Belisarius vs. Scharfschütze - Steel Dawn

[Belisarius]

Thanx, I might have passed the exam :p

Meanwhile, the Gods of Fortune continue to smile on the Bolsheviks. A half-vitted M7 (!) crew spotted a MOVING (!!) PzIV through 5 (!!!) hexes of smoke, fired a shot, hit and mushroomed (!!!!) the tank! If this is how things work, I might as well surrender immediately. :rolleyes:

On the plus side, it is now the fun begins. I have yet to see his main tank force.

In the north, an '88 and an '85 played an old western-style (albeit oversized) duel with each other. Apparently the '85 had HMG or AA support (who can tell, they're cloaked), so it was a draw.

[Scharfschütze]

"Comrade-Colonel, this is Gamma. Engaging panzers!" the radio crackled. A resounding bang sounded, followed by enthusiastic cheers.

"We hit him! He´s on fire!. A Pz-IV type! Hey, there comes another. The PTRD rifles are already firing at him. Shell away! **** it! Reload! Reload!"

More curses could be heard through the loudspeakers, then another bang, and again, loud cheering.

"We got another, the crew is bailing out. The infantry is already at it" the M10 Wolverine commander reported. The tank´s MG began hammering.


So the germans had begun committing their tanks at last. Too late! His forces were prepared and waiting.

In the north, his MG´s were ripping the enemy infantry advancing through the woods near the 88AT´s position to shreds. Two squads were disassemled, only a lone MG42 avoided the withering hail 12,7mm bullets. To top it off, he had ordered his heavy artillery to drive the germans from that area. Already heavy explosions tore through the forest near the confluence of the creeks. :p

Hey Belisarius, I actually like the Wolverine. And it is 2-0 now!
Ah yes, a Wolverine absolutely can´t stand kitties!

[Belisarius]

With the two lead panzers reduced to burning hulls, Lt. Telner signalled the platoon to halt. "Stand back! We don't know what's in there!" he said, pointing towards the smoke-covered hill to the south.

A handful of survivors staggering down the hill and out of the smoke suddenly turned around and killed a Molotov squad advancing behind them. "hah, that'll teach them to leave our panzers alone!" the sergeant said, catching his breath.

Heavy bombardment in the north, an 88 under 150mm fire was desperately asking for relocation. Telner gestured to a SdKfz-11 to get moving, but it only made it half-way. Passing a house, it suddenly exploded in a ball of flames. Villagers! They will surely suffer for this!

[Scharfschütze]

In the valley below the german Panzer-IV´s were relocating, moving away from the hill and the burning wreckage of their platoon members into overwatch postions. The easternmost of the tanks came under AT-rifle fire, intermixed with heavy MG bullets. Then it suddenly burst into flame.

"This is Gamma. Sgt. Ramazonov´s Wolverine has taken out another fascist!" Lt. Ordabkenyate reported.

Meanwhile the 152mm artillery had begun shelling the areas north and northwest of Ruby Hill, were the enemy was gathering troops for a counterattack. Observant eyes noted that the fire struck true amidst the hapless german infantry.

More than a kilometer to the north a lone Wolverine peeped over a hillcrest. An 88mm shell missed it by less than a meter, and the TD quickly withdrew behind the hill before the AT gun could reload.

In retaliation, 12,7mm MG´s opened fire from concealed positions, spraying the gunshield of the fearsome weapon with heavy bullets.

In his command post, Colonel Lucashenko was measuring distances on a map. The decision would soon be made.

[Belisarius]

Positions are at a standstill. The panzer crews have spotted several PTRD teams in the forest, as well as a few snipers. No casualties could be confirmed, though. We'll see what happens next.

Motorcycle platoons (hey, if you got'em - spend'em! ) have been redirected to deal with the villager situation.

The commie 152 arty is coming too close to be comfortable, but all they manage to do for now is reshape the landscape....

[Scharfschütze]

"Crack!!!"
Again the powerful 76mm gun of Sgt. Ramazanovs Wolverine fired. A fourth Panzer burst into flames. The valley below was filling with wreckage.

Meanwhile, recon and sniper troops were chasing the enemy infantry away. In the distance, the heavy arty was pummeling other german lines of advance.

Spotty mortar fire was falling on Ruby Hill and the forest to the east of it, from where the PTRD´s had been taking potshots at the Pz Iv´s while the M10´s had taken aim.

things were rather calm for the moment. But that could change any second...

