The Fat Tanker 3: Burning Ring of Fire

1942 began with a light terrain battle in Durham Wargames Group's Western Desert campaign.  The British were favourites for this first leg, two crusaders and three Valentines versus two Italian M13/40s and two Panzer IIs.

Bumfluff was unduly valiant in choosing the Crusader II.  Well it was the cheapest model I could source.  We diced for Scenario and once again it was fat boy.  Did the dice know something I didn`t? 

Those low rises didn`t provide much cover, but there were a lot of them, and the Allied Commander's plan was to push the two fast tanks onto the left flank and hold the Valentines back to shoot.

In retrospect the Valentine's armour meant that they could absorb punishment the Crusader's couldn`t, but we stuck with the plan and Bumfluff with his pal Dundas motored their Crusaders up the blue towards the Axis.


With our senior officer on the far right Dundas and I were left to it, and to be honest it didn`t go well.  Not that either of us would get unduly snippy with our senior officer would we!  Honest!  

Today's battlefield.

Bumfluff's tank, sporting dark wave and wheel camouflage goes hull down

Literally my view of the other side of the table.  I find that I become myopic, focused on the immediate danger.

Dundas comes to a sticky end, bailing out.

Bumfluff goes forward using that "fast."

Across the table the Valentines use a formation!

Bumfluff gets his rear end shot up by Bad Alphonse in his M13/40, loads of temporary damage accruing. 

Bumfluff reverses into his own dust!  Fat tanker tactics 101, but too late he is brewed up, not by Bad Alphonse but by that goal moocher "Ace" Rimmer.  Our fat hero is last seen running for his life with his turret ring on fire... Makes a chap downright snippy!

The three Valentines in formation, all picking on a single Pz II, whilst Bumfluff's Crusader took on two Axis tanks to himself...

"Ace" Rimmer motors across the table, having killed Bumfluff`s tank he now sets his sights on a Valentine...

A duel with the two Axis tanks on the flank begins.

 

Rimmer's tactics seem to be fire and lots of movement.
But too late for the Axis they are reduced to 2:1, and withdraw from the table...

At least I think that's what happened.  my myopic view of the battle was quite limited.  Poor Dundas, ended up bailing.  Bumfluff meanwhile had his tank explode, and was last seen running through the sand dunes with his turret ring on fire!...  a fraught little game... best described as a snippy situation...