Round 2 in our Raiding Aces Campaign at my FLGS (The Foundry). Took my Autosahariana against the store Owner's (Adrien's) LRDG. We rolled off and I got to be the Attacker and we fought over Hon that already had one Allied victory. We had to even the score. The High Command decided to send us out on a Raid this time where there were 5 objectives and I had to destroy at least 3 of them and get those platoons off the table for it to be a success We set out with a larger force than last time (700 pts), but it is rumored the LRDG would have a force about twice our size. Lucky for us they were all over the place and not in the objective area when we planned to attack....just some sentries that would keep us from getting too close. Usually we would do something like this at night, but we have some air power supporting us this time and I want to get in and out as quickly as possible...so we will attack in broad daylight. So we set out and it wasnt long before we felt the Will of the Sahara and our follow-on platoons began to get seperated and hopefully not not too lost. am glad I had the mechanics customize my AS42 with a captured twin vickers in addition to my other 2 vehicle machineguns...we might just need that firepower now.

Autosahariana Warrior CiC with Custom Ride AS42 (Twin Vickers and 2 AAMG), 1 AS42 with 2 AA MG 3 AS42 Plts (1 w/47mm & AA MG, 1 w/20mm & AA MG. 1 with .50, 1 w/AA MG) 1 75mm Artillery Battery with 2 75mm pieces, staff team and observer Sporadic Air Support (FIAT Falco)

LRDG 3 LRDG Truck Platoons 1 SAS Platoon 1 plt 2 Honey Stuarts Priority Indicition Raids All had to be proxied (Adrien's troops had gone into hiding. Its a shame cause they are painted very well and it would have made for some fantastic photos)

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT

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The objective area

UNITS IN RESERVE
Autosahariana 2nd & 3rd AS42 Platoon 75mm Artillery	LRDG EVERYTHING

DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY

Autosahariana:Not only are the follow-on platoons lost, they are getting hit by interdiction raids and are slowed down even more. Even though we should start with everyone in the mission area, we will only start with the Command Element and 1st Platoon. We WILL need that extra firepower now. We get into the target area and the sentries run away like cowards. The first 3 objectives are in a line running perpendicular to us roughly halfway into the engagement area. I am glad I brought the artillery observer with us. He heads up into the top of the tower to be in position to cover our retreat once we blow the objectives and the artillery shows up...if and when it does. LRDG:LRDG starts with all units in Scattered Reserve. With the Will of the Sahara being "Lost" all reserves come in on a roll of 6 instead of the usual 5+ 5 objectives we used were red poker chips (long story). I placed three as close as I could to the center of the board (8" from the sides and the center of the board and 10" from each other). Adrien place 2 as far to the back as he could (8" from table edge and 10" from another objective).

TURN 1

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Autosahariana None	LRDG None

TURN 1 SUMMARY

Autosahariana:1st platoon heads for the center objective and I head with the command element to the one on the far left. The plan is to use our overwhelming firepower and speed to finish this mission. We will shoot at the objectives to destroy them. We will dismount and use our satchel charges only in an emergency. The 20mm and 47mm should make short work of the targets. 1st platoon is able to start firing almost immediately. They score numerous hits, but hit nothing vital. AS we start to shoot, second platoon arrives. No sign of the enemy...but it wont be long. We have to be quick about this. 1st platoon destroys the center objective and then joins be on the left objective as 2nd platoon moves tot eh right objective and destroys on its first attempt. Soon after the right objective falls just as the LRDG arrive. No sooner than the enemy arrive does 3rd platoon arrive as well as 2 FIAT Falcos. No its a race to escape. 3rd Platoon will cover the retreat of 1st and 2nd platoon. The Falcos and artillery (when it arrives) will harass any pursuers. The Falcos dive in but the withering AA fire of the British was devastating and both aircraft go down in flames. LRDG:The LRDG must be Lost still as no reserves arrive until turn 3. Finally one platoon arrives and races to the center of the board and runs into the Italian 3rd platoon and kills one AS42.

TURN 2

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LRDG Arrive just in time to stop 1st Platoon's escape

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LRDG arrive again just in time to stop 2nd Platoon's escape

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The aftermath

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Autosahariana None	LRDG None

TURN 2 SUMMARY

Autosahariana:It was all a blur after that. 1st and 2nd platoons were making there escape as fast as they could using the roads and pushing their vehicles hard...shouts of Avanti! could be heard as the drivers moved a little faster than normal. Just before 1st Platoon could escape into the desert, a LRDG Truck platoon cut them off. The fire was withering and 2 vehicles went up quickly, but our return fire was equally devastating...but not enough to cause the enemy to run and we were overwhelmed. 2nd platoon suffered a similar fate as a dismounted SAS platoon with SMGs cut them off supported by 2 Honey Stuarts. They had no time to react. 3rd platoon tried to make tried to withdraw, but was cut down as well by the much reduced 1st LRDG platoon. To make matters worse a 3rd LRDG platoon had entered the fray by the left objective and was moving in fast. The artillery fired like mad, but only succeeded in slowing down the advance. There was no way to salvage the mission now so the artillery and I disappeared into the desert. LRDG:Scattered reserves came in at the right place and time. Both 1st and 2nd AS42 platoons were cut off just before the could have escaped off the board.

Awesome game and nail biter right to the end. Having both of platoons cutoff when on my next movement phase they would have escaped was crushing. Adrien had a hard first couple of turns, but that hurt me as well now that I think about. If he had gotten his reserves earlier I could have manuevered and a little. As it was the arrived right where they needed to cut me off right when I was the most exposed. Oh well. I did earn enough campaign experience to get the next ability...."Heavy Firepower" where one vehicles in each Combat platoon gets a HMG. This gives the mounted MG a ROF 6 when stationary and 3 when moving and the team can dismount as a HMG team. Very nice.

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