This game was played ftf with Wayne Baumber in a single sitting. It was chosen via our usual random pick system and this one had to come from the PG Top 20 List. We rolled up Spruce Grove rated a 4.2 at the time. This requires the Germans with a smallish recon force (and NO engineers) to clear Soviets from forests, entrenchments and towns including crossing a mined river. It looked a tall order, and here is how it went

On the 19th July, the forward recon units of 10th Panzer Division were given a task entailing a lot of objectives for what was a small task-force. They were to clear forest areas plus Yelnia itself of enemy troops. They were also ordered to ensure that they left no enemy stragglers or pockets behind them in the forests. Ahead of them they saw the following. To the south, there was a small rise with an entrenched frontage consisting of 4 x INF plns, 1 x HMG pln and a 76mm battery. Further on but to the north was a wide forest area. Here too, the Soviets had placed a couple of companies of infantry. Beyond that was a minor river with one bridge to Yelnia. The area was peppered with entrenchments each with an HMG and INF platoon. The bridge was surrounded by minefields and there was hidden AT batteries in the area. The German task-force despatched to dislodge this veritable feast of defensive headaches was a battalion of infantry, 2 x HMG platoons all in APC’s. A company of PzIII’s, a pln of PzIV’s and some weedier PzII’s. There was no assault engineers detailed to the task group which must have been a massive omission?

The Germans decided that they would have to clear the high-ground of the ridge to their south completely, before swinging north to try and extricate the enemy in the woods. To do this, the infantry forces would attack the ridge on the south flank with armoured forces placed to keep back any advance on the north flank. They then planned on some form of mad-dash to Yelnia itself with the time remaining. The advance on the ridge line began at 1300 hours and by 1345 hours both sides were slinging OBA at each other and closing to contact. The Soviet defenders on the ridge proved especially tenacious. For two hours the Germans tried to pummel their positions with grouped infantry fire and OBA, but the defenders held their morale together and would not budge. The APC’s had to be held back as Soviet 76mm & 45mm guns were nearby and these would have enjoyed picking off turkey targets presenting themselves for demolition. Eventually, around 1500 hours, enough of the obstinate Soviets became disrupted and demoralised for the German infantry to finally close in. once this occurred a nasty close contact battle ensued for the entrenchments. With APC’s sent forward now that Soviet guns here were nullified, the ridge was eventually overrun at 1615 hours without any Soviet survivors. The Germans had suffered a step of INF and an APC pln as losses. But the attack had taken far too long against an unexpected Soviet determination, leaving just less than half the time allocated for the rest of the objectives to be taken.

The Germans now had to head for the northerly forest and support their armour that had been held there to pin the enemy. The Soviets cannily made no attempt to fight, but instead, to buy time, found themselves slinking back further into the forest and then skulking around in its depths to avoid contact with the enemy. This situation continued for sometime as the Germans were hampered by the need not to allow any enemy groups through the net and into their rear. Eventually there were no corners of the wooded area to hide for the Soviets and a new close battle commenced. Compared to the battle on the southern ridge, this one ended pretty quickly and with little fight from the Soviet infantry there as they now had to face AFV’s. However, the time had now moved onto 1815 hours (turn22) and there was no hope for the Germans to cross the river, swing back south to empty yet another forest and take Yelnia.

German losses were absolutely minimal. Just 2 steps (INF & APC). The Soviets lost a hefty 16 steps (14 Foot, 2 Guns) but their victory had been gained in fine style from the Germans as they had easily bought time throughout the game. That evening, the task-force commander penned a scathing memo to HQ in regard to a lack of assault engineer capacity. Soviet Victory.

There is no slight in the title of this AAR against Wayne. I do exactly the same in our games. That is, read the VC's and deploy or enter accordingly. Wayne set up a pretty decent defence that hinged around the tactic of eating time. Given the stats in my 140 or so ftf career, I guess Wayne comes out as the best opponent I have faced and he showed why today. That is not to say that the German job is impossible if the Soviet set-up is good or better. In fact, the first Soviet obstacle just probed so tenacious in its determination to hang on. They would not budge for sometime. On another day, with less determined morale, they may have folded earlier ! Despite the Germans clearing practically all the way to the river and administering a bloody nose to the Soviets as far as casualty exchange went, the fact remained that in the time scale given, they never even got to the town or the final forest. I notice that there was another ftf play of this battle that the Soviets also won. I'd love to know how that went, but alas ...... No AAR. I rate this battle a '3'. Its pretty standard fare as far EFD goes. Interesting, but did not scale the heights of excitement expected as that assault on the town never had time to materialise. Good win Wayne !