Kanonfutter vs Major Mess - Somewhere in Russia 1942

[Major_Mess]

Kanonenfutter:

I've got the turn from you................but it will be a coupel of days until I send it back.
Got myself a new computer, and it's going to take a couple of days to migrate everything over to the new system.
Once it's up and running, you'll get your turn back.

My apologies for the delay.

Major Mess

[Kanonenfutter]

Soviet Report :

Lost two T-34. Not good. But destroyed 2 StuG F and a retreating flame tank. Moving forward on all fronts. Took the center VH. Spoted a anti-tank gun,1 flame tank and 6 paratroopers in the south. Now they are under fire. No one can stop the Red Army.

[Major_Mess]

Hello Kanonenfutter:

My new ride is hooked up and idling away ..................... lookin' forward to doing battle.

But somehow I lost the last turn, probably because I really don't know what I'm doing. (That doesn't stop me though!!).

So if you see this before you check your e-mail, could you please re-send the last turn, and I'll get right on it.


Thanks,

Major Mess

[Major_Mess]

Turn #11

Major Mess reporting:


Started the turn up, and it asked if I wanted to over-ride the security violation, or something like that. I did and my turn started. This is the same version of the game I started with Kanonenfutter, but loaded on a different computer. I hope I haven’t screwed up somehow.

Whatever ……………………….Game On!


The Replay showed -

My remaining Stug in Rovno finally got dialed in, he took out a jeep (of course) and then he killed a T34. He hit another one then got overwhelmed by Russian armor. At least three or more tanks …………………… reports from up there have now ceased.
Whatever assets I have left up there are on their own.
The center VH’s are now being attacked from two directions, lots of T34’s plus two KV’s bearing down on me.
Not too much artillery landed this round, it’s about time for him to run out of ammo.

I wish.

My turn started with the old right-click-rally, let’s see what I have left to work with ………………………… not nearly as much as when I started.
Up North at the back of my map I stumbled upon a T34 with a motorcycle escort. Scratch the motorcycles, they got toasted by a flame tank I had hanging around up there. The T34 better have back-up, otherwise he will receive the same fate.
Everywhere else I am just trying to get control of my troops, and organize them before the enemy strikes again.
Took some shots at the approaching armor, but German accuracy still leaves something to be desired at this point.
The end of my turn shows his 152MM landing around the center VH’s, along with some of his smaller mortars. Then came my Nebelwerfers, right down on the head of his two KV’s that were approaching the center VH’s. That should stop movement there for awhile. I’ve re-positioned some ATG’s on my flanks, hopefully some of his armor will oblige and give me some side shots.

Still holding on, doing much better the last couple of turns, if I do say so myself.

More arty plotted, turn sent back to Kanonenfutter


Major Mess, signing off.

[Kanonenfutter]

Soviet turn 12 :

Losses : Ger - Soviet :

2 StuG AUX 1 Tank-Support Infantry
1 Parachute
3 MG 34
1 Recon Team

Single tanks are a welcome target. You better use them in groups for attacking missions.

I'm marching on in the South. Found two MG 34 protecting a 50mm anti-tank position. There are a lot of FJ in the South. We will see how the Fallschirmjäger are doing against KV's without anti-tank weapons.

[Major_Mess]

Turn #12

Major Mess reporting:

Well, this shouldn’t take much longer.

Way up North I was attempting to roll my re-enforcements around the flank of his assault, but I’ve come up against at least five T34’s trying to stop me. At this time I can’t see how I’ll chase them away and still have enough assets left to then continue my planned flanking exercise. Lost a Stug up there already, plus he has flushed out my recon up on the hill.
In the center the K-mans tanks (at least eight of them) are just rolling through whatever resistance I can muster. FJ’s can’t be expected to stop armor by themselves.
Down South he is chipping away, slowly moving more of his tanks forward, but with no urgency. I still hold the Southern VH’s.

No artillery this turn ……………………………… he’s still reloading.

I sent a Flame tank in to Rovno, right now a very target rich environment. Three squirts with flame produced two Soviet suppressed tanks, I was hoping for more.

His arty showed up at the end of the turn, my Southern flank receiving most of his attention with his mortars, plus my back yard got showered by some more BM-13’s.

Sooner or later, he has to come in to the city, and we’re waiting.

Arty plotted, turn sent to Kanonenfutter.

Major Mess …………………………… out.

