It is not that every game involving this scenario is rated a 5, but this game was incredible! The Russians should have methodically perished due to the withering offboard artillery. But two rolls of 3 and 4 ending Austrian turns late in the scenario (this was the Austrian 45fh INF. Div.) hampered Austrian ammo use and eliminated two Austrian 81mm mortars when they ran out of shells. The Austrians had to go forward with assault tactics into the town. They couldn't sit back and pumml the Russians w/ two sections of 48 factors of offboard artillery. Those were halved to 24 apiece. Besides, considering what happened to the mortars, the same fate may have been in store for the oba.

But the Russians did not give the town over quickly even though they had only one officer left and the Austrians had superior officers.

The Russians paid dearly but I was not certain of the outcome until the bloody 25th turn. They had lost 26 steps up to thatpoint. On that fateful turn they lost six steps of armor in the town, and the Austrrans made inroads w/three captured hexese of of seven hexes In the town. It was obvious the game was over.

The Austrians started out w/ two officers rated 10-2-1 andd two rated 10-1-1 and the majority were rated 9 or above The Russians did get 7 of 10 T26s activated, but lost 3 to Austrian action. But they set up 6 out 10 tanks on board 6.This was a measure to guard against an Austrian flanking move. Since 4 of 6 tanks were successful in activation on that board, they caused temporary havoc to the Austrian column coming down the board 5-6 road. The tankers caught a valuable Engineer unit in the open and destroyed both steps. The Austrian flank manuveur was a ruse comprising about 1/3 of the force. It never property integrated into battle. As a side note, one tank unit could never mobilize on the 4th board through 25 turns!

There is vastly more to say about this battle as I wrote 3 pgs. If notes, but on to the the Barbarossa game! This was fun!

Although the odds of a Soviet victory are slim to none I really enjoyed playing this scenario, hence the high rating despite the inbalance. Every Soviet unit and leader on the map was either eliminated or captured after the start of turn 19/10:30 giving the Germans an undisputed victory with 17 turns remaining. I don't believe there is much of a chance of the Soviets winning this one unless the optional random events are used and the rare result of the New Orders/Withdraw occurs for Germany OR, possibly, if the Soviets forfeit defending the town and spend the whole battle running through forests or fields doing all they can to avoid contact with the enemy, attempting to deny Germany the 20 step loss VC requirements. Of course that wouldn't likely work either as the T-26s only have a movement rate of 5 AND have to roll a 6/D6 to activate and move or fire at the beginning of each turn.

So I deployed 8 of the 10 T-26s in the town; 2 in the city center and the rest each with either an INF or SMG unit stacked with it. The remaining 2 Soviet tanks were deployed at the northern hill attempting to guard the artillery units there while the 2 HMGs and 82mms were deployed in the forest area just south of the town. Not for one moment did I actually believe that this or any other deployment plan would actually work but thought this was the way to go through the motions of futile resistance.

The mobilization rule wasn't the worst thing for the Soviet defenders; in fact, by chance, almost every T-26 was able to mobilize right at the moment when it was needed the most, prior to a German assault and most were able to get a shot at the enemy before being eliminated. Only one of the tanks at the northern hill area failed to mobilize before it was assaulted. No, the true downfall of the defenders was the unforgivable morale rating of 6/6 coupled with poor leadership; all three Soviet Lieutenants drawn turned up with 8-0-0 ratings -no morale or combat modifers!

For once, attacking with the Germans, I did not worry about step losses and pushed full steam ahead breaking off a smaller detachment to the north to silence the soviet artillery there with the larger force hurling themselves at the city defenses. German step losses didn't matter as they were not part of the Soviet VCs and the starting initiative levels were Germany:4 and the Soviets:0. As it turned out, before the end of battle, the German initiative only ever dropped by one point and the Soviets only ever got the initiative once. After eradicating the entire Soviet force and taking the town the Germans only suffered 4 INF step losses.

The battle for the town was almost a total rollover as even M results were dreadful for the defender's morale checks. Eventually what units and leaders that survived the urban assaults were fleeing into the forest areas where they were soon enough chased down and either eliminated or captured. However, one lone, reduced T-26 held out in the center town hex against repeated assaults for almost two hours on it's own repeatedly recovering from disruption or demoralization, refusing to give up. It would be the last unit to fall after the last Lieutenant in the forest was captured on turn 19.

Anyway, I found this to be a great solo play and this scenario exceeded my expectations but as a shared play I would of rated it much, much lower. It turned out to be the quickest and most devastating German blitzkrieg scenarios that I've played out yet.

