RM6.2 part two. Conclusion

Part Two of this game was played on Thursday 18 March 2010.
Players were Palle, Jan, Goeg, Oleg and Tracey

Part one can be found here.
Part three can be found here.

Setting up the tabletop to carry on from last week took time, but was made all the easier by Oleg's pictures and laptop and once we'd gotten everything where it was before, the game could resume. The British, who had spent most of the previous week getting into initial positions, had the first round and their infantry continued to infiltrate the ruins in order to support the advancing armour, most of which was hampered by the narrow roads. The main road was especially difficult as two of Oleg's K4 heavy tanks had moved to control it. Oleg began the game with only one moving tank, but the second K4 soon managed to get its engine going and moved up beside the first (see image below). In the mean time, Palle's tanks were firing on Goeg's K1 light tank as it crawled over the barricade on the southern road. An attempt to shoot it in the belly as it climbed up the barricade failed however and the K1 moved forward undeterred.

Goeg's Uzbek infantry and Tracey's anarchists were already in advantageous positions to cover the southern side of the table, but as the game progressed they moved forward under a steady supporting hail of 20mm AA rounds as Tracey used her truck mounted ShVAK Anti Aircraft gun to suppress Palle's infantry (see image below). Goeg decided the Southern Road was too unhealthy however and moved his K1 into the ruins for cover (see image below).

Trying to place the last British infantryman, Magne wasn't much help

Oleg's elements in the first few rounds (seen from the north)

The Motor-Tachanka tries to take cover from the advancing British armour,
but discovers crumbling walls provide little protection from tank fire (seen from the north)

Palle's Brits, pinned down by a barrage of 20mm anti-aircraft gun fire
(seen from the South)

Goeg takes evasive action (seen from the north)

Tracey's Anarchist vehicles providing cover along the southern road (seen from the south)

It became apparent to the British that their initial plan was flawed so a quick modification was put into play. At the same time, Lt Leftbridge-Smythe's second Mk II medium tank had moved far enough along the donkey track on the northern edge of the table to threaten the Motor-Tachanka which had been hiding in an alley and which then promptly moved into the ruined compound building directly in front of the British tank, to take cover (see image below). This tactic proved ineffective when the British tank began firing through the crumbling wall and the Motor-Tachanka attempted to retreat, but was hit and destroyed by the tank as it re-entered the alley. The Bolshevik vehicle exploded and soon smoke was billowing down wind (see image below). The Sikh rifle section which was supporting the Mk II moved up and lobbing grenades ahead of them attempted to take control of the compound building. In doing so they met some resistance but a classic bayonet duel put an end to that.

In the mean while Oleg's third tank had coughed into life and moved to take up a position at the end of the donkey path. This put Jan's Mk II in line of fire, with only the barrier of smoke from the burning Motor-Tachanka providing cover, so the Mk II moved into the ruins of the Compound building where the smoke was thicker. A supporting Mk VI which had been following the MK II was left on the donkey path whilst the Sikh's advanced.

At the same time, Palle's main armoured units had withdrawn from the central road and moved up to the southern road whilst his British infantry exchanged ineffective small arms fire with Goeg's Uzbek's and Tracey's Anarchists. Tracy had moved up a small assault team, armed with anti-tank landmines and as the tanks approached, she hatched a plan to plant a mine in front of the nearest tank. This plan came to nothing however, and Palle's tanks and supporting infantry defeated the assault group.

Throughout the game, both Oleg and Tracey had poured long range fire onto the British rear and even with decent movement rolls there just never was the chance to move the reserve forces out of way, consequently the British suffered some heavy losses in their rear and Jan lost more than half of his reserve force to Oleg's K4 tanks.

The evening ended with the players deciding to carry on the game to a conclusion, next week.

Since last week, Oleg had adjusted and fine tuned the rules and the game seemed to flow well enough even though the players had to constantly double check the various bonus's and penalties. The game is moving slow, but this is to be expected given the size of the forces employed and the urban combat setting.

Sihks advancing

The Motor-Tachanka burns, providing cover for the advancing Sikh's.
Blue markers indicate grenades (seen from the north)

Tracey's assault group moves forward with anti tank mines,
the white marker indicates they are taking cover to hide (seen from the south)

The massacre of Jan's Sikh reserve (seen from the west)

Oleg's K4 heavy tanks, all in position and threatening to advance. (seen from the North)

Palle moving up the southern road, pauses to defeat Tracey's Anarchist assault group
Goeg's Uzbeks can be seen lurking in the ruins to the right. (Seen from the South)

Part three is set to be played on Thursday 26 March.