Played solo in 7 hours.

I posted pictures of the Soviet setup in Post 2. The Soviets set up their first line of defense on a wide front to prevent the Germans from running to the river and crossing it quickly. A second line of defense is in the large wood on board 20, including all units which have bombardment capability. The plan is for the militia to always move to block the Germans advance and for the artillery to prioritize Germans leader. Slow the Germans enough and the Soviets stand a good chance of winning. Don't try to hold the road on board 25 but rather threaten to contest its control if the Germans do not leave a sufficient force to protect it.

The Germans advance on the road and in the north. Two hours in and the Germans have killed 5 steps and took no casualties. However, they have an uphill battle in front of them because there are lots of Soviets between them and the river and 2 of their leaders are demoralized.

The Germans decide to prioritize movement above all else at this point, even if its means suffering multiple opportunity fires at +3 column shift. Casualties mount and at end of 3 hours, the Germans have lost 13 steps while the Soviets have only taken 12. The big issue is they have only 3 leaders in good order at the moment.

The Soviets mount counterattacks not to kill Germans but rather to force the Germans to spend a turn in assault. But lo and behold, the Soviets are lucky and roll three sizes in a row. The German advance is momentarily stopped.

The Germans regroup and mount a final attack but they fall just short of the bridge.

The Soviets control the bridge, have 3 units on the road on board 25, and no Germans made it across the river.

Soviet major victory!

I rated this scenario a "4". I like controlling a large, weak force and you can't get much weaker than the Soviet militia!

Author	J6A
Method	Solo
Victor	Soviet Union
Play Date	2020-03-04
Language	English
Scenario	WoaP001

This is an interesting scenario. The Germans are heavily outnumbered, however the vast bulk of the defense is Soviet militia with 1 step and 5 morale. However, they have good OBA support (and decent on board), a handful of light tanks, and 3 KV-1 units. The Germans need to clear the Soviets off the east-west trail on the west map, take the 2 towns, or get 6 steps across the river to win. Well, they need 2 of 3 to do that. They have a relatively small force, supported by a little OBA, some PZIIs and PZ38(t)s.

I decided to send the tank destroyers north, while I was going to send infantry forces up the middle and to the south with the PZIIs to sweep away the 5 morale Soviets. The Soviets put a strong blocking position with dug in KV-1s in the center, and the lighter tanks on the flanks. The towns were defended by the few good troops the Soviets had and Soviet artillery and mortars were scattered in the towns and woods.

Things started to unravel early for the Germans. A 4 strength Militia MG kept hitting with opportunity fire at 3 hex range and kept rolling on the ends of the table, causing German casualties and morale checks that the 8/6 Germans kept failing. Soviet OBA was on point, also rolling extreme rolls and causing casualties and the KV-1s were deadly against the troops that came up the center trail. I was a bit overconfident with the Germans, and they paid for it. The Germans made slow progress, with the PZ38(t)s winning a tank duel with T-26s, killing 6 steps for the loss of 2. However, I couldn't get the AT guns into position to fire on the KV-1s without the KV-1s being able to see (and likely slaughter) the Prime Movers. Eventually I unlimbered them where they could see the Soviet T-26s (and get the final kill) and also the Soviet positions in front of the town. I foolishly left them stacked 3 high, and a Soviet artillery shot rolled...you guessed it, snake eyes, killing off the 50mm AT and leaving the others ineffective. The Germans did make progress in the south, however the center was a disaster, and there was no infantry supporting the tank destroyers in the north. Plus, even with 8/6 morale, the Germans refused to recover from Disruption and Demoralization in many cases.

I called it after turn 12. The Germans had lost a lot of infantry, they were definitely not going to get any of their objectives, or perhaps 1 if they got really luck. Unlike history, the Soviet militia, despite high casualties, came out on top.

With better German tactics (probably come through the woods rather than up the trail, despite it being slower, use smoke to mask the AT guns coming the the front and unloading) and less extreme Soviet rolls, I think this could be a very balanced scenario. And thanks to VASSAL, I didn't have to fish out counters and maps from 4 different games!

