Stalemate in Byelorussia

[Sharpe]

Germans and Russians Locked in Struggle

(Note: Because of the point count, we played this on a mutually-agreed 3x2 map. That worked fine. We also used two objectives, which was a big mistake. The scenario ended with each force holding one objective and both having exactly 84 points remaining. We reported it as a Russian win because I’m an indulgent father and the kid played well.)

Well-supported Russian armor spearheaded a devastating counterattack into German positions in Byelorussia. Combined with partisan forces organized by OMSBON in Moscow, they hoped to slow down the fascist invaders before they reached Moscow. The Soviet forces:

8x Mosin-Nagant 24 pts
4x DP-27 16 pts
1x Hero 8 pts
2x Commissar 10 pts
3x T-34/76 84 pts
2x M1910 Maxim 16 pts
1x 85 mm M1939 12 pts
2x Snipers 16 pts
4x OMSBON 20 pts (elite partisans recruited from world-class athletes)

surged straight for the objectives in two columns, taking care to screen their armor from the German ATG.

The offensive caught the Germans:

1x 88mm 19 pts
2x Pillbox 4 pts
1x Vig Lt 8 pts
3x PzJager I 30 pts
4x Sturmpioneer 40 pts
1x Grizzled Vet 8 pts
2x Hptfuhrer 14 pts
4x SSST 28 pts
8x Mauser 24 pts
1x MG42 10 pts
1x SiG33 15 pts
2x WVI 10 pts

by surprise. The infantry company holding the sector called for reinforcements and division sent whatever they could scrape together from local assets. The German commander devised an overly-ambitious plan, sending half his infantry towards the objectives. They were to occupy a nearby ridge with support from a fortified 88. Meanwhile, the remaining infantry supported by the mobile elements would hit the Russian right and drive into the Russian rear.

Things went wrong from the start. The German blocking force had trouble crossing a stream and were severely delayed. The 88 could deny large pieces of ground to the Russian armor, but the T-34's could avoid its field of fire. The German forces on the right got into a firefight with Russian infantry and heavy weapons. Losing control of initiative to the Soviets, there wasn’t much fire and very little of it proved lethal. Bombardment by the SiG was remarkably ineffective as well so that attack bogged down. Meanwhile, partisans appeared to threaten the 88, forcing the MG42 to stay behind and defend it.

The Russians had their way for four turns, overrunning the objectives and checking every German advance. The PzJagers were wiped out as they attempted to turn the tide, every shell they fired bounced harmlessly off the thick-sided Soviet tanks.

The German troops were shaken and demoralized, retreat was a definite option, but the junior officers rallied them and made one last push. Suddenly, every shot was true. The DP-27s and Maxims blocking the German right all died. The Wehrmacht surged forward, overran the southern objective, and linked up with the blocking force. The MG42 mowed down the rest of the partisans. Russian tank fire slackened as they pulled back from the Sturmpioneers.

The Germans, having eliminated the Soviet infantry, could have pushed across the valley and taken the second objective, but they ran out of turns. The game ended with the Russian tanks, trapped in the only area the 88 couldn’t reach, facing the German infantry and engineers. Both forces were exhausted, bloodied and more determined than ever.

[carl_brisgamer]

Last week my son plastered me in two of the PTO battles (Philippines and HK). But it's always gratifying to see him throw tactics back at me that I have previously used on him.

I'm playing the Belorussian battle on Wednesday against my mate Taity, German build as follows:

Elements XXIV Panzer Korps, Armeegruppe Guderian

Elements Panzer Regiment 6, 3. Panzer Division
2 x Elite Panzer IV Ausf. D (36)
1 x Panzer III Ausf.F (13)

Elements Regimental Supply Column, Pz Regt 6, 3.Pz.D
1 x Ammo Dump (10)

Elements Infantry Regiment ‚Grossdeutschland’
2 x SS-Haupsturmführer (14)
1 x Grizzled Veteran (8)
2 x Wehrmacht Expert Sniper (22)
9 x Mauser Kar 98K (27)
1 x 20mm Flak 38 (7)
3 x StuG III Ausf.D (45)
1 x Pillbox (2)

Elements Nebelwerfer Abteilung 53
2 x Nebelwerfer 42 (22)
2 x Pillboxes (4)

Total Pts: 210 (94 vehicle, 100 soldier, 10 support, 6 fortification)
Total Units: 24

Can't wait to see what he throws at me!

[boersma8]

We ( me and Latro) also played this scenario last Saturday. The result was a devastating win for the Russians ( hopefully, since I played the Germans) my fellow German commanders will be able to seal the gap in the German lines. In the end the Russians had like 104 points left, while the only German units that survived the battle ( retreat rolls) were a Nebelwerfer and an AA gun ( the one from set 3).

