The Germans set up a small two grenadier platoon and 10-1-1 leader and the 75mm ATG on the two hex 40m hill in the northeast. The rest of the force was put in Corntesi. The Russians decided to clear this hill and use the ridge to cover the advance on the town. But they took too much time clearing the defenders who either would not break or immediately rallied. On Turn 7 they broke the hill defense and moved on to the town but a good deal of their infantry was demoralized from German artillery and mortars. This is also the turn the German reinforcement arrived with the grenadiers going to Corntesi and tanks attacking into the Russian on the East edge. This counterattack killed all the SU-85s but at a cost of two steps of panthers. The Russians got their armor right up to the town but had a tough time breaking the Germans as there were two leaders there with 2 morale aid factor. The Russians did get into one hex of the town but this was counterattacked immediately. The game ended in a Decisive German victory.

Broken Axis: scenario #10: The Lion’s In Town

I haven’t PG in a while but did some design work instead. Broken Axis is one of my favorite Eastern Front games in the PG series. I had this scenario on my list to play for long time now, so I got it out, as after this I’ll start playing Parachutes over Crete, as that game looks fantastic.

The Germans started this scenario defending the town of Corntesi trying to defend it against a larger Soviet force which included Infantry, tanks and assault guns. They put up barb-wire to slow the Russian Infantry and waited for the Panzer reinforcements.

The Soviets merged from the forest and hill tops and struck the German defenses with a lot the Infantry types getting hung-up in the barbwire and blasted by off-board artillery before they were flanked both sides of the town with assault-guns, tanks and more infantry. Thing were looking like a Soviet victory until on turn seven the German reinforcements arrived. The Soviets ambush a step of Panther tank with a SU85 before their own armor started to get blasted away by the German Panther and Tiger tanks.

By the conclusion of twelve turn the town was still being contested with the Soviets controlling three hexes and the Germans three hexes as well. But the heavy loss of Soviet armor tipped the scales in favor of the Germans with a major victory, 39 points to 22 points.

With that said, it was much closer than it looks by the results, if you consider the German got 24 of their points in the last couple of turn, with the Soviet losing armor which counts double, or the Soviets would have won this scenario. Also, if the German reinforcements hadn’t showed up for another two turns the Soviets would have won. Lastly the Soviet armor rolled poorly on the dice. So the German heavy armor won the day on this scenario, as I could see this scenario playing out a lot of different ways! Great scenario, one map, not too many counters, 12 turns and I nice mix of unit types.

Now that I see the American Sherman tanks (AV) armor value being increased from 3 to 4 on the new Ardennes 1944 game, I believe The Soviet SU85 (AV) should also be raised from 3 to 4. Also the Soviet JSU152 (ATF) anti-tank factor should be increased from 5 to 6 in my opinion.

Now on to some scenarios from Parachute Over Crete!