Shimsk Breakthrough

A Headless Body production.

Location: Phil's Basement 

Players: Phil Gardocki, Legkiy Samokhodno-Artillyeriyskiy Polk (attacker)

                 Ed Bernhard, Gepanzerte Panzergrenadierkompanie (defender)
Game: Flames of War Late War 1780 points

Mission: Breakthrough

The Forces:
2nd Tank Army's 1441st SU Regiment, with 4 Batteries of SU-122's, supported by the 1/307th Tank Company, 208th Flak Company, 5/1441 Reconnaissance Company (Confident, Trained), and the 89th Guards Mortar Battalion (Fearless Trained).

A total of 15 SU-122's in 4 Batteries, 10 T-34's (5 76's, 5 85's), 8 Katyushas, 2 DShk AA trucks in 1 battery, 3 ZSU 17's, and 5 Recon Rifle/MG teams.

Gepanzerte Panzergrenadierkompanie (Confident, Veteran) 2 Platoons of Panzergrenadiers (command team, panzerfaust smg, 6 MG teams, haltracks), Platoon of 2 PaK 43’s, 1 Battery of 4 Sturmgeschutz's (2 STG IIIg's and 2 Stg H42's), 1 Platoon of 2 Tigers, (triple firing) and a Reconnaissance Platoon of 3 Armored Cars.

The Mission: Breakthrough,  The defender sets up in quarters cater cornered from each other.  The attacker in a third quarter, the 2 objectives are placed in the remaining quarter.   The defender has mobile reserves, the attacker delayed reserves.  Attacker wins if he can control an objective, defender on turn 6+ if the attacker is not within 16 inches of either objective. 

The Board:

4 by 6 feet. 

The northern river port town of Shimsk, near Novgorod.

The Board:

A countryside area of fields, roadside hedges, woods and rises.  The town of Shimsk is near the center of the map.  Snow drifts are still present where they were deepest.  The Shelon River, a tributary of Lake Ilmen,  is running deep with melting snow. The farming collective's pond is also still frozen over.

The south side of the board.  East is at the bottom of the shot.  Shimsk is on the right, the Shelon River, is on the left.

Reverse view of the southwest edge of the map.

Reverse view of the northern half of the board.

Deployment:

Defender picks the quarter of the board to deploy in, and chose the southeast and northwest quarters.  The attacking Soviets deployed in the southwest quarter, squeezed between the river Shelon and Shimsk.  2 batteries of SU's were sent on a flank march.

OK- NOBODY breath now.



German half tracks near both objectives.

German Panzergrenadiers north of Shimsk.

While the Tigers quietly look on.

While waiting for his Battalion to form up, Kapitan Koning surveyed the land around him.  He confirmed the the reports that the reconnaissance company had handed him.  The Germans were dug in around Shimsk, but had not invested the town. Off in the distance were the half tracks they would use either as support to to flee on.  And off to the east there was nothing.  Wait.  "kakogo cherta", he exclaimed!  He handed his binoculars to his radio operator.  "Damn!"  He knew his reconnaissance teams were myopic, but even a blind man could have seen a Tiger tank, let alone two!  He was tempted to send the reconnaissance company to deal with the Tigers armed only with sketch pads.

Still, the enemy forces were separated by the town, and though Kapitan Badinuff wouldn't like it, his 10 tanks should be able to deal with the Tigers.  And if not, he should be able to distract them long enough to get to the for us to take the objective, cutting the German lines in two.

Turn 1:

There is lots of slow going on the board, but I need the T-34's to close in fast on the Tigers to short range.  I sent the T-34/76's through the plowed field, and the T-34/85's around the cleared area, but hugging cover from facing the PaK 40's.  The SU Batteries mainly loop around the town and take up position to "Volley Fire" the Grenadiers.  It really doesn't look good for the Germans.  But for all the massed firepower, there are no effective shots I can take, between "Hens and Chicks", range, cover, and veterans, all my shots require a 7 to hit. 

