Lucky von Luck

For our second game of Kampfgruppe von Luck I called in the heavy guns in the shape of a naval bombardment which broke up the German attack before it got off the ground. So on to game three and this time a few more of 12 Para turned up, sadly still not a complete platoon, Matt again went for an overwhelming force of Panzergrenadiers supported this time with an MMG and a halftrack, again his plan was to simply overwhelm the defenders.

The Jerries wanted to start from the nearest orchard and managed to get a Jump Off Point exactly where they wanted it, I on the other hand decided to concentrate the defenders in the farm complex and allow the Germans to get as close as possible before showing my hand. Obviously things went well for the bad guys at the start, they managed to control their deployment area with almost no intervention from the Paras. I did deploy a sniper and started taking pot shots at one of the squads, I managed a couple of kills but nothing which remotely bother the enemy.

I got scared and deployed my first squad behind a tall wall and a Bren team in the barn, the poor Bren team attracted a lot of fire and I had to drop smoke on them to try and save them, this was stopped by a German command die and the Bren team broke for the rear. The Germans now advanced and threw caution to the wind, I managed to deploy my second squad and shock began to rise on the attackers, however it was not enough to prevent the returning fire whittling my squad down and breaking the Bren team. I then managed to roll four sixes with the command dice, oh good thought I, but no, it ended in disaster, I had to roll on the events table and the farm house went up in flames, a tracer bullet perhaps, whatever it was the sniper had to leg it sharpish and a large cloud of smoke began to waft over the British front line. At the same time the last survivors of the second squad fell to a wall of lead. My plan to ambush the halftrack with my PIAT also went south. I could almost see the smiles on the faces of the little panzergrenadiers. For 12 Para the war was over.

Although the farm complex looked like a good defensive position the high wall surrounding it and the orchard to the front of this really ruined the chance of getting good fields of fire, my plan to take on the Germans at close range also did not work as they had plenty of support waiting to ruin the day of any brave Paras. The British have to hold out for another five games, a tough order.

I used to be on the other end of the fire orders from the spotter to the ship, I really enjoyed that part of my job and I was good at it, so much so that after a course at a Royal Marine base in Poole I was asked to join Combined Ops and be the radio link ashore. The thought of doing a commando course put paid to that idea, I didn't join up to work that hard.

Still not moved on the sailors, primed and ready to go but I don't feel the need to hurry. As I continue with my book on Berlin I am proved wrong as 'U-Boat' crews are mentioned with the Kriegsmarine guys. I am finding some really good wargaming tips in this book, several companies of young women turned up in one defence area, the Brandenburgische Frauenschaft, fanatical nazi's they patrolled and fought for several days until there were none left, something for a Kickstarter perhaps but maybe a tad politically sensitive these days.

I have taken a leaf out of Chancellor Rishi "Spend, Spend, Spend" Sunak's book and made a daring raid on the LMF (Legendary Map Fund) this week. I spoilt myself with the Panzers in Berlin book from Panzerwrecks, a hefty tome with a five star rating, Rubicon also got in touch so I have pre-ordered two Panzer III's, one as a command tank and the other just a late war version, there were quite a few other things which intrigued me but unlike Rishi my money runs out.