Barbarossa - DerC vs. red

[DerC]

German - Soviet meeting engagement
June 1941
6000 (6200) points
No mines or strike aircraft
21 turns, vis around 15-20

I'm playing as the German occupiers while red tries to defend the motherland.

The map is covered with woods with a few open areas here and there. The VHs are on three large hills overlooking the landscape. These are surrounded with a few smaller hills, mostly on the German side of the map.

I fired a smoke screen to protect my advance on the first turn. However, my troops were fired upon by at least 4 KV-1s and I bet there's more of them
A lucky shot from one destroys a HT in the central sector.

A lone Tupolev also made a paradrop behind our lines, deploying a MG squad plus two infantry squads.

Loyal to the blitzkrieg tactics I rushed to the victory hexes right away and I have almost all of them under my control (They are 30 points per turn). Now I'll have to defend them as long as possible to get lots of points

[red]

The occupation begins with mixed(armor/mot. inf.) GE forces occupying the center vhexes vying to gain to gain higher ground to control the battlefield. On the flanks tank groups are cautiously advancing forward. Reports indicate presence of 88mm AA guns strategically positioned overlooking most of the field.

Soviets are using their favorite tactics of 'reckon-by-combat', evaluating the strength of German forces and their positioning.

MC units attempting to sneak by the armored fists

No major losses on either side.

[DerC]

Hopefully none of the MC squads slipped through.. I attacked several of them all around the front and destroyed a few squads. A firefight erupts between Wehrmacht forces in the rear and Russian paratroopers.

Ivan's tanks have gone hiding :rolleyes:

[red]

Clouds are starting to gather on the horizon. Small tactical moves, I'm forcing DerC of the central vhexes to keep him from getting those precious 30 pts per turn. Who cares about points anyway, to me only burning panzers count

The paras are making slow progress but the goal is in sight. Several of my MC squads got wiped out but they did their job. Some may appear in the German rear so combined with mobility and 'good enough' firepower GE arty should be carefull

Neither side is making great progress, KVs are attemting to get around enemy's 88mm AA guns which can be a big damper on the advance but things are heating up.

[DerC]

The KV1s have appeared in the northern and central sectors. I also spooted a few T34s. Down south a PzIII gets ambushed by a herd of T34s. (at two hexes!) However it is able to call in help and a fight between 2 PzIIIs and 3 T34s results in one tank of both types destroyed.

I managed to retake one of the central VHs

I also destroyed some snipers and recon patrols. Three more Tupolevs drop their loads to German rear area.

[red]

Down south: that PzIII that got away at first, didn't get far enough and another hord of T-34s finished it off along with an HT tha tried to help it out. Short skirmish on the very bottom of the screen between T-34 and PzIII. T-34 hid behind a smoke. PzIII cannon is pretty dangerous.

Up North: A brave KV tried to pave the wave to ohters with its armor but got whacked by PzIII (lucky shot) but it didnt enjoy the victory for long for the T-34s that followed finished it off.

KVs in the center took out another HT and scattered the infantry. German 88mm AA guns are earning their keep. A T-34 fell to one of them and a KV barely escaped another one.

Paras keep on moving forward.

[DerC]

I have now spotted maybe two companies of T34s and probably two companies of KV-1s. I reduced their numbers this turn though - 7 more KV-1s are now burning wrecks on the field, thanks to the APCR ammo and mobility of PzIIIj tanks

The situation is worst in the south. Many T34s are attempting a breakthrough there and just a bit north of them there are more
They'll most certainly try to flank my southern positions.

Even more Tupolevs deploy paratroops behind my lines. Since I haven't seen any 'conventional' infantry (except for scout patrols) on the frontline, my guess is he's trying to break through with tanks and MCs and link up with the infantry in the rear. This I will not allow!

[red]

As they say 'assumption is the mother of all f*** ups' I was moving KVs forward given greater armor protection. Should have looked the data on PzIII. Those damned APCR rounds.

Nothing major happening this round, my commander stunned by the losses is repositioning his forces.

And paras keep moving forward.

[DerC]

This turn not much progress, only two destroyed T34s and some infantry. My panzer spearheads however report having crushed a MG behind the enemy's frontline and are proceeding towards his rear VHs!

I also now have taken back all the center VHs. That makes 13 times 30 = 390 points per turn
After the KVs fell north there wasn't much defending those hexes.

I'm a bit worried about the masses of T34s in the south and on the northern hill. I hit that hill with all the available arty, and the strike might have destroyed some tanks. Unfortunately our lines are so close together that I don't know whether they hit my tanks or his! :rolleyes:

These PzIIIj tanks seem thick armored too or is it just luck? Many have survived multiple front hull hits at close range from T34s and KVs.

[red]

Moderate losses on both sides.

