Finnish Jaakari vs British Armored in Cauldron

One of my friends came over today, and we decided to play something we hadn't seen yet at Team Truman; the Jaakari against the British Armored. Me, loving my Finns, took the Jaakari, and my friend ran the British Armored Company.

Compulsory JaakariKomppania HQ (p.243) - CinC SMG, 2iC SMG (50 pts)

Compulsory Jaakari Platoon (p.243) - Command Rifle, 6x Rifle (135 pts)
- Replace Command Rifle or Command SMG with Command Panzerfaust SMG (10 pts)

Compulsory Jaakari Platoon (p.243) - Command Rifle, 6x Rifle (135 pts)
- Replace Command Rifle or Command SMG with Command Panzerfaust SMG (10 pts)

Jaakari Mortar Platoon (p.244) - Command SMG, Observer Rifle, 3x Tampella M/35 81mm mortar (100 pts)

Panssarii Platoon (p.239) - Command T-34/76 equipped with cupola, 2x T-34/76 equipped with cupola (250 pts)

Sturmi Platoon (p.241) - Command Stu 40 G Sturmi, 2x Stu 40 G Sturmi (315 pts)

Pioneer Platoon (p.251) - Command Pioneer Rifle, 8x Pioneer Rifle (240 pts)

Heavy Artillery Battery (p.253) - Command SMG, Staff, Observer Rifle, 4x 150 H/40 (15cm sFH18) howitzer (305 pts)

1550 Points, 7 Platoons  

Compulsory Armoured Squadron HQ (p.103) - CinC Sherman V, 2iC Sherman V (170 pts)
- Sherman V (80 pts)
- Warrior Joe Vandeleur (50 pts)

Compulsory Armoured Platoon (p.103) - Command Sherman V, 2x Sherman V, Firefly VC (385 pts)

Compulsory Armoured Platoon (p.103) - Command Sherman V, 2x Sherman V, Firefly VC (385 pts)

Anti-tank Platoon (SP), Royal Artillery (p.136) - Command M10C 17pdr SP, M10C 17pdr SP (185 pts)

US Parachute Rifle Platoon (p.68) - Command Rifle/MG, 6x Rifle/MG, M2 60mm mortar, Bazooka (265 pts)
- Replace Command Carbine with Command Panzerfaust SMG (only 82nd Airborne) (20 pts)

1540 Points, 5 Platoons 

 The Board

 After Deployment

Attacker's plan

Push hard on both sides and overwhelm him while the bulk of his force is off the board.

Defender's plan

As usual, wait for the right moment to counterattack. My artillery should do a good job on their tanks.

British Turn 1

Reserves come on in the form of the 2nd Armored Platoon, but everything stays put.

The M-10s fire to try and rack up some kills on the Sturmis. 4 Shots needing 6s

 Fortunately for me, only one is bailed

The Shermans also need 6s to hit the Sturmis.

 Somehow, the whole platoon only ends up bailed. Wow.

Finnish Turn 1

The Sturmis remount and split fire, one shooting the M-10s, the others at the Armored Platoon. I gun tank and kill the firefly, and bail another Sherman in the Armored Platoon, but my other Sturmi cannot hit its mark, and the M-10s get off the hook without a scratch. Return fire will be very bad.

 Left flank is starting to look poorly, but then I remember I still have my full battery of sFH18s to shoot with. They range in on the M-10 closest to the Sherman Platoon, and blow up both M-10s.

 British Turn 2

Reserves come on, and the paras dash onto the board, looking to get into the fight, and they move up along with the small armored platoon

Between fire from the left flank armored platoon and the HQ, all of my Sturmis go up in smoke.

 There goes my only armored platoon not in reserve

Two of my sFH18 howitzers go down to the right flank armored platoon's guns. Now I have to re-roll successful hits. This does not look good for the Finns so far.

Finnish Turn 2

With nothing to loose, the Finnish Pioneers charge up to the left flank Shermans, looking to give them a bloody nose, no matter the cost.

For Finland!

Arty manages to kill one of the left flank Shermans and bails another, giving the pioneers a good opportunity to charge. The defenders completely whiff defensive fire, so the assault goes in.

 Fire from the arty

The HQ, including Joe, go down to the skillful tactics of the pioneers. But, the armored platoon decides they want to avenge the loss of their beloved leaders, and charge into the pioneers.

Luckily, they only kill one stand of my guys.

 The pioneers, looking still to serve their country, come back and swarm the remaining left flank Shermans

 

Not surprisingly, they all die. The pioneers save the entire left flank!

 British Turn 3

Hearing explosions in the distance, the right flank platoons charge forward to see if they are not too late to assist their comrades on the other side.

The Shermans are ready to charge the artillery. They kill one gun in fire, and then charge in to run down the crew and command. The one faust misses his shot, so the assault goes in. One Sherman bogs on the wall. The Shermans charge in.

 With predictable results, but somehow the command stand survives the onslaught.

Realizing they will just kill him anyway, he decides to go down fighting, and charges into the Shermans in a selfless act of bravery, and manages to blow up a Sherman. Wow!

 Of course, the Shermans come back and end him.

Finnish Turn 3

The observer for the artillery passes all his checks and moves up to the house to contest the objectives. Reserves arrive as captured T-34s roll on to the field.

The pioneers move forward towards the last Sherman platoon, leaving behind a very big mess.

Accurate rifle fire from the pioneers kills one stand of the paras who are just in range, while more skillful shooting from the T-34s nabs their command stand.

British Turn 4

The paras dig in upon seeing such a superior force bearing down on them. The Shermans leave their burning comrade behind to gun down some of the pioneers. They are so confident, they drive right up to them, planning to assault if they cause enough casualties.

 But luckily for me, they don't, and I only loose 3 stands and get pinned. And they are in range of my fausts. Yay!

Finnish Turn 4

T-34s move up, and two Jaakari platoons come on from my reserves to join the fight. The pioneers unpin and decide to stick around after some motivation by the command.

 

 The fausts hit two Shermans, puncturing their armor and spraying the inside with molten metal, setting fire to one tank and scaring the crew out of another.

 

The T-34s also manage to score one more para stand with their main guns. The pioneers pass tank terror and no stands die in defensive fire.

 The last tanks of the British Company succumb to the skillful Pioneers of the Finnish Army.

With that, the Brits are below half strength and with no company commander, they leave the field with the Finns battered, but intact.

 Vontruman will be hosting a D-Day campaign, and we will meet every other weekend to do the campaign. It all starts this Sunday with a paratrooper drop and some beach landings! As usual, stay tuned for more.

Thanks

Team Truman