German reserves arrive.  A battery of Sturmgeschutzs, 75's and 105's.  They had 4 shots, which scored 3 hits, 2 kills, 1 bail, and a motivation check, scoring the first kill with one SU Battery fleeing the field.

However, the luck was not so one sided.  Between 2 PaK 40's and 2 triple-firing Tigers, only 1 T-34 was killed from Kapitan Badinuff's charging 1/307th Tank Battalion.

The 1/307th heads towards the Tigers and the PaK 40's.  The reconnaissance teams head into town, supported by an SU Battery

The SU Batteries take up firing positions.

Sturmgeschutzs arrive from reserve...

Turn 2:
The 1/307th Tank Battalion continued their charge, but ignored the Tigers and instead hosed down the PaK's with heavy MG fire.  Since the PaK's fired last turn, they lost their "Gone to Ground" status and their 3+ save making them much more vulnerable.  Both PaK guns were killed.  Since I "Shot too well", I opted to assault the PaK positions and consolidate my tanks.

On the other side of Shimsk, a similar choice had to be made.  Shoot at the Sturmgeschutzs, or the Grenadiers?  Since the Grenadiers couldn't really hurt me I probably should have shot at the Sturmgeschutzs.  But I thought that I had a reasonable chance of killing the whole Grenadier Platoon, as I had them at short range, re-rolling misses, and a chance to lift "Gone to Ground".  Added to that was 18 dice from the 208th Flak Company. But the lifting of GTG failed, and I only managed to kill two of the seven Grenadiers.

On the German side, more reserves rolled in.  His Armored Car Platoon.  Not seeing anything of they wanted to tangle with, they instead double-timed it towards the objective.  The Sturmgeschutzs, double fired at long range, targeting the remaining SU Battery, destroying two, bailing another.  Leaving the Battery commander to pass his motivation check.

The German Tigers have "Rapid Fire!" and so have a rate of fire of 3.  They also have a target rich environment, and fired their 6 dice, flaming a T-34/76.

Continuing the charge of the 1/307 Tank Battalion.

The reconnaissance found their way into the buildings.  The SU 122's "Volley Fire" the Grenadiers.

Two Grenadiers down.



Position of the 1/307 on turn 2, after consolidating the assault.
Closing in on the kill, but with the Tiger hull down and "Hens and Chicks", the T-34's still need a 6 to hit at this time.


Turn 3:
Boris's blood was pounding.  With 88's exploding everywhere, and yet, only one T-34 was burning.  In a minute we will have their flanks!

No reserves arrive.  The 1/307 Tank Battalion continued their charge.  All the T-34/85's would cross over the bridge, while the wide tracks of the T-34/76's should carry them across the stream. Only one tank bogged in the crossing, but the rest were closing in on the flanks of the Tigers.  And as it turned out, the flank shot missed, but a lucky frontal hit managed popped the Tiger. 
 

One Tiger dead.  So how come they don't burn like the Soviets do?  Petrol vs Diesel perhaps?


In Shimsk, I have only one more turn to clean out the Grenadiers.  5 chances to lift "Gone to Ground", then range in with the Katusha's, then 20 dice of MG fire back up by 2 volley fires of 122's and 2 76 main guns.

As I said, 5 chances to lift "Gone to Ground".

Turn 3 (continued):

OK, so the Grenadiers are still "Gone to Ground", and I manage to only kill one team.  I toyed with the idea of assaulting them with the 208th Flak Company.  But I let it go.  I only needed to kill one more team to force a motivation check.

German Reserves arrive, the other Panzergrenidier platoon on half tracks.  The remaining Tiger flamed another T-34, then "Storm Trooper" backwards to the corner to better cover its flanks.  The Sturmgeschutzs continue to make the the 1441st life miserable, destroying one flak-track, and bailing another.

