Strategic Withdrawal Scenario - Germans versus Russians

A different and interesting scenario tonight. In the Strategic Withdrawal scenario after the second turn the defender has to start moving his forces off the board. However, he still has to try and hold two objectives until turn nine. 

The Russians had hordes of tanks and infantry against my small German holding force.

 I placed my Kompanie commander with his Tiger Ace skill on one of the objectives. As he would be one of the last to retire off the table this was a good place for him. His long range anti-tank weapon, his approaches partially covered by minefields, and his HMGs would form the anchor in my defence. 

The Russian quickly attacked across their whole front. The sent T-34s around the flanks of the Germans in hopes of enveloping the German forces before they could escape. However, on the right flank a Jadgtiger emerged out of the mist and began firing. Just as the Russian tankers were absorbing this shock, rounds began impacting on their flank as a Kingtiger drove out of its ambush position.

Meanwhile on the German left flank a large platoon of T-34s attempted to charge around the minefield, but they were met by a Tiger. After a protracted firefight All but one of the T-34s was left burning. 

In the center the Russian Infantry came under fire from a battery of German Hummels. The Russian spotted the German observer team and charged through the barrage to kill the observers. 

Over on the right flank the T-34s burst through the woods and knocked out the entire Hummel battery and then swept around the back of the German position. 

The commander of the Kingtiger knew he could not give up the objective and had to buy time for the other units in the formations to withdraw. A sustained fight broke out. The Kingtiger was hit by everything the Russians could through at it. Even though it was hit many times and Russian infantry attempted to assault it the Kingtiger survived and like a wounded animal struck back against the Russians. Wiping out the infantry that had attacked and knocking out several enemy tanks including a bunch of lend lease Churchills.  

Russian Infantry Assaults the Kingtiger.

The Kingtiger loiters around the objective and is still in the fight.

By this time, the Germans had moved some units off the table, but still needed to hold the objectives. The problem was they were down to a few units. The Russian put in everything they had and managed to knock out the Kingtiger with a lucky shot that forced the crew to dismount and then attacked it with infantry to finally knock it out. The brave crew of the Kingtiger were cut down. The Jadgtiger's crew witnessed the final moments of the Kingtiger's crew, fired a few more rounds into the Russians and backed off the battlefield. 

The Tiger Kompanie commander denied the other objective to the Russians, but realized that he would have to withdraw earlier than plan. 

The Russians were successful in forcing the Germans to withdraw and won the initiative and the day.