Roy and I squared off last night for a quick paced game (6 turns in 4 1/2 hours) of Third RTR in the Rain.

The scenario is set in early war France 40' with the Brits counter attacking an Elite German position.

Roy opted for the Brits and I set up my German force to try and hold at least 3 of the 8 buildings in the center of the board as Roy needs 6 to win. The Germans have 5 Squads, 9-1,8-0, 37L ATG supported by three tanks. The Brits are attacking with 9 squads,9-1,8-0,7-0 and 5 tanks.

I set up the 9-1 two squads with 2 LMGs in the upper level of a wood building over looking the area Roy would cross. On the left I had 2 squads in the woods to keep Roy from pushing through the woods unmolested and attacking from my left flank. ATG was set up Hip behind a wall up front. (A dangerous thing to do but I knew my tanks would not have enough MPs to reach the center of the board on turn one and I didn't want Roy rushing up and getting hull down on the wall.) One squad was set up next to the gun to keep infantry at bay.

Roy chose to attack the right flank seeing that all he needed to do was use his numeric superiority to get his men across the wheat field and in to the town as quick as possible.

Turn one saw his tanks move on to the board holding back to pound the kill stack in the building. His infantry moved forward and I first fired hoping to lay down a wall of resid that would deter them all from moving forward. A few pinned squads and one broke squad later he had advanced a few guys to the outskirts of town and had sent a squad across to pressure the guys in the woods. On my turn I moved the kill stack back and entered my tanks setting them up to cover the gun and the right flank. Unfortunately I could not skulk far enough back as Roy's Dfire found a Critical hit from his Mortar on the building CRing a squad and breaking a half squad and pinning the leader. He also broke a squad in the woods.

Turn 2 the fun starts.

Roy aggressively moves his armor forward to try and encircled the stack in the building hoping to break them and eliminate them for no route but his aggression would be too soon. His first tank finds the ATG which hits and immobilizes the first tank but the crew stays in 2 hexes in front of the gun. His second tank moves up and parks next to the ATG hoping to cut the route path of the infantry and 9-1. His third tank moves up and in bypass in the woods hoping to cut the route path of the broken squad in the woods. His fourth tank moves up direct in front of the ATG behind the wall and fires MGs in bounding for no effect. My Mark III fires HEAT back needing like 4 to hit and it has to be a turret hit. Gets the hit and destroys the tank. His fifth tank moves to the right of the 9-1 building and ESBs to stop and complete the encirclement and rolls eleven immobilizing the tank.

My turn 2 the ATG turns one hex side and fires at the adjacent tank gets a hit with rate and shocks the tank. Feeling it was out for a turn it fires at the immobile tank and hits with rate but does not kill. Crew stays in. Fires again, Hit, Kill, crew dies. Turns back on the shocked tank , fires Critical! Flaming Wreck. 3 tanks down, one immobile. The Mark ii goes after the tank in the woods and the 2 mark IIs move in behind. With the immobile tank sitting adjacent to the building with the 9-1 they decide to try and extricate themselves taking a 24 up 3 shot as they leave and breaking but routing away to fight later. Advancing fire one Mark II malfs a gun.

Hilites of the next few turns are as follows.

Roy making another mad dash around the flank trying to keep the 9-1 Dm'd taking wicked resid shots but managing to get his 9-1 and a squad in to CC to take another building and kill a German squad. Roy trying to back his last mobile tank out of the woods only to blaze from a critical hit from the ATG. The German 9-1 and squad retreat ing even further back to try and find a safe place to Rally. A mark II over running a British Squad trying to steal the western most buildings in the sector.

Now you would think that with all of Roys armor out of the game and the Germans with three active tanks this game should have been done but you can never count out Casagranda till his last man is sucking dirt in the street. Turns 5 and 6 things go to hell for the Germans.

The Germans dizzy with glee at the destruction of the British tanks move in to town to try and lock up the three buildings they are wanting to hold for the win. unfortunatly we all know that street fighting can be very dangerous for tanks. In a stupid blunder I don't realize that I have left a snaky line of sight to one of the Mark IIs from the immobile tank who takes advantage and sends those boys to their doom. Another tank is immobilized on the opposite side of the building from Roys immobile tank by street fighting Brits and unfortunately he is sitting on top of a burning wreck so all his shots are now up 3. Roy shocks the third with a LMG and the leader and a squad make short work of him in CC. Now we both have one immobile tank that are not in the greatest positions to be of value to either one of us.

By now the German 9-1 and 3 squads are holding three buildings and hoping the Brits cant wrestle them out. Roy dodges around the west after the last building he needs survives D fire from the ATG and squad. Moves in to CC with 2 squads and takes the last building he needs.

Know he does something that may just cost him the game. He advances a squad into the street to take out the tank in CC. He misses his roll and the tank takes him out in CC. Now he has only one CX squad defending the building across the street from my last two squads and 9-1. There is a burning wreck for cover and not a lot of squads that can D fire on me so I move forward to try and take back the prize in CC. If I can get both squads and the leader in all I will need is an 8 or less and survive the return and I can pull it out.

First squad advances next to the building . Brit holds his fire. Second squad and leader move one hex forward. and take a six up 3 shot from across the way.

Now here's where ASL kicks in. Its a normal morale check. Leader pins. He's done.

Squad?

HOB goes berzerk!!

Rushes the building but has to take a wicked 20 up 3 shot from the tank on the opposite side and he CR's. Only person left to shoot is the squad in the building and he fires taking down the Remaining berzerker.

Now all I have is the one squad to save the day.

He advances in and wins the ambush!!!!

All I need is a lousy 6 to win the game !!!!!!!

Of course I roll a seven!

Rat Bastard Roy

Awesome scenario and a great contest. Highly recommended. Things can get turned around quick in early war stuff.

Rob Burton