This was the funnest Scenario in the box so far. Soviets likely have no chance, but still fun.

Soviet artillery were deployed into woods & town exposed to the expected German approach, in order to get self-spotting shift. Huge mistake. Only managed to expose them to counter battery fire after disclosing their positions. Foregoing the shift & instead keeping unspottalle positions within or behind the town would've kept the artillery in the fight for much longer.

Germans approached behind cover of woods & town to get spotters on the city, and get closer to the Soviet forces. Soviet tanks came on line & dug in at their positions about the city. Germans got nicked by artillery but still got significant force near the town. Soviet spotters moved on to the Germans' left to put indirect fire behind the previous cover offered by the town. German units moved out in force spread over a wide single-stacked area to engage the Soviets & minimize artillery effectiveness. This steadily brought German forces up & into contact with Soviets, eventually driving them from the city. Several German units were sent running, but there was plenty of force available to continue the pressure. Once the town was cleared out, Soviets were unable to rally for any attempt at trying to return for an urban assault with any chance to spoil the German victory.

First in the box I'd consider playing again. Especially taking Soviets against a newbie German player.

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.

En este escenario se enfrentan elementos de una división de infantería alemana (16 x INF, 5 x HMG, 2 x ENG, 3 x 81 mm, 3 x 37 mm, 1 x 75 mm IG y 4 x wagon) a elementos de una división soviética de tanques (4 x INF, 3 x SMG, 2 x HMG, 2 x 82 mm, 10 x T-26, 4 x 7.62 mm y 1 x 107 mm). Los alemanes disponen de una fuerte artillería "off-board" (6 x 16). Los soviéticos carecen de ella. Los T-26 sólo pueden activarse si obtienen un "6" en la tirada de un dado.La moral alemana es más alta (8/7, los soviéticos 6/6). Los alemanes tienen también la iniciativa (4, los soviéticos 0).

La batalla tiene lugar en cuatro mapas. El objetivo de los alemanes es ejercer el control sobre la ciudad del mapa 4 y eliminar al menos 20 "steps" soviéticas. Cualquier otro resultado supone una victoria soviética. La batalla empieza a las 0600 y debe acabar a las 1500. He empleado durante parte del juego la regla optativa 17 ("Fog of War").

Los soviéticos concentran su defensa en la ciudad del mapa 4 y en un bosque cercano. Han colocado dos potentes baterias de 76.2 mm y una de 107 mm en el centro de la ciudad, razón por la que son invulnerables al fuego enemigo.

Dos baterías más de 76.2 mm han sido emplazadas al resguardo de un bosque próximo, lo que las hace también inalcanzables por el enemigo. Ambos emplazamientos de artillería están rodeados de un anillo de INF, SMG y HMG. En el exterior, un segundo anillo (tanques T-26) forman la primera línea de la defensa soviética. Los alemanes entran por el oeste en tres columnas diferentes. Buscan la protección de campos de cultivo y bosques para evitar los efectos de la poderosa y bien concentrada artillería soviética.

Algunos T-26 son activados y marchan rápidamente a la población del mapa 1, un punto muy importante situado en tierra de nadie.

La artillería soviética, que dispara a larga distancia, comienza a causar bajas a los alemanes y a desorganizar sus columnas. El ataque alemán se retrasa. Deben avanzar más lentamente a través de campos de cultivo y bosques para pasar desapercibidos a los observadores de artillería enemigos. Los alemanes no pueden hacer fuego de contrabatería, ya que las piezas soviéticas no están visibles para ellos. Además, los T-26 son prácticamente invulnerables a la artillería enemiga. Sin embargo, los alemanes (columna central) se van acercando poco a poco a la ciudad del mapa 1, en la que al mismo tiempo algunos T-26 soviéticos empiezan a penetrar.

La ciudad tiene que ser tomada al asalto por la infantería alemana. Las baterías antitanque alemanas (compuestas por los poco poderosos cañones de 37 mm) no pueden desplegarse adecuadamente para beneficiarse del "bonus" del fuego cruzado, ya que serían aniquiladas por la artillería pesada soviética. Los T-26 se agrupan en la ciudad en grupos de dos o tres pelotones por hex para ofrecer una mayor resistencia. Los alemanes, por tanto, han de agrupar también dos o tres pelotones de INF y ENG por hex para poder combatir con probabilidades de éxito a los blindados soviéticos. Tienen lugar los primeros asaltos. La lucha es violentísima. Los alemanes tienne ventaja por su mayor moral y la ausencia de infantería soviética, pero tienen muchas bajas, ya que la artillería y los morteros soviéticos bombardean los hexes en los que tiene lugar el asalto (saben que sus tanques son casi invulnerable al "fuego amigo").

