BatRep: FOW V4 MW

By Tom Mullane

As a teacher, my gaming time is limited due. Spring Break is a time where I try to get games in and catch up with friends in the hobby. This spring, I got to connect with a friend I haven’t had a chance to play a game within a long while and made the most of the opportunity.

Joe and I played four games over the course of the afternoon and evening consisting of one Flames of War MW at 109 pts, and three Team Yankee West Germans Vs West Germans.

We played at Mythicos Games in Succasunna, New Jersey.

FOW – British “Death or Glory + Motor Company” vs. Italians with German support

The armies

I ran 2 Churchills in support, and also brought 4 25 pdrs (not pictured)

Joe brought himself a horde of tiny tanks, some 88s and Lancias, as well as some pricey upgraded German support

Using battle plans, I attacked and he defended in No Retreat.

The Board

On the right flank stood a grove of palms and an imposing rock hill, on the left, more rocks, and a town that provided some cover and obstructions to LOS. I elected to send some distractions to the left and push the main objective on the right. Figuring that killing 2 88s would be no problem….

Joe set himself up and left most of his Italian tanks in reserve along with his Panzer III and IV platoon.

 

As the Game began, my caunter-painted Valentines charged forward, trying to stay clear of the 88s. The Lancia Ambush was ready to drop, and I hoped I could minimize the damage.  I also had taken the “Death or Glory” Command Card, which gave me a 2+ morale test on last stands, something I find makes the formation pretty solid overall.

Start your Engines little tanks…

As Turn one ended, Joe’s 88s have popped one of my valentines, and some ineffective artillery by me has still managed to pin down his heavy guns…they would stay pinned for the next 5 turns.

In turn 2, the Lancia’s popped their ambush right with the 88s, and took their toll on crusaders and valentines alike.  The Churchills hid in the woods, hoping to avoid death at the hands of the 4 AT 14 assets in front of them.

 

During turns 4 and 5, a series of maneuvers put my left flanking force (intended as a distraction) in a position to assault to win the game.  Charging through a minefield they took their chances… and paid the price for the inexperience and lack of skill.

The developing situation…

Last ditch efforts to charge my infantry in, or clear the right objective with tanks met with failure, as the last of his reserves showed up.  I had reduced 5 platoons to taking morale checks over 4 turns, but at no point did Joe fail one of them.

8-1 for Joe and the Italians.

The Team Yankee games were a blur, but here are some shots of the action.  Things Joe learned in his first demos of Team Yankee

#1 – Leo 2s sure are vicious little buggers

#2 – Leo 1s, when fighting smaller vehicles, will tear them apart.

#3 – The Artillery rules in TY are itching to be upgraded to V4.

We had a lot of fun and managed to get in three games in three hours.

Not a bad day of Spring break for me.

If you make it down/up here to Mythicos, they have loaner armies and painted minis too.  Come see these guys for a game, you won’t be disappointed.

 

Thanks for Reading!

Tom “Chairborne” Mullane has been a writer and contributor to No Dice No Glory since its inception and has been playing Flames of War since 2011.  He is a teacher in Brewster, NY and plays regularly around the area.  If you are in Western CT or the Hudson Valley in NY, drop him a line and get a game in.