For our Saturday game, Dan Best and I selected something from Rally Point - Volume 1. This particular volume contains 10 Axis Minors Scenarios. I had not played until Rally Point scenarios previously so was looking forward to playing something entirely new.
Our choice from this pack would be RPT4 - Transylvania 6-5000 (designed by Evan Sherry). This scenario takes place on September 19th, 1944 in Transylvania - Romania. At this time, the Hungarians succeeded in slamming into the oncoming Soviets and slowing their advance towards the Hungarian Frontier.
Our playing of this scenario would reflect the actual historical events fairly well.
The OOB's on both sides are fairly compact and allowed for a quick playing of this 5-1/2 Turn scenario. In fact, by the end of Turn 4, we would complete the game. Those 4 turns only took about 3-1/2 hours as well.
After rolling for sides, Dan would end up with the Hungarians and would be the scenario attacker. Elements of the 2/1 Motorized Battalion, 7th Assault Gun Battalion, 1st Hungarian Armored Division would report to Dan during this night's action. His force would consist of 10 x 4-4-7's, led by a 9-1, 8-1, and 6+1 with an MMG, 2 x LMG's for support. 4 x Stug III G's with an 8-1 armor leader would round out this force of Hungarian goodness.
As the scenario defender I would command elements of the 110th Motorized Rifle Battalion and the 311th Tank Battalion, 110th Tank Brigade, 18th Tank Corps..(in other words...I'd be the Russians). My force would consist of a 5-2-7, 6 x 4-4-7's led by an 8-0 with an MMG, LMG, 5cm Mortar and a T-34/76 M43.
On Turn 2, I would receive reinforcements of a T-34/85 with a 5-2-7 and an 8-1. Not much of a force to cover the battle front.
In order to win this scenario, the Hungarians would have to eliminate all good order Russian units within 2 hexes of 3W6 and 42G4.
I reflected on my defense throughout the week leading up to Saturday afternoon. I knew my force was not sufficient to stop the Hungarian Stugs...but I felt like with an upfront defense, I could possibly slow up the Hungarian infantry, which I felt were the bigger threat.
Dan went after my 5cm Mortar team first. They were positioned to strike all over the middle of the axis of the Hungarian advance. Dan deployed two squads and 4 x 2-4-7's cam after my boys. Incredibly...my boys succeeded in pinning or breaking all of the attackers. There would be no close combat on Turn 1.
I was pretty pleased with the success of my 4-4-7 on the hill top. I didn't expect them to survive the first onslaught and they had done so in high style.
As the Stug's began to roll onto the board, my T-34/76 took some shots. It's very first roll of the game would be boxcars (oh how surprising...). Thank goodness that was a machine gun shot.
On the left flank, I had no way to stop the Stugs, but I did have an immediate impact on Dan's infantry as they moved behind the Stugs. In another miracle of defensive fire, I was able to break the primary stack of Hungarian squads.
While, I had initially staggered Dan's infantry, his Stugs moved ahead unabated.
On the right flank, my boys with the 5cm Mortar would holdout until Turn 2.
The white circles indicate locations of broken Hungarian squads. Both Dan and I were surprised by the number of broken Hungarians on Turn 1.
In my Prep Fire, I managed to destroy one of the leading Stugs. My success would be short-lived as the second Stug on the right would avenge this comrades.
The loss of my T-34/76 on back hill would be a severe blow.
On Turn 2, Dan would send a Stug forward to await my reinforcements...but how did they know...???
Spies...spies everywhere!!!
My boys with 5cm Mortar finally broke and were captured. The center was open for Dan's infantry to begin moving forward.
My Turn 2 reinforcements...ready to rush to the rescue. Now, I had a decision to make that would affect the game's outcome. I could send the T-34/85 to hold the hill on the right or assist my boys on the left and hold the cross roads. I gambled that I could take out the lone Stug and then go assist the boys at the crossroads.
Now, when I elected to move my T-34/85 to the left, I didn't know the tragedy about to befall my MMG team on the hill. Normal MC roll...Snakes!!! YES!!!....oh but wait...my Heat of Battle roll add ups to 13...so I'm now broken and disrupted...(for the record I hate this bipolar nonsense associated with rolling snakes. I say this because when you roll boxcars...there is nothing good that can come from that...but if you roll Snakes...some bad stuff can and will happen to you.) So that was that and my right flank had collapsed.
Yep...that about sums up my feelings...
Back on the right, my gamble paid off as Dan's Stug missed my T-34/85. I would miss him also, but my 8-1 and 5-2-7 jumped onto the tank for some CC action. I would need an 8 or less to eliminate the tank. Easy right???
Nope...couldn't do it...
Turn 3 would be Dan's turn. He would make the right moves and position himself to win the scenario.
My failure to destroy the Stug in Close Combat would cost me my T-34/85.
It's loss would deny me the opportunity to mount an effective counter-attack.
My infantry on the left had done a great job for two turns...but Turn 3 would seal their fate. Dan's boys would finally get their groove on and start bailing some hay!
My boys went flying!!!
On the right, only my last 5-2-7 was left. They tried to get up to the hill, but would ultimately be captured. On left, my last two 4-4-7's were being surrounded by Dan's Hungarians.
As the turn ended, all of my boys were in Close Combat.
And unbelievably...all three would end in MELEES!!!
On the left my 5-2-7 finally broke and surrendered.
On the left, I finally took out the Stug in close combat.
Incredibly, the game went on to a fourth turn. I still had three areas of resistance, which had to be dealt with.
Dan's boys had prevailed and won the day!
A last look a the battlefield. Only my 8-1 officer was left. Dan had complete control of the battlefield and had captured a large number of my boys.
Congrats to my opponent for a solid win!
Dan and I will be back again next Saturday for a playing of White Tiger!
Did someone say Gurkhas!?!
See you next week!
Regardless of whether or not your infantry was broken, the StuG that was holding them in Melee had Target Selection Limits imposed upon themselves, i.e. they were not able to fire at (and destroy) your T34. Maybe I'm missing something from the pics and narration, but just because a Mobile AFV is never "held in Melee" does not mean it has the freedom to fire outside its own hex if there are enemy units present in it with him.
ReplyDeleteRight you are Big Kansas. Danno brought that very thing up during our game last night and admitted he had gotten that wrong. The infantry version of VBM freeze!!
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