"Convoy Ambush – Belorussia '44, with Battlegroup Bagration" Topic

" It is not often we play a smaller, squad-level, Battlegroup game,and for once, this would be an infantry fight, with partisan forces ambushing a supply convoy. Ambushes are tough scenarios to recreate, because the advantages stack up to the point were the side being attacked stand little real chance, and that doesn't really make for a fun game. Anyway, maybe Battlegroup can do it a bit better and make a game of it – this was a test to find out…"

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Armand

The topic of partisan actions is quite interesting. But we need to work on the scenarios.
A few comments:
- some main goal of the attack must be established for the guerrillas: destruction of an enemy supply column, capture of ammunition or food, capture or destruction of a high-ranking officer, destruction of a bridge, release of prisoners, etc.;
- partisans almost always experience a significant lack of ammunition, which means their firepower should be limited;
- partisans in most cases will not fight for a long time and, if serious resistance is shown, will simply retreat;
- the partisans will be very seriously limited in their heavy means of fighting: they are difficult to cover, it is difficult to quickly maneuver with them off roads, and it is difficult to obtain ammunition for them. Most likely for such an operation they would have several PTR rifles
- an ambush on both sides of the road (if it is not a mountainous area) will lead to the partisans firing at each other…
- in case enemy reinforcements appear, I would leave a small barrier near the road, which would allow warning of their appearance and allow the main forces to leave the battle in time

Rear Security Forces:
- there must be reconnaissance: cavalry, motorcyclists, armored car…

Convoy spacing is also critical. The one you show should have the convoy commander took out and shot for being so stupid.

A wider spacing makes it harder for the Partisan's to get all of it quickly so giving the convoy escort time to re-deploy resources. It might help as Cuprum notes if you only want one truck, but the risk of losing more trucks is far less and you may get more time/opportunity for the partisan's to be eliminated before being driven off.

Thanks

Armand

UshCha, I think such nuances are difficult to reflect due to the limited size of the table.
If I were solving the problem for the partisans, I would plant guided land mines on the possible path of the convoy's retreat. If possible, I would mine the roadsides at the supposed ambush site. I would choose a bend in the road for the attack and set up a heavy machine gun in front or behind so that it could fire along the entire length of the column. I would place the infantry on one of the sides along the entire length of the column.
If I were solving the problem for the column commander, I would send reconnaissance ahead. Even if she does not detect the enemy (he will let her through), she will be outside the main fire zone and will be able to attack the ambush from the flank. I would divide the cover forces into two parts – at the head and at the tail of the column (there is a high probability that one of the parts will be exposed to less enemy action). I would use smoke grenades to make it difficult for the enemy to fire accurately (if available – if not, I would probably order one of the damaged trucks to be set on fire, depending on the situation). I would send the tank in the middle of the column so that it would have the opportunity to maneuver along the entire column in a timely manner.