Securing the keys

This time Terry chose to use this staff car

So, this time it was my turn to raise up against the British government and fight for freedom, liberty and a hard boil egg, or something like that. Having no models suitable for representing the 5th column I borrowed the forces that Terry had used in the previous games.

This saw me taking two squads of ten columnists, four smaller squads, with six in each and a few support weapons including an anti-tank gun. A couple of officers and a spy rounded off the force. In the first scenario, despite my German forces being fended off, the Abwer Agent had been able to slip off into the undergrowth and Terry and I both agreed that it would be the perfect scenario to bring the agent back and he was now dressed as a shapely young lady who's taken the officer's fancy. 

Turn 1:

Hello.
The insurrection begins.

Getting the first dice of the game, I bought on my first six-man squad on the North East side of the board, towards one of Terry's units. Terry's forces were deployed similarly to how I had deployed the week earlier and so I decided to bring on my forces from the north. My Columnist opened fire at Terry, causing a pin marker. Not bad, that I only had 2/3 shots (It was dependant of if the man with the pistol was within range) and they were inexperienced rabble rousers

I had the next few dice, and bought on 3 more of the six men squads and deployed them in the North East and North West of the board edges. 

Terry received his first dice of the game and activated the squad who had gained a pin marker. They easily passed their order test and charged in the squad who had shot at them. It was a grim affair and my squad was quickly wiped out. Though this was a blow for my plan, I had a new idea that the 5th Columnists had been given orders from their German "Allies" no surrender and so I hadn't lost men, they were all martyrs to the cause. 

Nothing to see here.

I then gained another dice and began to send a squad down the side of the building in a nice and stealthy manner. Meanwhile, alerted to the presence of the enemy Terry opened fire with his MMG and wipped out three of the columnists from one of the squads, who were able to pass their morale check, much to my disbelief. 

The Abwer Agent slunk on to the battlefield, knowing that the forces were arriving from the north, he arrived in from the south and hid in a forest. Claiming he was nothing more than a local poacher, as a squad ran by. 

Terry moved the staff car forward so that the Smith Gun had a better line of sight over the square and then charged the angry ladies and wiped them out in a single round of combat. My light mortar tried to drop a shell on the sqaud patrolling the centre of the board and missed. This action, saw them become the target of that squad who charged in, and the mortar was no more. 

As the turn came to an end, and the last few dice for the pair of us came out. I repeated Terry's trick from the previous week and bought on two units of columnists. One squad was able to kill one of the hasty Home Guard voluneters and the other shot at a squad of Home Guard and killed two. As they were green, we checked to see what would happen, and they decided that they were not as inexperienced as they thought and were now treating as regulars. 

Turn 2:

Turn 2 began with the first dice being mine and one of the Big Squads charged forward, and attacked the Hasty Volunteers in combat and wiped them out, before consolidating 5inches towards the objective. 

Terry, spotting this squad advancing forward, aimed the Smith Gun at them, but the shot missed and exploded against the side of a building. Terry then unleashed the MMG at the same target again, and another one of their number was cut down.

My other big squad advanced forward and charged the Home Guard squad. They were able to kill four, with Terry killing three in return. The Home Guard squad was wiped out. Meanwhile, in the centre of the board, one of my six men squads made a dash for it and was now in contact with the building the officer was busy keeping his young "Lady" entertained. 

Forward

The two men, left after getting to close to the MMG, tried to charge in and fight it in combat but decided that hiding would be the best course. Meanwhile the Abwer Agent moved into view, as he crept into a field. He was risking a lot, but he knew it would be time to contact his colleague. 

Terry ran his squad into the edge of the square, hoping to kill the squad who were so near the keys. Meanwhile, my officer and his men took a pot shot at the squad in the North-East and killed two of them. Bellowing orders at the nearby squad, they charged in and wipd out the remains of the squad in combat. 

As the turn came to an end, Terry's officer caused a pin on one of the bigger squads, and in return my Anti-Tank rifle completely missed the officer. No matter, as it was time for me to make my move. The Abwer Agent revealed that she was a he, and cut down Terry's officer in the prime of his life. The keys were now mine, now I just had to escape off the board with them. 

Turn 3:

This was going to be a vital turn, and so I needed to get everything right. I was lucky enough to pull the first dice. Excellent, activating one of the bigger Columnist squads they were going to move and reinforce the men with the keys. 

Things don't go so well. 

Except, they had a pin marker on, and I failed the order test. Not good.

  Terry then got the next couple of dice. He charged the squad that had just decided to find out what tarmac had been used for the road. We both killed 2 each, and so another round of combat was fought. I killed another four of Terry's men, but he killed five in return. He had won the combat, and consolidated forward 5inches.

