Finished up the game yesterday.  A semi-tradition to spend a lot of time wargaming the day after Thanksgiving.

The British wound up with 60 VIPs, better than the historical outcome of 53, but less than the 70 needed to “win”.

If the British were to win, this would have been the game.  The German harbor defense and activation rolls were terrible.  Literally all the commandos were able to land, and faced only moderate opposition when ashore.

Still, over the 13 turns, the British assault fleet was reduced to kindling, with only four ship escaping, two of which were on fire.  The ML Falconar was able to return 6 survivors and Chant’s demolition team to the UK.  Nobody else made it home.

For once I should taken a picture of the end-game.  The surviving commandos were huddled around their point of debarkation, watching the remaining three MLs, and their hopes of making back, being blown out of the water.   As you can see from the Game Log, several of the commando units were still in good shape.

The “star” of the operation was Swayne’s unit, which destroyed not only their primary target, but two others, accounting for 12 VIPs. Both Smalley and Chant’s demolition teams accounted for both their primary and additional targeted facilities.  The game score would have been higher but for a D6 roll of “6”, which damaged  the scuttled Campbeltown, but did not destroy it.  That would have brought the score to 66, or one target away from “victory”.

The only real bit of bad luck for the Brits was that the ships that were sunk on the run-in contained demolition teams.  That reduced their ability to gain VIPs.  Oh, yes, and my stupid decision to move one demolition team in a position where it could be engaged by not one, but three, flak emplacements.  Blammo!

Enjoyed playing this game.  Its well known virtues were evident throughout my two play-thrus.  I’ll certainly take it off the shelf again.