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Post by shoey109 on Dec 8, 2012 18:41:48 GMT -5
General Steve,
My thanks for a great FOW event at the store. We had 8 players show up. Which made it a better event. Then there was no snow. I had a great time. This was far the best run Tanksgiving I have played at the store.
I would like to thank the opposing Generals that my Panther company encountered with a Salute to a battle well fought. I look forward to future battles at Tripleplay.
I hope we get a Action report by Steve and have you do the honors in giving the results of the outcome.
Many Thanks,
Will
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Post by FaithandFire on Dec 10, 2012 16:35:04 GMT -5
Well, I did not think about an after action report at all but...since there has been an overwhelming demand for one....(apologies in advance for the inaccuracies)
THE SITUATION - 1943. Russian Front. Late summer. After the battle of Kursk the Russians launched massive counterattacks, smashing the German lines. Now the Germans are falling back in hopes of stabilizing the line behind the Dnieper River. But, they must hold the bridges in order to get their forces across intact. The Russians have sent a heavy tank brigade on a headlong rush to capture one of those bridges. The key to the bridges is possession of the small crossroads town of Maya Apocalypsigrad. The Germans have formed kampfgruppes from what remains of four of their depleted panzer divisions to counter that push. The countdown to Mayan Apocalypsigrad has begun.
THE SOVIETS - Temis and Drew each with a battalion of KV-85s. Wayne with a T-34 battalion reinforced with a company of KV-85s. Griff with the first lend-lease battalion equipped fully with US vehicles. While Temis is a wily veteran tank commander, the other three are new to this game although all seasoned veterans from other campaigns (some in service of the old Emperor's - Tsar's - Imperial Guard)
THE GERMANS - Steve, Mike, Will, and Jeremy. Four veteran panzer leaders.
THE BATTLE - With both sides racing toward the town (variable entry for all units based on die rolls) it was a matter of getting there "firstest with the mostest" and the German's command and control edge (sh#t luck) meant they would do that better than the Russians.
Will and Mike, with the majority of their units arriving on turn one, deployed their two Panther companies in the middle and quickly occupied the town and a large forested area to the south of it. Drew's one arriving KV-85 company bravely held their staging area under a cascade of German fire. One early Russian success came when they blew up the command tank of General Shoemaker, killing him and his crew. His command fought on under the 2iC, Colonel Klink. Griff deployed part of his lend-lease force to assist Drew. His Sherman company deployed and their initial shots missed. Returning German fire destroyed 3 of the 5 vehicles and bailed a fourth. The remaining tank promptly withdrew from the fight. Meanwhile his Tank Destroyer company took 5 turns to figure out how to deploy it's vehicles and then when it finally did spring its ambush the crews also whiffed on all six of their shots. Germans held four of the five objectives in the center.
On the left, Jeremy also managed to bring most of his tanks with him on turn one. Wayne did not but in true Russian fashion gamely advanced on. A few turns later amid a field of burning T-34s and SU-85s the sole surviving tank was their commander still desperately trying to figure out where the rest of his command was. At one point Jeremy held all five of the objectives on the left.
On the right, Temis also had problems bringing his KV-85 onto the table. Steve's Pz IIIs and IVs rolled forward but once the KVs started to show up they were badly outmatched by the thick armor and heavy gun of the KVs. The Germans sped back to their deployment area saved from disaster only by the terrible marksmanship of the rookie Russian tank crews. (Temis kept rolling 1s and 2s). Except for one turn, Germans only ever held one objective on the right.
Russians made a late game surge as the rest of their units finally appeared. Jeremy and Steve both lost their Tiger tanks to concentrated Russian fire within moments of each other. Griff switched the rest of his lend-lease force to counter Jeremy. Beset by a horde of 22 Russian tanks, Jeremy's advance tank platoon took heavy fire and was destroyed. However, his PZIVs and his one Ferdinand introduced Griff's crews to the concept of the Sherman as a Ronson lighter.
RESULTS - A German victory by a score of 50 - 23. This Dnieper bridge was saved.
