Stones of Argwylon - Warhammer, Wood Elves vs Beastmen, game 4

Continuing our Wood Elf vs Beastmen narrative campaign, with game 4. So far, it hasn’t gone well for the defenders of Athel Loren, and Gardak Gorfeaster’s brayherd incursion from the Grey Mountains into the Amrothys valley in the Argylion region has results in 2 defeats and 1 draw. But, all these were smaller precursors to a larger confrontation. Now, after their previous skirmishing and a ‘forest ambush’ of the beasts on the march (game 3), the enemy have come to a clearing, and the revered Stones of Argwylon, where Gardak plans to throw down the ancient dolman and raise his own herdstone in its place.

Note: We do not play with WH’s u-go i-go turn sequence. We use a system of unit by unit activation, after issuing an action at the start of the turn. This adds a lot of tactical complexity, of who does what/when… and requires constant assessment of the next best activation through a turn. This produces a much more fluid and unpredictable game, and keeps both players full engaged all the time. Missiles, movement, combat etc. are unchanged.

This would be 2,600 points per side (just about all the Wood Elves I currently have), and the first pitched battle of the campaign. Now, Athel Loren gets to brings its full strength to bear. The opposed lists:

Wood Elves

Greyroot - Treeman Ancient, lvl 3, Illusions (Plague of Rust, Elemental Spirits, Earthen Ramparts)
befuddlement of mischiefs

Faenyr of Argwylon - Spellweaver, lvl 4, Wild Magic (Ariel’s Blessing, Spiteful Torrent, Durthu’s Wrath, Sapping Blight)
glamourweave kindred, heartwood pendant, giant blade

Yssion the Faun - Waystalker
scout kindred, bow of loren, muster of malevolents

Willowyf - Branchwraith, lvl 2, Elementalism (Mind Razor, Shimmer Dragon)
lamentions of despair

5 Gladeguard + lord’s bowman, swiftshiver arrows

9 Deepwood Scouts + lord’s bowman, swiftshiver arrows

9 Deepwood Scouts + lord’s bowman, swiftshiver arrows

9 Deepwood Scouts + lord’s bowman, swiftshiver arrows

16 Dryads + Nymph

3 Treekin with great weapons

5 Sisters of Thorne + full command, (Pillar of Fire)

5 Sisters of Thorne + full command, (Flaming Sword)

3 Giant Owls (Eagles)

1 Treeman

8 Waywatchers + swiftshiver arrows + ambushers



Beastman Brayherd

Gardak Gorfeaster - Doombull
with great weapon, heavy armour, Pelt of Midnight, Fur of Shaggru, 2 x Dark Hearts

Ulkark the Hooded - Great Bray Shaman, lvl 4, Primal Magic (Call of the Wild, Primordial Gloom, Fury of the Beast, Strangleroot)
with braystaff, Gnarled Hide, Goretooth, Hagtree Fetish

Nrak Blackhoof - Centigor Chieftain
with heavy armour, shield, Muscular Monstrosity, Mangelder

12 Ungor with shortbows

12 Ungor + full command, shields

26 Gors + full command

26 Gors + full command

10 Chaos Hounds

5 Minotaurs + full command

10 Bestigors + full command

8 Centigor + full command

3 Dragon Ogres + shartak

1 Cockatrice

1 Ghorgon

The stones of Argylion, the field of battle. Wood Elves on the nearest edge, Beastman on the far side.

Deployed, it looked a scary amount of Beastmen, and given the Wood Elves’ previous battles, optimism was not high as we got underway.

The first turns saw the Beastmen rolling forwards, under a hail of arrows, of course. These chipped away at the Minotaurs and Dragon Ogres, whilst an elemental spirits vortex spell rolled over the Chaos warhounds, which broke, fled, and were then rolled over by it again, wiping them out. A bit of a win for the forest spirits.

On the Beastman far left, their Centigors rushed forwards drunkenly, only to be hit by charging Sisters of the Thorne, a Treeman and an owl… the melee saw the Centigors destroyed and their chieftain, having killed the sister’s champion in a challenge, then fled for his worthless life, outrunning the pursuing elks.

