FoW: Conquest 2013 Report

A smaller field this year (14) LW, 1750 pts. I took:  

            HQ      30

8x        Motostrelkovy (SMG)           130

15x      Motostrelkovy (SMG) + HMG          265

5x        T34/85s          350

4x        ISU 100          310

4x        M10s  250

4x        Zis 2   145

6x        Heavy Mortars + Observer  155

3x        M 17 AA half tracks 110

                        1745

Game 1 Free for All vs Robert- Canadian Infantry

Robert was one of the new players I hadn’t met before a great guy and a great game. He ran LW Canadians with land mattresses (or Pizza Boxes of Doom) some bombarding recce carriers a couple of infantry, 2x platoons of Shermans and some 6 pdrs.

Never been a fan of non-historic games and this one ended up a tad one sided. I ducked a bullet (or pizza box) on turn 2 when Robert rolled 5x “2s” in a row and failed to range in the land mattresses (or save), my tans at was too much for the shermans and they were soon burning wrecks and the large motostrelk were a tad too much for the British infantry.

It ended up 6-1 to me.

MVP= motostrelk that took out an infantry platoon, 6 pdrs and a couple of bailed Shermans. I lost 6 or so infantry stands, a couple of mortars & 2x Zis. Enjoyable , if one sided game vs a very nice opponent.

The very cool looking "land mattresses"

 One of Rob's objectives. I demanded to be allowed to fire at least one barrage in the game- ten randomise which table it landed on. 

 Now that is a template!

Game 2: Pincer vs Dave E

Dave as running Fearless Vet Gebigsjager with 10 platoons and got to defend- lots of small platoons. The game was played in fog (which helped me). Dave is one of those defensive methodical players who took ages to figure out what to deploy and where- in a game where you are infantry you really need to have a an idea before the game of what you’ll deploy in defensive scenarios. In the end Dave deployed some infantry, pioneers, his pak 40s and ambushed with his 88s. So we were a bit slow (read very) to start. In the end I lined up everything but my SU 100s on my far right flank and charged. Dave ambushed my SU 100s at about 36” range and in the fog had no hope of seeing anything! A rather strange move and after that I simply rolled forward crushed his paks and drove him off the objective. I lost an M10 eventually and his reserves came on behind my tanks. I didn’t argue the point that there was plenty of unblocked deployment area to deploy them and rolled with it. My M17s MGs helped in defensive fire and  the sheer weight of firepower I bought to bear ripped to pieces lots of small platoons eventually breaking his company.

6-1 to the motostrel- casualties a few infantry and an M10.

MVP- probably the M17s for aiding in defensive fire and MGing a few infantry but again the SMG armed motostrelk performed well.

Game 3: Cauldron vs Bob’s British paras.

A table with a really large wood in the centre of it. Bob was running 3x paras supported by 6 pdrs 17 pdrs, 2x pack howitzer batteries (reinforced by artillery), pioneers and 2x 17pdrs.

Bob and I were top of the table and in our previous duels I think the results are now 2-1 to him so knew it would be a tough game. My plan was to try and intercept the reserves and destroy them but my mortars had to deploy along the backline where the reserves were due so I ended up having to have my AA half tracks nearby to try to cover them.

I didn’t quite read the rules properly and deployed my T34s to flush out the immediate ambush then when I started they’d drive into cover but alas the DEFENDER got the first turn so my T34/85s were sitting ducks. I lost 2 for 1x 6pdr and then had one bailed and it refused to rally for two turns. In the end Bob killed it and the other two T34s broke. Meanwhile pack howitzer batteries were raining down death and destruction, repeatedly pinning my big Motostrelk mob. I got a couple of tem with mortars but couldn’t finsh off either platoon.

