German Heavy Metal Hammers the British

Now I'm not busy with the Hawker Typhoon build, I can post some pictures of our last Kampfgruppe Normandy game which was played way back on Anzac Day.
My opponent the Rajah said he didn't want any artillery in this game apart from AT guns- rats.
The battle showed that fighting through bocage country against Germans lying in wait is very difficult and costly for allied armour in particular. It also demonstrated that I could have been far more aggressive in my use of infantry, with my British sections proving more resilient than expected. It also highlighted why the British relied so heavily on stonks to soften the enemy.
Our troops were brought on over three turns using the escalation concept. After setting up the table we diced for who would get choice of starting position- the Rajah won and chose the end closest to the village, this allowed him to rush his extra recce troops in and establish a firm foothold. By the time the British were getting close enough for an assault the Germans, including their heavy armour were well ensconced in the village.
The Germans did horrendous damage to my armour and my dice rolls for my AT guns & AFVs were shocking. I did manage to blow up a Schwimwagen with my 3" mortar as part of a building collapsed on it. I also managed to wipe out his recce infantry who were holding the garage & occupy the building. Overall it was a victory to the Germans, largely because of the mass destruction they caused to my armour.

Hoping for a KGN game soon with my son fielding his newly raised US force against Rajah's Jerries, & me as umpire/adjudicator.
Here are some pictures from the game, hope you enjoy them.

German End

British End

British Recce Section approaches cautiously

White Scout Car does a recce

Recce Section

Puma rushes towards the village

Looking down the main street

German Recce Schwimwagen

German recce speeds along

Recce section

Scout car finds some cover behind the bocage

Approaching the crossroads

More Germans take position

Crossroads are covered by Pumas

German Squad fords the stream

German recce squad park up & find a position behind hedge

Support arrives, Loyd carrier with 6pdr

British sections move up

British Platoon HQ section

British move up along the hedge line

Taking cover in the bocage

Forward Observers call in some 3" Mortar rounds

Mortar fires....

...and blows up the Schwimwagen.

British bring on extra support

Shermans, 17pdr & more infantry

6pdr covers the road, but the Germans won't come out to play

German 'Eavy Metal prepares to exterminate my tanks

Germans position panzerschreck to cover the approaches

Pumas fall back on the garage to avoid my guns

British occupy the bocage, but nowhere through for their tanks.

Churchill squeezes through on the flank to support the infantry.

British attempt to bring up 17pdrs on either side of the road, here...

...and here.

Germans occupy the old coach house and the garage.

Also the big house on the other side of the crossroads

A standoff until the British decide to break cover and fire shots up the road.

The shermans loose of several shots but none hit their targets. The Firefly is swiftly dealt with. 

The Achilles has a go at the Panther, but the dice are woeful. The Panther's reply takes out the Achilles.

The British sections make a dash for it under a hail of bullets.

One brave British section worked its way from bocage to church and then stormed the garage, and won.

The Shermans attempt a breakthrough into the village up the main road.

Both 17pdrs are deployed with a view up the main road- to no avail. Instead another Sherman goes up in flames...

...and then the last one.

These brave lads took a couple of casualties & became suppressed by the withering fire of German MGs coming from top story window.

At this point we called it a night. Victory to the Germans I'd say, although the Rajah did pick up some quite high morale chits. Tricky stuff that dense bocage country, especially against Germans in a decent defensive situation.

I hope you enjoyed this AAR- give KGN ago if you can, it's great fun.

Cheers,

Jacksarge.