Black Death Bolt Action Style; Leningrad, 29 Nov 1942
The Leningrad Front in late November 1942 has been quiet. Near one of the “Peoples Train Yards” only two AT guns stand guard against each other. On the morning of the 29th, the 170th Grenadier Div HQ sent down orders to occupy the Train Repair Bldg. A reinforced squad of “white” pioneers (Veterans, 10 tm’s: HQ tm w/CPT w/ NCO and Riflemen w/AT grenade; Medic team; 1ea Sqd of Pioneers w/ NCO, 4ea SMG & 4 Rifles, 2ea AT grenadiers, LMG; 1eaa Flamethrower team; 2ea MMG tm’s; 8cm Mortar tm; Mtr OBV tm; PaK 40 tm; 1ea SdKfz 2318-rad) were ordered to attack.
The battle stared with only the two AT guns on the battlefield. The Germans set up their gun in a bunker made from a destroyed T-34 overlooking the train yard. The Soviets set up on hill to cover the road to the train yard and behind a copse of trees for protection from the fascist. The only rule for entry was that the T-34 had to arrive last for the Soviets. Victory would go to who controlled the 3-room Train Repair Bldg after 8 turns.
Turn 1: All forces would enter with a passed “normal” command check except the T-34 which had -1 to their entry roll. The Germans pulled the first chit and moved the Pioneer Sqd onto the battlefield soon followed by their supporting troops except that the 231 8-rad, Recon AFV moved to support the PaK 40.. The Soviets counter by bringing in their Off Board art Obv first and then the 82mm Mtr team. The last forces they brought on were the 2 INF squads and they went straight for the rail yard. By the end of turn 1 all the troops had entered the fight except for one of the German MMG’s and the T-34.
Turn 2: The Russian got the first move and rolled for the T-34, which arrived to support the ZiS gun. Next he put the ZiS into ambush which was a smart move as it had a clear long shot at the Pioneers as they crossed the railroad on their way to the repair bldg. The Soviets fired a round of HE and took out 3 riflemen and gave them 2 pin markers. About as a good a hit the 76mm could have given! (The German Commander vowed to read up on smoke rules later that night to cover his moves!) The German did have his medic nearby but he was unable to save any of the troops. Once again the 2nd German MMG also failed to arrive. The Pak 40 was next placed in Ambush and it too fired the same turn as the Naval AT Rifle team crossed its path but it managed only to give the ATR tm a pin marker. The ATR then hunkered down in a shell hole for protection.
Turn 3: The Germans started off firing an 8cm Mtr at the ATR team but failed to find a target. The Soviet commander soon found moving in the destroyed village slow going but pushed his two Naval Inf Sqd forward but not before the PaK 40 which was in ambush again fired and hit with a HE round into the 2nd Naval Inf Squad and giving them 3 KIAs and 2 pins. Hauptman Malcolm declared that “vengeance was mine!” The 231 8-rad crept around the woods and fired a shot at the ZiS gun and killed one gunner missed. This sent the T-34 after it and when it fired, the Recon AFV used its RECON ability and fell back to safety. Over at the Repair Bldg the Germans sent their Medic and HQ teams into the Bldg capturing the 1st room while the Pioneers rallied a few pin markers. The ZiS fired but missed the rallying pioneers!
Turn 4: With the Germans holding 1 of the 3 rooms in the repair facility the Soviet commander is nervous…the Kommisar attached to the HQ was seen taking down names? Comrade JD now sent the 1st Naval Inf squad forward and rallied the 2nd squad but only was able to take of 2 or 3 pin markers. Fearing the Recon AFV the Soviets pushed the ZiS gun forward 6” off the hill. The Germans counter by putting the PaK 40 back in Ambush. The T-34 was then ordered into the Rail Yard to support the attack but was hit and stunned rec’d a “down” marker and 2 pins from the damage roll as it drove across the PaK 40 sites. Across the table the Pioneers sent their Flamethrower team, who had been quietly moving forward into the battle as it lit up the 1st Naval Inf Sqd! Despite the 3 pins the Naval troop’s rec’d they only lost one sailor and passed their morale check with help from the command team and the best news the Flamethrower rolled bad and the canisters were empty! Seeing the Flamethrower in action the Pioneers under cover of a MMG move forward and enter the repair Bldg, now controlling 2 of the 3 rooms. The Soviets countered with an 82mm Mortar round on the PaK 40, hitting it and killing one gunner.
Turn 5: The Germans pulled the first chit and the AT gun fires and finishes off the T-34, leaving the burning hulk on the road. The German MMG fires at the stunned naval troops killing another sailor. The Soviets counter with their MMG and take out one of the Germans HQ staff rifleman. Nice shot considering they were down in a Bldg…double 6s! The Soviet Obv next calls in an Artillery Strike on top of the Repair Bldg and the ZiS guns fires into the Repair Bldg causing 2 pins and killing another pioneer.
Turn 6: The Artillery strike arrives but the Soviet rolls bad and it lands on top of his own troops. The poor devils that heroically survived the flame attack now rec’d a barrage of 76mm artillery. Thankfully they were cowering in a 3-story bldg and they only lost 1 KIA along with the Kommisar in the HQ section. (His little black book was lost too!) Now very desperate… the Soviets send the 2nd Squad on a assault vs. the Pioneer Sqd in the Bldg. The assault went two rounds before the Naval Inf lost the hand to hand action. The Pioneers took that opportunity to advance and capture the 3rd room…for a Victory! The Soviets commander “Comrade” JD concedes the fight to his foe, Hauptman Malcolm. Black Death in this fight meant dead Soviet Naval Infantry!
Hauptman Malcolm is awarded his 2nd iron cross in two weeks of Bolt Action fighting!
