Play It! Discussion about games linked in the magazine

[Siberian HEAT]

We have a new feature in our magazine, called Play It! Basically, it is a short section at the end of certain articles which invites the reader to participate in a game/scenario which covers that conflict/battle/hypothetical situation. We have a small team working on future issues as we speak, to get a good mix of boardgames and PC games from various periods of history. If you have any interest in helping out with this, please contact me. Essentially, you just have to know your games.

Also, we are trying something new this issue by creating a scenario specifically to match one of the articles called Combat! The scenario is called Tiger Trap! Hungary 1945 and features a lone Tiger II squaring off against 10 T-34's. It was designed for use in Combat Mission:BtB so give it a try and tell us what you think.

More on Play It! for the September 2006 issue here.

[Boonierat]

Wow, creating scenarios to match articles in the mag? here's a great idea

[_Stele]

This is a neat idea. I just played the Tiger Trap from both sides.

I played Axis side first, hiding the Tiger II in position B. The T-34s came down the road as expected and I managed to take out two. Their tanks behind them started bumping into eachother and seemed to form some type of line abreast formation while continuing to advance. As they came into view again the Tiger II picked them off one by one. Two panicked staying out of view while the rest were knocked out.

I played again but this time as the 10 T-34s. I moved the tanks down the road until surprised. I at least wanted to follow along the lines of the T-34 from the magazine until suprised, then I would carry on from there.

About 500m down the road the Tiger II attacked but this time from Position A! I lost one T-34 but the rest managed to stay out of sight. I had 5 stay behind the brush and a small mound while sending 4 to the right flank. The right flank, although rocky, had a bit of terrain cover. This wasn't enough and the Tiger II still managed to take out one of the tanks.

All my T-34s were out of sight from the Tiger II. I had the 5 tanks near the road and 3 on the my right flank ready to move in. However this gave the Tiger II enough time to reposition himself by moving back and behind the buildings. Hoping he wouldn't move from there I rushed the tanks forward with the buildings between us, however this proved futile. Apparently the German troops in the trenches saw us moving and the Tiger II stepped out the buildings. The 5 T-34s all opened fire and all scored hits that bounced off like ping pong balls. The 3 tanks on my right flank were well out of LOS and could offer little help.

One by one the Tiger II took out all my 5 tanks in the center. Out of desperation I rushed the 3 tanks on my right flank to the buildings for a close combat engagement but the Tiger II's gunnery skill knocked them all out too.

Very exciting scenario! I look forward to more for the Combat Mission portion.

[jankog]

Agree.. Great idea and since CM is my most favorite game for the time being, could not wait to get home (after reading

the article) download the scenario and try it out.

I did more or less the same as Stele above and faired about the same way.
As of now I'm in the the 8th turn of an H to H game, me playing the Russians and things look very good for me

to win it.
Have four tanks left, two of which are behind the norther mole (north of Muzla Road) using shoot and scoot on

the KT for three turns now. Originally started with three there, lost one to the KT thus far.
Good news is that two more of my T34/85's survived on the south side of Muzla Road and rushed out from behind

the mole there for two turns now. The KT moved twice now, from where it was originally setup, position A.
It is hiding North side of the small house, closest to enemy anti tank barricade.
My two tanks to the south, are directly south of him (no clear sight of KT) one was ordered to fast run west

to the road just south of the large building. From there this tank should have a clear shot at the TK's rear.

The second tank is ordered to rotate to face the house (TK is hiding behind) and to fire HE on the house to

destroy it.
Two T34/85's just behind the mole east of enemy anti tank barricade will move up in hunt mode, into hull down

position at the same time to bring more fire power on the Ugly Beast from that angle.
With some luck, one of these four surviving tanks should get that lucky hit.. fingers crossed... :-)

Jankog

[gobeavs]

Excellent stuff _Stele and jankog. Thanks for sharing your war stories!

[Doctor Sinister]

Good to hear the Tiger Trap scenario is being played, nice one!

Dr. S.

