Road to Berlin, scenario #53: Favoritenstrasse

Posting # 1

I was having a hard time choosing the next scenario to play, as I wanted to about nine different ones from RtB and I have already played 10 or 11 from this games, as I love this time period on the Eastern front. I decided to good with a Soviet assault, where they have to control all the town, road and hill hexes and other result is a German Victory. The best part is that Casualties are irrelevant!

The Soviet Forces are about twice in Infantry units, about 2.5 stronger in Tanks, about equal in on board support weapons and about 6 to 1 in their favor in off-board artillery. They are draw air-support. The Germans have the terrain benefit, town hexes and dug-in on the hills to the rear. They also have a little armor with teeth: Tiger II, Panthers, PzIVHs & Hetzers armor units but the Soviet have many more with: T-34/85s, JS-2s, JSU-152, SU-76 & light Ba64 armored cars.

The Soviets have three towns and a large hill to take from the German and 30 turn to succeed or fail. They have divided into two groups, one going up the center, using the main road and the other going around the hill in a flanking move. Besides, there are too many Russians to attack in one group but once they get around the first hill and take the first town, they will rejoin. The Germans just need to hold on, as long as possible and reshuffle forces as needed. The key to their forces is defending the towns and large in on map board 21.

As usually, as in most battle form the Road to Berlin, I have barrow forces from the two branches for both nationalities to fill the scenarios roster. No big deal, as it all comes from the same box.

This should be a fun battle to simulate and presently the two forces are just making contact on the highway leading into the first town. Now back to the battle. Less posting and more playing!

Posting #2

The battle was a classic Soviet late war offensive. First the Soviets concentrated their forces on taking the German town on map board #19, which wasn’t very well supported by other German Units. After this the Soviets move forward in mass to the big hill on map board 21 against the German dug-in Infantry, support weapons and Armor which includes a Tiger II unit and two Panther tank units. These were very tough on my Soviet armor units to takeout, specially with the dug-in bonus and took a large toll on the Soviets T-34/85s & JS-2s but fortunately the Soviets had a large quantity in this scenario and the cross-fire bonus helped with that monster Tiger II on the hill dug-in to boot. For I while my morale sank as my Soviet Armor burned but after a hard fought battle on the Hill and the German squashed, the Soviets moved on the other two towns on board 21, first taking one and then the other with an over helming forces of Infantry, Armor & Artillery.

Finally I use my Soviet offensive army in the correct way, not going after all four objectives at once, thus making the mistake of spreading out my units to thin. The large amount of Artillery and Airpower worked to my advantage and I was able to clear and control all the town, road & hill hexes of Germans units. The Soviet a Victory and this was a fun scenario.