AAR - Soviet Heavy Tank Company vs Panzer Lehr - Free for All

Welcome once again to the ongoing war between myself and the vile Winner Dave. This was a damn sunny sunday afternoon game, after a BBQ and a beer - so I think we were both a little more chilled out than we would be normally, but it was still a cracker of a game. We rolled up for a mission and got free for all - nice and simple for a sunny evening.

Tyazhelyy Samokhodno-Artillyeriyskiy Polk (Guards) 1 IS-2 3 ISU-122's 3 ISU-122's 6 T34/85's 6 Pioneers 4 Zis 3's Strelkovy 9 stands Rifle/MG

Panzer's to the Meuse Lehr 2 HQ Panzer IV's 4 Panzer IV's 4 Panzer IV's 3 Panzer IV/70's Full Gepanzerte Aufklarung 2 8 -Rads 3 Nebs (RT)

Generated by WWPD's BatRepper Software.

DEPLOYMENT

I started deploying, I placed my Nebs in the centre back, Dave placed his sappers on his Left objective. I then placed my 8 rad's opposite then, and Dave placed his Zis 3's on his Right objective. I then placed my ISU 122's on his left objective, I placed my Panzer IV/70 opposite, he then place his other ISU 122 in the centre, I placed my first set of Panzer 4's in the center, Dave placed his Infantry in the middle/on Dave's right objective. Finally I placed my other Panzer IV's in the middle, and Dave placed his T-34's on his right.

I then made my spearhead moves, moving the Gepanzerte Aufklarung down the road and repositioning my Panzer IV's. I won the roll for turn 1.

TURN 1 

So being just out of assault range the Gepanzerte Aufklarung continue up the road, and successfully killed one Zis-3. On the right my Panzer IV/70's destroyed one ISU 122 but failed their storm trooper to get back into cover. The Neb's failed to dig in and the panzer IV's hugged cover.
In Dave's turn he moves up his T34's to target one of the Panzer IV's and they all miss, but the Zis3's do destroy a half track and the team inside. On the other side some of the ISU 122 open fire and bail 2 Panzer IV's. On my right trading fire with my Panzer IV/70's they kill one of them.

TURN 2 

The Gepanzerte Aufklarung continue to advance, the 2 Platoons of Panzer IV's target as best possible the T34's and manage to kill 1 and bail 3! - sadly one of them despite his protected ammo does not remount. The panzer IV/70's are ineffective and again fail to storm trooper, but the Half tracks assault and destroy the Zis 3's!

Dave  has a bit of a shocker, with the only damage he does being the destruction of my bailed Panzer IV

TURN 3

The Panzer IV's bail 3 T34's whilst shooting at them, again i'm not passing any firepower roles, my Gepanzerte Aufklarung try to assault the infantry, but the combined defensive fire from them and the T34's stops me dead. Thankfully the 2IC goes from cover bail a ISU 122, but fails his storm trooper to hide

Dave uses his ISU 122 to target the 2IC killing him, whilst he also manages to bail another panzer 4. His T34's kill the tank hunter team for my Gepanzerte Aufklarung.

TURN 4

Now I'm getting frustrated by my poor firepower roles, so the dice god's smile and I manage to hit a couple. but fail with anything else other than digging in infantry 

Dave continues to shoot at me but only succeeds in a couple of bails.  
  

TURN 5

The Panzer IV's in the centre take out 2 of the ISU 122's in the middle, whilst the Panzer IV/70's take out the ISU122 on the right. The Left hand Panzer 4's manage to kill some T34's who run away, and to cap it all the Gepanzerte Aufklarung attack the infantry on the objective driving them off!   

Dave uses his commander to target my Panzer IV's hoping for some VP's but only bails me, whilst the infantry assault my Gepanzerte Aufklarung but are knocked back by defensive fire having failed to pin me.

TURN 6

With Dave only just contesting the objective, my Panzer IV's and infantry open fire and destroy some infantry stands, but they don't break.

Dave passes his moral test, but being unable to get near the objective and with his commander missing his shots.

6-1 to the Germans

Conclusion

It felt very even, up until turn 5, when it all went my way, we discussed after how dave wasted the Zis3's and should have had the infantry with them. It was a real learning mission for me, understanding how careful i have to be against these big brutish tanks, and the real need to keep playing a game of cat and mouse to avoid being easy targets.