GRIMSBY - Landjut 2017 Scenario: The Battle! pt2.

How it played:
The West Germans deployed in a rough line in the middle third of the table. With infantry in the woods in front of the town of Kropp on the Soviet left,infantry and armour around the farm in the center and infantry and armour in and around the town of Owschlag on the Soviet right. With the German artillery positioned to the north of Kropp supported by 2 platoons of Milan ATGW covering the centre of the table from the safety of the woods.
 The Soviets deployed after the Germans and decided on a flanking force to enter the table along the road west of Kropp. This consisted of 6 T64BVs and a infantry battalion in BTR60s. In the centre 2 battalions of infantry in BMP2s and a battalion T64s advanced up the road towards the farm. The final tank unit advanced across the fields on the soviet left to support and link up with the flanking force.

Flanking force west of Kropp

The tank battalion entered the field, catching the German artillery in the open and un prepared. After a short exchange of fire the German artillery was silenced. As the tanks looped around the town towards the woods the BTRs sped down the road unopposed. 

Supporting force.

To the south the second tank battalion advanced onto the table and across the fields. In the centre the main soviet force advances along the road towards the farm.

BMPs near the farm.

 Worried about their centre the german armour shifted position to support the infantry in the woods to the left of the farm.

Leopards line the edge of the woods

As the Soviet advance on the left continued the units in the centre started to take heavy casualties as they tried to assault the farm.

Woods to the North of Kropp

Tanks filter through Kropp

Units in the centre move up to flank the farm.

After the German firing

Virtually the whole infantry battalion was wiped out as the Germans concentrated their tank, aircraft and helicopter fire against the troops in the open. The Germans also started to move their armour over to the center from their left flank.

Leopards move to cover the rear.

  To the north the Soviets in the woods advanced and assaulted the milan teams clearing the woods of German units. The tanks where to park here for some time refusing to advance. Fortunately the tanks in Kropp continued to advance, eventually capturing an HQ in the woods north of the farm .

HQ on the edge of the woods ,soon to be over run

The soviets continued to apply pressure in the centre committing The tanks and second BMP battalion as well as artillery and helicopter strikes.

The Germans , with only the CO left, move the infantry from Owschlag into the woods. Both sides throw in all they have into the cauldron around the farm. The Soviets take yet more infantry casualties but the flanking force of tanks moves through the woods and see off the Leopards protecting the german rear. The soviet tanks south of the farm start to thin out the tanks in the woods . Artillery and helicopter fire continue to take their toll on the Germans.

Eventually it proved too much for the Germans and they break, leaving the Soviets to continue their advance towards Schleswig.
Another great game Dan's Germans where seriously hampered by the early loss of his artillery and the loss of his only HQ halfway through the game.Andy's willingness to sacrifice his infantry around the farm tied up  the German forces in the centre allowing The flanking force to exploit the German rear and claim a major victory!. This didn't help either!

Hitting on 5s and 6s!

All figures Dan's and my own, terrain Grimsby Wargames Society and my own. 

GRIMSBY - Landjut 2017 Scenario: The Battle! pt1.

As part of the lead up to "The Joy of 6" show and the Cold War Commanders weekend game hosted by the Grimsby Wargames Society in September, Richard Philips provided us with a scenario which can be found here:  http://coldwarcommanders.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/grimsby-landjut-2017-scenario.html . Danny would use his West Germans and Andy and myself would use my Soviets.

The Table:
Richard provided some well drawn maps and an indication of the direction the forces where to advance.

Soviets are Red, West Germans Blue

Fortunately we had enough terrain to do the maps justice.

From the east looking west

North looking south, in the centre.

North looking south, German left flank

South looking north,Soviet left flank

South looking north, Soviet right flank.

The Forces: We chose to play 4500pts of West Germans vs 9000pts of Soviets. The exploitation scenario rules only allow the defender, Danny's Germans, to field on table artillery. Contrary to the rules we allowed them to fire "indirect" if the opportunity arose.

West Germans

Dan's West Germans where organised as follows;
CO+Panzer Btn
HQ+ Heavy Jager Btn
FAO+3 155mm M109 batteries
FAC+Tornado(as Phantom)
Attack Helicopter  (Bo.105 PAH-1)
2x Recce

Soviets

Andy and my soviets where organised follows;
CO+3 BRDM3(AT5 Spandrel)
3xRecce
HQ+Armored Btn
HQ+Armored Btn
HQ+Armored Btn
HQ+Mech Infantry Btn(BMP2)+supports
HQ+Mech Infantry Btn(BMP2)+supports
HQ+Armored Infantry Btn(BTR60)+supports
2xFAO+ 3 152mm, 2S3 M1973 batteries
6x 122mm, 2S1 M1974 batteries(attached to the BMP Btns as direct support, 3 batteries each)
Attack Helicopters x2 (Mi24Hind F)
All the Soviet Btns where at 66% to represent previous loses after their encounter with the Canadians.

Pt2 how it played up next.

Wednesday night CWC at the Grimsby Club.

Haven't played Cold War Commander for a little while so Andy H and myself decided on a small game using approx 3000pts aside. Andy would use his Americans and I my Soviets and the game would be set in 1985. Although the forces where quite small for a change to save on points Andy had M60s and M113s and I had T64s and BTR70s, each side had one aircraft and a battery of artillery. Now this might sound a very even, and possibly boring encounter, but because of the way CWC treats organisation the two forces play quite differently and this is what adds flavour to the games.These differences played quite a large part in the game, especially the +1 the Soviets gain to the Command value of a HQ if all eligible units receive the same order, this allowed the Soviets to out perform the Americans during the command phase, this is especially important when firing when that extra order can make all the difference. 

Andy's M60s and HQ

T64s crest the hill.

M60s flank march.

Americans advance

Soviets enter the town.

Americans advance.

Soviets advanc towards the woods.

T64s take cover in the woods.

M60s break cover and move up to engage.

American M113s line the hedge

Soviets sitting in the town doing nothing

Su25 arrives!

F4 Phantom hits the Soviets as the break cover to engage the American armor

The M60s destroyed the Soviets roll up the American infantry.

M60s start to pick off the inactive Soviets.

The infantry cleared and the Americans broken.

The Soviets leave their vehicles at last!

The deployment was pretty standard for the Soviets, infantry in the centre, to take the town,  tanks on their right flank and the battery of towed 122s deployed off table  and under the command of the infantry HQ. The America deployment was slightly different with infantry in the centre to threaten the town, but Andy split his armour so it could threaten both flanks. The +1 cv bonus saw the soviets advance quickly to take the town and move the armour up into the woods to the right of the town. Andy's advance was slightly more cautious but a number of failed command rolls meant the Soviets where unable to deploy into the buildings allowing the Americans to gain a foot hold in the town. The inactive Soviet vehicles where then picked off by Andy's flanking armour on the Soviet left. The Soviet right faired much better with the 9T64s overwhelming the 4 M60s and then hitting the bulk of the American infantry in the flank, over running the Co and infantry HQ. They caused enough damage to break the Americans and we called it a major Soviet victory after 5 turns. A very enjoyable game helped along by 5 blunders between us. Terrain my own and Grimsby Wargames Society, figures Andy H and myself.