AAM Tournament Report - Studio City (4/15)

[The Maquis]

My FLGS - Knight Ware in Studio City, CA - held a 100-point constructed AAM tournament on April 15th. This was our first constructed format following the release of "Contested Skies".

My Axis Army (Pure German):

Jagdpanzer IV/48 x2
Sturmpanzer IV "Brummbar"
20MM Flak 38 x2
Luftwaffe Infantryman
Mauser Kar 98k

My Allied Army (Pure Soviet):

KV-1
Guards T-34/85
Red Army Forward Observer
82MM PM-37 Mortar x2
Communist Partisan

Round 1 - Against J.L.Robert. I ran Germans against a mixture of American, British, and Chinese. Map chosen was "Tiger Heaven". Jason had: a Churchill Crocodile, two 40mm Bofors L60s, two 3" M5 guns, a P-51D Mustang, and a Kuomintang Machine-Gun Team. I was very worried about the Mustang making attacks on the rear of the Jagdpanzers or the infantry and I deployed everything in hillside cover. Turn 1 the P-51D Mustang attempted an attack on a Flak gun. He failed to hit me but the Flak shot down the Mustang. No longer having to fear enemy aircraft. I moved the Brummbar and both Jagdpanzers towards the objective (being held by the Crocodile, an M5 Gun, and the Chinese machine gunners). The Brummbar was my MVP as it took out both M5 Guns and both Bofors without taking any damage (not even Disruption). I did lose both Flak Guns to the Bofors and my Luftwaffe guy and Mauser died to the Chinese Machine-Gun. Both of my Jagdpanzers took turns shooting at the Crocodile but his 7 Defense only allowed me to score Disruption. The Chinese actually had their gun jam (rolled 1's) but I could not kill those guys despite sending my Brummbar right up to them. The Crocodile was able to damage one Jagdpanzer while the second one ran up (parked adjacent to the Churchill) and Disrupted it. It looked as if I had this game (winning on points and contesting objective). I then committed a major blunder by not having any of my units adjacent to the objective on Turn 8. :o J.L. Robert won with control of objective. I had almost 60 VPs from destroyed units while he had 20 VPs. I should have placed BOTH the Brummbar and the undamaged Jagdpanzer adjacent to the objective. The Jagdpanzer's cover save ability did come in handy in this battle.

[The Maquis]

Round 2 - I fought my Germans against new player "S" who was running a pure Soviet Army. The map rolled was "Urban Combat" - he had an SU-85, two Red Army Forward Observers, two PM-37 Mortars, 2 Soviet Grenadiers, an IL-10 Sturmovik, a Communist Partisans, and 1 Cossack Cavalryman. Again, I was worried about the enemy air unit. I split up my antiair units, having each occupy a third of my deployment zone. I moved up a Jagdpanzer into the town with the objective. My opponent moved up his SU-85 towards the town and also sent the Partisans there. The Sturmovik appeared and was able to Disrupt the Jagdpanzer in town but my Flak disrupted the Soviet plane (giving my forces a 1-turn breather from it). The SU-85 moved behind my Jagdpanzer in town so I sent the second Jagdpanzer behin the SU-85. I used the Brummbar (my MVP in this round as well) to kill both FOs, both Grenadiers, and the Partisans. The Cossack Cavalry attempted to enter the hex with one of my Flaks but its defensive fire disrupted the horsies and for the next 2-3 turns I traded shots with the Cavalry before the Flak killed it. The Soviet mortars, deprived of the FOs, no longer had line of sight to my guys and were now forced to move up. The SU-85 finally killed my first Jagdpanzer but the second one killed the Russian tank destroyer. The Brummbar was parked over the objective and was able to kill both Mortar teams. At battle's end - only the Soviet Sturmovik was alive in "S's" army and it could not hold the objective. I won on points and objective control.

