To Comet or not to Comet is the question?

Bulge: British

To Comet or not to Comet is the question?

By Scott McCorley

Hi all and welcome to what could be the revival of the Comet tank thanks to the new Bulge: British book. As we look into what can make out of the new book and some tactics that could be useful in the future.

First, let’s look at the three types of battle stances as this is the first thing we should do to decide on what kind of list we should make as this will determine what our 100pt list will look like. So keeping this in mind our choice of stance for a tank force is limited to either attack or manoeuvre, because if we choose defence there is a chance that for the most of the game our precious tanks will be in reserve due to the deep reserves rule and considering that the majority of our force is made up of tanks this would definitely be a bad situation and leave us at a tactical disadvantage. So onto the list.

Comet Armoured List
Comets

This gives a solid core formation with 5 platoons, however these are small platoons which means we have to play very carefully and try to minimalize casualties as any hit that are likely to bail or destroy just two of the tank teams will force a morale check, however the good news is if the comets survive to be bailed they do have a 3+ remount which can be a good thing however don’t rely on this as dice can be fickle.

As for the remainder of the list it’s a stock standard support in the form of arty recon and infantry. Never leave home without those three as they are crucial to success. As the infantry can hold and counter, dig in and be a rock on an objective which allows you to have your focus placed elsewhere where it is needed and that is keeping your tanks alive.

Comet Now the Bofors AA may seem a bit of a weird choice, but hear me out it a careful skill 3+ unit with a decent AT gun and FP great for taking out recce and transport units and if lucky can potently be used to hinder an assault as remember hits go on the side so AT 7 on the side of say a Panzer 4 or any other Allied tank in a competitive game environment can be a good deterrent especially at crucial moments in the game. It can mean the difference between holding and losing an objective.
Now for the Comets themselves, with AT 14 it eliminates the option of what to take for a dedicated AT role as these beauties will definitely do the job for you. Coupled with their TAC speed of 12 they make for a fast well-armed flank tank. Downside is limited numbers so play to terrain hug it and utilise it especially with their good cross check to duck in and out of cover, while the skill is a 4+ it may come in handy for some shoot and scoot orders to duck back into cover. Also remember your smoke it comes in handy especially if you want to blind some big cats or in a competitive setting blind say for e.g. a super perishing.
Comets
The Comets are the main part of your force but no force is strong without support. So let’s look at the rest of the formation. The Chaffee is a great little tank that can provide support to your Comets be it as a spearhead unit to get your Comets to where they are needed quicker or as a flank tank where the Comets are the bait and the Chaffee’s get on the flanks to finish the job. Just remember you only have three and they can be quite brittle against return fire. Our other choice is the dingo recce at 1pt it’s a bargain especially for a tank with spearhead and scout, these can be a good unit that can run around the flanks and jump on an unguarded objective if your opponent forgets they are there. Another option is to harass infantry and keep them occupied and pined as they do have a decent amount of MG’s to get the job done. Last choice is another AA but as its part of the formation it counts towards good spirits for formation morale. It’s also a good mobile unit to protect your tanks from air, while air may not be present in games it’s always good to have it plus it still has a decent AT to go light vehicle hunting.

So that wraps up our tactics for this list. Points to remember are to watch you tanks especially you Comets as these make up the core of your force as well as the AT side of the house. Try to minimise unnecessary casualties by leaving your tanks in the open or exposed to return fire. Always try to seize the initiative with spearhead units as in most games you will be choosing the Attack stance which will dictate the mission, having spearhead units means you can get your tanks closer or into cover quicker. Smoke remember it, as it does come in handy especially at crucial moments.

Comet

Last of all have fun and be respectful to your opponents be it winning or losing, as every loss is a lesson learned and a win is a sustain on your tactics as it worked. So good luck out there and remember to adapt and overcome if you face something new and good hunting.

Scott

 

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