Along the Sneuf Canal
We played this game at Bill Hamilton's home in North Jackson on July 3, 2010. We used Arty Conliffe's rules "Crossfire." The 15mm troops are owned by Jay stribling as is most of the terrain shown here.
Jay was the Game-Master for the game, but Bill Hamilton is our rules expert on Crossfire - perhaps because his young eyes can find things in the rules more quickly! It would be difficult to run one of these without Bill.
Photo by Jay Stribling
Sean Pitts yawns as he contemplates the Crossfire rules. He commanded the American Left Flank units and Ed Sansing, shown blurrily on the right, commanded the U.S. Glider troops on the left (south) of the Sneuf canal.
Photo by Jay Stribling
Ed riffles through the rules energetically, looking for some obscure point. Please note that the game table was green not gray. Some trick of the light makes these photos look like we had a gray table covering.
Photo by Jay Stribling
Similar to the above but showing the starting position of Ed’s troops and the M4 Sherman tank in support of the Glidermen.
Photo by Jay Stribling
A view looking from the direction of the American positions to the German starting locations. These are Jim Pitts’ troops.
Photo by Jay Stribling
Looking across the canal with a few of the German Fallshirmjager in view. The reddish colored ruined building is an aquarium ornament that Jim Pitts purchased at a local pet superstore.
Photo by Jay Stribling
A better view of the German Paratroopers under command of Bill Hamilton in their game-start position. The wall was judged too tall to see or fire over with direct fire.
Photo by Jay Stribling
During the game, the Sherman supporting the 325th Glider infantry is shown, it’s arc of fire blocked by a German smoke screen. A platoon of 81mm mortars and an American company commander is shown. These are all under Ed Sansing’s command. The terrain shown represents overgrown and unharvested fields.
The American Players, Forces & Objectives
There were two American players. Seam Pitts commanded two companies of the 20th U.S. Infanry (Task Force Parker) on the right bank of the Sneuf Canal. They were supported by two M4 Sherman tanks. It was supported by four fire missions of 105mm artillery.
Task Force Lowell comprised of 2 companies of the 325th Glider infantry and supporting troops had the mission of clearing the area along the left bank of the Canal. This task force also had the fire support of 4 fire missions of 105mm artillery, firing from Off-board. Also it was supported by one M-4 tank.
Ed Sansing commanded Task force Lowell for most of the game, but he had to leave after lunch. Jay Stribling took command of this force at the end of the game.
The mission for both American forces was to attack along their respective banks of the Sneuf Canal, clearing the Germans in front of them.
Photo by Jay Stribling
A view of German infantry sheltering behind a stone wall. A game-master decision early in the game declared that these walls were too tall to be fired over. Thusly the American heavy machine gun shown here is impotent.
Photo by Jay Stribling
A larger view of the area to the south of the canal. Ed Sansing’s troops are closest to the camera. Jim Pitts is caught, dice in hand, about to make a momentous roll…
Photo by Jay Stribling
A view of some of Sean Pitts’ infantry in an overgrown field, being assaulted by German Paratroopers. Note the “Pinned” and “Suppressed” markers purchased from Litko products.
Photo by Jay Stribling
As part of Bill Hamilton’s “Kampfgruppe Griffenberg” a Mk IV tank burns merrily after being hit by 76mm fire from one of Sean Pitts’ Sherman tanks. German infantry (one stand pinned) is shown in the foreground.
Photo by Jay Stribling
The “Chateau Jacque Blaque” is occupied by American infantry. This was an objective for Bill Hamilton’s Kampfgruppe and it changed hands several times during the game.
Photo by Jay Stribling
Another view of the chateau. The roof is removable, allowing for easy access. Note that the German Fallshirmjagers have taken it fromt the U.S. troops.
Photo by Jay Stribling
Jim Pitts – as commander of the German Kampgruppe “Ilse” is caught here in a rare moment of indecision.
Photo by Jay Stribling
On the south of the canal, Ed Sansing’s M4 aims it’s weapons at the foremost German infantry in the woods. The Sherman tank and the Germans traded cannon/MG fire and Panzerfaust rounds, till the Germans ran out of Anti-Tank projectiles.
The German Players, Forces & Objectives
Bill Hamilton commanded Kampfgruppe Griffenberg composed of Fallschirmjagers (paratroopers) aimed at the Chateau Jacque Blaque on the south of the canal.
His mission was to counterattack, seizing the Chateau to recover documents that might have been left there by Field-Marshal von Wurst's chauffeur on some previous night.
This KG was comprised of two companies of the 6th Parachute regiment and supporting troops. Also this force will be supported by two Mark IV panzers. Due to the chronic fuel shortage, Bill had to roll a 5 or 6 on a D6 for each tank when attempting to move it. Any other result and the tank was unable to move. Failure to move did not lose the initiative.
Jim Pitts led a Kampfguppe (KG Ilse) defending Northern bank of the canal. The force dedicated to this task was comprised of two companies of the 230th grenadier regiment and supporting troops.
Photo by Jay Stribling
Another view of Chateau Jacque Blaque with the Americans counter-attacking. Sean Pitts drove the Germans out of the chateau, but lost it again on the next turn.
Photo by Jay Stribling
A burning Sherman tank matches the German Mark IV tank on fire – barely shown at the top of the photo. In this case, a panzerfoust round was the killer of the American tank.
Photo by Jay Stribling
Another view of the Chateau with the Germans occupying one part of the structure and Americans in the other part.
Photo by Jim Pitts
This Photograph shows a portion of No. 4 Company, 230th Grenadier Regiment (KG Ilse) in its initial defensive positions.
Photo by Jim Pitts
American infantry and armor around and in the Chateau and the ruined chapelle advance against the Fallschirmjager (FJ) KG.
Photo by Jim Pitts
American infantry and armor, supported by mortars, advance against KG Ilse
Photo by Jim Pitts
An American Sherman (background) destroys one of the two Pz IVs supporting the FJ KG's attack. A company of FJ are deployed in the middle ground.
Photo by Jim Pitts
An American Sherman operated in the rear of what's left of a platoon of KG Ilse. But a combination of smoke from the KG's mortars and American lack of initiative prevented the tank from doing further damage.
Photo by Jim Pitts
The FJ squad on the road scores a lucky panzerfaust hit on the American Sherman, turning it into its "Ronson" namesake.
Photo by Jim Pitts
Two American platoons penetrate into the center of KG Ilse's defenses, but...
Photo by Jim Pitts
They are outflanked and severely attrited by a reinforced platoon of KG Ilse.
So, who won this game?
The Germans did. Bill Hamilton in command of Kampfgruppe Griffenburg was able to accomplish his objective of seizing the Chateau Jacque Blaque from the Americans. His opponent Sean Pitts was unable to advance across the table and lost most of his men and both his tanks.
South of the Sneuf Canal, Jim Pitts hung on against the advancing 325th Glider Infantry under Ed Sansing, till Ed was called back to division headquarters (Ed had to leave early - after lunch). At that point, Jay Stribling took command of Ed's troops and displaying tremendous tactical sense, managed to lose many of the troops and the tactical advanage!
Your game-master has more troops awaiting paint. His Germans, painted & available, outnumber the U.S. troops so far. Active recruiting must change this, to give the Americans at least parity with the Nazis.
Return to the Master Index of Photos and Games
Return to the Jackson Gamers' Homepage
Angelfire - Free Home Pages
Free Web Building Help
Angelfire HTML Library
htmlGEAR - free polls, guestbooks, and more!
Thank you for visiting The Jackson Gamers' pages at Angelfire. Please come back and visit again!