Dust Hade Campaign: Game 3

On the morning of a Sunday in the 1947's Zverograd Invasion Campaign, Axis High Command received dire news: Allies and SSU were counter-attacking them...again.

The three main axis divisions, those under Major Wilhelm, Major Klaus and the recently promoted Feldmarschal W.H. had been exhausted from the intensive fighting required to keep their territories.

Even more catastrophic: the SSU were sending a newly promoted general with a brand new weapon: the IS-48, a Russian heavy tank.

After a quick meeting, Axis High Command and its Majors all agreed that Wilhelm's 203 would have the most chances in defeating the SSU's platoon as the Flamm-Luther's heavy flammers were the most potent available weapon to deal with the IS-48.

Three hours later, as the 203 was doing grid patrols, it appeared quite obvious the russians would intent a big push on a small secret airfield that hosted one of the newly arrived prototype of the HO-347 (one of the Horten brothers' latest aircraft and soon to be the glory of the Luftwaffe) to try and steal it by using their heavy tank.

(Side note, watch this video if you have the time, it is fascinating: Horten Brothers' HO-229

Every element of the 203 available, still recovering from their defeat against the allies in Zverograd's Central Park, was sent to reinforce the Luftwaffe ground forces on site in order to protect the prototype from the communist vermin. To their dismay, the Luftwaffe staff on-site had been assassinated by agents of the Smersh and instead of finding technicians and the airfield staff the 203 only encountered partisans. It seemed they were just in time to fight for the airfield.

Conditions of the Battle: None

<<Beautiful weather to fly the prototype HO-347 don't you think Hans? Hans??>>
--Luftwaffe pilot, presumed killed before 203's arrival
Deployment of the Battle: FUBAR

<<Hey it's us! Stop firing the flakkvierlings and let us in!! Okay, we'll have to find another way out, they don't seem to recognize the 203's insignas major.>>
--203 Heavy Flakk Grenadiers
Battle Objectives: Symbolic Victory
<<The HO-347, this is the third copy in existence. Sure, the factories are mass-producing them and our pilots are not fully trained but we cannot allow this technology to fall into soviets' hands.>>
--Major Wilhelm

Forces:
Axis: 203 Panzerabteilung (Sturmgrenadiers Platoon)
Command: Kommandotrupp
1st Section: Heavy Flak Grenadiers
Support: Flamm-Luther
Platoon Upgrade: Extra Panzer Support = Hans (no picture available yet)

SSU: General Mathiovsky Special Operations Army (Defense Platoon)
Command: The Medvedi SSU Command Squad
1st Section: Fakyeli Close Combat Squad
Support: IS-48 ''Lavrentiy Beria'' Super Heavy Tank

Pre-Battle Anylisis:

A SSU Super heavy tank! This will be a tough one to wreck. Axis High Command and Wilhelm were confidant that he was the best equiped to deal with such a behemoth but deep down, I just wish I had my Heavy Laser Grenadiers as it had been planed in my ''Panzerjaegerabteilung'' idea that the 203 would turn into.
It just so happens that, suffering losses after losses against helicopters and infantry 3, the 203 decided to get Heavy Flak Grenadiers...And while they are absolutely outstanding when it comes to deal with infantry and planes, they just cannot hope to dent a Super heavy tank.

Good positioning and cunning will be the tools needed to win this one.

And, as always, the 203 will fight to the bitter end.

To arms protect the prototype and execute...

Airfield Operations

Aerial view of Axis' Secret Airfield in Zverograd

SSU platoon sent to capture the HO-229 Prototype.

The 203...or what is left of it.

As usual with the 203, a good ''Fubar Ambush'' is the best way to bring a Flamm-Luther next to its targets.

Axis and SSU troops quickly find cover in Quonsets huts.

The HO-347 third prototype.

Maybe the SSU infiltrated a saboteur or maybe the Flamm-Luther didn't recover properly from the damage it sustained last engagement, but it's heavy flammer didn't work at all, not a single flame came out of them. Leaving it defenseless against the Is-48 heavy flamer and battle canon.

Done with the only threat to its safety, the IS-48 puts all its engine power in saving the SSU troops from the 203's fanatics.

The 203's Mortar-Hans, hiding behind quonsets huts and crates fire shells at infantry while patiently waiting for an opportunity to fire it's anti-tank weapon at the IS-48 without retaliation.

And as the tank stops next to the plane, the Hans move full speed to attack the IS-48 in it's back.

But alerted by radio, the tank operator makes a long manoeuvre and, turning the turret against the low-armored hans, puts and end to the 203's last standing vehicle.

Wilhelm and his last remaining men (the flak grenadiers were slaughtered  by a violent fakyeli assault) escape the airfield.

 Casualties of this battle:
Axis: Flamm-Luther and Hans
SSU: Nothing

Units that gained experience:
-Flak Grenadiers: Air Enhanced Fliegerfaust (they brought a crate back from the airfield)

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''...And in the darkness of the night, amongst the chaos caused by the SSU infiltrators, Major Wilhelm and his staff escaped between two of the airport's quonset huts.
Suddenly, a violent explosion lit the dark skies: The HO-IV prototype as well as it's payload of bombs exploded. The 203 didn't have the fighting strentgh to repel the SSU invaders from the airport but would not give up the secrets of its technology.

Having watched almost all the loyal men under his command die and with his platoon unable to continue any further, Major Wilhelm signed up the following morning for Ubertoten Suicide Squad program, a good way for a Major to redeem himself to his dead brethren for his failure of keeping them alive.''

Post-Battle Thoughts:

It was a ''make or break'' game that lasted 4 turns because of the small amount of units on the table. Had my Flamm-luther not failed ALL of it's attacks against the IS-48, TWICE, the outcome would have been a russian critical defeat. Instead, when the Flamm-Luther was no more, there wasn't anything left on the Axis' side that could hope to deal with the SSU Super Heavy Tank.
Now the platoon is almost utterly destroyed by three rounds of fighting campaign rounds and not being able to replenish its losses...

Hopefully, next campaign round brings some fresh new recruits...and stories!

Thanks for reading, as usual, comments are welcomed!
Stay tuned for either a ''Terror Platoon'' of the Blutkreuz, a Luftwaffe or a mix of both. After all, Axis High Command will hold back nothing in it's madness to control Zverograd.