Bob’s first reserves arrived assaulted and killed of my 2 mortars, then my small SMG company arrived and destroyed the paras. Next turn 2 more para platoons turned up and chewed up my SMG armed infantry. We ended up having 3 separate games in one the left large motostrelk (and Zis 2s- briefly) vs th pac howitzers and 6 pdrs my SU 100s and M10s on the other flank vs the MGs & pack howitzers and the brawl at the back between my infantry, the mortars & M17 AA vs the paras and 17 pdrs. It was a great game and was very, very close. In the end a run of abysmal (fearless) platoon saves swung the game in my favour and I broke the paras but was close to being broken myself. It was a game that the result hung in the balance till the very last (failed) morale save and probably my game of the comp for sheer intensity and enjoyment. We both had plenty of “if only moments” but I think that Bob can feel a tad robbed by the result. It was a blood bath but in the end I burgled the te 4-3 thans to some bad luck from Bob and a few very lucky rolls from myself.  

MVPs: the M17s that helped stop the para reserves in their tracks and killed a 17 pdr. Also the heavy mortars which somehow survived for much longer than seemed possible and kept me in the game- their commander even killed the last 17 pdr in an assault!

Game 4: "Diagonal FFA"

John is another long time Conquest stalwart this year running Wiking (FT) armoured PGs supported by 4x panthers 4x stugs, 251/9stummels, nebs and an 88. We played a FFA diagonally across the table giving a deeper deployment zone.

Trained Germans! This was a change- I could hit them. John got the first turn threw his infantry forward and let rip at my M10s killing 3 and the bailed one bolted (I rolled a 1). I returned fire with the SUs and hit 3 panthers killing 2 bailing one and the survivor fled (1-1). The 120mm mortars killed 2x nebs. A turn or two later the SU 100s ripped the stugs to pieces leaving John rather short of AT. The infantry and stummels got a couple of Zis 2s but Jon was running out of troops fast. In his last turn the last neb blew up another Zis and the survivor broke. I ripped a couple more platoons to pieces and John surrendered: 4-3 to me.

MVP: SU100s for claiming all 8 enemy tanks- though the “Cat killers” reroll wasn’t needed.

 

Game 5: Josh. Panzer Company. Fighting Withdrawal.

(Was too busy playing to remember to take any photos!)

Josh was running 6x panzer IVs, 4x panthers, 4 x stuhs and 2x 31 armoured cars. I was on 4 wins so a 5th win would give me the comp (it was decided on wins and BF points to decided equal placings). Josh is a young guy who has really come along in the last couple of years and is one of the players to watch out for in CHCh, underestimate him at your peril. He tends to be a bit rash at times but aggressive and likes nothing better than assaulting things with tanks!

Turn 1 the panzer IVs and panthers destroyed 3 (GtG) M10s and for the second game in a row the survivor rolled a 1. My heavy mortars bagged a panther on turn 1 but from then it was one way traffic to Josh. He simply rolled up my army destroying my Zis 2s, small infantry and eventually my T34s too. I got 3 panthers with my ambush on turn 4 but was scrambling to hang on. The panzer IVs eventually succumbed to SU 100s (mainly thanks to the 2+ FP tests) and I got the armoured cars on turn 6 or 7. Turn 8 and I was down to about 8 infantry stands and the SU 100s, Josh killed a few more infantry then the company failed its morale test so I attached the company commander and commissars but neither of them could stop the company fleeing. The company commander fleeing autoboke my company. 4-3 to Josh.

MVP: My SU 100s.

Josh played a great game he used his Stuhs + recce effectively and concentrated his forces nicely. I couldn’t fault his performance and it was a very one sided game even if in the end he only had the company commander 2 stuhs and a panther left operational!

 Final Result

In the end Josh and I had 4 wins and I pipped him on BF victory points 23/22 with Bob one point behind in third so I burgled my 7^th Conquest win out of 10. 5 fun games and got to play a couple of guys I’d not played before and guys I hadn’t played in a long time. As per usual many thanks to Stephen for all the work he did organising and running the event- he really does an outstanding job.

Also thanks to Poochie for his hospitality in putting us up at his family’s bach and for all the guys that hung out on Saturday night. Its hanging out with, and catching up with, the likes of Bob, Jason, Nick, Adam, and Poochie, and making new acquaintances, that is what these comps is really all about.  

Post Comp changes?

