Armored Fury! - Flames of War

After enjoying the Flames of War D-Day campaign featured by the Battlefront folks, some of us wanted to continue the theme.  So my friend Paul and I started into the scenarios provided in the American and German "army" books.  The Americans were victorious in two of three games in the US book so we started on the German book scenarios.  The first is Armored Fury. 

As an experiment we opted for 150 point forces instead of the usual 100.  This led to a higher troop density than we are used to, but also allowed a lot more toys to see the table.  The mission calls for a German counter-attack.  The Americans are pinned along one of the long table edges with the Germans attacking from a short edge.  American reserves, 40% of their total, would enter from the opposite short edge, delayed till turn 3 and scattered.  My reserves could be rolled for immediately.

I chose an Aufklarungs (recon) company since I had a mess of newly painted SdKfz 250 halftracks.  Artillery, tank destroyers and regular tanks in support.  The Americans featured a tank company with oodles of artillery, air support, airborne spotters and armored infantry backing them up.  As the designated attacker, I had the first move.

One victory objective is on the road, the second to the far left.

My reserves were a company of MkIV tanks and I got one platoon immediately.  Using the spearhead move, one platoon of recon halftracks with panzergrenadiers aboard scooted down the left side of the table, with Puma armored cares and mortar halftracks accompanying.

My recon platoon continues to scoot as the Pumas engage some
Shermans from the flank.

P-47s with 2000lb. bombs sweep in but are ineffective.  This time.

The Americans lay down a smoke barrage to hinder my movement
on the center objective as the TDs brew up the Shermans.

The Americans started the game with most of the artillery and support platoons on table with limited tank support.  Counting on their airpower and artillery to keep the Germans at bay till the highly mobile reserves showed up.  The question is where they will arrive.

I reach the required proximity of the far objective on a dash, but
cannot claim it yet.

The P-47s return with rockets and kill six of seven halftracks.
The survivor passes his last stand test.

The TD and panzer grenadiers kept up the pressure in the center.
Out of view to the right are the MkIV tanks.

In a make-it-break-it move the American reserves and self-propelled artillery attempt to shoot me off the objective, without success.  So the game ended with a major German victory.  This means the Germans will also be the attacker in the next game.  A total of five games will determine the ultimate success of the break-out.  Of course, by then we'll have the new British book in hand and will have to play those scenarios!