Inspired by the March on Leningrad scenario Mga Station: The Marshal Givith where the Major Sawyerovski was killed by OBA before he was able to get his troops in position. See V. Hughes AAR for details. All is fictitious and purely in the spirit of C&C1

From the standpoint of rating this I rated it high as it played very well. Balanced and not a feeling that one side had more than the other. This had to do more with luck of leader draw and the remarkable dice rolls for the German OBA and Mortars, but there was a great tank duel as well as Soviet recovery and drive for the objectives.

Lt. Smirnov was new to command of the new Soviet Guards division. Being in an important industry during the first half of the war, he escaped compulsory service until this date later in the war. But he did have an Uncle Sawyerovski, that was killed in dramatic form in the defense of the Motherland. Smirnov looked to avenge his death.

He was recognized for his ability to inspire he in his command and his good horsemanship. During training he advanced in rural assault tactics. He also met two other lieutenants Popov and Volkov. Both were rising stars in the Soviet command ranks. Popov was a good marksman and Volkov was uncanny for getting in and out of trouble without a scratch. All three will prove their worth crushing Germany for its aggression into Mother Russia.

Their first battle was the initial assault into East Prussia attacking some of the border towns and striking into German territory. A defense force of Germans had been stationed in the towns and along the roads to stop the Soviet advance. Most of these troops were second line but they did have experience as many were recuperating soldiers from other units mixed with green troops. Their leaders were experienced and new the best defense for them.

The initial recon had the Germans in a large town with a company strength unit with possible armor support. The Soviets advanced with their JS-II's leading the way and Lt Popov with the infantry support for the tanks. They advanced on the road but once they reached a predetermined German point OBA fire started to explode all around them. They had been pinpointed, Popov's men started to fall back and a shell hit near his position convinced him to fall back. The JS-II's continued try to id the units in the town. They confirm that their is a company of Volksgrenadiers and a platoon of PzIVh's. They trade shots without effect.

Lt. Smirnov moved up next he is able to move up and direct Soviet OBA on the town disrupting and demoralizing the VG platoons. Getting close to the town German OP fire erupts and the men scramble toward the town. Once there, Germans in the buildings toss stick grenades out the window right next to Smirnovs command. Stunned by the concussion, he retreats back toward the Soviet lines.

The PzIVh plays cat and mouse with the JS-II's but to the north the tank destroy units of KV-85 and SU-100 move into a position to fire on the German tank. One JS-II moves up to get a better position, but it hit by the PZIVh first destroying two of their four tanks. The KV-85 and Su100 open fire on the PzIVh but miss. The PZIVh shifts the fire and targets the Su100. With two AP shots both steps are destroyed, the KV-85 and reduced JS-II both miss a second time. The other JS-II moves up to get a shot on the Germans, this time winning the chance and they destroy the PZIVh platoon. A heavy tank duel that left the Soviets behind with a loss of 7 tanks to the Germans 5.

Lt Volkov moves up to try where his comrades had failed. Good at getting into trouble and surviving hopefully he can do the same with the town. German mortar fire zeros in on his advance and he to is forced to the ground, but he stands firm and waits for the shelling to stop. Smirnov and Popov pull their commands back together and move back up to assault the town. Smirnov gathers a INF, HMG and ENG units to assault the town. He is able to get in but his units get disrupted and demoralized from the defending Germans. Slowly recovering his troops the cagey Germans keep snipping at the Soviets making it had for them to recover.

The German Lt commanding the town was very good. He was able to keep his platoon in good order and disrupting Smirnovs assault teams. Taking nearly an hour to get all the Soviets back in good order slowed down the assault. But to the west of the town a Soviet Captain was able to destroy the German VG platoon and threaten the German Captain in command. With this occurring Smirnov was able to destroy the German platoon but the lieutenant was able to get away to fight again.

Lt Popov recovers and gets more troops into the battle to take the town. The last German platoon puts up a still defense but Popov and the reinforcements are able to drive them into Smirnovs assault team. But again the German command runs back to the next line of defense.

During this fight the German OBA and mortars have sighted the field and disrupt/demoralize and force step losses to the Guards. Several times the mortars stop key attacks and force critical morale checks in the scenario.

Smirnov and the Guards take their first objective but with significant casualties, two platoons KIA and a step loss to the JS-II and a number of disruptions and demoralizations. Even worst one third of the time of the scenario.

The next objective is to advance along the east west road and take a small farm area and recon the large woods to the north of it. Lt Volkov moves on the town with two INF platoons. Hit by German mortars he goes to the ground and the INF follow suit. Soviet JSU-152 move up to support the advance but keep a distance due to the possible presence of AT guns.

Lt Popov moves up to advance past Volkov but is hit will OP fire from German INF in the farm area. He orders HMG's to open fire on the farm but it has no effect. OBA will be whats need for breaking the Germans. The shells rain down on the farm destroying many building but the Germans remain in good order. German mortars start to rain down on Popov and he is again forced to flee back from the advanced position.

Lt Smirnov starts on a new angle of attack. Taking cover from a field to the north of the farm town, he looks to clear the woods where some of the OP fire was coming from. He takes his assault force and hooks up with the KV-85 and attacks the weaker Germans north of the road. He is able to destroy some dugin Germans as well as uncover a bunker in the woods. With help from the KV-85 they reduce the bunker and the hidden AT gun in it. But the units in the small farm area are not moving. In fact, it is discovered that there is a 75/41 AT gun in there too.

The Soviets try turn after turn to reduce the town, but German OBA and mortars keep the units back while the Soviet OBA is ineffectual. Finally the JSU-152 score a hit that demoralizes the VG platoon and disrupt the AT gun. The JS-II rush forward with INF and are able to destroy the Germans and take the town. But now the the causalities have jumped from two to four platoons and two others are reduced. Several units need to recover before they can move into battle again and two-thirds of the scenario is over.