[Major_Mess]

Turn #13

Major Mess reporting:

The last of my SS died up in Rovno; the mortar team was hit from two directions by T34’s. My flame tank in Rovno scared one T34, and cooked another one before he too met his maker.
I still have some fight in me up there.
Another T34 somehow snuck up on my ATG down South, I have no idea how a tank could drive right up to an un-suppressed fighting unit (one that is supposed to be hunting armor) and not be noticed. The tank killed them.
I still hold the center VH’s. but my FJ’s are in danger of being flanked.
The Soviet juggernaught continues, and I have few answers right now on how to stop it.

T34’s are everywhere!

Having said that, his attack wasn’t very aggressive this turn, this has allowed me to re-organize to a certain degree. My men are better prepared than two turns ago, that’s for sure.

Have had to pull back, shorten the line.

I was able to take a couple of shots at a KV at the center, three tries, one hit, ping …………. off the hull with no damage. I don’t stand much of a chance with that kind of shootin’.
Way up North I think we have stalled each other’s flanking maneuver. Everybody is in cover, and nobody wants to make the next move, except for that tank with riders that is sneaking up and around the hill.

Some more artillery landed at the end of the turn, not with the quantity as at the beginning, the K-man’s arty is sort of trickling in now. More of a harassment, rather than the punishing blows it started out as.

Things are looking grim……………….. but where there is life, there is hope.
Or something like that.

I’ve given out my orders, here’s hoping there is someone at the other end to follow them.

Turn sent to the Kanonenfutter.

Major Mess ………………………. signing out.

[Major_Mess]

Turn #14

Major Mess reporting:

No artillery so far, must be re-loading.
I lost my Flammpanzer (sp?) way up North, that T34 made it up the hill – then had to take four tries at it before he finally hit the thing.

Gotta hide my stuff better. - this is becoming almost a Mantra for me.

OOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM - Gotta hide my stuff better.Gotta hide my stuff better.Gotta hide my stuff better.Gotta hide my stuff better.

The center VH’s are now in Kanonenfutters hands. I have lost all contact with my FJ’s over there. Last reports indicated at least 3 T34’s with lots of infantry backing them up. It looks like my para’s just rolled over on their backs when they saw the Soviets approach.
I expected a little better fight out of them.

Another quite start to the turn though. He has paused to collect himself, getting ready for another assault.

Received a really garbled message from someone near the center VH’s, something about us stopping a ZIS-30. Then silence.

I poked a Stug through the smoke in Rovno, took two shots at a KV1 that was routed – two misses.
If we make it out of here alive, that man is going back to gunnery school.

I lost a Stug when I was shifting it around in a small village to the North. A T34 from way far away killed it with one shot.
I really wish that I could get some hits like that when I’m shooting.

End of the turn has me receiving two batteries of those BM-13’s in to my backyard, somewhat close to where I had some stuff. Another battery hit West Rovno. Mortars landing everywhere.
Then my Nebelwerfers arced through the air to land nowhere near where I aimed them, and sooooo scattered that I doubt they are anything more than a nuisance to the K-Man.
I bought these things on a lark when I set up my side to begin with, but I see the prevailing thoughts on these things on our forums seem to be correct. Very expensive, and not that effective.
Should have bought SPA’s instead.

Having said that, the Kanonenfutter has really made good use of those awful BM-13’s. Man, if you happen to be underneath one of those showers, you are in for a lot of hurt.

Luckily for me, my guys weren’t this turn.

All rallied up, arty plotted to stop the next onslaught ……………………….. I’ve sent the turn to Commissar Kanonenfutter.


Major Mess ………………………..out.

[Major_Mess]

Turn #15

Major Mess reporting:

Start of the replay has the K-man’s troops probing away in the North, I don’t think he knows what I have up there, and he’s being very cautious.

Though I may still own the Southern VH’s,…………………………I have lost them. Swarms of tanks with their riders just overwhelmed my troops down there. Hugely out-numbered, they did what they could, but without their armored support (picked off by the Soviets over the last couple of turns) they didn’t have much of a chance.

However ……………………………… they stopped the Russkies right on the VH’s, at least four tanks plus a platoon or two. Just a perfect spot for the second half of my Nebelwerfer barrage. It seems that my rocket boys had listened to my lament last turn,…………………….dialed in their sights, and were able to land a goodly percentage of those screaming mee mee’s right on top of the Soviet horde.

Finally!!!!……………………………………Much Better!!!!!

To bad I don’t have anything to go romp through that field of craters right now.

Timing is everything,……………………. and right now I ain’t got it. I’m getting’ it, but probably too late to help me this game.

