Following on from the success at Petitte Rawnslie, Allied command wanted to push on, however on the outskirts of the village was Church Hill with a concrete observation bunker, which had a commanding view of any troop movement from the village.
This had to be neutralised before any advance could be contemplated, the task fell to Major "We Can't Win This" Bicclesworth's, Pendeforde Pals battalion. Leading the assault would, rather fittingly, be Lt. "Reggie" Rawnsley's platoon.
Because of the terrain it would be slow going for the British attack, the normal six turn of the Bolt Action scenarios would not suffice, so the game would go for three turns up until lunch, then on resuming the game a D6 would be rolled, a 1 would mean starting again at turn two, any other result would mean the game started at turn one again, this result would also determine when the German reinforcement section would arrive. The usual roll for another turn would also be used after turn six.
The attacking force consisted of -
2 Lewis Gun Sections
1 Rifle Grenadier Section
1 Bomber Section
1 Whippet Tank
Fire support would be provided by a MMG in a sustained fire role (not in BA a house rule for this game)
and a "Toffee Apple" Heavy Mortar.
The attack would be proceeded by a Preparatory Bombardment.
Defending would be -
1 section with a captured Lewis Gun
1 section of riflemen
1 MMG
1 Sniper
And an off table SOS artillery bombardment, directed by observers in the bunker on Church Hill.
Reinforcements would be, dependant on the dice throw after lunch for the extra turns, a Storm Battalion section or a normal rifle section.
The British attack proceeded slowly across the churned up wastes of No -Mans Land, meanwhile the Germans took the opportunity to Rally off the pins received from the rather effective bombardment, this is a hell of a lot easier in V2, as you ignore pins and just roll against your Morale value.
The sniper and MMG potted away at the advancing British but did no high impact casualties, meanwhile the British were mounting pins up on the section in the trench, the other German section remained in the church crypt ready to counter any British infiltration.
The pins had mounted up on the section in the trench, it was now time to rally them off, but to late! the British dice came out first and the Whippet had found a gap in the wire from the bombardment and was advancing headlong towards them, would their nerve hold?
Would it hell as like, they scattered to the four winds. This now left the Whippet in a commanding position on the trench line, covering the exit from Church Hill and lending fire to the sections keeping the German MMG and sniper under fire in Shrapnel Villa.
With the final turns approaching it was now do or die, Lt. Rawnsley sent his first section down the trench and into the tunnel to the crypt, where a furious and bloody melee continued until just two Tommies remained, these were then unceremoniously evicted by Lt. Weiss and his assistants, who too were seriously wounded.
By then the second British section appeared, the bombers! these were veteran trench fighters, the Leutnant stood little chance, it is not certain whether he escaped or was bundled down the tunnel a prisoner, either way he has disappeared. Just then reinforcements arrived but not alas Stormtroopers, although they fought bravely for the Fatherland the rifle section was no match for the seasoned British troops.
Despite the negative waves at GHQ another resounding victory for the British, the Big Push can continue.
The fearsome Toffee Apple Mortar failed to get on target, much to the Germans relief.
The brave men of the MMG section hold off the British even when reduced to one man, little did they know the attack was just a feint, such is war.
Another enjoyable game with second edition, the changes are good for the most part, OK, BA is still far from perfect, what game is, and still has its quirks but there is no denying it gives an exciting "game" overall, I think so anyway and that's what matters to me.
TTFN
