Stalking the Tiger

Panzergranate Scenario designed by Andrew Mark Reid

Playing the Game

Stalking the Tiger is an introductory scenario for Panzergranate wargaming rules designed by Andy Reid. The game pits four M4 Sherman tanks against a lone Pz.Kpfw. VI (Tiger I). The battlefield is set up at full 1:72 or 1:76 scale, with 50" on the table equal to 100 yards or meters of real terrain.

The advantage of full scale is that terrain features like roads and linear obstacles can be modelled correctly, and lines of sight may be determined with regard to actual elevation and obstacle heights. Tiger hunting in this kind of terrain is a real challenge, particularly if hidden deployment and movement rules are in play. This introductory scenario fully illustrates the sophisticated and imminently playable tank and anti-tank combat procedure included in Panzergranate.

Stalking the Tiger is an ideal participation game often played at military modelling shows and miniature wargame conventions, it is fast and exciting. Sherman players will find that they can win this scenario, if they cooperate with eachother, and use appropriate tactics. The Sherman player who knocks out the Tiger becomes the new Tiger commander when the scenario is replayed.

Scenario Variants

The sample game can be played using three typical Sherman platoons:

• British/Commonwealth, American or French Platoon of four M4 Shermans (75 mm)
• British/Commonwealth Platoon with three M4/75 Shermans and one Firefly
• American Platoon with three M4/75 Shermans and one upgraded M4/76

Sequence of Play

Both sides move vehicles simultaneously and then roll a D6 to determine the order of firing: D6 rolls of "1" fire 1st, "2"s fire second, etc. It has been found that alternate move/fire games destroy initiative, because players take fewer risks in games of this type. Vehicle movement distances are listed in the AFV Maneuver Table.

Example of Gameplay

In our sample game, the Tiger player declares that he has a clear shot at a Sherman tank seen moving along a walled road, 200 meters (100 Inches on the table) from his position. The Sherman is considered to be "lower hull down", because of the wall. The Tiger fires first, because it is ambushing the Sherman. The target has just moved into sight, giving the Tiger no chance to track it this turn. The umpire computes the hit probability as follows:

• Basic hit chance = 12 (see Anti-Tank Gun Fire Table)
• New target: -3
• Moving target: -2
• Partially obscured by the wall: -1
• Modified hit chance = 6 or below, using a D12

The Tiger player did not declare a shell type prior to firing, so the umpire assumes that a standard Panzergranate AP shell was used. The shell type will be important later, in the event that we need to calculate armour penetration. The Tiger player throws a 5 on a D12 and scores a hit.

Next, the Tiger player throws a D12 on the Hit Location Table, and scores 10, a lower hull hit. The wall hides this part of the Sherman tank, and the Tiger’s shot is deemed to have hit the wall, missing the tank. The Sherman returns the fire, using the following modifiers:

• Basic hit chance = 12 (see Anti-Tank Gun Fire table)
• New target: -3
• Firing on the move: -2
• Gyro-stabilized gun: +1
• Target in soft cover on the edge of a wood: -1
• Modified hit chance = 5 or below, using a D12

The Sherman player declares an M.72 APC round, popularly known as Capped Shot, he throws a 3 to hit, followed by an 8 for hit location, resulting in a centre upper front hull hit against the Tiger.

The Sherman player then throws 2D10 percentile dice and scores 68 %, meaning that the shot splats on the thick frontal armour of the Tiger. The Umpire would not normally need to look up a bad die-roll like that, it’s clearly a bounced shot.

Next turn, the Tiger remains in position, but the Sherman moves on down the road to reach nearby cover. Both players dice who fires first, and the Sherman wins. The Sherman player declares the shot to be an M.61 AP round this time, and he rolls a D12 using the following modifiers:

• Basic hit chance = 12 (see Anti-Tank Gun Fire table)
• Firing on the move: -2
• Gyro-stabilized gun: +1
• Target in soft cover on the edge of a wood: -1
• Modified hit chance = 10 or below, using a D12

The Sherman player needs an 10 or less to hit, and scores a 6. The hit location comes up a 4 which means that the shell will have to penetrate the Tiger’s 100 mm thick turret frontal armour (see Armour Thickness & Inclination Table). The Sherman player rolls 18 % on the penetration dice, and the umpire consults the tables, because this looks like a penetrating hit. Unfortunately, the Penetration Table reveals that a 16 % roll would have been required to penetrate the Tiger’s 100 mm armour at that point of impact. The shot bounces or shatters on impact.

The Tiger player now declares a Panzergranate 40 A.P.C.R. round, he scores a hit, and locates the turret left front side. The penetration roll is 20 %, and the umpire modifies it to 30 % because the Sherman has rounded armour at the point of impact Again, the umpire need not normally look this up, an 88 mm L.56 gun is sure to penetrate with a score as low as this.

The Tiger player throws for Internal Damage effect against the Sherman, and scores 9 on the D12, indicating that some of the crew members of the Sherman are effected. Armed with a D6, the Sherman player throws for the turret crew - commander, gunner and loader - because the hit had been determined as a turret hit earlier. A score of 4, 5 or 6 is required to save a particular crew member, otherwise he is eliminated.

The turn ends with the Sherman player taking an AFV Crew Morale Test for his vehicle penetrated by a shot:

• Each crew casualty: -1 (let’s assume 2 casualties)
• Vehicle operating alone (only tank on the field): -2

The player throws a D6, he scores a 2, and deducts -4 modifiers. The final morale result is "-2". The umpire declares that the remaining crew considers the Sherman to be knocked out, they bale out immediately and retreat away from the still smoking vehicle, expecting it to blow up at any moment. The next turn may see a follow up shot from the Tiger, destroying the Sherman tank completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

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