The newly arrived Panzergrenidier platoon poured on the fire, double bailing a flak-trak.  Its crew had enough, set fire to the engine, and fled.  Leaving the Flak Company Commander alone in the smoke.

STG's kill one Flak Trak, bail another.



Turn 4:
Soviet reserves arrive, an SU Battery near one of the objectives.  The Germans already are sitting on the objective from earlier arrivals.  I decide to go for it despite bad odds and assault the German infantry.  But both the Panzerfaust and Panzerschrek did their jobs, hitting two guns, halting the assault.

Meanwhile the 1/307 is closing in for the kill.  4 surviving T-34/85's and one plucky T-34/76 right on the flank of the Tiger.

In Shimsk, the Soviet pressure on the Panzergrenadiers slackens off considerably.  The Sturmgeschutzs split their fire and destroy both the SU Battery and the Flak Company. 



3 bailed, one alive, no motivation check.


Turn 5:
The tide had definitely turned on this fight.  It was clear that the Germans were going for a company kill. They need 5 units, and already have 3 down, 2 desiccated.

The T-34 swarm finishes their job with the last Tiger Kill.  They have 6 surviving tanks and so ware still a very viable unit.  It's just that they are way out of position to help anyone else.

The Sturmgeschutzs, with assistance from the half tracks, begin chewing up the Katusha Battalion. 

"Tell Kapitan Koning, mission accomplished!"

Two German Grenadier teams go in for the assault, and burn the SU Battery.



While the T-34's continue to pound the last Tiger.


Turn 6:
Soviet reserves arrive, the last SU Battery.  They rolled 2 sixes on their shots, picking up the Panzerfaust and Panzerschrek teams.  But are not quite close enough to claim the objective.


Through the fire and smoke, the German Panzergrenidiers swarm the Soviet Katusha Battery.

The last whole SU battery arrives and destroys the defending infantry.  Only the German Armored Cars are keeping the objective in play.

The Katusha's are burning. 

Turn 7:
This is a long game.  The 1441st pushes it's last SU's to contest both objectives.  Killing one armored car, and forcing the rest to retreat.
The German counters this move with the Sturmgeschutz battery, to race towrads the objective, leaving the Panzergrenidiers to clean up Shimsk.

The last SU Battery contesting both objectives.

Turn 8:
The Soviets continue to contest the objectives, but the Germans are on them as well.  In the final end game, the Germans manage to shoot up the both the 5/1441 Reconnaissance Battalion and the 89th Guards Mortar Battalion for 5 units killed, causing a Regimental Motivation check, which the Soviets failed.  Putting the win in the Germans column, 4-3.

While this looks bad for the Germans, it was the final step to their victory.

9th Panzer Division on the Road to Dunkirk

A Headless Body Production

Flames of War After Action Report: Leichte Panzerkompanie vs Compagnie de Combat.

Location: Steve’s Game Room
Game: Flames of War, Early War 1600 points
Mission: Dustup
Players: Phil Gardocki, Leichte Panzerkompanie (defender)
              Steve Turn, French Compagnie de Combat (attacker)

The Forces: 3rd Leichte Panzerkompanie Kompanie, 1st Abteilung, 33rd Panzer Regiment, 9th Panzer Division  (defender) 6 Zugs containing 3 Panzerbefehlswagens, a recovery vehicle, 4 Pz I’s, 10 Pz IIc’s, 4 Pz IIIe’s, 9 Kradschutzen teams (6 MG’s, Mortar, Light AT, and Leader)

Compagnie de Combat (attacker) 8 platoons containing 10 H-35’s, 3 R-35’s, 3 Panhard’s, 4 Laffly’s, 8 infantry teams, and 4 75mm towed guns.

Scenario:  Following the French Retreat along the Route des Estuaires, near the border town of Ghyvelde.

The Board: The quiet town of border town Ghyvelde, where French forces have pulled out of to avoid civilian casualties.  But they continue to control access to the Route des Estuaires leading to Dunkirk.

