Retreat to the Elbe Turn 1 1000 hrs:

At the north end of the column:

The Soviets open fire first as a T-34/85 Company blasts half of the US M29 Heavy Tank Company into oblivion. Then the Soviet Infantry attacks out of the town and put the surviving M29 heavy Tanks into jeopardy of being surrounded. A platoon of Soviet infantry is gunned down in the process. This one went ugly fast. The US Commander sends the middle security element, a M30 Heavy Tank Platoon and a mech infantry platoon to help extract the remaining M29s.

At the Southern end of the column, US scouts detect that Soviet infantry have moved into a blocking position in the woods. The M30 Company (-), Mech Infantry Company (-), and Column HQ deploy to prepare to attack. Meanwhile the trucks bunch up behind the tactical units and the colonel sends his S3 to sort out the mess. Turn 2 1015 hrs:

ON the North end of the fight, things continued to go badly for the Americans. The Soviet infantry continued with the initiative taking advantage of the Americans' confusion of the sudden and violent losses. The remaining M29s did extract themselves from the first assaults but a platoon is destroyed by RPG-2 fire. The one remaining M29 section attempts to escape but is pursued by T-34/85s. The reinforcing Mech Infantry and M30 platoon call is artillery and then skedaddle before they too are consumed by the angry Russians. In the south, the US Infantry and tank companies deploy and reach their attack positions and are ready to jump off. They call in danger close artillery that hammers the Soviet platoons blocking the road. Turn 3, 1330 hrs.

In the South, the Soviets gain the initiative and rally their troops before the US assaults. The Americans counter with direct fire, an airstrike and artillery that reduces both platoons in the hex and demoralized the survivors. But friendly fire hits the US HMG platoon and demoralizes them. The Americans are poised to break through but the delay may cost them in as it may allow the other Russians to catch up. Up north the M29 section escapes under fire from T34/85s and the Soviets assemble to get organized for the pursuit. The infantry climbs aboard the T34/85s, reminiscent of years before on the East Front. US confusion at the staff level continues as the rest of the column sits in place as the S3 still tries to sort out the panicked truck units. (Fog of War rolled before I could get to them) SITREP Turn 4 1045 hrs:

The US forces gain the initiative this turn and take advantage sending the M30 Heavy Tank platoon in to assault the demoralized Soviets manning the roadblock. The road blocking force is eliminated. US artillery hammers the Soviet rifle platoon on the flank of the roadblock. With no resistance left in the woods the convoy rolls forward with two M30 platoons in the lead. As the Heavy Tanks crest the Board 25 Hill, they hear Soviet tanks moving into firing positions to their front. JS-II Company from the 6th Guards Tank Division arrives on the hill ready to confront the US Heavy Tanks.

The rear most M29 Section reports that Soviet infantry has mounted up on the T-34/85s and it appears they are going to pursue the Americans. The US Colonel gets a sinking feeling that his now outnumbered force is about to get squeezed by two Strong Soviet elements. Turn 5 1100 hours:

The M30 Heavy Tank Company plus a Mech Inf Platoon maneuvers to take on the JSII Company. A section of M30s is lost in the process while artillery shakes up on for the JS II Platoons. At the other end of the fight, the Soviet tanks and infantry are on the move to close up with the Americans. They come under long range fire from the lone section of M29s holding up the American rear. The initiative roll for the next turn will be crucial. SITREP Turn 6 1115

This was a very bloody turn. The Soviets gained the initiative and the JS-IIs opened fire on the M30s killing two sections, one of which became demoralized and retreated off the hill. The remaining M30s returned devastating fire killing all but one section of JS-IIs. The Stalins just could not stand up to the 155mm Main Guns of the M30s. A reinforcing T-34/85 Company arrived in position behind the Stalins just to watch the JS-II turrets fly through the air. That must have been motivating. Up in the north end of the road, the lone M29 Section tires its best to delay the Russian swarm, killing a T-34/85 platoon. But there are too many Russians as Soviet Infantry jumps of the T-34/85s and bring their new RPG-2s to the ready. SITREP Turn 7 1130 hours:

Under cover of artillery fired smoke, the US tanks and infantry slowly close on the Soviet blocking positions. However, a T-34/85 Company appears on the left flank of the column causing the truck drivers to panic and move their trucks up onto the hill. This threat could be devastating to the American effort. North, in the town, the M29 section reduces two T-34/85 platoons. This will make them unable to carry the full infantry platoons. The Soviet infantry assaults but has not effect as the multiple .50 caliber machine guns from the tanks hold the infantry at bay. The pursuit unit is pretty much halted dealing with the desperate American tankers. SITREP Turn 8 1145 hours:

More turrets fly as the M30s along with an airstrike destroy the T-34/85 Company that reinforced the roadblock. However the flanking T-34/85 Company overruns the tail end of the truck convoy and destroys six truck platoons. The rest of the trucks scamper under the protection of the M30s that are now freed to deal with this new threat.

