Tank Ambush Scenario

Buzzkill · Tank Ambush Scenario

I enjoyed the clip from the movie "Stalingrad" that was posted in another thread ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kb44SUcSd0 ) so I decided to try a scenario based on that. Here is the order of battle I went with:

Russians

T-34 Platoon: 82 points
1 x T-34 commander
2 x T-34/76
2 x PPSh-41 SMG

T-70 Platoon: 37 points
4 x T-70

Total points: 119

Axis

"Reinforced" German Antitank Platoon: 52 points
1 x Wehrmacht Oberleutnant
2 x Mauser K98
1 x Sd Kfz 251
1x PAK 40 AT gun

2 x Panzerfaust 30
1 x MG42

Romanian Antitank Platoon: 22 Points
1 x Vigilant Lt.
2 x Antitank Grenadier
2 x Bohler 47mm AT Gun

Total Points: 74

I only use 2.0 vehicles so the platoons had to be modified slightly. The T-34 Platoon is based on the old platoon that had a T-34/85, which I subbed out for a T-34 commander and adjusted the points accordingly. The German AT platoon uses a Sd Kfz 251 instead of the 250 and comes in at 32 points, I reinforced it with 2 Pzfausts and a MG42 at full price to bring the total to 52.

I played on map 5 from the expanded rules set with the Russians on the southern road traveling north in a convoy and the Axis hidden in the two large wooded areas north (Germans) and west (Romanians) of the road. I started the game in the assault phase with the Axis having initiative and firing first to simulate surprise. The PAK 40 detonated a T-34 right off the bat at medium range, taking the PPSh tank rider with him. The Bohlers had less success against the T-34's disrupting the command tank and missing the other. My opponent, was frazzled at first and pulled the T-70's back to the bluffs to the east and turned the T-34s loose on the Romanians, the closer threat. I lost a Bohlers AT gun in the ensuing exchange. Realizing the T-70's would have to close to have any success, and seeing that the PAK-40 could still hit them on the bluffs, they rallied and rushed the Romanians. The PAK-40 was wickedly effective and proceeded to disrupt another T-34 and incinerate a T-70 over the next couple turns before the T-34 commander nailed him with a strong 7 hits on 7 dice and a 1 for a cover roll. The T-70's got in over their heads when the Antitank Grenadiers burst from the treeline and unleashed their Close Assault 9 on them. It was all over but for the crying at that point. The T-70's went up like sparklers, all 3 managed to only kill 1 AT Grenadier with their weak 5 dice AP. Sensing victory, the Germans charged from cover towards the limping T-34's, still tangling with the last Bohlers, and trying to steer clear of the AT Grenadier, their 7 dice AP not having much luck. The last PPSh managed to take out the last grenadier and the last Bohler AT gun but by then the Half-track raced a Panzerfaust up to the fight and with the Wehrmacht OberLT's angriff it got real ugly real quick.

Aftermath: The Axis lost all 3 AT guns and a couple infantry but the Russians gave up two tank platoons in the process. Even with the points skewed towards the Russians, without infantry support the tanks really weren't strong enough to handle the AT guns and enemy infantry. My opponent was pretty new and did not use his T-70s well, bunching them near the AT grenadiers rather than using their speed to spread out my forces. By the time he realized his mistake, the AT grenadiers were all over him like flys on stink, using defensive fire to leap frog through the tanks. It was fun but the balance was off, I'm not sure the Russians could win that fight, but hey, who said war is fair!

Shank77

Sounds like a fun scenario. Like the army builds you came up with also.

RAEVSKI

HUZZA, The Romanian AT Gren, still overpriced at 5 points.