US Rifles vs Fallschirmjager

US RIFLES ATTACKING FALLSCHIRMJAGER IN NO RETREAT

I set up the board with fairly dense terrain, and so was glad Brian brought his Fallschirmjager as opposed to his panzerkompanie. I elected to run a generic US Rifle list I made up a while back. I was thankful he had no air- as I deployed I realized just how lacking I was in the AAA department.

I have a chart for rolling up the mission, and we rolled Hold the Line. But since we were doing infantry vs infantry, before we rolled to see who the attacker was we agreed to play No Retreat instead.


STEVEN'S US RIFLES (Confident Trained)
HQ + additional Bazooka
3x Full Strength Combat Platoons
Weapons Platoon (LMGs attached out)
Mortar Platoon (with 6 tubes)
57mm AT Platoon + extra bazooka
I&R Platoon
105mm Artillery Battery
155mm Self Propelled Artillery Battery
Self Propelled Tank Destroyer Platoon w/ M10s
Air Observation Post

BRIAN'S FALLSCHIRMJAGER (Fearless Veteran)
HQ + panzerschreck team
2x Full Strength Combat Platoon
Fallschirmpioneer platoon + supply truck
Mortars (4 tubes- the big guys with 4+ FP- 10.5cm?)
2x Pak 40s
4x Stugs (Confident Veteran)


DEPLOYMENT

Here is the initial deployment and map layout. You can see the US lined up along the Western line.
From North to South There is a US Rifle platoon behind the small wood, backed up by the 3 light mortars from the weapons platoon. On the bridge are the I&R and part of the 57mm platoon. Below them lined up just to the west of the town square is another rifle platoon, and the 6 tube mortar vattery behind them along the creek bed and woods. Below the farm house to the south is the 3rd Rifle platoon and the tank destroyer reckon section. The Artillery is deployed in a nice big artillery park in the fields in the South West.

The Fallschirmjager elect to begin with the fallschirmpioneers in the main section of town (We leave roofs off when stands are deployed in them so we don't forget about 'em) covering the one objective. They fortify their position with 3 barbed wire sections. In the bell tower of the church, a mortar observer is deployed. Far to the East you can see the 4 mortar tubes deployed on either side of the creek, and a fallschirmjager platoon deployed inside the woods around the 2nd objective.


Fallschirmjager fortify their position in the town.

Read On, Dear Reader!




Looking West


The fallschirmjager mortars would go on to be the star of the game


Rear fallschirmjager platoon


The southern rifle platoon + tank destroyers


105s


155s


The middle rifle platoon backed up by some 81mm mortars


I&R + 57mm


Northern rifle platoon + 60mm mortars


Tank destroyer recon section



The US opens the battle by ranging in 155s on the town, and blanketing the church in smoke.


The northern rifle platoon moves into the wood, and the I&R takes the small buildings on the outskirts of town
Foolishly, I forgot the 57mms have no HE and thus wildly mis-deployed them. They will take no more part in the battle.


The middle rifle platoon moves into the town square, unprofessionally bunched up.


The southern rifle platoon and tank destroyers move out, under the thunderous roars of the artillery behind them


The Germans waste no time calling in mortar fire on the middle rifle platoon, pinning them for several turns and severely slowing the US approach.


The Germans also have extremely good luck with reserves (passing all 3 reserve rolls, and thus having their entire army on the board by turn 3). The first to arrive is the 2nd combat platoon.


The AOP calls in 105 fire on the reserves, but fallschirmjager don't stay pinned long!


The northern platoon moves out, preparing to assault the fortified Germans, but without the middle rifle platoon to back them up they lack momentum.


The southern rifle platoon continues to advance unmolested.



The Stugs and pa 40s arrive on the southern flank.


The northern rifle platoon assaults under 155 and smoke shells peper the enemy positions. They capture a small amount of fallschirmjager, but cannot advance beyond the wire.


The stugs dominate the southern hill.


The northern platoon is now caught in the open, and weather intense fire from the mortars and small arms from the reserve combat platoon.


Reserves move forward to secure the town


The US platoon clears one section of wire and assault. They knock the FJ below half but are completely wiped out to a man in retaliation. The middle rifle platoon still has not unpinned.


