What A Tanker, Germany 1945

From our own correspondent….
 
Last night witnessed a WAT game set in  Germany 1945. Elements of an American armoured “Combat Command Buchanan” had orders to clear a German village, defended by a hastily formed armoured formation known as “Kampfgruppe Threlfall”.  Prior to the battle Herr Threlfall had written that he predicted disaster for his small command, but had gallantly refused reinforcements. O ye of little faith!.
 
The Americans advanced swiftly onto the table. And were soon half-way across and into the build-up area.. The Germans were slower off the blocks. Malcolm’s Stug seemed to have mechanical problems and wasn’t moving at all .Or had he lost his nerve and needed a noose and a street light? No such problem with Chris’ MkIV which rolled onto the table straight into the firing arc of Rob’s M10 .One dead Panzer.

Down to three tanks and with the Americans now across the open ground, things looked grim for the Germans, especially with two of their vehicles being turretless tank-destroyers. 

 
Tony however helped out rashly charging a Sherman out of cover and into a hail of cannon fire. It didn’t end well. Ditto the charge of the Stuart. Yes it managed a flank shot into the Stug, but no effect. A swift 90 degree turn and the Stug blasted the M5 into oblivion from point blank range.

 
The battle to the north became a game of cat-and-mouse as Phil’s Hetzer tried to survive, at one point being almost surrounded by three US vehicles. He did despatch Dave’s M4 which had been “running point” , and then with some deft manouevering escaped the clutches of the Yank armour. Even Chris got his MkIV eventually action putting paid to Rob’s lightly armoured M10 with a shot from the rear. That was  never going  to end well.

With the Yanks down to two M4s things were looking grim .  They turned disastrous when the Hetzer planted another rear shot into Rob’s Sherman.
 
The crew of the final Sherman decided that discretion was the better part of valour and decided to bail out and surrender. A big mistake as Chris’ bow gunner cut them down in a hail of machine gun fire . See you at Nuremburg Herr Banks!

Nest week some light relief as the British Celts try to resist the remorseless advance of Rome in a game of TtS.   

Simon