The 9th Panzer is hot off on their heels though, as leading elements clash with the yet unprepared defenses.

The South East corner of the board.  The Germans will deploy in this corner, the French in the North West near the wood.



German Deployment.  Kradschutzen interleaved with Panzer III's.  Panzer II's are hidden behind the Chateau.  (Why I don't know.)  The burning half-track is an objective.

A Peloton of French H 35's are deployed unseen behind a small knoll.  Fast firing 75's standing by, with Infantry hiding in the woods.

May 24th, 1940.  The Panzerbefehlswagen pulled up to a chateau and stopped.  Kapitän Klaus Krinkle of the 3rd Kompanie, 1st Abteilung, 33rd Panzer Regiment, 9th Panzer Division, climbed out of his tank, walking carefully to avoid cramping his legs.  It had been a long ride.  The 9th Panzer had swept all resistance before it so far.  But even if they only faced Dutch and Belgian forces it was enough.  After two weeks of driving, the panzers were beginning to see a lot of wear.  A few impromptu depots have been established to park those that were already mechanically disabled, their crews already eying up the nearby taverns for celebrations.  Krinkle didn't blame them but the core French army hadn't been defeated yet.  And while they were not willing to fight in their own towns, they were ready to deny this road to the 9th Panzer.

He walked into the house and nodded to the frightened family huddled in the corner.  This low lying area had a high water table, preventing the construction of basements for them to shelter in.  He gave them a polite nod and a reassuring wave.  The husband glared back at him.  These people were of hardy stock, as this town was near the front lines of the last war for four years.  This time, win or lose, it will be different.  The German plan did not allow for a draw.  

Klaus left the family and went up the stairs.  He Surveyed the nearby terrain.  Burning off in the distance was one of 10th Schutzen's half-tracks.  A twin to the half-track he passed on his way into Ghyvelde.  As indicators of enemy presence goes, this rates a level of high assurance.  He opened his case and pulled out the Zeiss binoculars.  So, cannons at the ready, with 3, no, 4, no, 7 tanks.  He studied the deployment and noted the French Artillerymen were just breaking out their shovels, Ah an opportunity!  

He bounded down the stairs, pausing to offer a polite, and sincere, "Aufedersein" to the cowering family before dashing to his panzer and it's most valuable piece of equipment, the radio.  

"Schutlz! von Waffen!" he yelled, "I have assignments for you."

He turned his gaze to a nearby Panzer II, he shouted, "You too, Leutnant Friedenswächter, get those panzers moving."

Reconnaissance Move.

With the rules for the Dust Up mission, the first side to finish deployment adds a one to the die to see who gets to move first.  The Germans only had 6 platoons, and so finished first, while the French rolled a 1, so it didn't matter what the Germans rolled.  They would move first.

The Kradschutzen take off during the Reconnaissance Move, heading for the flanks of the yet to be dug in French 75's.

Turn 1:
Moving boldly forward, the Kradschutzen run up the flank of the 75's, getting 8 MG's behind the gun shields, the remainder in front.  It was enough, 4 stands were killed and the canons failed their motivation and melted into the woods.  I don't think I have ever killed a platoon on turn 1 before.  (But I have had it happen to me!)

Leichte von Waffen's Panzer III's work their way around the knoll for a variety of moving short and long range shots and managed to only bail an H 35.

The French retaliate by advancing a peloton of H 35's and shooting up the Kradschutzen with MG fire, pinning them.

After shooting, 3 75's and the command staff were gone, the remainder fled the field.  there is only 3 H-35's between the Kradschutzen and the objectives.

Turn 2:

The Kradschutzen failed their motivation check and remained pinned.  I retreated them to make room for Leutnant Friedenswächter's Panzer IIc Zug, which due a  combination of short range and very bad deployment was still not in effective range.

Most of von Waffen's Panzer IIIe's were already in short range, so I only had to move one PzIIIe for a clear shot.  10 dice, 10 hits.  But the H 35 armor is tough, and the end result was 1 dead, 2 bailed.  It was up to a motivation check, and the confident French failed. 

