Col. Redsky vs Oberst Willy - 6'41. CCCP vs Deutchland

[red]

Soviets advance across the whole front. Not much resistance in the south but some armor is detected in the north-central region. German aty is concentrating fore there too. Time to wrap it up. BTW, Lagg-3 surprised me this turn by killing a Pz III. This plane has a poor fire control so I was very much amazed.

[stevemk1a]

Soviet tanks grinding forwards in force, I managed to kill two T-34's, but my PzIII's are having difficulty with the heavy armour of these beasts <klonk> <klonk>! ... I still have all but one of the middle V-hexes, but I expect that to change this turn. Lucky for me it's turn 11 and the hexes are 30pt per turn so they'll only net four turns at most of points for the enemy (assuming he takes 'em all next turn) I also kill some partisans, an unlucky infantry squad and truck, and inflict casualties on various Cossack units (where are they all coming from??)

[red]

It's an all-out attack by the Soviets. Two KVs are lost to AA 88 mm, some T-34s were killed too. We'll see if the Germans have enough sheels for all the tanks coming at them.

[stevemk1a]

MY GOD, THE HUMANITY!! no subtlety now, just an up close and brutal barrroom brawl. I counted at least six T-34's surrounding one of my PzIII's. I must have killed at least three or four T-34's and KV's this turn mostly with infantry close assault ... my shells are no good vs. these monsters and more appear all the time. The caution of the first ten turns of this game is cast to the wind as things get really, really ugly .... NO QUARTER!!

[red]

The clash continues. Soviet arty pumps more smoke to keep ATGs at bay. It close armor combat time

[stevemk1a]

The body count on both sides continues to climb ... Soviet airpower makes another sortie and Oberst willy shakes his fist at the sky and curses Hermann Goering and his fickle aircrews. This game isn't ending with a fizzle. AT positions have limited opportunity because of smoke. Soviets control all of the central V-hexes, but with two turns left will they consolidate, or thrust towards my rear V-hexes? ...

[red]

Can I look at it too? I need to decide whether I will 'consolidate, or thrust towards'

[stevemk1a]

Oberst willy apologizes, he's been trying to avoid being run over by Soviet tanks His staff have been firmly reprimanded and the files should be in your mailbox now

[red]

Soviets are still regrouping. Several German ATGs are postioned to prevent further advance so Col. Redsky decides to wait for the artillery to smoke them.

[stevemk1a]

OK next up is last turn, I don't think the Soviets can take my rear VH's in one turn, so they'll have to settle for the middle VH's. Not much from me this turn ... caught a smg squad and their truck, and lots of unsuccesful close assaults on T-34's. I moved my Panzers back from exposed positions so they don't get mobbed and now am angling them for good opportunities. Soviet tanks may have thick armour, but their crews seem to lack much gunnery training, and I see lots of routed Russian AFV's, so I'm hoping the worst is over

[red]

So where's the turn?

[stevemk1a]

Oberst willy whirls about from the map table "Is this true Sgt. Steiner!?" "Ja, Herr Oberst, your radio operator is either a complete incompetent or he is in league with the enemy ... he has not been passing our messages on to OKW! "That's why we haven't been getting any air support" remarks willy as he draws his P38 pistol and works the slide. Steiner frowns and draws his finger across his throat demonstratively "shall I take care of him, Oberst?" "Nein" replies willy and he heads for the radio tent. For a while all that can be heard is the sound of distant Russian Tank guns firing, then a muffled arguement: accusation, reply, a quiet murmur, and then the dry crack of a pistol shot ...

[red]

Col. Redsky just heard from radio intercept that a radio operator was shot at German HQ. "Good work on SMERSH part, they even managed to implicate the wrong guy as the radio operator was not aware his radio set was not transmitting on the right frequencies." Soviets are regrouping wiping out remaining crews and infantry. Though Germans got quiet, they can't relax unitil the game is over.

[stevemk1a]

Oberst willy removes his cap and wipes his brow ... "That was close mein Kameraden, if the Bolshie's had more time those steel monsters would be knocking down my HQ door!" Sgt. Steiner frowns and peers eastwards "Herr Oberst, I certainly hope the rest of the invasion fared better than we did!"

-It's over! result is a draw
Germans 8303
Soviets 6598

Oberst willy proposes a remach one year later (6/42) then perhaps one in 6/43 etc ... whaddayathink?

[stevemk1a]

<FLASH FORWARDS ONE YEAR>
Oberst willy steadies himself in the cupola of Panzer 001, his command tank, as it surges forwards across the Russian countryside. His radio operator cautiously taps his leg to alert him of an incoming message (Herr Oberst is rumoured to have once shot one of his radiomen for incompetence). Willy grabs the handset and acknowleges: "CO Kampfgruppe willy here!" the reply comes faint and static filled: "OKW here, report large Soviet task force headed in your direction ... destroy them and continue to your objectives ... force belived to be 'Groupe Redsky', over". Willy orders his tank to halt and raises his Zeiss lenses. Already faint clouds of dust haze are on the horizon ... "So, Col. Redsky, my old adversary, it would seem you and I meet once more..."

-Summer Fury II ... 6/42 ... the sequel! coming soon to a forum near you!

[stevemk1a]

The large BMW motorcycles rumble to a halt in a disused, and overgrown orchard. A rider takes off his goggles and takes a drink from his canteen to wet his dry lips. "Get me the radio, Hans, this area is clear of the enemy..." Hans reaches for the radio set on the back of his motorcycle and pauses, removes his helmet and cocks his head slightly "What is that noise, Sir?" The Squad leader listens also and remarks "It's a whooshing sound like a freight locomotive ... it's getting louder too ..." Hans' eyes suddenly bulge in comprehension: " SIR, IT'S ...
-Not too much yet, Russians are fishing for casualties with Katuysha's and 152mm Arty which nets them some unlucky bikers Also laying some smoke with 107mm mortars.

[red]

Still no major confrontation. Soviet artillery is hunting for German main force.

[stevemk1a]

It seems a small village in the center of the map has been slated for flattening by STAVKA! 152mm rounds have been raining on the inhabitants ... Not much apart from that, but dark forces are aligning out there somewhere...

[red]

Col Redsky order an air strike on the small village that he didn't like much. "May be we kill some Germans there too" he thought. Il-2 flew a mission and found a halftrack loaded with ATG hiding in a building. It also found lots of infantry and armor in the north moving in. It will be a long day.

[stevemk1a]

Recon reports quick glimpses of Soviet forces moving up ... light armour, infantry ... Smoke is thrown on the southern VH cluster, is it a red herring, or not? Both sides being cautious now, probing for weakness... The Soviet Airforce makes a sortie, and scares some of my men (who were only liberating a poor, oppressed shelled-out village from Stalin's iron grip! )