Open Fire session, FOW bat rep

Our Monday night games club sometimes gets an influx of members, last night was one of them. Because we had planned on FOW we split up into two groups and were forced into using some unpainted miniatures. Chris and I drew the short straw and played a game on a makeshift table with our semi painted Open Fire troops. I played the Germans Grenadiers with two grenadier platoons, three StuGs, and two PaK40s. Chris Played the Brits armoured company, with two platoons of Shermans and a firefly and an american paratrooper force. Because I had lent my camera to Chris' wife the pics are shoddy coming of a Huawei android phone.

We were playing free for all and the set up looked something like this:

Here it is, the grand set up. As WWII photos where black and white
I imagine they grew their grass with similar colour scheme.

The game started with Chris advancing his tanks and troops. Unfortunately he boldly sent one of his tank platoons out in the open, unsuspecting of the impact a few StuGs would have on his Shermans. On my turn I dug in my troops in the trees to keep my objective safe, shot the Americans who moved at the double with my PaKs taking out a team, and best of all... I moved my StuGs through the trees, one bogged down but I the other two, at half rate of fire hit two of his shermans, one bailed and other destroyed. After all this fuss the Brits were a bit unsettled and failed their motivation! Nice.

StuGs showing the Brits how its done. 

Chris was crestfallen, however he carried on (not the person to storm off in a fit of rage).  His turn two consisted of him moving his other Shermans and command shermans into cover as he learn't his lesson, don't put your tanks out in the open! He also moved his paratroopers behind a fence in bullet proof cover. If I remember rightly he managed to shoot one of my grenadier teams this round. Now my turn two, I moved into a building just opposite Chris' paratroopers, did some unsuccessful shooting with my troops and StuGs but pinned down his Americans! Now the question was should I assault, of course! So my troops made a bold move forgetting about his tanks nearby! Oh no, they got shot to pieces, having to fall back before making to the americans and a couple of teams lost, my 2IC sitting out in the open!

After the assault. Things looking more bleak. 

The next turn Chris took some pot shots at me, killing my troops out in the open and kept on trying to destroy my pesky StuGs who were straddling the area terrain for concealment. No success. Being cautious chris kept his tanks and troops in cover just across the road from my grenadiers. My turn involved me leaving my other platoon in the trees they started in and my PaK40s. I probably should have done something with them but was worried about his tanks. Well I shouldn't have because my StuGs managed to destroy his last tank platoon! Whoopee, just his command and Americans left.

Chris next turn was a bit hazy but I recall him leaving his Americans safety in cover and cautiously moving his command tanks into some area terrain. I then moved my StuGs up, one bogging down again and took some shots at his command, destroying his 2IC. Then I moved my grenadiers on the left at the double to try get to his objective!

Then Chris made a bold move and assaulted my StuGs from behind, unable to shoot at him I lost two Stugs as I failed to motivate for counter assault and one was bailed out from some bazooka fire during Chris' shooting phase. Luckily my last one passed their moral check. During my turn my Grenadiers moved up close enough to contest the objective leaving his 2IC the only one to defend this. However I managed to shoot him down and victory was mine!

Contesting the objective. 

All in all a fun game, more so for me than Chris admittedly. However a learning experience. I feel we are getting more of a handle on the rules, although still having to consult the rule book every round for this and that. Assault rules seem the hardest to handle. We both learn't some lessons, Chris more than me, like don't advance your tanks out in the open Chris! Also I shouldn't have put my StuGs in a position to be assaulted from behind and perhaps tried to get the objective earlier.

From the sounds of things Dan lost his game next door to a failed stormtrooper role. I have been painting up my American 2nd (or 3rd) armoured devision. Photos to come in the next couple of days.