 turn)

HQ 

OC, radio, sniper, observer element + 2 vehicle 

1st Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

2 Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

3rd Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5

Support coy 

HMG, 81mm mortar, sagger AT vehicle 

Armour Battalion (arrive D6 turn) 

Morale tests per company for armour 120mm class 2 gun, D class armour, slow

HQ 

1 x JS3

1 x zSU 57-2

1st company 

3 x  JS3 

Rocket battery 

BM13 Katyusha rocket 132mm 10 points table 4, unguided rocket templates 4 rounds, after observation, use rocket template.

The village of Serabaeum

Egyptians arrive, the HQ Armoured coy arrived with the first battalion 

The first IS 3 falls victim to antitank fire

The Egyptians assault 

Isreali reinforcement arrives turn 5, immediately the first centurion is knocked out by long range fire from the IS-3

Israeli reinforcements arrive in the village turn 6

Second of Egyptians battalion arrives 

A draw, Egyptians held the edge of the village, however one battalion was down to below 50% and managed to pass its morale check. 

Rafah Six day war Batrep

Rafah 6 day war

Last nights club game was the defence of Rafah Highway during the six day war, Frédérich and I played the Egyptians, we needed to block the road to Rafah, I commanded the remainder of the 26th division from our ongoing campaign, only a single coy of two Js3m and a single SU100, Fred commanded the 6th mechanised with two coys of mixed T54 and T55, and a coy of T34-85 to make up the remainder of the blocking force.

The Israelis were commanded by Chris, he rolled well in the previous campaign roll so received in addition to his two companies of centurions, a extra 1 m48 coy, and a coy of super Sherman's, along with a M5 FO for air support, and a radio truck.

I set up in a flank ambush position, basically to slow the Israelis as they entered the table on the Rafah road. I set up line abreast with two JS3 and one SU 100 in dead ground. In the opening move I managed to get a flank shot and heavy damage one centurion immobilizing it with a ambush interrupt fire move, then in my normal move destroy a second with normal shooting. Both JS3 withdrew towards my secondary position after both coming under fire from the remaining 4 centurions. 

Israeli Centurions in the foreground, M48s on the left flank, in the rear M5 halftrack FO and Radio halftrack.

move two 

Chris used his superior gunnery and fire and move to thwart my remaining long distance shot, causing panic with a glancing shot of light damage on the SU 100 as my other two tanks withdraw to the secondary position. 

Egyptian JS3 and SU 100 on ambush order

Turn Three

Chris continued to move and fire putting pressure on Freds positions now and ignoring my SU 100, as now all I could see was dust, failing my observation roll as they were now outside close range.

Turn Four

Our prepared positions of the first T54-55 company was not effective enough to stop the centurion guns, at medium range,  after a heavy damage and destroyed T55 in one turn, the remaining tank of the company abandoned its vehicles after a deplorable demoralised morale roll. My company of two JS3 and the SU 100 reached the high ground, almost into the rear of the advancing centurions.

Turn five 

Chris continued his advance with ineffective fire coming from Freds vehicles, as they were in hull down position only two fired leaving one in ambush, and the whole company of T34/85 could not spot the oncoming Israelis because of the dust cloud.

My JS3 and Su 100 started withdrew to the alternate position but one JS3 bogged in the sand (rolling a D8 on the shakey ground table crossing a sand bar) and was abandoned the second JS3was hit from an extreme range by a bloody sherman on overwatch (waiting for me to climb the large dune) who needed a D10 +9 to hit Chris rolled a 10 hit and 6 destroyed. The SU100 then fled the table to fight another day failing its Morale role, becoming demoralised but remaining in the vehicle.

Turn six

Chris advanced with all three companies with the M48s doing the main damage on the move.

Fred second company of T54-55 second suffered supression from air cover then succumb to close shooting from the M48s, losing one with a catastrophic kill and  second heavy damaged, the ramning vehicle stood its ground, still in Ambush...

egyptian T54-55s mixed coy

Turn 7 

Chris successfully managed to flank the remaining T55, destroying it,  Freds remaining T34/85 departed also after he failed his command roll (more the 70% destroyed).......so a breakthrough was achieved. We had to hold for 8 turns....we failed on the 7th!

Red match destroyed, yellow heavy damaged, orange demoralised, Able archer rules were used.

Cheers
Matt

Operation "Popcorn chicken" Попкорн курица

Get it while it's hot, Popcorn Chicken!

Damien, Dan and myself decided to have a midweek game at my place this week, and a modern game using Modern Rapid Fire rules Able Archer.

Damien selected the west Germans and Dan the Soviets, I umpired the game, the game was a seesaw game, the soviets finally won though after both Leo 1s were destroyed and the infantry failed morale roll and surrendered. The soviet troops successfully captured the KFC for a bit of popcorn chicken!