More Iron Cross - Eastern Front style

Well, we tried Iron Cross again, and glad we did.
This time is was a smaller game, and based on the 800 vs 400 point 'Capture the Bridge' scenario in keeping with what Steve and Ken had done over on Sound Officers' Call.

'I'm just going to bring this pallet with me on the back of my tank comrades. You never know quite when we might need a pallet ...Komrades? Komrades? '

Much better all round this time; we had decent sized forces - with only the Russians having a lot of kit, but it was quite manageable. A great game, with twists and turns, and finally we are learning how to manipulate the rules (but in a good way), and keep some reserves (in terms of units AND command points). Also, it becomes very clear when you can commit all your command points - for instance, when a defensive flank is failing and you can commit armour there, with the knowledge that you will only lose some of it.

There are some very powerful mechanisms at work here - and there was some discussion as to how they can easily be used for modern skirmishes and/or man to man style games.

Thumbs up...and many more games to follow. Now Steve is also talking about a great way in which to register the command point use and/or morale points over at his blog, though he will have posts around this later I suspect.

I was also watching command point markers (we used tiddlywinks) gather up on the back of Panther during the game, when I realised that a coin with spent shell casings (to scale) on it, would look superb - I have actually used these in 'Field of Battle WWII' - as originally suggested by Brent Oman in that ruleset for units that have fired. The more interrupts and firing, the more shell casings gather at the back of the vehicle - just a thought. 

'OI! Stop dropping blue markers out the back of my tank mate!'

'I'm not sure I fancy hanging around so close to the bridge Hans, uhhh...'

The scenario is 800vs400 point German defenders in a capture the bridge style game. It was tough going until a German flank failed...then, things seemed to fall apart.
Infantry in cover can be tough to shift, until you blatter* them with SU152 fire that is!

(* blatter is a well known technical term in this neck of the woods...used in a similar vein to decimate, flatten, pancake, splurdge, destroy and give a proper seeing to...)

Now anyone who knows Piquet: Point of Attack rules will recognise these formations ;)

 The Russians will be attacking from top of screen to bottom today.

German hidden PzIV reveals itself as T34 tries the road ...

 Masses of Soviet infantry...moving to support the tanks. Well...eventually. The armour got into trouble early, all by itself.

 Panthers are not to be messed with here.

 The Panzer IVs would also give good account of themselves.

 ...pity about their armour though.

 The Panther makes the mistake of moving to reinforce the German right, and gets taken out by the Animal Killer

 This leaves the German right a little more open, though infantry and a very brave AT gun crew give good account.

 Last of the German armour.

 SU76s used in support of infantry movement from the ridgeline.

 German units pull back to the river on their right flank.

 MGs on the left largely ineffective; the Russians were massing for an assault.

 A Russian drive in the centre breaks into the collective farm.

 ...as the German right collapses along the treeline.

Soviet units in sight of the bridge, though early moves are mown down with MG and infantry fire.

But previously hidden German units are now revealing themselves to large calibre weaponry. Despite their good cover, there are a lot of Russian guns and no German armour left.
 

Calling the game...there are not enough infantry on the German right to stop the onslaught. The Soviets take the bridge.

(Yeah...sorry about that crap river guys...)

A really nice game. A lot of future development potential for the Action/Reaction system, now that we see it working seamlessly.