Kiwis vs FJ in Italy – A Crossfire Scenario and Battle Report 1

Jamie popped over for a game, and when it is just Jamie and me we try out something more experimental. Jamie wanted to play Crossfire and I wanted to try out my Crossfire Terrain Cards and some draft armour rules. I also wanted to get my 2 Division New Zealanders on table – “Kiwis” in New Zealand slang – and get the German paratroopers (Fallschirmjäger) out again. This was also the first outing for my Kiwi Armour.

Summary: Great little game. Crossfire Terrain Cards worked well, and happy with the test drive of my armour mods.


Scenario

This was a pick up game. I had some orders of battle prepared, the map came from Crossfire Terrain Cards, and we used typical special rules and victory conditions.

Map

This was a small game so we used a 4′ table. Jamie drew four Crossfire Terrain Cards and arranged them in a 2×2 grid. That gave us our terrain.

italy-100 Terrain Cards
italy-100 Terrain Cards
italy-101 Terrain Cards - Cropped
italy-101 Terrain Cards – Cropped

Jamie then diced for his entry side. We would let him deploy in a band that was a quarter of the table depth (1 foot). I would deploy opposite in half the table (2 feet).

italy-101 Terrain Cards - Deployment
italy-101 Terrain Cards – Deployment

We got the table to look pretty close to that.

italy-168 Table from above
italy-168 Table from above

Victory Conditions

We went for two Terrain objectives. Jamie selected the first terrain objective – a terrain feature in the German deployment zone. Not surprisingly he chose something close to the Kiwi zone. I chose the second terrain objective – a house towards the rear. These selections meant both objectives were in the right flank of the German deployment zone, in and around the village. After Jamie’s selection I thought this was the better option compared to placing an objective in the relatively open left flank.

italy-104 Two terrain objectives in and around the village
italy-104 Two terrain objectives in and around the village

In hindsight we probably should also have had Casualty objectives. At least for the attacker.

Special Rules

We agreed to use two HTD special rules:

  • HTD Special Rule 4: The Moving Clock is in use. The Scenario begins at 1200 hours and ends 1800 hours. The clock advances 30 minutes on 5+ at the end of each defender initiative.
  • HTD Special Rule 5: Bogging down is in use. Tanks bog down in woods, rough ground, rock fields, boulder fields, streams, hedges, walls and anti-tank obstacles (ditches, barricades) on 4- on 1d6. They unbog on 5+, becoming permanently mired on 1.

Experimental Armour Rules

We tried an update to the Gun versus Arm Matrix in Crossfire. Basically armour use the same shooting rules as infantry. But I gave them (a lot) more dice because I think tanks should be more potent than in standard Crossfire.

Orders of Battle

Jamie wanted to be the attacker hence was the New Zealanders. I had given the attackers a full company plus generous indirect fire support and three tanks. This was also the first outing for my Kiwi Armour. The tanks were hull number 16, 17, and 18 from HQ Troop, A Squadron of 20 Armoured Regiment, 2 (NZ) Division. So three different types of Sherman – howitzer armed (105mm), Firefly tank killer, and normal. This was both historical and gave me a chance to test out different types tanks in my draft rules.

italy-165 Three types of Sherman
italy-165 Three types of Sherman

[Oops, don’t tell anybody, but I failed my Tank geek roll. The Sherman on the right is Hull 15, another Sherman IB. It should have been Hull 18, a Sherman III.]

The full Kiwi order of battle is below.

Kiwi Attackers

  • 1 x CC (+2)
  • 1 x HMG
  • 3 x Rifle Platoon: PC(+1); 3 x Rifle Squads; 1 x Piat (AT 7d6/2d6)
  • 1 x 2″ Mortar (12 FM)
  • 1 x FO for off-table 3″ Mortar (12 FM)
  • 1 x FO for off-table 25 Pounder (12 FM)
  • 1 x Hull 16, Sherman IB with 105mm Howitzer (ARM 1d6; AT 4d6; AP 6d6)
  • 1 x Hull 17, Sherman “Firefly” VC with 17 Pdr (ARM 1d6; AT 6d6; AP 4d6)
  • 1 x Hull 18, Sherman III with 75mm (ARM 1d6; AT 5d6; AP 5d6)
  • Morale: Veteran
  • Command & Control: Okay / British
  • Deploys: Visible
  • Points: 126.5
  • Fighting stands: 14 including 3 vehicles

In the box the Kiwis looked like:

italy-102 Kiwi force
italy-102 Kiwi force

I took the Fallschirmjäger. A weak company (two platoons) but some anti-tank ability and a StuG. They were seriously outnumbered but compensated by being hidden.

