It had been a while since Jon and I got in a game, and while we are excited about
Barbarossa, Jon really wanted to use some of his
Desperate Measures Germans. I threw together a Hero Motostrelk list that I thought would be fun, and perform well, and set up the table. We rolled randomly for mission and "Pincer" came up. We made sure to use the "
errata'd" Pincer!
Steven's Hero Motostrelk
050- HQ + Komissar
305- Full Strength Moto w/ 3 Panzerfausts
305- Full Strength Moto w/ 3 Panzerfausts
260- Hero artillery w/ 8 76mm Zis-3 guns
280- Hero Tankovy w/ 3 T-34/85
360- Hero Medium Assault Guns w/ 3 SU-100
180- Hero Spetsnaz. Full Strength w/ Panzerfaust upgrade
Jon's Panzerkampfgruppe (Confident Trained)
130- HQ (2 Hetzers)
260- 4x Hetzers
450- 4x Panzer IV/70(V)s
545- 3x Jagdpanthers
100- 2x Ostwinds
095- Heavy Recon Patrol (Pak Puma!)
160- 4x 10.5cm Artillery Battery
The battlefield. A little crossroads village.
Soviet Deployment. I elected to put one platoon of infantry and the Zis-3 guns on the board. SU-100s are in ambush.
Hold the objective, comrades!
The guns won't do much, but they should be able to hold out!
Jon's Panzer IV/70s lookin' mean.
These guys are perpetua-hetzin'
Recon ready to move out.
Turn One
Jon rolls forward, and knocks out a Zis-3!
JPs hold the crossroads.
SU-100s spring their ambush cause, why not?
And proceed to bail all 3 Jagdpanthers...
Turn Two
10.5s smoke the SU-100s
As the Panzer IV/70s wipe out the platoon leader! Thankfully the 2iC is just close enough to join should they decide to move...
The Pz IV/70s claim hull down to the SU-100s.
Zis-3 guns open up on the recon, knocking out one vehicle. SU-100s open up on the Jagdpanthers after one risks an overloaded bog to move out of the smoke.
This time, they claim their targets. Jon failed enjoy the War on the one remaining JP. In the building in the bottom right, the Soviets moved forward to "police bails" if need be.
The right flank.
Mid-Game
The next few turns see Jon's Hetzers grind forward, popping Zis-3 guns. I elect to keep the guns gone to ground- front armor 7 is just good enough to make losing gone-to-ground not worth it to me.
Jon's artillery ranges in on the SU-100 in the tree-line, while the Panzer IV/70s bail the one in the wheat. That was a lucky round- Jon lit them up with the Panzer IV/70s!
The Hetzers grinding forward.
SU-100s return fire isn't anything to write home about.
But suddenly all of the Soviet reserves arrive!
...and whiff.
Return fire is ugly. (oops, we forgot to rotate to face! no big)
But the one T-34/85 sticks around! He has flank shots and Jon fails to stormtrooper. Ouch!
Combined fire from the flanking T-34 and the SU-100s knock out 3 of the Panzer IV/70s!
Despite the luck on the right, Jon's Hetzers are wearing out the Zis-3 guns, who are just hanging on now.
Late Game
When suddenly... the T-34/85 knocks out the Panzer IV/70 from the front.
While fresh motostrelk arrive to reinforce the center objective.
The Hetzer gunline is unstoppable, but the Soviets are weathering the storm.
10.5cm guns knock out another SU-100! The remaining one fights on.
Spetsnaz mount back up, and race forward, gunning for the artillery battery. Jon's Pak Puma moves out to take shots on the stuck T-34/85.
The Spetsnaz come out swinging, and assault the Pak Puma, knocking it out.
The Spetsnaz are now pushing for the artillery. Jon sends his Ostwinds to try to stem the tide.
The Zis guns break in the face of another round of fire. The Su-100 takes out a Hetzer.
The Soviets are suffering losses, but they're hanging in there.
Spetsnaz assault the observer- and lose a stand in defensive fire.
The 10.5s keep firing on the SU-100, but it remains unscathed.
Another Hetzer gets laser beamed by the SU-100.
The Spets dig into the 10.5s.
Jon's Ostwinds move up to light up the Spetsnaz.
Deep operations.
Hetzers continue grinding, but the Soviet infantry is now dug in and gone to ground.
Spetsnaz finish off the 10.5s. Jon's company is now below half having lost Jagdpanthers, Panzer IV/70s, recon, and 10.5cm guns.
Jon has one more turn to bring it home, but the objectives are solidly held.
The Spetsnaz move to challenge the Ostwinds, but Jon's company fails motivation and thus ends the battle!
5-2 to the Soviets, who lost the Zis-3 guns.
