Maharajah 2008 Quarter Final 2

Maharajah Quarter Final #2

Nick's US Armour
HQ 2 Sherm +dozer 145
5 M4/76 445
5 M4 345
5 Stuarts 235
Recon +B 70
Arm'd Rifles 240
SP Art 3 Priest 185
TD 4M18 335
2000

James' Grenadiers
HQ +1PK+1PF 55
Grenadiers +PF 165
Grenadiers +PF 165
Grenadiers +PF 165
2 HMG 80
4 Pak 40 220
4 Tigers 860
4 105s 210
2 SPAA 20mm Arm 80
2000

LW Free For All, 2000 pts on 8x6 table. Umpires: Jim, Leigh, SteveJ.

Nick deployed the Super Shermans & Stuarts on his left, TDs in the centre, Shermans, Inf, Recon & Art on his right. ames deployed Infantry & Art on his left, Infantry & HMG on the right & Infantry, Anti/tank, SPAA & Tigers in the centre. James scored the first coup of the night by throwing Tiger Skill of 3 shots. But that was negated pretty quick when the first US barrage got Time on Target & wiped out the Pak 40's.

The inevitable Supersherman + TDs v. Tiger fight started well for the US too with a Tiger brewing up. But then the German sectret weapon stepped up - the SPAA took on the TDs and destroyed them. The Tigers popped a couple of Supershermans & the rest of them ducked for cover behind a hill. The Stuarts tried to rush the objective on the German right while this was going on, but the Grenadiers beat them off.

On the German left the Shermans whitled away at the 105s & the Infantry was sent to the centre in their HTs to defend the objective left exposed by the death of the TDs. The SPAA rushed towards the other objective on the US right forcing the US Infantry in the HTs to turn back to intcercept. Their MG fire bailed up the SPAA, but didn't kill it. One Tiger shot at the HT's needing 6 to hit (long range, concealed, slow traverse) - James threw three 6's. The HT's burned, the GI's lept out, the unpinned SPAA mowed them down & the rest failed morale. Suddenly the battle had turned - the US had nothing to defend their centre against the SPAA & Grenadiers.

The US deperately attacked on both flanks. On their right they made progres - finishing off the 105's, but before they could take the objective from the Grenadiers, the battle was decided elsewhere. The last 2 Super Shermans and the CIC came out from behind the hill & took on the Tigers. Now the US got lucky and they killed both the Tigers on that flank (the other had been left behind to assist the left). But the last Tiger survived Platoon Morale, & firing at 6 to hit popped the HQ Sherman. The US made a last desperate effort to take their left flank objective. They destroyed the HMGs, but Grenadiers beat them off - they failed Platoon Morale forcing a Coy Morale Test that could not be passed.

This battle had more ups & down than the stock exchange. The Tigers dominated the centre & they did their bit, but the SPAA were the unlikely heroes for the Fatherland - taking on the TDs & their Armoured Car escort & beating them.

Pic 1 is early in the battle with US armour skulking out of sight of the Tigers at both ends.

Pic 2 is the classic "how far can that bloody Tiger shoot?" pic

Pic 3 is the pile of bodies on the US RHS objective.

James goes through to a Semi Final v. Mark.

Anti-Tiger Leaque Practice Matches

Nick's 20/08/10

Jim's Grenadiers v. Nick's US Armoured in 2000 pts FFA

The Germans deployed infantry on each objective, artillery in rear, HMGs, Pak 40's & Tigers in the centre, Infantry right of centre & SPAA on the left. The US deployed Infantry & most of their armour on their right, artillery in left rear, Honeys & Recon on their left.

The US advanced on both flanks. The Germans advanced their 4 Tigers plus the Infantry & HMGs in the centre. The US rushed the Tigers with their TDs & Super Shermans. Before they even fired a shot 2 Tigers died & one was bailed - the Tigers only passed morale because they had thrown For The Fatherland. The remaining Tigers plus the Paks hit back. The TDs died but so did another Tiger.

