Hold the Line ‐ Verkhniy‐Kumskiy

After failing to get through in the previous game, the Soviets now send their second wave of tanks towards the German lines around Verkhniy-Kumskiy. Our second game of Chain of Command without infantry and this time it's my turn to play the Soviets.

The Soviets must get their tanks beyond the red line. The Germans intend of course to stop them.

I tried to get as close to the red line as possible in the patrol phase. My plan was to use the "fast" characteristic of the T34/76 to just dash towards the line, using accumulated Chain of Command dice to interrupt my opponent and take extra moves, while taking advantage of every double phase I was able to roll.

My first tank got pushed back by the mighty gun of the Panzer IV.

I deployed the Soviet command tank obscured by the scrub.

And advanced with both tanks.

The German command tank was deployed and my opponent took advantage of his senior leader's ability to order other panzers to fire (German tanks being equipped with radios). My Soviet command tank was hit and immobilised.

The courageous Soviet commander stayed in his tank and tried to suppress the panzers to allow the other tanks to break through. Double phases allowed the T34/76 and a T70 to rush forward, although the T34 had its gun knocked out in the process.

 

 And he made it! One T34/76 breaks through and drives off the table!

The T70, using the Soviet command tank as cover, has almost reached the line when the Soviet commanders' luck runs out.

All Soviet tanks (except the one already past the line) are now on the table.

The panzer IV reverses and takes up an ambush position behind the scrub.

But my opponent doesn't wait for the T70 to pass by and just takes it out with a shot through its front armour.

My remaining T34/76 has taken out the main gun of the German command tank and the second T70 is moving flat out when something incredible happens: my opponent uses his chain of command dice to interrupt and apparently one of his panzer 3 commanders is a tank ace. He rolls a double six on his "to hit" roll adding three strike dice to his shot. The subsequent roll is unsavable and the T70 is no more.

  

The panzer IV and both panzer III's open fire on the remaining T34/76. Soviet force morale is almost gone.

Then the T34/76 is immobilised and it's game over for the Soviets.

One Soviet tank got through, but it will not be of much use in the offensive with its main gun knocked out. The Germans did not lose one tank. Again a fast and smooth game. All tank chain of command games are notably shorter than infantry games so far.