I hosted the game, and set up the terrain. Thinking Paul would be sticking with his Para's, I set up a European themed countryside. I decided to stick with my favourite, the Panzergrenadiers of Panzer Lehr. German infantry platoons are rarely large, yet Lehr has a few extra Tank hunter teams and throw in the HQ attachments, you can make a reasonable size platoon with which to make an attack, or defend.
So I took:
German, Lehr Gepanzerte Panzergrenadiers 1200pts
HQ P/fausts + 2 PzShreks
Full GPG
Full GPG
Heavy Mortar Platoon (4 tubes)
2 Jagdpanzers
3 Pumas
So I'd have two combat platoons one of which could be the main attack with one supporting. The heavy mortars could bombard, pin and hopefully kill some stuff with their high 3+ FP. The Jadpanzers would be there to run interference through the centre. I do rather like the low silhouette of the Jagdpanzer (and StuG) because with realistically scaled terrain, the Jagpanzer panzer can often claim a cover bonus, behind a low hedge, where a larger turreted tank, could not. The recce Pumas could have a multi-purpose role, pushing back ambushes, lifting GTG, shooting stuff up and even assaulting if the chance arose.
So that was the plan.
Paul rocked on up, unzipped his bag, and brought out his Soviets! I hadn't planned for that! Oh heck... I hate playing Soviets,... theres always millions of the little buggers to kill and they invariably never run away because they're usually fearless...
Not only that, Paul had picked a 'Forward Detachment', from Red Bear. This is a mixed formation which combines armour and infantry in its HQ and combat platoons. Oh, and its also "always attack"...
So that puts me on the defensive, which I hadn't expected.
So Paul took (IIRC):
Soviet, Forward Detachment 1200pts
Infantry based HQ
1 x Infantry Combat platoon (15 elements with Kommissar)
1 x Tank Platoon (6 x T34/85)
1 x Assault gun platoon (4 x Su122's)
Medium Mortar platoon (6 tubes)
Small Infantry scout platoon.
So the scene was set. The remnants of Panzer Lehr Division have been rushed to the Eastern front to try and stem the tide of the Russian onslaught. The weight of force the Russians are exerting in this sector and all along the front is extreme, forcing the Wehrmacht division into a Fighting Withdrawal to the next defensive line. Can they retire in good order, preserving their forces, whilst giving the Soviets a bloody nose for their troubles...
In Fighting Withdrawal, the defender chooses a side to defend and places one objective marker in their deployment zone. The attacker then deploys two more objective markers on the defenders side of the table. So the defender has to spread his force to defend 3 objectives. At this same time he must withdraw his platoons from the table, in good order, in a set fashion as precribed by the turn sequence, but also may start to pull from the table, the objective markers placed by the attacker.
It invariably turns into a tension filled, mind bender of a game, especially for the defender, who is trying to hang on to the objectives with a strung out force, and being forced over time to take his battered troops off the table too!
So I surveyed the terrain, and decided my best line of defence was probably going to be the streetline of buildings, and I would place my main objective, centrally behind these, knowing Paul would be likely to place his 2 more objectives either side of this as far apart as possible. And this duely occurred.
Knowing I had to defend 3 objectives I decided to make a kampfgruppe with my 2iC, pulling elements from the other two combat platoons, who themselves would be reinforced from the P/shrek teams from the HQ...
So thats what I did. I then placed the mortars in a position, to bombard the table, and placed my jagdpanzers centrally either side of the central wood, so they could respond to a thrust from Paul, on either flank. The Pumas I held as my ambush. I figured their 9 shots, would be better than the 4 from the jagdpanzers... My half tracks I decided to deploy on the table but concealed in woods behind each platoon, so if a mob of soviet infantry appeared, they could drive up and mow them down with MG fire...
Heres how deployement went...
Paul predictably went for the exposed objective on my right flank, amassing his greatest strength on that side, his main Infantry platoon and SU122's. His mortars and scouts were next to these and his T34's were centrally placed to stop my other platoons from getting twitchy and heading over to the flank to help...
Pauls T34/85's... 6 of these buggers in a 1200pt game, I am always amazed how much gear the soviets get!