The remaining French H 35 peloton stood its ground and gave the stationary Panzer III 6 shots, bailing 2 of them.

Rolling against the right hand peloton and the French Compagnie commander.  That's 10 for 10.

Another peloton down, with the Compagnie Commander bailed.  Two Platoons down.  One more platoon down will cause a Compagnie check

Turn 3:

German Reserve's arrive.  But in a lousy position.  One tank bogged in the woods, the others started peppering the dug in infantry with MG fire.  Maybe I can entice the French Infantry out of their positions with a surprise assault.  Which they did, but there were unengaged panzers that managed 5 hits in defensive fire, and killing 1 team, and sending the assaulting infantry back to their trenches.

In the open field, one of my Panzer III's stayed bailed, the others focused on the Compagnie Commander killing him.  The Panzer II's approached the H 35's but getting only 5 shots, and AT 5 against FA 3 didn't accomplish anything.  The H 35's they fired back, killing a Panzer II.

Driving through the woods.  On the lower right you can just see the smoke of the objective.

The Panzer II's enter effective range on the H 35's.

The French go for the surprise attack, but the two unengaged Pz II's still manage 5 hits out of 6 shots, pinning the Infantry.

Turn 4:

German reserves arrive, another Leichte Panzer Zug.  Emboldened by their arrival, the first Leichte Panzer Zug assaults two French teams in the woods, killing them both.

I kept forgetting my Kompanie Kommander, leaving him in town, and so he was to far away to assist in unpinning the Kradschutzen, which had failed all their motivation checks so far.  I double timed him this turn to within command range.  

French reserves arrive, a section of Lafflys, they have a thin shell, but big teeth. and put the bite on the still pinned Kradschutzen, killing several and bailing the German Kompanie Kommander.

The exchange of fire between my Panzer II and III's and the H 35's wound up just generating so much noise.  Lots of hits, but no kills on either side.

Kapitän Klaus Krinkle leaves town just in time to be swatted by enemy reserves.

Turn 5:

The exchange of tank fire continued in the field.  Two of my Panzer III's turned their turrets and shoot at the Lafflys,  bailing two.  The remaining six II's and III's manage to kill another H 35.  In the woods, my two Panzer Zugs were still whittling away at the defending infantry.  Contesting the objective.

French reserves arrive, a  Peloton of Panhards.  Seeing an opportunity for a win, Steve figured out that the stream surrounding the town is only about 14 inches from the corner of the map, and he could arrive within 16 inches of the corner, and so deployed the Panhards on the town side of the stream, and double timed to the objective.  Only the rule preventing double timing troops from capturing objectives will keep him from winning the game on turn 6!

The Lafflys continued to pile it on to the Kradschutzen and also killed the German Kompanie Kommander.

Turn 6:

German Reserves arrive, the kampfgroup consisting of 2 Panzer II's.   They arrived in a bad location, and didn't accomplish anything.

Relying on firepower, I shot everything I had, but didn't accomplish much.  Pinning the French Infantry section, bailed a tank and two Lafflys.  The French fired back with similar results.  But he didn't need to, as the Panhards were sitting on an objective, and will win the game on turn 7.

Turn 7:

It's do or die for the Germans.  I am too far away from the objectives I had to defend, and taking the French objectives will still lose me the game as the French will win first.  My only route to victory is to cause a French Compagnie motivation check,   This will require me to kill two French platoons this turn.  3 of the 4 French platoons were vulnerable.

I started with the long shot.  The Kradschutzen finally unpinned and maneuvered for flank shots on the Lafflys.  Not much chance here even with the Laffly's armor of zero, as I still have to make 6 up firepower checks with MG's.  And the numbers ran pretty much as expected and the Laffly's remain unharmed.

My Panzer II's and III's poured it on the last two H 35's, killing one, and double bailing the other.  The last H 35 had enough and the French Peloton surrendered.

