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 7th
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 6th 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
