The Assault on Vitebsk (Firestorm game)

FIRESTORM TURN 2 GAME 2 The Soviets have now encircled the Festerplatz, and the time had come to crack them. Vitebsk was chosen as the first, because capturing the fortress city would open up supply to the soviet forward elements pushing for Minsk. A heavy assault gun company with Engineer support was sent as the first wave. Their goal was to secure the Southern bridge, or if rapid advance could be made- to push into the city and secure both bridges. The Germans were cut off from supply and thus had their morale reduced after suffering several days of preparatory bombardments. The soviets had air support (technically air isn't allowed in the city battles, but we don't need no stinkin' rules). We also had a guest helping with the soviets- shout out to Dan Wood! The Mission was Pincer.

Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company HQ IS-2 + .50 cal 4x ISU 152 + .50 cals 4x ISU 152 + .50 cals 4x ISU 122 + .50 cals Sapper Company (Firestorm) Limited Sturmoviks (Firestorm)

German Sturmkompanie HQ + Von Saucken + Dietrich Uthoff Sturm Platoon + 7 Panzerfausts Sturm Platoon (upgrade to Pioneers) + Panzerfaust Sturm Platoon 3x Tiger IE 105 Battery Fortifications (for defending the fortress city) Panzerpioneers (Firestorm)

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT

Looking down the road

The assault is prepared.

The germans are dug in tight as a tick

They cling to the ruins of Vitebsk

The Northern Bridge.

152s on the right.

ISU 122s in the center

UNITS IN RESERVE
Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company	German Sturmkompanie Sturm Pioneers 105s Sturm Platoon

DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY

Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company: The Soviets are ready to roll forward and level the city if need be. German Sturmkompanie: The Germans start with their Panzerfaust armed infantry and firestorm pioneers on the board. Tiger Is are in ambush.

TURN 1

The Assault Guns rumble forward

Engineers march on.

The Southern ISU-152s roll forward under the command of Leytenant Dan Woodski. The bridge is blocked by an AT obstacle

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company	German Sturmkompanie

TURN 1 SUMMARY

Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company: Everyone moves forward, no firing this turn. German Sturmkompanie: The germans hold.

TURN 2

Lydia photobombed this picture.

152s take up position in the North.

As well as in the South.

Massed .50 cal fire brings down 1 stand.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company	German Sturmkompanie Firestorm pioneers: 1 stand

TURN 2 SUMMARY

Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company: Assault guns lumber into range, .50 cals blazing. German Sturmkompanie: Germans again sit tight.

TURN 3

Turn 3

Volley firing Bunker Busters and Heavy Breakthrough guns annihilate the Pioneers in the center.

The gun line tears into the Germans

The way for the pioneers is cleared

The South objective is tantalizingly close.

The Tigers spring their ambush and claim 2 ISU 152s!

Burning armor

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company South 152s: 2 Assault Guns	German Sturmkompanie Firestorm pioneers: DESTROYED

TURN 3 SUMMARY

Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company: Massed fire completely wipes out the Pioneers in the center... German Sturmkompanie: but amid the smoke and rubble, 3 88cm cannons open up and exact revenge!

TURN 4

Turn 4

The company command IS-2 and the ISU-122s knock out 2 Tiger Is!

The ISUs were looking for 6s! I got lucky

The Northern ISU 152s attempt to cross the ford. One gets stuck, and another blows up on the mines... just as German reserves arrive!

Uh oh!

105s (which arrived last turn- we allowed them to be off table) rain down on the bridge.

A flame thrower clears the way for the assault

Charge!

The Pioneers claim 2 kills. The 4th escapes to safety.

Meanwhile Sean abandons the South flank in the face of the bunker busters.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company South 152s: 2 Assault Guns North 152s: 3 Assault Guns	German Sturmkompanie Firestorm pioneers: DESTROYED Tigers: 2 tanks South Sturm Platoon: 1 stand

TURN 4 SUMMARY

Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company: The assault guns get lucky when they pop 2 Tigers... German Sturmkompanie: but retribution is had swiftly when pioneers knock out 3 assault guns that were attempting to cross the river.

TURN 5

The company commander redeploys

Dietrich Uthoff watches from behind a burning tank as the German pioneers are mercillesly gunned down in a hail of .50 cal fire, leaving only the platoon leader standing... before fleeing in terror

The last German reserves arrive.

105 fire knocks out a 122 in the bridge traffic jam

Sean's Tiger snuck out for a shot, but failed to stormtrooper to safety!

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company South 152s: 2 Assault Guns North 152s: 3 Assault Guns ISU 122s: 1 Assault Gun	German Sturmkompanie Firestorm pioneers: DESTROYED Sturm pioneers: DESTROYED South Sturm Platoon: 1 stand Tigers: 2 tanks

TURN 5 SUMMARY

Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company: MG fire annihilates the Sturm pioneers. German Sturmkompanie: The last of Sean's reserves arrive, and the Tiger is left in the open within short range of 2 ISU-122s...

TURN 6

Turn 6

Predictably, the Tiger is blown to smithereens as the Soviet engineers prepare to start working on the AT obstacle.

Boom!

Planes have seen minimal use here, but they manage to knock out 1 stand of infantry.

Under a smoke barrage from the 105s, the North Sturm Platoon assaults the bridge!

Forcing the Pioneers back and claiming 2 122s!

But their losses in defensive fire prove too much and they are themselves destroyed!

The carnage. The last 122 quits the field. The Battalion Commander tries to convince them otherwise, but himself flees!

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company South 152s: 2 Assault Guns North 152s: 3 Assault Guns ISU 122s: DESTROYED HQ: DESTROYED	German Sturmkompanie Firestorm pioneers: DESTROYED Sturm pioneers: DESTROYED Tigers: DESTROYED North Sturm Platoon: DESTROYED South Sturm Platoon: 2 stands

TURN 6 SUMMARY

Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company: The 122s knock out the last Tiger I as the engineers prepare to clear the defenses German Sturmkompanie: A desperate counter attack sees off the 122s And the Soviet Commander! But at the cost of another platoon.

TURN 7

The start of turn 7. Both sides are beaten down.

The Engineers move left and claim the Southern objective.

Other engineers move through the rubble to block Von Saucken from moving forward.

Sean has no forces left to counter. The game goes 5-2 for the Soviets.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company South 152s: 2 Assault Guns North 152s: 3 Assault Guns ISU 122s: DESTROYED HQ: DESTROYED	German Sturmkompanie Firestorm pioneers: DESTROYED Sturm pioneers: DESTROYED Tigers: DESTROYED North Sturm Platoon: DESTROYED South Sturm Platoon: 2 stands

TURN 7 SUMMARY

Soviet Heavy Assault Gun Company: All but 3 of the assault guns are destroyed, and the surviving ones have no leadership. But the Engineers are unscathed, and are able to make it across the river to secure an objective. German Sturmkompanie: After being pummeled for days, the Germans finally give, and Vitebsk is liberated by the Red Army.

The assault on Vitebsk ends in soviet victory. The germans win the iniative and attempt to cut off the Soviet forward elements by striking Polotsk!

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