Truly a German "horde" list, you do get a lot of toys when fielding RT chaps, observe:
HQ with 1 * shrek
Full Sturm Plt with schrek
Full Schutzen plt with shrek
4 * 8cm mortars
4 * 7.5 infantry guns
4 * PaK50's (using PaK38's since my trails still haven't turned up!)
4 * StuG G late
2 * Sturm tigers, oh yes!
3 * PaK40's
6 * 15cm heavy artillery
3 * nebs
Colin went with the elite option, all CV:
2 full infantry platoons
2 tank platoons with a pair of fireflys each
2 M10C's
HMG plt
4 * 6pdrs
3 carriers
So of all the missions I didn't want (in fact the only one!) we had to roll up bloody surrounded! Since Colin's list is mech that means I'm auto defending. I just wanted to point all my guns in the same direction, is that too much to ask! Never mind.
The toys hit the board…….
A serious defensive position if there ever was one! Trying to cover all angles.
The fun begins with the brit 6 pdrs killing one of my heavy guns. You know, this is the 4th time I've fielded my uber-battery and still have yet to fire a full 6-gun barrage. The Shermans shuffle around a bit and try and pop some IG at long range my don't achieve much.
In return the mighty guns, whilst remaining pinned, blast a carrier. My mortars and nebs dump smoke over the 6 pdrs to keep them quiet whilst my sturm's move into position to try out their new rule.
Since Colin has concentrated all 6 of his AT15 guns down one end the board, my RT StuG's go find something easier to play with, ahh look, an HMG plt!
with no real prey to play with the M10C's go shoot up some infantry guns with their 0.5 cals, and miss. Hey, I gave him a chance, I failed all 4 saves!
Elsewhere the 6 pdrs push a couple of teams out from under the smoke whilst the carriers fall back. Sherman shooting is still rather flat with no casualties.
In response my SturmTigers and heavy guns nail a pair of 6 pdrs whilst my StuG carry on harassing the HMG plt killing a gun.
My infantry guns return fire at the M10C's with some success, (all for 90 points!)
Colin gets all aggressive with his recce attacking my nebs, whilst the rest of my force hunkers down and still survives Sherman and 6pdr long range fire. My big guns, who have clearly decided that the Russian tactic of direct fire is so the way ahead vapourise the carriers whilst my Sturms blast another gun.
One failed motivation check later and the 6 pdrs leave the table. To pour on the pain my StuG's rampage through the HMG's giving me my 3rd platoon kill.
Colin needs to pull something out of the bag at this point, so he pulls back the surviving M10 to keep it alive and pushes one of the Sherman plts up through the village.
However, my heavy battery has swung around previously and decides it's time to return to the old bombardment style, and….
…. first Sherman down.
The 2nd Sherman platoon finally makes a dent in the German forces and pops a neb.
The isolated Brit infantry plt see an opportunity to dent the StuG's due to my poor positioning. They bail one with the PIAT and then proceed to fail tank terror, even with the CiC re-roll, so close…
Turn 8 see's a whole load of Germans still on the board…
Colin has concentrated all available 17 lbr's to engage my Sturmtigers by this point, who are threatening his 2nd infantry plt, and is rewarded with a kill.
Whilst his infantry go for the StuG's once again. But this time…
StuG down!
However retaliation is swift, my surviving Sturmtiger finally hits a Sherman and…
…whilst my Nebs and StuG's give his infantry the good news.
…..4th platoon and CiC wiped out. But just to finish turning the blade, both my heavy artillery and infantry guns score kills finishing off both the last M10 and a Sherman platoon.
One failed motivation check later and it's all over. The Brit's leg it leaving 6 of their 8 platoons dead and burning on the field of battle.
OK, of all the expected results winning 6-1, whilst losing a total of 5 teams was not one of them. Especially not with a RT force.
Of course being reluctant doesn't matter if you don't have to test! Although it did cost me the StuG as he refused to remount after being bailed by the PIAT.
Colin was faced with a sea of AT guns which, whilst he did outrange most of them, couldn't really get to grips with. Check me out, proper PaK fronts and overlapping fields of fire! So it does work then!
Anyway, time for one or two more games before the desert holiday beckons so I'm sure revenge will be swift!
likes the look of the Soviet KV-1 tank, and plunges into a project to paint three of them - plus a spare KV-2 turret!
