Monday 22 July 2013

Battalion Attack: The Bloodied Ground (Fire and Movement Game 3 - Part II)

The Middle is Pressed:

The British commander moves up a flanking platoon from "Blue Company" (bottom left below, which in this colour photograph looks almost the same colour as the "Green Company" marker dots) but in turn it draws additional fire from another German platoon off camera. Soon it too becomes suppressed and the steady tide of British casualties begins to mount ominously (see below):  


The sickening rise of red casualty markers as the British commander extended the attack frontage is evident (see below). Two German platoons are managing to freeze 'in-situ' four British attacking platoons in the 'open'. Controversially(?) the British mortar was engaged in (it had to be said very effectively) pinning two German platoons on the far right of the board (albeit a third of the total German defending forces) for most of the game, but leaving the supporting Vickers HMG too much to do on its own

The advanced British platoon from "Yellow Company" is poised to (almost) make an end-run assault on the left most portion of the German "Farm Crescent". The huge amount of open space makes this area a true killing field for the PBI (see below, red casualty markers indicating hits this round):


The result is bitter sweet for the British. Although the 'Yellow Company; platoon is in position to close assault the flanking wood, another British rifle platoon (from 'Blue Company') is removed from play through casualties (see below):


The Germans reinforce the centre by advancing a platoon to the far right wood. This is approximately turn seven with everything still hanging in the balance. There is a heavy exchange of fire along the line with the Germans besting the British. The 'open ground' is literally the killer factor for the British. They even suffer the indignity of being close assaulted 'back out of the far left wood' by the Germans (see below):  


British casualty removal and losses through ammunition expenditure has broken their attack. The British commander concedes 'the attack has failed' in his turn eight, but do we stop there? After all I am keen to understand what "Battalion Attack" simulates, can the British make a tidy fighting withdrawal?

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