WC round 3: Willy vs. Belisarius!

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Wed May 07, 2003 8:56 pm

Usual settings for round 3, and 20 turns. I'm playing the Vodka-chugging bolsheviks.

Honest to say, I think I went for a too expensive a force, but time will tell. Also, the map is huuuuge so I suspect we won't see more than maybe 10-12 rounds of fierce combat.

Rations are distributed! Let's RooOOo*hic*ooOOooll !

stevemk1a · Post by **stevemk1a** » Thu May 08, 2003 6:22 am

Oberst willy looks again at the maps unfolded across the hood of his Kubelwagen. "Such a vast country ..." he muses. The vehicles of his Kampfgruppe meanwhile grind forwards through the sticky mud of the Russian springtime. Willy watches them pass and thinks of the fate of the poor men of the 6th Army in Stalingrad this past winter. "Never mind! - the warm weather is here, and we are moving forwards again ... we cannot fail!"

I have trouble posting zipfiles to the forum, so they're in your mailbox ... !

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Thu May 08, 2003 8:16 pm

Ahh. Despite the chilling rain, the men felt at ease remembering the last 6 months successes at repelling the fascists. The commanders had set an, in their mind, overly optimistic objective for them, but they were determined to kill as many grey enemies as possible.

-----

Rolling out, no contact but we have seen some bikers struggling through the mud in the south heading for the VH cluster. Rain, but a whopping 50 visibility!!

Nice done, Willy... I guess you have faith in your long-rangers.

On another note, reinforcements? OK, and if so when?

I have no chance in h€ll reaching the VH's in time.

Rain and forests= 1 hex/turn movement for infantry. I have about 40 turns to get there not counting any firefights.

stevemk1a · Post by **stevemk1a** » Fri May 09, 2003 4:28 am

The big BMW combo slips and slides it's way carefully up a narrow muddy forest path. Finally the Motorcycle reaches a clearing and the driver cuts the rumbling engine. "Horst!, hand me the binoculars ..." Horst rummages in the sidecar and hands them over "What do you see?" Karl grimaces and replies "T34's, riders, and Ami halftracks, we'll have a busy day today... where's the radioman?"
reinforcements ok anytime.

I agree, you have an awful long way to slog thru those woods in 20 turns ... we're not very far in, so it wouldn't be too much trouble to restart with a more equitable setup ... (50 vis and rain is kinda cheezy, but believe it or not, I left it to random!)

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Fri May 09, 2003 10:27 am

I certainly have the odds working against me here....but we'll fight it out.

I'll just use my reinforcement points to bring in transports to speed up the groundpounders.

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Sat May 10, 2003 2:53 pm

After the initial dismay of the hardship of the terrain, the Red Army is on a roll, bound for glory. Men are clinging to all alternative means of transportation in order to make their objectives in time.... after some exchange of harsh words with our political commisary, we have been promised some extra trucks. Hopefully he is an honorable man and will stick to his word.

If not, I have a "special" assignment waiting for him.

A triggerhappy AT crew learns the hard way that the Germans are very quick on the response as 120mm mortar shells come crashing down on them. They won't make that mistake again, if they live through this one that is. :rolleyes:

We're baffled to see that this "Oberst Willy" that reportedly is commanding the enemy group has ordered his troops to pop smoke to fool our observers of their artillery positions.

Didn't he realize he's just blown their positions?

At the command post, while taking another Vodka, we look at each other with a funny smile on our faces and silently wonder why the Germans didn't use mortars? :p

stevemk1a · Post by **stevemk1a** » Sun May 11, 2003 12:18 am

"Herr Oberst, Bolshevik forward elements have been spotted and the unit facing us seems to be outfitted with a lot of Amerikaner lend lease equipment ... Panzer 203 reports a lucky hit on a Stuart scout tank." "Outstanding!" replies willy as he pounds his gloved fist on the turret of his command panzer- "remind me to send them a bottle of schnapps!" "In other reports", continues the messenger, "our Moerser batteries report aggresive, yet ineffective counter fire, and Soviet heavy artillery has brought down a railway bridge in the central sector." "Let them come" replies willy, "I can almost hear their drunken singing already"

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Sun May 11, 2003 1:38 am

Hmm... that commissar held his word. Very good. Meanwhile, reports say that our scout patrols has made contact with the enemy. Lt. Miloslavovich didn't get out in time, and now has to make it on foot.