It all came down to assaulting the French Infantry Section in the woods.  The first Leichte Zug went in, killing two infantry teams before being counter assaulted.  The Panzers received received a hit, failed their motivation, and retreated.   This left the French Section with three infantry teams.  Enough for a platoon motivation check, but I didn't want this decision to be down to a die roll.

The second Leichte Zug assaulted, two panzers bogged on charge.  Another bogged later in the assault phase, and the last panzer fought the French Section down to its command team.  The end result, the Leichte Panzer Zug was defeated, then failed its platoon motivation check its crews screaming "Its a trick, there's two of them." The other bogged crews abandoned their vehicles and they were captured by a plucky French Sergent-Chef and his Eleve.  Realizing they were all that was left of their section, they shouted, "Mon Dieu!" and melted into the woods.

The end was a nail biter.  The Germans achieved a 5-2 win on the turn sequence.  As the "Check Company Morale" phase occurs before the "Check Victory Conditions" phase.

Lousy picture, but this is an end game shot.  The Krad's pile on the MG's but with no hits.

Setting up the final assaults with two Leichte Panzer Zugs.  Lots of bails, bogs and pins here.  Taking the objective is not enough, I have to defeat the French Compagnie.

The Panzer II Zug fires 12 rounds assisted by 12 more shots from the Panzer III's (off fame to the right), destroying the last of the  H 35's.

Final Photo.   The first Panzer Zug that assaulted retreated to behind the pine trees but is othewise unharmed.  The second failed their motivation and abandoned their vehicles.

Epilog:

Soldat (reserve) Artois pulled himself free from under the burning German half-track.  He watched his Sergeant-Chef and Eleve flee into the woods.  They were indeed the bravest of men.  But what was he doing here?  He thought of his wife, which is why he joined the the Army.  6 months in the army was a vacation compared to living with her.  He then thought of Yvette, which is why he would desert now.  He didn't sign up for this!  He was a cafe owner, he should have been assigned to the supply corps, not the infantry! 

But before the last of the half tracks riders were run off, he heard something interesting,  something about "Van Klomp"  He didn't know much about fine art, but after 20 years as a cafe owner, you learn a few things.

Rene carefully looked into the half track, and on the drivers floor there was a crate.  The corner was shot off, but had done its job.  The painting within was unharmed.  It was the Van Klomp's Fallen Madonna (with the big boobies).  So the Germans didn't just come to conqueor, but to loot.  Well, this is one painting that they won't get, he will defend it with his...

He stopped and let out a heavy sigh.  Who was he kidding?  Rene was not one of those brave men he had just witnessed fighting steel monsters.  He would give up this painting in a heatbeat.  But still, no one knew he had it, and he would hide it till after the war.

Glossary:
Compagnie - French Company
Eleve - Short for Eleve Sous-Officer or Corporal
Kompanie - German Company
Section - French Infantry Platoon
Peloton - French Motorized of Cavalry Platoon
Sergent-chef - French mid grade sergeant.
Soldat - French Private
Zug - German Platoon

1945, Attacking Lublin

A Headless Body production.

Location: Showcase Comics, Granite Run Mall, Pennsylvania

Tournament: Whiteout!

Game: Flames of War Late War 1780 points
Mission: Free for All

Players: Phil Gardocki, Legkiy Samokhodno-Artillyeriyskiy Polk (attacker)

                 Scott, Battalion Armii Krajowej (defender)

 The Forces:

2nd Tank Army's 1^st Battalion, 1441st SU Regiment, 1/307th Tank Company, 208th Flak Company, 5/1441 Reconnaissance Company (Confident, Trained), 89th Guards Mortar Battalion (Fearless Trained).

A total of 15 SU-122's in 4 Batteries, 10 T-34's (5 76's, 5 85's), 8 Katyushas, 2 DShk AA trucks in 1 battery, 3 ZSU 17's, and 5 Recon Rifle/MG teams.

