On the Road to Kanev - pt 1

5 miles southwest of Kanev, August 14, 1941: The Russians were being 
forced back to the Dneiper River by German infantry divisions thrusting 
from the west and south. A Russian battalion, forming part of an infantry 
brigade, received orders to dig in south of a very forested crossroad 
leading to Kanev and to hold out to the last man. The German 169th Infantry 
Regiment of the 68th Division, which was moving up from the south, was to 
capture that crossroad and establish contact with German forces driving 
towards the Dneiper from the west.

In organizing their defense, the Russians set up two lines of combat outposts 
- one each along two parallel ridges south of the crossroad. The Russian main 
battle position was organized in-depth within the forest; complete with well 
camoufaged foxholes, wooden mines, and plenty of snipers. At 0900 Hrs the 1st 
Battalion of the German 169th Infantry Regiment approached the forest from the 
south.

Game length: 9 turns

For the Germans to win they must take both set ridges
For the Russians to win they must defend the high ground

Germans: Squads, MMG's, LMG's, mtr, OBA
Russians: Squads, MMG's, LMG's, mtr's, OBA

Boards: #2, #4, #6

Aftermath: As the Battalion advanced guard approached the first outpost line the 
Russians openned fire with machineguns, mortars, and small arms fire. The German 
commander then called for artillery support which zeroed in on the first ridge. 
This proved to be too much for the Russian defenders and after a short period of 
hand-to-hand combat the germans held the first outpost line. They were still under 
fire from the second ridge, however, and Russian observers in the second outpost 
line were calling in interdictory fire across the German line of advance. German 
observers pinpointed targets for their artillery, under cover of which the infantry 
slowly advanced. When they finally cleared the second ridge they were unable to 
advance in the face of the heavy fire eminating from the Russian positions in the 
forest. While the German battalion reprganized for the final thrust against the 
Russian main line of resistance, the battalion commander requested a dive-bomber 
attack against the Russian nerve center at the crossroad. As the German artillery 
joined in the fray, the 1st Battalion resumed its advance. Entering the forest the 
Germans found dead Russians and many discarded weapons. Tree snipers fired on the 
Germans so the German machinegunners sprayed the tree tops. The 1st Battalion mopped 
up the forest as far as the crossroad. and then turned east along the road to Kanev. 
A number of Russians defending the rear areas managed to escape. One commisar, who 
had been shooting his retreating comrades, killed himself with a hand grenade as some 
Germans closed in on him. The Russian minefields failed to delay the Germans; all were 
either detonated by artillery fire or betrayed by prisoners.

Source: On All Fronts, On the Road to Kanev - pt 1, The Playtester's Journal #1, 
Fall 1989 issue