In the south, the M10s are sprung, and brew up one stug.


Looking from the US lines.


The town is scarcely held, but the US have nothing in range to exploit the weakened position.


The Stugs maneuver towards the town, and take pot shots at the M10s, failing to score any kills.


The M10s escape unscathed.


Combined fire from 155s and the M10s knock out 2 stugs, and bail one.


The stugs go up in flames


The battle field


105mm fire ranges in on the pak 40s, eliminating one gun


The AOP hunts down the remaining stug, calling in fire from the 155s, knocking it out. Both companies are now down one platoon.


Mortar fire rains down on the M10s and southern rifle platoon casing a few casualties and bailing an M10.


Further fire from the 105s knock out the other pak 40. The platoon commander passes his sole survivor check, and Brian elects to pull him off.


Finally the middle platoon gets moving and moves forward to capture the church.


The M10s move forward, bringing direct fire on to the mortars


In a surprise move, the Fallschirmjager in the woods surge forward, and assault the M10s who quickly break off.

On the US turn, they bring everything they can to hit this brave platoon, and assaults with the southern rifle platoon.


The assault is quick and bloody, costing many American lives, but the FJ are wiped out.


At this point Brian conceded, as he has nowhere near enough to get to the back field objective.



The aftermath.

FINAL TALLY:
US lost one rifle platoon, making the game a 5-2.


CLOSING THOUGHTS:
This is the first time I've ever played against a full company of FJ. They are TOUGH! I really missed being veteran this battle, but it was nice to have a gigantic green horde. I definitely made some mistakes- I should've had my company commander closer to the center to get the middle platoons moving again. My strategy was fairly simple- advance along a broad front using my numbers to my advantage and push through any holes I made. The only problem was that I didn't have anything to push through the holes! Artillery worked well in my favor, but Brian's mortars single handedly stalled my center for far too many turns. Those guys were amazing.

I think Brian shouldn't have waived his Ambush- he could've crushed my southern front with a surprise assault from a FJ platoon, instead of having those guys sit in woods for many turns. Again, I am thankful he had no air- it would've chewed this list to pieces.

Overall it was a fun game, and Brian is a great opponent. Looking forward to the next time we get to square off!

Read More

Firestorm Game 3

FIRESTORM GAME THREE
Russians placed the arrow from Berezina to Osipovichi. The Germans received 3 Panzer IV H and the Russians got both an artillery battery and limited sturmoviks.

Up to now the map had remained static, except that the Germans lost their firestorm troops in Vitebsk (permanently). But the Russian command remains hesitant to attack a fortified city again after the difficulty they had there, opting instead to attempt to surround the Germans. In this battle they boldly attempt to attack Osipovichi which would effectively cut off large segments of Army Group Center. Unfortunately for them, there was a severe logistical problem in getting reserves where needed and a viscous counter attack pushed the Russian forces all the way back and out of Berezina.

Steven's Stug List
   190 Stug HQ and 2iC
   380 1st Zug (4x Stug)
   380 2nd Zug (4x Stug)
   205 Trucked Panzerpioneers
   165 3x Puma
   430 2x Tiger IE
  FIRESTORM: 3x Panzer IV H

Rob's Strelkovy List (Don't know the points offhand)
   HQ w/ Battalion Kommissar & Sappers
   1st Strelk w/ 2 Platoons + Maxim HMG + Kom.
   2nd Strelk w/ 3 Platoons + Maxim HMG + Kom.
   Scouts at full strength
   5x IS-85
   4x 57mm zis AT guns
   2x Flame Throwers
   FIRESTORM: Artillery Battery
   FIRESTORM: Limited Sturmoviks

The mission rolled up was Cauldron. The Strelkovy would be defending vs the Stugs.


Overhead view of the map. The German board is the south edge, with the Russians to the north. The objectives would be placed in the Eastern central woods and the crossroad of the village.

Tons of pics after the break.




Game observers.

