WWPD Italian Campaign - 6th Armoured Division vs Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 653- Cauldron

So Ben and myself managed to get an Italy game in the other day, we both had agreed tank forces but the mission was random. I won’t repeat the lists but link to mine and Ben’s.

I chose the side with the river running through, and placed Ben placed the objective on the front left and back right of the area. I placed the infantry covering the front left objective with the regular shermans in the field behind, with a 76mm platoon in immediate ambush.

Ben rolled firstly for his Panzer3/4’s and rolled a 6 placing them behind the hill. The elephants though ended up in opposite quarters after a 1 and 3 were rolled. Ben deployed his IC to support the panzer ¾’s and the elephant on my left. I deployed  my 76mm to hopefully to the long outflank on Ben.

Turn 1

Counter to my traditional role as defender I started by moving the 76mm forward, sadly there were no shots on offer, but the outflank started.

Ben responded by advancing his elephants and panzer’s – having failed to get any reserves. The lone elephant on my right side smoked a 76mm, whilst the rest failed to hit.

Turn 2

The advance continued, the 2IC managed to smoke an elephant, whilst the regular shermans moved closer to try and deter the panzer’s from assaulting.

Ben brought on his remaining elephant, he fired but thankfully didn’t hit, before the panzers dropped some smoke on my shermans.

Turn 3

No reserves, the 76mm on my right advanced but only bailed and elephant, the shermans all tried to smoke but missed.

Ben’s nebs arrived and moved  onto the hill, Ben opened up with the elephants at my regular shermans and destroyed two causing the last one to flee. His bailed elephant remounted, but missed the hunting 76mm.

Turn 4

Reserves for myself with the 76mm and bofors arriving from reserve. The 76mm continued to outflank. Though one bogged on the ford. The new 76mm blasted the elephant from behind whilst the remaining platoon missed the panzers.

Ben’s recon arrived from reserve and destroyed my bofors. The elephants fired at the existing 76mm but failed to hit. The panzers advanced into assault range and whilst two shot at the infantry two shot at the shermans and destroyed one, but the platoon passed their moral test. The panzers assaulted, but one bogged on the way in, three swung, only one hit, before the infantry counter attacked bailing one. The panzers then both missed, before the infantry bailed another tank. With that bens final tank disengaged and passed it’s moral test.

Turn 5

My recon arrived and hid behind a building, whilst the new 76mm platoon destroyed ben’s recon. The bogged 76mm unbogged and both the 76mm advanced and fired on the last panzer, bailing it and ban failed his moral test.

The elephants advanced killing the PIAT and contesting the objective.

Turn 6-8

The game turned into a cat and mouse of my forces advancing whilst Ben tried to capture the objective. Eventually my 76mm  platoon removed the nebs leaving ben on a company moral test – but also on the objective. It came down to the company moral test, - Ben failed – Allies win 4-3.

Conclusion

Well a close game, as it ended up on a dice roll for victory. Both lists had their strength’s and weakness’s but overall it was fun – what more do you want?