Campaign 2015

[leopard]

Campaign 2015
Flames of War team event, May 9th & 10th, Centre:MK

In with the usual crowd from MKWS as the mid war element of "HMS Brian", named after the one player from the club who pushed to get the team in, then never actually entered. Go figure..

Mid War has 1,650 points, using lists very similar to last year.

Soviet Strelkovy Battalion

Battalion HQ, 2x 1937 45mm guns & Anti Tank Rifle Platoon
Strelkovy Company, 2 Rifle/MG platoons, Kommissar, HMG team, Light mortar team
Strelkovy Company, 2 Rifle/MG platoons, Kommissar, HMG team
Heavy Mortar Company, 6x 120-PM-38, observer
Strelkovy Anti Tank Gun Company, 6x 1937 45mm guns
Tank Destruction Company, 4x ZiS-2, Trucks
Anti Tank Rifle Company, 2 platoons
Sub Machine Gun Company, 2 platoons, Kommissar
Rocket Mortar Battery, 4x BM-13, Extra Crew

Dropped the KV-1e and scouts from last year to add the SMG and anti tank rifles, plus a few extra Katyusha, more or less worked last year but the heavy tanks were a lot of points that did little. Lone light mortar team is making up the numbers really.

German Medium Tank Company

Company HQ, Pz-III-N, Pz-IV-F2
Pz-III-N, 2x Pz-IV-F2
Pz-III-N, 2x Pz-IV-F2
3x Pz-IV-F1
2x Sd.Kfz 7/2 3.7cm armoured cabs
2x patrols, Sd.Kfz 231 8-Rad

Evolution of last year, the little Panzer IIF removed, point used to upgrade the panzer III to have AT:9 and more importunely FP:3+ so they should all be able to pull their weight. 3x F1 can bombard, ok its like the British HMG bombardment but can catch people out, and with three of them they stand a chance of actually hitting. Doubled up on the 8-Rads as this way its still six platoons to drop.

This list is improving year on year, and will run again at 1,750 later in the year.


Overall five games over two days, so should get each list at least twice, there is a bonus TP for bringing two lists so should see more actually doing it this year. Will has changed the scenarios slightly to allow airborne lists to swap a couple of the missions into "Death from Above" or "Seize and Hold" which could be amusing - but only applies to EW and LW so won't have to suffer it.

Soviets only really fear the wretched panther list, but have managed it previously but facing it in a Fair Fight mission sucks and blows. Germans dislike artillery and heavy flak lists - but this year will play for a draw in such missions and not give the enemy an easy 6:1

[Baldie]

Gutted

I am on Nanna duties for the whole of that weekend so cant leave Barnsley at all.

Have a great one.

[leopard]

Gutted

I am on Nanna duties for the whole of that weekend so cant leave Barnsley at all.

Have a great one.

Not a problem, will be up hopefully again in May after this event and before D-Day to try and get it all sorted out, among other things

[leopard]

Campaign 2015 - Draw

Round One
Either
- 2. Panzer facing a Guards Mixed Tankovy
or
- Bolokov's Strelkovy facing Gepanzerte Panzergrandiers (half track grenadiers)

Round Two
Either
- 2. Panzer facing a Red Army Tankovy
or
- Bolokov's Strelkovy facing Panzerspah (armoured cars)

Round Three
Bolokov's Strelkovy facing a Grenadier Company

Round Four
Bolokov's Strelkovy facing a Pioneer Company

Round Five
Bolokov's Strelkovy facing a Mittlere Panzer Company (basically the list I run as 2. Panzer)

Obviously not many were tempted by the bonus TP for bringing two lists, and as usual everyone seems to have forgotten the North Africa book exists (could be wrong but expect all the Germans to be Eastern Front)

Round One doesn't concern me much either way, 2. Panzer is ideally suited to hunting Soviet tanks and has done so before against both Guards and Red Army reasonably well, and they are running an improved list this year with a more anti tank focus.. Not in the bag but confident. Likewise Bolokov has eaten an armoured grenadier company without getting stressed, and that had tiger support - the poor swines had to attack and had no chance.

Round Two is similar for the Germans, more green tanks to shoot at, avoided facing off against an infantry list which I'm very happy about. The Soviets will have more trouble facing an armoured car list, likely to be a case of dig in and wait them out while letting the guns have fun. Could well be irresistible force meets immovable object, expect that one to be a draw unless I get a chance to spring them

Round Three. This will depend on the scenario, we have the firepower to take out grenadiers as long as they don't get good terrain to hide in. should be the most interesting game of the five.

Round Four. Same as round three, except the Germans have less firepower in the platoons and probably some barbed wire - depends on the scenario if they get to use it, plan is if they build an impregnable fortress to see that they stay inside it, mortar a couple of platoons and then try not to banzai…

Round Five, depends oh so much on what they have brought, that panzer list can be tooled to fight infantry very well, but then will get creamed by enemy armour, since its the only list they have brought guessing it will be more balanced and will face a struggle against a pure infantry horde.


Doubt I'll repeat the 4 wins, 1 draw from a few years back but MW tournament performance is tending towards 3 wins and 2 defeats, just need to up the scores in each game a bit more.

Last three games are against solo list players so they should be nicely rounded lists for my pure infantry horde to play with.

Only a week and a bit away from finding out, and only a bit of painting left to do. Panzer III-N look seriously sinister in dark grey


Bolokov's lot doing the heavy lifting, and to think they are my backup list, if they do well will have to get them a few more toys

[Tiger 1]

Well done Dale hope you get more wins

[Baldie]

Good luck this weekend sir.

[leopard]

Good luck this weekend sir.

Bolokov takes your wishes with him good sir

[Baldie]

Don't forget the pictures.
Petrov always likes to see his comrades in arms in the news.
Ps he sends his respects to Hans as well.

[leopard]

Full write up Monday, but not good for day one, have piccies.

So far:
Game #1, Strelkovy v Panzergreanders in halftracks, defending in counterattack, defeated 5:2, couldn't shift him from the 'away' objective and couldn't get to it first.

Game #2, Medium Panzers v Tankovy (T-34 horde), defending in Hasty Attack, defeated 6:1, two of the three platoons wiped out at range by tanks that needed 6's to hit me, while needing 4's to hit back and I killed four in total, two from each of his units over the three turns the game lasted. Meah, it happens

Game #3, Strelkovy v grenadiers, attacking in Surrounded, 4:3 defeat as at least managed to take a few platoons off them, was down to less than 20 teams in the end but they were not breaking.. just unable to deal with the tiger and captured KV-1e that was left.

Have a few ideas to alter the Strelkovy for next time (end of June), team is in joint 3rd overnight (with three others), one point behind 2nd and five behind 1st.

Onwards to tomorrow, where the Strelkovy will be facing Pioneers and a medium panzer list (depending on the scenario that could be amusing)

More tomorrow and a full write up on Monday

[Baldie]

That's the good old Dale we know and love, non of this awesome combat master nonsense.