Some of my mortars woke up, and dumped a bunch of rounds right on top of the Russians in Rovno. Didn’t hear any secondary explosions though, I’m going to have to live with them getting suppressed I guess.

Elements of Soviet infantry are making their way toward the village of Dubno. We made them pay for their advance.

Rallied everyone up, and we looked to start causing trouble for the Kanonenfutter.

Way up North in my backfield I sent out my scouts, they couldn’t find anything but a jeep. Ordered up a Stug to clear that unit out, ………………………. the Stug found a 76.2MM shell that by chance had just left a T34’s main gun moments before. The surviving Stug crewmember reports at least two T34’s lurking in the bushes up there.

Recon by armor is not good.

Had my guys poke through the rubble in Rovno, and guess what they saw? Tanks, tanks and more tanks with Sov. Guard units all around them. Happily for me, they were parked right on one of my Priority Hex’s. Ordered my men out of there, ………………………….. and radioed down the line for some 0.1 response time Nebelwerfer action.
The rocket boys were giddy with their work at the beginning of this turn, they were so eager to please their beloved Major.
They received their new artillery co-ordinates, and proceeded to land damn near every rocket within one hex of the target.
Right now in that field there is nothing but Soviet made mush.

That felt really good, and I’m chalking that one up as a small little victory for the Mess side.

End of the turn had the Kanonenfutter’s big tubes land in the East side of Dubno. Only about three rounds though.

I’m thinking that he’s used them up. Good riddance to them.

Arty plotted for the next turn, all my boys are ready for the next stage in this battle.

Turn sent to Comrade Kanonenfutter.


Major Mess ………………………………… signing out.

[Kanonenfutter]

Soviet Turn 17 of 26

Dubno is encircled..............German Nebelwerfer killed a SMG Squad......killed a StuG F with T34.....southern, nothern and center VH are in our hands.....going to assault the last enemy VH to win this war....

Major, I hope you will join a online game with me and 1 or 2 other players. My ICQ # is 302527616 ... we play almost evryday. Join us between 5.30 - 7.30 pm eastern time. We play 11 turns/4000 points each nation.

[Major_Mess]

Turn #16

Major Mess reporting:

Opened up the game, and the first look at the map was encouraging, but then I saw the replay!

No artillery was aimed at my forces to start this turn, I liked that.

Then …………………………………………………………

I had parked a MG34 in some bushes darn near the back of the map, overlooking Kanonenfutter’s anticipated route from his flanking maneuver from the North. Imagine my surprise when at least two T34’s with riders popped up right behind them. Lots of fireworks were flying around that bush ……………………………… end result, one dead MG team, plus one severely damaged Kubelwagon.

Yikes!!!! ……………………………….. T34’s in the backfield.

Not Good, not good at all.

The village of Rovno was quite, hopefully because everything Russian over there was smashed, burning or at least knocked senseless from the turn before.

East Dubno saw the appearance of a couple of T34’s rampaging their way down Main St., attacking everything in their path.

The Stug I lost was in Dubno, it took about four hits before it exploded. That dummy had been taking shots at the Soviet armor for about three turns now, popping out of the smoke …………. taking aim and missing almost every time. He had his chances, but didn’t take them. He paid for it.

End of the replay had a bunch of Russian patriots retreating.

I then rallied up what I had left to work with, and proceeded with my new plan on managing this battle.

Way up in the Northwest, where I lost my last Stug jeep hunting, I found a lone T34 with riders hiding in the weeds. I brought up another Stug to engage the enemy, the T34 op fired and missed.
Alright!!!!
My Stug fired ……. and hit him, but no kill. He fired again. I brought up a second Stug, he fired at the Russian, again and again. Half the rounds out-right missing from my two panzers, the rest bouncing and pinging off of the hull of the Russian.
I then brought forward a Flammpanzer, he made short work of the infantry, then he tried his luck against the beast. Two squirts of flame engulfed the cornered monster.

That T34 is still sitting there, …………………….. buttoned up.

It’s been one of those kind of days.

Didn’t get to do much else, don’t have much left to work with.
Did see a lot of tanks.

End of the turn had Kanonenfutter’s big tubes hunting for my Nebelwerfers, Then the sky was filled with rockets screaming through the air from both camps. His hit Dubno, plus the woods West of my VH’s, mine landed on the heads of his troops, some to the North, the rest at the center.

The last stand is coming up ……………………………..

Orders sent out with my last runner, turn sent to the Cossack Kanonenfutter.

Major Mess …………………………….. signing out.

