This weekend several members of our gaming group decided to get together and give Fate of a Nation a go. My friend Mark Francis (Bullyboy on the Flames of War forum) had expanded the original lists presented in Fate of a Nation with a few units that were missing. Primarily Jeeps with recoilless Rifles and fortifications and also designed some historical lists for our battle. I would be playing the Israeli and Mark would be the Jordanians.
The Order of Battle was
Israeli
HQ M50 Shermans 85
3 M50s Shermans 230
3 M50s Shermans 230
2 Centurions 350
Full mech Infantry 265
2 Mortar tracks 90
4 recon jeeps, 2 recoilless rifles 125
Ltd Ouragons 200
Jordananians
HQ 2 Pattons 185
3 Pattons 275
3 Pattons 275
2 Pattons 185
Mech Platoon 175
Rifle platoon, 2 trench lines 150
Rifle platoon, 2 trench lines 150
25pdrs 85
4 jeeps, 2 recoilless rifles 95
The Mission was Hold the Line and Mark and his Jordanians would be Defending.
The board on set up was as follows
Jordanian side:
Mark Deployed his trench lines and objectives were placed. The Jordanians had 8 platoons so Mark deployed two Rifle Platoons, one in the trenches and one holding the town.
The rearmost objective is covered by the 25lb Battery and a platoon of 3 M48s waited in Ambush.
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| Jordanian Defenses |
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| Jordanian HQ (Camo) and 2iC tanks wait for the Israelis to arrive. |
Israeli Deployment:
My plan was to rush up my left flank with my M-50s and take the town with my Infantry platoon. The Centurions would overwatch the assault.
The M-50 Shermans presented a challenge, their AT14 main gun doesn't really threaten a Jordanian M48 from the front so the only hope was to close range as fast as I could to get into knife fighting range.
Turn 1
Not surprisingly everything rushed forward save for the Centurions..
Air Arrives and goes after the Company HQ, but only manages to bounce a bomb off the roof of his tank.
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| The Israeli Air force arrives in style. |
In the Assault phase the Israeli infantry dismount from their tracks and start hoofing it to the town.
In the Jordanian turn Mark elects to hold is ambush, the Rifle platoon does open up and kill one of my recon Jeeps. The 25lbs range in on my M-50s but do no damage.
Turn 2:
The M-50s move up and start dishing out hits to the dug in infantry, clearing a good portion of them with fire before assaulting. The Infantry moves into outskirts of the city prepping for an assault next turn.
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| Charge! |
The Jordanian side sees Mark spring his ambush! The M48s appear in the woods! Mark's HQ Tank trundles over to add to the weight of fire. The 25lbs guns smoke the Centurions on the big hill
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| Ambush |
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| The Israeli HQ takes one for the team |
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| Mark wanted to make sure I included this picture |
The Jordanian Ambush catches the Shermans by surprise but only manage to hit one tank. Unfortunately it is the Company Command tank, who promptly fails his Warrior save.... d'oh!
Turn 3
The Jordanian ambush petty much showed up where I thought it would but I still have to deal with it, hopefully before Mark gets more reserves.
The Shermans race into the woods to come to grips with the Jordanians
Israeli shooting is off this turn with only a single M48 Patton dying.
In the town the Jordanian Infantry is roughed up up from LMG fire. The Recoilless rifles on the jeeps proving to be very effective at anti-infantry work.
The assault goes in, pushing the Jordanians back. One of the Jordanian Rifle platoons breaks and runs but the other clings to the objective.
Jordanian Turn 3
No reserves for Mark.
His HQ Tank moves around the woods to provide more defensive fire.
His Tank fire is not very effective but the 25lb guns add some direct fire. 2 M-50s bailed out but none lost.
Mark's Infantry hangs tough, hoping for reinforcements.
Turn 4
The Israeli turn doesn't start out too well, my two m-50s stay doggedly bailed out, to add insult to injury one of my wide track M50s bogs.
