Panzer Grenadier Battles on April 19th:
Conquest of Ethiopia #29 - Second Ogaden: Battle of Bircut Road to Berlin #68 - Batteries of the Dead
New Zealand Division #7 - Night Action at Takrouna Road to Berlin #69 - Dutch Treat
Slowing down a counterattack
Author campsawyer
Method Solo
Victor Germany
Play Date 2011-06-24
Language English
Scenario CCV1021

Across Poland is an interesting scenario as it has the Germans attacking instead of the Soviets in this late war battle. The Soviets have a defensive line before a rather large set of hills as they move across Poland. The Germans, on the hills are desperate to stop them an mount a counter attack.

The Germans have some impressive armor support, Tigers, Panthers and armored cars to face Soviet T34-85's Su-100 and Su-76s. But with the infantry support they are lacking for a sustained attack as needed to capture towns on two boards. Artillery support goes to the Germans as well with OBA and onboard mortars. Morale is roughly equal, and the leader draw favored the Soviets.

The Soviets setup with a large force in the town on advanced board 19. The place infantry and T34-85's to attempt to slow the German advance. They also take advantage of woods and place infantry and a T34-85 to try to get cross fire. On board 21, infantry are positioned in the woods in front of the northern town while the middle town is stacked with infantry and Su-76's. Mortars are place southwest of the middle town to support the advanced units on board 19. Finally a Su-122 and infantry are placed on the 40m hill on board 21. The character leaders are placed in the town on board 19 and one of the woods hexes to the south.

The Germans get to setup on board for this scenario. They can start on the hill on board 14. They setup with an "infantry first" assault, holding back the tanks until the Soviet tanks are identified. Given that the Soviet artillery is only onboard mortars, this makes it a little easier to advance on the town without massive casualties. So, the infantry is places on the lower level of the ridge line. The main group on or near the road and another to move in a southerly rout around the swamp. The Panthers and Stug are behind the main group and the Tiger is with the other force. The armored cars, halftracks and trucks remain in the woods on the hill.

The Germans move out from the hill over the cross of the first two turns, making contact with the Soviets in the town on turn three. Soviet OP fire scores the first kill and Captain Smirnov with some early LP's. As the Germans close on the town the Soviet tanks are spotted and the German Panthers go to work destroying one and one half steps. The remnants retreat to the back of the town. German infantry try to work there way up to assault the infantry but Soviet OP fire and some excellent spotting by Capt. Smirnov keep the German infantry at bay. Several turns go by as disrupted and demoralized German infantry need time to recover, but Soviet fire keeps them struggling to get back to good order.

By turn 8 the Germans get one assault force into the town on board 19. It struggles to hold on as the assaults results are not favorable and more disruptions and demoralization hit the German infantry. Mortar fire by the Soviets knock out 4 German GREN steps severally depleting the assaults. But the German recover as HMG's and ENG's join the fight. The take the first town town hexes and with supporting Panther fire hit a third as light up a remaining T34-85.

The attack on the town becomes desperate for the Soviets, Capt Smirnov is the only one left in the town with his INF and GREN. Fire from the German Stug and ENG demoralized the stack and they must flee. German OP fire kills the units but Smironv runs for the for the towns on board 21. The Germans have the town on board 19, but at a steep cost 12 GREN steps are lost taking the town. The Germans need to press on to get more town hexes to get a win.

Meanwhile to the south LT Popov is holding out in the woods trying to get some support fire on the attacking Germans until the German Tiger bears down on the group. The Tiger fires HE and machineguns into the woods but Popov keeps his troops together while the Germans bring up infantry from the southern force. Popov skillfully manages to OP fire killing more GREN's and driving an HMG back. He tries to position his INF for an assault on the Tiger but the tank is to skill-full to avoid his advances. A Panther is not so luck with another group of Soviets. They are able to assault and demoralize it before German reinforcements come to it's rescue. But it is to rattle to continue the battle and sits out the last half of the game trying to recover.

Now that the town is taken on board 19, the Germans move the remaining forces forward to attack board 21. Their forces are scattered and reduced but they manage to get a enough forward with a Panther and Stug to press an attack on the middle town of board 19. As they get close the Soviet OP fire starts again. Disruptions and demoralizations hit the infantry as the tanks desperately try to support them with fire on the town.

Meanwhile the armor cars have moved to the southern edge of the board looking to skirt the main battle and race for the lightly defended hill. But Lt. Popov spots this and in good fire direction demoralizes one group of cars. The other gets by and heads for the hill. It more cautiously as it gets close as the SU-122 is defending the summit. OP fire by the 122 misses and the armor car gets to the the lower elevations. The Soviets move INF to help support the SU-122, but German Panthers already have a bead on the 122. The Soviets get a lucky initiative role and get the tank under cover to fire on the armored cars again. The 122 scores a hit by a SdKfz 234/4 returns fire and destroys it. The hill is open for the armored cars to take, but time runs out.

In the attack on the middle town, Germans try to get units into assault position but have problems with Soviet fire. Units stall as hits are taken by the OP fire. This creates problems as there are not many units to attack and time is running out. The Germans do be a reduced GREN with the ENG in but follow up troops and leadership are demoralized, so the assault stalls, but the town is contested. And so the attack stalls with the Germans barely getting into the town, but this is enough to get the victory 49-46.

In the end a good scenario, showing how the depleted Germans still could mount an offensive, but did not have enough troops to achieve there goals. The Soviets wore them down with good OP and mortar fire, but could not keep there losses down. Two of the character leaders did very well accumulating LP's but one was killed in the assault on the board 19 town. Another one will be along to replace him.

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