DAY OF THE TIGERS

(A WW2 battle using Rapid Fire rules)

Saturday 15^th October saw the club re-fight one of the second World War’s famous engagements.  The Seventh Armoured thrust towards point 213 thru the town of Villers Bocage, infamous to the Seventh Armoured Brigade for all the wrong reasons.

 On that day June 13^th 1944 they were attacked by the Tigers led by German Panzer ace Michael Wittman that destroyed the lead advance, a total of 47 AFV’s and soft skins.

The game gave both sides objectives to hold (two out of three of the key features; Point 231, the crossroads, Villers Bocage) by turn nine with at least one combat element deployed within 8” of the objective with no enemy troops within 8”. 

The allied set up on table first with a squadron of tanks already at Point 213, with an infantry company supported by a six pounder between Point 213 and the crossroads and a further armoured unit at the crossroads itself. 

With further re-enforcements arriving each turn up to turn five in the shape of armoured squadrons and infantry units supported with ATG’s.  All arriving at the southern table edge leading straight into the Villers Bocage.

The German started turn one first with  two Tiger’s and an Infantry unit in a 251 h/t with a further two Tiger’s arriving on turn two and then for turn three a further three Panzers 4's  with a further infantry company arriving in h/t’s on each turn after that. 

The Germans looking at the armour quality arriving should have thought he had an easy time of it, but his first attack set the tone for the rest of the game with his two 88mm rounds only managing to destroy one Cromwell, leaving the other two allied lead armour to race of table away from the attack.  With the rest of the allied units digging in and calling for artillery support.

 Game turn two saw the other two Tigers arriving and destroying a recon tank and killing the crew of a 6 pounder at the crossroads but failing to do anymore damage, giving the allies time to get  the two lead tanks back on table right behind the rear of the German Tigers already on table giving him a nasty shock, also bringing in well directed artillery that started to take a toll on the infantry in the open. 

On turn three saw the German Tigers turn to meet the threat to their rear, but put them in a exposed position from the crossroads and even heavy armoured tigers are vulnerable to a rear shot which the allied managed to do and inflict heavy damage on two of the tigers, even at the loss of two allied tanks it was a price worth paying.

By now the next wave of German Tanks were approaching Villers Bocage from the north in the shape of the Panzer 4’s, only to be met by a well placed squadron of Cromwell tanks on the edge of the town  and as the German players were rolling poor dice scores for their hits, it was only a matter of time before the Germans started loosing out to the allies.  With two knocked out by turn four and the third forced to retired to cover.

By turn five the allied had also managed to knock out another tiger for the loss of another one Cromwell’s but this forced the German player to dice for his moral which he rolled badly. forcing him to retire to cover as well. 

As his only armour units were retiring or knocked out it was left to his infantry companies in 251h/t’s to try at least to capture Villers Bocage which after a successful attack against a Cromwell with a panzer Faust ran into a strong defences in the town that halted their advance. and as it was approaching game turn 7 and the allies still held the town  of Villers Bocage and the crossroad with armoured support arriving in the shape of another squadron of Cromwell’s it was clear that Michael Wittman was not going to create his famous victory  of all  those years ago, a total turn around for the seventh armoured brigade and a allied victory.

Action In The Peninsular

(A Napoleonic Battle fought using Grand Manner rules)

For more images please click here.