Thursday 6 February 2014

WWII batrep The Battle of Alam el Halfa 1942



Last Saturday 5 Rejects met up in the Shed for our first ever BigLee game. The game was supposed to be held in December last year, but Lee called it off, as he already had a toenail painting appointment booked up! Its a bit of a long post, but blame Lee for that!
We all picked a name out of the hat, Clint and myself picked the British while Postie and John were the Germans. You can see more on the game on Clint's and Lee's blogs....
Its the 1st September 1942, and the 15th Armored Division has formed up opposite the British positions at Alam el Halfa with the intention of taking the ridge, securing the area as a launching ground for the final stage of Rommel’s encirclement plan. Sketchy intelligence has revealed that somewhere east of their position is the 8th Armoured Division. A large dust cloud can be seen in the distance but as yet it is impossible to tell if this is the advancing British Tanks or just the result of a desert Khamseen.

The British positions at Alam el Halfa are literally "Egypt's Last Hope"; if they fail to hold back Rommel, Egypt will be lost and the whole of the middle-east will be Germany’s for the taking.  


The Umpire for the day
Mummy's little soldier!


The Alam el Halfa ridge


The British 133rd Brigade dig in deep on the right of the ridge.


The British centre


The 15th Panzer Division


Postie moves his mainly Infantry and artillery towards the right hill.
The red markers are casualty markers.


John moves his Panzer IV's toward the centre


We were lucky, Clint had to throw to see when our reinforcements would arrive.
He threw a 1, which meant turn 2.


John's advancing a bit quicker than I thought, so I moved my Matilda's up
from their reserve position.


Fortunately for the Brits the Germans fail to bring in their Air cover unlike us!
But my shot on the Panzer did no damage what so ever....


Clint fired at long range and managed to get a few hits on the advancing Panzers.


Rubbish dice roles followed the Stuka attack on my Deacon's.


The centre was taking a bashing and the Panzers were now up to the mine fields??


On the right Postoie was kicking the crap out of my troops, I'd lost nearly all of my infantry on the lower hill.


Boom! A Pak 40 bites the dust!


I'm not liking the look of this???


An overall shot of the game so far.
All the Germans had to do is take one of the roundel objectives on the 3 hills.


Bang goes a Panzer!


And another!!!


2 more bite the dust. It really started to go our way!!


The Panzer start to cross the minefield, one tank goes up in flames!!


Two Panzers make it over, but one is destroyed by mortar fire.


You can just make out John lone tank rambling up the hill. I took massive casualties but still
forced the tank crew to abandon their tank


Now I know I can't shout, but Lee's head was buried in the book quite some
 time, as his mind kept going blank, after the game he admitted he wished he'd done an easier game
 for his first time umpiring.


Postie started to spread his figures out more as we again won air superiority


More smoke is added to the battlefield as more Panzers are
 destroyed, John's dice were truly awful!!


The glum look of the inevitable!
he he he!!!


Postie even managed to make it up onto the Wall of Shame!!!!!!
Moaning and groaning that "It's not fair"
I'm sure the other Rejects will agree and say its about time Postie 
got a taste of his own medicine!!!


A scene of devastation....


A close up of BigLee's excellent homemade destroyed vehicle markers. 
Top job Lee, they really looked the biz!


While I was battling away in the centre and the right, Clint was doing a great job mopping up our left.
Taking 2 hits himself, lucky they were only Armored vehicles!


Clint's Grant's speed forward down the flank.


A nice close up of Lee's dust clouds,all homemade and 
rather spiffing looking I might add!


Its nearly all over, both sides have taken a hammering.


John assaulted the hill again, but was beaten back once again, with his crew hunkered down inside.


Then a lucky shot, their final real chance of pulling off a victory, goes up in smoke.
As John's Panzer on the hill is destroyed.

And we called the game there, as the German's had no chance of winning, 
Well done to Mr Hadley, t'was a great game, especially for me and Clint!

64 comments:

  1. Brilliant pictures, really love the smoke coloums.

    I have a bunch of FOW fallshirmjaegers lying around, doubt I will get to use them again though...

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    1. He really made a great job on the smoke colums!

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  2. That's another great report Ray, love this table, a 'sand carpet', and the Stuka attack is very impressive...
    Nice job!

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    1. Lee was a bit worried about the Stuka's because they were for later in the war and had cannon attached. I offered to cut them off with a pair of snips.he declined rather forcefully? Don't know why?

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    2. I should point out that the models I used were JU87 G's with cannon. Although they were Army List Legal they are not historically accurate for this period/theatre. I only found this out after I had painted the models and too late to change them for the game. So I substituted the stats for the correct aircraft for the period (JU87 D's) but had to use the wrong models in play. Not a big deal, but worth mentioning in case anyone wondes why I was using the wrong planes.

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    3. Just to clarify you called of the game in December to have your chest waxed!!!

