Author	treadasaurusrex (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	sagunto
Play Date	2021-11-07
Language	English
Scenario	FitS006

Inspired by my cunning PG Mentor’s in-depth example of movement-to -ontact planning, and blackcloud6’s Soviet hold & fall back tactics as described in his AAR, this play-through was fought over 3-sessions in solo mode on VASSAL, but with both sides present and alternating their respective turns. This was clumsy as we both had to be present and alternate at the computer, but with plenty of beer, salsa and chips it was good fun! I played the Soviet side on the defensive.

As I have slowly learned, many PG scenarios require the weaker side to conduct fighting withdrawals, and delay onrushing German panzers and their accompanying mechanized infantry. As suggested by others, I chose to basically concede control of the town of Lokachi on Map 04 rather than making a major fight for it with more than a single company of infantrymen. In the event, this kept my forward-deployed units from getting shot up and bypassed by the fast-moving central column of German mechanized troops. I hoped that my OBA would substantially reduce the number of German infantry for sake of victory points and I also planned for the arrival of the 19th Tank Division on Turn 22 to be able to seriously distract the Germans and get some of its tanks onto or adjacent to the main road on either Map 05 or 01. As luck would have it, this did happen, as unlike the historic battle, all reinforcing forces arrived on time.

My boldly-aggressive opponent chose to push as quickly as possible straight down the major east-west road, and attacked Lokachi right off the bat, so my delaying tactics ended up working in Russia's favor. As described in other AARs, I started with the bulk of the Soviet infantry and the weaker AT guns dug in along a dispersed line on Map 05, emplacing the light AT guns on the adjoining hill. Two Soviet infantry companies were deployed to defend Lutsk, the town on Map 01. The AT Artillery Brigade mostly deployed in the woods on Map 06. The Germans attacked and occupied Lokachi and then moved quickly to take out my scratch Soviet defensive line on Map 05. They attacked the hill, and with Luftwaffe support, easily unhinged the defense. In the process, the bulk of the remaining Soviet infantry were able to withdraw along the main road back to the AT Brigade defensive line. Subsequently, German reinforcements took Lutsk on Map 01 and the Russians simply delayed as long as possible and then pulled back to support the strong AT defensive positions. Thanks to a number of fine bombardment die rolls, Soviet OBA effectively targeted Germans on most turns resulting in many German infantry and SPW casualties. My opponent’s bombardment rolls were relatively deadly the first 6 turns, but then the fates intervened, and he had miserable luck with his OBA die rolls in later turns.

After Turn 11, the Germans were in a dilemma of only having occupied Lokachi and thus had to attack into the strong AT-Infantry defense on Map 01. They tried and did gain footholds in both the north and south edges, but Russian artillery battered the infantry repeatedly and the eventual arrival of the Soviet tanks doomed the German cause. My opponent conceded on game turn 23.

I like that this scenario featured a significant amount of fire and maneuver, and there was less emphasis on the capture of town hexes than is usually the case with PG victory conditions. In the end, it proved a very costly scenario to both sides, but with a few exceptions, the Soviet side was able to conduct a fighting withdrawal in decent order, ahead of a powerful, but headlong German attack.