1000 Point Flames of War Game #1

We played our first 1000 point games tonight in our Flames of War escalation league. I played against a Russian Tankovy company consisting of five T34-76 tanks, five T34-85 tanks with tank riders, three SU-152 Assault Guns and a T34-76 CO tank. Since we're all working on our armies, we're not worrying about having everything painted up quite yet.

My new 120mm mortars did fairly well early in the game bailing out two T34-76 tanks and destroying one. Later on they also took out a couple of T34-85 tanks and the CO's T34-76 with some help from my Stugs. From there on it was all Russian success. The Russian SU-152s dispatched my Stugs in a single turn with some help from the remaining T34-85s and I followed this up, not realizing the SU-152 tanks had a top armor of 2, with a useless assault against them with my infantry. Since it's mathematically impossible for my infantry to damage tanks with a top armor of two, this cost me a good portion of that platoon with nothing to show for it in the way of dead Russian assault guns. This was followed by the SU-152s shelling my infantry with their barrage special rule, which doesn't allow for any infantry saves, and they they automatically destroy my dug-in infantry with their 1+ firepower.  Scratch 3 infantry teams a turn, every turn. With no long range answer for the 152s and no way to close the distance over open ground with my 5 panzerfaust stands,  I chose to concede the game so others could use the table to start their games.

I'm still somewhat confused as to how an infantry force is supposed to deal with all tank forces consisting of  heavy tanks with top armor of 2. The tank's MG fire is nigh-impossible to survive in an assault, and even if you do get in with your infantry, if the tanks have a top armor of 1 the best you can do is bail them out and if they have a top armor of 2 you're out of luck. People have been telling me to dig in and make them dig you out, but tonight I found out if they use SU-152s digging in is useless. Yes, some of the support platoons you can take can deal with tanks, but if your two main combat platoons are useless against an all tank force, you're spotting those enemies 350 points or so. Doesn't seem particularly wise to me.

I'm painting up some engineers and a couple Pak-40 AT guns. Maybe those with my Ju-88 air support will help with our next 1000 point games. If it doesn't I'll be switching to my late war German force of Panthers, Panzer IVs and Tigers. If you can't beat them, join them. Photos below are from two of the other games that were played tonight.