Meanwhile, in the north, Terry charged one of the six men squads, who shot as he came in, and gave them a pin marker. Terry, caused four wounds, ouch, and I was unable to cause any wounds and another squad had died for the cause. I then charged in another six-man squad hoping to do some damage. We both caused four wounds, and Terry was then able to gain the upped hand by wiping the squad out in the next round of combat. What was that about the turn needing to go perfectly.

On the other side of the board the last 2 men, passed their morale check and charged the MMG. They were able to kill one of the team, before being wiped out. 

However, the German Abwer Agents were not concerned about the Fifth Columnist, they needed to get the keys out of the building and off to the German Command base. The problem was, Terry had a squad in the way. The Agent in the field, opened fired with his SMG and put a pin on the last two men of the squad. 

I've got them, now run. 

And in a somewhat foolish move, the Abwer Agent with they keys charged into combat with these two men. Killing one of them. Terry only had to inflict a wound, and he would have the keys, and killed my Abwer Agent. 

The dice did not go in his favour and he missed. Thank goodness for Abwer Agents being veterans, or as the narrative would have it, the man fumbled as a man-man, dressed in an evening dress, came charging out. My Abwer Agent then consolidated 4inches. 

Terry then spun his Smith gun and opened fire at the nearby officer and his men. All three men were hit, but the officer stepped forward, unscratched. In response, I targeted Terry's officer with the Anti-Tank Rifle and killed him with a single shot. 

As the turn came to an end, Terry retreated the staff car backwards, and I moved the last of my six men squads into the centre of the board. I still had the keys, and so this turn was a sucess just not how I had planned it. 

Turn 4:

Terry got the first dice and, after passing his order test, ran the rest of his troopers into the Staff Car. The engines were revering and somebody began to hum a chase tune. The chase was on as the Staff Car set off in pursuit of the keys. 

The chase is on. 

In response the Abwer Agents nodded in agreement, and both fled towards the board edge and the win. It was close, but even with a 12inch run, they were not able to make it this turn. 

Meanwhile, the remaining Fith Columnist unit, braving a hail of Machine Gun fire charged in against Terry's MMG and wiped them out in a single round of combat. There was a bunch of manoeuvering by the remainder of the 5th Columnist forces with the Anti-Tank rifle, seeing the Staff Car, moved into a better position to take a pot shot the following turn. 

Turn 5:

This was it, the keys were mine and my agents were close to the board. All I needed was the first dice out of the bag, and I would be able to escape. I reached in and pulled out....

And they make their escape.

One of Terry's. Not what I wanted. Terry used this dice to move the staff car close to the escaping Abwer Agents. I reached into the bag and pulled out a dice. It was mine. I did think about using the perfectly positioned Anti-Tank rifle to take out the staff car. It would a beautiful narrative thing to do, but knowing my look, the men inside would survive, Terry would get the next dice and shoot the Abwer Agents down.

So I legged the Abwer Agent with the keys of the board and won the game. 

That was a fun game, with a very good narrative feel, that came from the scenario. Though, I wouldn't be in a hurry to use the fifth columnist again any time soon. I was glad that I was able to use them for the greater good of the German invasion. I had escaped with the keys, and when Terry decided to give chase with the last few surviours of his squad in the staff car, it truly became a game from the movies.

This gave me another 13 campaign points and so after three games the scores are.

Terry 32, David 26.

Until the next game.

5th Column Raid

After two scenarios with the Germans trying to land on the beaches of Kent, this next scenario, the third in the Operation Sealion book, takes us as the 5th column rise up and try and steal the keys to the local armoury from under the keys of the local Home Guard officer who was busy with his lover.

Possibly my fav board to play on. 

Terry had arranged a lovely looking table, and I brought my growing collection of British Expedition Force. I had an officer, 4 squads of inexperienced troops, a smaller Home Guard Squad, and a single MMG team in 500 points. Not knowing where Terry's forces were going to appear on, I deployed my squads in four corners and set up the MMG in a place to cover the square.

Oh what a lovely lady.

Turn 1:
The game began and the first dice and the following 9 dice went to Terry. Using this advantage Terry brought on a small squad of 6 Columnist and shot at the the squad in the North West area of the board giving them a pin.

Waiting for the 5th Columnist

Terry then brought on a Spy, moving towards the house where the British officer was having an enjoyable time with his lover. Two more squads came in on the North West and North East corners of the board. A man was killed in the North West squad, and the squad in the North East lost a man carrying the Lewis gun.

