Introduction

June 1941. The German 45th Infantry, on their push towards Brest, launches an early morning attack against the Russian 22nd Tank Division. The Russian tank crews scramble to their vehicles. The Fog of War hits the Russians heavily and the tank crews are unsure what to do…

Note: Score will be denoted by (x-y), where x=German step losses, y=Russian step losses

6:00am

Crews of the T-26s scramble. Only 1 of the 10 platoons is ready. The German forces begin their advance towards the town. 4 German platoons make way to the Southern woods towards the Russian Artillery placements.

6:15am-6:45am

4 More T-26s scramble to readiness as the German infantry continues their advance through the dark.

7:00am

The morning Sun rises and light fills the battlefield. (2 more T-26s mobilize). The Russians are greeted with the sight of the German 45th Infantry Division bearing down on their location.

In the south, the Russian artillery battalion is equally dismayed.

The German forces make a charge towards the north side of the town. Defensive fire is steady and one German infantry platoon is reduced (1-0).

Artillery begins to fly in both directions as all hell breaks lose!

7:15am

The Germans begin to assault the town and take a casualty reduction (2-0).

Um, I just learned something. AFVs should really be protected with infantry when guarding towns! The Russians send in their SMG platoons to aid the T-26s.

West of the town, a German Infantry platoon is completely mowed down by a Russian HMG placement. A second Infantry platoon moves in and is reduced (5-0).

The Germans are trading heavy casualties for taking ground. Will their gambit pay off?

A 37mm Anti-Tank Gun is eliminated by the Russian Artillery (6-0). Intent on silencing the Russian guns, the German Off board Artillery reduces the Russian infantry in the woods as the Germans advance. The Russian Artillery is severely threatened!

7:15am

The Germans hanker into position and the main assault for the town begins. Two Russian T-26 platoons and two more SMG platoons are reduced! (8-6)

Low morale equal BIG trouble for the Red Army!

Broken and demoralized, two T-26 platoons try to flee and are eliminated! (12-6)

The Town is almost lost!

The Germans begin to overrun the town

In the South woods, German infantry is caught in the open by the Russian guns and is reduced (12-7). The Germans begin their assault and a demoralized Russian infantry reduced platoon is eliminated trying to flee (13-7).

7:45am

Back in town, the Russians take heavy casualties losing their Lt along with an Infantry and HMG platoon! (17-7)

Now in full flight the Russians are fleeing the town en masse.

In the south, Russian infantry is reduced and eliminated trying to flee (19-7). Return artillery fire has little effect in a last ditch effort to save their guns.

8:00am

The remaining Russian forces in the town come under heavy assault. A German sniper just misses taking out the last Russian Lieutenant. More Russian soldiers flee the town and 3 T-26 crews are still no where to be found and are declared AWOL.

In the South, the German infantry begins their assault against the Russian Guns.

8:15am

In the South, the last of the Russian guns are assaulted (effectively neutralized) and one of the crews flee (20-7).

The final assault in the town results in a German HMG platoon being reduced by T-26s MGs. Still without their whole crews, the two tanks platoons are disrupted and demoralized respectively (20-8).

A Russian HMG platoon is eliminated trying to flee (21-8).

The battle is all but lost and the Russian troops surrender!

Aftermath

The Town was all but lost. The only Russian forces still within were the Russian Lt, disrupted SMG(reduced) and disrupted T-26(reduced, not mobilized)

The South saw similar defeat for the Russian, with only a demoralized INF(reduced) and three 76.2mm Artillery current in close assault remaining.

A few notes made this a devastating Russian defeat.

1. The Russian Morale is terrible! The Germans possess a healthy 8/7 morale, with the Russians suffering from an abysmal 6/6! This means a meagre “M” result in an assault can break all Russian units, and once broken, they rarely recover!

2. I’ve discovered the bonus of mixed arms! This had little effect, as the Russians quickly buffeted their tanks with SMG squads, but really, I should have had the SMG and T-26s combined from the initial set-up.