From all over the front reports say enemy has been sighted. The germans are busy today. :p Halftracks with infantry and bikers. We send a short message to the mortar batteries, telling them to stop harrassing the enemy until we get a fix on their positions. Meanwhile we curse the divisional artillery battery for wasting all that ammo for a single bridge.

Lt. Bakunin, from his excellent position, report that advance is good, if somewhat uncoordinated. Enemy advance seem to be piecemal with individual units rushing to the front. Enemy artillery is concentrated to a small hill and a Guards squad nearby get hit from an errant round.

stevemk1a · Post by **stevemk1a** » Sun May 11, 2003 2:58 am

<crack-Boom!> <crack-Boom!> two hits, but alas the T34's armour serves it well and the rounds bounce away ...

. Many Stuart scout tanks and T34's with riders are spotted in the south and reinforcements look to be headed that way too, so we expect a major effort there.

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Sun May 11, 2003 1:10 pm

Curses! Despite the fine rain, we are still being shot at from longe range by fascist armor. Advance continues, though, with increasing symmetry. The motherland will be drenched in German blood today. :p

Two shots glanced off the armor of our T-34s, but what surprised us was a 251 halftrack surviving two direct hits.

We're not lucky - they are. Enemy ATG position spotted as the scouts struggle to keep up with the armor. I guess we have some design notes for the constructors of Komsomolets' tractors. :rolleyes:

No kills. Advance units a few hundred yards from the enemy.

stevemk1a · Post by **stevemk1a** » Sun May 11, 2003 10:04 pm

The old woodsman rubs his hands together and smiles. Despite the drizzle, the weather is getting warmer and his old bones are thankful for at least that small mercy. The old man's once quiet forests are now filled with foriegn invaders and he has had to be careful to avoid them ... he watched with dismay as a Soviet AC was killed a short time ago and it's crew mercilessly gunned down by the fascists- "those poor brave boys" he murmurs sympathetically. From his hideout he can also hear furious yelling from the Russian command post, something about 'symmetry'. The old man shakes his head and slips back into the forest ... he has no wish to be noticed by either side.

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Sun May 11, 2003 11:56 pm

Bah. The weather gods certainly favor our enemy today. Our positions are getting smoked where we don't want to, and he has clear sight where we don't want him to :rolleyes:

More PzIVg spotted. Hiding ofcourse. So much for the "bravery" of the fascist army. :p Cowards, I say!

Seems the enemy is content with his positions and is now just awaiting us slamming into his line. Two can play this game, but only one can be master. Hah.

stevemk1a · Post by **stevemk1a** » Mon May 12, 2003 4:32 am

Unteroffizier Siebert twists his head back towards his squad- "Hear that noise, you men! that's Ivan's tanks ... we'll be in for it soon so be ready ... first will come their scouts so be alert and spot them first or ..." Siebert draws his finger across his throat and grimaces at his men "but don't worry boys, you'll smell the cheap vodka on them easily"

Another armoured car is dispatched and a T34 joins it. Several AT gun positions are spotted and then shelled and smoked ...

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Tue May 13, 2003 8:28 pm

Colonel Belisinski slams down the field telephone in anger as none of his observers are responding to calls. D*mn drunkards! The fascists have been quick today and are rapidly deploying on advantageous positions, something the armored cars have discovered the hard way. Two of them are picked off "on the fly" by advancing panzers.

We retaliate some by punching a hole in the side of a PzIVg - that evens the score for our T-34, and a BA-10, too!

This is all we have to offer you when you tread the soil of the Motherland - grim death.

Fritz are advancing with PzIVg in at least company strength, but they are scattered all over the front...advance continues, in the south accompanied by one mother of a barrage - 105mm FH, 120mm mortars and what have you.