[Belisarius]

Ah! Ivan must use stolen equipment to get our proud panzers!

Oberleutnant Telner stressed the issue of getting rid of the villagers while talking to HQ. They had now taken to the hills, and had a good position overlooking the area. One band was 'dissolved', but another had dug in deep.

Apart from the scout and PTRD teams in the forest brink, there is no sight of the enemy. The Ivans are an invisible killer! A panzer also reported seeing a another stolen Studebaker truck further into the forest.

[Scharfschütze]

Nono, those Studebakers are made in the U.S.A.!
More lend-lease "crap" like the M10´s that lead 4-0 to your Panzers!:D

Go ask your U-Boat boys, they didn´t get them in the Atlantic, and you won´t get them here in Russia!

The front has turned strangely quiet.

The Germans are trying to suppress the infantry in the forest east of Ruby Hill and have laid a wall of smoke on the northern front in an unsuccessfull attempt to shield their harassed men in the woods at the confluence from heavy MG fires from unseen sources.

The Panzers, having taken a bloody nose in their last sally, are holding back.

And my brave partisans will fight ot the death!

[Belisarius]

Quiet turn.

The commies are concentrating heavy artillery fire to the north and west of Der Schlachthügel (a.k.a. Ruby Hill). Our observers have directed mortar fire on top of the hill itself. Few casualties.

We got rid of the communist sympathizers on the center hill, they left a looooong smoke trail before disappearing.

[Scharfschütze]

Lucashenko leaned back in his chair.
"Seems we have beaten the courage out of the fascists. They are holding back again."

He reached for his pipe and began stuffing it.

"We have time. The enemy artillery is seriously outgunned by our mighty 152mm guns, and their mortars seem to be running out of ammunition. We hold most of the dominating positions.
If they continue to try trench warfare, we´ll blast them back all the way to Berlin. If they attack, they will be destroyed right here."

[Belisarius]

The Kamfgruppe is regrouping to secure the lines, when a familiar shriek fills the air - katyushas again!

More artillery fire down south, otherwise quiet. Snipers are everywhere apparently. Guys, guys - this is the countryside, not Stalingrad! Turn right at the crossroads, follow the road south! :p

[Scharfschütze]

Yeah, Stalin´s organs play their tune of doom again!

The german medium artillery was popping more smoke to the north. Preparations for a coming attack?

Colonel Lucashenko put his pipe down. The snipers were reporting little movement, an occasional infantry squad stumbling out of a shelled area or motorcycles trying to reconnoitre where their Kameraden had met an untimely death.

Nothing to worry about!:D

[Belisarius]

What do you mean, "medium artillery"? We ain't got anything heavier :p

Uh.. we're not doing anything until you uncloak yourselves.

[Scharfschütze]

"Comrade Colonel, the enemy is begging us to stop the bombardment. I think we have broken their fighting spirit" the radio operator beamed.
(Sorry Belisarius, I couldn´t resist:D)


"No way!" Lucashenko barked, "We´ll bomb ´em until that hill has become a valley! Get my the artillery!":mad:


Not much happening otherwise. More of my sniper fire.

The 152mm´s are landing quite good, got a couple of kills with just eight rounds. Whoever is still up there will be soiling his pants by now - after three turns of heavy shelling!

[Belisarius]

More 152s again. *boom boom boom*

The once-seen enemy has cloaked again.

We discovered commie villagers again! They must not be able to report back to the enemy lines! The peasant band was "neutralized" accordingly.

Small redeployments along the lines, we wait for the enemy to pop his ugly face into our sights... :p

[Scharfschütze]

We have discovered a german FJ squad that escaped the inferno at the start of the battle. Apparantly it had been trying to get back to friendly lines, but ran into several heavy MG´s. They are history.

The enemy has again shelled positions on the northern front with medium artillery, this time with HE. This is an interesting development, since an extensive smoke screen had been laid previously. The 105mm´s are targetting a railroad bridge leading across the eastern creek, where the northern objective (in soviet hands since eons!) lies.

The Colonel has ordered heightened vigilance.


Shelling of the central hell, er hill, continues, bagging another german squad. :p

[Belisarius]

My my, you're mighty certain that only a single FJ squad escaped the initial carnage, aren't you? Tip: check your back area :p

Turn will be coming soon, I'm waiting while the Gods contemplate my fate... as I am really at a loss what way to go :rolleyes:

[Belisarius]

Auugh the suspense!