Fallschirmjäger

  • 1 x CC (+2)
  • 1 x HMG
  • 1 x Rifle Platoon: PC(+2); 3 x Rifle Squads; 1 x Early Panzerfaust (AT 7d6/2d6)
  • 1 x Rifle Platoon: PC(+1); 3 x Rifle Squads; 1 x Early Panzerfaust (AT 7d6/2d6)
  • 1 x FO for off-table 81mm Mortar (12 FM)
  • 1 x FO for off-table 120mm Mortar (12 FM)
  • 1 x StuG III F-G (ARM 1d6; AT 5d6; AP 5d6)
  • 1 x 7.5cm PaK 40 Aufgw 39H(F) ATG with optional tow (AT 6d6; AP 3d6)
  • Morale: Veteran
  • Command & Control: Good / German
  • Deploys: Hidden
  • Points: 120
  • Fighting stands: 10 including 1 vehicle

And in the box:

italy-103 Fallschirmjaeger Force
italy-103 Fallschirmjaeger Force

If you don’t have New Zealanders, then any British will do. In fact any US or Soviet will do. If you don’t have Fallschirmjäger then substitute regular Germans.

Also all these troops are classed as Veteran. you can play the same game with Regular morale. on both sides, and not change the number of troops.


The Game

Plans and Deployment

Jamie planned to use his armour and two platoons to attack the village. The third platoon was going to attempt a flank attack.

italy-105 Kiwi plan of attack
italy-105 Kiwi plan of attack

Jamie’s deployment hid his plan as he had everybody opposite the village.

italy-106 Kiwi Deployment
italy-106 Kiwi Deployment

Of course, Jamie couldn’t see my deployment as I was hidden. If you peer closely you can see where I’d planned to be. Basically both platoons in the village with one facing the objective in the field and the other shield the objective in the village. Both the StuG and Pak40 on the flank.

italy-169 Fallschirmjaeger hidden deployment
italy-169 Fallschirmjaeger hidden deployment

1200 Hours

Jamie moved his Sherman III and I knocked it out with my Pak40. A great start for the Germans.

italy-108 Pak40 knocks out Sherman III
italy-108 Pak40 knocks out Sherman III

1230 Hours

After that false start, Jamie kicked off for real. The 1st Platoon and Firefly headed towards the German right flank, while 3rd Platoon headed towards the left.

italy-111 Kiwis advance
italy-111 Kiwis advance
italy-112 Kiwis advance
italy-112 Kiwis advance

3rd Platoon initially advanced down the centre.

italy-113 Kiwi 3rd Platoon comes through woods
italy-113 Kiwi 3rd Platoon comes through woods

But the appearance of my StuG III persuaded Jamie there wasn’t much joy to be expected from this route.

italy-114 StuG III opens fire
italy-114 StuG III opens fire

Attention flipped back to the right, and Jamie kept 1st Platoon going to the flank as 2nd Platoon came up behind them. The Firefly went with 1st Platoon.

italy-115 Kiwis advance
italy-115 Kiwis advance

The Kiwis dropped smoke to shield 1st Platoon’s route to the first objective.

italy-116 Kiwi smoke allows access to objective
italy-116 Kiwi smoke allows access to objective

On the other flank, Jamie also used smoke to facilitate withdrawing his 3rd Platoon and allow them to head to the (German) left.

italy-120 Kiwis smoke off the StuG
italy-120 Kiwis smoke off the StuG

The Kiwi 3rd Platoon went wide and came down the left flank. I let his squads through and then revealed my only squad on that side of the village to take a shot at his PC. Suppress! Good enough.

italy-122 Kiwi 3rd Platoon starts to outflank
italy-122 Kiwi 3rd Platoon starts to outflank

The StuG turned to face and fired into the Kiwi 3rd Platoon. Suppress.

italy-123 StuG responds
italy-123 StuG responds

Then kill.

italy-124 StuG makes a kill
italy-124 StuG makes a kill

Unable too respond to the StuG, the Kiwi 3rd Platoon pulled back behind the field.

italy-126 Kiwi 3rd Platoon pulls back
italy-126 Kiwi 3rd Platoon pulls back

Having revealed my squad facing the left hand flank, I was now vulnerable to shooting by the Kiwi 2nd Platoon in front of the village.

italy-125 Kiwi 2nd Platoon opens fire
italy-125 Kiwi 2nd Platoon opens fire

Suppress and then kill.

italy-127 Kiwi 2nd Platoons gets a kill
italy-127 Kiwi 2nd Platoons gets a kill

My forward observers (FO) were now exposed, and I withdrew the one that was mobile. The other was PINNED and I didn’t want to risk losing initiative.

