Author	cjsiam (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	unknown
Play Date	2024-02-17
Language	English
Scenario	MaoL010

The Germans have to get through open ground in front of a hill, and then over a hill, clearing the road over the hill and get units off....They are faced with "Militia"...one step units with pretty abysmal morale of 6....(The Designer suggested this--we used it--to my opponents eventual regret perhaps). The Militia forces have some hvy arty, entrenchments, minefields and roll-for tank reinforcements (reduced)...

The Germans have a 9tanks and and equivalent infantry force, full strength PG--with weapons, and transport. Good OBA, and strong onboard Arty...as well as an 88 and some 50mm...(again, some changes suggested based on period (75pak just not there...)).

We were playing Double blind and FOW, and using the 4th Ed. "ala Lloyd" Rules....things like AT guns are efficient, one MP per hex for AFV movement in open.

The Soviets have to try and NOT leave any big gaps---and really have "brittle" units...once they become disrupted (or for non-militia take a step) they don't come back readily. So pretty much abandoning the Southern town as a death trap (though one unit left to force some slowing---slowing the advance was key) and then setting up some strong points in the open under the hill (AT Rifle in Dug-in conditions, AT guns in Entrenchments on lone hill and in Forest Copse in center as well as a small force in the Eastern Forest) Trying to force the Germans into the Area of Crossfire possible shots below the hill. Digging in along the road on the hill, mortars on hill top with a big Artillery piece in an Entrenchment. Deployed Mines to block (mostly) the Eastern board Edge--backed up by Entrenchments with AT guns...

So the Germans invested the Town, Began to push in the center with Infantry and tried to approach through the woods when the mines were revealed (this was a error in my part--but gave Peter and extra move to react with his units as I revealed incorrectly--I'm not perfect with the Double Blind rules yet..my bad). The 88 got set up and took out KV-1 at range and demoralized both light tanks as they ran to get over the hill...to no avail...I had to bolster the back side, just in case he got over with enough units toward the last few turns...

The Germans kept coming--I had multiple lucky shots with ATguns taking out half-tracks (with an AT gun transported) at long range from small hill, some lucky Artillery--at one point I think even Friendly OBA Fire hurt the German attacks on the central small forest copse. Shooting everything that could bear, but revealing the big pieces of Arty only when I had too--caused a trickle of Disruptions, and occasionally the dodge to cover---To slow the Advance....I had to be about slowing the advance--forcing him to be cautious.

As the game wound down we had a couple of Turns foreshortened by FOW, and then another at the last turn. In the end The Town and Casualties Objectives were met--leaving a Minor Soviet victory--while the Road Control and Exit were missed. The Trickle of Fire, and some Box-cars (I think three times) on some fires for the Russians (Germans got some too--but I probably benefited more from luck this game) kept disrupting units, and slowed the inevitable Fire/suppress/Assault German push into Entrenchments and forest or Dug-in positions...by end of Turn 17 we called it with the Germans at the bottom of the hill in the Eastern forest, the Dug-in road as yet untouched..and the Forest Assault about to absorb most of the Leading germans in the Woods, with my militia and KVs remaining...

A satisfying game...the historical outcome, so it seems to make sense. My thoughts are that if the Germans were to concentrate and just blow a hole on one side or the other--that was my greatest fear as the Russian...no way I could react in time, and I'd not be able to bring enough to bare--even with what limited Tank forces I might have consolidated...