On the German right, the Honeys wiped out the advancing Infantry and then rushed the objective, but the Infantry defending it threw hot dice and beat them. On the German left, the Shermans rushed the other objective. They destroyed the defending Infantry & took it, but the Paks & Artillery hit back destroying the whole platoon to save the game. The US Infantry came up & also took the objective. The lone Tiger did a Ned Kelly defying the remaining Super Shermans & 2IC tank to go to the objective. It then survived the attack by the bazooka heavy infantry platoon to maintain dispute of the objective until the Paks could finish off the Super Shermans & force Army Morale Failure.

The US got within a whisker of winning several times, but every time the Huns held on. For The Fatherland is not one of the most desired Tiger Ace Skills, but this time it won the game - without it the Tigers would have been gone without firing a shot, and I lost count of the number of times a 2 unbailed or passed a platoon morale test for the last heroic Tiger.

Camp Cromwell 28/10/09

Jim's 7th Armoured v. Steve's Grenadiers in 2000 pts Breakthrough, Brits attacking.
Steve' army was the same as Jim used v. Nick the night before = 4 Tigers with some support.

The Brits made a rush round the table edge furthest from the Tigers. The Honeys died on the way, but so did a couple of Paks. Two Infantry platoons exterminated each other in the centre. The Cromwells overran the 105's in their path but lost a platoon doing it. The mob of tin then formed a two abreast columns to squeeze between a DG hill & the table edge. They charged out into the open into the face of the Tigers as the reserve infantry came on.

Cromwells burned everywhere under the Every-Shot-Counts fire of the Tigers, but they kept passing platoon morale keeping the Brits in the game with 2 platoons down to 1 tank. Meanwhile the Germans lost their last Paks to artillery, lost another infantry to the Brit reserve infantry & had to check Coy Morale every turn. On their second try the Germans failed giving the Brits victory. The Germans had lost only 1 of their Tigers - to a Murder from the Sextons.

Camp Cromwell 20/10/08

Mahrajah 2008 Quarter Final #1

Steve's Panzer Lehr
HQ 2MkIVH 190
4 MkIVH 380
4 MkIVH 380
4 MkV 750
3 SPAA 20mm Arm 120
3 SPAA 37mm Arm 180
2000
Leigh's Black Watch
HQ RV 35
Rifle RV 135
Rifle RV 135
Rifle RV 135
Bugs 3/50 RV 105
4 6 pdrs RV 120
Hvy Mortar + P RV 165
Field Battery 4 25 pdr RV 170
4 17 pdr 200
2 Churchill VII CT* 230
1 Ch VII +2 Ch VI CT* 285
1 Ch VII +2 Ch VI CT* 285
2000
* Normandy Tank Squadron
Hold the Line
Steve Defending

Because of the Normandy Tank Squadron attachment the Scotts counted as armoured so attacker/defender was diced for - thus the Panzers defended. The Scotts made a night attack which allowed them to close up before the Germans could open fire. The Scotts advanced a platoon of Churchills on each flank with infantry & anti-tank guns in the centre.

The Germans deployed MkIVs in the field & wood near the front objective. One Panther was attached to the MkIVs on the left & it alone persuaded the Scotts to hold their right flank tanks back. The other Panthers dropped out of ambush in the wood. The Germans had some success cutting up the central Infantry platoon by advancing to the hedge line then stormtrooping back & the Scottish infnatry all went to ground. But the Churchills on the left mounted a little hill which gave them a good field of fire & they picked off a bunch of MkIVs & AA and the Panthers were whittled away - 1 to 17pdrs, 1 to artillery & 1 to heavy mortars. The Germans just ran out of tanks & failed Coy Morale.

Camp Cromwell 14/10/08

Maharajah 2008 Quarter Final #4:

MarkO's Fucilieri v. SteveP's Strelkovy (MW)
Hold the Line, Ities attacking, 2000 pts, 8x6 table.

Steve deployed Strelk on his right in cover well in front of the rear objective & his GOW across his rear. Another Strelk was in ambush.
Mark deployed all his Fucilieri in a column on his right along with Brexias & a/tank. His 3 artillery batteries lined his rear. The L6s lurked in the village on his left. Pak 40's & HMGs in the centre.

