The Fox Valley Rangers and a few friends gathered at Adventure Games in Oshkosh for the annual excuse to get lots of tanks on the table, Tanks-Giving. A great many tank-based companies of 1500 points each were assembled and battle was joined. We had so many Americans that unlike last year where the Germans faced all three "big" Allied powers, we only had to deal with Americans. Lots of them.... with plenty of extra bells and whistles. But with special aircraft rules in place and the need for lots of tanks it meant that the usual vast host of American artillery was absent.
Points are scored for eliminating a platoon or holding an objective (all V-1 stands) at the end of the game. I believe the final score was 10-7 in favor of the Germans. Enjoy the pictures, click to enlarge.
On my side of the table I had a kampfgruppe under "warrior" Kersher with four Tigers and two Hetzers to start, plus a few stands of panzergrenadiers. Later I got another Tiger. I faced a light company of many Stuarts, Chaffees and M-10 tank destroyers.
On our left, American right, Panzerjager IV and MkIV with some panzergrenadiers and artillery faced an American medium company with Pershings in support. Most of the Shermans had 76mm guns, so it was as difficult for Todd here and for Paul against me.
We "won" the roll-off and were the attackers. Todd boldly advanced while I moved as quickly as my slow tanks would allow. Risking a double move with the panzergrenadiers to try to get them to cover.
It didn't take long for debris to begin littering the field on both sides. The tank destroyers teleported in but either whiffed or failed to penetrate. I was hot with armor saves most of the day, but weak on firepower tests.
With the next round of American companies a Super-Pershing arrived. Yes, the ONE that saw combat in WWII. It announced its arrival by toasting a Tiger. Since my Tigers couldn't hurt it frontally, my surviving Hetzer decided it was Iron Cross time and raced for a flank shot. It hit but the Pershing shrugged off the hit.
Meanwhile the Americans were giving the Panzerjager company a pounding and ill-treating a Tiger company that came on as reinforcements when another player joined us. The gallant Hetzer was hit and penetrated, twice. But both firepower tests failed and he passed his "double bail-out" motivation test.
In rare form my Hetzer crew remounted their tank destroyer and got another hit. Heck, I even got two AFVs to remount their vehicles. An unheard of feat for me. This time the Hetzer scored a hit and was rewarded.
By friendly agreement and wager we decided (before the shooting) that if the Super-Pershing was destroyed it had to sit out a a future game. Naturally Paul will almost certainly be on my side next game!
Six participants, 9,000 points on table, and enough wrecks to start a salvage yard. Hopefully we can get a few more players next year.
Points are scored for eliminating a platoon or holding an objective (all V-1 stands) at the end of the game. I believe the final score was 10-7 in favor of the Germans. Enjoy the pictures, click to enlarge.
On my side of the table I had a kampfgruppe under "warrior" Kersher with four Tigers and two Hetzers to start, plus a few stands of panzergrenadiers. Later I got another Tiger. I faced a light company of many Stuarts, Chaffees and M-10 tank destroyers.
On our left, American right, Panzerjager IV and MkIV with some panzergrenadiers and artillery faced an American medium company with Pershings in support. Most of the Shermans had 76mm guns, so it was as difficult for Todd here and for Paul against me.
We "won" the roll-off and were the attackers. Todd boldly advanced while I moved as quickly as my slow tanks would allow. Risking a double move with the panzergrenadiers to try to get them to cover.
It didn't take long for debris to begin littering the field on both sides. The tank destroyers teleported in but either whiffed or failed to penetrate. I was hot with armor saves most of the day, but weak on firepower tests.
With the next round of American companies a Super-Pershing arrived. Yes, the ONE that saw combat in WWII. It announced its arrival by toasting a Tiger. Since my Tigers couldn't hurt it frontally, my surviving Hetzer decided it was Iron Cross time and raced for a flank shot. It hit but the Pershing shrugged off the hit.
In rare form my Hetzer crew remounted their tank destroyer and got another hit. Heck, I even got two AFVs to remount their vehicles. An unheard of feat for me. This time the Hetzer scored a hit and was rewarded.
By friendly agreement and wager we decided (before the shooting) that if the Super-Pershing was destroyed it had to sit out a a future game. Naturally Paul will almost certainly be on my side next game!
Six participants, 9,000 points on table, and enough wrecks to start a salvage yard. Hopefully we can get a few more players next year.
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