In the middle of the board, a squad of armed and dangerous ladies came charging in towards the village square. Terry finally finished up his run on dice with bringing on some officers, and a light mortar and an anti-tank gun.

Finally, it was my turn, the wounded squad in the North East, tried to shoot but failed their order check. Not a great start to my turn. In the south-east, the squad advanced towards the charging ladies and killed two of their number. Whilst the MMG began to prepare an ambush, the squad in the south-west moved towards the centre, hoping they could raise their officer.

Meanwhile, as the turn came to the conclusion, Terry brings on two more squads, each with ten columnists in the squad, giving more muscle and firepower for Terry.

Turn 2:
Terry, began this turn, as he did the last and gained the first dice. His squad charges against my north-wast squad and killed 2, in return, I killed 5 and wiped out the squad. Boyed by this, I charged the ladies with the Squad in the south-east and wiped them out.

Funny looking sisters

Terry's mortar dropped a shell on the squad in the North-East killing two and adding two pins. This squad tried to charge a nearby 5th columnist unit but failing their morale check. Meanwhile, the Home Guard squad shot at the nearby big 5th man columnist squad, killing one of their number.

Terry charged one of his smaller units, and charged the North-East squad and wiped them out, before consolidating them towards the centre of the table. Terry then advanced forwards both of his big squads towards the centre of the table. His smaller squad took a pot shot at the squad in the North-West and killed two of them. This squad then went down, after failing their morale check.

In the South-West, the squad advance and took aim at the ten-man squad and added a pin. Meanwhile, pulling another dice for Terry, he charged the squad in the North-West and wiped them out.

As the turn drew to a close, Terry's officer passed his test and was able to wipe out another member of the Home Guard man. His Abweragent moved towards the centre and revealed himself and killed one of the South-West squad.

Finally, the turn ended with the MMG moving into a better position.

Turn 3:
Terry began his turn by trying to charge his ten-man 5th columnist unit forward, hoping to take the officer, by surprise. Thankfully, for me, they failed his test and the squad went down instead. However, Terry got the second dice of the turn and another squad charged forward and enter the building, taking the officer by surprise and killed him. Terry now had the keys to the armoury and I had to do something about this.

To do this, I charged the south-west squad into the building, to retrieve the keys. I killed six of Terry's men, only losing three in return. I had won the combat, and more importantly, I've got the keys.

Meanwhile, Terry's officer took another member of the Home Guard unit out, leaving two of them behind. In response, the Home Guard charged the officer and wiped him, and his two men, out. Terry shoots at the south-east squad and wiped out another 3 of them. His mortar then tried to add to the damage, but failed to hit.

In the centre, the South-East squad charged forward and wiped out 5 of the ten-man squad out. Terry then responded in kind and killed 5 in return. Fighting an immediate second round of combat was a bad idea for me, as I failed to kill any of Terry's men, and he killed two.

Terry then got a run of his dice being pulled and was able to move his officer, spy, and another of the squad to the centre of the board. My officer tried to shoot at the spy but failed to hit. The turn came to an end with the MMG going on ambush again, and Terry moved his anti-tank gun towards the Home Guard squad.

Turn 4:

Suprise.

Having got the keys, I need the first dice to make sure they moved away from the centre building and off the board. Off course, the first dice pulled was Terry. He tried to charge the squad in the building, and retrieve the keys, but he failed his order test.

Thankfully, the second dice was mine, and I moved the keys off towards the nearest board edge. The third dice was mine, and I was able to charge the Anti Tank gun with the surviving Home guard members, wiping it out.

However, Terry was then able to charge the squad with the keys and killed three. I only killed one in return and Terry was able to retrieve the keys. With a good dice roll, Terry was able to advance five inches towards the board edge.

With the last squad being wiped out, my officer, leading my example, charged in and killed one before being cut down. This left me with the MMG, which I needed to use to kill Terry's squad in Turn 5.

Last man standing

Turn 5:
The first dice was, once again, Terry's and he used it to advance the squad into contact with his spy. Needing the second dice, so that I could shoot with my one unit, I pulled one of Terry's dice, and the spy was off the board with the keys, and the win.

Terry had won.

This was a great game, with the keys going back and forth and being quite tense. My only issue, looking back at the forces I used, was how I set up the MMG, with a good spot covering the square, I thought it was going to be a useful deterrant. However, it turned out to be a bad spot.

Terry and I both agreed that this game, and the soon to be written up replay with Terry as the British and myself as the 5th columnist have been ideal for us. We are both Narrative players and this was the perfect scenario for us.

Onto the next game.