The road to Flanders

This is another game from my local club. Those of you who read our previous exploits(http://warformiddleearth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/return-of-king-that-is-to-say-richard-i.html) will remember that I said we were doing 28mm ACW... well owing to a broken down car this was not happening, so one of the others turned up with 10mm WWII. I have little knowledge of this period and I don't really have much wish to gain any more (The political situation is quite interesting however), but it is a popular wargaming period (I can't see quite how, as it is quite unlike any other period of wargaming) and the games always look brilliant laid out (my camera does not do this game justice as it was really a very impressive layout and the flash rather obscured the 10mm models).

I took the British force (not something I usually do). Our force of six shermans, thirty four infantry, two MGs, three anti tank guns and two OPs (controlling four off board 25mms) plus a large array of jeeps and other transports was tasked with holding the road and stopping the germans leaving the table edge behind them. The german force (an armour company) consisted of three panzers, three challengers, six halftracks, six transport vehicles and two OPs.
We used rapid fire rules with halved measurements

I had Ten Infantrymen positioned inside the small village with their truck as a forward outpost. In the church chapel and also on the hill nearby there were two OPs with their jeeps. I started off the game by moving the infantry from the village to form a road block directly in front of the German advance.
The OP on the hill then set off, with his jeep and the Picket's transport truck, for the British head quaters. He made quite good speed along the Flanders road and would be able to direct the 25mms from the headquaters should the church fall.

 I then began to send my other forces forward. There wasa barbed wire blockade over the road near the British position and I dispatched three shermans and ten infantry to secure this position. To the north my other three shermans and ten more of my infantrymen set off to make sure the Panzers didn't try to escape by crossing the clearing.

 I looked in a strong position, but as I have already stated WWII wargaming is quite unlike any other. Large, strong looking blocks of infantry can be cut down in minutes and tanks do little damage to each other.

 My OP was almost home, and not a moment to soon as the Tanks began to open fire on the picket in the village taking down four men. However the picket then opened fire... but as stated before their is little their rifles can do and they only managed to take down the German OP, getting a lucky shot at the engine of his staff car. Our 25mm then opened fire on the German tanks but all the artillery shots missed.
My Shermans were nearly all in their positions, hidden in clumps of trees at the strategic spots.

 The German force had not got far as the clock ticked on. The picket sort of seemed to be proving its use in slowing the German assualt.

But It was not to last as the German tanks opened fire on the church tower. They managed to blow it and the OP inside sky high before letting bringing down a bombardment on the village, blowing out all of the picket. However not before the picket fired on one of the half tracks, getting another lucky shot and blowing it and the infantry inside sky high!

The German halftracks then began to advance over the hill behind the village and into the clearing. I was advised not to open fire at that range however and held my fire only to have  one of my sherman's blown out by the Germans.
Having held off the Tanks from making much progress along the road and the other Germans from making it across the clearing in time.
I had to go early from this game but I was told that I had probably held them off long enough to prevent them leaving the board in time. I say "I was told" because I really have no idea with this kind of wargaming!