Polish Batalion Armii Krajowej (Fearless, Conscript)  AK Piechoty Company with 22 stands, 2 Kedyw Companies (FT) with 9 stands, 1 Mortar Company with 6 8cm mortars, 1 AT Company with 2 7.5cm Pak 40, 1 Tank Platoon of 2 Panthers, 1 Armoured Car Platoons with 2  Sd Kfz 221's and an Artillery Battery with 6 105's.

Mission: Free for All.

Apologies:  This was the third round of a tournament and I didn't take as many pictures as normal. 
Bonus!:  However, Scott also has an AAR on this fight, and you can get his perspective, and with better and more plentiful pictures at  http://ittybittysoldiers.blogspot.com/

The Board:

4 by 6 feet. 

Late 1944, the town of Lubin, Poland.  A fresh snowful has announced that winter is coming.  All hills and fords are bog checks, all streams are skill checks.

As a side note and faux complaint, there were only 3 snow boards at this tourament, and I played on all 3!

Deployment:

Both sides start with full deployment on the board.  My plan is to attack left, but I still deployed two batteries of SU’s and the Flak Company on the right to keep his forces there honest.

The Poles anticipated this and also deployed most strongly on my left side, with most of his indirect fire on the center and right side.

A blurry vision of the town of Lublin.  A town full of revolutionaries, well equipped with material stolen from the retreating Germans.

Polish deployment left side.  AT guns deployed near one of the objectives, along with the moderate sized  Kedyw Company.  On the right is the Piechoty Company, some recon, and Are Those Panther Tanks?



Polish Deployment Center.  The large Piechoty Company, next to the Mortar Company and off to the far right, a battery of 105's. 



Polish Deployment Right.  To the left is a Mortar Company and off to the far right, a battery of 105's. 



Soviet Deployment.  Hub to Hub.  Boris Badinuff's T-34's leading the charge, with SU-122's behind.  Off in the distance are the Katyusha's and way off in the distance more SU-122's.



“This is intolerable.” murmured Petrov to himself.  His battalion had been waiting for a week to begin the assault.  Kommisar Ivan Inanovitch Ivanovsky  had explained why to him many times, but it seemed to Petrov that the Kommisar was trying to convince himself, and not Petrov of the right of the matter.

“We are waiting for supplies, spare parts, repairs, and his favorite, the Bosch are allied with the Poles, and we are scouting the situation.” 

But everyone could see the truth of the matter.  The Poles had revolted, successfully revolted, from the Germans, and were doing the Red Army’s work for it.  Liberating their own towns and were welcoming their Soviet brothers with open arms.  And what did the Red Army do?  They stopped.  And watched, as the Germans massed and crushed the revolutionary groups one by one.  The reason is clear, we are not coming as liberators, but conquerors, and we would rather have the Germans crush the revolutionaries now, then us do it later. 

What made it worse was now that the 2nd Tank Army had orders to take Lublin, that the revolutionaries had won, that they had resisted all attempts of the Germans to destroy their spirit, that it is now our turn.  And damn it, he will do it.  These brave men, whose only crime was to be in the way, he will crush them, so that he could continue on to defeat the real enemy.

Kapitan Petrov looked at the bottle of vodka he had saved for a victory party.  No more, he was going to drink himself insensible tonight, and morn the men that would die this day.

Turn 1.

 Scott rolled the first move, and adjusted his Panthers, and moved a Kedyw Company into town, but otherwise they stayed dug in their fox holes.  His PaK 75's did well though, destroying two T-34's in the opening volley.  However there was no victory dance as my return fire picked off both guns.  Meanwhile my Katyushas began what would become a fruitless set of barrages on the Polish 105's.

First move goes to the Polish.

The PaK 75's score the first kills.

But it came at a cost as my return fire picked up the 7.5cm Pak 40 Company.  (Previously occuping the blank spots in the left side woods terrian piece)

Turn 2.

