Camp Cromwell 17/08/10

Jim & Rich's Cossacks
v.
Joe & Steve's FJ's

LW 2000 pts Encounter

The Germans a grab bag of 10 platoons including FV infantry dripping with Panzerfausts & HMGs, Pak 40's, 105's,  Luftwwffe 88's & Jagpanthers.

The Russians had mounted & dismounted Cossacks, T34's, JS2's Scouts & Kats.

There was a bit of pussyfooting around while both sides waited for their reserves.  The focus of the battle soon turned to the German right when the mounted Cossacks arrived there and immediately charged down the left flank beind a ridge to attack the objective.  The Germans were lucky to stop the charge with hot shooting from the few troops able to fire, but they did & the attack petered out.

The Russian armour and the German Paks all came on the far flank.  The Russians didn't fancy the open ground on the the German left ringed by Paks & 88's so they moved the T34's right across the table to the far flank & the IS2's to the centre. 

Eventually the Russians were ready and the T34s attacked over the bodies of the cossacks.  At the same time a small German infantry platoon was advancing on the German's RH objective cuasing the Russians to divert the reamisn of th cossacks plus the command group over to help the Kats defend it.

There was a desperate fight for the German right flank.  The T34's drove the infantry back but the JP, artillery, 88's & PF's whitled them down & they failed morale.  The Russians were verging on collapse - they had to risk a command re-roll to keep the cossacks (now dismounted on the RH objective) in the battle.  They passed it and avoided defeat.  Next turn the cossacks & last Kat took out the threat to the objective, the JS's & infantry finished off another platoon on the German right and now it was the Germans facing an army morale test - which they failed to lose a close, hard fought action.

Pics all taken from behind the Russian right.