Clash of Steel: Cents & Sensibility

 

For this week's Clash of Steel game Daniel prepared the scenario and brief: a border incursion by Panzer forces of the nascent East German Nationalen VolksArmee to prove their mettle. If not resolutely rebuffed, incursion would become liberation!

NATO forces in the area consisted of Nero Squadron 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, albeit with an altered order of battle. The tankie's long range AT support of 2 Charioteer troops were all U/S and REME were desperately casting about for a sufficiently large hammer to fix 'em up. 

Fortunately a pair of Tortoises manned by the King's Troop RHA were on hand to provide that long range AT with their 32 Pounders. 

Helmstedt, West Germany. Rather too close to the Inner German Border for comfort!

The mission drawn was The Clash, with three objectives spaced along the length of the table. Daniel was unwillingly conscripted into the forces of peace and progress and lost no time advancing his spearhead platoon of T34-85s into Helmstedt:

Objective STEINADLER...

For the first time in a long time I was the NATO player so relaxed into my carpet slippers and smoking jacket...I also extended my deployment area with my Recon troop of Cromwells onto the second objective.

With only a few very expensive platoons, the unexpected requirement to put 40% of my forces into immediate reserve threw me 10 left! I was left with just the lone Conqueror and the pair of Tortoises to deploy. Still, if you only get three tanks, these are the ones to have:

The Tortoises were deployed in a central position to dominate the landscape, but along with the mighty Conqueror were feeling a little outnumbered:

Oh well - they did some good long range work against the T34-85s:

And fortunately I rolled well for reserves - the first troop of Cents moved up to covered positions on my right flank:

With my Conqueror supporting the Cromwells in the farm to the left of this photo below, it was clear that Daniel was trophy hunting as he moved to swarm the area with his T-54s:

It was time to give up that objective - the Cromwells sprinted into town and the Conqueror edged back to what I thought was a safe distance...

Meanwhile, the Cents were nicely ranged in from the edge of the woods:

And steadily turning the IS-2s into scrap:

Daniel was absolutely NOT giving up on getting side shots on the Conqueror and pushed his T54's deep down my right flank. 

The Achille's heel of the Conqueror is that it has no moving rate of fire, so I had to keep withdrawing...

By this point the centre felt secure:

And my second troop of Cents, arriving on my far left flank, soon tidied that area up!

And secured that objective:

With my Conqueror finally having reversed into cover, surely my right flank was now also sorted out?

No - Daniel was determined to get his side shots in:

I began to realise being a NATO player wasn't all beer and skittles - he was very close to getting bragging rights on bagging my Conqueror - but even with an events card reroll his round failed to penetrate - pheww!

With that unexpected excitement over my right flank was also finally secure!

In accordance with his orders, the East German chief politico tapped the Panzer commander on the shoulder and sensibly announced that the 'special military operation' had achieved is objectives and it was time to advance smartly to the rear! NATO 47 VP, East Germans 44!

A great scenario from Daniel, enhanced by the dynamic objective system of Clash of Steel into an exciting and rewarding game.