US Rifles vs German Grenadiers in Breakthrough

Well I managed to get in a game over the weekend. My friend came over and I decided to use my new US Rifles who are fresh off the painting table.

Infantry Company, from Overlord, page 262

Compulsory Rifle Company HQ (p.263) - CinC Carbine, 2iC Carbine (15 pts)
- 2x Bazooka (40 pts)

Compulsory Rifle Platoon (p.263) - Command Rifle, Bazooka, 9x Rifle (200 pts)

Compulsory Rifle Platoon (p.263) - Command Rifle, Bazooka, 9x Rifle (200 pts)

Weapons Platoon (p.264) - Command Carbine, 3x M2 60mm mortar, 4x M1919 LMG (145 pts)

Ammunition and Pioneer Platoon (p.265) - Command Pioneer Rifle, 6x Pioneer Rifle (165 pts)
- 2x Bazooka (40 pts)

Intelligence & Recon Platoon (p.266) - Command Recon Jeep with .50cal AA MG, 3x Recon Jeep (85 pts)

Independent Tank Platoon (p.269) - Command M4 or M4A1 Sherman, 4x M4 or M4A1 Sherman (320 pts)
- 5x add Improvised Armour (25 pts)

Corps Tank Destroyer Platoon (p.289) - Command .50cal Recon Jeep, 2x M20 Scout car, 4x M18 Hellcat GMC (290 pts)


1525 Points, 7 Platoons

Infantry Company, from Atlantik Wall, page 140

Compulsory Grenadierkompanie HQ (p.141) - CinC SMG, 2iC SMG (35 pts)
- Upgrade CinC SMG to CinC Panzerfaust SMG (10 pts)
- Upgrade 2iC SMG to 2iC Panzerfaust SMG (10 pts)
- Panzerschrek (20 pts)

Compulsory Grenadier Platoon (p.141) - Command Rifle/MG, 6x Rifle/MG (120 pts)
- Upgrade Command Rifle/MG to Command Panzerfaust SMG (10 pts)

Compulsory Grenadier Platoon (p.141) - Command Rifle/MG, 6x Rifle/MG (120 pts)
- Upgrade Command Rifle/MG to Command Panzerfaust SMG (10 pts)

Grenadier Machine-gun Platoon (p.142) - Command SMG, 4x MG34 HMG (100 pts)
- Replace Command SMG with Command Panzerknacker SMG (5 pts)

Grenadier Anti-tank Gun Platoon (p.143) - Command SMG, 2x 7.5cm PaK40 gun (80 pts)

Pionier Platoon (p.145) - Command Pioneer Rifle, 6x Pioneer Rifle (125 pts)
- Upgrade Command Pioneer Rifle to Command Pioneer Panzerfaust SMG (10 pts)

SS Panzer Platoon (p.185) - Command StuG G, 4x StuG G (545 pts)

Grenadier Assault Gun Platoon (p.148) - Command StuG G, 2x StuG G (220 pts)

Luftwaffe Anti-Aircraft Assault Platoon (p.229) - Command SMG, 2x Luftwaffe 8.8cm FlaK36 gun (95 pts)
- 2x Extra Crew (20 pts)


1535 Points, 8 Platoons

We rolled for the mission and got Breakthrough, with my US rifles attacking.

 

US Turn 1

Right to the shooting! The Shermans split fire and bail one of the StuGs

Past the wall, they are able to kill one of the PAK40s.

The Hellcats earn more than their points worth and blow up 3 of the 5 Fearless Veteran StuG Gs

On the right, the US rifles fail to hit anything. But farther north, 3 stands of the grenadiers go down to the accurate rifle fire of the 1st Infantry. The mortars take their toll on the grenadiers to the north and kill 2 more stands. Ouch.

The rifles charge into the assault and lose 2 stands in defensive fire. They get 3 swings but only make one of them. The grenadiers counterattack and kill the 2 stands that missed their swings

 The rifles decide to avenge the loss of their good friends so they come back against the grenadiers, killing one more stand.

 The grenadiers are not ready to give up and charge in once more, killing another stand

The US decide it is not their day and start to fall back, but their CO urges them to keep fighting.

The numbers are too much for the grenadiers to bear, and they are killed to the last. The rifles consolidate into the woods.

German Turn 1

The bailed StuG remounts, and him and his mate decide to pay back the Hellcats for killing their friends, and they knock out 2 Hellcats.

 

The PAK40 opens up and manages to knock out a Sherman 75.

The grenadiers tear into the right rifles and kill 4 stands, pinning the platoon. The FLAK88s take some shots at the northern rifles, killing 2 stands and pinning the platoon.

US Turn 2

Reeling from infantry casualties, the northern infantry unpin and dig in, while the right infantry fails to do either. The Hellcats are unable to find their targets this time around, but the Shermans score a plethora of hits and kill off the SS StuG platoon. Lucky shooting from the infantry finishes off the PAK40s as well

Even more lucky shots from the northern rifles are able to destroy a FLAK88. Wow!

German Turn 2

StuGs come on from reserve, and together with the grenadier platoon, they book it over to the objectives.