Scared of the GOWs, Mark made a painfully slow advance with the Fucileri column while digging in everything else. The Stukas & artillery started on the GOWs & eventally the Fucileri got to the centreline. The Russians dropped their ambush around the objective & then counterattacked the Fucilieri. The lead Fucilieri was destroyed but the follow up assault was stopped by RMG fire from teh 2nd Fucilieri. Then the Ities dropped a storm of artillery & rmg fire on the Strelk - dropping it below half . The Strelk then failed morale & the komisar shot himself. The Strelk evaporated allowing the Ities to get a team back across the centreline & save themselves from defeat by the no-one over the centreline rule. But the T34s had come up into a position to attack the Fucileri & the Ities still looked doomed. But then the Regio Aeronautica struck - they took out the command T34 & it all changed in an instant. The T34s were frozen leaderless in the standing crops mostly unable to fire at anything & unable to move - & the 2IC was across the other side of the table.

The Ities now had a foothold over the centreline & had time to bring up the rest fo their force - all the time whittling away with their 3 batteries. The 2nd Strelk tried to cross to objective & take the 2IC to teh T34s, but were mown down by HMGs & L6s. The 3rd Strelk came up, recovered the objective & destroyed the 2nd Fucilieri, but it ran out of men & the 3rd Fucileri finished it off. When the artillery finished off the Anti-tank guns, the Russians had lost more than half & the CIC had died with the 2nd Strelk. The Ities had also taken the objective.

A remarkable battle. Mark seriously stuffed up his attack and was dead lucky to avoid defeat on turn 6 by the no-one over the centreline rule. Then the Regio Aeronautical won the game by taking out the command T34. The T34's would have had to have driven the Fucileri back if they weren't immobilised by lack of command. With them frozen, the Ities bought time for the belated advance of their force and for the artillery to do their work.

The 1st pic shows the start of the battle from the Ities side. The 2nd one is from the Ivan side as the 1st Strelk counterattack to drive the Fucilieri back ove rthe centreline. That horde of Strelk on the objective & in the fields evaporated in one turn. The T34s moved left & forward into the fields to the left of the objective to take over the counterattack when the Stukas made their only kill for the game to take out their leader.

Camp Cromwell 09/10/08

Maharajah 2008 Qualifier #2

Leigh's Panzer Grenadiers v. Byron's Allied Italians 2000 pts LW Trenchfight

Leigh: HQ + 3 Panzergren + HMG(4) + Pak40s(3) + Stug(3) + 105s + Hvy Mortars + Neblewerfers(3) + 37mmSPAA(3)
Byron: HQ + 3 Fucilieri + 2 HMG(4) + 2 47mm(4) + Shermans(3) + 17pdrs(4) + 25pdrs(8) + Limited Air

Leigh deployed 2 P/grens about the forward objective on his right + 1 P/gren on his left. Wire covered the whole front & minefields most of it. His right & centre were stiffened by 2 HMG bunkers. One HMG & the Paks were in ambush.
Byron deployed across the front with the tanks in the centre. The Preliminary Bombardment was pretty ineffective - 2 infantry teams & 2 HMGs not really enough for the Ities. Byron initially advanced on the whole front, but held the right back rather than charge the bunkers & pressed on on his right. The Paks came out of ambush, missed the Shermans then got popped by return fire & 47's. The Fucileri on the right just failed to take out the P/grens holding a field there & Leigh was able to reinforce them with the HMG ambush before the next wave came up. This platoon also just failed to take out the P/grens. Meanwhile the Shermans had crossed the wire en route for the rear objective. Leigh's reserves were late coming, but they did come in the end & in time. The Stugs took on the Shermans and a mass of artillery & mortar lined the back of the table. The Shermans lost an unequal fight & the last Italian hope went with them. Byron conceded. Byron's flu last week may well have lost him the match - Leigh got to have a practice match in which he made plenty of mistakes he did not repeat.

