Many Tanks

 Today, Phil and I returned to Europe in WW2 for 3 games of What A Tanker.

Phil, being something of our resident Francophile, decided to start with a 1940 period game...

Our table for all 3 games.

The Germans had a Panzer 38(t)...

...An early Panzer III...

...or two!

Phil wanted to drive a Char-B, so got one!

I got a Char Legere, an H-39! Whooo!

Vorwärts! The 38(t) moved forward to take cover behind a hedge.

Spotting my little tank, he fired!

The shot went high over the little H39.

The Panzer III in the centre likewise moved to a hedge.

The Char-Bis rumbled through the hedges like an old fashioned lawn mower!

The Panzer III on the right moved up the road to outflank it.

The crew seemed keen to get closer before shooting.

The 38(t) fired again...

...The shot glanced off the H39s front plate.

The Char B got to a hedge and settled in.

Soon, both Panzer IIIs were shooting at it.

The flanking Panzer should have had an advantage...but the thick side armour defeated him!

The Char did shoot, but failed to upset any Germans...!

The flanking tank got another shot off...

...this one got a good hit on the tracks!

The Char had already been upset by rounds whanging off its armour.

My H39 finally got its target on sight, and fired!

A good hit!

The 38(t) took damage to it gunners sights.

The Germans were, though, all in all getting a lot of good armour rolls!!!

They were still pounding the Char-B.

Phil took the Char-B backwards into better cover...

With only two command dice left, can you blame him?

Next round, a couple more non penetrating round hits sent the French crew scuttling away!

Ma Foi!

My H39 made a quick getaway!

So, history repeated itself, and the Panzerwaffe were successful!

Game 2

The Germans got a Panzer IV G...

...and a Panzer III J.

I got a T-34...

...and Phil, again our gallant leader, another.

Phil showed off the speed of this splendid tank!

He reached cover easily and fired.

The Panzer IV was untroubled...

...and returned fire!

The T-34 was untroubled as the shot deflected off its sloping armour...it continued advancing!

The Panzer finally got to move, and headed for cover.

The Panzer III was making better progress on the flank.

Phil's T-34 was embedded in cover again...

Mine was now up with him, despite my tank apparently having gear problems!!!

The Panzer's shot again bounced off my armour, but the crew were upset!- when I tried to fire back my duff tank had a power failure too!

All hell broke out next turn, as my tank was driven back by more German gunnery, but Phil raced round the Panzer IV's flank, ignoring the Panzer III.

This tank was slowly working its way round the fields behind the Russians.

My tank, having got restarted advanced to the hedge, the German retreated to prevent Phil getting round his flank, but failed!

The Panzer III was now in position to see the rear of Phil's tank...

Phil finished off the Panzer with a short range shot.

Reversing back behind the wreck, his next shot killed the Panzer III!

What a Tanker!

Game 3

I took command of a British force of two Cromwell IVs

Phil was on my flank.

Against us, a single Panther Ausf G.

My Cromwell raced to a corner of a field...

...I had a good position to engage the German.

Phil raced round the other flank.

The Panther had advanced to a hedge corner too, spotted Phil and let off a round...

Although the wall he was hiding behind prevented any actual damage, Phil's Cromwell was reduced in fighting strength.

I raced round the Panther's flank, but the Panther ignored me and killed Phil's Cromwell.

As I tried to get behind the Panther, it pivoted on the spot.

I got round the flank and fired again, and again my shot broke up on the heavy armour of the German tank.

The Panther roteated again and with a single shot ended the battle!

A good day overall for the Germans, and my solo system which ran them!

Good fun as always!