In the centre, Wood Elf magic had been very useful, Greyroot using Willowyf’s Shimmering Dragon to ‘appear’ (lets imagine he grows out of the ground in double quick time). Then blasting off his own spells. The Minotaurs were incoming…

On the Beastmen far right, Yssion the Waystalker was scouting around a large rock. The Cockatrice flapped over to try to deal with his nuissance, only to be shot by his archery, then shot again as it charged on Turn 2 (quick shot) and then fail to injure the super-scout sniper, who hacked another wound of it with his sword. The creature fled, failed to rally and was soon gone! Single wood elf archer deals with Cockatrice shocker!

The third turn was were things got tricky, as the Beastman infantry began to charge. The Doombull and his escort of Bestigor hammered into the Treekin, as did the frenzied Ghorgon (no choice in that), killing two and leaving the wounded last tree fleeing. But magic then came in again as a spellweaver’s casting took 3 wounds from the Ghorgon, Deepwood scout massed archery took 2 more… and the newly arrived Waywatchers, just in asrai longbow range, picked off the last wound. The big beast was down! But the Doombull, Bestigor and the first mob of Gors were in place to charge the Dryad line next turn.

Meanwhile, charging Minotaurs, only 3 left after being peppered with arrows, found themselves in a fight with Greyroot and an helping owl. They defeated the last couple of Minotaurs, one fled, and the wounded owl chased it down to finish the job.

On the Wood Elf left, the sisters of thorne had been caught by Dragon Ogres, but their 4+ ward save rolled really well, and they only lost 1 sister. Still, the Dragon Ogres will surely destroy them next turn without some aid. Well, they didn’t get any, so died to the man (woman).

The battle was now in the centre, with the Dryads, buffed by earthen ramparts to try and hold. The Gors and Bestigor charged in and won the fight, by a lot, but the Dryads used their stubborn to just fallback and hold. Now for the counter-attack. The wood elves charged back, Greyroot into the rear of the Gors, the Spellweaver and Deepwood scouts into the Bestigor (assailment spell at the ready). If the Wood Elves could hold again, then surely the battle was theirs.

Meanwhile, the Treeman charged at the second Gor unit (with the Bray Shaman), who failed a Terror test and fled at speed. Deepwood Scout volleys cut down the Centigor Chieftain, the closest target now.

To the climax, and big melee. This saw the Dryads and Treeman ancient win well, and the Gors broke and ran, to be run down by chasing trees. The Bestigors held, and that allowed the Greyroot to charge on into their flank, even as the Deepwood Scouts were carved down by great axes and the Spellweaver took 2 wounds fighting the Doombull (a monster in melee). Could the Minotaur leader turn it around alone? Well, first he challenged the Treeman Ancient and they went at it. Hack and slash, the last Bestigor died leaving just Gardak vs Greyroot to resolve. After two rounds of melee, both had survived, the Doombiull on top, still having taken 3 wounds, the old tree almost felled by his great axe, with 5 wounds taken (what better for cutting down a tree?)… but the game was over.

A solid win for the Wood Elves, in large down to a lot of missile fire, some good magic and the Treemen.

So Gardak is still alive, but his Brayherd is badly damaged, the Wood Elves will now try to hunt down the last survivors, so none escape from their forest. I think the next battle will have the objective of killing the Doombull once and for all, perhaps as last stand for the Beastmen. 

Deployment. We agreed rules for the large rocks, they were impassable to all units except skirmishers, for which they are difficult ground.

The furry mob in the Beast's centre, their main attack, minotaurs, gors, chaos hounds with ungor back up.

The Elven centre, Deepwood scouts lurk in the bushes, Treekin and Dryads with Branchwraith.

Light cavalry on both extreme flanks for the WEs. Here on the left, with the Gladeguard archers behind.

Minotaurs are faced down by a 'teleporting' ancient Treeman. Concentrated archery whittled them down.

Sisters of the Thorne in pursuit of the Nrak Blackhoof, after his Centigors are wiped out. He would rally and turn to fight again.

Yssion the Waystalker scouts ahead, around the Beastman right, using the big rock. The Cockatrice comes over, but is defeated and then flees (pure fluke). My Waystalker turns out to be a right PITA... quiet right too!