And his 4 Su122s... and aganst this I manage 2 assault guns and few snazzy armoured cars... sheesh! Below the main soviet assault force. I have been on the receiving end of the SU122's before... once they get within close range its all over for your infantry, rerolling hits with volley fire, and no infantry save and a 2+FP to blow you out of your foxhole... not nice. These have become public enemy No.1 for my Wehrmacht...
And what do I have defending against this juggernaut?...these few humble souls, backed up by the CO....
Meanwhile my centre sits quite contentedly, feeling reasonably secure in the buildings, gardens and foxholes. His armour would have a tough time getting through here... but I dare nor move it too much to weaken protection of the 2 objectives they are covering...
First turn, Paul moves out, his T34s swinging towards his left...
... and a general advance on his left flank... scouts revealed GTG, but nothing died on the German side...
On my turn I hurriedly started moving my jadgpanzers across to my right...
...and of course I had decided to strike with my ambush while the iron is hot, and deployed my 3 ambushing puma's in the tiny tree line...
From my left flank I nervously started advancing half tracks across out of the woods, just in case they needed to mount up and make a dash along the central road, to reach the opposite flank...
The puma's let rip and destroy two of the Su122s! The heavy mortars range in on one of the SUs and kill 3 infantry teams...
In Paul's subsequent turn he gets his T34s and Su122s in to a position to shoot and destroys the daring pumas! Mortar fire kills an infantry team too, pinning them.
The other T34s MG fire at the flank grenadiers who had started moving, and kill one of them and pin the platoon...
In my turn, my jagdpanzer fires on the SU122s but only manages to bail one....
Not much else happens till next turn.. Paul has swung his SU's into a better position and started advancing his infantry, but they take more mortar fire and the jadgpanzer pops one of them!
...the other jagdpanzers nails a T34...( please note that is smoke and flames billowing from the back of the tank, and not a jet engine - these wouldn't be fitted to tank till the M1A1 Abrams ;-p )
The action really starts to hot up on the flank, with the soviets pushing their advance and the germans hanging on...
Assorted assaults , mortar fire and MG fire fire rakes back and forth from both sides over this area, the screams of the dying filling the air, the bloody mess of their bodies, smearing the countryside...
In the mean time, Pauls Mortar observor had sneaked forward on the other flank. I saw a chance and advanced a team to assault him, but actually killed him with fire as I advanced!...
... so the German infantry team dodged back into cover...
Eventually, the russian advance is telling and they finally get into a position to fully contest the objective, and capture the last remaining bailed Jagdpanzer that had moved across to the objective, only to get nailed by a T34 and bailed. The other jadgpanzer had already succomed to T34 fire... All I had left contesting this objective was my CO!
I get in to a position to fire on the soviets clustering around the objective, and allowing my CO to expedite his escape via half track transport...
Top of turn 6, I pull the objective out from under the soviets...The half tracks MG fire hurts more of the soviet infantry, leaving only one left... backed by their CO.
The German CO legs it into the woods behind him, as the last soviet infantry team is neutralised!
The german CO finds discretion the better part of valor, and hides in the woods...
Paul's harsh realisation is that, by this time, the soviet forces are not in a position now to pressure the other objectives, even though I have had to withdraw my left flank grenadier platoon, and the final remnant, one halftrack from the right flank grenadier team. His only option now is to try and break my company.
I have withdrawn 2 platoons, had 2 destroyed, and have 2 left on the board. If Paul can kill one more platoon he can force a company morale check. Over the last two turns Paul puts everything into killing my mortar platoon, who have realised the situtaion and stopped firing , and gone to ground.
Paul manages to kill 2 teams on turn 7 but can't kill any more on turn 8...
With that, I am able to claim victory...withdrawing the shattered remnants of my forces, and securing a 4-3 win!
The final positions...
It has to be said the action on the Grman right flank over the objective was brutal, and I passed a great many platoon morale tests, much to Pauls frustration. "Die damn you!" being his echoing cry round the room. It has to be said his soviet infantry also survived few!
A great game, full of tension and drama. I must thank Paul for keeping me right with the impliactions of the turn sequence of this mission as I could have cocked things up at the end, without his helpful advice.
Looking forward to more!
