Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi folks. I'm having an 1850 pt game tomorrow against 11th armoured (latewar brits tank co.) and I'll be trying out 78. Sturmkompanie for the first time. Here's a look at the list.


HQ w/ 2 Panzerschreck teams

Sturm Grenadier Platoon (3 squads with panzerfaust command) x2

Mortar platoon (2 sections)

Heer Flak 88's with extra crew (2 guns)

Heavy Artillery 15cm Sfh18 (?) (2 sections, 4 guns total)

Stug Platoon (3 stugs)

Schwere Panzers (2 tigers)

1810 points.

At the moment I have no 7.5cm pak40s to field; they would be cheaper and more numerous than the 88's. I suppose my question is, in a defensive game in which i can only deploy half my platoons, what should be on the table first and what can come on later, probably from turn 4 onwards thanks to delayed reserves?

Without PaK40s, you waste one of the Sturmdivision's most potent special rules, the pakfront.

Take multiple pak40 platoons, one for ambush, and one to deploy via pakfront in the independent teams phase.

You'll want something a bit harder hitting to take out the things that aren't deterred by your StuGs and PaK40s, try Nashorns or PaK43s.

Without the PaKs, I think i would look at something other than Sturndivision as they really just become grenadiers at that point.

Not knowing what else you have model wise, hard to make suggestions.

But, with a half in, half out thing, I would KG one of your sturm platoons, making a small 2 stand KG, bringing you up to eight and getting you 4 on.

Then I would take the tigers, larger sturm, 15cm arty (do you really need 15cm arty or would 105s do?), and probably the flak 88s. The rest of it is at least more manuverable and will get across the table faster.

15cm guns cover a nice dual role between pwning tanks and still being able to drop smoke. They performed very well in this game.
Sturm kompanie allows me to get MG teams and extra panzerschrecks which go some way to making up for a lack of AT guns. MG teams with their 3 dice o'doom managed pretty well. i could probably get another platoon as standard if I went with normal grenadiers but it's a toss-up between having mediocre rifle/mg teams AND HMGs, or just the MG teams.
The game came out as a win for me in the end; we could have gone on and fought over an objective for another couple of turns but we were pressed for time. 88's in ambush worked wonders.
Cheers for the advice chums.

Those panzerfausts and shreks have limited range, and the soviets have access to volley fire and a lot of breakthrough guns.

Most soviets don't take recon either, but they'll start to. So you really can't rely on staying dug in and gone to ground.

Generally I only have to worry about t34's and masses of infantry when it comes to my soviet opponent. I can't see pak40's really standing up to a company of 152's volleying them anyway. Takes the attention away from the tigers, though.