This game was played over skype with Alan Sawyer (campsawyer). As always, it was an enjoyable encounter, not just for the game, but for the fellow PG company and banter that goes with playing against a real-life opponent

The requirements for this scenario are simple. Outkill your opponent. The Germans need to kill at a higher ratio than the Soviets, and both sides 'enter' the field to make it a meeting engagement, so no side gets to make an initial set up. With three boards, each side could possibly enter at either end of the field, but as we revealed our entry points, it became apparant we would enter directly opposite each other. Contact would be swift! Here is the battle-report

Afternoon Battle

The Entry 1330-1345

Our birds-eye view on the battle is picked up around 1300 hours when the two sides entered the field practically directly opposite each other. The Soviets had decided they would use the large collection of fields as cover for their advance, whilst spurning the use of the town on their left flank for anything at all. Their ordnance available, what there was of it, advanced on the right flank. This consisted of just one group of mortars and a battery of AT guns. They used a company (4 units) of the frightful T34’s to make for and take required points to cover the Soviet advance from enemy tank attack, whilst their weaker tanks, T26’s and BT-7’s, in general stayed with the main body. The German forces made for a raised ground area to their front and kept their available tank battalion of Pz38t’s, around 50 tanks, together with some infantry support.

Opening Exchanges 1345-1400

German OBA was immediately sited to come down on the advancing ordnance elements of the Soviet force. This, though not deathly, did cause some disorder amongst them and slowed them off the pace of the main advance. This would have consequences for later in the battle. At 1345 hours, Soviet artillery managed some effective hits on enemy infantry and a bold advance by some German Sturm-Grenadiers was accurately dispatched by Soviet infantry holding the edge of the farmland. A tank battle also commenced as a mass of German AP shells were flung at BT-7’s at a distance of 1200m but failed to score a hit. At 1400 hours, the Germans finally began inflicting casualties too. Hits on enemy infantry began to be scored by OBA and some small-arms fire, but more importantly, the long-range Pz38t fire, after taking an age to range in, knocked out half the tanks in each BT-7 platoon (2 steps) as they tried to scuttle away. Their T34’s were helpless to assist as the 38t’s fired at such a distance.

Soviets Hit Back 1400-1500

It seemed now that the Germans had a slight edge, but wishing to increase their advantage, they pressed even more offensively on the enemy. This however soon received a rebuff! Trying to press on the Soviet infantry with far too much élan in the farmland once again then caused some loss of men forcing the German infantrymen to retire and regroup. A platoon of T34’s on the infantry’s left flank also succeeded in scoring a hit on some 38t’s (1 step) ahead of them on the German held raised ground. This advantage for the Soviets encouraged their commander to have his men dig-in within the farmland area hoping for a suicidal German advance. Whatever happened now, the Germans WOULD need to advance to regain the advantage. (Score at this point : Germans 9pts, Soviets 7pts)

A New Plan Afoot 1500-1545

It was now 1500 hours and this situation forced the German commander to think out a new cogent and coordinated plan of attack if he were to regain that advantage. It would take around an hour to get his forces together to form the two pronged push, but what he planned to do was thus. On his left, he would send eight 38t platoons to extinguish the Soviet ordnance still hanging in the air on the enemy’s flank. This would also possibly draw out a Soviet counterattack which the numerous German tanks would most probably be in a position to deal with. The remaining 38t’s would be used to set-up varying fire angles to dissuade the feared T34’s from coming out to challenge the main tank force. Meanwhile, the infantry would make a linear advance to their front and engage enemy infantry at 600m in a firefight the Soviets could not compete in unless they pressed forward out of their dug-in positions. This would either allow the Germans to inflict casualties slowly at range (time was not an issue), or, cut the enemy down if they tried to advance into fire positions themselves. The plan seemed a fair one, and as the Axis troops regrouped for their new push, their OBA concentrated on bombarding targets left in the Soviet rear that were in the open due to Soviet Command structure not getting orders to them quick enough. This bombarding did inflict around 50-70 casualties (3 steps)over forty-five minutes or so.

