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Saturday, June 16, 2012

KG Leichtgehen defeats Soviet attempt to take Hertford!

My son and I played another game this weekend. It worked out to be a Breakthrough with him being the attacker. I had setup the table with a large town (Hertford) in the center. I got to use my brand new road sets! The point totals were 1750.


Soviet Strelkovy
  • HQ - Cmd, 2iC, Komissar, AT Rifles, 2 45mm AT guns
  • 1st Company - Cmd, Komissar, HMG, 14 Rifle/MG
  • 2nd Company - Cmd, Komissar, HMG, 14 Rifle/MG
  • SMG Company - Cmd, 14 SMG Teams
  • Heavy Mortar Company - Cmd, Observer, 6 120mm mortars
  • Tankovy Company - 5 T34/85s
  • Artillery Battalion - Cmd, Staff, Observer, 8 76mm ZIS-3, 4 122mm Howitzers
KG Leichtgehen (FJ)
  • HQ - Maj. Leichtgehen, 2iC, 2 Panzerschreck, 3 8cm Mortars
  • 1st Platoon - Cmd, 9 Rifle/MG teams
  • 2nd Platoon - Cmd, 6 Rifle/MG teams
  • Panzer Platoon - 5 MK IVs
  • FJ AT Gun Platoon - Cmd, 4 Pak40 AT guns
  • Rocket Launcher Battery - Cmd, 3 15cm Nebelwerfers
  • Gebirgsjäger Platoon - Cmd, 6 Rifle/MG teams
  • Luftwaffe Heavy AA Gun Platoon - Cmd, 2 8.8cm FlaK36 (extra crew)





SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT





UNITS IN RESERVE
Soviet Strelkovy
  • 1st Strelkovy Company
  • 2nd Strelkovy Company
  • SMG Company
KG Leichtgehen (FJ)
  • None




DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy: The Soviets deployed their Artillery battalion in the north along with their heavy mortars in the treeline west and north of the artillery battalion. The AT Sections were formed into a platoon by the 2iC and had the BN Cmd and Komissar attached. They were deployed behind the woods north of the western exit road. The flank march consisted of the two Strelkovy companies and the SMG company.

KG Leichtgehen (FJ): Because I only had one "mobile" platoon, I was able to start with every platoon on the board. The AT gun platoon setup in the woods north of the eastern exit road with a line of fire towards the objectives. Second Platoon setup in the town occupying the train station and a few other buildings. First platoon is occupying foxholes just south of the eastern exit road. The Panzer platoon was deployed along the main road.

The two objectives can be seen to the south of the town. On the left, the Gebirgsjäger are forming a screen to protect the firing positions of the guns. The 88's are just visible south of the barren field. The nebelwerfers are deployed to the left in some woods.



TURN 1

A Mk IV knocked out by a T34

HQ mortars smoke the Soviet artillery battalion

The Nebelwerfer observer calls in fire onto the AT platoon

The 88 battery scores a couple long range kills!

A panzerschreck adds another bail and the T34s are hurting



COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy
  • Tankovy Platoon - 5 T34/85 tanks
KG Leichtgehen (FJ)
  • 2nd FJ Platoon - 1 Rifle/MG
  • Panzer Platoon - 1 MK IV




TURN 1 SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy: The T34/85 platoon cautiously moves up to get better shots. They get a good number of hits on the Gebirgsjäger and have several that seem to hit home only to be negated by the foxholes. The T34 platoon commander shoots at one of the MK IVs and registers a kill. Neither the heavy mortars nor the 122mm howitzers range in on their respective targets. The 76mm guns direct fire against 2nd FJ Platoon scoring some hits and a kill.

KG Leichtgehen (FJ): Major Leichtgehen, realizing that he needs to contest the objectives against a horde of approaching Soviet infantry starts moving the 1st FJ Platoon and the AT gun platoon towards the objectives so they can dig-in and try to hold off the advancing horde.

The HQ mortar platoon smokes the 76mm ZIS-3 guns of the artillery battalion. 
Nebelwerfers target the Soviet AT Platoon and pin it. The 88 battery shoots at the T34s and manages to get two kills and a bail at long range. A panzerschreck team, attached to 2nd FJ Platoon, hits and bails another T-34.

At this point, the platoon needs to take a morale check which it promptly fails... Scratch one Tank Platoon!



TURN 2

Situation on the right.

Situation on the left.



COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy
  • Tankovy Platoon - 5 T34/85 tanks
  • Artillery Battalion - 1 76mm ZIS-3
KG Leichtgehen (FJ)
  • 2nd FJ Platoon - 1 Rifle/MG
  • Panzer Platoon - 1 MK IV




TURN 2 SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy: Not much happens this turn.

