View from the French entry The French tanks came in from this corner and had to capture, or drive away the Germans from, the farm. Open country, but still lots of places for the Paks to hide.

View from the French entry

The French tanks came in from this corner and had to capture, or drive away the Germans from, the farm. Open country, but still lots of places for the Paks to hide.

The Farm Not having a good description of the actual farm, I used artistic license to depict a sizable homestead with orchards and vineyards and several out-buildings made of stone.

The Farm

Not having a good description of the actual farm, I used artistic license to depict a sizable homestead with orchards and vineyards and several out-buildings made of stone.

Overview of Table The Germans could occupy almost the whole of the board. They had to hold the farm. Not that easy with just three puny 37mms.

Overview of Table

The Germans could occupy almost the whole of the board. They had to hold the farm. Not that easy with just three puny 37mms.

The first of the Char B We allowed up to four tanks to enter the table at a time, randomly selecting which pairs. They are slow tanks, and with the 'vehicle breakdown' card in the mix, there was a chance that they might not make it to the farm ev

The first of the Char B

We allowed up to four tanks to enter the table at a time, randomly selecting which pairs. They are slow tanks, and with the 'vehicle breakdown' card in the mix, there was a chance that they might not make it to the farm even without any enemy action. (CinC models)

Advance Underway Five of the might Char B are heading towards the Pommery Farm. So far no breakdowns and no enemy fire.

Advance Underway

Five of the might Char B are heading towards the Pommery Farm. So far no breakdowns and no enemy fire.

First sign of the Boche A Pak (under the command of the battery CO) scores some hits on the lead Char. The engine damage causes them to move with one less pip per die. The slow get slower. Return MG fire is ineffectual.

First sign of the Boche

A Pak (under the command of the battery CO) scores some hits on the lead Char. The engine damage causes them to move with one less pip per die. The slow get slower. Return MG fire is ineffectual.

Another view of the action The Pak crew is already getting nervous about facing down this threat and has called up their ride.

Another view of the action

The Pak crew is already getting nervous about facing down this threat and has called up their ride.

Charging the Pak I decided early on not to sit back and try to take out the Pak with fire but to run them down if they were in short range. Since they would probably not fire until the tanks were in close range, they would only get a couple of ch

Charging the Pak

I decided early on not to sit back and try to take out the Pak with fire but to run them down if they were in short range. Since they would probably not fire until the tanks were in close range, they would only get a couple of chances to stop the tank from crushing them. The Char comes up short though and it looks like the Pak might get away.

Close Quarters The Pak crew does take a shock point from the MG fire as they wrestle their gun up to the truck. In the meantime, one of the Char B on the road has broken down.

Close Quarters

The Pak crew does take a shock point from the MG fire as they wrestle their gun up to the truck. In the meantime, one of the Char B on the road has broken down.

Escape The Kfz 69 hauls off down the road and cuts into the tree line to avoid shots from the Char B. Very close call for the Pak The card that it has driven onto is a grenadier platoon trying to hide from the French.

Escape

The Kfz 69 hauls off down the road and cuts into the tree line to avoid shots from the Char B. Very close call for the Pak The card that it has driven onto is a grenadier platoon trying to hide from the French.

Back to the Farm The Kfz 69 and its Pak crew then dash to back to the cover of some farm buildings as the Char grinds slowly up the slope. More possible Germans in the tree line.

Back to the Farm

The Kfz 69 and its Pak crew then dash to back to the cover of some farm buildings as the Char grinds slowly up the slope. More possible Germans in the tree line.

All the Char B on the board The last pair of Char B 1is finally arrive, but most have stalled out as they look over the terrain. When they start to move up they begin to take hits from another Pak to their left front. As soon one of their movemen

All the Char B on the board

The last pair of Char B 1is finally arrive, but most have stalled out as they look over the terrain. When they start to move up they begin to take hits from another Pak to their left front. As soon one of their movement cards comes up, I move at full speed towards the ATG.

Another Close Encounter One of the Char B crashes through a hedge next to ATG. One of the other non-moving Char B has opened up with its hull 75mm and just missed the target.

Another Close Encounter

One of the Char B crashes through a hedge next to ATG. One of the other non-moving Char B has opened up with its hull 75mm and just missed the target.

More action along the road The Company CO moves up next to the lead Char B. They stay hull down to survey the next phase of their attack. Meanwhile they throw some MG fire at the grenadiers in the tree line.

More action along the road

The Company CO moves up next to the lead Char B. They stay hull down to survey the next phase of their attack. Meanwhile they throw some MG fire at the grenadiers in the tree line.