Pero poco a poco los alemanes van introduciendo sus batería antitanque en los hexes liberados de la ciudad y comienzan a disparar a los T-26 a quemarropa. Al final la ciudad es ocupada por los alemanes (1100). Los tanques T-26 supervivientes se retiran desorganizados o desmoralizados.

Loa alemanes de las otras dos columnas se han aproximado al objetivo desde el norte y desde el sur. La artillería y morteros soviéticos, aún intactos, continúan infligiendo bajas y desorganizando el avance alemán. A las 1200 las posiciones soviéticas en la ciudad del mapa 4 y en bosque próximo ya pueden ser observadas por los líderes alemanes. Desde este momento, la artillería "off-board" y los morteros germanos empiezan a machacar las posiciones soviéticas. La defensa soviética es desorganizada por el letal fuego artillero alemán y la baja moral de las unidades rusas. Los alemanes se lanzan al asalto simultáneamente desde tres puntos (norte, oeste y sur), sobrepasando en su avance a los lentos T-26 soviéticos en retirada hacia sus posiciones. A las 1230 los alemanes entran en algunos hexes de la ciudad y del bosque próximo. Los asaltos favorecen claramente a los germanos.

A las 1300 sólo dos pelotones de infantería soviéticos resisten en la ciudad. A las 13:30 los alemanes consiguen su objetivo. Los supervivientes soviéticos se retiran desorganizados o desmoralizados. Los soviéticos han perdido 42 "steps" (los tanques cuentan el doble). Los alemanes 11.

En definitiva, una muy divertida partida. Si volviera a jugarla ahora no situaría a lo soviéticos en posiciones tan retrasadas. En posiciones más avanzadasy con líderes observadores de artillería en ellas, habrían podido retrasar y desorganizar con más eficacia el avance alemán. Además, los soviéticos deberían haber combinado a la infantería y los tanques en su lucha en la ciudad, en lugar de permitir que los tanques combatieran sólos.

Author	t1M0t8yk
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2021-02-14
Language	English
Scenario	EFDx007

Although significantly tilted to the Germans, this scenario has some redeeming qualities, especially if balancing mechanisms are introduced. I prefer what I call the ambitious officer approach. The Germans have 36 turns to accomplish their mission. Let's say the highest ranked officer here is bucking for a promotion, and promises his seniors he can win more quickly. It's entirely a defensive battle for the RKKA, but they have a chance to hold out for about 27 to 30 turns.

My play had the Germans gradually move in and surround the town. Most Red Army infantry were in the town, or set up adjacent and dug in while the Germans moved east. As tanks were released they gradually also set up adjacent to the town. As RKKA forces were disrupted they fell back into the town. It was a long slog but by around turn 21 the Germans had captured three of the seven town hexes and were assaulting two others. There were 27 lost Red Army steps, so only a handful of defenders remained. The handwriting was clearly on the wall. Final victory by around turn 27 to 30 seemed likely.

PANZERGRENADIER SCENARIO 7 – SOUTH OF BREST

Scenario divertente. I tedeschi devono conquistare gli esagoni di città sulla mappa 4 e eliminare almeno 20 step russi, i russi devono evitarlo. La 45 div. Tedesca mette in campo molte unità di fanteria, nessuna protezione corazzata, ma l'artiglieria fuori campo garantisce un aiuto importante. I russi dal canto loro hanno 20 step di carri T26 che tuttavia senza fanteria aiutano ben poco. L'artiglieria russa tuttavia qualche aiuto può dare, ma non c'è da aspettarsi più di tanto.

Alle 8.00 le unità tedesche sono a ridosso degli esagoni città e l'assalto inizia. Sul lato sud altre unità si avvicinano all'artiglieria russa che è difesa da poche unità. Non credo che i russi riescano a resistere pertanto cosa fare ? Lasciare la città alle armate germaniche e ritirarsi tentanto di riorganizzarsi in una nuova posizione difensiva o resistere in città ? A questo punto credo sia meglio ripiegare.

Alle 8.45 il russo lascia il campo e si ritira ha perso 16 step sino a quel momento e non vede modo di poter vincere la partita. La superiorità tedesca in questo scenario è schiacciante e il russo non credo possa vincere. Non riesco ancora a capire come usare le unità corazzate, non fanno più di tanto a mio avviso. Tenerle insieme alle unità di fanteria per aumentare il potere di fuoco in assalto ? Farle scorazzare per il campo minacciando le unità nemiche ? Tenerle unite ? Bah studierò la cosa con attenzione.