The Germans thought they had set up a good defensive line, consisting of cover ( hills and forest) and a number of pillboxes (4), barbed wire (3) and 4 or 5 tanktraps. Maybe they felt a little overconfident.... Since per standard rules the defender and attacker both start in the last five rows of hexes, the Russians managed to get to the pillboxes first ( US halftracks and T 34's). Moreover, the Germans hadn't counted on Communist Partisans appearing in a town close to the objective and seizing a couple of bunkers before the Germans even got there....

Yet all wasn't lost because it seemed like the Germans would still be able to deal with the fast moving enemy units. Besides, in order to actually get to the objective the Russians would still have to cross a number of clear hexes, which were all covered by a German heavy mortar, a Nebelwerfer and two MG 34's.....That is, that was the idea. A very important key to the German defensive position therefore was a (houseruled) spotter ( spot up to 8 hexes away and superior camouflage). However, in order to position himself in a more favourable spotting position he had to traverse open terrain. Since all he could see ahead of him were tank obstacles, he wrongly assumed that no one would see him either. Unfortuantely for him and his fellow German troops, this was not the case: a Russian spotter spotted a guy with huge binoculars behind some tank obstacles running towrads a nearby hill. He then immediately called in fire from two heavy mortars. I believe the first one missed horribly, but the second salvo blew the poor spotter and the whole German defensive plan apart. Now they could no longer rely on indirect fire from the 81 mm mortar and the Nebelwerfer ( houserule, once per game rocket salvo only using the "normal" attack values as shown in the appropriate boxes rather than the "few" dice it's supposed to throw per the rocket salvo SA on the card.....) to keep the Russian infantry away from the objective.

The Russians also had a Katyusha ( same game mechanic as Nebelwerfer). The therat of it was enough for the Germans to send in the Luftwaffe. Unfortunately, it got disrupted by a DF attack from a Bofors and consequently failed to score enough hits on the Katyusha to kill it. It did get a disruption but naturally, the Bofors it its assault phase finished off the Focke Wolf without any problems....). In the end the Germans did manage to eliminate the Katyusha from the game even without it ever firing, but the threat of it was enough to seriously hamper German movement.

The T 34's also wrecked havoc among the German infantry. One eventually got headshot by a sniper ( which hadn't been seen!) and then finished off by a PAK 38 in conjunction with a close assault by a Vet German infantryman. However, more and more Mosins were pouring through the gaps in the lines and German counterattacks were halted by a second Russian spotter calling in fire from the heavy mortars from an American land-leased halftrack.

Whereas it may have been a logical and healthy thing to do, the German commanders refused to give up and fight to the last man. While they did have some successes ( a mortar and an MG each destroying a US halftrack; I believe the MG was even disrupted at the time), the Russians had by then already overwhelmed the remaining German troops and secured the objective....

It all started going wrong when the Russians ( esp. partisans) made it to cover and the fortifications first and the German spotter, so essential to the German defense, got killed. In all fairness, the Russians put up a very good fight and they deserved to win.

P.S. The partisans fought like elites. They made nearly each and every cover roll ( + 1 in town due to Urban combat and I only managed to kill one out of 3). Apart from that they also threw 5 or more successes on virtually each and every die roll.....Amazing!

P.S.: We used a combination of the winter maps provided in the combat zone kits. I, being the defender, chose sides as well as changing a quarter of the map. As we both agreed an "empty" hex didn't make for a good objective, my opponent suggested placing a factory there. I though this would only help me, but it didn't really during the actual game, since my opponent seemed to benefit more from the cover it provided.....Also, the German vehicles had to make movement rolls prior to each desired movement ( narrow tracks in snow) and their speed was decreased by one. I believe I only failed a movement roll once, but the decrease in speed proved more troublesome, often needing two phases to get where normally you would've gotten in one and sometimes even more...Well, it just seemed historically correct to us. The T 34's didn't have the same problem ( especially designed wide tracks!) , but the American halftracks suffered from the same conditions.....

[carl_brisgamer]

We ( me and Latro) also played this scenario last Saturday. The result was a devastating win for the Russians ( hopefully, since I played the Germans) my fellow German commanders will be able to seal the gap in the German lines. In the end the Russians had like 104 points left, while the only German units that survived the battle ( retreat rolls) were a Nebelwerfer and an AA gun ( the one from set 3).

Ouch, I hope I have more luck this week. Maybe I should trade my Mausers for SSPG's....? No, I'm playing Wehrmacht this time! The SS can't be everywhere at once!