[Kanonenfutter]

Soviet Turn 18 of 27

My boys are driving through the rear of the enemy. Found 2 Nebelwerfer and Ammo-Trucks. Ka-Bumm !The next target is probaply the enemy home-victory-hexes. The last stand. 1 German Flame-Tank destroyed by a AT-Squad in the North.

[Major_Mess]

Turn #17

Major Mess reporting:

The Russian onslaught continues, no more of his artillery though ………………….. that would just get in the way of his marauding army.

Up in the Northwest, it took a combined attack from my flame tank and a Stug just to kill the crew of that T34 I buttoned up last turn.
The tank crew started shooting at my armor first!!
Incredible, ………………………. it took too much of my few resources to silence them.
Then a Soviet ATR team started taking pot-shots at the flame tank from about 200 meters away ………………………………… and they were able to kill it!

T34’s running through my picket line of MG’s behind my VH’s, killing everything. My Nebelwerfer park has been closed down, what isn’t dead will be soon. More T34’s with riders overwhelmed it.

It appears that what is left of my forces is now encircled by the enemy.

East Dubno is now infested with Soviet armor, chewing through my squads that still fight back.

I rally up what I have left, and prepare for the inevitable.

I try to dis-engage my armor in the Northwest, see if they may be a little more productive in Dubno. Immobilized a Stug in the bush for my efforts. It’s been that sort of game for me.

My artillery is either dead or used up, I can only offer token pockets of resistance now. And what we are seeing of the Russian attack means our time is up soon.

Soviet artillery wakes up and pounds Dubno to end the turn, thankfully no rockets but enough to pin down whatever healthy assets that I have left.


I have sent my last runner towards the enemy camp with our terms of surrender, but until we hear from our foe, we shall fight!

Major Mess ………………………………….. signing out

[Kanonenfutter]

Dubno is almost in our hands. A T-34 killed a StuG F with a lucky 27% shoot + a flame tank destroyed in the city. We only accept uncondicinal surrender [:D]

[Major_Mess]

Turn #18

Major Mess reporting:

Unconditional surrender?????? …………………… Me????????????

I wanted you to surrender!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Serious pressure everywhere ………………………… I got tanks attacking me from the North, the South, from in behind me ………………………….. and especially from the East. Lots of tanks from the East.

That was my last functional Stug on the battlefield. He’s been sitting in a wonderful hideout for a couple of turns now, so you know it’s found a good place to fire from by now. A T34 come stumbling in to its field of fire, looking in a completely different direction. The Russian is about 200 meters away ……………………………… the best my Stug could do was watch its shot glance off the tank like a snowball. Then the Commie spun his turret around and plinked my Stug with one shot.

I’m getting the feeling that I was offered some duds when I purchased my units to begin this game. I’m pretty sure my tankers all graduated in the bottom third of their class.

All the other things concerning my armor are my fault, I’ll own up to that. But the shooting skills my Stugs have exhibited really make me shake my head.
Lesson learned ………………………Stugs are cheaper than turreted tanks, by their inferior fire control is the trade-off. Gotta get some of both.

I lost my Flammpanzer only because I don’t have enough infantry to provide security for them. I really don’t have much left to work with.

Sent out a call on the radio, and I’m pleasantly surprised at the amount of responses I get back. I’ve got people still ready to fight.

Well then …………………………. we rally up and set about harassing the enemy.


All I asked my sniper to do was whack that Sov ATR team, this move was just out of spite, pretty well because they had killed my flamer last turn. His first shot was at 44% (I’ve just recently started to pay attention to that detail ………………. you get one part of this game down, and then the next level presents itself to you ………… or me I mean).
He missed, and got some Pah Pah Sha rounds in return. His second shot was at 17% or so, and he missed again. More SMG fire back.
I am so fed up with these German hotshots not hitting any thing I aim them at ………………………….. I don’t care if he lives or not anymore.

Everywhere else I pull back a little bit more, trying to become one with the rubble. Which was good for me because to end the turn Mr. K sent a lot of BM13’s and mortar rounds right where I used to be.
He wants a parade down Main St. and he doesn’t care what it looks like when he gets there.

In behind my remaining VH’s his tanks are crunching through the woodlands shooting up everything they drive up to. The last of my ammo trucks went up flames, and I have one severely frightened prime mover desperately trying to get away.

One battery of BM13’s land right on my VH’s to end the turn.

Missed me.

Encouraging words are sent down the line ……………………. nobody needs orders now.

Major Mess …………………………… on the front line ………………….. signing out.