Yeah, PzIIIs seem to have thick skin but a couple of them got surrounded, they are not dead yet but almost there. We'll see if their comarades show up to rescue them. At least I'm bettig on it. DerC don't let those guys die in vain.

Southern flank is being cleaned up by the T-34s, soon it will be squeky clean. Germans are rushing reinforcements to the south thus spreading themeselves thin. "It's a good thing!"

And paras keep coming. The German rear VHexes seem to be abandoned or it may be an ambush but looks clear so far.

I wonder if there is a surprise somewhere? Hmmmm

[DerC]

A lot of T34s just appeared behing my lines! He must have had at least 2-3 companies of those at the beginning.. And they just keep coming no matter how many I knock out
This turn I got one KV and maybe three T34s. My artillery destroyed one too (and a PzIII )

Two IIIs heading for his rear VHs were ambushed by SMG infantry, motorcycles and maybe two platoons of T34. They were both routed and are retreating now. Help didn't make it there in time and I just tried to fire some shots with IIIs from a distance.

On the southern hill SS is still defending its positions. A squad got a T34. However, I lost the southern VHs for a turn. On the northern hill I lost one III, but the enemy seems to be halted there. I order some mortar fire on them to further discourage their advance.

I'm still hoping for at least a draw, but with those paratroopers behind my lines, things aren't looking good

[red]

Well, lets see, the northern flank got runover. I still cant believe how thick skinned PzIIIs appear and those APCRs are just like wrecking balls. My paras captured the rear VHexes but there's a German reserve company coming from the north to straigthen things out. Yet it may take them another turn or two to get where they are going and then hold on to it so we'll see. In the south PzIIIs keep disappearing in the woods There are a couple of them around but they don't have long to go. My startegy of motorocyclists and T34s has worked well. Here's how it works: find a lonely Pz III, run at it with MCs unitl it's out of those **** APCRs and finish it off with T34s. KVs didn't work out well , they were supposed to provided heavy armor protection but AA 88 mm and APCRs worked too well.

[DerC]

Another turn, another half a dozen T34s destroyed. It seems to make little difference how many of them I knock out, there's always more. I have now definetely lost control of the southern VHs. Northern and central ones are regained. I'm also attacking the rear VHs to free them from the soviet paratroopers.

I didn't expect the Russian force to be this mobile! Especially those motorcyclists are excellent scouting the terrain before the T34s roll in. :rolleyes:

[red]

well yet another turn. almost all vhexes under russian control except the north. the german rear vhexes were seized by paras but there was a reserve German company waiting for them in the rear so it won't be long until Germans regain their rear. The main show down may occur over the central vhexes. That's where German northern PzIIIs appear to be heading. Some of the reserve company may show up there too.

[DerC]

The progress of the reinforcements was slowed down a bit by some paratroopers. However at least a platoon of them was killed. I'm attacking the rear VHs with tanks and infantry will be there soon too.

Northern flank seems finished after the T34s were wiped out. Just some crewmen and MC squads wandering around there.

Other sectors are pretty quiet. The central VHs are under attack and will probably fall the next turn unless some miracle stops those T34s.

[DerC]

The SS recaptured my rear VHs. The Russian paratroopers there didn't even put up a fight. Casualties also include one 12,7mm MG.

In the south a extremely brave and lucky 50mm mortar team damages a T34 with direct fire.

The central victory hexes are now under Russian control.

[red]

I hope the re-taking vhexes at least delayed the reserve company from engaging my center and southern flank. In the center a brave SS squad took one vhex back and ran. The ambush for the german northern force didn't work, one PzIII detected it and pulled back. Again I hope it delayed them, every turn counts . BTW, DerC check your northern vhexes, they turned color

[DerC]

Some MC squads sneaked up on the northern Vhexes. I guess they weren't secure enough. :rolleyes: Took most of them back and killed the squads.

Minor firefights with paratroopers. I detected another ambush by the T34s behind a treeline. I need some reinforcements there to start advancing.

The Russian 120mm mortars seem quite efficient.

[DerC]

Well now, the T34s have all vanished.
I destroyed two but all those that were planning the ambush have gone somewhere. I have a bad feeling about this...

My rear VHs are now being cleared from enemy infantry. Besides that there are just small local firefights.

[DerC]

MC squads with support from a T34 captured the northern VHs. I destroyed two more 34s, but there are lots of them hiding around somewhere.

Near my rear VHs, the Russian infantry flees in panic. After an attempt to take back the VHs they were caught in the open in crossfire from MGs and rifle squads. Still not enough firepower to destroy them all though. :rolleyes:

I lose a PzIII due to my own stupidity on the central hill. The tank drives right into the sights of a Russian tank south of the hill.
Less of that and more Russian tanks burning and I might still have a chance.

However I get the feeling red might be able to sneak in a whole company of troops through my so-called frontline.