 Luke and I decided to kill several birds with one stone: play Luke's first Version 3 game, try a new mission, and give a shake down for a possible Cold Wars doubles list. Thus, Luke would be running 2 soviet lists: Guards Strelkovy and Guards IS-2s. I ran a Panzergrenadier unit and regular Grenadiers. The mission was Pincer- which is new in Version 3. It's essentially a No Retreat, except the defender's reserves are delayed. TERRAIN & STUFF: *The Ruins & Roads are JR Miniatures *The dark green hill was made by Luke *The new shell crates are courtesy of Ron Bingham- they look awesome Ron! MINIATURES: *Most of the miniatures are Battlefront *Except the IS-2s which are Game Models |
Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers
| Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks
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SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT
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| The board setup. I start with Panthers, Pak 40s, Panzergrenadiers, and Grenadiers on the board. Panthers in ambush. |
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| The German defensive positions. |
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| The Horde! |
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| IS-2s |
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| More IS-2s |
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| Post Infiltration. Wow. I am now facing 23 fearless infantry stands w/ 2 flame throwers ready to crash into my lines. Ouch! |
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| This is a terrible sight... |
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| ... And then I roll a 6. I get to go first! Luke's plans are foiled! Oh man. Could not believe it. |
Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers
| Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks |
| Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers: I started with Panzergrenadiers and Pak 40s holding my forward left objective. Grenadiers deploy in the center and Panthers are put in ambush ready to react. Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks: Flame throwers and Sappers are attached to the big Strelkovy blob and infiltrated. Ow! | |
TURN 1
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| And wouldn't you know- 3 planes show up! |
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| Panthers spring the ambush and drive forward ready to help hold the line and foil Luke's massive Strelkovy blob. |
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| Planes tear into the Strelkovy! |
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| IS-2s knock out a Panther! The Strelkovy blob has to go for it, so they charge forward! Only one flame thrower remains, but it's ready to squirt! |
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| The assault is launched! But the combination of ROF 2 MG teams and the 2 Panthers is enough to barely stop the assault. |
Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers
| Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks
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| Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers: We happen to get the first turn, and have no choice but to open up on the huge Strelkovy Blob! Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks: IS-2s move up and take pot shots on the Panthers, luckily scoring a kill! The Strelkovy tries to launch an assault, but is just barely stopped. | |
TURN 2
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| Turn 2 dawns. |
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| Planes arrive again, but their targets are limited. They risk flying near the AA guns to go for IS-2s. |
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| Panzergrenadiers and Panthers open up on the Strelkovy. |
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| The strelkovy roll with the punches, but they suffer extreme casualties. |
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| Pak 40s knock out an IS-2. |
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| Despite being flying tanks, the planes are shot down. |
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| Tanks and infantry keep coming! |
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Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers
| Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks
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| Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers: Not much to do for the Panzergrenadiers but keep shooting! Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks: Everything drives forward, but the math doesn't support Luke being able to launch a good assault. | |
TURN 3
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| The Strelkovy advance has been stalled and they've been whittled down, but hangin on. |
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| Marder IIIs arrive from reserve- and since they can arrive from the flanks they arrive on the side of the small IS-2 platoon! I take a risk here, but feel confident. |
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| Grenadiers move to threaten the IS-2s from within the ruins. |
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| The Marders only manage to knock out 1 IS-2. |
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| Panthers open up on the IS-2s at range and knock out another. |
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| Panzergrenadiers keep pumping fire into the Strelkovy. |
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| Pak 40s open up on the IS-2s. They force a check and the Company Commander gets caught up in the retreat! |
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| The Strelkovy are a shell of their former majesty. |
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| IS-2s pull back and fire their .50 cals wildly into the Marders! |
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| One Marder goes up in smoke. |
Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers
| Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks
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| Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers: On the left flank more fire is poured into the Strelkovy. Pak 40s see off 3 IS-2s, including the company command. On the right Marders arrive and knock out an IS-2. Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks: IS-2s on the right flank pull back and knock out a Marder. | |
TURN 4
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| Top of 4. |
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| Marders pull back into the tree line as Grenadier move up behind to support them. |
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| 1 IS-2 gets knocked out! A single IS-2 remains. |
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| Panthers come out with MGs blazing. Combined with fire from the MG teams, the Strelkovy is whittled down. |
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| Panthers come out determined to finish off the large Strelkovy! |
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| The Scouts are also assaulted as they were within 8". |
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| Only the Strelkovy Battalion Commander survives from the huge block of Strelkovy! |
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| But in the end both the Strelkovy AND the Scouts are wiped out. |
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| The AA trucks, IS-2s, and Strelkovy surge forward- Luke is determined to earn a point! |
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| 1 Marder is destroyed and another bailed. The Strelkovy assault! The Grenadiers counter and the fight is on! |
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| The Strelkovy keep coming! The Grenadiers break off, and the Marders are destroyed. |
Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers
| Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks
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| Steven's Panzergrenadiers & Grenadiers: The Panthers roll out and eliminate the Strelkovy and the Scouts. Marders and Grenadiers consolidate and knock out an IS-2. Luke's Strelkovy and Heavy Tanks: Luke's clearly in dire straits now, and doggedly goes after the Marders in an attempt to score a point. He succeeds. | |
TURN 5
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| The situation at the end of the game. |
| I truly think this game truly came down to that first die roll when I rolled a 6 and got the first turn. Had Luke been able to slam into my position on turn 1 with 2 flame throwers paving the way, and then launch an assault with 23 teams, I would have had a nearly impossible task of holding that forward objective. Once I was able to have the Panthers there providing an additional 12 dice of MGs, it made assaulting me no longer an option. Bottom line- I won this one by luck! But the V3 rules went very smoothly- we only had to look up a handful of rules and the assault rules weren't one of them! |
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