Panzer Pioneers vs Russian Infantry in Break through

German 2ICs are not to be messed with! This was round 1 of Summer Siege 2012 put on by the Dice Devils gaming club in Ottawa. The venue was a Legion in Barrhaven and it was outstanding! We had air conditioning, plenty of room to move and sit, good lighting, immediate access to both the facilities and a burger and pizza place and best of all a bar that was fully licensed and less than 30 paces from any table. My first match up was against Richard who was rocking a massive Soviet Infantry horde supported by guns and assault guns. The first mission was Break Through.

Strelkovy Batalon HQ with Kommisar, 2 x 45mm guns, 5 x Pioneer teams and Pioneers supply carte 22 Strong Company with Kommisar 9 Strong with Maksim HMG Anti-tank Company with 6 x 45mm guns 4 x SU-100s 2 x 85mm guns 1 x God of war artillery battery with 4 x 76mm and 4 x 122mm guns

German Panzer Pioneers HQ and 2IC Panzerfaust Full Pioneers in HT with Faust Under Str Pioneers in HT with Faust 2 x Tigers 4 x Marder III Ms 3 x Panzer II Ls 3 x Nebs

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT

The large soviet horde supported by anti-tank guns

God of War artillery park

The first wave of the Red Army!

HT ready to race forward covered by Tigers and Marders

Objectives are in the back left (inside the artillery park) and far side of the bridge

Smaller platoon guards the flank of the soviet horde

Nebs prepare to fire on the Commie Pinkos

UNITS IN RESERVE
Strelkovy Batalon	German Panzer Pioneers

DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY

Strelkovy Batalon: The SU-100s are kept in ambush with the remainder of the Company deployed into prepared positions. But given the mission they will have to leave their holes to stop the break through! German Panzer Pioneers: There happens to be a small wood in the centre of the board. My plan is to push Recce and the HT behind it and then sieze the objective. The Tigers, Marders and Nebs will hammer the Russian line in an attempt to force the assault guns out of ambush.

TURN 1

With a scream over head the Nebs crash into the horde...

killing 4 stands, the OC would have been one but I failed by 4+ to knock him out

With Recce leading the Germans move out on top of the objective turn 1

Tigers advance cautious of the ambush covered by the Marders

Everything spreads out to avoid the Soviet artillery

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Strelkovy Batalon 4 x Infantry stands	German Panzer Pioneers

TURN 1 SUMMARY

Strelkovy Batalon: There was nothing to shoot at with direct fire weapons and the Arty failed to range in. German Panzer Pioneers: Tigers start picking off anti-tank guns while the nebs hammer the Soviet infantry. The remainder of the army hold the objective.

TURN 2

Nebs continue to rain on the Soviets knocking out another 2 stands

Pioneers advance into the woods ready to hammer any Soviets that move to close

Recce continues to define the objective and move around to the Soviet flank

Smaller Pioneer platoon moves to secure the objective

Soviet indirect fire is brought to bear but only succseeds in pinning the Germans

Combined Soviet fire brings down the Nebs observer

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Strelkovy Batalon 6 x Infantry stands 1 x 45mm gun	German Panzer Pioneers Neb observer

TURN 2 SUMMARY

Strelkovy Batalon: The infantry remain in their holes, the Arty again are able to range in but not hit anything. The Tigers front armour is to think for the 45mm guns and the remainder of the force has stayed hidden. German Panzer Pioneers: Slowly the Tigers and Marders are using their range to safetly dig out the AT guns to allow more freedom of movement.

TURN 3

Nebs connect again this time against infantry in the open causing another 2 stands to fall

The smaller German platoon assaults killing 2 more stands only to be driven off and lose 2 stands and a HT

The Tiger watching for ambushes is finally surprised...

As the SU-100 reveal their position and open fire!

Killing a Tiger!!!!!

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Strelkovy Batalon 8 x Infantry stands 3 x 45mm gun	German Panzer Pioneers Neb observer 2 x Infantry and HT 1 x Tiger

TURN 3 SUMMARY

Strelkovy Batalon: The SU-100 finally bring the pain on the Tigers taking one out. The big platoon is starting to get eaten up but they still have some fight left. But getting the Pioneers off the objective is going to be an uphill fight. German Panzer Pioneers: Sometimes you just don't have enough Recce. I was expecting the ambush but there were just too many places for him to hide and Recce was off else where. At least I'm wearing him down.

TURN 4

Nebs continue to slam into the horde....

Causing another 5 casualities

In response to the ambush the Marders bail an SU-100 while the Tiger destroys one. The bailed SU-100 is then captured and destroyed by the 2IC

AT guns pick off a HT....

while Recce makes it into the God of War arty park and kill 3 guns and the staff team before being taken out

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Strelkovy Batalon 13 x Infantry stands 3 x 45mm gun 2 x SU-100s 3 x guns and staff team	German Panzer Pioneers Neb observer 2 x Infantry and HT 1 x Tiger 2 x Panzer II L

TURN 4 SUMMARY

Strelkovy Batalon: The return fire has taken out the majority of the SU-100 so another hit will take them below half. The large platoon isn't doing much be being a bullet magnet and the arty park now has light tanks running around in it. German Panzer Pioneers: I got over zealous with my Recce again and should have waited the Russian Arty wasn't doing enough that I needed to push that hard against it. The 2IC is a man on a mission going for tank kills like it's no bodies business.

TURN 5

2IC advances into the face of the soviet guns, in combination with the Marders and Tiger the remaining SU-100s flee

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Strelkovy Batalon 13 x Infantry stands 4 x 45mm gun SU-100s Platoon 3 x guns and staff team	German Panzer Pioneers Neb observer 2 x Infantry and HT 1 x Tiger Panzer II L Platoon

TURN 5 SUMMARY

Strelkovy Batalon: The large platoon failed to unpin again despite 2 rerolls! Plus the damage done to each of the platoons is starting to add up and they are beginning to fail moral checks and leave. German Panzer Pioneers: Now that I know how a mounted assault works I'm going to try and do it better. The objective goes live next turn and there are no platoons that will be able to reach it. The remaining Recce tank failed his motivation and left the battlefield. If I had waited I would have a 6-1 vs 5-2 (this will turn out to be the difference between 4th and 1st overall, d'oh).

I had a great time but didn't like the fact that if you don't make it to turn 6 the defender wins automatically. I understand the intent was to have no fast games for round 1 and to have definite winners, perhaps it was just because a Soviet horde is a beast unto itself. Either way I had a great time and Richard was a very cunning and fun opponent. Stay tuned for round 2 against another Strelkovy Batalon.

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