Ghorgon's eye-view, as the two centres close up (around an elemental spirits vortex). Magic is a huge help to the WE here, causing 4 wounds to the massive angry cow, and giving the Dryads an earthen rampart to try and hold the primal fury. The Treekin won't survive their fight with the Gorgon, Doombull and Bestigor.

Out on the far flank, Dragon Ogres come to deal with the Sisters of the Thorne, and do! Messy...

The other flank. The others Sisters face Nrak Blackhoof again, this time he wins a challenge, killing the Sister's champion, and they flee, out-running the Centigor chieftain. It was then shot down by Deepwood scout arrows... one more carcass for the crows.

The end of the sisters on the WE left... if only our Pillar of Fire spell had worked!

Waywatchers arrive on the left flank, and their accurate archery bring down the Ghorgon at 30" range, and continue to harass from some safety for the remaining turns. 16 accurate shots a turn begins to hurt.

The final confrontation, battle of the two generals, inconclusive, but the Doombull would get a points victory in a boxing match. In future, an assailment spell for the Treeman would be handy. But, Treemen are tough even to survive two rounds of combat with a Doombull and his big axe.

 

Woodland Ambush – Warhammer, Wood Elves vs Beastmen, game 3

This game was the third of mini-narrative campaign, as the Beastmen invade a remote corner of the Wood Elf forest in Argwylon. This scenario was based on the old 'Woodland Ambush' (when WH had such themed scenarios). In it, 1,000 pts of Wood Elves would ambush 1,500 pts of Beastmen, which set-up in columns of march across the table centre, with the WE either side, after them, and getting the first turn. We scattered trees to represent that whole tabletop was forest (precise location of trees doesn't mater, just move them around, out of the way). This would have been interesting if almost everything in these armies didn't have 'move through cover' special rules (being forest dwellers). So, all cosmetic really. 

Naturally, the WE had a lot of archery, and would keep it at range and try to do their damage, with some Dryads to counter-attack. I don't have the lists, but there were a lot of Beastmen.

It was close fought, with the WE archery doing its damage early, but losing a few units as the Beasts got to them. The Ghorgon was all but unstoppable... but in the end, on adding up VPs, it was a draw. So, better for the defenders of Athel Loren after the previous two campaign defeats, there might be hope yet... we'll move on game 4 very soon, the first pitched battle after three skirmishes.

Deployment, all the Beastmen lined up, marching left to right, on the centre line.

Rear of the marching column, Centigors and their Chieftain, Nrak Blackhoof (a named character for the campaign). These characters are pre-designed at the start, and remain the same all the time (for gear, mutations, spell lores etc.).

Deepwood Scouts, a favoured troop-type, because skirmishing is just a better option of WE archers, and feels right too.

Ungor and Minotaurs lead the marching column, and their Ghorgon (how do we stop that?).

Well, Willowyf the Branchwraith won't. She is easily defeated by its charge, but rolls to survive at the end of the game, and luckily does. She'll soon regenerate in the woods, and return again, like an invasive weed.

Yssion the Faun, the WE Waystalker and super-sniper. 

Dryads emerge for the surrounding trees and move to attack, as the foul Beasts reform and move left and right against the ambush.

Waywatchers, easily destroy Chaos Warhounds sent to hunt them. Waywatchers ambushing Beastmen, it just seems on-theme...

The faster Centigor catch a unit of Deepwood scouts in melee, and cut them down.

Super-sniper, with quickshot, multi-shot 2, hits on 2+. Err... oops! That's embarrassing...

 Game 4 has already been fought... so that's the next post...

 

 

THE BATTLE OF GRIM PEAKS – Warhammer, 3,000 points Dwarf Mountain Hold vs Warriors of Chaos

 The Chaos Warrior warband of Kurgath Bloodbane is menacing the Dwarf stronghold of Karak-Varg, and so their King, Arngrim Greybeard, has led his forces out to meet and destroy them. A straight ‘pitched battle’, fought on 6x4’ board. It had 7 pieces of randomly generated and positioned terrain on it: 3 big impassable rocks (the peaks), an area of rocky ground, an area of dense undergrowth, a mountain tarn (pond) and an old elven ruin.

Both sides selected their forces.

