Flames of War Late War

Soviet Tankovy vs. German Otto Carius JagdTiger and Michael Wittman Tiger Lists

My buddy Karl and I had some great Thai food today then went up to Cullison's games for some FLAMES OF WAR.  Karl graciously brought a couple of 1515pt LW German armies to give me some practice games using the Soviet Tankovy list I'm planning to take to Austin for the Late War Nationals at Bane of War in January.

We roll up SURROUNDED and I get the high die roll to attack.  It's a fairly open winter terrain table with some small line of site braks in the middle with a few hills and a woods or two.  Karl shows me his game face.  GITSUM!

I go heavy on one flank with a Tankovy Company with Dedov and my Spetnatz dismounted with the ISU 122's ready to move up to infiltrate.  My battalion CO is with the assault guns.  A second tank company is down on the far end of the table to threaten the other objective.  The Germans have panzerfaust armed infantry around the near objective with a Jagdtiger on the far hill.  Karl places his immediate ambush and independend team Jagdtigers against my main effort. 

 

My Spetznatz roll the ISU's up into bombardment position against his infantry, Karl rolls a 6!  Ohhhh nooooossss he discoveres my infiltration move and gets first turn!  I get off cheap, though, with an ISU and a T34 destroyed and another T34 bailed, then I attack.

 





I got to work on his infantry with the assault guns and try to move the T-34's away from the awesome firepower of the Jagdtigers.  An air strike destroys one of his JT's and the other in the platoon gets bailed and runs away.. my right flank is now open for maneuver.. waaahooo!  Karl is pounding me with Carius and his 2iC on my left, unfortunately, but the Soviet juggernaut rumbles forward destroying enemy infantry teams in their foxholes to open up the objective.  The Spetznatz are doing well taking the enemy's Gone to Ground away so they are easier to hit.

 

My other tank company halts to get some long range rear and flank shots against the Jagdtigers.. No sir they don't like it!  Carius and the other JT on the hill turn to engage them and the T34's have to start playing run and hide as they can't hurt the JT's frontal armor at all.

 

On.. ON for Mother Russia!  German infantry are dying and the Soviet armor advances towards the near objective.

Carius, his wingman, and a Luftwaffe strike finish off the ISU's.. DOH!  At least the German infantry finally break. 

Karl's air support definitely outplayed mine today.. killing lots of my armor and chasing off no less than 6 of my air strikes over two games.  Damn their eyes!  But on this particular strike, my Yak nailed another JagdTiger near the objective.  The Spetznatz have begun to move dismounted towards the objective, too.

Carius keeps his company in the fight, for 5 turns at least, rolling two dice for a 5 to prevent army break.  My Spetznatz finally secure the near objective by a couple of assaults that forces back Carius and the one other Jagdtiger and start their turn within 4 inches of the objective.  I lost the ISU's and a Tankovy Company, so it's a a 4-3 win for the Soviets!  Nice game, Karl.

Game 2 we roll up CAULDRON and I roll low die to defend.  I spread out my T-34 company to help push his deployment back and keep my ISU 122's in Immediate Ambush. I have another T34 Company and Spetnatz in delayed reserve. 

He starts with two 2 tank Tiger platoons on the board with FlaK and Recce in Reserve. 

My ISU 122's quickly reduce his onboard strength to 1 Tiger platoon by destroying the other platoon with their immediate ambush fire from a conveniently wooded hill and it's game on!

Michael Wittman ambushes.  He kills an ISU and bails another.

I hide and play for time.. and luckily on turn 3 my other tank company with Dedov come in behind the enemy Tiger and Flak and Recce platoon, don't kill anything, but the enemy return fire whiffs in return.  With the other Tigers busy, my ISU's and a T34/85 move out and destroy Wittmann.  He didn't make it to Normandy! 

The enemy throws in the towel and it's a 6-1 win for the Soviets.  OOOOORRRAAAHHH for Mother Russia!

Thanks for the practice games, Karl.. good times today!  :)