italy-128 Fallschirmjaeger FO relocates
italy-128 Fallschirmjaeger FO relocates

1300 Hours

There was nothing I could do to stop the Kiwis taking the first objective. But I took the opportunity to reveal my 1st Platoon and take a shot. PIN. Sigh.

italy-130 Kiwis take first objective
italy-130 Kiwis take first objective

My big club was the StuG and I figured I had to use it more aggressively, so I rolled it forward. As soon as it was visible the PIAT guy in the Kiwi 2nd Platoon had a go. The experimental rules we were playing meant Jamie scored a PIN. Now PIN isn’t terrible. But it is so annoying. I’d have to rally the StuG to be able to line of sight on the Kiwi infantry.

italy-132 StuG prowls forward
italy-132 StuG prowls forward

1330 Hours

A firefight started in front of the village. The Fallschirmjäger 1st Platoon against the Kiwi 1st Platoon supported by artillery and the Sherman Firefly. Hmm. Odds weren’t in my favour. SUPPRESS.

italy-134 Kiwis pound the village
italy-134 Kiwis pound the village

Nearby the Kiwi 2nd Platoon tried to reach the village. A squad advanced and I revealed the remainder of my 2nd Platoon to stop it (the other squad in 2nd Platoon had already been destroyed).

italy-135 2nd Platoon meets 2nd Platoon
italy-135 2nd Platoon meets 2nd Platoon

I got my StuG working again and brought it to bear on the Kiwi 2nd Platoon. SUPPRESS.

italy-136 StuG counterattacks
italy-136 StuG counterattacks

But that annoying PIAT guy managed to PIN the StuG again.

italy-137 Kiwis fight back
italy-137 Kiwis fight back

1400 Hours

I needed to bring more to bear and got my mortars firing at the Kiwi 2nd Platoon.

italy-139 German mortars stonk 2nd Platoon
italy-139 German mortars stonk 2nd Platoon

The firefight at the village continued. I had a bad feeling about it. Allied firepower was going to tip the scales.

italy-140 Firefight at the village
italy-140 Firefight at the village

Boom! The 105mm of the Sherman IB opened up. KILL.

italy-141 Sherman 1B opens up - a kill
italy-141 Sherman 1B opens up – a kill

And another KILL.

italy-142 And again
italy-142 And again

And then a SUPPRESS.

italy-143 But only a Suppress on the third shot
italy-143 But only a Suppress on the third shot

1430 Hours

Back on the left flank, the Kiwi 3rd Platoon had had enough of the StuG. So their PIAT guy went StuG hunting. 7d6 into the back of the assault gun and BOOM!

italy-146 StuG hunting with a PIAT
italy-146 StuG hunting with a PIAT

The rest of 3rd Platoon headed straight for the village. But my hidden squad from 2nd Platoon stopped the advance guard.

italy-147 Kiwi 3rd Platoon tries to charge
italy-147 Kiwi 3rd Platoon tries to charge

That SUPPRESS and a NO FIRE gave my company commander and opportunity to counter attack. He rallied some cooks and clerks and took the battle to the Kiwis.

italy-148 Fallschirmjaeger Company Commander counter charges
italy-148 Fallschirmjaeger Company Commander counter charges

The company commander destroyed the exposed Kiwi squad. German victory.

italy-149 Close combat
italy-149 Close combat

1500 Hours

The Fallschirmjäger company commander settled in next to the Pak40, just in time to receive a charge from the Kiwi 3rd Platoon. The Kiwis lost a squad and PC.

italy-152 Kiwi 3rd Platoon tries to charge again
italy-152 Kiwi 3rd Platoon tries to charge again

The Kiwi company commander got all bolshy and charged as well. But lost.

italy-153 And then Kiwi Company Commander charged
italy-153 And then Kiwi Company Commander charged

My exposed FO was still calling in fire on the Kiwi 2nd Platoon.

italy-154 German mortars fire
italy-154 German mortars fire

On the right the Sherman IB kept firing. Another KILL.

italy-151 Sherman IIB keeps pounding
italy-151 Sherman IB keeps pounding

And another.

italy-155 Sherman IIB gets another kill
italy-155 Sherman IB gets another kill

And yet another.

italy-156 And another kill
italy-156 And another kill

That cleared the way for the Kiwi 1st Platoon to enter the village.

italy-157 Kiwi 1st Platoon enters village
italy-157 Kiwi 1st Platoon enters village

Jamie then moved his armour forward. The IB moved to aim down the alley way.

italy-158 Sherman IIB crawls forward to get sight down an alley
italy-158 Sherman IB crawls forward to get sight down an alley

The Sherman Firefly drove into the middle of the village.

italy-159 Sherman Firefly takes up position iin village
italy-159 Sherman Firefly takes up position in village

I turned my Pak40 toward the threat and got SUPPRESSED.

italy-160 Pak40 turns to face
italy-160 Pak40 turns to face

Then the Kiwi 1st Platoon did a home run on the final objective.

italy-161 Kiwis make a run for the final objective
italy-161 Kiwis make a run for the final objective

Observations and Conclusions

It was a great game. Very intense. As is common with Crossfire, neither of us felt confident of victory.

