Blitzkrieg 1950 (Curt vs RB)

[rhinobones]

T15 Great Blue

Units in the Yellow Steppes pull back from the front. They appear to be trying to shorten the supply line and regain strength. There is no contact in this area.

The big push is in Brown County where a series of assaults force a Big Red stack to evacuate territory. Total casualties are moderate with Great Blue losing a bit more in men and material. Only two weakened infantry divisions advance into the captured ground but as usual they are backed up by a strong formation of infantry and armor. Great Blue’s usual tactic is to set the backups on “Tactical Reserve” to help repel a Big Red counterattack.

South, down in Greenland, there is no combat activity, only a little bit of redeployment. From the looks of things Great Blue might be getting ready for another assault on the south end of Big Red’s defensive line.

Great Blue aircraft provided support to the Brown County attacks but otherwise were quiet. No bridge attacks this turn.

[rhinobones]

T15 Big Red

North in the Yellow Steppes front there is minimal activity. Big Red performs some artillery and probing attacks, but it is mostly to harass Great Blue.

In the center, Brown County, the two weak infantry divisions which advanced into the Big Red line are attacked from four sides and driven back with heavy losses. One of the divisions became disorganized. Additional artillery bombardments were made against concentrations containing HQs in hopes that a Command Group would be eliminated. No Command Groups were killed.

South, along the top of Big Red’s defense, an operation was mounted designed to isolate and destroy an infantry division. The assault lead by armored units beat back an infantry division supported by armor and completed encirclement of the infantry. Two assaults were made against the Great Blue infantry, but the infantry held and survived. Great Blue aircraft were seen to provide a significant level of support which undoubtedly made survival possible. Big Red expects that Great Blue will rally its forces to break through to the infantry.

A destroyer squadron (off map to the south) made a reconnaissance mission along the southern Great Blue coast and took the opportunity to pump a few shells into a shore garrison. Unfortunately, the admiral failed to order the destroyers to return to home port and they were left station off the Great Blue coast. Great Blue has a heavy task force nearby and will certainly make short work of them.

Air strikes were successfully made against two bridge complexes. One bridge feeds troops in the Yellow Steppes and the other Brown County. The bridges are far enough in the rear that a significant reduction in supply will occur. Bridges are now primary targets for both sides.

[rhinobones]

T16 Great Blue

Airborne divisions are observed moving on foot from the Great Blue homeland toward Greenland. At least for the moment Big Red can discount the possibility of a vertical paratroop assault.

Activity in the Yellow Steppes is limited to movement of reconnaissance units. There is no ground combat.

Ground combat does occur in Brown County where Great Blue is able to split up a couple of Big Red infantry divisions but otherwise, the sector is quiet. They are also able to mount a limited operation which frees the infantry unit isolated along the Greenland/Black Zone boarder.

The big events happen in the air and sea. Big Red destroyer units which failed to return to home port were pounced on by Great Blue’s heavy naval units and annihilated. With the destroyer flotillas gone Big Red is left with only a weak light cruiser unit.

In the air even greater damage is done to Big Red. Fighters intercepting Great Blue aerial support missions engage Great Blue’s escort fighters and suffer significant losses. In total, three Big Red fighter units are eliminated. Big Red needs to conceal these losses while the fighter corps is rebuilt. Big Red fighter losses are approximately 3500 aircraft of all types.

[rhinobones]

T16 Big Red

With the fighter corps depleted and low on supply (the 5 remaining fighter units are in 60-70% supply status) Big Red orders all air units to rest. There is a risk that Great Blue will take advantage of Big Red inactivity and lack of combat air patrol, but for the moment that risk needs to be taken. No bridge attacks are made and enemy supply flowed uninhibited.

In the north a couple of minor attacks are made but otherwise land activity is limited to artillery bombardments. Bombardments are made over several rounds with enemy casualties usually in the 1% - 2% range. The cumulative effect is near 5%. The big prize would be a kill on a command unit, but that hasn’t happened yet.

[rhinobones]

T17 Great Blue

Great Blue launches an offensive in Brown County which penetrates into Big Reds rear area. Blue was able to mask the troop concentration and correctly identified a weakly defended enemy position. Big Red can expect that unseen troops are positioned to follow up the breakthrough. An additional threat is anticipated from Greenland which has the potential to roll up Red’s Black Zone defense and link up with the breakthrough.

Substantial activity is observed at the Greenland port. Multiple divisions have been moved into embarkation positions which implies that Great Blue is planning an amphibious assault. The ongoing operation in Brown County combined with an amphibious landing could prove to be a winning strategy.

Great Blue also appears to be conducting diversionary operations to mask the intent. A small naval squadron is seen poking around the White desert positions followed up by infantry regiments moving by rail into, and then out of, the Yellow Steppes. Makes Big Red think that the actual amphibious target is in the southern coast.

[rhinobones]

T17 Big Red

Big Red rallies troops from the reserve areas and eliminates Great Blue’s leading element in Brown County. Other divisions move into blocking positions with the goal of isolating the remaining lead divisions and plugging the gap. G2 estimates the Great Blue force attacking Brown County is composed of at least 2 Armor, 11 Infantry and 4 Artillery divisions.

La Fin

At the conclusion of Red Turn 17 it was necessary to suspend the game. Originally the objective of the match was to verify that TOAW IV revisions did not break the original scenario. Even though the scenario was not played to its full length, I believe the test objectives were accomplished.

More importantly I think it was shown that the scenario is much more than a depiction of a meeting engagement that boils down to a game of attrition. Curt (the original author and the Blue player) has shown that using the elements of vertical envelopment and amphibious operations opened up the strategic possibilities. For me this was very much a learning lesson.

Hope you enjoyed. Regards

[Lobster]

This was a fun one to follow. Brought back old memories of the board game. Thanks. [;)]