HOW TO PLAY APOS - THE BASICS

[Redmarkus5]

I am wrong-footed by the appearance of at least 2 enemy tanks. My Marders have no LOS and are out of position for flanking fire - I had expected the enemy to move through the village itself and onto the objective flag.

All I have to engage the enemy is a single Stug III. I order it forward while also ordering my vulnerable recon and mech infantry platoons to pull back to safety.

[Redmarkus5]

My Stug on the move. The enemy tanks (two blue triangles) are shielded from view by the trees, while my Panzer Grenadiers are taking cover wherever they can find it.

[Redmarkus5]

Zooming in reveals what appears to be a Soviet light tank. My Stug has a chance of a flank shot but it will first need to advance another 30-40 metres in order to get a clear LOS.

[Redmarkus5]

The Soviet tanks don't appear to have spotted the danger they are in. They are focused on advancing towards my thinner skinned APCs while my Stug is awaiting its chance for a shot from the flank.

[Redmarkus5]

The Soviets spot my Stug and veer off into the cover of the trees, moving around my left flank. My APCs and infantry are now in real danger. The Stug has to advance another 50 in order to get it's first chance for a shot, which misses...

[Redmarkus5]

Disaster! More Soviet tanks have appeared in my left-rear, emerging from the woods with no warning. I have ordered my grenadiers to flee (belatedly) and my Stug is now outnumbered 4 or 6 to 1...

[Redmarkus5]

The Soviet flanking move threatens to turn this into a rout. I realise now that I should have moved my Marders up on the right as soon as I first sighted the enemy, but I was still fixated on the idea of an enemy thrust towards my objective.

Instead, the enemy is focused on its own objective, rendering my plans obsolete. Only the clock will save me now!

[Redmarkus5]

My APCs score hits on a second Soviet light tank, setting it on fire.

[Redmarkus5]

The Soviet crew bails out.

[Redmarkus5]

My Stug scores a hit of its own on a third Soviet tank. I believe this may be a T34!

Note the Soviet light tank positioning for a flank shot in the woods on the right.

[Redmarkus5]

Jabos!

[Redmarkus5]

But it's the Stug that gets the kill in the end...

[Redmarkus5]

I order the Stug to traverse right to face what I hope is the only remaining light tank, but as its gun comes to bear the Jabos strike again. this time their fire is effective.

[Redmarkus5]

Swinging left again, I order the Stug to go in search of the one remaining Medium Tank. Within seconds I spot it emerging from the trees on what was, until a moment earlier, my Stug's left flank.

[Redmarkus5]

This is the Soviet tank that came furthest around my left flank, into the rear of my forces. Now a flank shot by my Stug is possible, but my APCs remain very vulnerable.

[Redmarkus5]

Another Jabo strike

[Redmarkus5]

Deleted

[Redmarkus5]

The T34 is causing mayhem and the trees partially obscure the target, but my Stug finally gets a hit. Will it be enough?

[Redmarkus5]

Flames engulf the enemy behemoth....

[Redmarkus5]

A burning crewman leaps from the vehicle.