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Introduction
This AAR is from Poor Old Spike’s competition: a 1500 point semi-fictional meeting engagement in May 1945 on a prepared map of a town called Malitz, in eastern Germany. Both the Russians and Germans are rushing to seize the town and its airfield.

Purchase and Plan Phase
As the Axis I purchased: a platoon of Panzer IVHs [Veterans]; 1 Hetzer [Veteran]; 1 x Aufklarungs Company (VW) [Regular, includes 4xHMG 2x81mm mortar]; 1x Aufklarungs infantry platoon [Regular] and a sharpshooter [Veteran].

The map is characterized by the town in the centre with a main flag there at 4, an airfield on my left with a main flag at 2 and minor flags at 1 and 3. Similarly across the river on the right there is a major flag at 6 and two minor ones at 5 and 7.

Planning

There are a number of options to approach this battle – go down the left; centre or right; or use a combination - left and centre; right and centre. It wouldn’t make sense to go down the left and right as that would split the forces too far apart and risk being destroyed in detail. It is always useful to be able to support your forces with nearby forces and if you need to attack you want to establish either a numerical advantage, preferably 2:1 or higher, or a firepower advantage. Enemy forces do not like being plastered with HE.

A closer inspection of the map reveals lots of keyholes, numerous river crossing points and that the airfield is the easiest flag [2] for the Axis to take. The centre flags in the town [4] and on the right [6] would potentially be contested during the march to the objective/contact phase. It is likely that Poor Old Spike will have selected 2 platoons of T-34/85s and a similar amount of infantry to the Axis. The forces are balanced and evenly matched. The question is where would the Allied forces go? The map gave the Axis an advantage on the airfield side and the Allies had easy access to the town centre and to the flags on the right of the river. So the likely options for the main flags are that the Allies would go for the flag at 4 or 6 or both. Knowing POS’s penchant for racing to the flags it is almost a sure thing that he will go for both 4 and 6. Then, attack the airfield or if he thinks he has done enough he will consolidate his position and wait for the time to tick away until the end of the game.

The Plan

So, back to the plan, I can:
1) Take the easy option and occupy the airfield and then wheel into the town centre flag
2) Go for the town centre flag at 4 immediately and take my chances that my forces are not cut up on the way but arrive and consolidate the position
3) Go for the flag at 6 immediately and again take my chances that my forces are not cut up on the way
Of course, it is equally possible that my forces would cut up the enemy forces – it's just a lottery

This time I decide to take the easy option. The basic plan is to:
1) Take the main airfield flag using the Panzers
2) Send a platoon onto the flag at 1, including an HMG
3) Send a platoon to take the flag at 3, including an HMG
4) Send two platoons to fix any enemy at 4, including 2 x HMGs and 2 x 81mm mortars
5) Keep the Hetzer in overwatch

Once the initial positions are occupied the panzers and platoons at 1 and 3 would advance on 4 to take a second major flag

Initial Contact

I cannot see anything happening on the right but I can see that the Allies have occupied the flag at 1, have a T34 between the centre flag and the airfield and infantry arriving in the town centre. I must be seeing the Allied right wing. POS doesn’t normally split his tanks so the T34 spotted is actually likely to be a platoon and I guess that the other T34 platoon is at the main flag at 6.

Anyway, time to continue with plan. The HMG will occupy this factory and two of the Panzers will continue onto the flag at 1. This placement of forces will also allow the Panzers to potentially catch the T34s in a pincer movement. Meanwhile the three panzers will reduce the buildings to rubble to scare off any infantry there before I occupy that flag.

The Allied infantry is being scattered but the Panzers unexpectedly get LOS to the T34 and as they nearly reach their objective they turn their turrets to engage...

The bad news is that the T34 gets a one shot one kill on a fast moving tank just before it can make it to cover behind the dust screen from the buildings reduced to rubble

Meanwhile the other Panzers are turning in towards the centre. POS has seen the action developing and has sent his other T34 platoon across the river into the town centre to bolster his forces there. The tank battle in the centre erupts…

The firefight is fierce. Two T34s are knocked out and one is bailing out for the loss of two Panzers: