AAR: Soviet Hero Tankovy vs. German Panzerkampfgruppe from DM

By "Dirty" Jon Baber

Andy was nice enough to come over and help me test my list I put together for the WWPD4Vets event - I really try not to take a list I have never played to an event! I created something fairly silly, but maybe effective if I catch the correct list.

Andy brought Russians - which I won't face in the tournament - but I thought I had a pretty good chance. This list will should do well against lots of tanks. We rolled randomly and got Fighting Withdrawal and I was deemed the Defender, as Andy's list Always Attacks.


The Lists:

I set the board up in a typical fashion.  Not too heavy on the terrain, but not too light either.  I took the side with more woods so I could hide my vulnerable tanks.

Panzer IV/70s guard an objective.  I have another platoon of three in Ambush.

My Confident Trained Hetzers in the woods.  Being Overloaded, I wanted to pretty much place these and be done with them.  The firing lanes are not great, but I was on top of the only objective I cannot remove.

Andy's Recce ready to move out.

T34/85s with Tank Riders. We left a stand behind the tanks so we would not forget.

Andy's other platoon started in the middle with some fields for cover.

These bad boys started WAY back with good firing lanes to my Pz IV/70s. But, his are Trained in the open, so I should be able to kill them, right? RIGHT?!?!?!

The duel is about to begin.

Andy just kinda moved up in the first turn and not much result from fire. I deploy my Ambush immediately and start the process of killing the SU-100s, then swinging toward the fight in the middle. I hope my Hetzers can hold out!

T-34/85s move up! Andy took some shots at the Hetzers, but they didn't move, so it was a tough task.

After shooting ALL of the Pz IV/70s at Trained tanks in the open, I bail one. This is the start of many failed Firepower checks.

Return fire isn't too bad, considering I am in the open. One dead, one bailed out.

Andy charges forward through the middle with his tanks. Yes, that is the even-more-ghetto smoke we are using there.

Andy does me a solid and fails a Firepower check of his own. This slap-fight is costing the Germans time!  I need to take out these SU-100s and get to killin' the T34/85s!

The Soviet mortars rain down on the Pz IV/70s to no effect....this time.

The Russians take a pot-shot and manage to brew up a Hetzer. His Hetzin' days are over, sadly.

I got Clever Hans for the Tiger Ace skill...which I am ordinarily upset about. But, with Hetzers?  It's money! I roll back into the woods to buy time.

The Germans finally get the SU-100s on the ropes, but can't seem to kill them. Bailed Out results are not great because these guys are Fearless!

Ut-oh. The T-34/85s are on the objective and threatening the Hetzers. Those Tank Riders look scary.

The Hetzers pull back even farther and a brave Luchs moves out to contest the objective until I can remove it.

The Sovets move up and Assault....

So, the Hetzers COULD bail out on bog checks (1-2) but don't. They fight and throw back the Assault.

Finally! The SU-100s are killed....but it might be too late.

Those Russian mortars bombard....and kill a Pz IV/70. Damn!

The Luchs platoon is gutted....

...but sticks around with one tank.

The Pz IV/70s rush to the left and pick off a Russian tank.

The Hetzers slide to the middle and end up killing a Russian tank.

This does not look good for the Germans. Hetzers fighting T34/85s is not a winning strategy for the Germans.

The mad dash of the Pz IV/70s...if you can call it a 'dash'.

Those stupid mortars blow up ANOTHER Pz IV/70!!

The Russian CiC takes out the last Luchs.

The Hetzers look to be in big, big trouble....

...but Andy can't roll dice with this platoon...

...so another steps in and blows up another Hetzer.

Stupid mortars! This time, they manage to bail another PzIV/70.

I hate these guys. The Soviet MVPs, for sure!

The brave Hetzers finally go down.

Andy has put me at a morale check, which I do not pass.

In the end, I had just a few models left. Andy did a good job of pushing on his right while I dealt with those SU-100s. I would have been better served spreading out the Pz IV/70s, I think - but I really thought that the SU-100s would go down quick with them being Trained and taking on 8 Pz IV/70s. Oh well, it was fun!

Andy is a great opponent - we spent as much time hanging out and shooting the crap as we did playing. This was a great time and we will be doing it again soon, I am sure!

PS - I did not do well at the tournament: 6-1, 1-6, 1-6.  Not sure if it was the list, poor play or my pain meds and muscle relaxers!  I pulled my back the day before - yay!  I did have a good time....I think? =D