CRUZ CHRONICLES #008 - OPERATION MIDAS PART 2-B

This covers the second Warfare game I had with King and his Skull Squad. Same game system, same army lists, different scenario... What's the final result?

2nd  Game

Location 16, NW School Grounds

Format: Dust Warfare

Army Total: 300

Objective: Attrition

Deployment: Advancing Lines

Condition: None

Special Mission: None

Attrition:

The battle has become little more than a hellish war of

attrition. Both players total the AP value of each of the

enemy units that were completely destroyed during the

game. The player who destroyed the most AP value of

enemy units wins the game.

Advancing Lines:

Forces have broken away from their marching columns

to establish a firing line. The player who spent the first

Scenario Point selects a long table edge as his own at the

beginning of the Deployment step. His opponent gets the

opposite long table edge. Each player must deploy his units

within 9” of his long table edge. This will create a barshaped

deployment zone, as depicted.

The battlefield!

The Zero Division and the Skull Squad's prior engagement didn't end up with a clear victor. And both parties wanted to put disputes to a close, once and for all. 

The abandoned school grounds up in the northwest of the city provided a seemingly perfect stage for the warring platoons' final showdown.

TURN 1:

Ozz and Rhino arrived first, like the previous encounter, along with their respective chosen squads and an NCO Command Squad in tow.

"Seriously, this was a school?" another sarcastic comment from Rhino, "I wouldn't want to see how their graveyards look like!"

"It's been abandoned for some time now. Long before the Krauts sent invasion forces in." replied Ozz, as he surveys the surrounding.

Suddenly the field officer rushed towards the two Allied Heroes, "we have company!"

A few paces from where they stood, the Skull Squad emerged yet again. Every soldier complying without a seconds hesitation to the commands issued by their own officers. Two familiar figures lead the charge.

The Heavy Rangers decided to spread out. Trying to lure the opposition into dividing it's forces and over-committing on one side and then outflank them.

TURN 2:

The Axis soldiers were far more aggressive this time,  marching forward like they were bent on destroying the Allied forces.

One squad of grenadiers was able to reach the building where the Corps Officers were camped in. "Hold your ground!" Ozz rallied his Grim Reapers from their right flank to corner the attacking Axis squad. "Angriff!" even from a distant Lara's intimidating voice can be heard.

All of a sudden, the soldiers were surprised by a slight earthquake. "Somebody called for back-up?" the pilot of the airdropped heavy support walker asked.

Even at the sight of the Allied heavy walker, the marching Axis squads did not loose their resolve. "We've seen that puny warmachine before! We will bring it down this time!" Totenmeister's growls and gnarls to the common ear were like words of inspiration to her walking dead and the Axis soldiers following her.

As with it's previous intervention, a squad of Grim Reapers and French Legionnaires jumped out of the vehicle to provide supporting fire against the incoming wave of Sturmgrenadiere and Blutkreuz platoons.

Energy balls and bullets from the Allied weapons did put a dent on the Axis troops. The Battle Grenadier squad was reduced to a single soldier while Totenmeister's undead legion took some hits as well.

The British Parabrigade followed shortly, but ducked behind the structure protecting the NCO squad.

Jackson's troops not getting any action again

TURN 3:

The battle waged on. The support team of the Legio Patria Nostra was evaporated while the Grim Reapers left a lone Heavy Ranger after smoke from the Heavy Flak's weapons cleared. 

(Unfortunately, time ran out for both of us again, and we had to finish the current Turn and determine the winner from there.)

The exchange of fire to and from both sides kept on for a few more minutes. The Axis undead mistress was caught up in the combined fire power of Ozz and his Grim Reapers. "Der Tod ist erst der Anfang!" Totenmeister uttered. Her entire face is covered with a mask, her eyes with huge, opaque goggles but Ozz felt her stare piercing through his soul as the Blutkreuz Hero slowly fell along with the rest of her zombie horde.

Eventually, the Axis had to retreat for unknown reasons. The control of the school grounds was left to the Zero Division.

AFTERMATH:

The Zero Division clearly won this time with the Objective being Attrition. The Axis forces lost Totenmeister and her Axis Zombies as well as a squad of Battle Grenadiers. The Zero Division's casualty was a squad of Legio Patria Nostra, with the second Grim Reaper squad not completely annihilated.

EPILOGUE:

The elite Heavy Rangers camped on the abandoned school grounds for the night. The three Allied commanders discuss their next move with the NCO officers.

"We have control here in the western parts of the city." the field officer reports, "I've received radio comms earlier that Allied forces are coming in from the north and south."

"But the enemies have established themselves in the eastern regions" interrupted Ozz.

"Well we can't spread our forces too much. That'll be suicide!" Jackson expressed.

"Intel also says major aerial support was sighted along those parts." added Rhino.

Ozz threw a blank stare at the map of the city in front of them. "Well there's an answer to that too. Let's just hope those two rascals are up to the task."

(To be continued...)