Operation Goulash - Democratic Uprising Finds It's Feet In Hungary! Jerry On The Run As Our Boys Aid Local Resistance!

Our little Flames of War community has grown slightly of late, with new forces arriving in the form of the Hungarians. In order to make sense of a 3 player game we played - British and Hungarians vs Germans - we decided that the background was a second front being opened up in the Balkans after successes in Italy. The paras have been sent in to link up with democratic elements that the Foreign Office has been convinced are primed for insurrection.

Apparently there was a democratic (along with communist) resistance to the German occupation. They weren't very effective. This may have been because of the rampaging armoured trains.

Paras and feral university students stream through the streets of Portsmouth a nameless Hungarian town

Things got off to a bad start when Alex' reserves turned up on turn 1...

*Sigh* Choo choo motherfuckers...

The opening rounds of the game mostly consisted in maneuvering towards the German lines which exchanging artillery fire.

Hungarian StuGs loaned by the occupying Germans are now turned against their creators

The PzIVs executed their ambush, sniping at the distant StuGs, killing one, leaving my 6pdrs badly out of place. As they began the ardous process of re positioning, Hungarian anti-tank guns destroyed the lead car on the train.

Paras push to the right to support the Hungarian rebels...

Who take up positions in the buildings in front, supported by the StuGs

The German armoured train rains artillery down on the paras mortars, killing two, and pinning the Hungarian AT...

While the PzIV's advance towards lurking panzershreks

Version 4 is the first time I've had to worry about enemy air power. There are no real anti air choices in my go to lists, and it's slightly annoying.

The Luftwaffe kills bombs the paras pushing right

While reserves arrive to take the rear objective, uncontested!

Towards the mid-game the lines bogged down, mostly trading fire as we set up our assault on the right.

Things go badly wrong for the PzIVs...

...As the para assault platoon prepares to attack, supported by the StuGs and covering fire from the buildings behind them

At this point, more German reserves showed up, this time in our rear, too late to change the flow of the battle, but with enough firepower to cause us problems.

Brummbars? More like Room Brooms

After taking significant casualties, the assault platoon digs in and leaves this fight to the Hungarians

Meanwhile, any German assault on the left ran into trouble.

Southern Rail regrets to inform you...

The Hungarian StuGs push the Germans off the forward objective

German infantry dismounts from the train and begins to advance on the rear objective, but too late, as Hungarian artillery pins them in place

The 6pdrs get some action, killing a Brummbar

Hungarian conscripts decide to attack the Germans from the rear

While others spot an easy target in the shape of  the final - bailed out - PzIV

The battle ended with the from of the German train engulfed in flames while its infantry contingent tried, too late, to oust the Paras from the rear objective. But with the other objective safely under the protection of the StuGs it really was a solid victory for the democratic rebels and their paras allies.

Operation Goulash will return!