At this month's NWS Games Day we thought we'd have another game of Rommel. This would be Senno again, unless I could find some time (which is a rare commodity in these days of retirement).
Time is need to find a scenario (as that is what we like playing) and the fabulous HexesandMiniatures website provides an abundance of scenarios for Rommel. Of course this means having to make a choice, but luckily after only short browse, I hit upon Stolberg Corridor. This has long been of interest to me having been included as a short campaign subject in the Command Decision rules.
The terrain looked straightforward.
I quickly determined that I had suitable figures and models.
All I had to do was redraw the map for hexes.
That just left the labels, a more labour intensive job, with most of the effort going into finding suitable unit logos and fiddling with Microsoft Word to get everything aligned,
Simon declared he had a cunning plan and went the Germans.
Stephen took on the roll of commander 9th Panzer Division.
(Roll is the correct term as the job involved mainly rolling the dice)
For the US forces, Olivier commanded the 16th RCT
and I took the two Combat Commands of the 3rd Armoured Division.
The US forces as seen from the German lines.
Fighting commenced immediately for (left to right)
Brand, Kornelmunster and Zweital
The fight for Kornelmunster is turning out to be a real killing ground.
The US will prevail, but it will exhaust one of the Combat Commands.
Meanwhile the other Combat Command of the 3rd Armoured,
is trying to get round the flank of Ellensdorf.
The 16th RCT have worked round behind Vicht
and have started to attack the panzers
3rd Armoured is nearly exhausted, but must press on.
In a surprise move, the panzers breakout of Vicht and head for Zweital.
To win the US need to hold five victory locations.
They hold four.
They stand a chance of taking Bausback in the centre,
but must somehow get troops back to Zweital.
The attack on Bausbach is proving hard work.
16th RCT keep busy with a belated attack on Mausbach
As the sun starts to set the 16th RCT make a desperate attack to remove the panzers from Zweital.
They succeed.
A decent attack is made on Ellensdorf,
but the defenders are too strong.
And the final attack on Bausbach pitters out...
It could have gone either way.
Here are two supplementary images, close ups, from Stephen.
Additional supplementary photos from Stephen:
A touch and go, nail biting game from the beginning to the end. The scenario is more balanced than it appears at first read.
ReplyDeleteRequires patience by the German and determination by the US.
DeleteThe idea to use hidden deployment or at least shielded deployment (German only has to show one unit per hex) allows for better us of intel and even recce. It would certainly raise tension.
Lots of promise for future replaying.
Nice to see this battle tested out under the Rommel rules. Very nice kit for both sides.
ReplyDeleteThe Rommel rules worked well. I was also chuffed to see my stuff on the table (it was a first for some of models/figures).
DeleteNice kit on show, good game
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'm busy planning the next one. Want to try out a hidden deployment option.
Delete