Oooh, that wascawy Snarker.

I thought I had myself pretty well setup. I rushed up a platoon with a tank hunter to defend the ridge of trees in front of a large gully (#2). I figured I'd let Snarker's attack break against that line and then counterattack towards the main flag. I also rushed up another platoon with Maxim support to the wooded area to the right of #5. I figured they could serve two purposes - cover the ridge's flank on defence and then serve as a flanking attack on my counterattack. A smaller platoon was left hiding to guard the smaller flag. I placed several AFV around, hiding with armoured cover arcs. Those included a T-43, two SU-76s, a Sherman and an SU-86.

One of the first contacts was a nasty assault gun hull down at the back of the map (#1), which I knew was going to hurt later if my troops needed close assault armour support.

Things started off according to plan when Snarker's troops moved into the gully to attack the wooded ridge (#2). My boys held pretty well but were starting to get heavily pinned down so I started to move the T-34 out of cover to come to their aid (#3). It was about this time one of my SU-76s and the assault gun opened up on each other (#4). After a few misses by him and a partial penetration by me (no jokes, please) - bye-bye SU.

Right about now, my T-34 is taken out by a PzIII that has appeared on my right flank. Moving the second SU-76 to the other side of the building, where the first one was taken out, is not a smart thing. The hull down assault gun pops him too. Now Snarker starts his flanking attack, really putting the boots to my ridge troops (#5). I manage to drive it off, taking out his company command and a full squad of rifle troops.

However, there is just enough of a dip in the terrain to ensure his remaining troops are out of LOS and can continue to fire at the ridge unimpeded. That leads me to send out my Sherman (#6) to come in on the flank and hopefully drive them back and get some sort of a flanking shot at the assault gun. It was not meant to be. A 'shreck hidden in the woods brews him up, one shot, one kill, from 187 metres!! Grrr!!!

Now I am in desperate shape, which dictates desperate measures. I take my remaining SU and send it way wide on my left flank, hoping to get that damn assault gun! Snarker rushes it with a rifle squad, in the open steppe no less, but it doesn't matter. That PzIII does the trick. (#7)

So now I have no armour support, my ridge force is in tatters and any attempt at a counterattack would be bound to fail under the hail of long distance fire from his assault gun and PzIII. I could have probably held out at the small flag until the end of the game but he firmly had the large flag under his control. Being a true gentleman, I gracefully conceded.

Good job Snarker. Anybody see a way I could have setup more effectively? Answers to the latest thread of Cheery Waffle, which can be found with other assorted Combat Mission goodness here.