Early War report.
I was able to participate in an Early War Tournament recently at Game Depot in Tempe AZ.
The Tournament was 1500 point Early War, three rounds of Flames of War goodness. Early War is still very much in it's infancy in this area and we could only must 9 players. However we had a great time and we had some great players and some excellent looking armies.
I brought a French Tank force.
HQ 1 H-39
3 x Char-B
4 x Somua S-35
3 x H-39 (1 long, 2 short)
4 x 75mm Artillery
Though I've been painting my French on and off since the Early War release last year this would mark the first time I actually played an Early War game.
Below are a few pictures of the Tables... Sorry I missed one!
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This is the table I provided. the debut of my Train track embankment and new hills. |
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Open table with River and small town |
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Another river and town |
Battle 1 would be Free for All against Tom. While Tom was a newer player to Flames of War he has already played several games of Early War and would prove a challenging opponent.
He would field a German tank company with several platoons of Pz I & II, and a scary platoon of Panzer IIIs. His list also included Stukas and an Infantry platoon.
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French Deployment |
The plan was to rush the right and hold the left... things did not work out as planned.
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Somua plunge into the gap and are caught in a cross fire! |
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On my left the H-39s repel an attack of Panzers I & IIs |
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After two turns of shooting the German armor platoon breaks, leaving the field with only wrecks left behind. |
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Back on the right, the Somua's are taking a beating, they score hits but can't make firepowers. The Panzer IVs heavy fire is telling. |
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Somuas burn and a Stuka claims a Char-B! |
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The Somua remains clutter the railroad gap |
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Char-B's move through... the Panzer I & II cower in fear |
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Meanwhile on the left, my H-39s smell blood and surge into the German deployment area. Assault and push back the German infantry. |
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The Infantry put up a fight but the H-39s are victorious when the Infantry and Panzer IV platoons break
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Meanwhile the Char-Bs roll up on the other objective as the Germans cower behind a hill.
I win 5-2, having lost my Somuas... it was a fun Game. Tom has hot and cold luck, but when he failed a couple of moral checks at the end it was game over for the Germans. However his Stukas were golden, taking out a Char-b, H-39 and a 75mm gun. |
Battle 2
Next up was Hold the Line (old school) on this table. I would be playing Mark Francis and his brand new Polish force of Motor Cav. These Fearless Vet troops were backed up by lots of Tankettes, 7TPs and a couple of platoons of AT guns... Backing all that up was a 75mm battery.
Mark had a good deployment and held the 7TP and a platoon of AT guns in Ambush.
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The table... My side is closest |
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The scene of the battle. The plain large base if the closer objective. Mark defends with a rock hard Fearless Vet Motor platoon and 75mm guns. |
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My deployment... I would rush up the side and charge into the objective as soon as possible. |
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The French Armored wall closes in! |
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While the Polish troops hold fast. |
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Somuas go in first but roll poorly and fail moral to counter attack. |
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Charge! |
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Meanwhile Polish Reserves rush up |
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The Polish defensive line thickens. |
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Char B's go in next, but again fail moral and have to fall back! |
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7TP tanks rush the objective, trying to hit the less armored H-39s... the Char's take them out of the equation. |
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Just prior to last charge (didn't get an end game picture) |
The game ends when my Char B's charge in again. This time I have 2 bog, the last Char tries to troop on but I roll a "1" on my Armor save in close combat and the ATR wielding polish madman puts paid on my last tank!
Loss 2-5
Mark had a great defense and in retrospect I should have lead the assault with the Chars, not the Somuas. But it was a great game against an excellent opponent!
Game 3 would be Breakthrough against Nelson. Another player who has been around a while but this tournament would mark his first real Early war games.
He fielded a German Tank co. Panzer IIIs, Pz (38(t)s and Panzer I and IIs. He also had an engineering platoon.
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Initial deployment |
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With the initial advantage I would charge in with my tanks into his Engineers. |
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We tangle in the buildings |
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A mistake in Nelson's army list gives his Engineer platoon Commander a Panzerfaust... I don't catch it because I'm not that familiar with German lists.
This panzerfaust equipped Platoon commander kills a couple of tanks including a Char. Worst it causes my Char's to break away from the objectives! |
Time is called with Nelson closing on my remaining 75mm guns holding the objective. It didn't look good for my Frenchmen!
2-5 win to Nelson.
I finished with only 9 points but I did pick up best painted!
All in all it was a great tournament against great players! My list wasn't ideal but it was a lot of fun. I look forward to playing more early war games and painting up more of my French.
Until next time!
Jon
Kinda a strange request, but can you give Nelson my email if you see him: Blakehovander@gmail.com and tell him to email me (Blake). I used to play him a lot down at the depot when I was at ASU and since I moved abroad I lost contact with him. I am assuming there is only one Nelson that plays at the Depot, so if you run into him again could you give him that?
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