Iron Cross campaign part 3 late war

The final two games were 1750 late war where I would have some of the bigest guns at the Soviet disposal the 122mm gun and 152mm bunker buster. Both mounted on the IS chassis.

Game 5 late war
Vs Ken Camel who was using Panzer pioneers backed by 3 Tiger 1's and some heavy hitting 88mm guns and our mission was called Jaegermeister which was a free for all.

My setup

Ken's setup.

First turn for Ken he bailed an ISU.

My first turn my ISU152's killed an 88 FlaK.

Ken moved up the middle with a pioneer platoon taking out a Zis gun. My return fire killed 3 men.

My fight with the Tigers wasn't going well so a redeployment was in order.

After some successful shooting and an assault the center threat was neutralized.

Ken smoking my tanks and killing my rocket artillery he paved the way for an assault.

One of Ken's Pak 88mm guns goes down as I counter attack.

I fend off the assault both of us taking loses but the game ends in a draw. A hard fought battle.

Ken got - 645pts 500pts for the Draw and killing my Zis guns.
I got - 805pts for the draw and killing one pioneer platoon.

Game 6 late war
Vs Warren Hart my good friend I battle on a regular basis so a hard battle lay ahead. Warren was using his Sturm division with 8x Pak40's and 2x 88mm FlaK guns and Panzerfausts up the wazoo.
The Mission was Gotterdammerung a modified no retreat were the German defender got 2 AT booby traps and 4 infantry booby traps.

My forces ready to attack.

The Germans dug in with some of their PaK40's in ambush.

The cautious advance continues no ambush yet.

Warren's heavy artillery knocks out a ISU. In return his 88's come on for reserve and I deal to them with my artillery.

My C.O goes up one flank by himself to try and spot his artillery for mine but Warren uses his ambush to stop him.

My ISU's deal to one StuG and my infantry assault his platoon of infantry. I eventually get pushed back.

With My C.O dead my sappers try and assault the AT guns they do kill one but get driven back. By this time we had run out of time and Warren had defended very well to keep me back.

Another hard battle with my regular gaming partner great banter had and friendly insults exchanged.
Warren got - 1150pts for the win and killing my C.O.
I got - 115pts for killing his 88mm FlaK platoon

So at the end of the event the Soviets had amasses enough point for the win over the Germans no thanks to me with my lack luster performance. Well done to Bede for taking top spot.
A great weekend and a big step up from other events ive been to in terms of theme. I will be back next year which is to be a North Africa theme so I will most likely use my Americans I think.

The Final Tally.
Red - Soviet
Blue - German

Iron Cross campaign part 2 mid war

The next two games up were mid war so my T-28s where replaced by T-34's and my sappers finaly got some rifles. These games were 1500pts and made up the last game of day one and the first game of day 2.

Game 3 mid war
Vs Damien Tyson another player I have had some great battles with over the years I finished 2nd to him at Fracas this year so I knew I was in for a hard battle. And him being Finns he had two captured KV-1's so my work was cut out for me. The mission was called The Darkest hour a modified breakthrough where the Germans got a preparatory bombardment and I got 2 barbed wire and a minefield extra meaning I had 6 obstacles total to place.

The bombardment tad bailed 3 tanks killed 2 stands of infantry and killed an AA gun. His KV's and infantry gained a foothold on the town.

My Zis2 guns over watched the two objectives safely behind the fortifications i had placed around his reserves area.

Damio's 122mm artillery was causing concern for my T-34s luckily only bailing them at this stage. The KV's lurk in the back ground.

Two lots of reserves arrive my rocket artillery and more T-34s things are looking up.

Damio's flank attack of AT guns and infantry platoon comes on but my Zis guns are ready to respond to them.

I start swarming the KV's in an attempt to get flank shots but nothing is getting through. My sappers clear the house of Damio's infantry.

Damio breaks through the barbed wire but his men take some losses to keep them honest. My C.O races to contest the objective.

Damio's Artillery and KV's are starting to take their toll on my T-34's. And his mortars killing enough of my infantry to make them run.

With 4 platoons dead fro me and the same for Damio we were both making morale checks but I was the first to fail.

A great close game as usual with Damio but he came away with the win.
Damio got - 2030pts for getting the win and killing 2x T34 platoons, AA guns and sappers.
I got - 735pts for killing Pak40's, mortars and 2 infantry platoons.