The FJ platoon are running into serious trouble on the hill. Dug-in 12.7mm MG's are not to be taken easily. More casualites, but they are shaken at least.

The Ivans have excellent fields of fire covering the central and north area, including the center hill held by my forces despite 4-5 turns of 152mm shelling. Our smoke curtains seem to have little effect on their ability to target our troops. With this experience, Oberleutnant Telner concluded that the "easiest" way to go is once again over "Ruby Hill". We have little knowledge of what troops are dug-in up there, except the occasional recon teams that stumble out of the smoke-covered slopes. They are usually ripped into shreds by our MGs. Between Ruby Hill and our cratered center hill, there's a passage east, towards Red Army lines. In these woods we know many perils lurk, amongst them stolen Wolverines, snipers, 85mm AT guns, recon teams and who knows what else?

Units have made it unscathed to the base of Ruby Hill. A few were shot at by recon teams and even a T-34 in a hull-down position. Panzers and StuGs are covering their advance, but it's hard to make out anything from the fires and dense, black smoke that shrouds the hill. Hopefully the infantry will survive the next turn and be able to tell what horrors guard the Hilltop.

As he stood in his panzer, Telner suddenly felt a brief warm feeling on the left of his face;
Far far away in the east, beyond the Ivans, beyond the Urals, the sky is turning a pale blue-gray. The war-torn plains shimmers like silver as the first golden rays of sunlight reflects in millions of small droplets of dew. The Sun rises to greet us on the new day. Will we stand victorious when the Sun has passed us?

[Scharfschütze]

Colonel Lucashenko felt uneasy.

More and more german paratroopers were emerging from the forest east of Emerald Hill, the position from where he had staged his attack on the german line. The 12,7mm MG´s on the hillcrest had quickly turned to fire on the german assailants, but they seemed to be attacking at least in platoon strength.
Half of them were now corpses, but the rest was pressing on. One of his MG´s had lost several loaders, but the man at the gun kept firing.

The germans had tried to bring in two Panzers in support south of Ruby Hill, and one of them was had already burst into flames after the first hit from a cleverly concealed ATG had disabled the engine and the second penetrated the turret, exploding the ammunition. Its collegue stopped at once and shelled the distand MG´s on emerald hill with 75mm HE.

Sergej, his aide at the radio, suddenly turned to Lucashenko:
"Comrade Colonel, Lt. Zhdanov reports enemy halftracks advancing towards Ruby Hill from the northwest, covered by numerous tanks and assault guns! Motorcycles have reached the base of ruby hill! The PTRD´s have taken out one transport and hit another, but they keep coming. The enemy tanks make it impossible to bring our M10´s in for a counterattack. No losses reported!"

Colonel Lucashenko swore heavily:
"**********! *******!!!!":mad:

The germans had thrown the dice once more, and the situation was fluid. What could be done?

Thick smoke was billowing from Ruby Hill, underlit by the reddish fire his flame tanks had started when they had driven the fascists from the mound.

A light wind had risen, driving the the acrid smoke to the southeast. Beyond the wall of smoke and fire, the clank of steel tracks could be heard...

[Belisarius]

Despite heavy losses and taking fire from four directions, the Fallschirmsjägers managed to ascend to the hilltop. Objective completed: We now know what lurk on the eastern slope of Ruby Hill; A crapload of Wolverines! We have also spotted several more Wolverines in the forest northeast of Ruby Hill.

That OT-34 HAS GOT TO GO! It does an excellent job of blocking LOS and scaring my units away. The commies occupying Ruby Hill is JUST outside my LOS. Ivan has also started laying down smokescreens to the west and north of the hill, to block sight from my StuGs and Panthers. Well, that can serve us both ways.

We have mopped up a few scout teams and a sniper, but lost another 251. (btw, why does his low-morale troops OP-fire like crazy, while my troops can't even spell it?... )

Note to self: NEVER EVER go into battle without heavy artillery! Scharf's artillery is pounding me senseless where it hits, while I can't even direct fire onto the Hill, which is the ONLY way to get to the tanks on top! ALL FO's without radio contact! Did Hasbro win the radio supply contract or what?

This is going wrong in so many ways.