Main Event IV: M1A1 vs. Schwerpunkt

[Ratzki]

M1A1 starts to exploit the lack of German resistance near flag A. The KV-Flame tank fires at any target in it's path as the Russians move forward to take more and more ground. Mr. X is in full retreat here, and trying to get his units out of the path of the Russian s but with both armor and infantry, is not having much success. More and more German squads meet their maker in what is little more then butchery by M1's forces.
Mr. X has finally found it neccessary to move his hidden Pz IVs. He moves them behind a small hill and they turn into contact markers again. If M1 has not seen this, he may be in for a suprise when they come back into view again.

Mr. X - "Well, things are starting to deteriorate. I have to move soon and knock out those tanks. Those flamethrowers on my right really did me in. My entire right wing is crushed. A few infantry units hold the large right center flag, but they cannot hold up against flamethrowers and infantry from the woodline.
In the center and left, I feel more comfortable, but I have to get that large flag on the road and make a go at the right... I am afraid that he is racking up points with casualties and now a captured HMG crewmen. The bright side is that he still has to come out into the open to capture any more flags. "


M1A1 - "Hard fight, And I play tense ..."


Mr. X has crept slowly forward with a lone Pz IV and makes contact with M1A1's Crack Sherman. The Sherman was enganged so is buttoned up, this is good news for the German tank crew. The first shot misses the Russian tank, and soon the Sherman picks up the Pz and fire back, with a miss. The Pz replies and the shot goes wide. The Sherman does not get in a second shot as the Pz IV reverses out of LOS. Mr. X has missed an opportunity for a nice KO, now M1 will be on alert for more of the same.


With the lone Pz IV in reverse, I am suprised at the next few seconds of play. I have to stop the action and look around for what just happened, as I am sure M1A1 did as well. The Sherman has been hit from out of nowhere and lost a crewman and now has a damaged gun. I play the turn a little more and hear a shot from somewhere on the battlefield, it misses whatever it is aiming at, and the Sherman tank is in reverse trying to get away from the hidden danger.


Just over 300m away, the attacker makes his presence known, Mr. X's two Pz IVs pop up from behind the rise. They target the wounded Sherman and two more quick shots finish the job.
M1A1 - "OUCH, I'm roasted ..."
Mr. X - "Time to take some drastic measures... I have to kill those two tanks in the center, so I can meet the far right hand force. "
Now you tell me,... I must have missed this message somewhere, it seems the Germans are finished playing with the Russian armor and have decided to take matter into their own hands.



I can barely keep up to the goings on as M1A1 puts on a bit of a clinic on how to move through the enemy, and exploit the advantage that he has earned here. Quickly Russian forces are moving, mopping up Germans as they go.



A new overhead shot shows the Russians making significant gains one the one side while still being handled roughly on the other.