15 July 1941

In this scenario the Kampfgruppe Raus, a German force of infantry (7 infantry and 2 HMG platoons), mortars, a 20 mm battery, a powerful 88 mm battery, some off-board artillery (1 x 16) and tanks (two PzII and three Pz38t platoons), attacks Soviet defensive positions around the Luga river, near Leningrad. The Soviets have a numerous force composed by a poorly-trained militia (30 infantry and 5 HMG reduced platoons, mortars, a 45 mm AT battery, three 76,2 MTN batteries), all with low morale (5), some regular infantry (3 SMG platoons), off-board artillery (1 x 10, 2 x 18) and mainly tanks, some very good tanks (three T-26, two T-37 and three KV-1 platoons).

The Germans enter on the west edge. The Soviets are deployed mainly on the west side of the river, in two defensive lines and dug in. The river is minor, but the vehicles can only cross it by a bridge.

The Soviets have the following objectives: 1. At the end of play all town hexes plus the bridge are under Soviet control. 2. At the end of play at least one east-west trail hex on board 25 is occupied by at least one undemoralized Soviet unit. 3. No more than six undemoralized German steps are anywhere east of the river and the end of play. There are several levels of victory based on the fulfillment of these objectives.

German morale is better (8/6). The morale of Soviet no-militia units is 7/6. The battle lasts 18 turns (first turn 0730).

The battle

Turns 1 - 4. The Germans enter on the west edge. The Germans are immediately targeted by Soviet artillery. Half an infantry platoon es wiped out and some other is disrupted. The German tanks enter on the center of the battlefield and take position in the light woods. A German 88 mm battery unlimbers in the light woods as well. Soon after the Germans fire with their Pz38t tanks and the 88 mm battery at Soviet T-26 tanks. The Soviets lose three steps. Nevertheless, the Soviet artillery has been able to locate the 88 mm battery, that is bombarded and demoralized.

Turns 5 - 8. The German infantry advances in the light woods and attacks the Soviet militia positions. The advance is slow, since there are innumerable Soviet units, that fire incessantly. At the same time, the German infantry is targeted by Soviet artillery and mortars. In spite of these difficulties, the Germans begin to clean the light woods. The German tanks, protected by the woods, collaborate with the infantry in the elimination of enemy positions. A Soviet T-37 light tank platoon is destroyed by the PzII tanks. Nevertheless the Russian artillery is able to locate the German 88 mm battery, that is destroyed.

Turns 9- 12. The Germans are still far from the river. However they have cleaned their left flank. Now the Germans want to eliminate the enemy in the central trail, but the weak units of the Soviet militia resist fanatically. Some units of the militia are demoralized by the German fire, but they are reorganized quickly thanks to the untiring activity of the Kommissars. Taking advantage of the destruction the German 88 mm battery, Soviet KV-1 tanks advance towards the enemy. A German Pz38t platoon tries to hide itself in the light woods, but it is targeted by opp. fire of the Soviet heavy tanks and destroyed. The last German AT battery (50 mm) unlimbers to fire the Soviet giants, but it is located by Russian artillery and wiped out.

German infantry advances in the trail assaulting militia positions. The militia men in the assaulted hexes resist to the last man and are finally destroyed, but the Germans are delayed.

Turn 13. Soviet artillery destroys a step of German infatry. Soviet mortars destroy another one. The attack of German infantry in the central trail is collapsing. On the other hand German tanks attack the Soviet KV-1. This attack is a total fiasco. The German shells bounce in the strong armor of the Soviet giants and the Soviets fire as well and destroy easily a PzII platoon.

The German commander evaluates the situation. He has only two Pz38t and one PzII platoons. His AT batteries have been destroyed. In addition, his infantry has been bled in the fight against the militia. He has only three complete infantry platoons and two complete HMG platoons. Moreover, though the Soviet militia has undergone a hard punishment, it controls still firmly the central trail and the KV-1 tanks are practically invincible. Consequently, the German commander orders the withdrawal of his battered forces. Soviet Major Victory.

