German Pioneers vs StuG Battery in Pincer!

Pioneers dug in like Alabama ticks! This was a 1650 pt LW game to help get ready for the Battle Cry tournament this Nov in Petawawa at Perkins Hobby House. We decided to play a mission that neither of us had played and decided on Pincer. I was playing the Mech infantry and as such was the defender.

158th Panzer Pioneers HQ and 2IC with faust Full platoon with supply veh Full platoon with supply veh 2 x Tiger IEs 3 x Nebs with PaK 38 3 x Panzer IIs 4 x Marder III Hs

StuG Battery HQ 3 x StuGs 3 x StuGs 3 x Hornizzes 4 x 15.5 cm guns Intantry platoon 3 x AA guns

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT

Objectives are both on the far right begind the wheat field and between the wheat and the building beside the road

StuGs ready to roll forward with Infantry leading into the close ground

AA and 15.5 cm guns ready to cover the advance

Pioneers dug in with minefields in front!

Even more Pioneers waiting in prepared positions behind obstacles!

UNITS IN RESERVE
158th Panzer Pioneers 3 x Nebs with PaK 38 3 x Panxer IIs 2 x Tiger IEs	StuG Battery Nil

DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY

158th Panzer Pioneers: I deployed both Pioneer platoons on the table with the Marders in ambush. I figured that if teh StuGs rushed me the Nebs wouldn't be able to put out the fire power that I need and the Tigers would just be targets for the Hornisses and the 15cm guns. StuG Battery: Given that the minefields were on one side, he deployed his whole army on the opposite side to sweep around my flank. The only concern initially is going to be the ambush.

TURN 1

Infantry double forward only to be MG'ed by HT just called forward, amazingly they only lose two stands!

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
158th Panzer Pioneers	StuG Battery 2 x Infantry stands

TURN 1 SUMMARY

158th Panzer Pioneers: All the infantry stay put whilt the HT open fire with MG dice galore and only manage to knock out 2 stands! StuG Battery: The double timing back fired when all of a sudden the HT arrive from the rear and open fire. However, they just game all the StuG's something to shoot at!

TURN 2

15 cm guns find their range put are unable to hurt the Pioneers

StuGs open fire on the HT destroying 2 while the infantry dig in

The 2IC holds the flank of the force!

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
158th Panzer Pioneers 2 x HTs	StuG Battery 2 x Infantry stands

TURN 2 SUMMARY

158th Panzer Pioneers: The HT opened up again on the infantry but now they were dug in, with no results. The pioneers hold tight and the StuGs are still too far away to launch the ambush. StuG Battery: The veteran, concealed HT are hard to hit but each one hit is going up in flames. Likely by next turn the platoon with be without their rides.

TURN 3

The rest of the StuG battery opens fire on the HTs knocking out 2 more

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
158th Panzer Pioneers 4 x HTs	StuG Battery 2 x Infantry stands

TURN 3 SUMMARY

158th Panzer Pioneers: The Pioneers hold and await reinforcements while the 2IC continues to hold the flank almost single handedly. The MGs on the HT were unable to cause any real damage on the infantry. StuG Battery: With all but the 2ICs HT destroyed the infantry move into a building to prepare to assault supported by the StuGs.

TURN 4

The old man and a StuG platoon begin to move around the wood while the other platoon watches

The Nebs arrive and dig in ready to bring the pain next turn

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
158th Panzer Pioneers 4 x HTs	StuG Battery 2 x Infantry stands

TURN 4 SUMMARY

158th Panzer Pioneers: NEbs arrive but with the StuGs being so cautious I'm starting to wonder if my defensive plan is going to work at all. StuG Battery: With the HTs gone from the platoon and the infantry ready at the edge of the wood, the StuGs begin to advance into the Pioneers deployment area.

TURN 5

Nebs open fire bailing 2 StuGs

Tigers arrive and double forward to make sure they don't miss out on the action

Panzer II's advance and prepare to assault a observer for the 15 cm guns....

and whipe him out!

Marders spring their ambush destroying a StuG and bailing another! The 2IC then leads a daring assault that knocks out the other one, drags the infantry platoon in and in the end the StuG OC and platoon quit the field for the price on 2 Pioneer stands!

All that is left of the right flank of the StuG battery!

The was the turn 6 for the StuGs and at the end we realized that he didn't have anyone on my half of the table so the game was over

Tigers just looking awesome

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
158th Panzer Pioneers 4 x HTs 2 x pioneer stands	StuG Battery Infantry platoon StuG platoon OC Observer

TURN 5 SUMMARY

158th Panzer Pioneers: The Panxer IIs were a distraction and it was basically the Marders and 2IC that won the day here. I completely thought that he was going to roll me 2 turns before but luck was on my side. StuG Battery: With the loss of the OC and 2 platoons in a single turn it through a wrench into the plans and then noticed that victory conditions were filled. A good reason why we need to play this mission more often.

This was a great learning game as neither of us had played the Pincer mission. I definitely think that we'll have to play it again to work out the kinks and make sure that in a tournament setting we aren't relearning simple points. So the pioneers take it 6-1, now to get their painting finished up.

Generated by WWPD's BatRepper Software.