DEPLOYMENT
Rob elected to deploy his under strength strelkovy on the Eastern objective, his Scouts in the buildings near the crossroad, and his 57mm is guns in immediate ambush. In reserve he had the IS-85s, Artillery, and the full strength strelkovy. Little did he know, they had been intercepted by a German column, and would not reach the battle despite 10 dice for reserves in total. Rob also deployed the HQ sappers rather than attach them, placing them in the southern wheat field.

I started with my Pumas, Tigers, and a Stug platoon on the board. The Stugs began on the Eastern flank, the Tigers coming up the South Western road, and the Pumas in the wheat field in the North West.


The Scouts are tasked with holding the crossroads


The Tigers rumble forward up the road


Soviet Sappers prepare to hold the line


The understrength strelkovy defending the wooded objective.


Stugs in the East


View from the East


Pumas cautiously advance through a wheat field


EARLY TURNS
Rob sprung his immediate ambush with his 57mm Zis guns from the central hill, firing on my stugs on the East flank, but did no damage of consequence (some bails, but protected ammo handled that)


The ambush

Sturmoviks ranged in on my Tigers and hit them both with rockets, but I was very lucky and made both my saves. Unfortunately, in order to hit me with the sturmoviks, Rob had to move his sappers which made them lose gone to ground. On my Turn one I got reserves, bringing on 4 Stugs. The stugs rolled right into the wheat field with the pioneers, along with the Tigers and 2iC who rolled forward and sprayed Machine gun fire into the soviet sappers.


Reserves arrive early for the Germans


Tigers and 2iC join in


View from the East

On Rob's turn two, he again got air support. Fire from the 57mm is guns and the sturmoviks (typhoonskis?) destroy one stug and bail 2 more.


Typhoonskis

His beaten sappers unpin and make a bold move forward, squirting the flame thrower off and bailing the 2iC and one of the tigers.


FWOOOOOSH!

Following the successful flamethrowering, Rob passed tank terror and assaulted! Unfortunately the measly 4 MG dice from my one remaining tiger killed 2 stands in defensive fire! His one remaining sapper failed to hit and the tiger lurched forward and eliminated the sappers. A gamble that *almost* paid off, but ultimately cost the sappers.


The victorious Tigers


The German lines are drawn.

German turn two sees the Germans advance their lines cautiously. The Stugs on the East flank win the shootout with the 57mm guns, destroying all 4 and forcing the platoon leader to run away.


German AFVs rumble forward, taking pot shots at the Scouts.


Pumas observe enemy movements and radio back to HQ


Having eliminated the AT threat, the Stugs on the East rumble forward and begin blasting away at the Strelkovy.

MID TURNS
The next few turns saw the Russians fail abysmally with both air power AND reserves. The Germans take the opportunity to fire round after round of HE into the strelkovy to soften them up.


The Strelkovy is surrounded by 8 stugs all firing HE into their positions


German pioneers arrive from reserve, and move into position to dig out the strelkovy


The Lieutenants need a nap


Finally a concerted effort between the Stugs and the Pioneers attempt to push the strelkovy off the objective


The Strelkovy are completely surrounded


Panzer IVs arrive from reserve


The Pioneers charge!


The Strelkovy struggle to hang on to the objective


An energetic counter attack by the strelkovy annihilates the remaining pioneers!


The Stugs attempt to finish the job. One throws a track as it crashes into the forest.


The Courageous peasants force the stugs to withdraw, leaving two burning vehicles behind!


The strelkovy have valiantly defended, but with no reserves in sight they begin to lose hope


Meanwhile the Tigers and 2iC have been cautiously attempting to blast out the scouts



The Germans prepare for Russian reserves which never materialize


View of the battle field. The Sturmoviks bail a puma, but continue to disappoint overall.


Finally the Germans decide that enough is enough and prepare to send a final assault force


The Scouts begin to suffer losses at the hands of repeated HE fire form the Tigers, but valiantly hold out


With no reserves, the Soviets prepare to withdraw in the face of superior German numbers


The final assault comes. Though very little damage is done, numerous morale checks are failed in a row. The Russian soldiers even revolt against the commissar , killing him and leaving the objective in German hands.

RESULT: 5-2 German win.

To add insult to injury, both of the Russian firestorm troops (Sturmoviks and Artillery) are destroyed, and the Germans capture Berezina.

Read More