SASL MOSKVA - Mission #2
28 January 2008, Double Deuce @ 11:58 am

Mission 2 : Counterstroke. Kryokovo, Russia, December 8, 1941

Starting on December 5th the Soviet Counteroffensive hit the tired and cold Germans hard. 7th Guards Rifle Division was thrown into the fight and ordered to widen a gap in the German lines. At the end of the first week German troops were thrown back along the entire front.

• Type : Take the Highway (5)
• Mapboard selection : Roll directly on the Farmland table
• Initial mapboards : Weather : EC are Snow with a Mild Breeze from the Northeast
• Mission End : Divide the total Road Network by 4 (four) to determine the number of turns.
• Enemy ELR : 2
• There is an additional +2 DRM on tables G2, G5a G7 and G8

MISSION SETUP
My 2nd mission is to clear a 1700 meter section of road of all enemy forces so that follow-on forces can exploit the gap. The company will start the mission off-board to the East (top of map image). Weather is ground snow which may slow my advance but fortunately my men are equipped with winter camouflage. As a benefit, this should help prevent them from being identified too early allowing them to close on the enemy without being hit with long range fire. With the death of Kapitan Demochev, Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin has taken command of the company and Lejtenant Orlov has been newly assigned to the command.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

TURN 1
As the majority of the company advances on line through the snow towards the objective 1st Platoon follows the road making sure it is clear of any enemy forces. Interestingly, both Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin and Lejtenant Orlov are noticeably absent from the front line. Perhaps they are busy trying to round up any stragglers. As the main force advances across the open a large row of wire is spotted about 80 meters to their front. Fortunately, it appears no mines are part of this obstacle. As the men approach the wire, German scouts open fire and one of our Rifle Squads is cut down. There are no survivors. Return fire from the rest of the Company manages to drive the Germans from their positions and they are forced to fall back.

TURN 2
On the right flank, 1st Platoon continues to clear the road while on the left flank 3rd Platoon has become hopelessly entangled in the wire. It appears that 2nd Platoon has managed to skirt the wire and keep moving with Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin finally arriving on the field to direct their advance. Lejtenant Orlov has still not shown up. Where is a Commissar when you need one. The German Scouts continue to fall back but other than those, no more enemy forces have been spotted.

TURN 3
On the right flank Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin continues to lead efforts to clear the road without meeting much resistance. In the center, only some of our forces have managed to get through the wire. Lejtenant Orlov is still absent.

TURN 4
The advance continues and Lejtenant Orlov finally shows up, just in time to try and assist the mortar team who has managed to get entangled in the wire. On the far right, Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin deploys 1st Platoon (including the Company’s HMG) to overwatch the main road as it winds through a small walled village. 2nd Platoon follows behind to make sure the road is fully cleared. A small force of Germans continues its retreat in the center after having been routed by an advancing Soviet Rifle Squad.

TURN 5
After much effort, Lejtenant Orlov is still unable to get the Mortar Team moving though the wire so he decides to move forward without them. Along the way he rounds up the Company MMG Team and a lone Rifle Squad who recently managed to get through the wire. On the right flank, Germans troop open fire on Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin and his men from the village. During the firefight, Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin is wounded and also becomes Heroic. It looks like the Germans have decided to block our advance from this location.

TURN 6
The retreating German forces manage to fall back to the village and quickly rally around the HMG position. Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin orders the men accompanying him to advance in line on the village through some nearby brush. Lejtenant Orlov leads the rest of the men from the center. Heavy fighting ensues and another Germans squad is eliminated. On the far left flank more Germans are spotted coming to the defense of the village.

TURN7

Our Mortar Team finally manages to get through the wire and resume their advance. Heavy enemy sniper fire forces Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin to abandon his defensive position and so he begins to relocate it to the center where he can better coordinate the advance. As the main body of the Company moves into position opposite the village they come under murderous MG fire and 2 Rifle Squads become casualties. Fortunately, in the exchange, our forces manage to rout most of the Germans defending the front of the village but there is still a sizable force holding on.

TURN 8
Starshiy Lejtenant Pronin, though severely wounded, moves to the front to personally direct the attack on the village. Ordering his men to concentrate their fire on the enemy HMG position, they manage to rout the remaining Germans there. While enemy resistance seems to have been broken a direct assault on the village may not be a good idea at this time especially as the Company has taken significant casualties. Just in time, our Mortar Team arrives and sets up the mortar in a position where they can fire on the village.

TURN 9
Coming Soon!



Comment

Name (required)

E-mail (will not be shown) (required)

Website