COMBAT GALLERY

[PoorOldSpike]

The Academy (below) was the key to Stndrtnfhr's victory, I committed 6x PzIVH's to its defence but after prolonged bitter fighting they were unable to stem his advance, he killed them all then swept on to seize the airfield..
9 blue X's mark wrecked PzIVH's and 3 red X's mark a destroyed ISU-152 (foreground) and 2x T-34/85's at head of valley on right..

[PoorOldSpike]

My Stalins and 34/85's have been bitterly fighting for every inch of ground for most of the game in the face of fierce resistance by GAZ NZ's German gun-heavy defence. X's mark wrecked guns and tanks. The two ringed 34/85's are about to do a right hook..



They hook around the main line of resistance in an attempt to break the deadlock and take out a Grille that has been shelling my Russian infantry..



Close-up..



Then this gun (circled) knocks out the 2 x T-34's..

[PoorOldSpike]

Major Battle in the Forest.
At first my Russian infantry met with only token resistance (x's=destroyed German units) and swept confidently through 2054172's flag outpost with their jubilant eyes set firmly upon the rich prize of the airfield in background..




Major contact! The Russians encounter the German main line of resistance and are stopped in their tracks as a hail of lead rips through the trees shredding the foliage and upsetting nesting birds..




1- A schreck opens up on my T-34/85 and armoured car, while at the same time the ominous sound of approaching tank engines is heard at 2 (it turned out to be a Panther).
3- I reverse my T-34 and car away from the schreck.
4- I pull my men back to defend the flag outpost while telling them- "sorry boys, we just lost the airfield".
5- This Russian group are pinned by heavy small-arms and MG fire from across the clearing and I'm unable to extricate them..




The endgame screen; despite all my efforts the flag stays neutral and 2054172 won the game..
(Thick white line marks final front line)




Endgame view from the German side with arrows indicating 205's main counterattack thrusts that ended Russian hopes of conquest..



An endgame shot with trees toggled on to give an idea of the claustrophobic nature of forest battles..

[Chipmunk]

Re post 130, don't you generally stay clear of purchasing turretless AFVs like SU-100s?

[PoorOldSpike]

The SU-100 is an awesome beast, fast, deadly, well-armoured, but like all turretless machines is a sitting duck if caught in the side or rear because it can't pivot in time to bring its gun to bear.
Despite this handicap turretless AFV's form a useful contingent of an armoured force, mixed in with tanks..

Blitz member Das Tiger inspects an SU-100..



These two charts from the 'Tank Gunnery' thread in the Tac Discussion area show the SU-100 hits harder than the Panther and Tiger..





PS- here's a screenshot from an ongoing game showing how I've got my 5 x SU-100's leading, with the 6 x T-34/85's behind. The SU has got the best front armour so it makes sense to let it lead the advance in this situation because I know all the enemy panzers are directly to the front. Sure, a gun or schreck might suddenly pop up on their flanks but that's the risk you have to take; at least the T-34's are up there with them ready to quickly swivel their turrets to meet any threats from the sides..

[PoorOldSpike]

Bert Blitzkrieg's Russians overun the hills outpost.
An earlier violent tank action left 2x Hetzers, 3x T-34/85's and a couple of halftracks dead (X's),and as Russian infantry begins closing in I reverse my last Hetzer to safety (purple arrow), reluctantly leaving the final surviving squad of the German garrison to his fate..



As the reversing Hetzer calls it a day, the Russians storm the position with a Company Commander leading from the front..

[PoorOldSpike]

Mangus's Stalin struts around making threatening gestures towards the club, so my Hetzer waltzes up and puts two slugs into him and he goes down like a skateboarding faceplanter in a Youtube 'Extreme Accidents' vid without time to shoot back..




You bin owned boy....

[PoorOldSpike]

PIC 1 - My 3 x Shermans took up this excellent hulldown position to cover the village, but are confronted by several of DasTiger's Hetzers (and/or Stugs), and the shooting begins..
The leftmost Sherman is a VC Firefly but can't use it's sensational gun because it can't see the Hetzers because trees are in the way, so it's left to the 2 x 75mm Shers to return fire, but their hits just ricochet off the Hetzers.
Eventually the rightmost Sher chickens and slams into reverse (purple dotted line) but is cut down..




PIC 2 - The engagement as seen from the German side. (Extreme f.o.w possibly conceals the true identity of the 'Stugs')

[PoorOldSpike]

Elltee's Sher 105 stops my infantry in their tracks..
After sprinting hard along open paved roads across half the map, they're brutally halted by this 105mm high-explosive shell just scant yards from the safety of a building..
(PS - the extreme fow says Sher 75 but I know from the thunderous roar it's really a (gulp) 105)

[PoorOldSpike]

DasTigers German infantry make a bold dash for the church but are cut down by a hail of rifle fire from my Brit infantry occupying buildings on both sides of the square..