In Goes The Attack ! 1600-1645

Around 1600 the German panzergruppe pushed out on its right flank towards the troubled Soviet ordnance in the woods 3km or so ahead of them. Forward went the German infantry to engage outer located Soviets in the farmland. As the tanks reached the enemy flank, they began firing their MG’s and HE shells in at the mortars and AT guns. Soviet ATR troops and a platoon of T34’s, returning fire, failed to inflict any casualties on the attacking tanks. In reply, the Soviet ordnance was pretty swiftly wiped out, and hits were scored on BT-7’s huddling near the T34’s. In the centre, the German infantry’s rifle and MG fire against their counterparts became withering, especially when supported by their OBA. The outer posts of the Soviet infantry line were taking casualties and breaking. As hoped for, the Soviets located further back and unsighted left their dug-outs as they now had to counterattack as their losses mounted. No sooner did they come into view on the edge of the farmland, then they were either killed, disrupted or thrown into complete disorder by the well coordinated German firing line. The German attack was working! Finally, in desperation the T34’s were sent forward to try and cause terror in the German rear. To counter this, a company of German infantry that had broken away from the firing line surprised the tanks and engaged them close-up. This stopped the Russian T34 advance and without infantry support left them vulnerable to the well-led enemy infantry. In another desperate Soviet attack, they tried to mirror the Germans by assaulting the German 38t’s on the flank with infantry. Unfortunately, not as well officered and slightly weaker than the German assault, they came to awful grief as around a 100 casualties (4 steps) were lost in 20-30 minutes combat.

Eastern Barbarians Repulsed 1700

The Russian position was now collapsing. At 1700 this was underlined as their cream, the T34’s started to lose cohesion and the battle against the enemy infantry assault. Those not lost either stumbled around and were less effective or some crews bailed out and ran completely demoralised! Seeing all this and still with the German OBA and infantry fire to pour in on his men, the Soviet commander ordered a complete withdrawal and refused engagement any further. In the end, the German victory had been complete. Losing 151 men and 2 tanks, they inflicted 311 casualties and knocked out 10 tanks.(Final points tally : Germans 26pts, Soviets 8pts)

In Summary

This scenario has MASSIVE replay value! The way the scenario is set up, the variables of leaders selected, entry points and which troop types will actually encounter which troop types and where will probably make this a scenario that is won by both sides as reports come in here. Despite that, I only award the scenario a '3' rating. Simply because it is a straight-up standard battle, albeit made vastly enjoyable having Alan as an opponent. In the long term, although memorable now, will fade as it has nothing particularly original. That said, if there was a 3.5, it would get that mark.

The Germans in this particular play had 2 very good leaders, and of course, they helped attain the victory. The Germans can also be thankful for massing their tanks together for a safety in numbers policy that made them that more frightening, and also the long-range infantry firing line worked beautifully. The OBA proved most profitable in knocking out lone and weak targets adding to their points tally.

So leaders alone can not win the game. Where did the Soviets miss out?. For me, I find T34's in 1941 terrifying when commanding the German tanks against them. The T34 is a fast, well-protected and well gunned machine. In this battle, they were not aggressive enough against the Germans. Then, the Soviet ordnance left unprotected on the flank provided easy step-losses for the Germans to inflict during the tank-attack, and the oversight of advancing BT-7's into the range of many enemy guns also provided (in the end) easy step-loss infliction. When the Germans significantly regained the advantage, the Soviet infantry stayed too long in their dug-outs seemingly hoping for a suicidal German attack that was not going to come. When they did move, they could only advance into large German firegroups that caused casualties and disorder. This then led to the Soviet commander being so far behind in the VC's, that he was forced to try some high-risk attacks and assaults, ending in dismal casualties in two the assaults and ultimately the conceding of the battle.