More Germans in the hedges The Char B has crushed the Pak but got hung up as it tried to run over the Kfz 69. It uses its turret MG to spray the bushes as the driver tries to disengage from the truck.

More Germans in the hedges

The Char B has crushed the Pak but got hung up as it tried to run over the Kfz 69. It uses its turret MG to spray the bushes as the driver tries to disengage from the truck.

Looks like more stuff around the farm The German infantry moves back to the farm. The two Char B are waiting for more of their comrades to move up, but apparently yet another has broken down, leaving just five moving...including the one hung up o

Looks like more stuff around the farm

The German infantry moves back to the farm. The two Char B are waiting for more of their comrades to move up, but apparently yet another has broken down, leaving just five moving...including the one hung up on the Pak's tow.

Stuck! Still stuck on a truck. 1 in 6 chance to get stuck, and the Char B managed it. It has a 1 in 6 chance to get unstuck also. Another Char slowly advances.

Stuck!

Still stuck on a truck. 1 in 6 chance to get stuck, and the Char B managed it. It has a 1 in 6 chance to get unstuck also. Another Char slowly advances.

More Germans retreating The rightside inf platoon decides to pull back to the woods. Not much they can do w/o any AT weapons.

More Germans retreating

The rightside inf platoon decides to pull back to the woods. Not much they can do w/o any AT weapons.

Pak in hiding The Pak deploys behind the stone barn in anticipation of wheeling out for a side shot. The FO in the tower is finally getting hold of a 105 battery

Pak in hiding

The Pak deploys behind the stone barn in anticipation of wheeling out for a side shot. The FO in the tower is finally getting hold of a 105 battery

Moving up Both of the Char B have taken some engine hits so are not moving at top speed. Making a cautious advance since they know that there are more Paks out there.

Moving up

Both of the Char B have taken some engine hits so are not moving at top speed. Making a cautious advance since they know that there are more Paks out there.

More Germans in hiding There is an Infantry gun under that blind next to the Grenadiers. Just waiting for a point blank side shot.

More Germans in hiding

There is an Infantry gun under that blind next to the Grenadiers. Just waiting for a point blank side shot.

Artillery fire 105s start to fall. Not a lot they can do without a direct hit, but without much in the way of AT weapons, the Grenadiers need help.

Artillery fire

105s start to fall. Not a lot they can do without a direct hit, but without much in the way of AT weapons, the Grenadiers need help.

Help arrives Three StuG IIIBs from the 659 Stug Batterie appear to the relief of the German infantry. At this stage of the war they are not used to dealing with armor though.

Help arrives

Three StuG IIIBs from the 659 Stug Batterie appear to the relief of the German infantry. At this stage of the war they are not used to dealing with armor though.

Char advancing Slowing moving along the road. More Chars advancing in the background

Char advancing

Slowing moving along the road. More Chars advancing in the background

Getting a heads up The Pak battery commander briefs the StuGs on the situation. The Chars noticed their arrival but couldn't get a shot on their flanks

Getting a heads up

The Pak battery commander briefs the StuGs on the situation. The Chars noticed their arrival but couldn't get a shot on their flanks

Surrounded by Explosions A broken-down Char B is the target of 105 fire, but manages to survive with little damage. Unlikely the crew would decide to abandon ship in the middle of this barrage anyways.

Surrounded by Explosions

A broken-down Char B is the target of 105 fire, but manages to survive with little damage. Unlikely the crew would decide to abandon ship in the middle of this barrage anyways.

StuGs open fire The StuGs and the Pak open fire on the slowly moving Char Bs. No damaging hits scored though

StuGs open fire

The StuGs and the Pak open fire on the slowly moving Char Bs. No damaging hits scored though

Returning fire The Char B spots the StuGs and fires back with its 75mm.

Returning fire

The Char B spots the StuGs and fires back with its 75mm.

One StuG explodes! The Char commander's tank scores a direct hit and sends parts of the StuG skyward.

One StuG explodes!

The Char commander's tank scores a direct hit and sends parts of the StuG skyward.

More action in the center Another Pak opened up on the advancing Char B from the stone out-building. The Chars move not-rapidly-enough towards the ATG. The turret MG fire is ineffective and this Pak also manages to escape .The Char that was hung

More action in the center

Another Pak opened up on the advancing Char B from the stone out-building. The Chars move not-rapidly-enough towards the ATG. The turret MG fire is ineffective and this Pak also manages to escape .The Char that was hung up on a smashed Kfz 69 has managed to work its way free and is now joinng in the general advance.