[Major_Mess]

Turn #19

Major Mess reporting:


I had made a picket line of empty mortar teams and trucks, well these guys showed more guts than most of my front line troops. They stopped at least two T34’s from advancing, …………………. out-gunned, out-manned, they never faltered. They kept shooting until they were dead.

My Headquarters squad was then attacked, and was overrun by a T34!

That sucks.

I should have moved the HQ last turn ……………….. I knew I had to get out of Dodge.
I goofed, and didn’t get any transport ……………….. and that’s that.
I’m on my own now, scampering through the bush.

The T34 that got my HQ was then terminated by an ATG that I was parked beside. Then the ATG was destroyed by another T34.

I had a Stug traveling cross country to get to Dubno (I know, it was a hopeless mission) …………………………… well, it’s all Injun territory now.
The poor Stug was ambushed, it was first rained on with small arms, and then it found itself in a shoot-out with another T34. They traded rounds, then my Stug perished when the Russian finally hit the thing.

Kanonenfutter now has control over most of Dubno, and my men left in the city can’t stop him. I lost a Flammpanzer this turn, took two T34’s to kill it though.

My FO has now taken over command of whatever we have left, I’m heading West, back to Battalion.

My sniper killed that ATR team, finally.

Other than that my side did squat. Losing the AO sorta kinda has that effect I guess.

Did a bit of a count, I spot 16 Russian tanks and only one of those is immobilized. I know that there is more than that out there.
That’s a lot of tanks.

I had a platoon of GE just West of the spot where my HQ was overrun, I was making my way to them, but before I got there I witnessed a whole battery of 152MM shells land right on their heads. That was cruel.

I’m heading for home, I’ll find some friendlies soon.
As long as I can maintain radio contact with the FO, these reports shall continue.

Major Mess ……………………………….. signing out.

[Kanonenfutter]

Russian Turn 20

Lost 2 T34 in the city of Dubno. Engineers assaulted them with with Flam thrower. I was hunting a few Grenadiers. Anyway soon they will be history.
I wanted too much ! I reached the home vhexes.

[Major_Mess]

Turn 20

Major Mess reporting:

The events in this sector now appear to be down right depressing. The Soviets are hunting down whatever German resistance they encounter. Tanks are everywhere!!
However, my FO Lt.Musser informed me that there have been two columns of black smoke coming from Dubno, two big explosions amid all the racket going on in that hamlet right now.
Good ............ my engineers have been waiting to join in the combat. I don’t think they’re long for this world, but good on them – two tanks in one turn.

A remarkable amount of my remaining troopers not only were able to rally up, most of ‘em were ready to fight.

There were three T34’s and a KV1 chasing after some FJ’s at the South end of Dubno. They got all jammed up in an intersection in their frenzy to kill the Aryan Airborne. I got my available squads to hammer away at those tanks with their small arms. I wanted those tanks buttoned up.
They gave me four tanks squinting through their visors …………………. I love those guys.
I then wheeled up one of my little flame tanks right up in front of that Soviet traffic jam. Killed a T34 outright, and suppressed the hell out of the other three!! Then my flamer was able to scoot away …………………….. ready to flame another day!!

Then …………………………………………. I unsheathed the barrel of one of my ATG’s covering my last VH’s. Within a 15-degree arc were three T34’s.
I look at my gun team stats – 69 for experience / 69 for morale.

F***, …………………………. Oh well, let’s give it a try anyways, I’ve got nothing left to lose now.

Four shots gave me three dead T34’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was SOOOO happy. I really was.

Sad to say, this has been my best turn in the game. Six tanks destroyed plus assorted Russian infantry squads terminated.

Six tanks destroyed …………………………………….. that sure sounds good. To bad I can only do that once every 20 turns.

Wooooo Hooooo!!!!!!

Going out with a BANG!

End of turn has North Dubno getting pounded by his big tubes and mortars, the South side of Dubno experienced a further barrage of those awful BM13’s.




It just struck me that my gang started to fight better right after the HQ went kaput, what the hell does that mean???

Turn sent to tovarich Kanonenfutter.

Major Mess ………………….. still in the battle ……………………… signing out.

[VikingNo2]

GOOOOOOO MESS rally the troops

[Major_Mess]

Bad news -

Day one of two weeks holidays - I wake up to a flood in the war room. This is what you get living in the Pacific Northwest. Everything has to bug out of the room.................. Thursday, Friday before I can hook up my 'puter and battle again.

I'm at buddies house right now typing this out.


my apologies for the delay.

I'd tell you how the flood happened, but you'd have to promise not to tell the Insurance Co.

Major Mess ............................ splashing around ........................... signing out.