BATTLEFRONT: The Ridge (Playtest)

[MAGNA]

German Artillery Phase.

Artillery was targetted at the advancing infantry again and two more units were suppressed. This will slow the advance and means those troops affected will have to reorder but cannot make it the German lines next move.

Air - the plane came in for it's second run and strafed more infantry. One section was wiped out by brilliant shooting. The others were untouched.

German Offensive Fire.

All infantry fired at the British advance infantry with poor results. The PanzerII had trouble with the smoke and was ineffectual.

The Panzer III and IV hammered the Valentine again and disordered it. The Valentine is stuck it seems.

Movement Phase - no movement except reordering and repositioning of the Armoured car. This thing can be dangerous now. Everything else reordered including the dreaded 88 which is now manned and will be able to fire in the next German Defensive fire stage (depending on British artillery probably).

Other than that it is now the British defensive fire phase which should be straightforward.

Picture coming after that.

[TRDG]

I see the Germans got some good "card" rolls again!!

What ever happened to the fire on the plane from last time, I beleave from our infrantry?? I think??

DF orders tonight, the val is "stuck", means......

Cheers

Tommy

[MAGNA]

Originally Posted by TRDG

I see the Germans got some good "card" rolls again!!

What ever happened to the fire on the plane from last time, I beleave from our infrantry?? I think??

DF orders tonight, the val is "stuck", means......

Cheers

Tommy

The infantry at the rear did shoot at the plane but with little effect as expected.

The Valentine keeps being suppressed / disordered and since the Crusader is gone it's reorder / move chance is lower, hence it seems to be stuck in position. A good roll will fix that though. If the Valentine can get to the shadow of the ridge it will be safe from the 88. IF.

[TRDG]

Roger, I thought maybe it was some kind of "term or condition", so it is what I thought it was, just making sure here.

Cheers, DF orders very soon here.

Tommy

[MAGNA]

British defensive fire Phase.

The Valentine has a shot at the Panzer IV with no result.

The infantry open up at the German troops. Some excellent shooting considering the range suppresses three out of four sections in front of the ridge. The Dingo had a shot too but went wide.

This is the end of the turn.
It is now the start of the next turn. British artillery and Mortar phase.

Pic post tonight.

[TRDG]

Thanks M, did I actually get some German "rock" KIAs or just some supression, not complainin' either way, honest!! They had, as you said, some very tough shots to do anything at all.

Cheers, I'll check the pic Sat, then see where the sand lies.....

Tommy

[MAGNA]

Very good shooting considering the range. Suppressions were the best to be expected but three out of four was more than usual.

[MAGNA]

Here are the pics for the end of the turn. As can be seen there are a few sections missing, mostly British. That is to be expected when attacking.

[TRDG]

Orders are sent David, hope you like em!! But not the Germans spitting out sand!! Ha Ha, and choking on smoke to still!!!

Cheers

Tommy

[MAGNA]

Orders received from the British. Here we go then.

Artillery phase.

Basically the same targets as last turn but all firing things that are a bit more dangerous than smoke. The 25lbers target the front of the ridge and the armoured car. Plenty of good shots go in but the infantry is already suppressed in most cases so no further result.

Mortar has the same problem.

The 5.5's rain down on the poor unfortunates manning the 88. Their commander has put away his luger and gone for a bottle of schnapps (I think he's upset) as his crew is disordered once again. The mighty 88 is reduced to firing with a large defeicit once again. Good shooting by the 5.5's.

British offensive fire is basically nil since everything is moving. And what a move it is. You wouldn't want to be German on the left flank and be one of those who is uncomfortable in a crowd. Infantry mainly concentrates towards the left of the ridge and is on the way in. The right flank is also under threat from British infantry.

The 6lber has moved to line up with the right end of the ridge and is unlimbering.

The unfortunate Valentine is playing opposites at the moment. The infantry is going forward and it is going backward. A bad reorder roll sees it retreat one move. One less and it would have panicked which would mean it's rear would be facing the enemy and open to an opportunity shot. In this case it reverses with the right end facing the right way.

The Dingo crew have seized the chance to race in on the disordered 88 as the Crusader did. I rolled for this and there wasn't a big chance they would do it but there you go. This effectively puts the 88 in a difficult position. It can fire at the Dingo or a better target but if it fires at something else it must take the close assault with the Dingo having the best chance of a win.

Opportunity fire - when a unit does a double move enemy units may use their defensive fire phase shot at the unit moving anywhere in it's second phase. If the unit is disordered it must stop at the point where it was fired at. One section of infantry came in on the falnk of the Leftmost German infantry in the rocks. During it's second phase of movement the Armoured car and the German section fired. The British section was eliminated. I did this during the move phase as it was an obvious fire target and it was essential for the Germans not to lose any men at this stage - especially on that flank as you will see from the pics.

One other small detail. The dust cloud behind the wadi turns out to be a camel with bad suspension. Nothing to worry about really - except perhaps for the Grant tank that was following it. The Grant has moved to position itself in line with the front of the ridge and threaten the Panzer II and III. I don't know where the camel went.

It is now the German Defensive Fire Phase.

This is an important part of the game. Many units are getting to close range now so expect higher casualties from now on. Bad shooting from the German troops in the next couple of phases and it's all over. Good shooting and it could go the other way in a big hurry too.