A Town Called Malitz - RNL vs POS

[RNL Tiger]

I had forgotten to remove the hunt command and the Panzer went forward into the waiting guns of two T34s. The first shot penetrates and it did not last long...

[RNL Tiger]

Well, I have one Panzer left and since it is near the flag it is ordered to rout the Allied infantry there. However, POS decides to splatter the HMG at the factory with some HE and they both are surprised to get LOS:

[RNL Tiger]

The last Panzer starts to turn towards the T34 but the T34 scores another one shot one kill

[RNL Tiger]

Evaluation of current situation and adaptation

The armour battle has resolved itself with 4 T34s KO’d and 5 Panzers KO’d; I have 1 Hetzer against 2 T34s. I have the flags at 2 and 3 and I can easily occupy the flag at 1. No doubt the Allies will have occupied the flag at 4 in the town centre and will probably have all three flags across the river.

So the plan now needs to adapt to the current situation. I will:
• Send a squad to the flag at 1 and the rest of the platoon towards the centre flag
• Send an HQ and a couple of squads to take the nearest small flag at 7 across the river
• Engage the forces at the Malitz town centre to fix the defense
• Look for an opportunity to KO the T34s with the Hetzer

[RNL Tiger]

Infantry Manoeuvres

The infantry manoeuvres forward towards the Malitz town centre flag and you can see the squads on the right moving off to the river. Meanwhile POS has been busy and established a forward screen at the two large buildings and is moving in further infantry reinforcements. The two T34s are also being redeployed to the centre.

[RNL Tiger]

It is clear that I cannot break through without additional firepower. The Hetzer needs to get into the battle and as a tank destroyer its primary task has to be to KO the two T34s. Not an easy task.

[RNL Tiger]

Hetzer gets into position

The Hetzer gets into position covered by smoke:

[RNL Tiger]

This is a frontal assault based on the following ideas:
1) The Hetzer has not shown itself yet and so should be a surprise
2) The T34s [circled in red] will be occupied and distracted by the infantry
3) The approach can be covered by smoke that could also appear to be for the infantry

Another key alternative that I considered but discarded was to move it to the factory and attack hopefully the sides of the T34s. This was discarded as potentially taking too long but more importantly, I suspected that its movement would be observed and so lose any element of surprise.

Note that the infantry is preparing to attack the flag at 7.

[RNL Tiger]

T34 is Knocked Out

POS smells a rat and the T34 starts to retreat but it is a little too late and the Hetzer engages it, scoring a penetration on the first shot and knocking it out with the second shot.

[RNL Tiger]

It is now 1 T34 versus 1 Hetzer. The key question for the Hetzer is where to next? Meanwhile the infantry squads are advancing on flag 7: