Raz 'the killing machine' atoth vs mixmaster-TankOdessky-(Mixmaster keep out!)

[raz_atoth]

Ok ladies,
You've all had the chance,i believe, to read the other A(D)ARs(a green clicky for all of you-even for you the Coil :whis: ) but now it's time for a real pro. to show you how it's done :smoke:
So hang on to your seats and listen ;)

SCENARIO
The scenario is named Tankodessky and the date is march 1942.I couldn't find the name of the author in the briefing,but our own POS was mentioned as testing the scenario,so maybe he can shed a light?In any case the situation goes like this:during a soviet offensive the heroes from the 113th infantry division run screaming for their mothers and let me-their glorious commander-to do my best to stop the russian advance.I've done it before,as the unlucky fellows who met me on the battlefield can confirm,and i'm more than ready to do it again.
RUSSIAN FORCE ESTIMATION
A lieutenant i bumped into earlier today claimed-while recovering from his nervous breakdown-that an entire russian division was on his tail accompanied by at least one hundred tanks.All of them,targeting him,naturally.But what do this infantry guys know?Right POS?More likely he hasn't seen more than 12-20 T34,accompanied by a reinforced infantry company.Or at least this is what a fairy whispered in my ear. :happy:
Probably i'll have to deal with about 5 platoons of T34s and the above mentioned infantry company.
MY FORCES
In the Tomsk village:

• The major general Bannon-the commander of the taskforce-a brilliant officer with his abilities all 2+
  
• a green platoon made up from all the cooks and clerks i could enlist.Of course,i would be extremely surprised if they didn't start running as soon as they'll see those little monsters the Ivans call T34s,but again,a rookie Hans with armed with a grenade bundle can do quite some damage.
  
• a 88mm flak gun commanded by Obg Edelstein
  
• a Stug 3 F under the command of the veteran Unteroffizier Geiger,fresh out of repairments.
  
• a MG34
  
• my very own Kubelwagen
  
• 4 trucks i planned to use to carry all the booty...um,i mean the liberated stuff.The wifey will definetly kill me if i don't manage to send her
  that furniture she put her eyes onto.Unless the Ivans will do it first.
  

Reinforcements
Fortunately i won't have to stop the soviet onslaught with just the above kit.I could have-since my opponent is mixmaster-but why take the risk?
I also received:

• 8 veteran PZs IV F2-my main weapons against mixmaster's barbaric hordes-armed with 75mm/46 guns.
  
• 1 PZ III J,armed with a 50mm/60 gun
  
• 1 50mm gun
  
• 1 81mm arty spotter
  
• a company of fanatic SS troops all ready to die for the motherland...defending me,in halftracks/embarked on tanks.
  

THE MAP


ENEMY ADVANCE ROUTES
Basically i assume the enemy will come from the direction Of Kazan.There are 2 likely routes:

1. the bridge from the left
   
2. the small gap in the trees from the right
   

Of course,since those trees around kazan you can see,are scattered,it's possible to have mixmaster's troops come from everywhere.
Still i could bet he'll use the bridge :smg:
MY PLANS
I placed my 88mm gun and the stug in an overwatch position over the bridge.Whoever will pass it,will be blown apart.Or that's what i'm hoping at least.
Two green half-squads(the right black-circles) have been placed on top of two small flags.
A conscript half-squad was placed in the kubelwagen.There is a small shack(invisible on the map at that scale) next to the road that leads from Tomsk to Kazan and i plan to occupy it.If mixmaster will use that road to bring his armor,it would be nice to see a grenade bundle thrown from that house,wouldn't it be? And if that isn't enough i'm pretty much sure one of the soldiers from that half-squad is a Gestapo informer.A major who told some jokes about Adolp's moustache a couple of days ago,mysteriously dissapered soon after.Nobody will shed a tear for that fellow if Ivan will be kind enough to shoot some bullets in his back,that's for sure :kill:
The 4 trucks loaded with furniture are placed on the left road,ready to be taken off the map with the first chance.
All the halftracks from the reinforcements battlegroup are ready to be fast driven to Tomsk.Hopefully before mixmaster's troops will show up.
My armor will be kept behind,untill i can determine from where the main attack will come.

[raz_atoth]

TURN 1-ORDERS

Well,the forces of the infamous mixmaster are more closer than i firstly though.

As you can see 3 light tanks-T70-M1942 probably-and 2 jeeps are guarding the bridge.I believe they are just some recon units,with the main bulk of his forces close by?In any case i'm not going to open fire,although they are in range of both my 88mm gun and my stug.Instead,i'll be as evil as i can be :smoke:
If we are to credit POS- Bridge work- it takes 13 75mm shells to destroy a light bridge.My stug has twenty :whis: Thus,i will area fire the bridge and hope i'll blow it just when the T34s mixmaster no doubt has,will try to cross it.And also will probably keep those light tanks of him away while i deploy my reinforcements in the village.

At the same time all the halftracks from my reinforcements group-except one transporting the 81mm spotter and a SPW 251/2 halftrack-received fast orders.

[Copper]

I've played this one in the Tankodessky tournament over at WaW and must say that you have your work cut out for you Raz...

The Soviets have some powerful weapons, and they have the advantage in terms of terrain IMHO.

GO GO KILLIN MACHINE!!!

: )

Leto

[Ratzki]

RedD. and I just finished this one, will be interesting to compare Mix's Russian tactics with my own. Good luck Raz, you're gonna be up to your eyeballs in Russians soon.

[Copper]

Actually, this appears to be a later version, as I didn't have an 88ATG, a Pnzr IIIJ or a StugIIIF in my kit.

[raz_atoth]

Well,i don't mind being up to my eyeballs in russians,Dallas.If those are dead russians,that is :smoke:

[PoorOldSpike]

Yo, Tankodessky is the creation of "Von-S", (Mark von Schwendeman),
he's running a Tankodessky Tourney at another club, I'm through to Round 3 so far

[raz_atoth]

Thanks for the insight POS,but i'll delete your above post,if you don't mind,before i'll have the chance to carefully look at those stunning(like ever) screenshots,and be able to determine what my opponent will throw against me

[PoorOldSpike]

Okay i've deleted the stunning pics mate, it was only an earlier version and there've been changes in the subsequent versions anyway

[raz_atoth]

TURN 1
Well,looks like speedy-master doesn't waste time.It's just the first turn and he rushes his armor like Satan was behind him.;) In fact,i'm pretty much sure he does every night some dark incantations...How else would he manged to beat me?Twice! :whis: The good news is i still hold the main flag after turn 1.The bad news is i still have to do it for another 34+ turns :rolleyes: But again,i'm not sure if i should be concerned!Judging from the speed of his advance he will be fighting in the outskirts of Berlin in about 20 minutes
What really happened:

As i thought the bulk of his forces seem to come over the bridge.His 3 light tanks guarding it at the beginning were rushed forward and placed behind the house i wanted to claim.More,what seems to be like 2 platoons of T34s came from the direction of Kazan.As a result my precious personal Kubelwagen was caught in the open and mercilessly blown,by one of his light tanks.The end of the world must be near if a major-general must now use his own feet to travel.Right POS?But this won't go unpunished,i tell you!:kill: As soon as the battle will end and his men will surrender i'll make sure he will be sent-to the farest POW camp.Walking!With a tiny stone in his boots! :smoke:
On my right,on what i believed to be his second advance route,a light tank made it's appearance.So far,it's only one,but i have a very bad feeling it's only the first element from a more larger group.
You don't stand a chance i hear? :hissy: Wait,wait,wait,there's more.

Arty shells(120mm i believe) have started landing near my main flag.So far,my 88mm gun is unharmed and with some luck it will stay that way.But again,since mixmaster might have signed a pact with Satan-with his own blood,of course,luck might be a luxury i don't have :)
Finally,some smoke shells landed near my Stug.It doesn't seem to be a 82mm art spotter,more likely a mortar dropping smoke(the icon in the trees?).

Enemy armor advancing towards Tomsk