PanzerGrenadier DeLuxe (07/06/2015 – Solo)

Company command in front of Rauray

With the D-Day anniversary this weekend, it was an apt time to break out the 15mm Normandy forces, but as I’d played a lot of the Battlegroup rules lately I decided to try PanzerGrenadier for a change.

British Infantry entrenched on contour 110

It doesn’t seem like a year since I last played these rules, but it is (almost to the day) – however I have now switched from 10mm to 15mm as my scale of choice for company level WW2 (and it’s taken me a year to get enough stuff painted to play a game 🙂 ). I chose the Rauray scenario from the “Battles for the West” book.

6pdr in the woods

I only got 2 turns played out of the 14 allowed by the scenario before I had to suspend the game due to real-life (work intervened), but I got to play through most of the rules so it was worth doing as a refresher.

German Recce

The British 6pdr which was in hidden ambush mode managed to get the 3 APDS shots it was allowed under the scenario off without being spotted, but they bounced off the front armour of the Panthers. When the German recce 250 tried to spot the 6pdr in ambush, another 6pdr destroyed it.

Panthers

In doing this the 6pdr revealed itself to the German artillery spotter who successfully called in one of the 2 allocated direct fire missions he had. A double six for effect left most units in the wood in bits, with a command section dispersing.

Aftermath of artillery strike

The Hanomag mounted mortar also scored a double 6 for a direct hit, but only managed to suppress the third 6pdr after it had suppressed & damaged a Panzer IV on defensive fire, then suppressed a command Panzer IV in the British phase.

Combined arms assault

The Panthers advanced on contour 110 supported by dismounted infantry, and during the exploit phase the company command deployed another infantry platoon 6″ in front in support.

Assault on contour 110

With the assault on the hill building to a climax and the British FOO poised to call in a barrage, I had to abandon the game but I expect to re-run the scenario again soon. Once again the rules gave an exciting and fast-moving game – recommended.