Now, I'm not one for taking massive power-gamer lists, I really like just running stuff that I like so when I got told about a little Snapshot Army list called Kampfgruppe Kerscher and that it was pretty much just cheap Tigers....I wanted to run it!
So, I set out with this little list:
HQ - Oberfeldwebel Kerscher in his Tiger 1. He trained with Carius....say no more!
Schwere Panzer Platoon with 2 Tiger 1's.
Reserve Schwere Panzer Platoon with 1 Tiger 1.
Reserve Schwere Panzer Platoon with 1 Tiger 1.
506. Scwhere Panzer Platoon with 1 Konigstiger.
Confident Veteran Grenadier Kampfgruppe Platoon with 2 squads and:
1 Panzerschreck team
1 Weapons team
(The weapons team is pretty cool. It can be either a PaK 40, 2cm AA, HMG or Mortars. You choose just before deployment.)
Game 1 - Breakthrough
So, game one saw me pitted against Isaac's Yank tanks with Patton lurking behind the lines meaning that they spearhead and get in my face real quick and then they're Fearless as well. This one could be a problem! With the spearhead getting the tanks into my lines pretty quick, I lose the benefit of range and sheer weight of numbers is going to be an issue. I just haven't got enough tanks to cover everything.....
End result....lots of dead Tigers and Kerscher is dead as well. 6-1 Loss.
No photos of this one, I forgot I was a blogger.
Game 2 - Pincer
Game 2 saw me up against Steve's Italy FJ. Oh goody! Dug in FV infantry with a heap of PaK 40's....awesomesauce! So, as I'm a tank company, I start steaming for the objectives....
Just after I took this photo, Steve flamed my KT with his pioneers and then captured it. Not happy....
Kerscher and his Tigers were heading up the other side to try and flank in. Knowing that Steve has no tanks, I need to get them there as quick as possible and also avoid the line of fire to his PaK 40's as well.
Game 3 - Encounter
This game was against Rob's SS PG Totenkopf. He's got a unit of Panzer IV's as his armour....and thats all! PaK 40's, Mech Infantry and some heavy arty. We're playing on a very busy table....lots of houses!
Turn 1 saw OfW Kerscher pop out and murder a Pz IV straight away. Concealed, Long Range just doesn't mean what it used to! Unfortunately, thats ALL he did....he was dead on Rob's turn 1. Bugger!
I managed to get my reserves on pretty quick and started trying to get some objective clearing done. Tigers and the KT were roaming through the town with the KT going PzIV hunting....and not being able to catch-up. Once I did, I hit them 3 times and failed all my firepower tests! Not cool!
Once again, I make a rookie error leaving an objective open. Rob trundles his mech infantry toward it. I have a Tiger in range....so I think and move in....I shoot at the Hanomags and miss....I make my Stormtrooper roll.....and end up an inch short. AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!! 6-1 to Rob.
Day 1 finishes with SFA points and me questioning (again) my tactics and dice.
Day 2 dawns with rain......typical!
Game 4 - Dust Up
This one is against Nick's 7th Armoured. Shermans, Jumbos, Stuarts and Planes. Fun and games! Again, we have a table that has a few houses. I plonk my KT down next to the objective and buildings so he's harder to hit for the planes. Tigers are covering the other and Kerscher is lurking....
Meanwhile, on the other objective, some sneaky 76mm Shermans get around my other Tigers flank and pile in rounds. I should be able to save these, no sweat! NOT! Boom goes the Tiger and bye-bye goes the objective.... 5-2 to Nick. But OfW Kerscher survives!!!
Game 5 - Counterattack
I'm pitted against Surf's SU Horde here. The whole list is Zis guns (12 of them!!!!) and SU-122's (10 of them!!!) with some recon. I do get an ambush so pop my Tigers in hiding. My infantry hide near both objectives and OfW Kerscher lurks....
I get my reserves straight away and on comes the big lumbering brute KT to cause some havoc. Kerscher takes a pot shot at an SU platoon and scores a kill! The KT heads toward the fray and fires....missing. And then, in swoops the Sturmovic....and bang goes the KT....again....
The rest of the game is guns moving closer and Tiger shooting SU and Zis guns. I take a platoon and Mike's CiC with me....but its not enough. 5-2 to Mike.
Game 6 - Hold The Line
Last game and last chance. I'm facing another Totenkopf list, this time Paul's tanks. 2 full PzIV units, mortar h/t and.......2 Sturmtigers! Yikes!
I get 2 ambushes so pop my Tigers and KT in hiding with OfW Kerscher waiting to shoot. The PzIV's roll in....Kerscher shoots and takes one out. The ambushes pop and start hitting the PzIV platoons. My KT is sitting on the close objective, so I feel pretty safe....
In flies the flying PaK 40 and BOOM goes Kerscher! Typical really! My other Tigers take out one of the PzIV platoons and the other barrels toward my KT. They get in his side and bail him. No problems! That'll be fine! Roll to remount......fail. Objective gone, just like that. 5-2 to Paul.
Final Thoughts
So, that was my first GuardCon. A good little tournament and heaps of fun running Tigers everywhere! I was miles off the pace in terms of points, but...meh...I play for fun! Paul took out first with Surf second. Nick took best sports and Rob had best painted. I also saw my first ever 8-0 loss when Paul 6-1'd Isaac and killed Patton.....funny!
Next stop.....FlamesCon!!!
good write up son. yeh. bring on flamescon! more spoon glory!
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