[The Maquis]

Round 3 - FaveDave. For this Round I decided to try out my Soviet build - thinking that the FO in a KV-1 would be very protected and would enable me to use the long-range mortars to rain destruction on the Germans. The map chosen was again "Urban Combat". FaveDave was using the German build he has posted in another thread (lots of SS-PGs, 2 Flak guns, 2 Elite Panzer IVs, etc.) I kept the Mortars well out of range of the enemy while I sent the Partisans into the town objective and move up my tanks. My mistake was to have the KV-1 too close to the town and SS-PG infantry. The Elite Pz IVs engaged my KV-1. One of those tanks was able to disrupt me. :( I killed both Panzer IVs but the damage was done. The SS-PG's were able to move into the same hex as my KV-1 and spent the next 2-3 turns Close Assaulting me and Disrupting me. The Mortars tried to help out by attacking the infantry assaulting my tank but I could not get enough hits to affect the SS-PGs. Then, the mortars were taken out by the BMW R75 bikes and a Flak gun. I actually had the FO disembark from the KV-1 and vainly attempt to attack the SS-PGs but he failed and was killed. Eventually the SS-PG's were able to destroy the KV-1. It was now down to my Guards T-34 against hordes of infantry. With Turn 7 approaching (and an Objective win looming for FaveDave), I moved my Guards T-34 adjacent to the objective. It was swarmed by SS-PGs who were able to Close Assault it to death. I lost on points and the objective control (should stuck with my German force for this round).

[FaveDAve]

Round 3 - FaveDave. For this Round I decided to try out my Soviet build - thinking that the FO in a KV-1 would be very protected and would enable me to use the long-range mortars to rain destruction on the Germans. The map chosen was again "Urban Combat". FaveDave was using the German build he has posted in another thread (lots of SS-PGs, 2 Flak guns, 2 Elite Panzer IVs, etc.) I kept the Mortars well out of range of the enemy while I sent the Partisans into the town objective and move up my tanks. My mistake was to have the KV-1 too close to the town and SS-PG infantry. The Elite Pz IVs engaged my KV-1. One of those tanks was able to disrupt me. :( I killed both Panzer IVs but the damage was done. The SS-PG's were able to move into the same hex as my KV-1 and spent the next 2-3 turns Close Assaulting me and Disrupting me. The Mortars tried to help out by attacking the infantry assaulting my tank but I could not get enough hits to affect the SS-PGs. Then, the mortars were taken out by the BMW R75 bikes and a Flak gun. I actually had the FO disembark from the KV-1 and vainly attempt to attack the SS-PGs but he failed and was killed. Eventually the SS-PG's were able to destroy the KV-1. It was now down to my Guards T-34 against hordes of infantry. With Turn 7 approaching (and an Objective win looming for FaveDave), I moved my Guards T-34 adjacent to the objective. It was swarmed by SS-PGs who were able to Close Assault it to death. I lost on points and the objective control (should stuck with my German force for this round).



Mwahahahah! Where is your god today?!?

(I have no idea what that means, but it seems like a particularly snarky and melodramatic thing to bellow over the bodies of your fallen enemies.)

Yeah, the problem with the KV1 and the Forward Observer, is that if he gets within 4 hexes to do his observing thing, then I can get to him with my tanks.

I gotta say, the best moment of the day was your FO bravely getting off that tank and rolling his 6 dice on my SSPGs. I think you shoulda gotten a free kill just for having the guts to do that.

I also remember you killing my BMWs because I left them vulnerable. That'll teach me. And didn't you have a Partisan that lasted like forever?

[The Maquis]

I gotta say, the best moment of the day was your FO bravely getting off that tank and rolling his 6 dice on my SSPGs. I think you shoulda gotten a free kill just for having the guts to do that.

I can imagine the FO shouting "For Mother Russia!" as he bravely leaps off the KV-1 with his rifle blazing - only to be shot to pieces by the bewildered SS-Panzergrenadiers. He probably was posthumously awarded a medal by Stalin. :D

[tragicmishap]

The SS-PG rules. This is looking good for my tourney coming up. Thanks for taking the time to post that Maquis!

[horacus]

One point again for the Germs.
Long live to the SSPG¡¡¡¡