I still have enough firepower though, and between the M-50s and the Centurions the remaining two tanks in the Ambushing platoon are destroyed!
The Infantry move up to assault the remaining Jordanian infantry and claim the objective.
Jordanian Turn 4
A good turn for Mark.
re-enforcement arrive! Mark quickly realized that the objective in the town is the most critical action on the board and elects to bring on his Mechanized platoon in M113 transports. They take up a good over watch position that will make any assaults on the objective a lot more difficult. They hammer my infantry but only cause one casualty.
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| Lots of 50. cals! |
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| They cover the objective. |
The HQ Patton takes out an M50, taking me below half. Of course they fail moral and I lose the two bailed out tanks as well.
Turn 5
I manage to unbog by tank and we play peek-a-boo in woods, I manage to take out a M113 but miss the HQ M48.
I move my Centurions up into the city.
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| Centurions take up defensive positions |
I dig in with my infantry knowing that I will be facing even more .50 cal shooting in the immediate future.
Jordanian Turn 5
Mark gets more reserves, this time it's a platoon of 3 Patton tanks. The roll on road to counter my Sherman and the town. Their fire misses it's mark
Mark's M113s continue to tear into the Israeli infantry, causing another casualty.
the 25lb gun bombard my jeeps and manage to pin them.
Turn 6
My M50s pop out again, this time knocking out the Command tank but the wily Jordanian commander passes his Warrior save and jumps to another M48. My M50 stormtrooper back into the woods to avoid return fire.
My Centurions only bail out an M48, but are in a good position if they Jordanians stick around.
Jordanian Turn 6
More M48s arrive, taking aim at my Shermans. A flurry of sixes later sees two of my tanks destroyed!
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| ouch! |
of course I fail moral and the last tank stays to duel with the M48s for a little longer. I'm only down to three tanks now.
The M113s continue to fire on my infantry and the Artillery continues to pin my jeeps!
Turn 7 - 9
The Centurions cut loose, knocking out another M48.
The Jordanian Rifle platoon takes a loss from my AA jeep and fails moral.
The Jordanian HQ Tank and moves further into the city to hold the objective.
Jordanian Jeeps arrive from reserve and start a several turn sweep around my forces to get behind my Infantry platoon.
the Jordanian M48 swing south around the woods to duel with the Centurions, remaining Sherman and Jeeps. After two rounds of shooting, 1 Centurion is dead as well as my last Sherman and my Jeeps! 1 M48 remains on my left flank, but without a command tank it is stuck.
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| Recoiless rifles claim an M48! |
I am down to 3 platoons and I have no Company commander, my Infantry are knocked below half strength with the cursed .50 cal fire of the M113s but pass their morale, keeping me in the game.
The last Centurion goes on a rampage, moving into the town to take on the Jordanian Company Commander.They trade shots but the Centurion prevails!
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| knife fight in a broom closet! |
Jordanians finally dismount from their M113s to launch an assault but miss all their swings, I pull back my fragile infantry. I don't want to take a moral check yet.
Next turn the Centurion moves up and kills the leaderless M48!
The Jordanians are now at 4 lost platoons, one more and it's all over. Both our companies are teetering on the bring of collapse.
Mark's last M48 risks it all to take out my last Centurion
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| Surprise! |
But misses!
The Centurion returns fire to bail the M48.
Sadly I didn't get a picture of the game winning shot. Mark's Jeeps, after having weathered the fire of my infantry finally moved around behind my Infantry only to have a Mortar Bombardment hit them and take them under half strength, they fail their moral and run, leaving the field in the hands of the bloodied but victorious Israelis!
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| the aftermath... a tank graveyard is left behind |
Conclusion:
This was a great game that came down to the wire a couple of times. By using more historically accurate forces the battle was a lot closer and the knife fight was intense. I enjoyed the last Centurion taking care of business.
Thanks to Mark for playing a great game and bringing his table up to the store and letting me augment my Israelis with some of his minis.
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