Medway Wargames Club Poppy Day

This week was annual Medway Club Poppy Games Night.

Andy Singleton (ValleyForge Painting) and I staged a Tank War scenario based on Kursk. Von Singleton of the Gross Deutschland Division was tasked with taking a ridge line whereupon Comrade Johnski had dug in a pakfront of 45mm AT guns and AT rifles with selp-propelled guns and heavy tanks - to whit a Churchill and a KV.

In reserve, Johnski had a platoon of T34s from the Fifth Guards.

The left flank of the ridge came under immediate pressure from a Panther and two Stugs, which brewed up the KV.

The Soviet right flank did better withstanding an attack from three Stugs lead by a Tiger. The thick armour of the Churchill withstood two 88mm hits with only track damage. My AT guns took out two of the Stugs.

By chance my four T34s came on in just the right place to plug the gap on the left flank. The Panther and a Stug were blasted but the remaining Stug took out a T34.

I was confident I would soon take out the remaining Stug but two of my tanks missed their shot at point blank range and the third failed its morale check and ran away!!!

 I have taken the tank commander's name. He will be shot, his family will be shot, his pet gerbil will be shot and a bloke he once met in the pub will be sent to the gulag.

Finally got the Stug.

The game ended one turn early on a die roll.

All my T34s missed again, but the tiger didn't and when we counted up the trophies we had five each: a draw.

Mind you I am claiming a moral victory to Comrade Stalin because the Hitlerites never did take the ridge.

Men of the match were the Tiger and the Soviet AT Guns who did most of the damage to the fascist oppressors.

All told, the club raised £138 pounds for the Poppy Fund: £20 up on last year.

Many conga-rats to Mick who organised the event.