WW II West Front 1944 British vs Germans AAR - Iron Cross Rules

Played the third in our trifecta of Iron Cross Rules games last Monday, in this one the Jerries took on the Poms! we played the 'unprepared defenders' scenario set in north eastern France 1944.

The German's PzJg IV made short work of the British Firefly tank!

Forces;

British Attacking
1 x Churchill
1 x Firefly
2 x Sherman 75s

1 x Staghound Mk I

7 x Infantry Sections ( 1 x HQ, 5 with LAW)

7 x Trucks

2 x HMG

2 x Mortars

Germans Defending

1 x JgPz IV
2 x Pz IV Late

1 x PaK 40 with Transport

7 x Infantry Sections ( 1 x HQ, 4 with LAW)

3 x Trucks

2 x HMG

2 x Mortars

Game;

The Jerries were spread out whilst the British thrust their right forward whilst refusing their left flank. The Allied Commander chose the pre bombardment option for this game and scored very well hitting several defending infantry units, the PAK and it demolished the PAKs towing vehicle!

The initial British advance was screened by smoke the Germans reacted by pushing a Panzer IV forward which was promptly reduced to a smoking pile of iron by the lumbering Churchill. Revenge was sweet though and the German JgPz IV took out the Poms Firefly as it probed through some woods.

The British left/German right now became the centre of the action!

Hot close quarter action as the British advanced into a hail of German fire, soon a Staghound was in flames and the German PAK was blasted by Sherman’s pouring H.E. into it. Now the Germans counter attacked, a Pz IV with a Platoon of Infantry (with LAWs) in support charged. A close range action ensued and it was a bloodbath! Two Shermans were cooked and some British infantry were routed but the attacking Germans were shattered, the Pz IV was a smoking wreck and the Platoon of infantry was scattered!

The British still had the edge and were ready to exploit the open German right when the Kampfgruppe Commander launched a final attack with his trump card, his mighty JgPz IV! The tank hunter rumbled forward and was offered a flank shot at the British Churchill but the Brits got the first shot off and it was a good one, the mighty Panzer rolled to a halt and was out of action (the British successfully interrupted the German turn, but on a second try using the HQ reroll option then rolled a 10 on the to hit die, followed by another 10 on the AP roll with a 4 on a D6 putting paid to the Jerry! Some lucky dice).

A small German incursion by foot troops occurred in the centre whilst the final tank dual was in progress but it was too little too late, even though it did put the fear of god into the British mortar support units one of which was wiped out!

It was now the end of turn 5, the Germans had lost over 2/3s of their force and had no armour left they conceded the battlefield to the British retiring their remaining forces, so a Pommy Victory!

Some Pictures;

The British refusing their right advanced onto the table as the pre attack bombardment ceased...

The Germans countered advancing a Pz IV which the British Churchill quickly destroyed!

In turn the Britsh pushed their Firefly forward which too was promptly knocked out the the Germans JgPz IV...

German mortars successfully pinned down some of the British Infantry...

Another British probe this time well supported by infantry resulted in the German PAK smashing the Staghound armoured car, the infantry and Shermans then pounded the PAK into oblivion...

With the German flank now open the British charged forward...straight into a German counterattack. The German Pz IV took out the leading tank...

The Pz IV was in turn knocked out by the second Sherman reacting...

The final stage of the German counterattack saw them knock out the last British Sherman, they were then pounded by the British Infantry supported by a Vickers HMG! The casualties were piling up...

In a final throw of the dice the Germans tried to take out the British Churchill...

Only to see another successful British interrupt and a very good shot...scratch another Panzer!

Our battlefield at the end of the action...

Summary;

Well another Allied Victory, a great game of Iron Cross with the Jerries having  their arses handed to them on a plate yet again! The concentrated British attack with some good dice rolling by Rolf ensured they took the day BUT it was a hard won victory losing four AFVs and some infantry, again the side with  surviving armour was successful. The Germans lamented their useless Pz IVs calling them POSs built in bombed out factories by non German labour! Each of the three recent games started with the first losses to the Germans being a Panzer IV which each time was hit critically and exploded! During this game Guderian gave Hitler a call asking for new dice but was told sternly there was no budget as Goering’s V1s had run over cost 😄.

Next time we’re going to have a go at a Dark Ages Battle with Impetus 2 Rules. Plus got a Blucher Napoleonic Scenario ready to go!