31 replies to this topic

[Trotsky]

We have been playing a lot of combined battles recently so wanted to get back to some old school Mein Panzer tank on tank action.Without anything planned (I am still getting some Sherman’s painted up to use in a future Bagration scenario) we decided on a simple battle focused on crossing a bridge. Each side would approached the bridge from different sides of the river, the victory conditions were also simply, after 12 turns each player would get a point for each functioning tank on the opponents side of the river.

[Trotsky]

Iven, my opponent, chose (as usual) to be the Soviets. He brought along with him a Tank Battalion, consisting of 2 companies of T34/76’s and a company of T34/85’s. In support he also had a platoon of 3 ISU122’s.

[Trotsky]

I, as the Germans, chose a company of Panthers and a reduced Company of Tigers.

[Trotsky]

We set up simultaneously. It was clear from Iven’s set up that he was going to rush the bridge! I had set up my Tiger directly overlooking the bridge and the Panthers to the right in order to engage any Soviet tanks that took up positions to support an advance across the bridge and these could also flank fire on any tanks that attempted to cross the bridge. My strategy was to allow some of the T34’s over the bridge and destroy them piecemeal before moving over the river for victory (sounded a good idea at the time!)

[Trotsky]

The Soviets quickly advanced towards the Bridge and onto a low hill that overlooked the German deployment area.

[Trotsky]

The Soviets and Germans traded early fire.

[Trotsky]

The speed and audacity of the T34’s was impressive!

[Trotsky]

The Soviets take casualties on the low hill from superior German gunnery – but Iven did not seem to mind as it kept the Germans occupied while his other T34’s dashed towards the bridge

[Trotsky]

.

[Trotsky]

The first T34’s stormed across the bridge.

[Trotsky]

The Tigers and Panthers began to score hits on the T34’s several brewed up. At this point we realised that we had not established wind direction or strength. The wind came up strength 5 blowing across the battlefield! Suddenly these brewed up T34’s had a major impact on the game as smoke obscured much of the battle.

[Trotsky]

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[Trotsky]

I had miscalculated how long it would take the Panthers to move around the board and engage the Soviets on the opposite hill. They were not where I wanted them to be!

[Trotsky]

The Soviets, realising that the Panthers were out of position, rush to take advantage of the smoke from their burning comrades.

Post edited by: Trotsky, at: 2006/04/06 17:17

[Trotsky]

The speed of the T34’s is breathtaking as they swing around to assault the Tigers, guarding the bridge. Iven realising the less than effective guns on these T34/76’s are no match for the German big cats, and so ran them straight at the German defences, flooding the Germans with targets to which they couldn't respond – as long as Iven held his nerve from his mounting casualties he would overwhelm the Tigers. This platoon was attempting to flank the Tigers.

Post edited by: Trotsky, at: 2006/04/07 08:07

[Trotsky]

More smoke obscures the battlefield.

[Trotsky]

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[Trotsky]

The Soviets took full use of the smoke – if only the Panthers were not so far away!

[Trotsky]

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[Trotsky]

The Tigers were being slowly overwhelmed