Battle Ravens

I think I might grab myself a copy of this new board game from the pen of Dan Mersey. It has had some really good reviews and ticks the Beer and Pretzels box, as well as being illustrated by none other than Peter Dennis. I particularly like the way the board represents a shield wall and the fact that there's some card based game play as well, which is always a good feature as it adds a bit of randomness. I'll just have to save up my pocket money!

Tank on Tank Defenders of the Reich: Kein Durchgang

I played the Kein Durchgang scenario from Defenders of the Reich today but it ended in a very swift victory for the Germans after they knocked out a key objective in Turn 3. The Germans had to blow up the bridge with their engineers or knock out a US self Propelled artillery unit to win the game. The US foolishly advanced the Priest too close to the bridge to get it in range of the German units on the other side, achieving an initial success by eliminating one of the two engineer units in a well placed stonk. However, the Germans advanced their Panzer IV HQ platoon across the bridge and knocked out the US artillery unit at point blank range. Boom! 

Tank on Tank Defenders of the Reich: Hunters

I played one of the scenarios from the Defenders of the Reich supplement yesterday, using the much larger maps that come with the scenario booklet. I deliberately chose a scenario using Map F so that I could find out how the river and bridge terrain worked with the rules. The Germans had to wipe out a unit of infantry and a tank destroyer that had been cut off on the wrong side of the river, while a company of M26 Pershings tried to break through via the bridge to save them. 

It was a good game but the Germans managed to eliminate all of the trapped units, effectively blocking the road across the bridge with a lone Tiger for most of the eight turns. The US tankers broke through in the end but it was too little too late. I really enjoyed this scenario and the larger map, which allows a little more room for manoeuvre, so I've chosen another scenario featuring the bridge map for the next game. I think I need to iron out the creases first though!

Tank on Tank Westfront: Last Stand

I re-played the Last Stand 1945 scenario this afternoon, featuring three Tiger I's, a Panzer IV and a Wespe against seven Shermans and a couple of Wolverines. On paper it should be a walkover for the Tigers due to their range and armour but the US player has the advantage of having two command units and twice the numbers, so it isn't as simple as you might think. In this game, the Tigers got pasted by the Wolverines while the Shermans stayed out of range on the flanks, with only two knocked out by Turn 8 in exchange for all of the German AFV's. A definite victory for the Yanks but good fun all the way.

Tank on Tank Westfront: Break In

I'm on holiday again, so have kicked off with a solo game of Tank on Tank Westfront. I set up Scenario 8: Break In from the main rulebook, with a US armoured spearhead attempting to break through the German defensive front lines to re-supply a surrounded garrison. A scratch German Kampfgruppe had to stop them getting the supplies through while holding on to as many towns as possible.

I won't go through all ten turns in detail but it didn't go well for the Americans, who lost an entire tank company, a SPAT platoon and a couple of Armoured Infantry platoons, while the Germans only lost an AT gun platoon and a couple of Panzer IV platoons. The German AT guns were well sited in improved defensive positions and also rolled some impressively high dice, especially against the Shermans which went up in flames before they could break through the defensive PaK screen.

I enjoyed the game and will run some more over the holiday period including some new scenarios from the Defenders of the Rhine expansion.