Nick & William came over for a game of 'Sabresquadron' at Leighton Buzzard Wargames Club. I was joined by Mort, and we were defending with my British vs Nick's new East German Panzer company.
As the defender, you get 50% less points than the attacker, which can be an issue, especialy as Brits are quite expensive with all their great kit. So, this time I put together a TA (Territorial Army) company, leaving their transports behind. Less morale, but more stuff on table. They were supported by an anti-tank platoon, brigade level mortar platoon, an AA stand, and a Lynx AH-1 attack helicopter. 600 points (or just under). My figures are Pendraken apart from the Lynx which is The Dorset Print Man
The Germans brought a company of T-55Ms , a platoon of infantry in BMPs, artillery, a Shilka AA tank and not much else for 1200 points! But they were higher morale than the British Territorials. Nick figures are Plastic Soldier 3d prints.
Initial British deployment. Lining a wood edge and a field system, looking down a major road as the East Germans sort themseles out. (Half the defenders deploy first, then the whole attacking force, then the last half of the defenders. It's a simple mechanism, but it allows you as the defender to really think where you NEED your stuff, before you get steamrollered!)
The rest of the British arrive, a Lynx hovers behind the wood, a third platoon skulks at the rear of the crops, while the mortar observer and Company HQ wait.
The first turn sees the Milans of the anti-tank platoon and the Lynx significantly dent two East German tank platoons, it stalls the right-hand two platoons, but not enough to break them. It looked like the East German armoued flank commanded by William could break, but he held them together, and several turns of return fire by the GDR tanks chews into the Milan teams (I should have fired and bugged out instead of getting greedy, note to self for next time).
Mort, in charge of the rest of the British forces, is facing down the third GDR tank platoon with attached company commander, and a platoon of infantry in BMP1s. Sensibly, the Lynx pops up and removes the Shilka with a TOW. The TA start to use their Carl Gustavs against German armour. Not with brilliantly effiency!
Barrie briefs the British CO in the wood.
By this point, we suspected the German artillery observer was under the influence of schnaps (or bootleg vodka, or, more likely, anti-freeze) as he just cannot call in their artillery, The GDR tanks advance. Oh for some Chieftain tanks here!
The Lynx takes out one T-55, but the East German gunners start to wreck havoc with the TA's front line. CharlieGs really aren't sound much today, must have been a dodgy batch.
Despite a valiant stand, 1st platoon withdraws. A second T-55 is shattered by a TOW. The British AOP calls in mortars on the BMPs and dismounting infantry, which does some damage, but not enough to stop them. East German infantry might have got out of their rides too early, but then a further advance would have put them in LAW range too. On the far hill, Mort's GPMG gunner had been having a field day shooting at the East Germans infantry as they debus.
However, Nick's remaining T-55s on the left, having broken the first platoon, easily carve through the second TA infantry platoon (which had been getting flank shots with Charly-Gs at them), aided by William's revitilised, but damaged, two other tank platoons. The second TA platoon spectaculary fails all its moral and bugs out!
There was no coming back from this. The British slink away, bloodied but determined. Off to refuel on Newcie Brown and roll ups. Two platoons of TA were heavily damaged and broken, while the Milan platoon was eliminated. The East Germans lost 4 tanks, spread over three platoons, three half squads of infantry and their Shilka.
Star players for the British were the lone GPMG attached to 3rd platoon that had chewed lumps out of the debussing BMP riders, as well as the Mortar observer. The Lynx is off to paint kill markings too!
Great game, enjoyed by all. At one point, it looked like the German armoured flank might collapse, but they rallied themselves and the weight of fire was too much for the plucky Brits.
Time to break out the big guns and reap our revenge!
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