The Road to Thala

 

The game was played at the Dunstable Generals Club on the last bank holiday in may. I played the British, Mark & Roger played the Germans, All the kit on display is from my collection

 

The British in their start positions, Lancers to the left, Lothians to their right.

 

Another shot of the British dispositions. Fujimi Valentines closest, with an MMS example in the background. Crusaders are a mix of HAT and Hasegawa. Daimler is Hasegawa

 

The Leicesters in defence several kilometres to the rear of the tanks. They are supported by the guns of 229 Bty 58th AT Regt RA. The 6pdr is Airfix. The Pheasant is a crude conversion of the Airfix soft plastic 25pdr

 

Leicester's second line

 

12th RHA back-stops the British defences. Airfix 25pdr

 

British tanks await the German onslaught

 

Elements of 7 Panzer Regiment advance. PzKfw-IV is Airfix, the PzKfw-III are Matchbox. The Flammpanzer is masquerading as a IIIL

 

A Coy 10th RB's outpost line is over-run by the Panzers. Marders are re-painted Altya. 2pdr is FAA

 

Although A Coy did no casualties to the Germans, this panzer company was unnerved by the contact and fell back shaken. These Pz-III are Milicast

 

British tanks, exploiting the dodgy German morale, fall back to their second line of defence

 

Schutzen arrive, headed by the StuG of 15 Batterie. Cromwell StuG, Zvesda leIG-18 and Airfix Opels. The Steyr 1500 is of unknown provenance.

 

The Panzers advance over a wide front. As yet the British have failed to kill a single tank.

 

The British await the renewed onslaught

 

The British manage their fist kill, but are still much outnumbered.

 

The StuG leads the Shutzen forward

 

Most of the Lothians have succumbed to German fire by this point. The remaining Lancers fall back on their infantry line

 

Panzers push for the ridge

 

The first Panzers reach the ridgeline, however time is now running out for the Germans

 

II Abt (in the distance burning) realising time is very nearly up, charge through the British lines, and pay the price. Unfortunately for the Axis I Abt continues its patient, and rather slow, advance leaving II Abt to be shot-up by the British AT guns

 

II Abt, 7 Panzer Regiment, makes its move and breaks through the British lines, however it's about to run out of time

 

Shutzen reach the 12th RHA. For a victory the Germans must kill both guns in a single turn, which looks like a tall order.

 

The last British tank makes a wide, looping, counter attack in the dark, heading for the undefended road behind the German advance. The Crusader bumps into Rommel's HQ, and attempts to fill it with holes. Although the Halftrack (Esci) is destroyed Rommel escapes in to the dark

 

 

Despite being a pretty much linear frontal assault the game was very much enjoyed on both sides, there was plenty of manoeuvre, though most of it was retrograde on the British side.

The game was a clear British win, as the Germans ran out of time. The Axis cautiously advanced for the first 8 turns. This gave the British time to disengage and fall fall back to successive defensive lines pretty much unmolested. It also meant there was insufficient time for the Germans to carefully break through the infantry line. Having said that if both German tank battalions had charged at the same time when II Abt attacked through the British infantry they may well have still won. I suspect the game would have had a much different complexion if the German players had been more aggressive.

 

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