This was a Skype play with Vince Hughes. As our usual fair the play was good and he made it quite enjoyable with his new defensive strategy. The battle has the British attacking a town Estry situated on a 40m hill and at a critical road junction. The Germans occupy this with a strong force from the 9th SS Panzer Division. The British must take the town and push the Germans out, but the German are dug-in and have the positioning on the British. The British have brought up Churchill VII tanks for the assault as well as two brigades, but they will need more than that for this well defended town.

The Germans setup with a reinforced company blocking the east-west road and commanding the hill. A StugIIIG is positioned to command AT fire on the advancing British as well as the possibility of a motley crew of artillery and mortars some where hidden in the town. To the south, several groups of GREN's and SPW251's are strung out as a picket line against a southern attack. Mines protect the southern edge of the Estry.

For the British, they will try to push the northern and southern flanks while trying to batter at the center roadblock on the hill. To the north a reinforced company is positioned to move around Germans and down the north south road. To the south another reinforced company is posed to do the same thing as the northern force. In the center the main force is positioned in the wheat fields and the town.

To start the Germans get the jump, but wait for the British to move out. The northern and southern forces advance while in the center the WPN's units position for fire on the hill. German OBA scores first blood with a step loss on a RIF. The northern force continues to advance across the top of board 27 for several turns before its starts to get into position against the Germans, but pesky on board artillery starts to take it's toll with disruptions and demoralization's. Soon the leading Captain is double disrupted and the northern force slows down.

To the south, the German pickets are forcing the British out and around the main defense. Key shots slow the British with disruptions and demoralization's. Forced to recover units the Captain is stopped and the force only moves forward piecemeal. Reinforcements are added to the southern force to get them going but German artillery keeps after them and their advance slows.

In the center the WPN's teams form up to try to get a fire group on the STNBFR that is holding the lower elevations. The units nearly get together when OP fire kills the leading CAPT, forcing to go with plan B. Another LT moves forward to take command and the teams open fire on the hills with little to no effect.

As time goes on the German guns, although not accurate all the time, score enough disruptions and demoralization's to keep the British off the hill. Several desperate charges are tried by the British, but the fight will be too much for them as the casualties mount and they are no closer to the town. Halfway through with many losses and tanks burning the British pull back to the start line.

A very tough one for the British, as the Germans have the edge with the positions and support weapons. The British will have to traverse open ground or fields that can be observed from the higher ground. This will put them under consist fire and morale pressure, which over time will take its toll.