Probably bring back the Vals at the expense of the Zis 2s. They were a bit susceptible to artillery (and other) fire, the mobility of the Vals would have come in handy. A 6^th T34/85 would really help too. In 3 games the M10s 50 cals was an asset but today they really were picked on early and didn’t have enough front armour to survive even when trying to hide. I lie tem and see them as being handy so not sure if I’ll change them- I guess they could be replaced by more T24s though to make more larger and more survivable platoon.

I really liked the Cat Killer rules it made the SU100s much more dangerous.

Craig

Conquest 2013- LW Motostrelkovy

Yes, it is that time again, the annual Conquest tournament. I have been umming and ahhing about whether or not to go and if so what to play. I was thinking about playing Bolt Action but in the end tradition won out. I’ve played Flames at all 10 events so far so it would be rude of me not to continue. So I guess my self imposed sabbatical from Flames is at an end.

Haven’t really thought too much as to what to take and can’t be bothered coming up with anything to radial or new so thought I’d take my Winterfest 2012 Motostrelkovy list for a spin- with a few minor tweaks and see how it fares.  

I’ve a couple of units I’m not sure on but the bulk of the force has written itself:

The Infantry Core:

HQ

1x 2 platoon motostrelk company

1x 1 platoon company

All SMG armed. I know the meta is to take 2x min strength platoons but my larger motostrelk are to do the heavy lifting at assault time and more often than not it is they who win the game for me. They can also double duty as my ambush screen- more about that later.

Light tank platoon

8-9 valentines (all 6 pdrs). Who cares that they are slow and don’t have MGs the valentines has more often than not performed sterling work for me as a flanking force/reserve. AT 10 is not to be sniffed at and with 8-9 of them they usually last a few rounds- protected ammo helps as well. IMO they are a must take unit and at 250 pts for 9 of them they are an absolute bargain.

Heavy Mortar platoon

Last time my mortars were a bit so/so (I only had 4) and so it was a toss up between mortars or Zis 3 and M3A1 scout cars, in the end 6x mortars for 130 pts seemed a bargain, hopefully I can keep them alive long enough to use their wider template. Again they almost pick themselves as a very versatile unit.

 Light Assault gun platoon

Last time I went with 4 of my beloved SU 76s, this year I will do as every other Soviet player does and run SU 122, their role is obviously get up close and let rip vs enemy infantry and gun teams- keeping them a live long enough to do that is the trick. However they also make for an excellent flanking/reserve unit and can be devastating if in ambush too.

AA platoon or recon?

This was a harder decision. Last year I went without any recon and in most games it didn’t really hurt to bad- even though removing GtG on gun teams is almost mandatory in V3, so I thought long and hard as to whether or not to take some recon (BA 64s or Spetnez), in the end I went for something different- a platoon of 3x M16 quad AA half tracks! Why? Not sure really. I guess mainly because I have never fielded them and they can do a good job of suppressing infantry, half tracks or most recon. Time will tell if it was the right call.

So that just leaves my last two units and this is where I still haven’t made a decision:

Option 1: 3x JS 2 + 4x M10s

Last year I used a combo of 3x JS 2 and 4x SU100s as my heavy hitters, this year I am toying with 3x JS 2 and 4x M10s- I like the fact the M10 has RoF 2, can volleyfire and comes with a 50 cal as factory standard so can move forward and offer a suppressing fire option (well maybe) and might actually hit a target once in a while. Still, the M10 is more of a long range sniping vehicle than a scary proposition. If I can keep the JS 2s alive they will double as another assault unit (they have tankriders on them).

Option 2: 4x  SU 100s and 5x T34/85s

The SU 100 give a better overwatch type unit, parked up and daring anything to come within range but being RoF 1 H&C, overloaded and slow hurts them a bit. However, 5x T34/85s do offer another flanking/assault option and may last slightly longer than 3x JS 2s might in the AT 15 environment.

So there we have it. Why motostrelk?  A couple of reason really. Firstly I like the flexibility of the list, it really as a wide range of options; and secondly, being mechanised I get to attack vs infantry lists. It is having to attack infantry that does concern me a bit though mainly due to my lack of recon but I will learn to live without it (as I have in the past)- by using my infantry to grab any potential threatening areas.  But overall I'd rather attack than defend, its often a lot more fun!

