Sand Gets in Everything!

We got together for a Flames of War 4th Edition game.  The mission was Annihilation and for the four (eventually five) of us we fielded roughly 200 points per side.  Fabric is really two tones of tan and brown but for some reason in my photography it comes out looking like snow.  Something about the artificial lighting I suppose. 

The British were tank-heavy with Grants, Crusaders and Honeys in abundance.  They/we also had two four-gun batteries of 25pdrs, mortars, 6pdrs, 17pdrs, Bofors, Universal Carriers and a little infantry with sticky bombs.  The Germans had one Tiger, long-barreled MkIVs, MkIIIs, MkIIs, a pair of 88s, Marders, Bisons, a pair of 105s, self-propelled AA and infantry.  Hurricanes and Stukas were available for the game as well.

Now that is an intimidating sight.

Honeys, Cruisers and Grants, with a pair of 17pdrs in the foreground.

On my side, two Grants were quickly lost and the third failed
the "Last Stand" test.

The Tiger drew a lot of attention and died quickly.  A trio of Stukas arrived but the Bofors shot down two.  British artillery ranged in quickly but hardly did anything all game. 

Outnumbered in armour and out-classed, the Germans suffer
on our left.

Lots of burners, though the 88s take a toll.

Time to get out of the bombardment and advance the reserves.

The aftermath of a pair of cannon armed Hurricanes air attack.

Elsewhere we can both hit (sometimes) but can't finish off the tanks.

The German self-propelled AA banzai charge and eliminate the
17pdrs. in a statistically unlikely result.  But the 25pdrs put an
end to them firing over open sights.

Infantry is pretty hapless/helpless against armour, so when they
assault the results are predictable.

We finally get the upper hand on British right.

With the Germans down to one tank, one 88 and some beat up infantry we quit.  No need to actually annihilate the enemy.  Though it ended rather lop-sided it really was a close game.  British got aircraft once in six tries and the Germans only twice.  Had either side gotten hot with firepower rolls it could have been over much sooner and differently.  I think we're starting to get the hang of the new edition.