Last night we played another 'Attack/Counterattack' scenario, this time a platoon level encounter set at 600 points.
The Russians were chosen from the 'Infantry Division' list, and focussed on infantry with KV-1s in support. In addition to the units shown they also took a couple of scheduled Katyusha barrages;
Russian 600 Point Infantry Division Battlegroup
1 x Forward HQ
2 x Infantry Platoon
1 x KV-1 Squadron
1 x Radio Truck
2 x 82mm Mortars
2 x MMG Teams
2 x 45mm Anti-Tank Guns
1 x FAO
2 x Katyushas Off-table
2 x Scheduled Katyusha Barrages
The Germans used the 'Panzer Division' list for their 600 points and again elected for a balanced list but with a healthy dose of Tigers, this however left them light on infantry;
German 600 Point Panzer Division Battlegroup
1 x Forward HQ in Tiger I
1 x Dismounted Panzergrenadier Platoon with MG34s
1 x Additional dismounted Panzergrenadier squad with MG34
1 x Comms Relay Team
1 x Sniper
1 x Panzer IVH Squadron
1 x Tiger I with 'Tiger Ace'
2 x 120mm Mortars with 'Loader Teams'
2 x 105mm Scheduled Artillery Barrage
1 x First Priority Artillery Request
The game featured four objective points and the Germans gained the upper hand by possessing the only recce unit. Their sniper hide himself away in the village. He was to play the pivotal role later in the game. The scenario has a staggered deployment with d6 units arriving per turn. While this suited the Germans, with the smaller army, poor rolls for the Russians saw them with few units to bring on for the first few turns. In an effort to use their mortars they brought on one of the Infantry Platoon Commands, and a lucky hit from one of the 120mm mortars wiped them out to a man. The loss of this unit, would curtail the Russians ability to call in mortars and to utilise their special infantry rules for the platoon.
German mortar fire scatters 10" towards the Russian mortar teams…The worry over the mortars was proved to be a moot point when the Germans saw their second mortar fire scatter onto the two deployed Russian mortars. The Germans then rolled for their 'Loader Team' and gained an extra shot. They promptly rolled three dice, and scored two sixes, getting a direct hit on both the mortar teams. The subsequent casualties wiped out both the mortar teams. By the end of what was only the third turn, the Russians were getting despondent.
After losing their mortars the Russians drew a 'Breakdown' morale chit and the Panzer IV commander promptly became immobilised…However, the slow arrival of Russian forces also hindered the Germans. On Turn 6 the two German scheduled barrages came in on the chosen points. Due tothe lack of Russian troops arriving, one fell on unoccupied ground while the other just managed to catch and suppress a couple of AT guns that had arrived. It was a dissapointing result. However the same turn also saw one of the Russian scheduled Katyusha barrages arrive and its target point was smack in the middle of the German lines. The resultant carnage wiped out an MG team, crippled both the platoon HQ and a rifle team and destroyed the immobilised Panzer IV with a direct hit. As the smoke cleared it was now the German turn to feel battered.
The Russian KV-1s had arrived so the Germans brought on their Tiger Ace to deal with the threat. As the Germans tried, and failed to call in more mortar fire, they managed little other than to get their troops up towards the small farms. Sadly in the following Russian turn this was the target of another Katyusha barrage and further casualties were caused. With the Grenadier platoon looking worse for wear, the Russians finally got a good reinforcement roll and hordes of Russian infantry arrived along with their FAO. Things looked to be at a critical stage for both side. In response the Germans brought on their Forward HQ and he used the First Priority Request to call in some heavy duty artillery. Having managed to make the successful rolls, a barrage of 150mm Nebelwerfer rounds smacked onto the KV-1s. With 12 dice to roll the Germans looked smugged. After the smoke cleared, the three KV-1s rolled on…
The Tiger Ace's round bounces off a KV-1 at very long range – 63" away…The Russians now raced everything towards the large ruined building as the KV-1s backtracked (after a shot from the Tiger Ace had clattered off the frontal armour of one of them) and moved down the road towards the village. The Germans realised that if the Russian FAO got into the house, his field of fire would command the table, and with a battery of Katyushas at his disposal, things could get very nasty, very quickly. So some mortar fire from the Germans managed to pin the FAO team as they moved. Ther Germans felt safe for another turn. However, in his turn the Russian Forward HQ used their 'Tactical Coordination' rule and successfully unpinned the FAO. They raced to the building and took up position ready to fire in the next turn. In response the Germans poured all the fire they could at the building, but to no avail. The Russian FAO peeped out and picked up his radio. With two failed communication rolls, the FAO was unable to bring in the Katyushas! While the Russians cursed their luck, the Germans breathed a sigh of relief. Another turn followed, and again the Russian FAO survived the fusilade of gunfire and mortars. In his turn he finally called in the Katyushas as Russian infantry surged forward. The attack was slightly off target, but managed to kill a German MG team taht was caught moving in the open. The Germans took a morale chit and got a 'Mine Strike!' that they promptly played on the lead KV-1. The roll saw the tank burst into flames as a mine detonated under it.
The lead KV-1 drives over a mine…With the loss of the KV-1 the Russians drew a morale chit. By chance they drew another 'Mine Strike' and with an evil giggle played it on the German Command HQ in his Tiger. They rolled the dice… and a score of '1' saw the chit go to the Germans to place on a Russian tank! The German roll of six for the mines effect saw the second KV-1 on the road hit a mine and be abandoned!
Bad luck see's a second KV-1 hit by a mine…But the Russians still came on, but with the Katyushas reloading and a poor command roll, few troops moved. Ther Germans now had to act. Gunfire and mortars ploughed into the Russian lines but did little, though one of the Panzer IVs took out the last KV-1. Running out of options the Germans could almost see the Russian FAO picking up his radio to talk to the Katyusha battery. Then the Germans remembered their sniper who for the whole game had been forgotten about! He had a line of sight at the Russian FAO… A string of 'sixes' saw the Russian FAO drop to the floor, a single bullet through the head, and his radio operator turn tail and head for the hills! This caused the Russians to draw another morale chit that pushed them over their Battle Rating limit.
German Cross in gold for you, my young Grenadier! So with the game over we took stock. The Germans had suffered heavy infantry losses but their armour was intact. The Russians, hampered by their poor arrival rolls had to fight piecemeal and soon lost their mortars and infantry commands further causing them the inability to use the Russian 'Urrah!' special rule. It seemed close, but the Russians had drawn alot of 4 and 5 rated chits which had caused them to break, and with the two mine strikes, it just wasnt their day. That said they should have gone for some recce, and perhaps off-table mortars, to get another mortar spotter into action. Nevertheless a fun game and one that provided tense times for both sides.
experiments to find a better way to mount aircraft for wargaming.