DWARFS
King Arngrim Greybeard with: shieldbearers, great weapon (rune of fury, master rune of swiftness), full plate armour (master rune of gromril)

Anvil of Doom with: rune of fortitude

Runesmith with: great weapon (master rune of breaking, rune of might), full plate armour

‘Dirty Harri’ Engineer with: handgun (master rune of bursting flame, rune of rapid fire), heavy armour

20 Dwarf Warriors with: full command, spears

20 Dwarf Warriors with: full command, spears

10 Quarrellers with: champion

10 Thunderers with: champion

16 Slayers with: 5 Giant Slayers, all have additional hand weapons

16 Ironbreakers with: full command

20 Miners with: full command, ambushers

15 Hammerers with: full command and banner (master rune of hesitation)

1 Cannon with: rune of forging

1 Cannon with: rune of reloading and master rune of immolation

1 Organ Gun


CHAOS WARRIORS OF KHORNE

Chaos Lord Kurgath Bloodbane with: lance, full plate armour, shield, daemonic steed, crown of everlasting command and giant blade

Aspiring Champion with: heavy armour, shield, sword of might, master of mortals

29 Chaos Marauders with: full command, shields, mark of khorne

17 Chaos Marauders with: mark of khorne, skirmishers

20 Chaos Warriors with: full command, additional hand weapons

20 Chaos Warriors with: full command, shields

10 Chaos Warhounds

2 Chaos Spawn (gor beasts)

8 Chosen Chaos Knights with: full command, full plate armour, shields, lances, mark of khorne

3 Dragon Ogres with: shartak and great weapons

3 Chaos Ogres with: champion, great weapons (Minotaur models as stand-in)

2 Chaos Chariots with: mark of khorne

1 Gigantic Chaos Spawn

1 Hellcannon

 

Khorne does what Khorne does... the Dwarfs move to hold the gap between the peaks.

We used blind deployment, blocking the view along the centre and just placing all completely, no peaking, and then the big reveal, which is good fun, and worrying… the Dwarfs looked a bit outnumbered against the charging frenzied horde. Nothing subtle from the Khornate warband, just rush them and hit hard, full send. The Dwarf player (me), deployed the best 2 combat units (Hammerers and Ironbreakers) in the centre in column of march, either side of the Anvil of Doom, with the plan to march quickly to face the main thrust (so those knights and chariots), and using the Anvil’s ‘rune of haste’ bound-spell to get into place, and drilled, to be back in a fighting formation. Then, hold the line from the big impact. Either side, the warrior spear-blocks would have the flanks, and the war engines and missile troops would hammer away, hitting those very dangerous knights with everything they could  as the priority target, after that… whatever was coming. The miners were held back in ambush, a risk, but hopefully they could appear quickly somewhere useful, when we saw the layout of the field - a reserve, if not a fast one.

Deployments complete, time to cry havoc and let slip the chaos hounds of war… and they vanguard moved forward to get us started...

Dwarf right, around the tarn.

 The first turn saw the Chaos Warriors just advance, en masse, only the Hellcannon behind, which killed 2 Hammerers with its first plunging hellfire shot. The Dwarf plan began, marching up in the centre to align with the gap between the twin Grim Peaks, where the Chosen Knights were coming, along with a Spawn, Chariot and block of Chaos Warriors. The cannons roared, killing 1 knight, and the organ gun, just in range, got another. The bound-spell of haste moved the Ironbreakers again and they deployed into a fighting formation first, ready to take the charge. A big lightning blast from the anvil killed 3 more Chaos Knights (a good start, 5 down). The crossbows wounded the gigantic spawn, whilst the Slayers stepped up to face it, as the close thing, it would have to come for them.

Turn 2, and the spawns all moved again, the two smaller ones not quiet making it to a fight, but the big one barrelled into the Slayers. It then whiffed it attacks and rolls to-wound and killed 0 slayers (much sadness for them), but the giant slayers tore into it, did 5 wounds, and it was stone dead… ‘easy, send another!’.

