WW2 German Assault

This week we introduced Andy to the rules and re-introduced Chris Flowers.

Chris and I would assault two towns with a Panzer Grenadier battalion and two tank battalions each with a company of tanks riders. Steve and Andy defending with 2 Russian battalions, a regiment of anti tank guns and 2 battalion of tanks coming on as reinforcements. Both sides had off table artillery support.

A large town near the Russian table edge and a smaller town in the middle of the table were the German objectives. With most of our infantry on foot moving at 4 inches the further town was going to be a stretch. The Tank riders would be invaluable.

Chris got good movement on his PZR IV battalion and pushed forward, a little too close as it happens as a regiment of anti tanks guns were spready across the front of the Town and opened up causing some serious injury. 

On the right one of my Panther companies pushes forward down a gully with a view to outflanking the small town i the centre.

The other one pushes straight at the village with a company of Panzer grenadiers to its right. In heavy fighting I loose half a company but eventually drive out the remnants of a company from the front of the town. Steve drops a number of artillery strikes on us and adds to the casualties on the grenadiers and one hit on a Panther.

Steve and Andy's reinforcements come on and 6 tanks against my 2 is a nasty surprise. T34 85's in the main.

I push the panthers into hull down position at the end of the gully with the infantry holding the edge of the wood in support. My firing inflicts minimal damage on the T35's.

On our left Chris's tanks have pulled back to the wood leaving the tank riders to shoot it out and providing longer rage support along with the Tiger inflictign steady losses on the anti tank guns. 

The Panzer Grenadiers have some staying power so despite beign hit by mortars are able t whittle down the gun crews.

Andy's Russian armour closes with me and starts to knock lumps off the Panthers.

In the centre Andy fires a light AT gun and I am able to drop heavy artillery on him, turns out the wood has alsorts in it and I end up getting shots at multiple targets, we dont know but his HQ company has been wiped out along with the AT gun and some infantry,

I manage to inflict some hits on him including one tank brewed but in return he destroys one of mine and suppresses the other.

I should really have kept the Panthers together and having pushed the Russians from the front of the town I try to remedy my error by supporting the front company, too little too late really.

Having inflicted lots of damage on the guns Chris sends the Tiger to support my flank.

My infantry opens up on the next house int he town and we also drop mortars on them, this forces a morale which they fail, 

Next move we occupy the house and fire into the retreating Russians causing more casualties. This causes a battalion morale as we had earlier wiped out their HQ and supports with artillery in the woods. They fails and one battalion of Russian foot leaves table/Surrenders.

Against my better judgement the fresh Panther company drives to the top of the hill to fire on the Russians, these are all on overwatch and 6 shots result in 3 hits to one panther which fails its morale and routes. The remaining tank takes out a T35.

The Russians still have 4 tanks with minimal damage so capable of coming at us. Which they do.

The Tiger takes a long range pot shot and scores a single hit on a T35. They all add up I guess.

Artillery and mortar fire take out two of the anti tanks guns and with just one remaining Chris advances his three remaining tanks on them.

The Panzer grenadiers also start to advance from the woods albeit with a very long way to go.

Chris's tank riders close assault the gun in what should eb a forgone conclusion, 3 dice vs 1. Chris gets no hits, Steve gets one and the grenadiers are thrown out.

Fortunately the Tanks then get a clear shot and destroy the last AT gun, leaving the way open to close with the town.

On the right the remaining 4 Russian tanks push forward and the Panther and Tiger take up positions to contest their advance.

A tough game this week with the Russians a bit stronger and some mistakes leading to higher casualties for the Germans.

We perhaps needed another 30-40 minutes to get a final result.

All four of us enjoyed it, honours were fairly equal but on balance a narrow Russian victory as we had yet to take the main town. Another few moves might have allowed the Panzer Grenadiers to take the town, they now had support of 3 tanks with no anti tank capability to stop them.

On my right flank we had just two tanks left but a panther and a Tiger had the edge on the remaining 4 Russian tanks and I was supported by infantry where they were not so all in all a close game.

Good fun, thanks gents.