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Post by shoey109 on Dec 10, 2012 19:40:23 GMT -5
Very nice report. Lol
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outamimynd
Roughneck
Love me....Hate me....Either way you're thinking of me.
Posts: 188
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Post by outamimynd on Dec 10, 2012 21:47:34 GMT -5
Tanks for the great time guys!
Love the AAR Steve, from my point of view the AAR would have been.....Kaptain spent the day running for his life looking over his shoulder at the advancing mass of German tanks...so your account was much more enjoyable to read.
Till next time,
Wayne
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Post by shoey109 on Dec 11, 2012 9:37:17 GMT -5
Tanks for the great time guys! Love the AAR Steve, from my point of view the AAR would have been.....Kaptain spent the day running for his life looking over his shoulder at the advancing mass of German tanks...so your account was much more enjoyable to read. Till next time, Wayne If there would have been a few more rounds. Drew would have failed a company morale check his next turn. I was going to move my 10 remaining Panthers to flank Wayne. That would have help out Jeremy deal with Griffs attack on our left flank. Mike would have then move to flank Temis to help out Steve. I think the German High command had this all figured out how to beat back the Russians. Will |
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Post by droofus on Dec 11, 2012 16:18:02 GMT -5
Awesome AAR! My two remaining tanks would indeed have split from the battle at the beginning of our following turn.
Next time I'm bringing artillery!
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Post by kv1e on Dec 11, 2012 17:54:45 GMT -5
Tanks for the great time guys! Love the AAR Steve, from my point of view the AAR would have been.....Kaptain spent the day running for his life looking over his shoulder at the advancing mass of German tanks...so your account was much more enjoyable to read. Till next time, Wayne If there would have been a few more rounds. Drew would have failed a company morale check his next turn. I was going to move my 10 remaining Panthers to flank Wayne. That would have help out Jeremy deal with Griffs attack on our left flank. Mike would have then move to flank Temis to help out Steve. I think the German High command had this all figured out how to beat back the Russians. Will You were evidently not paying as close attention to the battle as you thought you were. "Gunther Burton" had already sent Panthers to help "Hans" Hear tanks unlike a certain other German commander he was not cowering behind rubble but was parked in the open takeing shots at my KV-85s he got most of the kills against me. Temis |
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Post by kv1e on Dec 11, 2012 18:49:38 GMT -5
To some up the battle It is perhaps best to say that Steve's Organization for the battle screwed things up for the allies. Not that it was unfair to one side or the other. But Lady luck did not smile on Allies as It did for the Germans.
And it made certain lists hard to use I thought very about using an American list similar to the one Jeremy made for Griff but my concern was that I might end up haveing to much Artillery and nothing to screen it.
Temis
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Post by shoey109 on Dec 11, 2012 19:28:59 GMT -5
Awesome AAR! My two remaining tanks would indeed have split from the battle at the beginning of our following turn. Next time I'm bringing artillery! I like your attitude General Drew. Find a way to beat them bastard Germans. I salute you Sir. I never saw you hiding behind any thing unlike Temis. Temis is a master hiding behind terrain. When he hides, you just have to go and root him out like a bad weed. I shoot and hide behind terrain because of the ability to do so by the Storm Trooper ability. There are times I fail that ability and my Panthers stay there in the open to take some shots. I went with a confident Trained Panther Company because I can bring more panthers on the battlefield. I except the fact I can be hit on a roll of a 3. Then add one for range and then try to hug rubble and buildings to get a extra concealment to hit. The rules say to get concealment. 50 percent of the tank has to be concealed. I will even use my own dead tanks to get that extra concealment to hit me. That's a plus 2 at long range. So its a 5 to hit me. Then add the extra one to my front hull of 10. Its a 11. So shoot and scoot with stormtrooper works well with me. The other side of that coin. I can take hits and survive. The other trained company's on the receiving end of a antitank gun of 14 can be hit and destroyed. Will |
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Post by shoey109 on Dec 11, 2012 19:55:39 GMT -5
