73rd Guards Division, 7th Guards Army

Three factors prevented me from doing so:

1. Historically the Germans initially ran into heavy static defences with infantry backed up by numerous anti-tank guns,
2. I’ve just painted a whole heap of new models and I’m keen to use them.
3. Tank companies don’t work so well defending in missions such as Big Push.

The units that I chose were as follows:

As you can see it’s not exactly an optimised list. There are no flamethrowers, pioneers or KV heavy tanks or even 57mm anti-tank guns. Part of this is due to availability of models and the other part of this is that I’m not a fan of cookie cutter power lists.

You will also note the list comes to only 1,355 points and the campaign is 1,750 points. As a Guards army I get only 1,355-ish points to play with in a 1,750 point list. This is the price I pay to upgrade my army from Conscript to Trained, thereby allowing my guys to be hit on a 3+ as opposed to a 2+. This should help make my smaller assault gun and anti-tanks guns more survivable and increasing the accuracy of my heavy mortars.

The battalion HQ is reinforced with anti-tank rifles and anti-tank guns. These will allow the defending infantry companies to be reinforced and have some organic anti-tank capability themselves.

The 2 infantry strelkovy companies may seem small with 2 platoons a piece, but I’m hoping their improved rating (Trained as opposed to Conscript) will prevent them from being machine gunned to death. Attached kommisars will hopefully keep them from running though knowing my luck they will spend most of the game pinned. The companies are equipped with a Maksim gun for usage against any infantry and will be bolstered by anti-tank units from battalion headquarters. This should give them plenty of defensive capability and enough numbers to help them advance on the attack.

Supporting platoons include an anti-tank gun company with four 45mm Obr 1942 anti-tank guns and a 4 gun strong heavy mortar platoon. The 45mm guns are obviously there to stop Panzers. The heavy mortars can apply pressure to German units. Being trained means they’ll have some chance of hitting something!

It would have made sense to include some T-34’s, it being the iconic Soviet tank involved in the iconic battle of the Eastern Front. Indeed the 7th Guards Army included the 201st Guards Tank Brigade with 5 companies of T-34’s. But the Army was also supported by the 1529th and 1438th Self Propelled Gun Regiments equipped with Su-152’s and Su-76M/Su-122’s respectively. So instead of the T-34’s I’ve included a unit of SU-152’s and a small unit of Su-76M’s. I have not had luck with conscript Su-152’s but I am curious to try them as Trained. The two Su-76M’s are new models so I wanted to give them a go. I suspect other than burning, neither of my two armoured units will do much.

The list really is a real jack of all trades and master of none so it will be interesting to see how it performs against the might of German armour. Who knows, we might even have the little half baked Soviets do what their historical counterparts did and actually stall the German advance.

6th Panzerdivision - 3. Panzerkompanie

Company Headquarters
1 Command Panzer III J (late), 1 2iC Panzer III J (late)	210
Combat Platoon 1
3 Panzer IV F2	450
Combat Platoon 2
3 Panzer III F1, 1 Panzer J (late)	420
Schwere Platoon
1 Tiger 1e	385
Panzergrenadiers
1 Command SMG Team, 3 MG Sections	285

 

Originally I was planning to use the Panzergrenadier list, however at the time of writing this, I’m waiting for my second platoon of Panzergrenadiers to arrive so I wouldn’t have had the time to assemble and paint them in time.

So I’ve gone with the trusty Panzerkopmpanie and being a Flames of War rookie it is the only list I have in my collection. The problem with creating a Panzerkompanie list is that it’s all pretty expensive and many units are very tempting. The combat platoons themselves are expensive leaving little for support. It’s also easy to get carried away with behemoths such as Tigers and Ferdinands.

　

The first Combat Platoon consists of the reliable and multi-purpose 3 Panzer IV F2, who can knock out most tanks with ease (and can damage KV’s), provide long range fire support and still do okay against dug-in infantry thanks to their higher firepower.

 

The second Combat Platoon is my mobile base of fire and assault.

 

Panzer III F1 are not the most optimum tank available (for the same points I’d actually rather have the up-armoured Panzer III M’s), however I did not really know that at the time I was assembling the Panzer IV’s and on the plus side, they’re a nice looking tank with their stubby little barrel.

 

With the support of the HQ tanks, six tanks in assault should be able to put a hole in the inevitable horde of Soviet infantry waiting for me on the other side. I’ll just have to be careful when there are supporting AT units capable of providing Defensive Fire.

 

The Panzergreanadiers are there to assist in the assault role. They’re vulnerable but a fun unit to play with and look good on the field. They can also spew a lot of machine gun fire, especially handy when there are Ruski’s in the open. Where as a charge against any AT guns can be risky for a tank, infantry can do this with ease (if done right of course).

 

The final choice is the inevitable Tiger. It was nearly replaced by two StuG’s but I’ve been keeping a kill tally for the Tiger and I’m keen to add a few more notches*. The Tiger is an expensive unit and as it is a Rare unit for the purpose of the campaign, its loss would be a major blow to the German effort here.

 

I will have to be cunning in its use – too overt and it could die with an unlucky armour throw. Too cautious and it will be considered useless.

 

The main role for the Tiger will be, depending on how the mission is working out, to provide a safer corridor for my other tanks to advance through or to place it an objective. Holding an objective could be problematic for a horde of infantry could surround it and capture it.

 

I just hope I get to roll a decent skill for it – anything bar Clever Hans will do!

 

In previous battles against my arch-enemy, Dead1, the Germans have been successful many times. However since our last few battles, I hear that there have been a few changes and additions so I’m sure it will be an interesting campaign!

 

*Currently at 19 kills, 2 deaths. It has destroyed a lot more light/obsolete tanks but I don’t count these.