IABSM - 'A Canadian VC'

We have noted that three hours on a club night is really not enough time to play a game of I Ain't Been Shot Mum, reckoning that four hours was probably required, we booked the function room at the White Hart for a game yesterday afternoon.

James, Mark and I decided that we would meet at 12:30 for some lunch, then get the table set up and play through to about 6PM.Wayne and Natalie joined us for some lunch, but would not be playing.

We took a little longer over lunch than expected, and then retired upstairs to set up the table for the 'A Canadian VC' scenario from the I Ain't Been Shot Mum rule book and by 14:00 everything was set up and ready to go.

The terrain is laid out and the German Blinds are ready to be placed.

James would take the British, Mark would take the Germans and I would umpire the game and push it along.

Having German blinds on a hill against Canadian troops in the open deployed on a road mean that Mark was pretty much able to spot everything as it entered the game. James elected to change the axis of attack with his initial two platoons (one Armoured and one infantry) and headed across the table.

Sherman Platoon switches the axis of attack

Mark had some good rolls for his reserves and moved up troops to support the thin screen of forces available to him.

As the Sherman troop switches the axis of attack, the Germans move up supports.

The platoon of PzIVH moved from their position on the crossroads to engage the Canadian troops moving up the road, but the shooting was poor and very little was done to stop the attack.

PzIV move out into the open

A lot of pins and a bit of shock but no casualties

Reaching the road, the Sherman platoon attempt to advance, but a blind facing them is revealed to be a Tiger and a Panther. However, due to some terrible shooting and some fantastic saving throws, it takes two long 75mm shots and two 88mm shots before a Sherman is knocked out.

The first Sherman is knocked out

On the other axis of attack, the Canadians engaged the PzIVH with their Sherman troop. The first Sherman shot of the game hit home, and the hit dice rolled - 8 hits!, the PzIVH rolled it's defence and only three saves were made. 'Kaboom' to the Shermans

'Kaboom'

The Tiger and Panther accounted for another Sherman on that flank, taking out the command tank of Captain Redden. The escorting infantry elected to move through the woodland rather than up the road but lost three men to an 88mm shot while crossing the stream. The 2" mortar was quickly deployed and a smoke screen laid.
On the other flank, the final PzIVH was dispatched by the Sherman Firefly and the Canadian infantry started to advance again, clearing the farm in front of them.

Shermans and Infantry push on.

Getting ahead of their infantry support the Shermans on the left flank push up into the village.

Shermans push on.

The same view from the other side of the table.

On the other side the smoke screen has cleared so James elects to do a 'Shoot and Scoot' with his Shermans, he'll have one shot and then bugger off out of sight. The Sherman V shoots at the Panther, it's a hit. Not only that, the 75mm gun throws its eight strike dice and scores five, the Panther rolls its ten defence dice and scores only three; 'Kaboom' again. The Sherman V moves out of the way to give the Firefly a shot at the Tiger, it misses. Everybody shouts, 'Get out of there!' but James elects to take another Aimed shot with the Firefly, 'You fool' we all shout, but he rolls the dice 'DOUBLE SIX!!!!!!' That is fifteen strike dice, the Tiger has a defence of eleven but is still brewed.

Two Shermans vs' a Tiger and a Panther, what could possibly happen?

Oh!

On the other flank, one Sherman is knocked out by a PanzerFaust shot from the building it was blithely driving by and another takes some damage from a PanzerShrek.


It was around now that James elected to use his Heroic Leader card, having had his Sherman V destroyed by a PanzerFaust, I give Captain Redden the opportunity of knocking on the door of that house and ordering the Germans to surrender. I tell him that on an 11 or 12 this will be successful. James rolls a 10, a failure, but I tell Mark to put a point of Shock on the Germans due to the sheer audacity of the man. The next card up activates the Sherman platoon and a round of HE sets fire to the building and the Germans are soon retreating.


Canadian Infantry advancing up the hill towards the objective spring a surprise close assault against a German MG42, working out the dice, the Canadians get one dice, the Germans 14, checking the rules there is no fight, the Canadians automatically fall back with six shock. However, the rest of the Canadian Rifle platoon soon see off the MG42.

After four hours play we called it a wrap but had still not fought to a conclusion, the Germans had a couple of platoons of infantry left, pretty much intact. The Canadians though still have five Shermans (one badly damaged) and their infantry although having taken hits was still in fine fettle. 

The Germans still hold the crossroads and are the winners, but another concerted effort by the Canadians would likely see them pushed back.

Maybe we need even more time to play a game of I Ain't Been Shot Mum

The earlier pictures were all taken by me, here are some photos that James took.

The setup and deployment

Sherman troop supported by a Rifle platoon

Big cats move to defend the left flank

Initial shots are ineffective

But eventually the Shermans start to fall

Canadian infantry cross the hedge line and start to advance

Knocked out Shermans

On the other flank the PzIVH are accounted for

Canadian infantry are caught crossing the stream

Scratch one Panther and one Tiger

This is the work of two Shermans!!!!

German infantry try to stem the advance of the Shermans

Action Shot - turret blown off the Sherman V by a PanzerFaust from the building next to it

Canadians section stumble upon a MG42 nest and rush to the rear, but the machine-gun is soon silenced

Lt. Redden prepares to demand their surrender

At the end of the game