Good scenario. A bit unbalanced, but it simulates well the fight around Leningrad in the summer of 1941, IMO.

This scenario is probably the closest PG scenario I have ever played, with it falling to the success or failure of a morale check to win the game. It is a tough one for both sides as the Germans have a smaller force with several vulnerabilities while the Soviets have a larger force with very bad morale. This one keeps the Komissars moving. The Germans must deny the Soviets their victory conditions, but the conditions are favored to the Soviet defenders, with setup and number of troops. The Soviets are very limited with reduced units with a morale of 5, that will nearly guarantee the Soviets will break when fired upon. Leader draws will be critical for the Soviets and in our player the Soviets were average, but the Germans received better than normal leaders most will some sort of modifier and several with +2 mods. The OBA favors the Soviets with 42 factors to the Germans 16 and it is well needed for the Soviet defense.

With the setup, the Soviets setup their picket line on the north-south road on board 25. With the Soviet armor up front with the home guard troops to deter the German light tanks. A second line is setup at the river line on board 20 with the Soviet 76mm guns and the only good infantry troops they have, the SMG's. The German advance comes on the south east of the board 25. Moving their way through the woods the infantry brushes aside the Soviet pickets and are soon on to board 20, but they have left their support weapons behind due to the threat of Soviet artillery fire and tanks. Soviet troops scramble to stem the coordinated drive into the Soviet defenses and eventually get fire on the troops disrupting and demoralizing some before they make it to the river.

The German light armor moves north to try to push to the bridge on board 20. Accompanied by HMG's they look to advance on the town. Soviet tanks move to block the advance and take out a few of the light armored tanks. The KV-1's lumber across to firing positions as 76mm MTN guns provide the deterrent to the armored thrust. Eventually they are stopped and force to turn back. The HMG's press on but eventually take causalities to stall there advance.

But to the south the main German force advances up toward the well defended town at 810. Soviet artillery gets some good shots at the Germans reducing and demoralizing them during there advance, but German leadership keeps them in the game. The Soviets start to struggle with morale as the German Major takes charge at the front and leads a charge toward the town. Soviet home guard forces melt and the Germans are able to get a INF into the town to contest it. Soviets make strong counter attacks on the German but it remains there until the end of the game. Then it comes to having the Germans maintain 6 steps across the river. Heavy DF and BF is not good enough to demoralize or kill the Germans and the keep the units across the river giving them a minor victory.

This game was played over skype against Alan Sawyer over 2 sessions. Alan picked this one, and after I sorted the countermix and read the VC's (and checking the win loss record on PG-HQ of 0 for 3 for Germany), I knew it was going to be a toughie. The Soviets needed to achieve 2 out of their 3 objectives to win. 1. Have a hex of the east/west road, 2.control all town and the bridge hexes, 3.stop 6 undemoralised steps exisiting east of the river.) I knew I wouldn't be able to stop the road being held, so it meant points 2 and 3 would have to be where I'd be aiming to prevent his win. As I had to attack this large force and cross a river (with steep banks) whilst under heavy bombardment, I decided the battle for the Germans here was mainly about movement and not stopping for combat ... To the battle !

The Germans, arriving from the west of the Luga River found themselves confronted by large numbers from the 1st Leningrad DNO. These militiamen were placed so as to cover the main road in to the area and were set in large numbers in the centre. They were also spread across a broad front and in depth due to a second line being placed further back to cover the approaches to the Luga and the bridge so desired by Raus. With little more than 2 companies of infantry to hand, 5 platoons of light tanks, some MG’s and scarce artillery support, Raus determined on the following plan. The infantrymen would press east but far south of the bridge. This route would bring them into contact with few enemy, and what there were should be able to be brushed aside. This might also drag the beasts of Soviet armour that were the KV1’s in their direction too. Whatever happened, they were to continue pushing, cross the river and then attack the small village on the other side of the river. Meanwhile, the German light tanks were to then sprint east as well, but directly at the bridge and hopefully outpacing the Soviet tanks. Supporting this, but already setting off on their way, would be the 2 platoons of MG’s. These troops, if they closed with the bridge and its town would hopefully blast out any resistance.

