Both teams have managed to reach the penultimate turn without losing their tank. Does the above screenshot mean one of the Crusaders won’t be participating in the final minute of action, or is it simply evidence that your GM is a mischievous swine? Find out beyond the break.
The British Crusader has just commenced a shoot-and-scoot up the central road when it spots the restless PSW emerging from its hiding place near the Mosque.
The Tommy crew apply brakes and adjust turret and gun with admirable alacrity. Before the AC is even aware it’s in danger, a 57mm plate piercer is on its way.
Judging from the size of the explosion that reduces the eight-wheeler to a scatter of smoking, twisted debris a moment later, the 57mm projectile struck an ammo rack after piercing the vehicle’s turret.
When treebursts begin flinging mortar shrapnel against the flank and into the interior of the reversing gunner-less halftrack, a second vehicular kill this turn looks a distinct possibility.
But it’s not to be. In fact the final blow of the sixty is struck by one of the German remnants in the H19 abode. Pinned and tired, Sgt Johnson’s half squad suffers another casualty moments before the clock stops.
* * *
Although the action in the French arena in Turn 13 isn’t nearly as thunderous or spectacular, it’s similarly one-sided.
Beneath the trees that shade the corpses of Sgt. Vidalies and his squad, the spearhead of the German counterattack quickly finds itself under ferocious fire.
From three different directions a hail of mortar bombs, tank shells, and small arms rounds disrupt the DAK mortar team as they attempt to set up, and prevents the two machinegunners who caused so much havoc last turn from continuing their killing spree.
When the fighting freezes, the enemies south of the hotel are looking pretty unhappy, and the four (?) German units (A = halftrack, B = ATR team) further north don’t seem eager to come to their aid.
TEAM GB DISCUSSION
Well, if that isn’t a successful penultimate turn, I don’t know what is! Some fireworks to narrow the AFV score, and a Union Jack hoisted over the village.
What’s our next move, do you think?
A habit of mine I just can’t kick is thinking about these things ending so that the turn after the last is good. Sure, mad dash everyone in to hope for 100 VP at the cost of a few 5 point men might be the best game choice, but I want us to finish this without further casualties.
Mg fire from the tank and western squads combined with a quick rush from our forest team into the hotel should allow us to break the enemy in the adjacent house. Just don’t let the tank take fire from the rifle.
I’m sorely tempted to just hide our forces on the flank and save ourselves trading fire out in the open.
@Tim BRIT GB2 Orders:
I just wanted to say I enjoyed it, thank you! Very nicely done sir, your attention to detail is a tour de force! As is your writing skills and good humour a wonderful tour de force too. Tim, there is nobody else like you in games journalism any more (there used to be, and I miss it). Well, I recall being originally inspired to ask your opinion on Battlefront never making CMAK2, the reason(s) behind it and ultimately if there is a chance of it happening in the future. I can’t help but think our Olympiad fell on the deaf ears of Battlefront (now Matrix!) though. The missed opportunities of never having a proper dusty (but trusty?) desert warfare El Alamein, Kasserine Pass, Sidi Bou Zid, Tobruk or even an Egyptian Indiana Jones DLC along with the campaigns of Rommel, Monty and Patton (not forgetting Italy, France and the Anzacs) in the CMx2 engine is bizarre to me. I was also hoping we might get to see a couple of camels. At least, the recent Thunder Helix has camels in it. If memory serves correct, I believe the first was Jeff Minter’s Attack of the Mutant Camels: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_of_the_Mutant_Camels
As for my final mortar order, I will again leave it to good Oneknown’s HQ for the final say but I was hoping Baldrick’s mortar might end the match with an HE fireworks display of VICTORY on the most appropriate DAK unit (or area fire) of opportunity. Area fire HE barrage on Mosque Mount? Yes please (if in range, of course), thank you very much.
See you all in Alex at “Rene’s” for an Ice Cold one with Alec Guinness. France invited too mes amis, as is Hubert Gruber in “his little tank” (Guy Siner) for the final de-briefing on his Imperial Star Destroyer with Maarek Stele and Grand Admiral Thrawn. For some reason, I can imagine Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Roald Dahl being in the pub with us exchanging stories, cheers!
Morale +1. Thanks very much for the kind words.
See you at Rene’s, Clive. Sterling effort from you and the rest of the British lads. Looks like you might have just pipped us, so we would be very keen to learn some tips and tricks over a couple of frosty ones, assuming we can get Roald Dahl to be quiet for more than a minute.
@Tim FRENCH F3 Orders:
Crusader: Cancel target arc and FAST to E19
@Tim FRENCH Mortar Orders:
Keep bonking with vigor, as long as there is ammo
ORDER GB1:
We’re going to pour fire on the enemy house and try to eliminate the ATR held by our foes.
HQ: FAST to H21, right where the squads in the woods currently are
Squads in the woods: The first one with a PAUSE 10, the second with a PAUSE 30. FAST to the ground floor of the hotel, hopefully with a location where they should be able to fire on the occupied house at H19. If either squad has an SMG, send that one first.
Squads in the west: If they can fire on the house at H19, do so. If not, have them both FAST to the wall at E22, just west of the north-south wall, so there is cover between them and the hotel. Do not have one squad shoot and the other run (I’m scared about friendly fire).
Sgt Johnson (the pinned one on the east) CRAWL back down the hill about 20 meters, out of the line of fire.
Eastern squad: fire on the house at H19. If it’s out of sight, don’t move and don’t target it.
@Tim GB3 ORDERS
ATR team: target a 90-degree wedge to the north, far enough to cover any plausible line of sight to the retreating halftrack.
Crusader: move forward if necessary to gain line of sight to the H19 building. Area fire on the H19 building. (Hopefully the crew will choose to engage the halftrack if it continues backing up.)
To my fellow Frenchmen, thanks for the game. I’m sorry that my turn to contribute came either a turn early or a turn late, because that charge was just poorly timed.
Don’t know if it’s worth pressing the attack now with the infantry, or just holding fast. I kind of leave it to you. We got screwed by the guy with the largest force in our pool bailing midway, unfortunately.
To be honest, I think that the infantry charge was more desperately unlucky than poorly managed. Absolutely no need to apologise: in fact, I’m very glad you stepped in when you did!
Thanks to you too Remnant, and I hope we can join forces again sometime in the future.