Here's a battle report played Sat.14 October 2006 with a new gaming buddy. So far we’ve played two GHQ WW2-Micro Armour games and a Crossfire game.
This was a fictional scenario between Germans and Russians set in '44. We used the meeting engagement scenario builder in the rules as a guide. We kept the cohesion level at 16 for each side. Forces were organized using 1750 points. Neither of us knew what the other was bringing to the battle which made it a challenge to determine your forces. Four objectives were set around the battlefield; two on high ground, one at a crossroads within a town, and one in a factory. The main road running down the center of the map was good road. All side roads were poor roads. A die roll determined the end of the table forces would enter. Sighting distance was set at 20". The game lasted about 4 1/2 hours for a total of ten game turns. A little slow, but this was my opponent's second time at playing the game. Most of the time was spent deciding the next move. Next time it should go a little faster.
The battlefield was created using my hex terrain.
OOB:
German:
1 x GHQ (+2) w/Transport
Armor BN:
1 x HQ-Mk IV
6 x Mk V Panthers (1-FO)
2 x Tigers
Inf BN:
1 x HQ-SdKfz-251/1
6 x Inf Plts w/SdKfz 251/1's (2-FO's)
2 x Inf Support w/SdKfz 251/1
1 x SdKfz 251/9 75mm HOW
Arty:
1 x Bison 150mm IG (3)
Russian:
1 x GHQ (0) w/truck
1 x M17 AA 1/2trk, 1 x Inf Support w/trk
Armor BN:
1 x HQ T34/85
6 x T34/85
3 x T-70 Lt tanks
2 SMG BN:
1 x HQ
6 x SMG Plt
Additional assets:
3 x SU -76
3 x SU-152
Approximate sequence of events:
The Germans forces were divided into three battle groups. Two main groups consisting of a Coy of Panthers and a Coy of Grenadier Infantry with support platoons and a third group of two Tiger plts which would provide support to the other groups as needed. The German plan was to move one group down the main road and the other along the right flank. The Tigers would advance down the center between the river and small berm.
The Russians forces were divided into two large groups and three smaller groups as follows; a BN of T34/85s with three platoons of SMG as tank riders, a BN of SMG traveling on foot, a Coy of SU 76s, a Coy of SU 152s, and a Coy of T 70s with SMG tank riders. I was the German player so I didn't know the Russian player's plans.
The game opened with the Germans moving a battle group of Panthers and Grenadiers along with their GHQ down the main road, occupying the center of the first objective in town.
The other battle group advanced to the wooded area on their right flank. The Artillery Bty took up position behind the town.
The Russians entered from the South moving their BN of T34/85s, with some SMG riders, up the main road to a small village.
A SU 76 Coy advanced to the first objective on the high ground, the GHQ occupied the second objective in the factory,
and the SU 152 Coy moved into the woods along the main road.
They also occupied the woods across the river with the T 70 Coy and SMG riders.
The German lead Panthers wasted no time and started exchanging shots with the lead T34/85s while moving two Plts forward to the RR tracks. The Panthers and Inf on the right failed their cohesion roll and couldn't move forward. The Tigers moved along the road towards the bridge planning to advance between the river and small ridge to try and get a better position in which to attack the Russian armor.
The Russians however, were able to bring their T34/85s up on line to counter the German armor and also swung a Coy of T34/85s over to their right flank behind a large wood. The SMG BN advanced on foot to occupy the objective on the high ground on the south end of the board. They took the place of the Coy of SU 76 which advanced down the hill and took up a defensive position in the woods directly in front of the German advance. The German FO licked his lips in anticipation as he plotted the arty strike on the Russian armor which would arrive next turn.
The German arty barrage arrived successfully, lasting three to four turns, and effectively prevented the T34/85s from advancing any farther down the main road pinning them in place. It unseated and suppressed two SMG plts riding on the tanks which then took cover in a small ruin.
The Russians on the other hand were able to advance a Coy of T34/85s thru the woods endangering the left flank of the Panthers by the RR tracks before the Germans could react and block their approach with two Coys of infantry. Oh…SH**!! The Panthers are in a crossfire!!
The Russian SMG BN continued to creep forward and finally secured the objective on the high ground. They were smart and stayed behind the crest of the hill so they couldn't be seen by the German FOs and become cannon fodder. The T 70 Coy dropped off their SMG plts which took up defensive positions in the woods on either side of the road, thus effectively blocking that avenue of approach.
Realizing the threat of the T34/85s, the German player moved his Tiger Coy towards the town to provide support for the exposed Panthers. The German battle group on right flank in the woods failed their cohesion roll and stayed in place.
For some unknown reason, the Russian player decided to drop off two Plts of SMG Inf into the woods and move his Coy of T34/85s farther around to the left rear of the German held town, instead of engaging the German Panthers in their exposed flank.
This gave the Germans the opportunity to move the Tiger Coy in a position to block off the avenue of approach and also to swing a Panther Plt around to engage the T34/85s in a side shot.
Below is the result of the Russian's ineffective return fire and inability to withdraw after three turns of play.
German Arty fire and fire from the lead Panthers finally took its toll on the T34/85s on the main road, resulting in one Plt taken out of action and the other three retreating to more protective ground. The German battle group on the right was finally able to advance forward, securing the objective on the high ground with two Plts of Inf and further advancing the Panthers towards the ford in an attempt to take the factory.
After the unsuccessful advance towards the German held town, the Russians decided to pull back their SU 76 Coy to the woods behind the SMG BN to defend the objective. They shifted their remaining T34/85 Plts back to defend the ford and the main road on the way to the factory. Two SMG Plts were left in the ruin.
The Germans now had to push forward as fast as possible to keep up the momentum. The Panther and Inf Coys on the German right reorganized and advanced towards the SMG BN on the high ground. They also pushed towards the ford but were held up by the dismounted SMG Coy in the woods. One Panther Plt tried to push along the road out into clear terrain but was stopped in its tracks by the SU 152 Coy in the woods. German arty was unsuccessful in laying any fire on the SU 152s. The German Inf was also unsuccessful in dislodging the SMG Coy in the woods suffering two destroyed plts thereby forcing the rest of the Germans around the woods and across the ford for a last ditch attempt at attacking the factory.
Below is an unsuccessful die roll attempt to remove a suppressed and disorganized marker.
The Russians made a last ditch effort with the T 70 Coy and attacked the flank of the dismounted inf on the high ground with a loss of one T 70 plt
The final German push was an overrun attempt of Panthers on the SMG BN and a close assault of infantry with no result. The game was determined a draw with two objectives still in control by each side. There was no factoring in each side's losses. Total losses were:
German: 1 - Panther Plt and 2 or 3 Inf Plts
Russian: 5 - T34/85s, 1- T70
Enjoy!
Mike G.
"29 Let's Go"
