The SU-100 and StuG III Ausf. G bring a pair of interesting tank destroyers to the World of Tanks: Miniatures Game and it makes sense that the cards included with them really enhance their roles on the battlefield. Today we take a look at both of these expansions, their contents and how they may benefit from some of the other cards in the game.
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The SU-100 Tank Destroyer
Looking at the SU-100, you can see an obvious theme when it comes to the cards in the expansion and to one degree or another they all help to mitigate the low initiative value of the tank.
Starting with the unique crew, Damir Nelrasov, who gives a small initiative buff in the movement phase, alloww the tank to conduct a small pre-game move, and adds extra defense when in cover. With tank destroyers, already gaining a tank type bonus to defense when in cover, this is a great synergy bonus that makes him an easy choice for SU-100 players.
Intuition lets your loader discard an ammo upgrade card for a whopping six extra initiative during the shooting phase. Obviously this means you will need some ammo cards (which you can find in the Starter Set) to get the most out of your loader. With some added to your tank you now have the option of firing off the shell if you have a juicy target and need an extra attack dice, or saving them for when you absolutely must shoot first!
Coated Optics gives a flat +1 boost to initiative which makes it a great option for the SU-100, or any tank where you want a little buff. If you just want more movement initiative increases you can either upgrade the engine to the more powerful V-2-34M engine or add some Lend Lease Oil (a great option for all U.S.S.R tanks!) depending on how many points you have spare.
If you are looking for some other options to equip your SU-100, then the Camouflage Net (extra defense when stationary) and Binocular Telescope (helps to upgrade your hits to critical hits) might be just what you need! Best of all, both of these are found in the Starter Set.
If you are looking to really double down on the critical hits then you can always add a gunner with Deadeye (from the M3 Lee Tank Expansion). This allows you to draw two cards for the first critical hit caused each turn and pick which one to apply. With a starting pool of six attack dice and a Binocular Telescope this can really improve the tanks ability to deal big hits.
Depending on your list, you may find that your SU-100 is getting regularly outflanked by enemies, or focused on as enemies try to take out your big gun. If this is the case, instead of taking Damir Nelrasov you could always just add Sixth Sense (from the Valentine Tank Expansion). This gives your commander the ability to potentially make a single move with the tank before the shooting phase. This could either take you out of sight, in to cover, or get that nasty enemy tank out of your flanks and in to your gun sights.
The StuG III Ausf. G Tank Destroyer
The StuG III Ausf. G Tank Expansion comes with a slightly more diverse range of cards than the SU-100, but no less useful or powerful.
Bernold Knoke is a unique loader that gives the tank a slight buff to shooting initiative, can be discarded to cancel the effect of an ammo damaged critical card, and allows the tank to attempt a second repair each turn. For a cost of 2 he brings a lot of versatility and would be an easy inclusion for any German tank equipped with ammo cards, or a player that hates criticals!
A commander with Eagle Eye allows the tank to roll one less attack dice, but upgrade a hit to a critical hit. Combine this with the 10,5 cm Stu.H. 42 L/28 gun module which lets you roll a pair of extra attack dice and of course upgrades your gun to have the high explosive ability and suddenly you have a tank that can potentially one-shot an enemy with a flurry of criticals.
The StuG III Ausf. G comes with another crew option for players that really want to fill out their tank. Gunners with Designated Target are able to pick out their enemies even when hiding in cover, assuming they have moved or shot. This can be a very situational card to use as it requires your opponent to work with you to gain the full benefits but can force your opponent to change their plans. With an initiative of 5 the StuG III Ausf. G sits squarely in the middle so how you use this card would depend squarely on the rest of your list. Of course if you have an SU-100 then it might be a great option with its lower initiative value!
The last card in the expansion is Fill Tanks With Co2. This is another great all-round option for any tank, especially if you are worried about taking lucky hits – the most numerous of all the cards in the critical deck – and with only 4 hit points the StuG III Ausf. G cannot afford to let them disappear too quickly.
Much like the SU-100, the StuG III Ausf. G cannot risk enemies getting around the side where its light flank means that it loses an additional defense dice when shot at, so Sixth Sense may be a great option. Deadeye and Binocular Telescope can really help a tank with the 10,5 cm Stu.H. 42 L/28 gun so should be considered as well.
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As a pair of tank destroyers both of these tanks can benefit from a similar range of cards, but with a few subtle variations on a tank you can create a very different game each time you play.
Both the SU-100 Tank Expansion and StuG III Ausf. G Tank Expansion are available now.
