MAIN EVENT VII! Ratzki vs Joonny....

[Der Kuenstler]

This first pic is a bit difficult to explain. At the top of the pic is Joonny's vet Panther and Stug that were up on the hill. As they were coming down the Panther's commander was shot and the vehicle was shocked, but then recovered and started hunting into town. Because the turret was pointed correctly with an armour cover arc, the Panther still picked up Ratzki's T34 which was going on "fast" but came to a stop - I believe to back in next to the other T34. The Panther hit it broadside. The other T34, crack in quality, then fired and hit the Panther at a angle, bouncing the shell off....The stug and Panther circled in black are blocked by buildings and smoke.



In this shot we can see the Northern flag by the sea in real danger of falling to the Russians. Ratzki has two T34s in position to blow this building down and a platoon of men in the rocks to the North to run in and mop up. Joonny has no reinforcements in the area to get it back. The panther by the building has already been destroyed.



From the East side of town, one of Ratzki's other T34/85s comes up big with a great shot - over 800 meters hitting a buttoned stug on the seacliffs. I don't think the stug ever knew what hit him.



Here from Joonny's side we can see that he has run one of his expensive Panthers up way too close to the Russian infantry. The Panther is buttoned and the sheilding squad in the building in front of him has been pinned by enemyfire. The Russian AT capablity is limited but put them within 30 feet of that Panther with a handful of grenades and you may have a dead Panther. The Russians ony need to advance into one more building to reach it.



From commander Ratzki...

"Ok, not as planned. Jonnys panther caught a glimpse of my T-34 before he got into position and took it out. I did score a hit but it looked like it glanced off the tanks armor. Well on to plan B, hope to get the equalizer with my infantry and pioneers in the area.

I put a couple more holes in his SP gun on the hill. That thing has to be
finished now. It is not moving, so that it a good thing. Still advancing in the centre and withdrawing on my left. Jonny's forces on my right are in total colapse at the moment. These were either not SMG squads or the combination of my guys shooting along with maybe some poor shooting on his part has let him down.

Boy, I wish I had those 10 or so turns that it took at the beginning in order to get my FO to drop smoke. I would love to not be on such a time table right now.

More than the enemy forces, time is a much more potent enemy at the moment. Jonny has chosen to sit in the defence, not something that I would have done. If he would have came all the way forward, my move into the town would have been ruined. He then could have fought a fighting withdrawl to the present position and this game would have been long over. We will have to see what the next few turns hold for me. It is still a possibility that I may get all the flags in the centre if things work out. He is hiding his remaining infantry, or so it looks,
near the other large flag as I have not seen them in a long time. All I have are markers and they are not moving so this is what I have to assume.

I bet Jonny wishes that he had bought some more regular infantry instead of those SMG squads. I think that he may only have a couple platoons of regular infantry, one up on my left flank on the hill, and maybe another. It is hard to tell until he shoots at me a couple times and I see what is left of my squads. I have not hard or seen any Machine guns, come to think of it. A little fire suppression is always a great asset. I know that everyone thinks that these SMG squads are grand on the defence, but I don't think so. All you do is locate them
then just stay back and shoot the crap outa them until they drop, then advance and get into some hand to hand along with some shooting from your other guys and they are as good as dead. The SMG squads are the best at attacking, though. As you are advancing, you are able to pack a big punch.

Ok enough rambling, on to the next turns... heh, watch me be totally wrong about his force composition."