Camp Cromwell 07/10/08

Breakthrough Assault Mission from Stalin's Onslaught

Bad Guys: SteveJ & James
Forces of Evil: Jim & Rich

The Germans squeeled like schwein as the preliminary bombardment cut a swathe through their ranks. The Russians adopted a traditional strategy of charging straight forward on a broad front, but they soon discoverered that the preliminary bombardment didn't hurt the Huns nearly enough. Their army began to melt away under intense German fire. The PT34s went through the minefield & the wire only to discover the hard way that ALL the German infantry squads had Panzerfausts. They died & their suporting infantry was pinned down. In the centre the sappers got to the wire but no further, likewise the Strelk on the right. The SUs on the right were stopped by Pak 40s & Panzerfausts. Only the IS-2s in the centre did much for the Russians - they took on the Stugs when they arrived & destroyed them. But enough Paks had survived the Bombardments to whittle the IS2s down to 1 & all the infnatry were cut down. The no attackers over the line by turn 6 rule gave the Germans victory before the Russians failed morale.
This looks like a tough mission for the Russians - clearly the attack has to be made with a lot more finesse than it was tonight.

Camp Cromwell 02/10/08

Thursday at Camp Cromwell

It was supposed to be the Maharajah 2008 2nd Qualifier: Byron's Allied Italians v. Leigh's Panzergrenadiers, but Byrom reported in sick. So Jim & Rich gave Leigh a practice battle.
Leigh's Panzergrenadiers (FE) v. Jim & Rich's Desert Rat Rifles (VB) in 2000 pts Trenchfight, Germans defending.
The Germans deployed first with a Panzergrenadier platoon on each objective, & another + HMGs in ambush. He put 3 lines of barbed wire accross the centre with 2 HMG bunkers.
The Brits immediately saw the weak spots in the German position - fields & woods on the left giving cover for an infantry & no anti-tank immediately available to stop armour crossing the wire in the centre. 2 Rifle platoons supported by 2 lots of bugs attacked through the wood on the left while the tanks attacked the objective directly. One Rifle platoon got stopped by the German 105's but the other one took out half the P/grens & the Cromwells got the rest. But then 2 of the Brit tanks bogged & by dropping a P/gren in ambush in the woods the Germans could counterattack the armour. But it just wasn't their night, the Panzerfaust kept missing, the Cromwells kept passed their bogging rolls & morale tests and the Germans ran out of men to contest the objective.
The Germans made mistakes in deployment they couldn't recover from & their cause wasn't helped by slow reserves either.

Camp Cromwell 29/09/08

Maharajah 2008 1st Qualifier: James' Grenadiers v. Rich's Canadians: 2000 pts Cauldron on 8x6

Rich's Canadians
HQ 25
Rifles 145
Rifles 145
Rifles 145
4HMG 130
4 heavy mortars 150
6 6 pdr a/tank 185
4 M10 3" 250
3 Sherm + 1 FF 290
4 Priests 235
3 Bugs 80
Medium battery 225
2005

James' Grenadiers
HQ + 1PF 50
Grenadiers + PF 165
Grenadiers + PF 165
Grenadiers + PF 165
4HMG 140
Pioneers 220
2 Tigers 430
4 Stugs 380
4 105s 210
2 20cm Arm AAHT 80
2005

The Germans rushed the nearest objective, taking it on turn 2. Then the battle turned into a slug fest as attack & counterattack disputed possession of it. Eventually the entire infantry forces of both sides were destroyed in the struggle as the armour sparred on the flanks & the artillery had a field day dropping templates on the crowds. The Stugs were destroyed by a combination of artillery & infantry & the M10s by artillery helped by Tiger they missed.

At the start of the Canadian turn 7 the umpires (Jim & SteveJ) realised that both sides were below half strength. The death of the Pioneers in the previous turn should have caused the Germans to test, & the loss of the M10's pushed the Canadians over. The Germans took their test & passed. The Canadians had lost their CiC in the infantry fight & automatically failed. The germans also held the objective at the time - piled high as it was with bodies & wrecked Stugs. After a long see-sawing struggle, the battle had been decided on a single 50/50 dice roll.