Panzer Pioneers vs German Grenadiers in Surrounded

Sometimes you can't buy a good roll.... This was another 1650 LW game to help me get ready for the up coming LW tournament at Perkins Hobby House. The tournament is going to be on 25 Nov so I won't be able to play in it as that is the same day as the 100th Grey Cup. I was playing against Thomas, who is newer to the game and is quickly developing unto a fierce player. We roled up surronded which is a mission that neither of us had played before.

Panzer Pioneers HQ and 2IC with fausts Full Pioneers with faust and supply vehicle Full Pioneers with faust and supply vehicle 3 x Panzer IIs 3 x Panthers 4 x Marder IIIs

German Pioneers HQ and 2IC Full Platoon of Pioneers Full Platoon of Pioneers 4 x 10.5cm guns 2 x Elefants 3 x AA guns on trucks

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT

Guns protected by mines on either side Panthers and a platoon of infantry on one side while the remainder of the forces on the other

Panzer Pioneers ready to roll out

Panthers in the wheat fields watched closely by German Pioneers

Guns hold an objective while Elefants wait in the wheat to respond to the enemy's push

AA guns ready to protect the Elefants and reinforce the infantry

German Pioneers dug in around the objective

Panzer IIs, Marders and Armoured Pioneers ready to roll out

UNITS IN RESERVE
Panzer Pioneers Nil	German Infantry Nil

DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: I wasn't sure how I was going to deal with the Elefants. They have a big gun and tough armour. If I can get flank shots I have a chance of taking them down. I also, didn't want to allow the Elefants to get open shots on the Panthers as the main gun will punch through without any trouble. German Infantry: This scenario presents an interesting problem where the defender has to deal with enemy on both sides. The nice thing aobut this mission is that both armies start with everything on the board.

TURN 1

88's Immediate ambush to close the gap and protect the German Pioneers flank

Armoured Pioneers come under indirect fire from the 10.5cm guns, bailing a half track

The 88's draw frist blood, knocking out a Marder

Armoured Pioneers move up using the hedges as cover preping to launch an assualt

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Panzer Pioneers Marder III	German Infantry

TURN 1 SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: The 88's knocked out a single Marder which is the best I could have hoped for. The Armoured Pioneer platoon have moved in order to launch an assault next turn. German Infantry: The Armoured Pioneers are closing fast and are going to be a problem to deal with. Hopefully the guns can range in next turn and stop the assault.

TURN 2

Armoured Pioneers dismount several teams and the platoon pins then assaults and destroys the 88 platoon

Panthers move to get into a better firing position

On the other flank the Pioneers remount their halftracks and move up ready to assault next turn, AA guns more to intercept

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Panzer Pioneers Marder III	German Infantry 88 Platoon

TURN 2 SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: The assault went very well against the 88's. Pinning a platoon before the assault is so critical, likewise it is importatnt to have platoons supporitng each other. German Infantry: The 88s didn't get nearly as many hits as it should have and then didn't manage to kill anything else. The guns were unable to range in on the veteran Pioneers and the assault happened with little that could have been done to prevent it.

TURN 3

The Pioneers call down the steel rain and knock out 2 half tracks and a stand of Armouired Pioneers

Both platoons of Armoured Pioneers advance on the dug in defenders and launch sequential assautls to wipe the platoon out!

Marders moving through the woods draw a line on the Elefant and bail one

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Panzer Pioneers Marder III 2 x Half tracks and an infnatry stand 2 x Half tracks and an infantry stand	German Infantry 88 Platoon Pioneer Platoon AA platoon

TURN 3 SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: Assaults are going really well with the platoons smashing the enemy aside and holding the objective. The problem is going to be taking out the Elefants who are now going to contest. German Infantry: One Pioneer assault is hard to deal with but 2 in the same turn is impossible. The Pioneers unpinning and continuing their advance has caused problems. Even though a couple of half tracks have been knocked out the platoons still have too many stands.