Casualties are relatively light, and we all breath a sigh of relief that the 105's won't be able to hold that pace up for long! :p We are conserving ammo....

Here's the real question: Where are the Tigers?

stevemk1a · Post by **stevemk1a** » Wed May 14, 2003 5:40 am

"Situation report, Herr Oberst!" - the adjutant hops up on the command panzer and unfolds a map on the turret deck ... "The situation is quiet as of now, but we expect heavy contact shortly ... two T34's were spotted in an open area up north and gunners report one hit, but no apparent damage. AC's are probing in the central sector and Russky Flammtanks have been spotted also. One of our panzers was destroyed, as it had become stuck in an exposed position. In the south, one of Ivan's AC's has been disabled." "Gut!" replies willy, "they will come quickly and with great force ... we must not be forced to react to them, but force them to react to us!"

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Wed May 14, 2003 8:33 pm

Since I have dedicated close combat troops in my army, I have no choice but to run headlong into the prepared defenses :rolleyes:

After much cursing, a hoarse voice crackles over the radio. One of the observers has slept off most of the Vodka and are now able to make some adjustments to artillery again. For the others - Gulag!

Several enemy AA and ATG positions are discovered, but not the one in the north taking shots at our tanks. And I have bikers next to it, it must be there!

Much shouting and screaming are heard through the woods as the soldiers of the motherland jump out of their covers and start advancing again. Our scouts guides them towards the enemy trying to remain unseen, which is no easy task. The fascists are in position, and visibility is almost 2km !!

Trapped units are suffering horribly from heavy enemy artillery, while our own artillery - pride of Stalin - shows an unnerving talent for inaccuacy. That observer must still be seeing double. :p

stevemk1a · Post by **stevemk1a** » Thu May 15, 2003 5:18 am

"VORWARTS!!" shouts the Krad squad leader as his band of men guns the engines on their big BMW cycles ... roostertails of mud spray up as they weave and bob through the forest of pine trees. A small band of frightened Russian crewmen in olive green uniforms interrupts the repair work on their AC as the marauding bikers break from the woodline and decend upon them with grenades, MP40's and harsh language

The violence is loud and short-lived, then the bikers race away, leaving behind only empty shell casings and beer cans

Enemy scouts are starting to take position ... we can feel their eyes upon us. We take some pot-shots and nail two halftracks and damage a T34. Enemy arty targets our known AA and AT positions and an unlucky Spw251 catches a 120mm shell

.

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Thu May 15, 2003 9:07 pm

We can credit the German commander with one thing - he's unnaturally good at spotting our ATG positions.

Good thing is they draw attention from the others...

Germans are in position all along the hill and massed in the numbers on the other side - how come i ALWAYS have the VH's on the other side of a hill? :rolleyes:

COME GET ME SISSY!

stevemk1a · Post by **stevemk1a** » Fri May 16, 2003 4:21 am

More and more Russians are spotted moving forwards to the middle vh's and we pick off a T34 and two halftracks ... South is strangely quiet. Soviet infiltrators have the misfortune of popping up amongst some of our troops and are quickly dealt with

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Fri May 16, 2003 8:28 pm

The colonel paces back and forth at his post, his staff anxiously registering his every gesture. Reports are coming in from the center sector - heavy artillery is concetrated to the area, making the men immobile. Casualties are moderate, but felt. Advance is slower than expected.

A faint crackle over the radio signals that the artillery is ready to fire. What about the troops? Now....or wait? Now......or wait?

Despite the heavy shelling, forward units are engaging the enemy with success around the center ridge. MC-troops are seen fleeing and the flame tanks are performing well. The message from our unfortunate Freedom Fighters was worth their sacrifice.

He halts suddenly, looking grimly at the men around him. A quick nod towards a nearby captain - "Go!". The captain scurries off into the forest. Will their gamble succeed, or will the fascists be ready for them? The next few minutes will tell...

WC round 3: Willy vs. Belisarius!

WC round 3: Willy vs. Belisarius!

the map is too big!

Restart?

We need no steenkin' smoke !

Kradscheutze MC.