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.