AAR: Iron Cross: If Wittmann Drove a Panther!

Is this Obersturmfuhrer Michael Wittmann in a Panther tank?

        This was actually a game between my wife, Kalissa and our friend, Bill in a friendly game of Iron Cross. I had originally set up a rather larger table for a photo shoot for an article I was writing. So after a couple of hours of photographing friend figures on terrain I made, it seemed silly to just put everything up! So why not just have a through down of a game!
       Originally, I was going to play, but I figured that this would be a good game to play for my wife, who is also a teacher. I am not saying that she is over stressed. The fact of the matter is that she has started out great this year with her children, but wargaming is a good stress reliever, even without the stress. Also, she has not played as much recently. This stuff happens more often during the school year.
       So this was going to be Kalissa third game using these rules, and Bill's first time. The great thing about this game is that it is one of the few games where players can be constantly involved. Initiative can be toss back and forward, and there is always an option for reactions. Pretty much, you both have to take a break. You can't just say, do whatever, because you may what to react to something. And with this in mind, the focus on the game and the speed of the game move fairly quick! It helps that this was going to be a "tankfest!" Kalissa armed with her trusty Guards Armored tanks versus Bill's German Panzers.
      Point-wise, the game was nearly dead even. Bill had five Panthers, four Panzer IV H's, and three Stug III G's: Good guns with good armor! Kalissa had six Cromwells, three Sherman Fireflies, and two M-10 Achilles tank destroyers. Armor for the British was lighter, but capable of doing the job. The first turn started with the Germans moving in. When Kalissa came out of the village, she came out with guns blazing down the road. That's the way to do it! Of course, the only problem was that her D-10 was not being very friendly. There were a lot of one's and two's being rolled. This seemed to be the theme for my wife throughout the game.
      However, Bill was not have such bad luck. He was rolling quite well, and really started to bring the pain, despite being terrible at identifying tanks. He mentioned Churchill tanks several times. We own zero Churchill tanks in all scales.! Never the less, he was having fun! And for a man who does not like tanks, he was quickly changing his mind in this game. He had tons of shooting successes. My wife's response was that you are going to have to kill them all. So he did!
     Out of this game, there were a coupe successes. One, we heard Bill say out loud that he might like tanks now. That has been three years in the making. Two, Bill said he finally got revenge against my wife after the first game they ever played while playing "Songs of Blades and Heroes."  That game was still the shortest game I ever saw my wife win! Three,  Bill likes to kill tanks, which definitely happened. Four, Kalissa was laughing and having tons of fun!
   So here were some shots of the game.  

Some Panthers on the prowl.

British set up kill zones.

Farm cut-through.

The Firefly has taken some heat from German AT fire!

Panther moving in.

One of the German's way into town.

The Command tank hanged out behind buildings. They are important to this game, because they give two extra commands when alive on the table.

Stug and Panzer dance.

One of the bold Panthers fires down the road.

An M-10 buys the farm by a Stug round.

A Panzer IV is taken to the cleaners!

A Stug III knocks out a Firefly!

Another Firefly and a Cromwell move in to stop the Stugs.

Stug III's flank the Firefly, but it take multiple orders to take it out.

The Panther might as well been manned by Michael Wittmann, Bobby Vol, Chuck Norris, Steve Seagal, and Rambo! It took out so much, that the other three Panthers were not needed for the job.

Most of the burning tanks happened on turn five! This was the last shot after my wife said "Come and get me!"

Other deaths!