Long Campaign - German - Abrevated AAR

[dlazov]

I selected to do a long campaign starting in 7/43 as the Germans. With a default map size of 50x50 and enough points to buy 1 German Infantry Rifle Company and one platoon of Panzer IVg. With the main interest to stay in Russia for the war.

During the first battle, which was a defend versus Soviet Assault one of my infantry platoons that was deployed in the south was decimated in whole by a horde of Soviet T-34s and SMG squads. One platoon up north survived and did not see any action. The center platoon, survived with a few kills and the 5 panzer IV g made it through literally unscathed with several kills each. I received a MV. And enough points to upgrade 2 of the Panzers to Tigers.

During the second battle which was an assault. I charged strait through the middle line took a small knoll with the tanks and infantry, then swung north and took the northern VH. What worked well for this assault mission was I had a ton of support points and I purchased 3 modules of 170mm Artillery and 2 of 105mm Artillery and two mech recon platoons. The artillery pretty much shook the Russians to the core. I lost both Mech Recon units but I got a DV this time and changed all Panzer IV g to Tigers and even bought a Panther Platoon.

During the third battle, (again still at the Kursk sector) I received order to meet to contact. I purchased a mech recon force and I sent this unit with the newly arrived Panthers due south and through a stream, one Panther got stuck, one got knocked out and one was immobilized by fire. The LT in charge did score 8 kills in his first action! The mech recon platoon got annihilated. The infantry got a little beat up, but the really winners were the glorious Tiger Platoon. The LT for this platoon really shown, at the end of the day he alone had knocked out 15 Soviet tanks and lost his own tank as well (heart raced as his tank took 5 direct hits before brewing up, but all of his crew escaped!). His wingman had 18 kills and the others to a lesser degree. In all I lost 4 of the 5 Tigers, but all the crews lived. I got another DV, and HQ sent me on a special mission.

Battle 4 was by far the toughest. Surprisingly HQ did not fix all my tigers, 3 were Immobilized and two were movable. The panthers were all fixed, but my infantry was really shot up. It was a defensive mission, so I spent over 2 hours finding the best spots for my units. I had limited support points, and fearing an air attack I added to my core 2 x 20mm AA and bought 2 x 37mm AA guns. I also bought some mortars and 105's. This battle last 35 turns! It was totally insane. I only lost both newly bought (to my core forces) 20 mm AA and (due to about 10 x T-60's and their 20mm guns) One panther was immobilized by (as I feared) a Il-2. The 37mm AA did manage to shoot one down. And I lost one (he had 12 kills) Panther to a well placed KV-1 round. That Tiger leader, he now has 30 kills to himself. The Panther platoon is doing really well too. Most Panthers have a very high kill ration as well. This battle field had a stream running N-S and the Soviets just kept comming. Now remember 3 of my Tigers were imobilized and were just sitting there not getting much kills, but getting hammered by T-34's, KV-1's and those damn planes. I thought all 3 would go, but they managed to live through the hail of fire. The Panthers launched a counter-attack in the south and wiped out 1 light Tank Company, 2 Medium T-34 companies and 1 heave KV-1 platoon and scores of unsupported infantry. The Tigers with the help of The infantry staved off attack after attack. The KG leader took a direct hit by 120mm mortar and drop to two men (Col Voss and his ADC), but we survived. The infantry is that has survived is back together now with fresh troops and and the Tigers and Panthers are all repaired ans HQ due to another DV in my pocket railed my unit up as a Fire Brigade unit to more battles ahead.

Breakdown of kills so far:

Tiger G0 = 30 Kills
Tiger G1 = 18 Kills
Tiger G2 = 07 Kills
Tiger G3 = 12 Kills
Tiger G4 = 05 Kills
-------- - -- -----
Totals 72 Kills

Panther I0 = 15 Kills
Panther I1 = 20 Kills
Panther I2 = 00 Kills (died, the original had 12)
Panther I3 = 06 Kills
Panther I4 = 24 Kills
---------- - -- -----
Totals 67 Kills

Grand Tank Total Kills: 139

MG42 (x2) squad has 6 kills with elite status.

Battle 5, HQ has sent me to Voloshilgrav (or some such) for another meeting engagement with the Russians.

I can report on this if there is an interest. So far this is the fun-ist campaign I have had yet.

Don