Clash of Steel: War of Unification

 

Last night the Wollongong Wargamers essayed the second iteration of Clash of Steel - War of Unification.

As it was early days with our assembling and painting, our army lists were not strictly legal and leant very heavily on veteran vehicles from the earlier Operation UNTHINKABLE wars. But there were still plenty of cool young cats around, including IS-7s and Panther Schmalturm 88s:

And the unfeasibly large, but still oddly cute, E-100. As this type is unlikely to ever feature in one of our WW2 games, I went large on an early Bundeswehr colour scheme with this one:

And the obligatory Soviet horde - introducing the the T54-3:

The entertaining hallmark of Clash of Steel is that you don't know what the mission or scenario is until the start of the game, and even then it continues to evolve. So the table was set to be roughly balanced on both axis.

Which was just as well since the drawn mission, Flanking Move, had us setting up in opposite quarters with an objective in the middle of each empty quarter.

Daniel assumed the defence with the Germans, and I the aggressive with the Soviet horde. We both had to place a platoon/company in delayed scattered reserves. Daniel got the first turn and lead off boldly with his invulnerable* E-100 and JagdTiger...

* or is it?

Whereas I swamped the first objective, which turned out to be a Fuel Dump, so worth extra points at the end of the game - I would try and go firm on this objective...

I sent what I thought were my invulnerable IS-7s off to take the other objective.

Turns out invulnerable is a bit of a flexible term when 150mm AP is flying down the range. Not a good start Sparks!

For his part Daniel took the second objective, so that for the first few turns we were both racking up the points and more or less level pegging...

Then his leviathans started finding the range...

And surrounding my 'firm' objective from all directions! Daniel slowly but surely drew ahead on points...

My T54-3s bravely tried to find cover - it wasn't a solution for long...

So instead in true Soviet style they mentally 'fixed bayonets' and charged! They surrounded the 'invulnerable' E-100 and penetrated its side armour! They were then themselves decimated by the return fire on all flanks, but at least we'd bagged the Leviathan!

My entire force now consisted of a lone IS-7 who resolutely passed last stand after last stand test - yes there was some sharp card play involved! It took down 3 Tiger IIs before I chucked in the towel as Daniel was racking up the victory points something wicked...

Daniel ended the game on 50 VPs, I on 40. So with getting the E-100, a moral victory I think!