Now the fight at the peaks started, in rumbled a chariot (and unlucky on the impact hits, it killed 1 Ironbreaker), the last Chaos Knights charged too (they had too) and I expected the slaughter to begin, but the Ironbreakers had the ‘rune of oath and steel’ to aid them. A landslide of frenzied attacks, and only 2 Ironbreakers were down… take it! The two unit champions were in a challenge, but couldn’t hurt the other (armour just too good). They would fight for the rest of the game and still be at it, neither winning the duel. The Ironbreakers brought down another Chaos Knight and damaged the chariot, and just won the combat! Yes – the frenzy was beaten out of the Khorne-worshippers.  This would become a real grind of the combat for the rest of the battle, as other units joined. Sky high armour saves rule…

On the Dwarf far left, the spear block was hit by the other chariot and Dragon Ogres, and used their shieldwall to just give ground after losing it, but they held. The Miners arrived behind them and marched up to aid, but a Chaos Spawn got in the way, and had to be killed first – delaying them. The Dragon Ogres and frenzied chariot was hacking huge lumps from the spear block. Now, ‘Dirty Harri’, the engineer, scored useful hits, blowing away first 6 Marauders, then 7 Chaos Warriors in 2 rounds, his lethal runic handgun like a mini organ gun. Speaking of which, the organ gun ripped through the Warhounds, and they routed… but they would rally and turn round and come back later.

The third turn, and the fight was fully on. The Hammerers and the King charged into the Chaos Spawn in the big melee between Grim’s Peaks… kill it easily. The spear block from the right had wheeled round for a flank charge into the Chaos Knights, again aided by haste and urgency, they joined the fray too. A lot of tough Dwarfs now blocked that gap. This left the Khorne cult marauders (skirmishers) free to come round the other side of the rock, but the Thunderers were waiting and gave them a stiff volley. Then, a wild shot from the Hellcannon landed on its own men and killed a few more (friendly fire isn’t!).

So far, so good for the Dwarfs, the massed combat was going their way, losing only a couple more Ironbreakers from their ridiculous 2+ armour save, 6+ ward save with re-rolls from the anvils ‘oath and steel’. They were unmovable and took so many hits from the Chaos Knights, bouncing most. The Chaos Warriors now charged into the flank of spears to join the frantic fight, but they didn’t swing it, winning the melee by just 1, and the Dwarfs, led by Arngrim, just gave ground.

Out on the Dwarf left the spear block broke and was run down by the chariot, as it rumbled on. The Miners charged into the Dragon Ogres and began a melee which it took them a few turns to finally win, and the last 2 Drogres broke, ran and were run down (go short Dwarf legs!). In the centre, the Slayers were in a long fight with the Marauders (and then returning Warhounds), but a giant slayer won his challenge with the aspiring champion leading the Marauders and, as losses mounted for both, it was close, but the Slayers don’t mind dying. They would eventually win, breaking the Marauders, and killing the last two Warhounds. Only 4 Slayers had failed in their mission to die… but another melee won.

On the far right, the poor Marauder cultists charged the Thunderers and lost 5 in the on-rush, and then the melee, broke, ran and the Thunderers pursued and caught them too. The Chaos full-send attack was all but spend. The Chaos Ogres had got behind the Hammerers, but with nothing left for them fight in the melee, they about faced and took the Ogre charge (Hammerers like being charged), and the King then got to dissecting the Ogres, as the Hammers smashed down the last one and wiped them out. These boys are not to be messed with!

The Hellcannon came good, at last, and scored a direct hit on the organ gun and it was destroyed in huge explosion… lucky shot… but sometimes you get lucky.

Last turn, and the Chaos attack was spend force. The last combats between Grim Peaks saw the chaos chariot finally smashed, the last Chaos knight cut down (the champion was still locked in the endless duel with the Ironbeard). The Dwarfs won the fight by 1 (out-numbering), and the Chaos troops just gave ground. There was no way through, and the Dwarfs had won the day, sheer grit (and unreal armour saves).

It was a solid win…Kurgath’s Khorne warband didn’t have much left bar himself on his daemonic-dog steed. The men of the match, the Ironbreakers, 6 still standing, having passed a world record number of armour saves (with the re-rolls), an immovable object today. ‘Dirty Harri' had done very good work too, in the end killing 13 Chaos Warriors and about 10 Marauders, he just lit up his cigar in satisfaction.

