Game 3
allow my spetsnaz to infiltrate the company of T34/85s.
I did lose my unit of T34/85s so I scored 5-2 for the victory.
What are the weaknesses in the list? The IS-2s have the greatest risk of under-performing. They are extremely durable, but their low rate of fire and lack of speed means they are not good at inflicting damage. Nevertheless, they can hit very hard in assaults and if they make it to an objective they might be impossible to dislodge.
Game 2
The Games Game 1
My first game was against German grenadiers. It was a well-rounded list with significant anti-tank assets, recon, and veteran infantry. My hope was that I could capture the close objective quickly before the reserves turned the tide against me. I was able to do exactly that. In the photograph below you can see my swarm of T-34/85s and IS-2s charging toward the objective.
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To make matters worse my IS-2s came on from reserves on my first turn and moved at the double.”
Next, I faced a Panzerkompanie. The list consisted of nearly a dozen Panzer Mk. IVs, two Hornisse tank killers, and other small supporting units. The mission allowed the defender to place two units in ambush and my opponent chose his unit of Hornisses and one unit of Pz. IVs. I was the attacker and made a charge straight for the nearest objective being held by a single unit of Pz. IVs. This was located in wood that I hoped would afford some line-of-sight protection for my forces. Sadly, it did not. As much forces stormed towards the objective my opponent sprung his ambushes. The two Hornisses were able to draw line of sight to the IS-2s and four shots knocked out two of them and the third then failed a morale check and quit the field. The battle was still a closerun affair. My T-34/85s suffered significant casualties but were able to reach the enemy objective on my second turn. Had the German Company Commander not be able to contest the objective victory would have been mine at the start of turn 3. I succeeded in knocking out a unit of Pz. IVs and the Hornisses before I conceded. A loss, scored 4-3 against me.
My final game was against a U.S. armoured division. Once again my Always Attacks directive placed the opponent in the role of defender. There were two objectives in the enemy deployment area spaced fair apart. Because the attacker deploys last the defender has to allocate some assets initially to the defence of both objectives. I was hoping to use the infiltration move to concentrate my forces gaining a quick victory before my opponent could bring reinforcements to bear. The battle would turn on the forest on the flank. My opponent had just two platoons of Shermans. A successful infiltration move put my T34/85s in close range and in my first turn they remained stationary to fire. The sixteen shots they put down range obliterated one unit. To make matters worse my IS-2s came on from reserves on my first turn and moved at the double. They would be in the thick of things after one more turn of movement. My opponent scrambled to bring his third unit of Shermans across the table but I was able to wipe out the defenders on the objective before they arrived. The game finished 6-1 in my favour.
Assessment
I finished on 14 Victory Points, which was respectable. The list performed strongly. The IS-2s were punished mercilessly by the Hornisses in my second game but I had erred by keeping them out of the woods. Yet even that game came down to a measurement by a lone command tank. It was a great experience and I’m looking forward to playing in more tournaments.