The Polish could not fail to see the rocket trails and started to counter barrage the Katyushas with the 105's, destroying a Katyusha and pinning the battery.  Thankfully the Panthers are untrained, and have a ROF of only 1, and so only kill one SU.  The Polish have infantry in the town, so I don't want to get too close with my vehicles, especially with no MG's.  But the T-34 tanks, no longer fearing the 75's are racing around the edge towards the objective.



Katyushas take counterfire.

Another SU Gun is taken out by Panther fire.

Turn 3:

The brave and fearless 89th Guards Mortar Battalion blew their motivation roll and stayed hidden under their trucks.  They will pay for that by receiving more 105 fire, and lose another Kat. 

However, Boris's  Badinuff's 1/307th Tank Company was loose, mostly racing around the flanks, but also advancing under cover of the ruins to return fire, pitting T-34 85's against Panthers.  Not a good match, but if the Panthers are shooting the T-34's they are ignoring the SU-122's.  Which have advanced into town and are ready to start making life miserable for the Pols.

One battery of SU's moving up through town, uncover the hidden Sd Kfz 221's behind a building and kill one at point blank range.

Pinned down, and with a promise of more to come!

Both Panthers and Polish Infantry receive fire, with one Polish Kedyw team killed.

Polish 105's add another Kat to their score.



While the Polish Mortar teams smoke half the town.

Turn 4:
On the far right flank, the Kedyw make a brave move to double-time into the woods near two of my SU batteries.  This gives me a very uncomfortable choice.  Shoot at the mortar company with two batteries of SU's or retreat before the infantry assault to come.  Some of that infantry have flame throwers, and my SU's have no defenses what so ever.  No tank riders, no hull mounted MG's.  I decide to keep up the pressure on the Polish Mortar Company, and rely on the 208th Flak Company's quad 50'cals to keep the Polish honest.  I shoot the mortars, killing all but two of them.  They passed their motivation and so live to fight another turn.

The other Kedyw also had enough of being a pel, and advanced to assault one of the Soviet SU Batteries in town.

The  89th Guards Mortar Battalion, obviously embarrassed by their motivation failure, unpinned and pelted the 105's and killing of all things, the staff team.

In an unexpected turn of events, one of my T-34's actually killed a Panther in a frontal shot!   



The 1/307th cracks a Panther.  While the losses to mount on the Piechoty Company.  They were 22 teams, now they look closer to 8.

Kedyw moving unseen in the woods.

Kedyw moving up for an assault on my SU battery in town.  With no MG or Tank Riders, this should be easy for them.

The Polish Mortar Company, now reduced to two tubes, hurls its last smoke shells to provide cover for the assaulting Kedyw Company.

Turn 5:

Sorry, didn't take any more pictures here.  Some are still available at http://ittybittysoldiers.blogspot.com/, but they may roll off.

Summation.

On the Soviet right, the assault of the Kedyw went bad, even under the cover of smoke.  They charged into the Soviet SU's, which were supported by 18 dice from the 208th Flak Company.  The Kedyw was pinned, rolled back to the woods, where the survivors died to a man.

In the center, the Kedyw Company assault on a battery of SU's went in cleanly, and then went many rounds with naught to naught results before finally taking a hit, then failed a motivation check and retreated.   Then the Kedyw Company received 6 rounds of "volley fire", 5 of which hit, forcing the company to surrender. 

On the Soviet left, the Piechoty were still there, but at greatly reduced numbers.  I decided to ignore the remaining Panther and ran the 1/307th T-34 Company to the objective.  With a ROF of one, the Panther couldn't even cause a motivation check in less than 3 turns.  Meanwhile whole batteries of SU's were now advancing  around it's flank.  At this point the Armii Krajowej surrendered.  A 6-1 win for the Soviets. 

Kedyw lined up for the assault. 
Picture stolen from IttyBittySoldiers.blogspot.com without permission.