Emchas take on SS Grenadiers (FOW)

Before Christmas I was able to get in another game with the Emchas. They would be, once again, facing off against German SS Panzergrenadiers. This time it was against a new opponent, Michael and it was a very fun and enjoyable game.

Emcha's and friends!

Michael's Late War SS Grenadiers.

The Emcha's are still grinding through Austria... the plains of Austria?

The Germans are prepared to defend this village from the onrushing Soviets.

Dreaded 88's are holding the orchard.

Immediate ambush Pak 40's!

The StuG's preparing for the rush.

A strong German defense.

The Soviets are concerned about the Tigers in reserve.

Don't leave Russia without 120mm Mortars.

SS Grenadiers holding to objective on the right flank.

Russian heavy armor.

The Russians move forward, putting fire on the German guns.

In a quick push, the 75mm Shermans overrun the Pak 40's but lose one of their number.

Defensive fire from the Pak 40's knock out a Emcha.

The ISU-122's take out a 88.

And the Emcha's take out the second 88 and a StuG.

The 76's are on the hunt.

A Stuka burns the lead SU-100 and bails another.

The Tiger I's come on hold the woods on the left beside the objective.

The Valentines arrive and move up to take the right objective.

The StuG's and grenadiers move up to engage the 76mm Shermans.

StuG's realize the Soviets are moving against the far objective.

But the ISU's are still lurking around the left objective. They knocked out a Tiger but lost one of their own in return.

The Emcha's take out the last two StuG's as they move to the right objective.

The grenadier platoon is cutoff and surrounded.

The initial assault by the Valentines leaves a few infantry dead but a burning Valentine and two bailed.

At this point I did make an error. As you can see above, the Valentines pushed into assault and one was bailed by a defensive fire, one bogged and one was bailed in combat and the final was destroyed in the assault. This lasted a few rounds of combat. In the end I had no active vehicles, so we looked into it and I backed off the tanks bogged and bailed in the assault with the one that was bailed by defensive fire. But we are now pretty certain all three should have been captured. It was a confusing series of events.

If it had happened that way it probably would have given Michael another turn, but there was nothing to come to the Grenadiers aid.

The Valentines and Shermans push in and take out all but two infantry.

Who are gunned down by the last three Emcha's on the final turn.

The off camera action saw the ISU-122's take up position in the woods on the Tigers flank, they would have been able to knock them out if they pushed to the right to support the grenadiers. Also the SU-100's were looking down the main road at the Tigers if they tried to move in support. The mortars and the ISU-122's had taken out all of the German grenadiers on the left flank as well, so if the Tigers moved anywhere they would be abandoning the left objective.

Battletech Alpha Strike - City Fight

Bryan and I have really been playing a lot of Battletech Alpha Strike over the last few months. I have really enjoyed how fast the game is to set up and play and also how fast you can take enemy mechs down. We have put in a few house rules to clean up some things such as concealment. They really do come down to the last few mechs, damaged and overheating, slugging it out.

This game was 500 points and with both Bryan and I bringing out some hover tanks and vehicles.

I had two mech lances and a lance of hover tanks.

Bryan had two mech lances and three under strength vehicle lances.

The game got off to a quick start with our hover tanks mixing it up on the left flank,

My Edgar light hovertanks cornered Bryans Condor tank.

The battle funneled into the center for a huge brawl.

Bryans Shadowhawk jumped up to get some better firing lanes.

I was able to focus down many of Bryan's heavy and assault mechs.

The Tunderbolt and Fafnir struggling to keep up with the lighter mechs.

Wild fight in the center.

Burning mechs everywhere.

That is a great deal of tonnage.

The Crockett put a headshot on the enemy Thunderbolt.

The net is closing!

Finally the little Edgars knock out the Condor.

The Fafnir is feeling a little lonely.

Death from above!

The Fafnir takes out the Zeus.

In the end it was the littlest guys that took out the Fafnir.

The end.