Unterspreewald, en-route to Berlin - with Battlegroup: Fall of the Reich

This was an Attack/Counter-Attack scenario, 800 points, with four objectives: one at the farm, one on the road through the woods, the wooden bridge, and one in the central woods. We rolled to see if any were 'Vital' to either side (a new rule for objectives), and none were this time. Having sorted any timed strikes and ammo'd up the AFVs, we were ready to go.

The Russian began arriving at speed, and sent their 'taskforce' of T-34/76s and infantry racing left to get to the woods, under some incoming mortar fire and 88 'sniping' from the way distant Nashorn.  The Germans had their fusilier patrol holding the objective on the road through the woods, the plan was to clear them out and take it, then move up on the farm, via the cover of the trees. Of course, the Germans moved to counter them, but the first Panzer IV up the road was unlucky to catch a direct hit from a 120mm mortar bomb, aimed at the farm buildings, and be KO'd. Following on, was their Panther and another Panzer IV, along with grenadiers and a panzer-jaeger squad on bicycles. This would become its own  fight in the woods for that objective.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Russians were going right, to the stream and over the bridge. They also had their 2 SU-100s in place, both waiting on ambush fire to snipe back across the fields. The 120mm mortar battery was busy harassing the Germans each turn as they tried to deploy. Added to this was the arrival of a timed Sturmovik strike, which by luck had targeted just where a PAK-40, its tow and loader team were deploying (corner of the farm). Its bombs scored a hit and the loss of a crewman saw the gun crew flee. The PAK was out of the fight, but the Nashorn was still lurking, reloaded, and sniping away, without any hits – yet! 

The fight in the woods got underway, as the Russian infantry, with dismounted tankoviks, tried to push up through the trees, T-34s behind, to avoid those Panzerfausts. It didn't help, the first T-34 to appear was hit by the Panther on ambush fire and easily KO'd, that Panther would be a big problem, my T34s were not a match. Cagey fighting in the woods, my infantry on ambush to discourage any rash 'faust rushes forwards, and some pinned by MG fire through the trees. As the second Panzer IV appeared at the edge of the wood, to line up a T-34 for a flank shot, but the covering SU-100 barked and – rolled a 6, a hit! Kaboom, Panzer IVs aren't built to withstand that impact, it was a smoking wreck.

Things had gone badly for the Germans, but they did draw the 'Endkampf' counter, and with their 'Backs to Berlin' bonus, were now at +10 BR, they were going to fight hard. 

The T34-85s pressed across the bridge, and the their tankoviks jumped down. German 120mm mortar fire pinned a tank and a squad as they did so, and the last panzer IV rolled round the house to line up a shot, which clanged off the T34-85s frontal armour. The SU-100 opened up at it in return and missed. The Nashorn moved to engage the closer targets too, but a 120mm mortar stonk scored another direct hit and its was KO'd, vulnerable to the plunging fire... things looked bad, the Germans were runinng out of AT weapons. To aid, the 222 armour car added so desperate 20mm suppression and pinned another T34-85. That attack had rather stalled until it could got unpinned. The Panther manoeuvred to get some shots at the static, in the open, -85s, from the woods by the farm.

Back in the woods, the Russian used reserve move to get the infantry forward, but again, ambush fire from German MGs pinned them down, they were on the objective, but couldn't claim it. The T34s risked moving up and ploughed HE into the trees, pinning down the German infantry in return. Now, their waiting panzerjager team reserve moved up, peddling hard, and jumped off. In their turn, they launched their 'fausts, 2 at each T-34, hitting and KOing both... smoking tanks everywhere - drat! Still, they paid, as the small squad was wiped out next turn by rifle fire and then two Russian close assaults with the SMG-armed tankoviks wiped out the fusilier squad and their MG team. Objective taken, and another counter for the Germans. Taken 2, but inflicted 4 that exchange.

Over by the bridge, the T34-85s opened up on the last Panzer IV and the irritating 222, missing, whilst the SU-100 lined up the lurking tank and hit, another kill! I like these 100mm guns - Germans getting some of their own AP medicine! That provoked the Panther to target it, but it missed again. The SU-100 had 1 AP round left, which it fired back, missed too, and then withdrew, ammo-less, but job done. The dismounted tankoviks ran through MG fire, losing 2 men, to reach the white house and then assault it, wiping out the infantry squad (dismounted panzer crew) inside. Fire from a flak-panzer's 20mm, in the back garden, killed a few more, but their morale roll was a 'heroic action'. The last men in the squad used their AT grenades and close assaulted the Flakpanzer IV, destroying it! That counter was it, the Germans had taken enough for today and retreated. It was a heavy defeated, 52 BR taken, only 22 inflicted against the Russian BR total of 49... so a big Russian win at Unterpsreewald. We steam-roller on towards Berlin...

Another good game, all new rules in play and working well. They aren't always going to be close... but the Germans had some rough luck today.

 

Russian arrive from near corner, by the stream, Germans from over by the farm.

Russians advance in two prongs, left and right, Germans fan-out to meet them.

Go left, the T-34/76 taskforce, infantry and tank riders.

German recce watches the moves, and calls in some mortar fire.

Arriving in the woods, under long range fire from the Nashorn, and tank riders de-buss. Now to move-up for the objective.

Covering on ambush, SU-100, waits for any targets to snipe. One SU covered left, the other right. 

German armour arrives at the farm and moves to block the T-34s in the woods, but the lead is KO'd by a rogue 120mm mortar bombs (unlucky).

Go right, T-34/85s, tank riders and infantry, with their SU-100 cover in place and awaiting something to shoot at.

Single file over the bridge.

Germans get in place to hold the woods, Panther and a panzerjaeger team on bicycles.

The Panzer IV lurks in the woods, to emerge and take an instant hit from the SU-100... KO'd. Panzer IVs struggle against the bigger Russian guns... boot on the other foot.  

VVS timed Sturmovik bombing run, kills an single PAK-40 crewman,  and they flee without firing a shot.