After re-reading the original battle report I wrote in 2009, I decided to redraft it with the explanations of the rule mechanisms removed. It actually reads much better as a result, and I have reproduced it below as I thought that it might be of interest to my regular blog readers.
Scenario
A Russian Army is mounting an offensive against the German front-line. In this particular sector a German Luftwaffe Feld Divisione is defending a vital gap in the range of hills that cross the Russian main line of advance as well as the only asphalted roads in the area.
The Battle Report
The activation cards did not favour the Germans as the first one turned over was for the Russian Army assets. The first Russian Heavy Artillery Regiment immediately opened fire on the left-hand German Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment, but their artillery fire had no effect.
The second Russian Heavy Artillery Regiment followed suit, but again the Russian artillery fire had no effect.
The third Russian Heavy Artillery Regiment joined in the barrage and its artillery fire caused the German Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment to lose one point from its CV and the Luftwaffe Feld Divisione to lose one point from its divisional morale.
The second activation card that was turned over activated the right-hand Russian Rifle Division. Its Artillery Regiment opened fire on the right-hand German Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment which lost one point from its CV and the Luftwaffe Feld Divisione lost another point from its divisional morale.
Two of the Russian Division’s Rifle Regiments advanced into contact with the right-hand German Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment and initiated combat with it. The combat was decisive. The German unit lost another point from its CV, and this destroyed the unit. The Luftwaffe Feld Divisione also lost another point from its divisional morale, which was now reduced to three.
The Luftwaffe Feld Divisione was then activated. Its Mountain Artillery Regiment opened fire on the leading Rifle Regiment of the right-hand Russian Rifle Division, with devastating results. It destroyed the Rifle Regiment and reduced the Russian Rifle Regiment’s divisional morale by two.
The centre Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment engaged one of the leading Rifle Regiments from the as yet to be activated second Russian Rifle Division. The combat reduced the Russian Rifle Regiment’s CV by two – thus destroying the unit and reducing the second Russian Rifle Regiment’s divisional morale by two.
Finally, the left-hand Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment engaged the Russian Tank Regiment, but to no avail.
It was then the turn of the Tank Corps to be activated. Only the Tank Regiment was in a position to engage the Germans, which it did ... ineffectively.
The final formation activated during the turn was the second Russian Rifle Division. Its Field Artillery regiment opened fire on the central Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment, but its artillery fire had no effect.
The two remaining Russian Rifle Regiments rushed forward – accompanied by their Divisional General – and attacked the central Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment. This resulted in the central Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment losing both its CV points and being destroyed. It also reduced the Luftwaffe Feld Divisione’s morale to one.
Scenario
A Russian Army is mounting an offensive against the German front-line. In this particular sector a German Luftwaffe Feld Divisione is defending a vital gap in the range of hills that cross the Russian main line of advance as well as the only asphalted roads in the area.
To capture it the Russian Army Commander has allotted:The battlefield.
- Two Rifle Divisions each with an Average General (CV = 2) and:
- Three Rifle Regiments (CV = 2 each)
- A Field Artillery Regiment (CV = 3)
- Divisional morale = 6
- Part of a Tank Corps commanded by an Average General (CV = 2):
- A Tank Regiment (CV = 4)
- A Motorised Rifle Regiment (CV = 3)
- An Anti-tank Artillery Regiment (CV = 3)
- Tank Corps morale = 6
- Army assets commanded by a Poor General (CV = 1):
- Three Heavy Artillery Regiments (CV = 3 each)
- Army asset morale = 5
The Russian Rifle Divisions.
The German defenders are dug-in, are commanded by a Good General (CV = 3) and include:Part of the Russian Tank Corps and the Army assets allocated to support the attack.
- Three under-strength Luftwaffe Rifle Regiments (CV = 2 each)
- A Luftwaffe Mountain Artillery Regiment (CV = 3)
- Divisional morale = 6
The Russian have a total CV of 46 and the Germans have a CV of 12, giving the Russians a superiority of almost 4:1.The Luftwaffe Feld Divisione awaits the Russian attack.
The Battle Report
The activation cards did not favour the Germans as the first one turned over was for the Russian Army assets. The first Russian Heavy Artillery Regiment immediately opened fire on the left-hand German Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment, but their artillery fire had no effect.
The second Russian Heavy Artillery Regiment followed suit, but again the Russian artillery fire had no effect.
The third Russian Heavy Artillery Regiment joined in the barrage and its artillery fire caused the German Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment to lose one point from its CV and the Luftwaffe Feld Divisione to lose one point from its divisional morale.
The second activation card that was turned over activated the right-hand Russian Rifle Division. Its Artillery Regiment opened fire on the right-hand German Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment which lost one point from its CV and the Luftwaffe Feld Divisione lost another point from its divisional morale.
Two of the Russian Division’s Rifle Regiments advanced into contact with the right-hand German Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment and initiated combat with it. The combat was decisive. The German unit lost another point from its CV, and this destroyed the unit. The Luftwaffe Feld Divisione also lost another point from its divisional morale, which was now reduced to three.
The Luftwaffe Feld Divisione was then activated. Its Mountain Artillery Regiment opened fire on the leading Rifle Regiment of the right-hand Russian Rifle Division, with devastating results. It destroyed the Rifle Regiment and reduced the Russian Rifle Regiment’s divisional morale by two.
The centre Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment engaged one of the leading Rifle Regiments from the as yet to be activated second Russian Rifle Division. The combat reduced the Russian Rifle Regiment’s CV by two – thus destroying the unit and reducing the second Russian Rifle Regiment’s divisional morale by two.
Finally, the left-hand Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment engaged the Russian Tank Regiment, but to no avail.
It was then the turn of the Tank Corps to be activated. Only the Tank Regiment was in a position to engage the Germans, which it did ... ineffectively.
The final formation activated during the turn was the second Russian Rifle Division. Its Field Artillery regiment opened fire on the central Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment, but its artillery fire had no effect.
The two remaining Russian Rifle Regiments rushed forward – accompanied by their Divisional General – and attacked the central Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment. This resulted in the central Luftwaffe Rifle Regiment losing both its CV points and being destroyed. It also reduced the Luftwaffe Feld Divisione’s morale to one.
In subsequent turns the Germans managed a fighting retreat off the tabletop although it was a close-run thing. This was possible because their activation card came out first during the second and third turns, which allowed them to move away from the attacking Russians. In addition, the Russian threw some appallingly bad dice scores for the rest of the game.The situation at the end of the first turn.
I seem to recall your mentioning somewhere that this action was practically over in the first turn. Given the numbers and troop quality (and the scale of the action) this doesn't seem to me unrealistic. It speaks of a pugnacious Russian Army commander acting with celerity and able to get the best out of the material under his command - even from General Tupitsov, his Artillery Corps commander.
ReplyDeleteArchduke Piccolo,
DeleteThe Russian attack was overwhelming, and by the end of the first turn it was obvious that the Germans were not going to be able to stem the attack. The latter manged to extricate themselves ... just.
All the best,
Bob