Chars continue As the Char b's move towards the farm, the infantry gun takes a shot at the flank of the lead tank. This causes a temporary immobilisation. The other tanks move towards the offending gun. Note that one of the other StuGs is now smo

Chars continue

As the Char b's move towards the farm, the infantry gun takes a shot at the flank of the lead tank. This causes a temporary immobilisation. The other tanks move towards the offending gun. Note that one of the other StuGs is now smoking after being hit by the Char CO's tank.

Germans regrouping One infantry platoon in the courtyard, another under the blind by the Pak hiding by the barn (that was on the right flank). The infantry gun is valiently firing at the advancing Chars. One StuG and a Pak at the stone barn.

Germans regrouping

One infantry platoon in the courtyard, another under the blind by the Pak hiding by the barn (that was on the right flank). The infantry gun is valiently firing at the advancing Chars. One StuG and a Pak at the stone barn.

Preparing to crunch another gun Why try to gun them down when its easier to run them over? The infantry gun is about to be smashed.

Preparing to crunch another gun

Why try to gun them down when its easier to run them over? The infantry gun is about to be smashed.

Clankety Clankety Clankety The crew runs away before it is crushed beneath the Char.

Clankety Clankety Clankety

The crew runs away before it is crushed beneath the Char.

Close Assault An infantry platoon charges out to close assault a stalled Char. A MMG keeps the crew inside as they charge through the field. The next random event card came up 'surrender' so we applied it to this hapless tank crew. I believe that

Close Assault

An infantry platoon charges out to close assault a stalled Char. A MMG keeps the crew inside as they charge through the field. The next random event card came up 'surrender' so we applied it to this hapless tank crew. I believe that was a first in our games.

More infantry mobbing The tank managed to get off a futile burst of MG fire before it surrendered. The French are down to four runners now.

More infantry mobbing

The tank managed to get off a futile burst of MG fire before it surrendered. The French are down to four runners now.

Back to the woods with the prisoners The Germans hustle the tank crew back to the woods as the other Chars head towards the farm.

Back to the woods with the prisoners

The Germans hustle the tank crew back to the woods as the other Chars head towards the farm.

Point Blank Encounter The last StuG pulled back behind the small barn when its partner was destroyed. The Char B rushed the building hoping to use its turret gun to disable the assault gun. However the Stug got a round off and immobilized the Cha

Point Blank Encounter

The last StuG pulled back behind the small barn when its partner was destroyed. The Char B rushed the building hoping to use its turret gun to disable the assault gun. However the Stug got a round off and immobilized the Char who missed several shots with its 47mm.

Meanwhile some of the grenadiers move up along with the company CO.

Another Close Assault The StuG pulls back down the hill along with the Pak as the immobile Char is mobbed by infantry.

Another Close Assault

The StuG pulls back down the hill along with the Pak as the immobile Char is mobbed by infantry.

German Human Wave Not content with one platoon trying to pry open the stuck Char, the other platoon moves up. After a few turns of this the crew gives up. The other Chars were involved in a shoot out with the Pak to the right, which they ma

German Human Wave

Not content with one platoon trying to pry open the stuck Char, the other platoon moves up. After a few turns of this the crew gives up.

The other Chars were involved in a shoot out with the Pak to the right, which they managed to silence with MG and 75 HE fire. The relocated Pak from this position had moved around to the left to engage the Company CO Char.

We decided to call it at this point since there were only three functioning Chars and they wouldn't be able to root out the infantry.

The Germans lost two StuGs and two Paks along with an infantry gun and their transports. The Chars were indeed hardy. Four of them took over ten hits, the one in this picture took 16 hits before surrendering.

