Fields of Fire Deluxe AAR

CommandTent, 6 March 2025

I’ve always heard of Fields of Fire by GMT in one of two regards; one that it’s a fantastic solo tactical game and the other that regard it as incredibly complicated to learn with a difficultrule book. I remember hearing about efforts to address the learning curve and rule book in recent years and with the release of Fields of Fire: Deluxe Edition now was the time to give it a try.

Much to my delight this deluxe edition has not only a rewritten rule book with plenty of examples of play but also two Field Manuals to help you learn the basic rules step by step. Having successfully completed training in a platoon level assault course and the basic company level assault courses I have decided to ‘celebrate’ by sharing an AAR of the final company assault course in the training manual.

click images to enlarge

Objective – Use two platoons to clear all 8 ‘Potential Contact Markers’ (Blue markers labeled A and B), as well as eliminate all enemies on the map by the end of turn 10.

Friendly Forces – Company HQ with a mortar section, off board mortar and artillery FOs, 1stand 2nd Plts, supported each with LMGS and bazookas.

Possible Enemy forces – Intelligence expects dug in Fallschirmjager squads armed with LMGs and small arms supported by pre-plotted mortars.

Plan of attack – While we don’t know the location of the enemy there seem to be plenty of places for them to hide in our assigned avenue of attack. In order to uncover enemy locations, we will have each platoon deploy assault teams and recon into the marsh and woods to try and locate possible enemy positions. From there the plan is to use our mortar and artillery assets to pin the enemy while we advance to eliminate them. Both platoons, the company commander, and their assets are deployed in the staging area and the attack is ready to begin.

 

Turn 1

The first turn quickly gets us into the action. Orders come from Battalion to get the Company moving and the radio net comes alive with orders for 1st and 2nd Plt to recon the marsh and woods to their fronts. 1st squad from both platoons detach an assault team and send them to scout for potential enemy, which they quickly discover.

1st platoon’s team heads into the marsh and bumbles right into an enemy LMG team who seems to be looking for a good place to set up. A brief fire fight takes place that sees the GermanLMG become a casualty while pinning the assault team. 2nd Plt’s assault team heads into the woods and is immediately fired upon by an enemy machine gun that eliminates them before they even have a chance to spot it.  This machine gun then turns its fire to the assault team in the marsh.

 

Turn 2

The sound of gun fire and reports of casualties leads the CO HQ to set up a casualty collection station in the staging area as well as ordering 1st and 2nd Plts to begin pushing forward and engaging the enemy. 1st Plt pushes a squad left and doesn’t come into contact with any enemy units. They also send their LMG and bazooka into the woods hoping to engage the enemy in the orchard. The enemy LMG in the Orchard is spotted and fire is directed towards its position, which manages to pin it.

To that end 2nd Plt sends its Arty FO forwards into the woods to try and call a fire mission down on the enemy foxholes. It also sends its LMG and a squad forward who end up badly exposed and draw out a new enemy position in a trench on a hill on the far side of the map. This enemy squad immediately opens fire pinning the squad and paralyzing the LMG team.

 

Turn 3

With the company now engaged, the CO orders both platoons forward. 1st Plt sends two squads up the left flank while committing another to the marsh. No new enemy contacts are made. Meanwhile the 1st Plt HQ moves into the woods to direct heavy fire onto the enemy position in the orchard. An artillery fire mission is successfully called in by the FO which continues to pin the enemy squad causing it to become ineffective at anything other than close range. 2nd Plt HQ sends one squad into the woods to help collect casualties while the rest of the platoon is able to safely move forward in order to help rally 2nd squad and what is left of the LMG team.

However, this is where 2nd Plts luck runs out. They are able to spot the enemy squad on the hill but can only deliver ineffective fire on the trench. The enemy’s return fire is much more deadly as they destroy the bazooka team, paralyze the 2nd Plt HQ (destroying the radio in the process), and pin down the rest of the present platoon. This is a big problem as 2nd Plt HQ has lost all command and control until the HQ can be reconstituted.

