Big Push

Last Nights mission was called the Big Push basically battle fronts set piece

battle where both sides star off dug in and the attacker has to crack the front lines.

I was running my German Mittlere Panzerkompanie and Chris had his Polish infantry (using the Australian list from Hell Fire and back). Both armies were 1250 points. My force had a platoon of 3 Panzer IVDs and a platoon of 5 Panzer IICs backed by a battery of 10.5cm artillery pieces I would have loved to bring my Pioneers for this one but that would have meant loosing my panzer IIs or my artillery and both were key to my plan. My HQ was a Panzer IVD as well.

Chris had 4 18/25 pounders that he deployed forward and two platoons of infantry in trenches. He also had tow 47mm Gun pits deployed forward of his main force off board Chriss had 4 2lbs portees and two Matildas.

I deployed my tanks to the right hand side of the board and my Artilry on the high ground.

Preliminary bombardment Killed one of the Polish Guns and three infantry stands not great but not bad. I was glad to get the gun at least.

Turn one my Panzer trundled forward under cover of smoke and shots from the Panzer IV's killed on of the Bunkers. Chris tried to bombard my artillery ranged in but failed to hit.

Turn two I again used smoke and my Panzer IVs took out the other bunker. Chris hit my artery but I made the gun save but failed to unpin for turn 3 so no smoke.

Turn 3 my Panzer II's successfully negotiated the min field and MG fire form them and the Panzer IVs managed to pin Chris's two remaining guns My assault went in losing on tank to defensive fire but I kill Chris's artillery. The Panzer IVs crossed the mine field using Storm-trooper (something I usually forget to use) Chris did not get any reinforcements.

Turn 4 My panzers and Artillery pinned one of Chris's Infantry platoon but my Panzer IIs failed motivation to continue their assault. They killed three stands and lost one tank. Again Chris did not get reinforcements! Chris used the trenches to move his men in to defend the objective I was after.

Turn 5 Again I Pinned Chris's infantry and this time the assault by the Panzer IIs was success full killing the battered platoon (only two stands left) and then "breaking through" to assault the CIC who was killed. Chris again did not get any reinforcements and was unable to pin his infantry giving me the win as we went to turn 6.

This was a great game for me. I had a plan in mind and was able to execute it. I was lucky as Chris did not get his Matildas or is Portees onto the board. Still I used smoke successfully (something I have not done well in the past) and remembers to use Storm trooper (something I struggle to do). Chris did not get good mileage out of his Minefields. After the game I suggested to him that is position would have been stronger if he had placed his Artillery behind his infantry where I would have a hard time assaulting them.