Below you will find the second in a series of articles from Brett Dedrick featuring a playthrough of Panzer Expansion #4 Scenario #37: Delaying Action at Ernage. Part 1 can be found here. Enjoy!

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Turn #2

The graveyards are full of indispensable men.

General Charles De Gaulle

Spotting 

No one is spotted due to the -3 limited spotting. 

Command Phase 

The Germans give Fire commands to all their smoke firing units. 

All French units have Overwatch commands excepts for the southern most H-35s and the Command tank/S-35 stack which have move commands. 

German Comment: Hopefully all of the Vehicles that are firing will make their smoke rolls (which is called Ammo Limits in the rules) They need to roll a 6< (6 or less). Page 11 of 61 

French Comment: I decided to move the Southern most H-35 tanks because they’re soooo slow. I need to get them into battle before the Germans just outrun them. 

“Sergeant Henri, radio the tanks and have them move up. I have a feeling Le Boche are close.” 

“Uhmm Captain?” 

“Is there a problem Sergeant?” 

“Our tanks don’t have radios, do they?” 

“Ah crap, I forgot…who’d like to run a mile and go get the tanks?” 

Initiative Phase 

German Roll – 90 +20 = 110 

French Roll – 69 

German wins and will Fire first and Move second. 

1st Air Phase 

None. 

Combat Phase 

Normally, in Combat, you fire Indirect Fire first then Direct Fire. However, in this game neither side has Artillery. 

“Sergeant, before you run to get the tanks, I want you to call the nearest Artillery unit. I want to make sure they are ready to support us.” 

“Uhmm Captain?” 

“What is it now Sergeant?” 

“I think the Artillery units are with the Infantry.” 

“So?” 

“We don’t have any infantry.” 

“Mon Dieu!” 

Note 1: If you look at the data card for the French CA37 you’ll notice that at the top of the card there is an A:6. This means that in order to fire any shot they have to first make an Ammo Roll of <= 6. If they fail the roll they can still fire but take a -3 to AP attacks and -10 to GP Attacks.

Designer’s Note from Jim Day: The ammo limits for towed guns is actually slightly different. These units have unlimited basic ammo as long as their transporting vehicle unit is within 1 hex of the towed unit or leg crew served weapon, or the towed unit or leg crew-served weapon was placed on the mapboard at the start of the scenario, in which case there is a nearby ammo dump in the same hex. The French guns did not need to roll for ammo limits.

Note 2: The French can see the German tanks as they fire because even though the Spotting is at -3 due to conditions, there is also a +3 because they fired. Also Note that the French CA37 ATG is a Quick Firing Gun (as noted on the Data Card with a RoF: Q). When a Quick firing gun rolls low enough it gets n automatic 2nd hit which can be against the same unit or a different one within command range. This is one advantage that most ATG guns have over tanks. They can get multiple hits. Most tanks don’t have Quick or Fast firing guns. 

Are you sure they can’t see us Oberleutnant?” 

“Of course not, look at all of this ground fog we’re completely hidden. Now Fire the damn smoke!” 

The last words of Oberleutnant Hans Schneider before his tank blew up.

German Comment: Dammit, I thought I was out of LOS. 

French Comment: If I keep rolling that well, this will be a short game. 

Ed. Note: The German player thought he was immune to OW fire because of the -3 spotting but neglected to consider that his firing would negate that, and he paid the price. However, I would like to point out that the French player rolled exceptionally well. 

Movement Phase 

The French will move the Command tank and S-35 stack two hexes (the speed of the slowest tanks, the command H-35) onto the paved road. 

French Note: I probably should have started them on the road, but I wanted them to be able to quickly move south if needed. 

Next, the H-35s in the south will move. 

First, since all 4 tanks are in Woods, they must roll Bog rolls to leave. 

French Comment – I got lucky on the Bog roles. This early in the war, pirate rules are in effect (“those that fall behind get left behind”). 

Ed. Note: What the French player means is that if a unit falls behind a stack sometimes you won’t have enough commands to activate the unit. 

Now the Germans get to move. They start with moving 3 regular Halftracks (SPW 251/1) along with a 37 mm armed Halftrack (SPW 251/10) loaded up with a Rifle squad a piece, up the road through the smoke screen. They are spotted (it’s a -3 because of the limited spotting and a +2 for Moving, or a -1 which means you can spot out to 10 hexes). 

So CA 37 #2 will OW fire on the 37mm armed Halftrack. 

The Rest of the German Halftracks and Trucks loaded up with Infantry complete their move. Note that all of them are in smoke hexes. 

Overall Map after turn 2 movement. 

French Comment: I’m not firing the H-35s in hex 27K1 because they’d all need a 01 to hit. 

Ed. Note: I’d still do it. In Panzer, unlike some other tactical games, your guns never break down so you might as well try. You might get lucky and the French have been rolling well all game. 

2nd Air Phase 

None. 

Adjustment Phase 

Only the H-35s in Hex 27K1 need to adjust their turrets. 

All the smoke is still there but now changes to off. It will disappear in next turn’s adjustment phase. 

German Note: Other than his lucky ATG shots, everything went according to plan. My halftracks are in smoke and able to unload their passengers close to the ATGs so they can either assault them or massively fire on them, then assault. Those S-35s scare me though. I’ll have to wait and see what he does with them. My fear is I’ll unload my infantry and he’ll then overrun them. 

French Note: Good turn. Next turn my vaunted S-35s will tear into the oncoming Germans and he has no tanks that can really damage them. 

Ed. Note – I agree that it was a good turn for the French however, I would like to point out that the Germans are positioned pretty well…as long as they can stay in smoke. 

Next Week: Scenario #37 Replay Turn 3

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Previous Article: Panzer Expansion #4 Scenario #37 Replay Part 1 — Introduction and Turn 1