Great fun, it seemed very close in Turns 2 and 3, but the Dwarfs won the attritional grind (who better?), a victor for the steadfast infantry blocks. Hail Grugni! 

Final scores in points of damage – Chaos 730  vs Dwarfs 1668.

Dragon Ogres on Chaos far right

Chaos centre, minotaurs as Ogres.

Main assault force, Chosen Knights, Chariot and Warriors. The 'cultist' marauders skirmishers work round the extreme left.

Elite Dwarf infantry march columns to get out and hold that gap, aided by runic magic of the Anvil of Doom

Holding in the elven ruins, Quarrellers, and 'Dirty Harri' with his runic mini-gun of mega-death.

The gigantic spawn, takes 6 wounds and is dead.. first blood to the slayers.

Chariot and Knight impact, but the Ironbreakers tank them and hold. Both sides have more units arriving, Dwarf spears and Chaos Warrior block.

Slugging match. The Ironbeard vs Champion duel, stalemate for 4 turns.

Miner arrive and deal with a 'gor-beast' spawn, then get after the Dragon Ogres.

Slayers vs Marauders and hounds... hack and slash, the Slayers get the upper-hand.

Back at the gap, spears are in th flank, then warriors in their flank, and the grind is mighty. Red gem marks 'oath and steel'... the chariot FBIGO'd, then came back for another go.

King and his guard turn a-bout-face and take the Ogre charge... and then smash them to bits.

Still at it, the Slayers doing a great job, killing and dying.

Hellcannon (scratch-built from bits). It's a bit rubbish, but we don't play that very competitively, but it would be nice if it killed some stuff on the occasional hit. It did directly hit the organ gun and destroy it, but is that enough? Might need a house-rule for more damage.

Ironbreakers hold the line, the Chaos Lord on his daemon-dog can't defeat their armour saves.

Chariot round the back of the ruins, but twice fails to march move, and can't reach the anvil by game's end.

Dr-ogres and chariot hammer the spear block, just as the miners arrive, to the rescue... not in time, that spawn got in the way.

All in at the Peaks... either side is winning by maybe 1 combat-res point, and nobody is going anywhere. Stalemate is good enough for the Dwarfs.

Dr-Ogres break and flee, and the miners catch-them... (they rolled a 3!). Eat pick-axe. I like Miners, handy great weapon-armed infantry.

Unterspreewald, en-route to Berlin - with Battlegroup: Fall of the Reich

This was an Attack/Counter-Attack scenario, 800 points, with four objectives: one at the farm, one on the road through the woods, the wooden bridge, and one in the central woods. We rolled to see if any were 'Vital' to either side (a new rule for objectives), and none were this time. Having sorted any timed strikes and ammo'd up the AFVs, we were ready to go.

The Russian began arriving at speed, and sent their 'taskforce' of T-34/76s and infantry racing left to get to the woods, under some incoming mortar fire and 88 'sniping' from the way distant Nashorn.  The Germans had their fusilier patrol holding the objective on the road through the woods, the plan was to clear them out and take it, then move up on the farm, via the cover of the trees. Of course, the Germans moved to counter them, but the first Panzer IV up the road was unlucky to catch a direct hit from a 120mm mortar bomb, aimed at the farm buildings, and be KO'd. Following on, was their Panther and another Panzer IV, along with grenadiers and a panzer-jaeger squad on bicycles. This would become its own  fight in the woods for that objective.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Russians were going right, to the stream and over the bridge. They also had their 2 SU-100s in place, both waiting on ambush fire to snipe back across the fields. The 120mm mortar battery was busy harassing the Germans each turn as they tried to deploy. Added to this was the arrival of a timed Sturmovik strike, which by luck had targeted just where a PAK-40, its tow and loader team were deploying (corner of the farm). Its bombs scored a hit and the loss of a crewman saw the gun crew flee. The PAK was out of the fight, but the Nashorn was still lurking, reloaded, and sniping away, without any hits – yet! 

