A BRIDGE TOO FAR - CGIII

BUYS:

            With the 18EVE Turn being both idle I have been able to buy a large number of troops. These were:

    Brinkman 

• 2 SS rifle platoons
• Engineer platoon
• Heavy Tank platoon
• Heavy Weapons platoon

    Knaust

• SS Rifle platoon
• SS Recon Platoon
• Medium tank platoon

    Harder

• Unarmoured Halftrack platoon

    Misc

• 120mm heavy mortar with off-board observer and one pre-reg hex.

SETUP:

            What can I say? I only occupy Block “V” so the remnants of my troops are set in a line II1/ FF2/ HH4/ JJ3 there is a unit in each hex to give me a lot of fire options should he decide to come attack.

THE GAME

Turn 1

            He moved troops into Block “N” and during my turn I moved 2 SS rifle platoons into blocks “W”, “X” and “Y” I also moved my unarmoured halftracks onto the board at A21 where they all promptly died but at least they fulfilled my attack co-ordination rules and, because he fired starshells to illuminate them, it allowed my pocket of resistance at “V” to start lighting up the night sky.

Turn 2

            We moved a trivial amount of troops each and all my SS rifle platoons in Blocks W, X and Y did search rolls to ensure the blocks were totally English-free. The only highlight (or lowlight) of the game was my OBA which drew two consecutive red chits; his radio rolled a twelve just to be part of the “in-crowd” (peer group pressure is a bitch).

Turn 3

            His radio rallied although I am of the impression he wont use it tonight anyway, (he had got contact earlier but did not put a SR on board) I think he just wants to psyche me out with it. Legion also made a veiled reference about me not attacking aggressively which did make me laugh for many reasons:

• A third of my force are under “No Move counters”
• My ELR is zero
• He is stealthy and I am lax
• Oh, I forgot, I selected “Idle!!” 

Turn 4

            The Sitzkreig continued with neither side wanting to engage (although NVR dropped to 1 hex).

Turn 5

            See turn 4 (although I did send some troops up to take block “Q” and was able to ambush and kill a half squad guarding it.)

Turn 6

            See turn 4 (he, however advanced a HIP half squad hiding in my minefield in JJ12 into JJ11 where, although he ambushed my engineer he did not kill it and the engineer taught the naughty British a lesson)

Turn 7

            See turn 4. NVR dropped to zero but I was able to put up enough starshells to stop him from trying to get into close combat with any of my boys. We ended the game after I moved some troops around in my movement phase. (Love that zero NVR!!)

End of Game Block Control

Yellow – No Control Points

Blue – Water

Black – German Controlled

Red – British Controlled

Purple - Uncontrolled

            I was surprised he did not try to use his massive close combat advantage during this game to kill a few squads of mine. He used the attack chit and yet it was I that benefited. By the end of the game I had taken blocks Q, W, X, Y & Z, small blocks admittedly but now my attack in the morning will have on-board supporting fire which will make things a lot easier.