As part of what has become our regular Monday night lockdown club session, we played a Rapid Fire game involving a US Recon force which had just chased off some German infantry and were holding a farm situated on a strategic crossroad. As the Americans are taking defensive positions, they are threatened by a German counter attack US reinforcements are coming up the road from the North but the Americans face a determined thrust which seeks to retake the crossroads and hold up the American advance.
We were using 1:35th figures and vehicles which we've found are easier to see on camera and although Rapid Fire is designed to be played at battalion level, we took a more skirmish based approach. We also scaled up the ranges by a factor of 1.5.
A ruined farmhouse and shed opposite a blasted house situated at the crossroads.
The Recon force consisted of : HQ with Jeep
1 Rifle Company of 8 figures armed with bazooka.
30 Cal machine gun.
Half track transport.
M8 Armoured Car.
75mm Sherman.
The terrain consisted of some hills to the South East, hedges lined the roads and a few patches of woods offered much needed cover.
As the Germans made their way to their starting positions, the Americans nervously looked up the North road for any sign of reinforcements.
The German force boldly approaches the crossroads. Two half tracks and a lorry push down the right flank. A Panther lurks hull down on the crest of the hill with a commanding view of the crossroads whilst a Panzer IV threatens the left flank. The M8 Armoured Car nervously hugs the hedge at the edge of the Eastern road, whilst the Sherman sits ready to take on the Panzer.
American reinforcements barrel down the Northern road in an attempt to relieve their already hard pressed Recon buddies.
The first German turn saw a decisive thrust on the right, no doubt hoping to get into an advantageous position before the reinforcements could arrive. The Sherman at the crossroads had to decide which armoured threat to face and chose to try and knockout the Panzer before the Panther could intervene.
Unfortunately for the Americans, the Panzer caused heavy damage and the Sherman had to sit there for a turn and hope it would survive a second shot.
The US Reinforcements consisted of : an off table 81mm mortar.
1 Rifle Company with bazooka in a half track.
1 Rifle Company riding on the Sherman.
76mm Sherman.
M36 Jackson.
The Sherman pelted down the road towards the crossroads whilst the M36 pulled up behind a hedge. The half track pulled off left and made it's way towards the farmhouse, hoping it would stay out of sight of the Panther.
It's been said that the Americans don't understand irony-this game was loaded with it! As you will no doubt have guessed, the Panzer rolled two sixes to destroy the Sherman at the crossroads whilst the Panther took a "Well I'll just have a go shot at the half track and destroyed that before it was half way through it's move. Damned Reserve Fire!
So far, for the Americans, this battle seemed to be going along depressingly familiar lines. The German armour carves up American tanks and leaves their infantry to mop up the cowering GIs.
The other Sherman had managed to pull up behind the house and the Rifle Company gratefully scrambled into cover. The Recon half track had pulled back from the hedge in front of the Panzer and made it's way across the road. No doubt the sight of a blazing half track and a mangled bazooka gave them a nasty scare.
The presence of the Panther caused a great deal of consternation as US troops scurried backwards and forwards, repositioning themselves as the tank shells whistled in. Much to the amusement of the Germans.
The German Infantry on the right had not been hanging around and were keen to grab some of the glory for themselves. Debussing from the half track they made their way towards the hedge with the intention of driving off the M8. They were badly shot up by the heavy machine gun, the 30 cal and a round of mortar fire which dropped on them after it had put down smoke in front of the Panther.
It wasn't enough to put them off though and they lined the hedge, called up the two Panzerfausts and got ready to charge.
A bitter hand to hand combat swirled around and through the hedge, resulting in the 30 cal crew being wiped out but the Germans decided to stay this side of the hedge. Two shots from the Panzerfaust bounced off the armoured car which promptly reversed along the hedge, leaving the German Infantry battered and bloody, but in possession of the right flank.
Meanwhile, over on the left, the Sherman peeped cautiously out from behind the building and took revenge on the Panzer IV-leaving it a smoking husk of smouldering metal in the middle of the field.
It was at this point that the evening had to draw to a close and we decided to continue the game the following week. We're all set up for a classic challenge-a Panther commanding the battlefield with a nervous Sherman playing hide and seek! Can the Germans capitalize on their dominance on the right flank? Can the Americans sneak up with a bazooka and knock out that pesky Panther?
With the armoured car and M36 still operational ( for the moment ) the Germans are going to find it a tough job to drive the Americans off and take the farm.
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