Vicious assaults and fire fights!
This was the first week that I could make it for Friday Night Fights at Tier 3 (1500 pts). I have been agonizing of the decision to bring a Tiger or not (because they are soooo awesome!). In the end I went another way. Here's the list I was running.
DAK
HQ
OC in Panzer III M, 2IC in Panzer IV H
Combat Platoons
4 x Panzer III M's
3 x Panzer IV E's
Weapons Platoon
4 x Panzer II F's
Support
3 x 10.5cm Nebs
Limited Air support Stukas (with cannons)
I played ENCOUNTER against Pripyat and his FJ company. If you haven't taken a look at this force do so, he has done an awesome job. His list was something like (going by memory):
HQ
FJ
Combat platoons
9 x FJ Pioneers with 2 Flame throwers
6 x FJ Pioneers
Weapons platoon
2 x PaK 40's
Support
2 x Panzer III N & a Panzer III M
2 x Marder III H
2 x 10.5cm Arty
GROUND ORIENTATION
North is the top of the picture. Western objectives were in the bottom left wood and the far west edge of the road. Eastern objectives were the edge of the fields and at the end of the path around the centre of the frame
Pak 40's deploy securing the South Eastern Objective and the road into town
10.5cm deploy in the field in the far South East
Large Pioneers with OC and 2IC deploy in the fields to cover both Eastern objectives
Panzer III's with OC take the Northern approach while the 2IC and the Panzer II's take the South road
Panzer's ready to bring the pain!
Panzer II's worthwhile?......
Starting the game after Recce moves
TURN 1
Panzer II's immediately move to threaten the 10.5cm Arty
Large FJ platoon digs in and prepares for the coming tank assault, while the Panzer's gun their engines and double time forward
2IC moves into position to trade shots with the PaK 40 (man I wish it was painted!)
3 Stukas arrive and kill the 10.5cm observer (I need to remember to re-roll when I have 3 planes)
Casualties
Panzers
Nil
FJ
10.5cm observer
TURN 2
Panzer II's gun down a 10.5cm piece and assault the staff team before consolidating behind the wood
Panzer
Panzer III M's spread out after doubling forward and open fire killing a stand only to lose a tank to the Pak 40 in the south. Final preparations to assault the dug in FJ Pioneers the following turn are made
Stukas arrive again hammering the dug in infantry
Casualties
Panzers
Panzer III M
FJ
10.5cm gun & observer
1 x FJ Pioneer stand
TURN 3
Panzer III M's and the OC assault killing 4 stands
The 2IC wins his duel with the PaK 40 killing it and the Panzer II's assault and kill the final 10.5cm gun opening the way to the southern objective
Casualties
Panzers
Panzer III M
FJ
2 x 10.5cm guns, observer & staff team
5 x FJ Pioneer stand
1 x PaK 40
TURN 4
To stop the Panzer's from winning FJ are forced from the Fox holes!
The Infantry in the building force the Panzer's to go around
Panzer's open fire again into the infantry causing 10 hits and Pripyat save 9 of them and I fail a machine gun fire power test, no damage done to the FJ this turn and I didn't move to be able to assault again!
Panzer II's move into the town and gun down the remaining PaK 40 and the platoon commander from behind, the objective will be mine next turn, as the same platoon is now defending both!
Casualties
Panzers
Panzer III M
FJ
10.5cm platoon
5 x FJ Pioneer stand
PaK 40 platoon
TURN 5
2IC moves around the building to distract from the platoon contesting the objectives
In a daring attack the FJ platoon commander, 2IC and a stand assault the Panzer II's forcing one to bail and then I fail my motivation so I'm forced to break contact. Meanwhile the Panzer III M's finish off the same platoon to a man.
Casualties
Panzers
1 x Panzer II
1 x Panzer III M
FJ
10.5cm platoon
Large FJ Pioneer platoon
PaK 40 platoon
TURN 6
The timely arrival of fresh FJ Pioneers allows both objectives to be reinforced, but they are of little help and only survive the turn when they are assaulted by the Panzer III M's and the OC. But their heroic sacrifice is not in vain....
Casualties
Panzers
1 x Panzer II
1 x Panzer III M
FJ
10.5cm platoon
Large FJ Pioneer platoon
4 x FJ Pioneer platoon stands
PaK 40 platoon
TURN 7
Panzer III N's and M along with 2 Marder III H's arrive destroying 2 Panzer III M's in the process. The single surviving tank fights on regardless, destroying a Marder and bailing the other
In a twist of fate the OC joins the Panzer II's as they assault the remaining infantry and FJ OC only to be bailed (along with a Panzer II) and then have the FJ OC be the only survivor as contact is broken destroying the two tanks!! Iron Cross material right there!
The small platoon of FJ Pioneers is wipe out but at what a cost!
Casualties
Panzers
OC
2 x Panzer II
3 x Panzer III M
FJ
10.5cm platoon
Large FJ Pioneer platoon
Small Pioneer platoon
PaK 40 platoon
1 x Marder III H
TURN 8
The Marder fails to remount and the one N misses my M. The other N and M trade shots to no avail with the IV E's. The Panzer II's re-engage in the small town against the OC of the FJ making a skill check to assault into the building, to kill in assault and then to move out of the building and claim the objective. Talk about skilled tank drivers!
In the end I lucked out with reserves not coming in until well into the battle and being aggressive early really paid off. I'm still learning how to assault effectively but I see what the WWPD guys means about how it will win games. I learned a couple things, Panzer II's are awesome, I wish I could get 38(t)'s, Bombs are better than Cannons on Stukas and Infantry as at it's best in buildings. Stay tuned for the second battle against Lothlann's Soviets!
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