Masters 2012- The Irish Guards go to war...

This weekend is the Masters tournament up in Wellington, to which I am lucky enough to have gained an invite to.

The tournament is 1750 late war and after SO MUCH indecision about which army to play, I was ranging between Panzer IV's, Hellcats, Scots, US Paras and Kingtigers, I decided upon this...

Irish Guards Armoured

HQ- 2 Sherman V
Tank Troop- 2 Sherman V, 2 Sherman V Firefly
Tank Troop- 2 Sherman V, 2 Sherman V Firefly
Tank Troop- 2 Sherman V, 2 Sherman V Firefly
Column Platoon
Recce Troop- 4 Stuart V
AA Gun Platoon- 3 Bofors

So, the plan? Well, I have a lot of Shermans. Which I enjoy. I like me my Shermans!

How could you not?

The plan beyond bringing a whole lot of Shermans is to use the superior mobility which I will have over infantry forces, and use the extra maneuver elements which I have over the enemy (4 troops of tanks, rather than 2 or 3)to allow me to dictate the point of battle. By setting up mobile semi-indirect firing firebases, I should be able to leapfrog my shermans up to the objectives.

In saying that, when Operation Market Garden began, the Irish Guards were in the lead. All was well for the first 9 minutes, then all hell broke loose, and in short order, the lead 9 tanks (I think) were knocked out.

So if I lose a lot of Sherman tanks, it is historical!

I managed to get a game in with them last night against Josh, a skilled young player down at the club. He was running 10 Stugs, 4 Panzer IVs, some 105s and a platoon of infantry.

We rolled Surrounded and Josh lost the dice roll, so he was in the middle.

He was feeling a bit bad about being in the middle, especially when I put Semi-Indirect firing 75mms to the rear of his StuGs, but that quickly dissipated as the 5 hits I rolled, he rolled 5 6's to save, then I failed my firepowers! The stuarts and carriers (column platoon) however were off being a nuisance, the stuarts were assaulting infantry, the carriers were assaulting 105mm guns.

JEB would be proud...

Josh's response was to remain stationary and fire, which when it is at Guards in concealment at long range, was not overly effective.

I had placed two troops on one flank with the carriers, with the other troop, the stuarts and the bofors on the other flank. Basic goal was for the stuarts to punch through the infantry, then seek to link up with the shermans behind his StuGs, where AT 7 becomes very very good. I left two troops stationary to duel with his StuGs and Panzer IVs, which with Semi Indirect Firing 17pdrs I was more likely to win (and did so)

In spite of all my moving, Josh remained stationary within his gun duel. He moved panzer IVs to ensure that all of them had shots, or were in concealment, but they were inevitably stationary.

It was only a matter of time before the 17pdrs reaped their toll, as well as 75mm shermans and stuarts to the flanks. The carriers MG'd or assaulted all of the 105's (comical), and the bofors? Well ONE bofors shot ONCE. And it missed. Oh well.

I like the list, but will I like it this weekend?

Who knows.

CP