TURN 4

10.5cm guns continue to plague the Pioneers but fail to knock ot any stands

The Elefant rolls onto the objective but its gun fails to find a target

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Panzer Pioneers Marder III 2 x Half tracks and an infnatry stand 2 x Half tracks and 3 x infantry stands	German Infantry 88 Platoon Pioneer Platoon AA platoon

TURN 4 SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: If I can take out the Elefant I should not only take the objective but also force a Company Morale check. Should be easy to motivate with the old man there and two platoons to try with.... German Infantry: The Elefants armour is thick but Pioneers come with lots of explosives. The game could be over by next round.

TURN 5

The Elefant fails to remount and I fail all tank terror test to assault the remaining Elefant

Panthers move to destroy the 10.5cm guns to no effect

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Panzer Pioneers Marder III 2 x Half tracks and an infnatry stand 2 x Half tracks and 3 x infantry stands	German Infantry 88 Platoon Pioneer Platoon AA platoon

TURN 5 SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: 3 attmepts to get a 4+ and not one. That`s ok, I`ll get him next turn. Panthers will hopefully keep his attention while the Pioneers are exposed in the open. German Infantry: Stupid Elefant won`t remount, I mean really! At least the assaults failed this turn giving the platoon another chance at keeping the game going.

TURN 6

10.5cm guns hammer the eexposed infantry knocking them below half but they stay and fight on

German Pioneers move to assault the Panthers but luckily they are just out of range

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Panzer Pioneers Marder III 2 x Half tracks and an infnatry stand 2 x Half tracks and 4 x infantry stands	German Infantry 88 Platoon Pioneer Platoon AA platoon

TURN 6 SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: You have to be kidding me, another full turn with me getting 3 chances to roll 4 or better and failing all of them! I really need them to get the kill on this Elefant. The Marders continue to hammer the other one, but man... German Infantry: Sweet I`m in it for another turn, the Elefant keeps moving to bring its lone MG to bare but the Pioneers are making their 3+ saves.

TURN 7

Panthers dance away from the infantry and are backed up by the Panzer IIs as local security

Marders finally crack open one Elefant while the Pioneers atill won`t touch the functioning one

Elefants MG knocks out another stand but the platoon stays around

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Panzer Pioneers Marder III 2 x Half tracks and an infnatry stand 2 x Half tracks and 5 x infantry stands	German Infantry 88 Platoon Pioneer Platoon AA platoon

TURN 7 SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: The MG is starting to wear down the one platoon, and I again fail 3 attempts to pass tank terror. Yes that is 9 dice rolls and I can`t get one 4+. German Infantry: AHAHAHAHAH, there is no way the Elefant should be alive, but I`ll take it. The problem is that the Panthers now have local protection and can start bringing their fire to bare on the 10.5cm guns

TURN 8

OMG!!! that makes 12 GD dice rolls that I can`t roll better than a 4+!!!

The guns fire over open sights knocking out a Panzer II, while the Panthers knock out 2 guns

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Panzer Pioneers Marder III 2 x Half tracks and an infnatry stand 2 x Half tracks and 5 x infantry stands Panzer II	German Infantry 88 Platoon Pioneer Platoon AA platoon 2 x 10.5cm guns

TURN 8 SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: Sometimes you just have to laugh, I will get you Elefant, if its the last thing I do! German Infantry: This game isn`t going to be salvageable but at least its fun watching him fail all these rolls.

TURN 9

I feel lucky this time....

Panthers, Marders and Panzer IIs open fire knocking out the 10.5cm gun platoon

Finally I pass a tank terror and destroy the Elefant, but I do it with the under strngth platoon and lose them in the following moral check

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Panzer Pioneers Marder III 2 x Half tracks and an infnatry stand Pioneer Platoon Panzer II	German Infantry 88 Platoon Pioneer Platoon AA platoon 10.5cm gun platoon

TURN 9 SUMMARY

Panzer Pioneers: Very important to assault with platoons above half strength if you can. That way you don`t have to test and potentially trade platoons with the enemy even when you win the assault. German Infantry: I`m surprised it took that long to get a kill on the Elefant.

In the end it was a 5-2 game and I learned a couple of key AAR points. Make sure your platoons are not isolated, when they are it is easy to have the enemy turn a flank on your and roll you up. Make sure that you pin the enemy when assaulting (I know this is common knowledge, but this game reinforced it. Make sure that you don`t chose platoons to assault that will automatically have to take motivations tests to stay around afterwards. This could have been a 6-1 game had I realized that earlier.

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