So there we have it. It will be interesting to see how the force fares.  

Now I need to build to AA half tracks and make another 2 winter based heavy mortars to finish off the force. 

Craig 

FoW: Conquest 2012

Conquest 2012 report

This weekend as the 10^th annual Conquest competition in Christchurch. I’ve been to them all (possibly the only player to make them all, though Poochie must have been present at almost all them too).

WIn the enxt fe days we are about to commemorate the 70^th anniversary of Alamein so the weekend's theme was…Alamein for the MW comp. All forces had to be appropriate for the battle and it was run as an axis of attack style game with the number of victories per side dictating which side attacked and defended each round- so infantry got to attack tanks. 

My DAK Panzer Grenadiers

·         HQ- 2x SMG teams

·         7x MG teams & 2x pak 38s

·         7x MG teams

·         2x Bison

·         4x 76.2 pak 36(r) artillery

·         4x Marder III

·         4x Semovante & Carri Comando 

Going into the comp I was worried that I lacked enough infantry and that a third platoon would have been better than the bisons but the bisons look cool so wanted to give them a go. Would I regret this decision? Only time would tell.Unfortunately I forgot to take a camera so no photos. 

Game 1: No Retreat vs Jeff L

To represent the fury of the initial bombardment the Germans started pinned and the british launched a night attack on all tables. Jeff ran hat is my typical mid ar British list: 3x infantry paltoons, carriers, shermans, 6 pdr portees and 8x 25 pdrs. By turn 2 3 infantry platoons were in my defences and assaulting. My panzer grenadiers were forced to retreat from  railway (Alamain station?) and things were looking grim as all platoons ere at full strength. 

Turn 2 I managed to pin one platoon and it did not unpin, which as critical as it made his assaults on turn 3 slightly disjointed and I was able to see them off. In the end my marder ambush was revealed to cut down on the nasty 25 pdrs by using range ot my advantage and turn 4 my reserves had just made it close enogh to throw Jeff off the forward objective in a desperate counter assault. His last assault was met by a hail off pak 38, mader and MG 34 fire and driven back (pinned) and with 2 infantry platoons either destroyed on at a few teams and the third about to be MGed to death (hopefully) he surrendered- a surrender I gratefully accepted. The bison had just appeared from reserve and so they claimed it as their appearance that decided ot gae. In reality I think it as the failure to unpn on turn 2 as I did not have sufficient forces to throw back assaults by all three platoons of British infantry.

To tell the truth I think Jeff threw in the towel too early, his portees and Shermans were still a major threat, the carriers were in my end zone and the 25 pdrs still doing damage and  so I could have easily lost a couple of platoons of been thrown back- the 1^st platoon had passed a couple of morale tests.

Lesson learned : Even pinned panzer grenadiers can throw back assaults with RoF 2. Pre comp I was wondering if I would regret not being panzer pioneers but this game made me glad to have taken the infantry as MG teams.

Game 2: Counter Attack vs Bob "Pip Roberts" Pearce.

The Germans successfully held the first nights attack (5-1 IIRC) so an immediate counter attack (Cauldron) was launched and so my panzer grenadiers found themselves attacking a British armoured company of Pip Roberts, 2x platoons of shermans, 2x platoons of stuarts and humber ACs.

Bob deployed his humbers in an oasis defending an objective and his his tanks round a village in a wadi while my infantry surrounded the position. 

Lets just say this was a lesson in dice rolling. My random deployent was exactly where I wanted it. I managed to get a stuart early as my dug in infantry waited for reinforcements to help. When the Shermans started to arrive it was all on. My marders drove on blasted the shermans, killing 1 and bailing 2 Pip “Oi, you over there stand your ground” Roberts  kept them in the game and then the last platoon of Shermans and Stuarts arrived and in the next two turns Bob blasted my force to pieces. Bob’s dice during these two turns were simply hot- he passed 4 top armour saves vs Bisons, destroyed the marders and the 76.2s followed by the bison and semovantes- two lost to the RAF and a 3^rd picked off my a grant in a single turn while saving almost everything I threw back in return. 

