Re-running the Rat Run

At Jon's request we had another go at the "Lab Rat" game. He was frustrated that he hadn't been able to solve the problem he had been set. I can understand that, even tho' the scenario was structured to trial specific parts of the rules, it seemed only fair to let him have another try.

The first major change to his plans was to keep his artillery together on the left flank, and group his heavy mortars on his right. This would enable him to pin the defenders in the front of the town, whilst he moved up flanking and assault units. Sound plan.

He put his artillery on a hill, with his observer, and opened up on the front of the town.

 Alas for Jon, I immediately drew an off table support card, and called down several salvoes of heavy artillery fire on his guns, silencing them for a moment and giving my fellows some respite.

This is the first time Jon had seen concentrated heavy artillery zero in effectively on a target in the open. He did not find it an enjoyable experience.

Meanwhile, several International Brigade battalions started to turn my right flank.

On the left, Jon's recce unit started to work its way round to the rear.

As the IBs continued their fairly rapid advance, Jon's guns came back into operation, and pinned my troops in the town.

Again, however, I was able to suppress them with my off table guns.

I also caught a battalion in the open.

When the barrage lifted, Jon's guns had taken quite a bit of damage.

Enough of this fooling about. On rolled the armour, complete with infantry support.

It looked kinda menacing from behind my lines.

And then the bombers arrived.

Some of my troops panicked and fled.

Right into the path of Jon's recce unit that machine gunned them mercilessly. One brave section close assaulted and inflicted serious damage, but died in the attempt.

Jon scented victory, and sent his armour column up the road at full speed. 

My plane-panicked troops took some more damage.

A-ha! Tanks in built up areas! Close assault time. At them with petrol bombs and grenades.

One section is unscathed, one takes two hits and the third is destroyed. I'll take that.

More Republican aircraft inconvenience my defences.

Jon was then able to move some of his troops into the rear of the town.

He also overran half of the forward defences too.

He then moved up a Popular Army battalion, and prepared it for a bayonet charge, lifting the barrage in a timely fashion so I could not reorganise.

It was a fierce encounter, and I was forced out of the town sector...

...and got trapped on the river bank.

More Republicans streamed forwards, and I was pretty much out of options.

More Republicans were turning my right flank, and it was all done.

A much better Republican performance than last time out. Concentrating on pinning from the front and with artillery, the single left flanking tactic turned out to be superior to the double envelopment, as it used fewer command resources to execute.

Despite being caught in the open the Republican infantry was much more effective. The only blemish might be the heavy cost in armoured vehicles, all of which took a beating having out run their infantry supports. Which, I have to say, is pretty authentic.

That played in just under 3 hours and got a clear result, so the tempo looks about right. We're getting much quicker at making decisions, and we're making better decisions too, so pleased all round. 

As I've got the webcam on a long cable and it has a quick release dismount from the tripod I was able to give Jon close ups of the table, so he has some good screen shots. His account of the battle is here: Battle for Ebresa