AAR - Late War - 9th Armoured Rifles vs SS-Westfalen - Encounter

Hi All, It's been a while since myself and Adam have played a game. With Adam looking for GT practice for his SS Westfalan and myself having just finished adding some options to turn my MW Armoured Rifles into a LW list; it seemed like the perfect time to have a game. I turned up at Adams and we rolled up encounter... we'll be honest we are not fans of Encounter so we quickly had a chat. We decided to play it as we rolled it up and Adam may have to play it at the tournament, but we added the gentleman's agreement that we would both attack from the start (nothing worst than spending 4 or 5 turns with two infantry armies just sitting there!). So with that we rolled off to see who the attack would be.  Note:- I forgot my Artillery and Dead Infantry markers, so if it makes the game harder to follow, I'm sorry and promise to remember them for next time.

US 9th Armor Armoured Rifles Company HQ + AA MG Full US Armored Rifle Platoon Full US Armored Rifle Platoon Cav Recon + Stuart Super Pershing 3 Easy Eights + 1 Jumbo 4 105mm Artillery

SS-Westfalen HQ + 2 Schrecks + 4 Trap Teams Full SS Platoon + Faust Full SS Platoon + Faust 2 HMG's 2 Mortars Short Scouts 2 King Tigers (RV) -For the Fatherland 2 Panzer III N's and 2 Panzer IV's 3 Pak 40's (RT) 3 FlaK 43's (RT)

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT

The Sherman Platoon covers the left objective.

The 105's the middle.

The Super Pershing on the right.

The King Tigers on the German Right.

The German middle with the Pak40 Artillery and the first infantry platoon.

The German left with the second infantry platoon.

UNITS IN RESERVE
US 9th Armor Armoured Rifles Company Armoured Rifle Platoon Armoured Rifle Platoon Cav Recon	SS-Westfalen 2 Panzer III's & 2 Panzer IV's 2 Mortars 3 Flak 43's Scouts

 TURN 1

I won the dice off and started being aggressive. The Sherman Platoon
advanced using the Wheat Field as cover.

Without a AT threat the Super Pershing moves into the open.

In Adam's turn the King Tigers have a pot shot at the Sherman's but the
only hit is bounced by the Jumbo.

The Infantry advance to cover the flanks of the KT's.

The other infantry platoon also rushes ahead., I forgot how aggressive a
player Adam can be!

TURN 2

The Pershing moves up and takes a few pot shots at the infantry killing a
base.

The Shermans move up to engage the infantry.

But when the 105's fail to range in on the King Tigers they have to direct
smoke at the King Tigers instead.

Adam deploys three trap teams, one on the left of the Sherman's...

...one on the right...

...and the third one goes Pershing Hunting.

The King Tiger moves out of the smoke.

While the far infantry platoon keeps on advancing.

The first two trap teams miss, but the last one destroys an Easy Eight.

The King Tigers score two hits, the first is bounced by the Jumbo, but the
second one destroys a second Easy Eight.

TURN 3

My first reserves turn up with an Armoured Rifle platoon on the right flank.

The Sherman's fall back and shot the Infantry causing no damage.

This time the 105's are able to smoke the KT's covering the Sherman's as
they fall back.

In Adam's turn Panzer's turn up.

The Infantry keeps on coming.

Adam moves one of the trap teams up behind the Shermans.

As does the other infantry platoon.

The Trap team bails the Easy Eight, but they pass the moral check.

TURN 4

The Armoured Rifle's go Trap Team Hunting.

The Super Pershing comes over to the left to attack the infantry in the
woods.

The Shermans also add their firepower to the inferno but neither them or the
Super Pershing cause any damage.

The 105's smoke the King Tigers again.

The Armoured Rifles remove the Trap Team.

The 2IC who I had forgotten about in the far wood goes and attacks the
Trap Team

Killing him.

Looking for revenge the SS infantry chase the 2IC!

The Panzers zoom up to help the Infantry. 

The King Tigers keep going for the Shermans. Adam risks it a bit, one
failed Storm Trooper or if the shooting is ineffective the KT's could be
in trouble. 

The German artillery ranges in on the Armoured rifles bailing one.

The KT's miss the Shermans and fail their storm trooper roll but the SS
infantry charge and kill the 2IC... things are not looking good.

TURN 5

But the Calvary arrives! I pass both reserve rolls. The second Armoured
Rifle come on the flank of the King Tigers.

The Shermans move up to flank the King Tigers, between the Bazookas and
the Shermans but only bail one.

The Super Pershing has a pot shot at the Panzers but misses.

The Cav Recon moves up and attack the infantry

They pin the SS and kill one team.

\The Armoured Rifles fail their tank terror test, I thought I missed my
chance and would see the KT run off.

But Adam fails his 2+ test to remount!

Adams scouts turn up and hide in a wood

The Mortars also turn up.

The other KT bails both Shermans who then fail their platoon moral test.

Adam deploys his last team team but he fails to hit. I forgot to photo the
Panzer III's and Iv's move up and shot the Armour Rifles for no effect. 

TURN 6

The Armoured Rifles surround the King Tigers.

The Super Pershing move up and destroys the Platoon commander of the
Panzers. Man AT 16 is nice in an Allied army!

After having all the Bazookas saves the Armoured Rifles fail their Tank
Terror test again!

But Adam also fails his remounting test again!

The mobile King Tiger falls back.

The SS Infantry comes out swing at the armoured rifles killing 4 bases and
pinning the platoon.

The Panzers move around thanks to the 1IC and shot the Armoured Rifles.

Destroying one transport.

Causing the infantry to dismount under fire.

The Board at the end of Turn 6.

TURN 7

The Armoured Rifles unpin and the 1IC joins in to help them with tank terror.

The Cav Recon keeps up the pressure on the German Infantry on my left
flank.

Killing two bases.

The Super Pershing bails two Panzers

And then the Armoured Rifle Bazookas destroy the active one.

And here is were the game was won. I was struggling for targets for the 105
artillery I decide to have a pop at the KT hoping to bail it so I could charge
the platoon. Well I didn't bail it I destroyed it! Breaking the platoon.

After that my Armoured Rifles charge the Panzers capturing the two bailed
ones destroying that platoon.

With that Adam went all out to try and turn the game back in his favour.

The Infantry move up and take a few pot shots at the Armoured Rifles
failing to cause any damage.

The Trap Team fails his tank terror test.

As does the SS infantry and with that Adam calls the game.

5-2 to Ben's Armoured Rifles The was a fun game! Adam and myself had some bad moral dice rolls but I can't complain about my luck with the 105mm taking out the last Tiger II! I will be honest the lack of an AOP really hurt me but I'm not sure what to drop to get the points for it. Adam is very good at being aggressive with infantry (something he learnt from using his British Paras) and that caught me off guard for a turn or two.  I did make a mistake and should have deployed one or maybe both Armoured Rifle platoon, They did act as good sweepers in the end so I'm not sure it was a massive mistake but still it work even if I was hanging on by my finger nails on turn 4. I look forward to more games with the 9th Armoured Rifles. It's not the best list but it has a few fun things I want to try out and it can hold its own, but I do need to get that AOP in somehow... Thanks for reading  Ben

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