Draw, Lose, Win

 I returned to the club for a game this week, for something different I offered Simon a game of War and Conquest, Romans vs Romans so that I could command the new army, Simon chose to lead the Thunderbolts. My troops were well balanced with an infatry core, skirmishers and light cavalry on both wings, Simon had pretty much the same but he also added Praetorians and two boltshooters for some extra oomph, he took more command than required so I hinted at dropping some and getting some foot skirmishers. 

The battle was a straight forward clash, I did not use my light cavalry and skirmishers very well added to which was the fact I only won the initiative on the very last turn so was on the back foot most of the time. I also managed to forget that my Auxiliaries were Regulars instead of Light which cost me dear in combats which I should have won, I had forgotten to bring my typed up list, it is always something these days, duh. As the curtain descended we had one more turn to play which we could not manage, I think I had the measure of the Twelfth albeit it only just, but there you go, in the end it was good to have the troops on the table. Simon also helped greatly by making an effort and getting to the club early, setting up the table and then helping me get the boxes from the car as I still find heavy weights a drag (see what I did there).

Thunderbolts.

7

Thrax.

 Thursday comes and we are back fighting in the Gembloux Gap, an interesting scenario as I have to dice for my deployment, and of course I get the side with the open fields to my front, I do however get a new platoon, which is just as well as the last one needed to be withdrawn due to losses. Because I only dealt out a few scratches last time Matt just about has a full platoon with lots of support points to ensure his men have every advantage, and this time he gets armour. I have to take something to deal with the Panzers and opted for a Panhard armoured car as it was pretty cheap and more mobile that an anti-tank gun, my other choices were a Francs Tireur saboteur and a light machine gun team. Matt on the other hand brought an infantry gun, a Pz II and a Pz I.

Fifth column, get her!

Forward menschen.

Clank, clank.

The battlefield.

The German advance was slow as Matt deliberated on his options and I kept my powder dry, he did however advance his armour, I brought on my Panhard and started a duel with the approaching Panzer I, this was frustrating, it was almost impossible to hit, it was obscured, had a low profile and was small, I got it in the end but it took a lot of time. The Panzer II now pushed to break the French line while German infantry moved on my left, I shot up the infantry but more were on the way, I intended to have the Panhard catch the panzer in the flank but with a wounded officer and shock I could not get it to obey my orders. 

German support.

French centre.

French support.

Gotcha!

Sigh.

The fortunes of war had turned against me, although I managed to close down a German Jump Off Point with the Francs Tireur and get a decent 10 for morale with the wounding or killing of three NCO's and throwing high for Bad Things Happen I plumetted to 4, then something else happened which left me with 3 and no future. Although I had made the Boche infantry suffer the difference in morale meant that as night approached I had dished out no more than a headache as they held the field.

I simply cannot win the campaign now, there are three turns left and one map, I have no new forces coming and Matt still has one unengaged platoon with the chance of reinforcements if he needs them while French support dwindles. We have had some very good games with Gembloux Gap but I doubt the French (as in real life) can hold off the Jerries for even a small win.

Some time ago in the distant past I fought a War and Conquest game against Ed, I turned it into a number of connected battles. The history went like this, a Romano British leader invaded Gaul once the Romans left Britain, he defeated local forces and Rome sent the Western Field Army to sort things out, enroute they fought off a Barbarian invasion, maybe this weakened them as they were defeated fighting the British, the British leader was killed and the Roman general murdered by his disgruntled troops, many of whom deserted to the victors. The wife of the British leader took up the reins but was thwarted by her Nobles and sent to a convent. Rome meanwhile with some help from the East scrapped together another army which moved against the enemy meeting them on the plains of Northern Italy.

 My son Stewart (Stuartus Brito) took charge of the invaders and led an army of the surviving British and deserters from the last defeated Roman force, I (Maximus Scotus) would lead my new Roman army, the last troops standing between Rome and its ruin. Stewart lined up with his British on his left and his Romans on the right, I put some heavy cavalry and light troops on my right while the infantry line contained legionaries in the centre and lanciarii on the wings.

Good guys on right, bad guys on left.

Maximus Scotus.

Stuartus Brito.

I moved my right flank skirmishers forward quickly hoping to sweep away the enemy light troops but this did not go to plan, the Huns proved difficult to kill and my own troops had to evade several times but luckily kept rallying. I was then forced to move my Clibinarii forward to meet the British heavy cavalry, both these forces were heavily armoured and would continue to flail at each other until the very end adding nothing to the battle. I had decided my right looked weak so eventually began to move my left flank infantry forward hoping the right would hold, the deserters opposite moved against me quite aggressively.

German Nobles attack.

Loyalist right flank.

Centre.

Loyalist left.

 

Eventually the centre of both armies were in melee along the line, Stewart was hoping to sweep my boys away while I was hoping they would hold. In the end the loyalists won through and it was the Rebels who were pushed onto the back foot, as the combat continued the Roman element of the enemy army fled for their lives knowing no mercy would be given. On the left the British looked on in dismay, insult added to injury as their heavy cavalry also ran for the rear, Stuartus suffered a personal tragedy as his standard bearer fell.

British close on my right.

Battle in the centre.

The British surge forward.

British heavy cavalry about to break.

 

The end to the threat.

Hoping once again for a quick breakthrough the British general did not count on the desperate defence put up by the lanciarii to his front, with the Roman left now beginning to move on the remains of his forces the British leader knew his dream of conquering Rome would remain a dream. A great day of Old School, proper wargaming thanks to my son for making the journey from darkest Darlington, a thoroughly enjoyable battle.

I was asked a bit ago my opinion on the book Tunisgrad by Saul David, it is basically all about Operation Torch and the thrust on Tunis along the coast, I was expecting some info on the Eighth Army's part in it all but there didn't seem to be much (I gave up). Rick Atkinson's An Army at Dawn is far better.

Unbelievably there are people, mainly young, who are terrified to talk on a phone preferrring texting. Luckily for them a woman (in the US of course) The Phone Lady will help you with this ailment for $195 an hour or $3000 for half a day. And yes, it is all done on the PHONE!