The fight in the woods got underway, as the Russian infantry, with dismounted tankoviks, tried to push up through the trees, T-34s behind, to avoid those Panzerfausts. It didn't help, the first T-34 to appear was hit by the Panther on ambush fire and easily KO'd, that Panther would be a big problem, my T34s were not a match. Cagey fighting in the woods, my infantry on ambush to discourage any rash 'faust rushes forwards, and some pinned by MG fire through the trees. As the second Panzer IV appeared at the edge of the wood, to line up a T-34 for a flank shot, but the covering SU-100 barked and – rolled a 6, a hit! Kaboom, Panzer IVs aren't built to withstand that impact, it was a smoking wreck.

Things had gone badly for the Germans, but they did draw the 'Endkampf' counter, and with their 'Backs to Berlin' bonus, were now at +10 BR, they were going to fight hard. 

The T34-85s pressed across the bridge, and the their tankoviks jumped down. German 120mm mortar fire pinned a tank and a squad as they did so, and the last panzer IV rolled round the house to line up a shot, which clanged off the T34-85s frontal armour. The SU-100 opened up at it in return and missed. The Nashorn moved to engage the closer targets too, but a 120mm mortar stonk scored another direct hit and its was KO'd, vulnerable to the plunging fire... things looked bad, the Germans were runinng out of AT weapons. To aid, the 222 armour car added so desperate 20mm suppression and pinned another T34-85. That attack had rather stalled until it could got unpinned. The Panther manoeuvred to get some shots at the static, in the open, -85s, from the woods by the farm.

Back in the woods, the Russian used reserve move to get the infantry forward, but again, ambush fire from German MGs pinned them down, they were on the objective, but couldn't claim it. The T34s risked moving up and ploughed HE into the trees, pinning down the German infantry in return. Now, their waiting panzerjager team reserve moved up, peddling hard, and jumped off. In their turn, they launched their 'fausts, 2 at each T-34, hitting and KOing both... smoking tanks everywhere - drat! Still, they paid, as the small squad was wiped out next turn by rifle fire and then two Russian close assaults with the SMG-armed tankoviks wiped out the fusilier squad and their MG team. Objective taken, and another counter for the Germans. Taken 2, but inflicted 4 that exchange.

Over by the bridge, the T34-85s opened up on the last Panzer IV and the irritating 222, missing, whilst the SU-100 lined up the lurking tank and hit, another kill! I like these 100mm guns - Germans getting some of their own AP medicine! That provoked the Panther to target it, but it missed again. The SU-100 had 1 AP round left, which it fired back, missed too, and then withdrew, ammo-less, but job done. The dismounted tankoviks ran through MG fire, losing 2 men, to reach the white house and then assault it, wiping out the infantry squad (dismounted panzer crew) inside. Fire from a flak-panzer's 20mm, in the back garden, killed a few more, but their morale roll was a 'heroic action'. The last men in the squad used their AT grenades and close assaulted the Flakpanzer IV, destroying it! That counter was it, the Germans had taken enough for today and retreated. It was a heavy defeated, 52 BR taken, only 22 inflicted against the Russian BR total of 49... so a big Russian win at Unterpsreewald. We steam-roller on towards Berlin...

Another good game, all new rules in play and working well. They aren't always going to be close... but the Germans had some rough luck today.

 

Russian arrive from near corner, by the stream, Germans from over by the farm.

Russians advance in two prongs, left and right, Germans fan-out to meet them.

Go left, the T-34/76 taskforce, infantry and tank riders.

German recce watches the moves, and calls in some mortar fire.

Arriving in the woods, under long range fire from the Nashorn, and tank riders de-buss. Now to move-up for the objective.

Covering on ambush, SU-100, waits for any targets to snipe. One SU covered left, the other right. 

German armour arrives at the farm and moves to block the T-34s in the woods, but the lead is KO'd by a rogue 120mm mortar bombs (unlucky).

Go right, T-34/85s, tank riders and infantry, with their SU-100 cover in place and awaiting something to shoot at.

Single file over the bridge.

Germans get in place to hold the woods, Panther and a panzerjaeger team on bicycles.

The Panzer IV lurks in the woods, to emerge and take an instant hit from the SU-100... KO'd. Panzer IVs struggle against the bigger Russian guns... boot on the other foot.  

VVS timed Sturmovik bombing run, kills an single PAK-40 crewman,  and they flee without firing a shot.