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View from the French entry The French tanks came in from this corner and had to capture, or drive away the Germans from, the farm. Open country, but still lots of places for the Paks to hide.
The Farm Not having a good description of the actual farm, I used artistic license to depict a sizable homestead with orchards and vineyards and several out-buildings made of stone.
Overview of Table The Germans could occupy almost the whole of the board. They had to hold the farm. Not that easy with just three puny 37mms.
The first of the Char B We allowed up to four tanks to enter the table at a time, randomly selecting which pairs. They are slow tanks, and with the 'vehicle breakdown' card in the mix, there was a chance that they might not make it to the farm ev
Advance Underway Five of the might Char B are heading towards the Pommery Farm. So far no breakdowns and no enemy fire.
First sign of the Boche A Pak (under the command of the battery CO) scores some hits on the lead Char. The engine damage causes them to move with one less pip per die. The slow get slower. Return MG fire is ineffectual.
Another view of the action The Pak crew is already getting nervous about facing down this threat and has called up their ride.
Charging the Pak I decided early on not to sit back and try to take out the Pak with fire but to run them down if they were in short range. Since they would probably not fire until the tanks were in close range, they would only get a couple of ch
Close Quarters The Pak crew does take a shock point from the MG fire as they wrestle their gun up to the truck. In the meantime, one of the Char B on the road has broken down.
Escape The Kfz 69 hauls off down the road and cuts into the tree line to avoid shots from the Char B. Very close call for the Pak The card that it has driven onto is a grenadier platoon trying to hide from the French.
Back to the Farm The Kfz 69 and its Pak crew then dash to back to the cover of some farm buildings as the Char grinds slowly up the slope. More possible Germans in the tree line.
All the Char B on the board The last pair of Char B 1is finally arrive, but most have stalled out as they look over the terrain. When they start to move up they begin to take hits from another Pak to their left front. As soon one of their movemen
Another Close Encounter One of the Char B crashes through a hedge next to ATG. One of the other non-moving Char B has opened up with its hull 75mm and just missed the target.
More action along the road The Company CO moves up next to the lead Char B. They stay hull down to survey the next phase of their attack. Meanwhile they throw some MG fire at the grenadiers in the tree line.
More Germans in the hedges The Char B has crushed the Pak but got hung up as it tried to run over the Kfz 69. It uses its turret MG to spray the bushes as the driver tries to disengage from the truck.
Looks like more stuff around the farm The German infantry moves back to the farm. The two Char B are waiting for more of their comrades to move up, but apparently yet another has broken down, leaving just five moving...including the one hung up o
Stuck! Still stuck on a truck. 1 in 6 chance to get stuck, and the Char B managed it. It has a 1 in 6 chance to get unstuck also. Another Char slowly advances.
More Germans retreating The rightside inf platoon decides to pull back to the woods. Not much they can do w/o any AT weapons.
Pak in hiding The Pak deploys behind the stone barn in anticipation of wheeling out for a side shot. The FO in the tower is finally getting hold of a 105 battery
Moving up Both of the Char B have taken some engine hits so are not moving at top speed. Making a cautious advance since they know that there are more Paks out there.
More Germans in hiding There is an Infantry gun under that blind next to the Grenadiers. Just waiting for a point blank side shot.
Artillery fire 105s start to fall. Not a lot they can do without a direct hit, but without much in the way of AT weapons, the Grenadiers need help.
Help arrives Three StuG IIIBs from the 659 Stug Batterie appear to the relief of the German infantry. At this stage of the war they are not used to dealing with armor though.
Char advancing Slowing moving along the road. More Chars advancing in the background
Getting a heads up The Pak battery commander briefs the StuGs on the situation. The Chars noticed their arrival but couldn't get a shot on their flanks
Surrounded by Explosions A broken-down Char B is the target of 105 fire, but manages to survive with little damage. Unlikely the crew would decide to abandon ship in the middle of this barrage anyways.
StuGs open fire The StuGs and the Pak open fire on the slowly moving Char Bs. No damaging hits scored though
Returning fire The Char B spots the StuGs and fires back with its 75mm.
One StuG explodes! The Char commander's tank scores a direct hit and sends parts of the StuG skyward.
More action in the center Another Pak opened up on the advancing Char B from the stone out-building. The Chars move not-rapidly-enough towards the ATG. The turret MG fire is ineffective and this Pak also manages to escape .The Char that was hung
Chars continue As the Char b's move towards the farm, the infantry gun takes a shot at the flank of the lead tank. This causes a temporary immobilisation. The other tanks move towards the offending gun. Note that one of the other StuGs is now smo
Germans regrouping One infantry platoon in the courtyard, another under the blind by the Pak hiding by the barn (that was on the right flank). The infantry gun is valiently firing at the advancing Chars. One StuG and a Pak at the stone barn.
Preparing to crunch another gun Why try to gun them down when its easier to run them over? The infantry gun is about to be smashed.
Clankety Clankety Clankety The crew runs away before it is crushed beneath the Char.
Close Assault An infantry platoon charges out to close assault a stalled Char. A MMG keeps the crew inside as they charge through the field. The next random event card came up 'surrender' so we applied it to this hapless tank crew. I believe that
More infantry mobbing The tank managed to get off a futile burst of MG fire before it surrendered. The French are down to four runners now.
Back to the woods with the prisoners The Germans hustle the tank crew back to the woods as the other Chars head towards the farm.
Point Blank Encounter The last StuG pulled back behind the small barn when its partner was destroyed. The Char B rushed the building hoping to use its turret gun to disable the assault gun. However the Stug got a round off and immobilized the Cha
Another Close Assault The StuG pulls back down the hill along with the Pak as the immobile Char is mobbed by infantry.
German Human Wave Not content with one platoon trying to pry open the stuck Char, the other platoon moves up. After a few turns of this the crew gives up. The other Chars were involved in a shoot out with the Pak to the right, which they ma