An example of how the dice gods abandoned me as when m 76.2s desperate for a single point aimed at 2 surviving stuarts hitting 2, both of which rolled 6s for saves and I failed the two firepower tests. 6-1 to Bob. Ouch!

Lessons learned: Pip is very handy. He allowed two platoons rerolls that kept them on table- without those rerolls I would have had a lot less incoming fire on turn 3 and 4 (not to mention I'd have scrounged a couple of points) so the game might not been quite so one sided. I really couldn’t have got a better deployment, my stuff was exactly where I wanted it and supporting each other but the 76.2 (r) doesn’t quite cut it vs Shermans at long range, almost all their hits bounced. It was a lesson in massing your firepower really.

Well played Bob, I think we are now 2-2.

Game 3: Dust Up vs Lionel

I hadn't played Lionel before so was looking forward to the game. As the British British had regained the momentum and both sides were throwing in more reseves in (a 4-2 win that round to the British overall) so I faced Lionel’s massive British rifle force: 10 platoons (4x infantry, deacons, portees, carrirs, humber ACs, 8x 25 pdrs). He deployed 2x platoons, 6 pdrs and full 25 pdr battery vs my defensive PGs (with pak 38s), 76,2(rs) and semovantes.  So basically his deployment zone was already an extremely powerful defensive position.

Lionel moved his infantry forward then dug in while I simply dug in and waited for help as the Semovantes could not tangle with the 6 pdrs, and the 25pdrs were too far back for my artillery to pick off with direct fire. Pretty soon I started to take losses to the large template and "murder" of the artillery (but some extremely lucky dice rolling from me meant I lost a lot less than I should have). I decided I was not going to win by taking Lionel’s objective but that my best best was to destroy his reserves as the they came on (hopefully) piece meal so moved the semovantes back towards his reserves area and my marders headed that ay as soon as they came on too. 

It s a long, tense game as we nibbled away at each other. Eventually my marders sniped 3x 25 pdrs at range but the 6 pdr gun line with supporting infantry prevented me getting closer to the objectives. Lionel threw his first platoon on reserves at my infantry and even pinned I just d

generated enough dice to throw the back (this hasty assault whcih had it come off would have turned my defence wwas i hindsight the only rash move form Lionel and possibly sung the game for me).  However, we then sniped away at each other (semovantes and marders really don't want to risk a gun dual vs portees) but in the end I took out the deacons and then the recce platoons and got at the two recce platoons. Lionel continued to attack aggressively and in the end, with time almost up on the clock I destroyeda 6th platoon and forced a company morale test which he failed. I lost the bisons to a single round of artillery fire from the 25 pdrs and should have lost my first platoon of PGs but they somehow stayed one team above their morale despite repeated attempts from lionel to finish them off. 

So a hard fought 5-2. Lionel had a really tough force and handled it well, playing aggressively. I had to wait till I'd made an opening to try to get through his reserve and  into his deployment area to grab an objective as I  simply lacked enough infantry to force the issue and needed to rely on my mobile units to grind Lionels force down.  It as never going to be easy for me and took much longer than I’d intended as I simply did not have enough infantry to deal with his 4 platoons. I was really impressed with how Lionel handled his force and wouldn't want to face it again in a hurry. It was a long, tough fight that was very enjoyable.

Lesson learned: Pinned panzer grenadiers teams are worth their weight in gold. My bisons also managed their first kills: a recce carrier and 2 deacons!   British artillery is damn nasty when it gets to repeat bombard.     

Day 2: Game 4- Pincer vs Stephen Hoare’s Sherman horde

The momentum had returned to the British winning 4 games in round 3 (IIRC). Stehpen’s last 2 games had lasted 2o minutes each for a 6-1 and a 1-6. I deployed my PGs + pak 38s on the forward objective, 76.2 ( rs) slightly behind them and marders in ambush. Stephen drove straight at the forward platoon and assaulted on turn 2. Defensive fire bailed a Sherman and he killed one team. I retreated and let rip with the pak 38s and pak 36rs killing one Sherman and bailing 3 others. My infantry assaulted and captured the 4 bailed shermans, including the company commander. Turn 3 he repeated bogging a sherman and I again retreated. Marders now ambushed (killing 1 bailing another sherman but missing at close range 6 times vs trained Shermans!) and the paks bailed another one. I assaulted the last Sherman and killed it, capturing the bailed ones and breaking his company. 6-1

Wow, not at all what I expected. 

