1944 Falaise Gap - FoBASM

It's been a while since I have posted, I have been studying part-time while working full-time so blogging time has been short.

I am playing a house ruled version of FoW that I am calling Flames of Bolt Action Shot Mum (FoBASM). The basic premise is that I like playing games that have reinforced companies or several companies, let's say about the forces a battalion commander would commit to a battle. I think FoW has good core mechanics that are simple, streamlined and fun. But I don't like the lack of battlefield friction and all the wonkiness with special rules and their army lists. I really like the blinds system and the command and control system of IABSM, and the ability in Bolt Action to decide which platoon to activate with the colored dice. So I have taken what I like from the three systems and merged them into a game that I think works quite well for what I want.

This scenario is loosely based on a Canadian armored regiment with supporting infantry, and artillery assets assaulting a set of towns in an attempt to close the Falaise Gap from the North. The Germans had an understrength company of SS Hitler Youth supported by platoon of Panthers trying to hold back the tide of the Canadian advance.

The Canadians advanced along the narrow edge from the West, they had to capture at least one of the first hamlets, either the Northern or Southern one and continue to capture the crossroads at the town with the Church at the far end of the table.

Miniatures are 15mm.

The battle from the Canadian perspective, the Canadians need to capture the crossroads on the far end of the table



The Germans deploy to defend the first two hamlets.



Canadian armor advances through wheatfields towards the Northern hamlet

Churchills advance towards the Southern hamlet

The Germans move up their Panther reserves towards the Northern hamlet to counter the Canadian Shermans.

Canadian rifles stalking their way through the wheat fields ready to assault the Northern hamlet.

Either the dug in SS were surprised or the Canadians very lucky as they assault and capture the Northern hamlet. The Canadians lost most of their platoon but captured their first objective.

The Canadians now shift the axis of their attack towards the Southern hamlet.

The German platoon defending the Southern hamlet opens up on the Canadian rifle platoon trying to replicate the success in the North.



The Canadian Shermans pour fire into the German defenders but cause no casualties against the dug in veterans. 



Unlike the first assault, the Canadian rifles attacking the Southern hamlet get mowed down by MG fire.

Canadians moving through the center and the Northern hamlet take out a Pak 40 one the hill and continue to advance.

The Panthers finally get into action and move around the Canadian flank. The Canadians call in an artillery strike and manage to knock out one Panther.

The remaining two Panthers tear apart two platoons of Shermans from the flank. Things aren't looking good for the Canadians.

In the final turn of the game, the Churchills and the last platoon of Shermans assault and breakthrough the Southern hamlet. The Panthers are once again caught by artillery and some unlucky rolls knocks out them both out. With the road to the crossroads clear, and their Panthers knocked out, the Germans have little left to fight with and we call the game for the Canadians. Albeit it was mostly a Pyrrhic victory as the Canadians lost their HQ almost all of their Shermans, and two platoons worth of infantry.