Ivan is angry

[has.been]

The set up for today's game.
Russian front. Won't give away much, as the players
(Digits & Vodkafan) might be watching.
Enough to say Germans are outnumbered.

[Elbows]

Great looking stuff.  I wish my Russian countryside looked that good (hint: it doesn't).

[has.been]

The reason the Germans are outnumbered is...
I went yesterday to track down the rules (Chain of Command),
terrain (No bother, but realised just how much MDF stuff for my
Russian village is still in its packaging), then the 'Oh No!' moment.

I had sold my painted German infantry!!!!!
Well, logic at the time was I have lots of unpainted, therefore
if I sell off the old painted I will HAVE to paint up some of the
back-log. Didn't happen.

Fortunately due to a mix up both Vodkafan & I bought a spare
copy of last month's Wargames Illustrated, the one with the
free German Infantry. Second lucky break was I had already
got my 12 to undercoat stage. Only have to paint them, so
yesterday I did, & here they are (before they get all shot up)

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice set up.

Enjoy the game and tell us how it went.

[Digits]

 Not so much as “Ivan is Angry”....more “Ivan is Confused”....followed by “”Ivan is Optimistic“....and finally “Ivan is Delighted”!

Never played this before hence the initial confusion, but big thanks to Peter for not only hosting, keeping us fed and watered but also being a sport and talking us through the rules to help us play.

I arrived a little late due to traffic problems behind the lines...and James had made a preference to be Germans...fine by me, I was just glad to be playing first Wargame since February!  Scenario was a German Break Out...so they were trying to exit my side of the table, that or rout me from the village.

Yes, the Germans were outnumbered.....but they had a Tiger!   They also had a Hanomag and a Kubelwagon and infantry with the ability to knock out tanks.

I had an out gunned and out armoured KV1.....but it was wonderfully painted!

I also had three squads of infantry, none of which carried any real anti tank ability so I was looking to the KV1 to take on the a Tiger....pffft!

The crew, clearly fresh out of tank school, it seems couldn’t hit a barn at 30 yards!  They certainly couldn’t hit a partially obscured stationary staff car!  When the Tiger did eventually come into view, the one shot the Russian managed to get on target proved useless against the thick German plating.  Very soon after that, it was itself knocked out by the Tiger’s 88.   The crew baled  out....but let me assure you, they were taken to the rear after the action subsided, and , well let’s just say, they won’t be missing any more targets.

So that left me pondering how to engage the Tiger whilst dealing with the infantry and their transport.

Luckily my first shooting action had dealt with the staff car and it’s tank hunting passengers, breaking the will of the last survivor who spent the rest of the action crapping in a hole behind the pigsty.

Seeing German infantry trying to out manoeuvre my weakened left flank, they made a mistake and got caught in the open as my squad rounded the houses and hosed then...removing their senior officer from any further part in the war.



Next I turned by interest to the Hanomag and two squads converged quickly on it, hurling grenades and insults....



Until eventually I killed enough fellas on board that the survivors moved bloody quickly in reverse to avoid any further casualties



To say the Germans were attempting a break out, that backwards manoeuvre was the fastest/ furthest any German moved all game! Lol.  I was expecting a fast vehicular dash through my lines once the KV1 was neutralised....but it wasn’t to happen.

My guys then tried in vain to swamp the tank, exposing themselves to its hull  mounted machine gun but their puny grenades didn’t even scratch it



When this failed, I moved instead to secure any enemy rally points and effectively rendered the Tiger isolated from any back up and won the action.


Hence “ Happy Ivan”!

Great game, great opponent and great host.....can’t ask for better!

[has.been]

Germans start to stir. The roar of the Tiger's Maybach engines, and the
urgent rushing of the anti-tank crew as they try to get the Kublewagon moving.

The lumbering behemoth that is a KV1

One squad of Germans start up main street (heck there is only ONE street).
Is the German officer trying to double bluff the Russians? After all only a
mad-man would do that.

Ivan massing on the road. He was not fooled.

[has.been]

The KV1's shot on the Tiger gets the German's attention.
The return 88mm shell takes out the Russian.

Ivan finds courage (Vodka?) & starts mobbing the Hanomag.

[has.been]

Having forced the Hanomag to beat a heavy retreat, the swarms
of Russian PBI (poor bleeding infantry) feel confident enough
to take on the Tiger. However they have no effective anti tank
capability. Bravery & some grenades make no headway.

[Digits]

I forgot to mention the great scenery, lovely houses with some great detailing....especially the thatched barn...great!

[Westbury]

Pete, classic on the German figures mate but good rescue. Seems like you had a good time.

[has.been]

Digits then makes the correct tactical decision.
He (literally) pulls his men off the Tiger & over-runs
two remaining German Jump Off points. This is enough
to force a surrender. Russian victory!

All praise to Vodkafan who took on a much bigger Soviet force,
took out their tank & made it half way to safety. He just did not
have enough troops to hold them all off.

This umpire was TOTALLY unbiased I want it to be known.
Yes I did have my 'Celebrating the defeat of Fascism' T-Shirt.
Yes I did offer a round of Vodka (well flavoured lemonade) to Digits & Vodkafan.
Yes it was true I went looking for my CD of the Red Army Ensemble, though
I failed to find it.

Final picture is of the minefield. No-one dared to try it out. I was asked whether
it was German or Russian?  I replied... 'Does that make any difference?'

[has.been]

Thanks Ian. I hope a good time was had, but it was enough that
we were having a wargame & talking b%%ll%cks.

[flatpack]

Just typed this once, but goodness knows where it went.
Funny how International Rescue, comes in the form of free soldiers on the front of a magazine.
Well done, looks like the 3 of you had fun.

[has.been]

Yes Bob. Now added to my (very long) list of things to do,
paint up my un-painted Germans. Oh & do up the rest of
my MDF buildings for the Russian village. Oh & find some
Russian civilians to stand about while a Tiger tank prowls
up their street.

[vodkafan]

Can't add much to Digit's and has.been's accounts of the action...it's all sadly true. 
A quick shot of has.been's Germans, pretty good assembly and paintjobs for being still on the sprues 24 hours ago!
This is the whole infantry part of the force, two half squads and a two man panzerfaust team...


Here is a view from the Tiger's turret of the KV1 approaching


The tank duel ended in a bale out for the KV1 crew


This was really the last hopeful moment of my breakout just before the Soviet steamroller: the hanomag carrying one half squad and Tiger trying to support each other- my officer and his half squad are already dead.


With all but two of the Germans dead and 4 points of shock, the badly shot up hanomag reverses out like a racing car...


Isolated, the lumbering Tiger gets Angry Ivan's full attention starting with several grenades and small arms fire


When that doesn't work they just add more Russians 


The Tiger keeps shaking free but the Soviets overrun all my jump off points and Force Morale drops to zero.


Many thanks to Peter for introducing us to CoC and putting up with our blank looks and questions, and for the lovely Russian buildings.