[jankog]

Continuing my earlier thread, thought I would update you on my on going battle, in Tiger trap.
Me and my german opponent [UF]GLJoe (coincidentally lives in germany) just finished the tenth turn and the KT is dead.. I repeat the King is finished, like in "kaput." :-)
I have three T34/85's left at this point. Game not over yet and will loose one more T34/85 (the guilty one) to the now berserk german infantry..
You think I killed their mother or somethin... :-)

Anyway, game/battle is over for all practical purposes.
I managed to rush (Fast Move) several T34/85's around his right flank, one of which survived it's trek all the way into and right through the enemy held town. With only a few meters separating my T34/ and his KT, my gunner being the faster draw by a mere second, killed the KTbefore the massive KT..
See attached pic as proof.. :-)
Sorry, file upload failed!

[Iron Mike USMC]

Well, that was interesting.

I played the Germans first. The Russians barely got off their starting line when I began to pick them off. I ran out of AP on turn 7. All 10 T-34s were done by the end of turn 9. I thought is was only 9, because one T-34 kept popping in and out of view. When the game was over, I discovered the tank had been knocked out early. In the end it was a 97-3 German victory.

Playing the Russians, I followed _stele's plan, by starting in convoy, and not reacting until fired on, or the enemy was sited. 1 shot:1 T-34. The next 5 T-34s turned right and took cover behind the low hill. The other 4 skirted the hill to the right.

The first 5 took up hull down positions behind the hill and took what shots they could. Before long, one T-34 was out. The remaining 4 of the 5 backed down the hill. These 4 tanks kept going up the hill to hull down positions, taking shots, if there, and backing down the hill. Very odd. I spent the next 5 turns pushing them up the hill. And they kept rolling back down.

Meanwhile, the 4 T-34s skirtung to the right, were trying to get a flank shot. Apparently the German infantry saw us, and the Tiger began to take shots. One, then two tanks were out. I discovered another low hill to the German's front left. I was able to continue to skirt to the right, until I could get closer. The lead T-34 decided to head off into the trees, giving the Tiger a flank shot. Another tankdown, I was down to five. The lone tank to my right continued to approach from behind the low hill. On about turn 12 or 13 the lone tank crested the hill and began firing.

Meanwhile, the other four fnally crested their hill and stayed in position. I suddenly had 5 85mm guns firing on the Tiger. After about a half-dozen rounds we got a gun hit. Then another. Then the Tiger was immobilized. After about another 12 hits the crew abandoned her.

The lone T-34 began to fire into the German trench. Soon the Tiger crew was flluched, then eliminated. After eliminating the crew, the tank resumed firing into the trench line.

The 4 T-34s to my left, in hunt mode, kept a classic diamond formation and began an oblique run to the left, to the end of the Germn right line. I had them concentrate their fire, destroying each building in turn, beginning with the two story. I kept a slow approach toward the objective, firing at anything that moved. Three of the tanks kept up a forward firing, with the fourth firing to the right flank into the trench line. The two T-34s firing into the trenches eventualy knocked out or flushed out all German units in the trenches.

In the end, it was a 57-43 victory for the Russians.

After playing the Germans, I thought this was unfair. I had just finished playing a CMBB game as the germans against the Russians. I had two Tigers facing off against about 8 or 9 T-34s. They made short work of the Tigers. Frustrating. Playing the Russians, I figured it out. The lone Tiger took out 10 T-34s one by one, because they could not bring more than one gun to bear at a time. As the Russians, I beat the Tiger because I could bring five guns to bear from more than one angle.

[jayedub7423]

wow, i have to say, that sounds really cool and fun!

[EastFront]

Hey, here's a 3rd solution for Tank Trap I thought of when I read the great article:

Hide the King Tiger behind Hill 65.

Then wait untill the T-34's are past the tank ditch & adjacent to the German infantry. Then move your Tiger to the top of Hill 65 & begin the shooting gallery. The higher elevation of Hill 65 should make the T-34's fairly easy pickins. And the Tigers' super-thick armor would afford it all the time it needs. You could even go back & forth behind the top of the hill for cover. Plus the Germans with the Panzerfausts can take out at least 2 or 3 T-34s.

I'd love to play the video version too, but when I click on the link on this site, it says "Windows Cannot Open This File" Any suggestions?.

[Siberian HEAT]

Originally Posted by EastFront

I'd love to play the video version too, but when I click on the link on this site, it says "Windows Cannot Open This File" Any suggestions?.

Yes, just save the file to your computer. It is a .cme file which is intended to be put into your Combat Mission scenario folder. It will not open in anything else!