"That's how its done Dave!"

Thursday 19th July.

The town in question

                                              Back to seriousness for this week's game after a couple of weeks of not so serious games involving half naked females and weeping angels.This week's foray saw us back in 1940 where us Brit's were taking a bit of a kicking in Northern France.The battle of Cassel was fought as a rearguard action within sight of Dunkirk.

Plenty of garden space

with posters to welcome visitors with

and plenty of rental accommodation.

                                                               Tonight's game was a replay of a game played away back in June by the other members of the Gothenburg Gamers as I had to indulge in that thing called work.I am led to believe that the German commanders were not quite up to the task that evening and fresh blood was brought in,ie me, to achieve victory and make sure history wasn't changed.

Ready for the off.

Officers to the fore.

Hoping to make lesser targets.

                                                 We decided to go for the jugular straight from the start before the Brits could rain down fire on us with their artillery so off we charged light armour to the fore hoping to reveal all the hiding places of the defenders.

Colin's hordes.

A brief flurry from the enemy.

Bypassed pretty quickly.

                                                    The initial artillery fire was sporadic and ineffectual allowing our advance parties the opportunity to flush out any British guns and do away with them.This we did and after a few defensive shots that were ineffectual we started to clear them away one by one.This started the arrival of the puny British armour which would eventually end up as scrap metal although they did do away with some German armour albeit lightly armoured cars.

Watching the skies.

Wata lot of water tower.

Looking confident.

                                                        Colin was steamrolling his way down our right flank and was rolling up Ray's defenders with not too many casualties of his own.My gallant lads were beginning to lose their momentum and decided to call in air support which arrived in the form of a Ju88 bomber.Yes,What could be better?A plane with a better bomb aimer for a start!He missed his target by the proverbial mile.If we were going to win this battle it was going to be done the hard way.

The heavy boys waiting their turn.

The enemy armour arrives.

"That's it games over!"

Maybe not.

                                                  We continued to get up,close and personal and after a few turns we got to bring on some needy reinforcements which we hoped would pave the way for a glorious victory. Bill and Ray's forces dug in hoping to bar our way but Colin's forces got ever nearer the defenders and with a combined effort from his infantry and armour finally got a foothold into one of the defended buildings and also captured a water tower which contained Ray's artillery spotter so that was his support done away with.

The defenders being whittled down.

More German tank fodder.

UP,close and personal.

Somebody having a quiet day.

Well you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs!

New tenants.

                                            On my side it was developing into a stand up gun fight with my armoured cars eventually being overcome by Bill's plucky defenders but my tanks finally put Bill's other armour to flight allowing them a chance to get into the fight to avenge their fallen comrades.Luck also came my way as my mortar hit pay dirt or a bren carrier to be precise and done away with its occupants.Bill's remaining armour done an advance to the rear movement in order to escape from the carnage.
                 

The inevitable grey wave.

Carnage in the British rear.

A mass of field grey.

                   Another great game played in the best of manners although it was easy seen that fresh blood was needed to motivate these gallant lads to victory not like a few weeks ago when it turned into a stalemate.Two of the generals from the previous game have been eliminated due too their incompetence.

Lonely machine gun.

The only fly in our ointment.

Getting ready to head for Dunkirk.

                                      A factual account of the battle can be found at the following link.
http://gbg-international.blogspot.com/2011/01/cassell-26-27-may-1940-2nd-glosters.html
                                                     
                                           See You All When I See You.