8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK vs Australian Armored Squadron in Counterattack

The scream of Nebs fills the air knocking out a Sherman! This was round 2 of the Paths of Glory tournament held at Perkins Hobby House in Petawawa. The mission was Counterattack, and an important note for people playing in tournaments to try out different missions first so that during the tournament your not playing a mission for the first time. Matt and I had never played this mission and we both misread how deployment works for armoured forces in this mission. We ended up finding out after our game was done that I shouldn't have had as many platoons on the table due to the special rules (we looked at the armoured reserve rules instead of the correct ones). I don't know how it would have changed the game, but I'm sure it would have. Matt was great fun to play against and we had a good time goofing while playing.

8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK OC in III M 2IC in IV G 4 x III Ms 4 x III Ns 3 x Nebs 2 x 8-Rads Limited Stuka support with bombs

Australian Armoured Squadron OC and 2IC in Crusader 3 x Crusader 3 x Shermans 3 x Shermans 4 x 25 pdrs 3 x UCs

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT

The objectives are in the woods bottom right and just outside the woods mid left

Shermans ready to roll out against the Panzers

25 pdrs ready to cover both Crusader and Shermans advance

III Ms hiding in a wheat field ready to engage the Aussie tanks

Nebs, the OC and 2IC covering the back of the III Ms

8-Rads hold an objective

UNITS IN RESERVE
8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK Nil	Australian Armoured Squadron Nil

DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY

8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK:Because of my inability to read rules correctly I have 2 platoons that should have been in reserve for this mission but weren't. Australian Armoured Squadron:The deployment area is tiny for this mission and its going to be be an uphill battle for the Crusaders, the Shermans will have more than enough firepower to deal with them.

TURN 1

Shermans gun their Detroit diesels and roll forwards, unfortunately one was bogged down

The Crusaders gun their engines and double forward only to have one break down

The Nebs open fire and knock out 3 guns and the battery command team

Stukas fill the skies and knock out a Sherman with their dive bombs

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK	Australian Armoured Squadron 3 x 25 Pdrs and Pl Comd 1 x Sherman

TURN 1 SUMMARY

8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK:The Nebs and Stukas have a great first turn taking out a tank and bringing the Arty Bty to half strength. Australian Armoured Squadron:Bogged down and breaking down vehicles are only the beginning of bad luck. Hopefully next turn goes better.

TURN 2

The Old Man continues to watch the III Ms while the 2IC shoots and skoots

III Ms take out a UC at long range and lose one of their number to Sherman fire

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK 1 x III M	Australian Armoured Squadron 3 x 25 Pdrs and Pl Comd 1 x Sherman

TURN 2 SUMMARY

8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK:The wheat fields are working really well for concealing the Panzers against the superior firepower of the Shermans. The 8-Rads are trying to get into a better position by moving to the far left while the remainder of the army slowly shifts left. Australian Armoured Squadron:The Shermans cause some damage taking out a III M but otherwise there isn't the number of hits required to take out the III Ms.

TURN 3

Nebs open fire again knocking out another Sherman and causing the platoon to flee

III Ns ambush the other Sherman platoon knocking out 2 of them and causing the platoon to flee

Both Sherman platoons routed and the Arty gutted but the Crusaders are still going for the flank

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK 1 x III M	Australian Armoured Squadron 3 x 25 Pdrs and Pl Comd Sherman Platoon Sherman Platoon 1 x UC

TURN 3 SUMMARY

8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK:Continue to shift the III Ms left and then sprung the III N ambush everything combining to knock out both Sherman platoons. Now for the III Ns to take out the rest of the Arty and the III Ms to take out the Crusaders. Australian Armoured Squadron:Unfortunately when you roll a one for both Sherman platoon moral checks they leave the field quick. It's going to be an uphill battle without their guns.

TURN 4

With the Sherman destroyed the III Ms take out the UCs and the 2IC

8-Rads move close enough to make sure they can contest the objective but not to get into a fight with the Crusaders

The III Ns get into the Bty and cause it to flee from a combination of shooting and assault and take out the OC

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK 1 x III M	Australian Armoured Squadron 25 Pdrs Bty Sherman Platoon Sherman Platoon UC Platoon OC and 2IC

TURN 4 SUMMARY

8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Panzer Division DAK:The III Ns are on a roll and take out the guns while the III Ms whip out everything in front of them. Australian Armoured Squadron:There are just too many of them, Panzers are everywhere. At the beginning of the Aussies turn the Company breaks and flees the battlefield.

Matt and I talked about this game afterwards and agreed that my early Arty and plane strikes against the Shermans were very effective. Although I had more platoons on the table than I should have the results from the direct fire power (in this case) were very decisive. A big lesson learned for me is to make sure that I know and understand the mission before the tournament if possilbe. The submitted result was 6-1 but I wished we had played the mission right. Stay tuned I have one more AAR from the Paths of Glory tournament against Matt Varnishes beautifully painted Free French.

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