It was so fast we rolled up another mission (Counter attack) and had a close 4-3 win to me.

Lessons learned: GtG infantry + paks can survive tank assaults- just but it could very of easily gone 6-1 the other way. Shermans are beasts! Who needs panzer knackers?

Game 5: Fighting withdrawal vs Poochies Aussies.

It was now neck and neck with about the same number of wins per side but running out of reserves and with the writing on the wall, Rommel ordered a fighting withdrawal. Poochie and his fearless Vet Aussies planned to cut off my retreat. Poochie was running 3x platoons (sticky bombs to the max), carriers, mortars, 4x 25 pdrs, 3x fearless vet Stuarts.

I put my infantry + pak 38s in ambush and waited for the inevitable infantry assaults- which happened from turn 2! It turned out to be a blood bath in the dark. As expected Aussie attack after Aussie attack as launched and in one of our typically crazy games (it as played at night until the start of turn 6- the final turn- when Poochie broke my company). Highlights for me included an infantry counter assault that destroyed 6 teams and so eliminated one platoon of Aussies (ya a point). Poochie’s company commander singling out my company commander and killing him in assault only to have my 2iC return the favour in my counter assault leaving us both commander-less. A bison killing  carrier in direct fire- just because he could!

 Low lights included failing to storm trooper my marders, losing 1 to portees and having one double bailed and another bailed. The double bailed one fled dragging the last two with it. 

The semovantes were the last platoon to die as the portees (which had just survived a serious MGing from my infantry) roared into the last semovantes to finish them off (Poochie had gun tanked the carri commando so the semovantes were stuck!) to break y force.

Poochie launched lots of assaults as did I (spoiling attacks we'll call them) and at the end of the game he’d lost 3 platoons and had a total of 5 infantry stands (which equalled the remnants of more two platoons) on table (but also is mortars, portees and   25 pdrs) vs my 5 infantry stands- so yes it could hve gone either way and yes it as a bloodbath.

4-3 to Poochie and for quite while I was wondering if I’d manage to get any points. I knew I’d be stretched defending vs Poochie's aggressive style and didn't think I had enough infantry for the job and so it proved but it was a very entertaining, topsy-turvey game. 

Results.

The last round the British won 4 games again (IIRC) and so after several days of hard tough fighting broke though the German lines and own the battle.

The weekend was a great success, lots of forces fielded that typically don’t get seen and the axis of attack narrative worked really well. With all the tables being treated as roads the portees were damn dangerous (24” move) and with the new rules of gunshields are  very handy. Another really enjoyable aspect was the theme and limitations meant that the Sherman was the king of battle as it was at the actual battle and for once was a midwar monster to face. 

Bob’s Pip Roberts force as the run away winner and my panzer grenadiers were top axis and 2^nd overall just pipping Poohie (and Chris W’s pioneers +8x marders)by a point so but it was a very close competition. 

Thanks to all my opponents for the games, thoroughly enjoyable and I learned a lot of 3E changes that I wasn't aware of. 

Post Comp Changes

As expected the bison were pants and are probably the main change I’d make. I’d also probably replace the semovantes with 4x carri so as to get a 3^rd platoon with 2 more pak 38s. 2 platoons of infantry just doesn’t cut it AFAIK.  However, I was pleasantly surprised at how tough the RoF 2 pinned panzer grenadiers are on defence  and can’t recommend them enough!

Desert Terrain

I also need to make some decent wadi terrain- I’ve a couple of ideas I’ve experimented with before. I really need to get a better 3D look to my desert boards so will make polystyrene wadi’s that fit under the cloth to give depth the table and then scatter terrain on top, it may be a project to complete soon.