Wittman's Wild Ride (no. 1)

Having successfully goaded my son into finishing all of the halftracks necessary for his 7th Armoured Division (Desert Rats) force for Normandy, it was natural to test their staying capacity against the Reich's (or at least Battlefront's) ultimate ubersoldier, Oberststurmfuhrer Michael Wittman. We played the "Wittman's Wild Ride" scenario in the Battlefron Villers-Bocage book. As the book suggests, this scenario is rather one sided. The Germans, with one Tiger ultra-ace and his panzer must obliterate a British force of a reinforced motor company from 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade. The Brits start the battle at tea, and it is down hill all the way (at least this time).

Before the battle: Wittman at lower left approaches the British column on the road to Caen.

The lengthy British column provides many targets for Herr Oberststurmfuhrer.

We'll have tea AND biscuits, thank you.

Herr Wittman lines up for the only real thing that can hurt the Germans, an unsuspecting Sherman Firefly of the somewhat less than elite 4th CLY.
The sheer wonder of an British Motor Company in less than full flood.

The British column looking forward from the rear. Note the recce Stuart tanks in the rear, where they can do little harm (or good).

The last moments of quiet before the Hun attacks.

British forces start the scenario in a bailed out or pinned mode as they wait for the water to boil for the tea. Here the 1st Motor Platoon waits for the tea to brew up, little awarre that they will brew up first.

Angriff! The first Cromwell of the attached 4th CLY platoon is no longer a runner.

By turn two, none of the platoon can do anything but burn. A ROF 3 Tiger is bad news.

The 1st Motor platoon last a full turn as 88 mm tank guns and machine guns cause enough damage to rout the survivors.

Herr Wittman engages the 2nd Motor Platoon, who are even more reluctent given the fates of the forces at the head of the column.

Herr Wittman takes careful aim at the courageous Tommies.

More halftracks burn under the fire of the elite Panzercommander.

British rolls for saves are pretty bad, even for my son.

The 2nd Motor Platoon dispatched, Wittman moves down the road looking for additional targets.

The Lloyd carriers and six pounders of the Anti-tank Platoon provide them. They don't last very long.

Herr Oberststurmfuhrer gingerly moves past the burning British halftracks, trying not to scratch the paint.

With four British platoons anihilated in a mere six turns, the British break and the Germans proclaim a decisive victory.

British forces from the rear of the column are thankful for the march order as they scatter under the approach of Wittman's panzer.