Desperate Measures - Heavy Tank Killer Company finished!

Hi again all!

Christmas really is a wonderful and magical time. I managed to finish my first Heavy Tank Killer Company of 5 SU-100/SU-85Ms.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I tried to do some snow and in that I succeeded, more or less. The snow that I tried in the first two SU-100s wasn't that good as it was too thick, I used too much glue. But the second batch was better (not the best possible) but the end result was way much better.

But I'll let the pictures talk the rest.

Desperate Measures - HMSPAR

Hi all!

Lately I've been turning myself more and more to be a Soviet player and with the new book Desperate Measures I've decided to start to collect a Hero Medium Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment as I love the SU-100/SU-85M model and just had to get a hold of them with this list.

So I ordered total of 2 boxes (that gives me 10) of assault guns. I'll also need a batallion commander with T-34/85 and I compared the two possible models, obr 1943 and obr 1944 and the later just looked much better with cupolas further aft than those on obr 1943.

For the support I'm thinking of some kind of recon and some infantry company, I don't yet own the book so I'll need to wait until then to decide what I'll need and want. Some IS-2s are also not out of the questian as I have those from my Guards Heavy Tank Batallion.

For indirect fire I'm going to go with the IL-2 so I don't have to buy that many new models.

So this is my plan. I've already done my first SU-100s/SU-85Ms and working for more. Should also finish my infantry which has waited to be painted and based over a year now.

I've painted my SU-100/SU-85Ms in winter camo as I want them to match the rest of my Soviets.

For basecoat I used Light Grey from Vallejo. Thw white has been done with 2-3 layers of Skull White from Citadel. I tried to keep the models fairly clean from battle/usage damage. I used Nuln Oil from Citadel to create depths to the recess.

For the first time I also tried to do snow effect with GF9s snow flock. I think it succeeded quite well but I still have much to learn.

Nuts! 1650pts testgame with 17.SS

I played my second game using the new points limit for LW on wednesday. I played against my regular opponent Redbirdie who used Soviet Lend-Lease tank company:

HQ
Sherman (76mm)
Combat
5 Shermans (76mm) inc. Dmitriy Loza
5 Shermans (75mm)
Corps Support
Decoy platoon 2 Panthers
1+8 inf platoon with capt halftrucks
Limited IL-2

My own company was 17.SS from Nuts!:

HQ
CiC &2iC smg/faust
Combat
SS-Pzgren 7* MG/faust
SS-Pzgren 7* MG/faust
Weapons
SS-Pzgren AT gun 2* 7,5cm PaK40
Divisional Support
Schwere Panzerjäger 2* Jagdtiger
SS-Pzgren AT gun 2* 7,5cm PaK40
SS Armored Car Patrol 2* Sd Kfz 231
SS-Pzgren AA gun 3* 3,7cm FlaK43
Volks Rocket Launcher 3* 15cm NW41

Both of our deployments were very simple. Redbirdie concentrated all of his troops to right side (from my table edge) of the board for a race forward.

Objectives: German objective dead center and at the back line (the other Soviet objective is at the same spot) and the Soviet objective is as far front left from german side. All objectives are inside a forrests.

As I had 4 platoons out of 8 to deploy against so many tanks I desided to take as many AT units possible to hold both flanks in case he desided to switch the point of his attack. I deployed 1. Pzgren platoon to the left side (again from my side of the table) supported by a unit of PaK40s. To the right side I put my Jagdtigers in front of the enemy and with a direct line of sight. I left 2. Pzgren platoon into ambush (revealed in turn one rightt behind my Jagdtigers).

The game was fierce as the Soviets managed to bail my command Jagdtiger and then switched their direction right at the beginning and took out my defences on the left side objective. Luckily I rolled in reserves to keep the objective hot long enough for my 2. Pzgren platoon and Jagdtigers to arrive from the other flank. At that point both forces had been severly depleted, Soviets in teams (4 tanks left (1 of them left leaderless inside woods after its platoons infiltration move!) and 3 infantry teams) and Germans in platoons (I lost 5 platoons in total to defend that left objective!!).

The last measures were to use my rocket lauchers to fire as rifle teams to add some shots trying to pin those dug in infantry teams on the objective. Also fired as much from 2. Pzgren platoon and managed to pin those Soviets before assault. My Jagdtigers take out last tanks on the left side. I then assaulted and killed 2 out of 3 Soviets infantry teams and the last one ran home.

4-3 victory for the Germans but with a high price!

My unit of the match was Jagdtigers. They managed to remount despite being reluctant and raced a long way from side to side to help my brothers in arms! They also took out 8 tanks out of 11 (1 being killed by PaK40, one by panzerfaust in assault and 1 being left leaderless inside woods!).

I can't wait to get another go with these guys. For now they are my favourite troops!


P.S. Sorry for no pictures as I forgot to take my camera with me :(

Back from the grave!

Hello all!

It's been a while and I've been lazy and busy at the same time. Work work work and all that...

But I've made some progress too with my painting!

As you can see (or remember) my Jagdpanthers and their camo, I have updated my older models to match theirs. Some of the work is still in progress as I need to paint 15(!) (yes it's a lot) Sd Kfz 251/1s (8 of these are old ones to be repainted)! Also I've made some new friends in models which you'll see here!

So without longer talks I'll present you my new StuG III Gs and StuH42s:

And a new friend of mine, Jagdtiger!

 

Now there's 2 more of these nice little kitties coming up too and to protect them from all those bad Allied Jabos I've a trio of 3,7cm FlaK43 AA guns coming up too.

Until next time!

Halkomahooli goes to Operation Lounatuuli

A little upcoming tournament here in Finland, Operation Lounatuuli, which I'm going to attend. The tournament takes place on the western front during 1944-45 (LW) and the armysize is going to be 1780 points. For the beginning I was going to go with 2nd Gebirgsjägerdivision but sadly their .pdf wont be validated in time for me to build up and paint all the missing figures I'd need. The .pdf got validated on 13.2. which is too late for me to paint the missing troops of mine as I'm a bit slow painter these days, work and family and all...

After a lot of thinking and puzzling I've ended up with 559. Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung from the Bridge by Bridge book. I was anyway going to field 2 Jagdpanthers in my Gebirgsjägerlist so why not taking some more and combine them with some Stug assault guns.

Without any playtesting the list I've come up is as follows:

HQ
CiC Stug G

Combat platoons
1. Schwere Panzerjäger platoon: 3 Stugs
2. Schwere Panzerjäger platoon: 3 Jagdpanthers

Support platoons
Grenadier platoon (7 panzerfaust rifle/MG, 1 panzerschreck)
Grenadier Heavy Artillery Battery (4 15.0 sFH18)
Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery (2 8.8 Flak36, 2 extra crew, trenchline + gun pits)

5 platoons/1775 points

I'm going to try to have some pics from the tournament and try to do a little batreps from my own battles.

EDIT: a little update here, dropped the 2iC and changed Grenadier Artillery Battery into Grenadier Heavy Artillery Battery