The 88 scores the MG that killed his teammate, and the grenadiers kill yet another stand of infantry, knowing their doom is coming.

 US Turn 3

The Intelligence and Recon platoon arrives from reserve next to the objectives.

The right rifles finally unpin, and together with the northern rifles, move forward along with the Hellcats towards the objectives, hoping to assist the recon before the StuGs get to them.

The Hellcats come to the rescue of the Recon and snipe 2 of the 3 StuGs from behind. The northern infantry kill the last 88, but the Shermans fail to kill any of the grenadiers, even though they pin them. The northern infantry assault the 88s position and lose a stand to the command, though their advantage in numbers begins to tell and they finish the command, consolidating into the building.

The northern rifles are very beat up, but have killed many Germans today.

The Recce MG the crap out of the grenadiers by the objectives and kill 5 stands, pinning the survivors.

German Turn 3

With the recce jeeps holding the objective, the last StuG passes morale and drives up to attack them. The infantry by the objectives unpin and move up as well.

 The StuGs shoot at the recce jeeps, but they are able to disengage before anything hits them.

US Turn 4

With victory in sight, everything pushes forward except the Shermans, who are still trying to kill the grenadiers by their deployment zone. The northern infantry who are battered pass morale, while more green uniforms appear in the distance.

These men also move up with the recon jeeps, ready to deliver the death blow to the proud but utterly shattered remnants of the Wermacht. The recce jeeps deal cruelly to the infantry, killing all but one stand, and the last one fails morale, while the last StuG is sniped by the Hellcats, leaving the US in firm control of the objectives.

German Turn 4

Realizing that the sounds of battle to their right have ceased, one team of the surviving grenadiers peers into the distance. He sees that an MG team is running at him, yelling that the US have captured the supply depot and the commander, and shattered the army. This sparks terror into the surviving troops, who are able to make out the silhouette of Hellcats and recce jeeps in the distance. Realizing that everyone else is dead and that all is lost for the day, the grenadiers stampede back east. The CiC is flattened by their stampede.

 With no commander, the grenadiers renounce Hitler and make their way into the countryside, hoping to survive and eventually reach their families.

Finnish Jaakari vs Hohei Chutai in No Retreat

Me and my friend met at our local games shop, and this guy makes his own terrain. I have no idea what my friends list looked like, but I know he had 2 platoons of infantry, 2 platoons of light guns of some sort, and one platoon of 100mm cannons. I fielded 4 T-28s, 2 platoons of Jaakari (one large and one small), 1 platoon of Sissi (small), a platoon of Pak36s, and a platoon of 3 mortars. We rolled for the mission and got No Retreat, with my Finns defending. This was the first time either of us had tried our lists, and we did so in preparation for an upcoming tournament, which I am hoping to cover as best I can.

 

The Board

 

The stuff I elected to start with, the rest in reserve.

I held the T-28s in ambush, and those tent-looking things are objectives. My opponent opted for a dawn attack, meaning that the first 2 turns are guaranteed night. I have to say, the Japanese get some cool special rules. But the Finns have T-28s, which are even cooler. And that's why I think I'll like them in the upcoming tournament, now that I know how to use them. With 10 total MG shots per platoon, and a turret rear MG that makes infantry re-roll its successful hits, they are an insane tank against EW infantry. They also have FA 4 SA 3 AT 7 and FP 3+ so they are not slouches against tanks either. Anyway, enough praise for the awesome T-28, now for the game!

Japanese Turn 1
He doubles everything forward, the troops not caring for the stream to slow them down.

Finnish Turn 1
Here I make my fatal mistake and don't reveal the T-28 ambush in the path of his infantry and out of sight of his artillery. I waited too long. To start, my other T-28s come on and move up a little.

Japanese Turn 2
The horde charges forward again!

Finnish Turn 2
Bring on the guns, and they walk forward a little.

The T-28s move up again, still out of sight of the 100s. The mortars range in and kill one light mortar, out of 13 potential targets.
Japanese Turn 3

He prepares to assault my Sissi, who brace for the hard fight ahead. His guns try to hit me, and the first wave fails, but second wave pins my guys. I get no hits in defensive fire unfortunately, and the charge is weathered with 2 stands lost.

Still wanting to fight, the Sissi charge back in to the fight and the lone stand gets his swing and kills one stand of the horde.

He charges back in and kills 2 more stands, and my brave troops decide enough is enough and retreat, leaving him in control of the objectives. But I decide it is not over yet and call for heavy support.
Finnish Turn 3
Ambush revealed!

They charge into the forests and both bog, but wide tracks saves both. The other T-28s move up and MG the guys in the open, killing 2 stands.

I assault their position, but the trained crew cannot hit their marks. The Japanese swing back, but due to re-rolling successes, they score no hits. The T-28s charge back in and get both swings, killing 2. This happens many more times until the Japanese decide enough is enough and manage to blow up both tanks, and they consolidate out of range of my other T-28s.

At this point the game ends and he is left controlling the objective. A good, short, and fun game. Looking back I really should have used the T-28s better. But still, it was good to try out an army I threw together quickly, and I will have fun taking it to the tournament.