The US Infantry, under cover of artillery and smoke, close with the Soviet infantry which were reduced by artillery fire. One Soviet platoon pulls back to reestablish the roadblock elsewhere. No change in the north situation as the M29 section hangs on tenaciously thus slowing the Russians.

The US is making progress but is running out of time and fuel. They will face at least one more roadblock. Skirting that position around the flank may not be possible with the time left. This is going to be a close one. SITREP Turn 9 1200 Hours:

The skies turn overcast but the US aircraft appear once again above the battlefield. The remaining T-34/85 Company is blasted down to one section as the M30s hammer the Soviet tanks. They just cannot stand up to the punishment of a 155mm tank main gun. The Board 25 hill is now littered with mostly burning Soviet tanks. The hill will now forever be known as "Stalin's Junkyard."

The US infantry assaults the blocking force on the crossroads, break it and then shoots down the hapless Russian infantry as they try to flee. The Soviet Artillery 76.2mm Artillery Piece supporting that position is hit with air and artillery. The crew flees their gun as rockets from the P-47 slam into their armored prime mover. One Russian platoon did pull back and has set up a blocking position in the light woods just to the South.

Back in the north, the Soviet infantry finishes off the remaining section of the M29 Heavy Tank Company.

The American Colonel now faces a tough decision: does he fight the convoy through the two blocking positions in front of him? One which is held by a Soviet Rifle Company? Or should he risk his remaining fuel on a cross country dash along west edge of the board? He may have just enough time to pull that off but the Soviet infantry is likely to react to that move. SITREP 1215 Hours:

Artillery blasts the Soviet platoon in the light wood's west of Stalin's junkyard. The platoon flees in terror to the final Soviet blocking position pursued by a Mech Infantry platoon and M30 Heavy Tank Platoon. The US Commander decides to stay and the road for now after the the success of the artillery strike. But two T-34/85 sections crest the hill and head into the Junkyard on a suicide dash toward the rear of the convoy. The rear guard M30 Platoon braces for combat once again. SITREP Turn 11 1230 hours:

The Americans conduct a combined arms assault on the demoralized Soviet rifle platoon and eliminate it. Then US Artillery slams into the blocking force, causing casualties on the HMG platoon and driving back the rifle platoon. The US is poised to clear the road and be off to safety. However all is not well at the rear of the convoy. The T-34/85 section wins the tank duel and kills the rearguard M30 platoon. Another T-34/85 section breaks through and threatens the US infantry getting set to mount up in their M39 APCs. The sudden appearance of enemy tanks causes confusion in the convoy and their momentum stalls (FoW rolled to end the turn early). This one is going back and forth. There is no clear winner at the moment and this one will go to the wire. SITREP Turn 12 1245 hours:

The T-34/85s try to skirt around the US infantry and stay out of Bazooka range. Thunderbolts scream in but have no effect. The US Infantry moves to block the road from the Russian tanks. The trucks move out except for a few that have broken down. The US Combined Arms team conducts another successful assault, but there are still Soviet infantry on the road that needs to be clear. The S4 reports that fuel is running low as the trucks pull up and wait for the road to be cleared. SITREP Turn 13 1300 Hours:

The Combined Arms team continues to clear the road. But time and fuel are running out. The T-34/85s continue to try to move around the infantry but get hit but accurate artillery fire that burns one section of tanks. SITREP Turn 14 1315 hours:

Artillery fire clears away the Russian 82mm section sent to delay the convoy. Artillery then falls on the last Soviet Rifle platoon and reduces it. It may come down to the next two artillery attacks to see if any vehicles of the convoy make it off the board.

One T-34/85 section makes it into the convoy and destroys some trucks until the M30 section blasts the T-34s away. Most of the infantry mount up on the M39s and join the convoy. US Wins! SITREP Turn 15 1330 hours 7 August 1947, End of Game:

Artillery slams the last blocking Soviet Rifle Platoon, opening the way for the convoy to get across the Elbe. Six truck platoons make but the combat elements and few trucks run out of gas just shy of the river. They however are picked up in the evening when a relief column comes to get them. Soviet casualties were just too high to have a coherent force left to mop up all of the Americans.

A few scattered US units do not make to the river. They are captured by Soviet patrols and are repatriated later.

The US Forces win this one at 80 points for the US to 45 for the Russians. the Soviet tanks losses is what did them in by costing 2X each step. Only one Soviet tank step survived the fight.

US artillery, mobility and tank firepower is what won this one for them. And perseverance, as early on, it looked bad for the Americans when their first tank company got clobbered. But the drive to keep going, helped them to victory. This is an exciting scenario that went back and forth and I was never sure who was going to win. Initiative rolls were very important. With variable Soviet artillery & US airpower, weather changes and close initiative, this scenario stayed exciting and tense throughout.