At 0730, the German troops went forward. As planned, the infantry on the far southern flank began their advance to the Luga and soon encountered dug-in militiamen. A short gun battle ensued, and as hoped, resistance both weakened and also melted away in some quarters. This then allowed the attacking German infantry to filter through the first Russian line. Good officers helped in this matter. In the centre, the tanks mulled around and the MG’s began their slow advance to the bridge. Responding to the German breakthrough in the south, Soviet armour did in fact head that way, but their foot troops stayed in place, making sure the main road was not forsaken and therefore denying any fast advance to the enemy.

By 0915, though the German infantry pushed forward, they had suffered some losses (4 steps) as heavy Soviet OBA took its toll and other fire finished off whatever remained in a demoralized state. However, by this time, these infantrymen were now getting their jackboots wet as they began the tricky climb down the steep banks of the Luga and into the water. Russian losses were very light as the Germans concentrated on movement, though due to the militia’s brittle morale, they had suffered lots of disruption and demoralization. Kommisars found themselves running all over the battlefield shoring up morale.

As the infantry attack crossed the river, they made for the target village, determined to deny control of this to the enemy. The Soviets had by now sent their elite SMG platoons to defend here. An aggressive company attack led by the German Major busted through the dug-in defenders on the perimeter, and then, in a surprise double assault, one platoon, without any ‘star’ officers,made it into the village to contest it. Their remit was simply: ‘Hold on” !

The Soviets were now throwing everything at the troops that had made it across the Luga. Tanks, infantry, OBA, on-board artillery. One MG team managed to cross in the north, but the German tanks had found the advance far too hazardous and contented themselves with some long range harassing fire. A platoon of Pz38’s fell prey to a KV1 attack, but this was merely a sideshow. With German infantry breaking here and there, the officers in command did all they could to recover their troops and this guided them to hold their nerve… just. As time ran out, the Germans had just the requisite amount of men across the river and the lone platoon in the village, which, though demoralized at one stage, recovered to hold on. This was the slimmest of German minor victories due mainly to the fact that a disrupted reduced platoon survived a last second morale check. (SOV 10 steps, GER 13 steps).

I rated this a 3 and it only nabbed the '3' score due to the last turn last roll of dice finish that the result hung on. The reason is, as the German player, I found myself having to play a bit too gamey in order to stand a chance of the win. By this I mean that although in real-life the objective was the bridge, I found my main concern was about moving with little effort for a firefight, in other words, no engage and wear down the enemy. I also made sure to pack any '2' moraled leaders with those moving troops to help hold morale for their advance. Then, once across the river, just make sure that something gets in a town (which a platoon did in turn 15 or 16 of a 18 turn game) and then hold on for grim-life. I also found myself placing my armour in positions of absolute sacrifice in order to draw away other enemies. (strangely, most of these sacrificial lambs survived ?) and even sent what was tacticly a pointless river crossing far to the north in order to add numbers of the number of steps across the river.

However, one game move was a classic and was the first time I used it. MAJ and INF in an assault hex next to the occupied objective village. On the other side of the hex, 2 x friendly INF outside the assault. MAJ activates his hex to FIRE and also calls in the 2 x friendly units from outside. The 2 x friendly units assault the DEM enemy in the MAJ's hex and eliminates them with the MAJ assisting them, but purposely leaving the activated INF in his hex OUT of that assault. Then, with his hex cleared, the activated INF that did not assault, assaults into the objective town and against the odds, survives. Why do it this way ? Because a unit can not jump from one assault hex into another assault hex and therefore, the hex they were already in needed to be cleared of the enemy so that it ceased to be an assault hex, thus allowing them to assault the town.