Game 4 mid war
Vs Graham Henderson He was running a panzer company with a total of 3 Panthers, 3 StuG's and Stuka support. The mission was called Fuhrer Directive No.41. The special rules for this mission was that the defenders entire deployment area was rubble. Which meant bulletproof cover and concealment for infantry and difficult going for tanks.

With Graham keeping his only platoon that was on table in ambush i was able to deploy much closer forward then usual. I had my sappers, Zis guns and AA on table.

I manage to move my AT guns for side shots not that I could hit.

As my reserves came on the following turn Graham's came on this wasn't good. I had already lost my C.O.

Two dead and one bailed out things were looking grim.

as the Panthers get distracted by the T-34s one bogs and its his C.O my sappers move in to kill him.

My next reserves arrive and come on behind the StuG's but only kill one. And I loss the platoon in return.

My roctet trucks come on and draw the attention of the Stuka's. His planes are still not able to be targeted by my AA.

I finally get the StuG's with my AA guns and the Panthers with the sappers giving me the win.

Another hard fought battle but this time getting my first win.
Graham got - 1040pts for killing my C.O, 2x T-34 platoons and my Zis guns
I got - 2355pts for killing his C.O, Panthers, and StuG's and getting the win.


The Next two games are late war and with my ISU assault guns I will be hoping to smash my German opposition under heavy firepower.

Iron Cross campaign part 1 early war.

Day one of the Iron Cross event run by Tony Bates started with everyone getting a tape measure with iron cross on it all the army lists (Dossiers), missions, hero skills and other info needed for the week end in a nice folder. The German team got to choose their opponents and tables to play on first. The points for the games was 1000pts for a win 500pts for a draw 0 pts for a loss. Plus what every value of points for each unit you kill completely.

           Axis                                                   Russian

1. Graham Henderson                             1. Gavin van Rossum
2. Simon McBeth                                    2. Sofia Chambers
3. David Wilson                                      3. John Fletcher
4. Damien Tyson                                     4. Russell Briant ( Team commander)
5. John Lee                                              5. Mark Stanton
6. Andrew Stanton                                  6. Andrew Olds
7. Ken Camel                                          7. Cameron Wansbrough
8. Warren Hart                                         8. Bob Pearce
9. Bryan Thompson                                 9. Bede Bailey
10. Paul Waechter (Team commander)   10. Joseph Kelly

Game 1 early war
Vs  Paul Waechter
Mission was call Cemetery Hill a modified version of encounter with some war dogs added in for the defender. I had 6 of these at my disposal they attack top armor with AT3 and FP5+.

My sappers 76mm guns and 1 platoon of T-28s started on table

Paul was quick to kill one tank and bail another 3. Not a good start although I got his C.O.

Just to keep me from moving my guns into a flanking position Paul got to bring on some 8 Rad armored cars.

Luckily my T-28s and my random reserves came on at the right place. Not that they could hit any thing.

My AA trucks go and harass Pauls 8 Rads causing them to break off.

Paul had forced me off the objective with is mechanized infantry and his Panzers claiming the win for his team.

Pts for the game.
Paul got - 1345pts for killing my C.O, 1x T-28 platoon and the win
I got - 155pts for killing his C.O.

Game 2 early war
Vs Andrew Stanton
The next mission was called white wave and my team commander had picked Andrew for me to face. This mission had snow covered terrain making everything slow going. And winter snow storm making the first few turns like night fighting. It was a modified hold the line mission.

I would be attack an infantry division with an 88 and Pak36's could be a tough ask.

The 88mm manage to see through the darkness and knock out 2 tanks. while the Pak's in the tree line knock out 3 from the second platoon causing them to run.

The 88mm finishes off the last T-28s. But my 76mm arty guns knock out the 88 and my rocket trucks pin down the Pak's and kill a few infantry.

My unarmed sappers move in an assault the Pak36's killing them all. Mean while my AA trucks on the far side of the table get gunned down.

As the game draws to a close Andrews captured T-34 comes on but I have failed to claim the objective and my army is broken with my sappers failing their morale test. Andrew claims the win.

Pts for the game.
Andrew got - 1740pts for killing my C.O, 2x T-28 platoons, AA trucks and my sappers and the win
I got - 305pts for killing his 88mm and Pak36's.


The next two games would be mid war hopefully my T-34's and Zis2 guns will help get me back on track and bring in some much needed points.