 

Turn 4

With the loss of 2nd Plt HQ the CO HQ and 1st Plt HQ will shoulder the burden of command this turn.  1st Plt HQ sends his LMG and the Arty FO forward out of the woods up a hill to give themselves a better field of fire at the risk of exposing themselves in the open. He moves himself to the marsh to prepare to send a squad in to clear the foxholes in the orchard next turn as the fire from his platoon continues to do no more than pin the LMG there.

More importantly, 1st Plt HQ sends a squad from the woods into the gully on the right in order to draw the fire from the enemy squad on the hill away from remains of 2nd Plt. This action gives the CO HQ the freedom to move up to try and rally these units next turn. He also bringsalong the Company mortar team in hopes they can lay down direct fire on the enemy units on thewooded hill.

However, in the process two more enemy contacts resolve leading to the discovery of another enemy squad in a trench as well as an LMG in a bunker all on the same wooded hill.This will be a tough nut to crack.

 

Turn 5

The CO HQ immediately gets to work reconstituting the 2nd Plt HQ from their survivors. They are able to pull themselves together albeit without a radio and possessing less command experience then they had before they took casualties.  Several of the other paralyzed teams are rallied and the mortar lays down fire on the hill bristling with Germans.  1st Plt HQ, knowing it can wait no longer, sends two squads into the orchard for a close assault against the LMG in the foxholes.  They force it to fall back only to make contact with another LMG team coming to reinforce the orchard.

1st Plt HQ shuffles several other units around before joining the Arty FO on the hill. Theybring down effective fire on the hill of Germans, pinning them but causing minimal damage.  Halfway through the scenario and with all the ‘potential enemy contacts’ dealt with; all that is left to do is mop up the remaining enemies on the map. This is easier said than done.

 

Turn 6

The CO HQ orders both platoons to consolidate their positions and keep the pressure up.  1st Plt’s pressure leads to the newly arrived LMG falling back to the cover of the woods, while the Plt keeps up its fire on all targets. They are also able to unpin several of their own units in preparation to assault the enemy positions.

2nd Plt consolidates its squads and helps evacuate several casualties to the collection point in the staging area. Another fire mission from the Arty FO continues to pin and reduce the effectiveness of the hill of Germans. As long as the fire missions continue to drop this will keep the Germans from being able to fire. The Company is set up to assault this fortified position.

 

Turn 7

Not much action on this turn as both platoons shuffle units around to set up assaults and put suppressing fire on enemy positions. The fire continues to pin and cause chaos in the enemy ranks. So much so that a paralyzed enemy team retreats off the map and several others take casualties. The FO is unable to call in another artillery fire mission, but the mortar FO is moving up in hopes of adding its fire power if needed. The CO HQ moves to a more central position to assist as needed and 2nd Plt HQ sets off on its own convinced that even without a radio it will be able to exert control over its nearby units on its own initiative.  Even with enemy pinned down,they are still a threat until eliminated or captured.

 

Turn 8

This turn proves decisive as 1st Plt HQ successful has the FO call in a fire mission on the hill of Germans, then moves and sends two of his squads charging towards the other two enemy positions. This causes both German units to retreat. The small arms fire and concentrated fire from the LMG on the hill of Germans causes one unit to withdraw and casualties among the others.  Victory is in sight with one more push on to the hill full of cowering Germans.

 

Turn 9

A coordinated push by the CO HQ and both platoon HQs leads to a successful assault on the final German position whilst also calling a halt to covering fire and ensuring no friendly fire takes place. Several German units flee from their trenches as the Americans charge in while one unit surrenders and casualties are captured.

The final stronghold of resistance in the bunker is eliminated with a well-placed hand grenade to bring victory to the Americans as they achieve all of their victory conditions.

As the fighting dies away the Company HQ takes stock of his units. Some casualties aresustained but not so much as to make the company combat ineffective. Some of those rescued and brought back to the casualty collection point might even live to fight another day.  A number of enemy units were captured and will be sent behind lines while the company regroups for whatever comes next.

 

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