The mission:

An allied armoured unit is sent to scout the road ahead for a German Tiger tank that has been sighted in the area. Both sides are supposed to fight to death or until the enemy is destroyed, routed or in any other way unable to continue the fight.

FORCES —

Allies: 28RP
VETERAN STATUS

M4 Sherman:
Commander, Simon Adams

M10 Wolverine:
Commander, Jonathan Brown

Commanche Ligt Mecha 1: Chimp - HMG Vehicle CC weapon
Commanche Ligt Mecha 2: Fat Man - HMG & Vehicle CC weapon

Axis: 25RP
ELITE STATUS
Tiger 1:
Commander, Michael Wittman
Vehicle Equipment:
Ablative Armour -2 to Enemy damage rolls
Jacketed Shells +1 to damage rolls
Improved sights +1 to hit'

The game was short and deadly. A brief description of the action in each turn is provided below. In SOTR1949, the initiative is up for grabs each turn and the winner is indicated at the start of each turn.

TURN 1
German Initiative

Commander Wittman orders the driver to move towards a small grove and park the Tiger in a way so that it can't be flanked.

Entering the area behind a forest, the allies split into two groups. The Comanches and the Sherman move behind the forest at full speed while the Wolverine moves slowly around the forest until it can see the front armour of the German Tiger. Commander Brown orders his gunner to fire, the M10 swings its turret and manage to score a hit, but fails to penetrate the thick frontal armour of the Tiger.

TURN 2
Allied Initiative

The Wolverine moves slowly towards the Tiger, and ends its movement so that only the front armour faces the Tiger. Once again commander Brown orders his gunner to open fire, but this time the shell misses its target.

Understanding the dangerous situation, Wittman orders his driver to slowly back the Tiger out of the Wolverine's Line of Sight (LoS). Then he orders the gunner to open fire at the approaching Sherman tank that has made it's way around the forest.

The shell smashes into the Sherman's frontal armour and shakes the entire tank. The driver's controls are destroyed and the Sherman is Immobilized though the crew pass their Cool check and stay inside the tank.

Badly shaken, the commander of the Sherman orders the gunner to fire back - aiming at the turret for maximum damage, but the shell fails to hit the enemy vehicle. Meanwhile both Comanches move at full speed and end their movement safely behind some trees.

Turn 3
Allied Initiative

The Sherman aims and fire at the Tiger, hitting it square in the front armour - repaying them for their damaged controls with the same result on the penetration chart! The Tiger crew successfully pass their cool check as they are Elite....

Commander Wittman orders his gunner to open fire, and the Tiger once again hits the Sherman in the frontal armour. Miraculously, the round fails to penetrate (Wittman rolled a 1 when 2+ was needed!)

The Wolverine moves at lull speed so that it can fire at the Tiger's flank armour next turn. The Comanches move towards the Tiger.

Turn 4
German Initiative

The Tiger opens fire at the immobilized Sherman, scores a hit and rolls a devastating result on the damage table - Catastrophic Penetration! The fuel is struck by the shell and the whole vehicle explodes, killing the crew instantly!

Not wasting any time the Wolverine (now in a position to fire at the hull down Tiger) opens fire at the target partly hidden behind the grove. Somehow the gunner scores a hit in the flank armour and destroys the entire track on the Tiger's left side. Once again the German crew pass their cool test.

Both Comanches run towards the Tiger in the open, now knowing that they would make contact next turn!

Turn 5
German Initiative

Swinging its turret, the Tiger opens fire with a deafening roar of the 88mm main gun. The shell hits the Wolverine's weak flank armour and the shell auto penetrates! The result is a completely destroyed track that brings the enemy armour to a halt out in the open. The US crew pass their cool check and stay inside the tank. Commander Brown orders the gunner to fire back but the gunner is shaking so badly that the projectile passes harmlessly over the German tank.

With the Tiger preoccupied with the Wolverine, both Comanche mechas launch their assault against the Tiger right flank. Both mochas score penetrating hits with their vehicle close combat weapons - both mechas rip the right tracks of the Tiger to pieces, but the German crew pass their cool check.

Turn 6
German Initiative

Commander Wittman orders his crew to ignore the Comanche mechas beating at the hull, and the gunner opens fire at the Wolverine out in the open at with its right track destroyed. It's a hit! The projectile auto penetrates once again, but this time the blast inflicts D3 Light infantry hits on the crew. The shrapnel kills the gunner and the radio operator and the remaining crew bails out and runs for cover since they are now Fleeing and Disorganised!

Both Comanches continue their beating of the Tiger right flank. Both mechas once again succeed in penetrating the armor and both inflict D3 Light infantry hits on the crew inside.

The Fat Man Inflicts 3 Hits, killing the Radio Operator and the Driver, and inflicts a Down result on the Loader! The Chimp only inflicts 1 hit and that turns out to be a Down result on the Gunner, leaving commander Wittman as the only conscious crew member left inside. But he successfully passes his cool check.

Turn 7
German Initiative

The Loader stays Down while the Gunner Bleeds to death.

The Wolverine crew reach cover and are now only Disorganised.

Taking matters into his own hands, Commander Wittman takes control of the gun and swings it so that the muzzle ends in the face of the Fat Man. He fires and hits the mecha at point blank range in the Body, auto penetrating its armour and destroying the propulsion system, making it unable to move - and fight!

The Chimp hits the Tiger with its fist but fails to penetrate the armour this time.

Turn 8
German Initiative

The Loader is still Down.
The Wolverine crew regroup in cover.

Swinging the turret a few degrees commander Wittman opens fire at the other Comanche, also hitting this one in the body! But instead of immobilising it like the Fat Man, the shell penetrates the armour and kills the pilot!

Meanwhile the Wolverine crew make a wild dash towards their abandoned tank, hoping to reach and re-crew it the next turn.

Turn 9
German Initiative

The Loader recovers from his wounds.

Welcoming his remaining crewman back commander Wittman immediately help his Loader to swing the turret towards the abandoned Wolverine tank. Not wanting to take any risks the Tiger opens fire, hits and auto penetrates the thin flank armour once again. This time the shell smashes through the armour and hits the ammo storage resulting in a big explosion inflicting Light Infantry hits on anyone within 3" of the tank. The unlucky Wolverine crew had just reached within that range when their tank blew up and the flying debris killed the Commander and the Loader. The Driver flees the battle leaving Commander Wittman and his loader waiting for the recovery vehicle amidst the smoking husks of enemy armour.