To some up the battle It is perhaps best to say that Steve's Organization for the battle screwed things up for the allies. Not that it was unfair to one side or the other. But Lady luck did not smile on Allies as It did for the Germans. And it made certain lists hard to use I thought very about using an American list similar to the one Jeremy made for Griff but my concern was that I might end up haveing to much Artillery and nothing to screen it. Temis General Temis, I would have to disagree with your assumption of the outcome of the battle. I do believe both sides had a moment before the battle to discuss strategy of deployment of the forces on each side without the presence of the other side. So to blame the Gamemaster on how the game ended is a insult for the winning side. The Germans went upstairs and we decided the Panther companies would take the middle table and then support our brothers in arms on the flanks. That strategy worked very well. General Temis, you being the veteran tank commander on the allied side decided a plan of action that failed. I believe sir you need to be demoted. I will draft the documents of your demotion. I think the German High command will promote General Drew as Supreme Russian Commander. LOL (That was a Joke Son.) Will |
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Post by shoey109 on Dec 11, 2012 20:36:06 GMT -5
If there would have been a few more rounds. Drew would have failed a company morale check his next turn. I was going to move my 10 remaining Panthers to flank Wayne. That would have help out Jeremy deal with Griffs attack on our left flank. Mike would have then move to flank Temis to help out Steve. I think the German High command had this all figured out how to beat back the Russians. Will You were evidently not paying as close attention to the battle as you thought you were. "Gunther Burton" had already sent Panthers to help "Hans" Hear tanks unlike a certain other German commander he was not cowering behind rubble but was parked in the open takeing shots at my KV-85s he got most of the kills against me. Temis It was because panthers can kill you Temis and Steves Panzer 3 and 4's could not. So you are right. We could have killed more of your tanks if we did not have father time intercede in your behalf. It was a sign from the gods you did not lose more tanks to "Gunther Burton" I am sure he wanted to kill more of your tanks. Will |
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Post by kv1e on Dec 11, 2012 20:46:19 GMT -5
Will
Steve Only had Panzer IVs no III's, his Ivs had the same chance of killing me that I did with Mike Panthers. You need to KYE!!!
Temis
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Post by shoey109 on Dec 11, 2012 22:10:42 GMT -5
Will Steve Only had Panzer IVs no III's, his Ivs had the same chance of killing me that I did with Mike Panthers. You need to KYE!!! Temis It was no secret to you i was bringing all panthers to this fight. Who ever came up against me was going to have a hard time against 12 panthers. Then add Mikes five panthers next to mine. That was going to be a dog of a fight. The russians would have been the boys to give us hell. Instead it was a american and russian company to fight 17 panthers on the middle table. Then again we sent three panthers to our right flank. ? Will |
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Post by FaithandFire on Dec 12, 2012 9:56:41 GMT -5
Little did I realize that the REAL fighting would occur in the TP forum after the battle!
Panthers are tough to deal with in midwar. Top armor of 1 is perhaps their biggest weakness. So, without artillery - which my tweak in the setup made more risky to take - and air - which began late and was mostly driven off by interceptors - the Russians are faced with needing luck with the dice just to bail them. Gotta close to within 16 to even have a chance to kill them from the front and you have to hope you survive the Panther shots in order to shoot back. With tables pretty packed with armor it is almost impossible to maneuver for shots against much weaker side armor.
The deployment dice definitely favored the Axis on this one. Given more equal results in that regard, I think Temis and Wayne could have presented much more of a threat to Jeremy and me. My Ferdinand and Tiger (my only two tanks with a real shot at doing damage to the KVs) did not come in until Turn 4. If Temis had better luck with the dice I would have been in big trouble by then. The dice were not friends of the Russians at all that day.
Of course, while the Germans concentrated most all of their remaining heavy armor to blunt this Russian threat, hordes of Russian tanks and infantry were speeding toward the Dieper all along the rest of the front...
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Post by kv1e on Dec 12, 2012 12:12:21 GMT -5
Or we could have chosen to play Germans, maybe next year ;D   Temis |
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