The 122mm howitzers fail to range in again. The ZIS-3 guns fail to score any hits against 2nd Platoon in the buildings and the heavy mortars get no hits when they range in on the nebelwerfer smoke trails. The AT platoon remains pinned. A status that will plague them for most of the game...

KG Leichtgehen (FJ): The HQ mortars smoke the ZIS-3 guns again. The 88's manage to get one of the ZIS-3 guns that is on the south side of the smoke and the nebelwerfers score some hits on the AT platoon keeping it "double secret pinned".



TURN 3

Situation on the right.

Situation on the left.

One of the nebelwefers is put out of action!



COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy
  • Tankovy Platoon - 5 T34/85 tanks
  • Artillery Battalion - 2 76mm ZIS-3
  • Heavy Mortar Company - 1 120mm mortar
KG Leichtgehen (FJ)
  • 2nd FJ Platoon - 1 Rifle/MG
  • Panzer Platoon - 1 MK IV
  • Nebelwerfer Platoon - 1 15cm launcher




TURN 3 SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy: Soviets do not get reserves this turn. The artillery battalion fires at the nebelwerfers and manages a hit that pins them. The heavy mortars also fire on the nebelwerfers and kill one of the launchers!

KG Leichtgehen (FJ): 1st FJ Platoon digs in on the objectives with the AT gun platoon backing them up. For some reason I forgot to dig the guns in too! Arrrrgggghh!

The nebelwerfers score a kill against the heavy mortars and the 88's score a kill against the ZIS-3 guns. The remaining fire was ineffective.



TURN 4



Here they come boys! Soviet Rifle Companies arrive...

Nebelwerfers pounded again

Heavy mortars try to take out a Mk IV

The Mk IVs move out to try to help with the Soviet infantry.

We need to kill them as fast as possible!



COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy
  • Tankovy Platoon - 5 T34/85 tanks
  • Artillery Battalion - 3 76mm ZIS-3
  • Heavy Mortar Company - 1 120mm mortar
  • 2nd Rifle Company - 4 Rifle/MG
KG Leichtgehen (FJ)
  • 2nd FJ Platoon - 1 Rifle/MG
  • Panzer Platoon - 1 MK IV
  • Nebelwerfer Platoon - 1 15cm launcher




TURN 4 SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy: The Soviet reserves start to arrive and head straight for the objectives!

The artillery battalion repeats its bombardment on the nebelwerfers and manage to pin them. The heavy mortars score a hit on the Mk IV in the village, but it is saved. The rifle companies fire on 1st FJ platoon, but only score a hit which is saved.

KG Leichtgehen (FJ): We now have a target rich environment!

The Mk IVs manage 5 hits with 1 kill on the 2nd Rifle Company. The 1st FJ Platoon gets a further 8 hits and 3 kills thus pinning the the 2nd Rifle Company. The AT guns, and the rest of 1st Platoon score minimal hits, with no casualties, on the Soviet 1st Rifle Company. The HQ mortar platoon manages a 1 shot-1kill hit on the ZIS-3 guns of the artillery battalion!



TURN 5

The reinforcements fill the gaps...

Soviets target the panzer platoon and score one kill

The rest of the platoon comes on line.

The Gebirgsjäger move towards the Soviet flank march.

Nebelwerfers pound the Soviet artillery

More riflemen die for the Motherland!



COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy
  • Tankovy Platoon - 5 T34/85 tanks
  • Artillery Battalion - 3 76mm ZIS-3, 2 122mm howitzers
  • Heavy Mortar Company - 2 120mm mortar
  • 2nd Rifle Company - 6 Rifle/MG
  • 1st Rifle Company - 5 Rifle/MG
  • SMG Company - 4 SMG stands
KG Leichtgehen (FJ)
  • 2nd FJ Platoon - 1 Rifle/MG
  • Panzer Platoon - 2 MK IV
  • Nebelwerfer Platoon - 1 15cm launcher




TURN 5 SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy: The SMG company comes on as a reserve and quickly fills in the gaps in the 2nd Company's formation who remain pinned this turn even after the Komissar makes an example of a few frontniks.

The artillery battalion ranges in on the panzer platoon and scores one kill! 1st and 2nd Rifle Companies fail to hit any of the defenders dug-in on the objectives.

KG Leichtgehen (FJ): The nebelwerfers score three kills on the artillery battalion and the heavy mortars! Mk IV tanks score 4 kills on the SMG company. The AT guns and the 1st Platoon manage 5 kills on 1st Rifle Company and pin them down.



TURN 6



Komissars lead the infantry forward!

The panzer platoon is gutted.

The Gebirgsjäger take some shells and rethink their involvement...

1st Company assaults!

...and are driven back by withering defensive fire...

The 2nd Company gives it a try!




COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy
  • Tankovy Platoon - 5 T34/85 tanks
  • Artillery Battalion - 3 76mm ZIS-3, 2 122mm howitzers
  • Heavy Mortar Company - 2 120mm mortar
  • 2nd Rifle Company - 9 Rifle/MG
  • 1st Rifle Company - 10 Rifle/MG
  • SMG Company - 6 SMG stands
KG Leichtgehen (FJ)
  • 2nd FJ Platoon - 1 Rifle/MG
  • Panzer Platoon - 4 MK IV
  • Nebelwerfer Platoon - 1 15cm launcher
  • Gebirgsjäger Platoon - 1 Rifle/MG




TURN 6 SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy: The komissars make their presence felt and rally the men, after making further examples of a few cowards! The wave moves forward, pins down 1st FJ Platoon, and then assaults them! The two assaults are beaten back with enough casualties to stop the assaults.

The artillery battalion repeats its bombardment from last turn, but this time they have an even juicier target as the panzer platoon has lined up to shoot the Soviet riflemen. (I forgot about the repeat and didn't see the ranged in marker!) The fire is accurate and two more Mk IVs go up in flames! The platoon leader was one of the ones hit. He transfers command to the last remaining vehicle and manages to keep the crew in the fight!

KG Leichtgehen (FJ): Major Leichtgehen calls in the HQ mortars onto the 2nd Rifle Company and scores two more kills! That will be enough to force a morale check!

The SMG Company attracts the fire of the 88's and a few Gebirgsjäger stands resulting in 2 stands lost. First FJ Platoon and the AT gun platoon fire into the remnants of the 1st and 2nd Rifle Companies scoring 3 more teams killed between them. This all forces morale checks on the rifle companies. 1st Company passes, but the komissar is needed to keep the 2nd Company in the fight!



TURN 7



The artillery battalion shifts its fire directly onto the Gebirgsjägers

The brave riflemen form up for one more try!

But when the smoke clears they are beaten and must retreat...



COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy
  • Tankovy Platoon - 5 T34/85 tanks
  • Artillery Battalion - 3 76mm ZIS-3, 2 122mm howitzers
  • Heavy Mortar Company - 2 120mm mortar
  • 2nd Rifle Company -13 Rifle/MG
  • 1st Rifle Company - 10 Rifle/MG, komissar
  • SMG Company - 11 SMG stands
KG Leichtgehen (FJ)
  • 2nd FJ Platoon - 1 Rifle/MG
  • Panzer Platoon - 4 MK IV
  • Nebelwerfer Platoon - 1 15cm launcher
  • Gebirgsjäger Platoon - 2 Rifle/MG
  • AT Gun Platoon - 1 PaK 40




TURN 7 SUMMARY
Soviet Strelkovy: The Soviet rifle companies are near their breaking point. First Company's komissar makes an example of another comrade, but the men have had enough and kill the komissar. No one sees anything wrong with it and they continue trying to hide from the withering fire.

Second Rifle Company remains pinned after the komissar is too far away to have any real effect on the morale of the unit.

The SMG Company rallies and moves up to try their hand at taking the German defenders down. Their charge is predictably stopped by horendous MG and AT gun fire from the defending Fallschirmjägers.

The artillery and the heavy mortars manage a few more kills, but it's not enough to turn the tide.

KG Leichtgehen (FJ): The Soviet riflemen are almost beaten, but we need to keep firing to hurry them along! 

The 88's and lone Mk IV get 4 kills on 2nd Rifle Company. 1st FJ Platoon fires on the SMG Company and scores 3 kills. The AT gun platoon manages 1 kill on 1st Rifle Company. 

The two Rifle Companies then decide they've had enough and quit the field. Leaving the remnants of the SMG company to hold the ground...
At this point we "hand waved" our way through the 8th turn where it mattered and I was able to take out the SMG Company too, so we called the game after Turn 7.

My son's play was much improved and I helped by making a couple mental mistakes forgetting to do some things!

One thing that turned out well was that my son attached the two observers (artillery & heavy mortars) to the Rifle Companies so that they could have some fire support on their side of the table. Most of the rest of my forces could be spotted directly so they weren't needed at the beginning of the game.

All-in-all a really fun game. Now I'll have to dream up a breakout scenario as the German parachute assault was just a hamlet too far...




Generated by WWPD's BatRepper Software.

3 comments:

  1. A great report with some superb looking photos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! That was a lot of fun!

      Now we are really getting into CoC, but this really makes me think about all of that FOW stuff I have too... :)

      Delete
  2. Hi Neal,
    I have sent Lev an email saying you would like to see some pictures of his terrain mats, so he may be in touch.
    Cheers,
    Pat.

    ReplyDelete