COMBAT GALLERY

[PoorOldSpike]

Odies Yak-9 rockets my Panther column as it moves to engage his T-34/85 battlegroup..



Rockets burst around the panzer leader..

[PoorOldSpike]

With the end of the game imminent, I order my Russkis to go for Andre's airfield by taking the risk of pushing my T-34/85's and halftrack ahead of the slow-moving infantry support, hoping the halftrack will draw the fire of any lurking schrecks/fausts which the T-34's can then deal with. (The main hangar was rubbled by earlier T-34 area-fire).
Suddenly a schreck comes flying out of the house on the left, note the small grey projectile in mid-flight..



But it falls short of my leading T-34..




And they all immediately return fire before he can shoot again. You had yer chance Jack..

[PoorOldSpike]

CMant sends 4 x T-34/85's against the German outpost and I hurl 4 x PzIVH's into their flank to head them off..
(the panzer near the flag was knocked out earlier)



A fierce tank battle erupts as the panzers come to a halt and begin pouring fire into the still-moving T-34's..




The T-34's fight for their lives but it swings the Germans way; all 4 T-34's are wrecked for the loss of 1 panzer..

[PoorOldSpike]

While my 3 surviving PzIVH's (yellow ring) of the fierce tank battle in the previous post are still getting their breath back, CMant launches 2 x T-34/85's (top) in a surprise attack firing down the runway into their backs..



One of my boys goes down as they desperately swivel their turrets to meet the threat.
(the bailer was put out of action in the previous tank fight )




After more exchanges of gunfire both T-34's are wrecked and 2 panzers survive..

[PoorOldSpike]

Odies Russian infantry and armoured car flush the Germans out of the farm at the head of the valley..

[PoorOldSpike]

Herrbixx's Tiger comes prowling and is engaged by my 2 x SU-100's..



The SU-100 is a fearsome weapon quite capable of handling Tigers. The result- a fair exchange, one for one.
The action also demonstrates the advantage of outnumbering the enemy; if he shoots one of yours down, your boys wingman will take revenge..

[PoorOldSpike]

Herrbixx's gun crew see a perfect target - a T-34/85 on the skyline - and remember what they were told in training -"If you've got the shot, take it"



Scratch one T-34... Ironically I was reversing it at the time (purple arrow) because I didn't want it to get caught up in the rocky ground to its front. It never saw the gun til it fired..

[PoorOldSpike]

After securing the sailing club (bottom), my Russians begin moving on the hills outpost (background) but Guderian establishes a blocking wall of 4 x Hetzers across my front (blue arrows).
I respond by launching all my armour (3 x T-34/85's and 2 x SU-100's) against them (red arrows)



After a violent prolonged gunfight all the Hetzers are wrecked for the loss of a single SU-100.
My T-34's got some side shots against them which was the deciding factor, while the powerful SU-100's drilled straight through their fronts..




Closeup- whereas T-34/85's can have trouble penetrating a Hetzer's upper hull front, SU-100's usually have no trouble at all as demonstrated here..

[PoorOldSpike]

I race a pair of SU-100's to have a crack at a big bunch of Guderians armour icons near head of valley in background but run head-on into 6 of his assorted panzers/ Hetzers coming my way.




The SU-100's wipe the floor with them, killing 4 out of 6 for no SU losses.
None of the Germans had time to fire back, in fact some began popping smoke and reversing when they caught sight of the SU's..

[PoorOldSpike]

My Russian advance towards the hills outpost (far background right, among trees) is barred by Seel's gun up on the ridge. I earlier wrecked the Hetzer in a tank shootout, but because the gun is slightly over the ridge my tanks haven't been able to hit it; their shots either fly over its head or impact short on the front of the ridgeline. The gun however can get good shots on my tanks like sitting ducks..



So I lay down heavy infantry small-arms fire (red lines) on the gun to keep its head down, and rush it with my 3 x SU-100's and a T-34/85 (arrows)



It works, next turn my armour is up on the ridge and able to get clear area-fire shots at the gun icon which is quickly knocked out. (We know the gun's dead because there's no terrain picture in its data window at bottom of screen, same happens with other dead unit types too)