The Soviets continue on but German OBA is remarkably accurate, slowing the attack to a crawl. Several Soviet leader casualties occur but none to our three comrades. The are able to accumulate more LP's but for some the negative will be hard to over come. In the end the Germans win 49-41 with the Soviets only managing to clear one and two-thirds of the boards.

All the Lt's survive, Lt Smirnov gets 15 LP's good for a new skill, while Popkov end up negative in LPs and Volkov has one. All three will be back in the next scenario Defending the Reich.

This is the first scenario of the "Battle for Germany, 1945" campaign. I created 3 new leaders for each side, and will follow their progress using the leader advancement "role-playing" rules. Here are my protagonists:

German

• Lt. Gluckwunch 8-0-0 Mortarman/Artillerist, Rifleman
• Lt. Schnitzengruben 8-0-1 Rural Assault Specialist, Rifleman
• Lt. von Nitwitz 9-0-1 Urban Assault Specialist, Antitank Specialist

Soviet (Guards)

• Lt. Severin 8-0-0, Rural Assault Specialist, Rifleman
• Lt. Ossipov 7-0-0 Mortarman/Artillerist, Pathfinder
• Lt. Peshkov 8-1-1 Rural Assault Specialist, Rifleman

In this scenario, a weak battalion of 7/6 morale Volksgrenadiers, stiffened with a platoon of PzIVs, must hold the east-west road and towns on three boards in the face of a strong battalion of 8/6 Soviet Guards infantry and about a battalion of heavy armor and assault guns. The Germans set up infantry in trenches and in towns at key points along the road, hoping to force the Soviets to deploy and deliberately assault each location and therefore slow their advance. By contrast, the Soviets planned to rapidly assault the first defensive position along the road with two companies of infantry, while a force of armor and infantry advancing in parallel over open ground would advance deeper to hit the German defenses farther back. Their focus was on a rapid tempo and pushing past German speedbumps.

The Soviet road assault force, Including Lts. Peshkov and Severin under a high-morale captain, with Lt. Ossipov leading the mortars and 76s, made a direct approach to the first town. As they entered direct fire range of the German defenders, the captain became demoralized, and within 15 minutes had been shot for cowardice by Comrade Kommisar. Suddenly on their own, Lt. Peshkov led an assault into the town while Severin's company moved to cut off German retreat or reinforcements. Peshkov's assault made progress but he became disrupted, then demoralized. The town defenders were led by Lt. von Nitwitz, who became disrupted before being able to join the assault, so his captain led the German counterattack. Severin's company chased von Nitwitz out of town and completely sealed off the German defenders. A Soviet captain from the other force arrived to take command of the assault and he and Severin finished off the Germans. Peshkov began to recover after a pep talk from the kommisar, but sat out most of the rest of the battle.

The Soviet heavy tanks found the German panzers hiding in a copse and dispatched them handily, then plowed on toward a small town along their axis of advance that von Nitwitz had led a platoon of infantry to. Lt. Gluckwunch's "gluck" failed him entirely, and in no time his mortars were demoralized, then fleeing, then dead. Gluckwunch himself was reprimanded for cowardice after the battle. This Soviet force rolled on up the middle of the board, with German defenders seemingly melting before them.

Back on the east-west road, Lt. Severin was making heroic efforts to keep the assaults against a series of entrenched positions moving forward, culminating in the combined-arms assault on Lt. Schnitzengruben's position. Schnitzengruben was the last German leader on the board before he, too, succumbed to the might of the New Soviet Man.

The entire Soviet force gathered for the final assault on the last German trench swept it away. The Germans were wiped out to a man.

Conclusion:

This was a fun scenario, and I particularly enjoyed using the character leader rules. I think they add tension and excitement to the game, and encourage you to think twice about desperate attacks or last-ditch defenses if one of your little cardboard lieutenants is on the line. The Germans were pummeled, but consistently rolled well on bombardment and direct fire attacks which forced the Soviet leaders to work hard to keep their men moving forward. This was one of the first scenarios I have played where the Soviets had better morale than the Germans, and where I was able to see the Soviet doctrine of relentless advance in action.

The results for my 6 characters were:

• Lt. Gluckwunch 8-0-0: Reprimanded, will return with a -15 leadership point deficit
• Lt. Schnitzengruben 8-0-1: Killed in action

• Lt. von Nitwitz 9-0-1: Killed in action

• Lt. Severin 8-0-0: Earned 17 LPs, awarded the Medal of Military Merit. Promoted to Captain. Purchased morale 9 for 10 LPs. LP balance 7.

• Lt. Ossipov 7-0-0: Earned 5 LPs, purchased morale 8 for 5 LPs.
• Lt. Peshkov 8-1-1: Earned 2 LPs. A heartbreaking story of a brave officer suspected of cowardice by his political leadership. A dissident perhaps, fighting for Mother Russia but dreaming of a better future. Or just a troublemaker.

So The Germans will need two new leaders for the next scenario in the campaign. Until then, the roster looks like this:

German

• Lt. Gluckwunch 8-0-0 Mortarman/Artillerist, Rifleman; -15 LPs

Soviet (Guards)

• Capt. Severin 9-0-0, Rural Assault Specialist, Rifleman; MMM; 7 LPs
• Lt. Ossipov 8-0-0 Mortarman/Artillerist, Pathfinder
• Lt. Peshkov 8-1-1 Rural Assault Specialist, Rifleman; 2 LPs

Doug McNair kindly pointed out that any one leader can earn no more than one medal per scenario, so I updated my records and this AAR to show that Severin only earned one medal