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  3. Here here. A great job by Lee, a little sketchy on the rules but not as bad as he thought he was. Honestly not too bad at all, another game and you'll know them, it was only little things that held it up. A very pleasant day and an excellent report. I may be a little bias as we won but well done to all those involved.

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    1. Thanks Clint...it was getting easier as the day wore on. Next time I'll simplify things and have more time for prep!

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    2. I think he did rather well, and I need to brush up on WWII weapons, because I was completely lost!

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    3. I think he did rather well too.

      As for brushing up on weapons, I don't think you need to I used to be a "Tread Head" so I have had years of Tanks drilled into me! But I know nothing about your lacy shirts and floppy hats brigade.

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  4. Excellent and great pics Ray .
    Cheers .

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  5. Great looking game.10mm?

    Jason.

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    1. 6mm...so on an 8x12' table there is plenty of room for movement!

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  6. Great game report. The table and figures look brilliant.

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  7. Toenail painting appointment. Hahahaha.

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    1. I think I should point out that the real reason the game was cancelled in December was because Ray had double booked. My Toenail Painting appointment wasn't until the following week....

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    2. I think the real reason was Fran was having a a sack and crack!!

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    3. Hahahaha, you guys made me laugh out loud.

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  8. Great batrep mate, glad you enjoyed the game. I'm also glad you didn't get a picture of my face when I had that 'vacant idiot' moment (tounge hanging out, drooling, staring into the void...). It was very hard umpiring a complex game like this when most of the players were complete noob's to the rules. Not your fault of course - mine for being a bit over-ambitious - but a lesson learned for next time.

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    1. I so wish I got a pic of you pulling that gormless face, but I couldn't stop laughing to get the camera out!!

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  9. So rolling a one was a good thing this time? Well done on the win. And like the destroyed vehicles.

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    1. 1's were good for us especially when John kept throwing them!!!

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  10. Nice AAR Ray. The Postie does look a tad like Major General Böttcher to be honest!

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    1. Afraid I had to look Bottcher up?? He does kinds look like Postie, you're right!!

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  11. Great bat-rep even though it seemed at first that you had been "done up like kipper", with the Umpire's cap (feldmutze ?) obviously showing favour to the other side, but the dice gods were not to be trifled with and it all came good in the end.
    Postie's face tells it all really.

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    1. He was definitely pro German.....the Swinehundt!!!!

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  12. Great looking game and Big Lees 6mm kit looks really well.
    Pity about the rules you used though I dont like FOW as too gamey for my tastes

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    1. It was my first game of FOW, it did seem a little complicated? I'm just glad I won't be reffing any of the games!

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  13. love how you made that black smoke!

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  14. Terrific photo-journalism, Ray! Enjoyed it!

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  15. So Ray, did you jump for joy and shout " Rommel, you sonnuva bitch, I read your book!" 8^)

    Fritz

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  16. Great report,Ray. The models are very well done, but the brewed up tank markers and dust plumes really enhance them even further. The carnage is really evident in the final photos with all the black plumes marking wrecked vics. Beautiful looking game!

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    1. I was really pleased with how some of the pics came out. I think the smoke markers really make the game!

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  17. Great AAR; a fantastic game table and models. The dust and smoke effects is really nice!

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  18. Nice AAR Ray - looks like you and Clint had a fun day :)

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  19. Great report! And thanks for the info on Hamerhead I think you were right about him, but will need to re-watch that scene ;-)

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  20. It's been said, but the smoke there is awesome. Looks like fuin!

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  21. Great. Looking fame for such teensy minis. And the smoke trails are fab. Are they held by wire under the bases?

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    1. Yep. I made them using an opened paperclip with clump foliage superglued on. Then dip the whole thing in PVA/White glue and allow to dry. The end result is hard as nails and ready to paint.

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  22. This is so amazing! The detail is very great.

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

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  23. All the models look great, but it's true Lee's home made smoke and dust markers have that special something that really adds a super touch of realism to the table.

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  24. Looks like a lot of fun. Keep it up, gents.

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  25. Great looking game; awesome smoke and damage markers! The desert really was ideal for Rommel's tactics wasn't it. Best, Dean

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  26. Not a lot of places to hide didn't help!!

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  27. What a great looking slaughter. All of Lee's painting and custom made bits really make this AAR shine. Nicely done and thanks for sharing, Ray!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the batrep Monty, Lee made a great job on the custom markers!

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  28. Great looking game. It's really nice to see Lee's project come together, those smoke and dust markers are very nice.

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  29. Very cool write up and battle... no idea why I haven't been seeing your blog in my blogroll lately.. missing all the "great" stuff going on here ;)

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    1. This seems to be happening all over blogger, come to think of it, I don't think I've seen your blog up on my blogroll for a while either???

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  30. 'Wall of Shame'? - what an absolutely bloody brilliant idea for regular gaming groups! I love it!

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    1. Yep, we've all managed to get ourselves up there at some time or another!

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