It was great to get the Fallschirmjäger and Kiwis back on table. I haven’t really used my Fallschirmjäger as I’ve been waiting for the Italian Campaign. Well, now is the time. I did use my Kiwis for Dung Farm, but they were in disguise as Scots and Irish. But in this game they were being used as New Zealanders. Yay! A milestone completed.

Jamie did a very good job as the attacker. His main force went for the village but he had a platoon on the flank probing for weakness. The flanking platoon almost got me but Jamie got a bit rash and charged to close combat. But in the meantime I’d managed to get my +2 Company Commander in the way of the flank attack, and he managed to deal with the Kiwis. That left the main attack into the village. The combination of indirect fire, tanks and infantry was unstoppable. Good play.

The Crossfire Terrain Cards system produced a pretty good table which posed interesting tactical challenges. We’ll try the system again.

I might change the deployment zones. As the defender I really wanted to deploy some troops in the line of woods in no-mans land. But we’d agreed to leave it empty. Perhaps next time I’ll give the defender the option to deploy right up to the attacker’s deployment zone. That will give them the option to have outposts.

We should have used Casualty objectives. Given the Kiwis had 14 fighting stands, we might have given them a break limit of 7 fighting stands (50%); lose 7 and they lose the game. This would slightly tip the odds towards the Fallschirmjäger, and they probably need that. I think the defenders were okay with no limit. For lower morale attacker I would have selected a lower number (e.g. 5 break limit).

Jamie thought the defenders needed another tank. Maybe. Or perhaps just a second anti-tank gun.

We liked our armour experiment. The tanks were potent but not super troops. We particularly liked the PIAT from the Kiwi 3rd Platoon sneaking up behind the StuG and blowing it up, without having to go into close combat. It had a good feel to it. We’ll give this experiment a few more test runs.

11 thoughts on “Kiwis vs FJ in Italy – A Crossfire Scenario and Battle Report 1”

    • John

      Despite living in the UK I’m a patriotic New Zealander. So I’m very pleased to finally get this project onto the table. And Kiwis versus FJ is such a classic grudge match.

      Be great to see what you do with this scenario.

      Reply
  1. Very inspiring Steven. Sounds like it was a fun game.

    At this point I think you could compile all your effective house rules (by effective I mean those you actually found useful beyond the stage of “musings”) and publish them as one of your planned Crossfire expansions.

    Reply
    • Hi Andres, rather than bloating the original rules book, Arty prefers bundling special rules into each supplement. We saw that with HTD. So expect that pattern to continue.

      I’m not sure I’d bundle all of my house rules into a single expansion, but you’ll see something.

      And, of course, on my site I do try to keep Crossfire Musing separate from my tried and tested Crossfire House Rules.

      Reply
    • Peter, truth to tell, annotating the photos takes about 90% of the time to write these AARs. I’m glad they enhance them.

      Reply
    • And I got the red plastic skull so I didn’t have to add those to the images as well. Just plonk it on the table and take the photos. That plastic skull has saved me hours of work.

      Reply
      • Time consuming work with the number of photos. Some plastic (or card) arrows could help (a bit analogue and not very digital).

        Reply
        • Yes, well, I suspect I already stretch the patience of my opponents when searching for the red skulls at the big moments. I have lots of arrows but using them in a Crossfire game would slow it unduly.

          Reply
  2. Great stuff – I am an ex pat Scot living in NZ (been here 33 years in fact!) so nice to see 2 NZ Div on the table, and I at least was happy they overcame the FSJ! I have not played Crossfire for several years – my mate and I went through quite a long phase of using those rules and I think they are great – the only downside we ever found was its not really possible to have multi player games – they only work with one person per side – at least, so we felt….

    Reply
    • Hi Keith. Which part of Godzone do you live in? I was North Island.

      I find it odd that people think Crossfire is not suited to multiplayer. We do it a lot. There was quite a while when the only Crossfire I played was multiplayer. But a recent example was the Scots and Irish at Dung Farm. But you have to work hard with multi-player Crossfire to get the full Crossfire intensity. And works best with the same number of players on each side.

      Reply

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