Our Saturday Game - BFP-88 The Bunkered Village

For our Saturday game, Dan Best and I were once again on the Eastern Front battling in the steppes around Kursk. It was my turn to pick the scenario, and I selected BFP-88 The Bunkered Village (designed by Chas Smith). BFP-88 is included in Bounding Fire Productions' excellent Crucible of Steel. This would be my third scenario played from this awesome pack. 

If you have not had the opportunity to lay your hands on this scenario pack, I would highly recommend it. This pack includes several Kursk specific maps as well as a large number of additional counters. You will need the counters in order to play one of the grand-daddy's of all scenarios...Flying Turrets.  But be wary of Flying Turrets...it is HUGE...I mean HUGE!!! Don't attempt it lightly!!! 

One of the great things about playing Dan Best (and there are many) is that he is a great fan of Eastern Front Battles. So he is usually down with anything I suggest in this theater of operations. Additionally, Dan is also good with any special rules, OBA, night, water landings, paratroopers and anything up to an including German Flying Monkeys...should they ever appear and given the history of Grumble Jones' Halloween scenarios...you should never rule out the possibility of flying monkeys...ahhh...what a great scenario title....but I digress...

The scenario depicts the fighting of July 7th, as the German 48th Korps moved north into the first pieces of the Soviet defense rings. Elements of the German 3rd Panzer Division would hit the Soviet fortified line in Luchanino. Wire, trenches, and pillboxes with anti-tank gun support would form the defensive challenge facing the Germans. ROAR currently has this scenario with 8 Russian Wins and 6 German Wins, while the ASL Archive has it with 2 Russian Wins and 0 German Wins. So, this would suggest a pro-Russian aspect to the scenario. 

After rolling for sides, Dan would be the attacking Germans. He would command elements of the 3rd Panzer Division - "The Armored Bears". The 3rd Panzer Division was one of the old guard Panzer Divisions and participated in several campaigns from Poland, Belgium to Operation Barbarossa, Case Blue, Kursk and on the retreat to Hungary. Amazingly, this Eastern Front Wehrmacht Division was able to surrender to American forces at the end of the war. 

Dan's force would consist of 3 x 8-3-8's, 6 x 4-6-8's, and 7 x 4-6-7's,  led by a 9-1, x 2-8-1's, 2 x 8-0's, and a 7-0 with 2 x MMG's, 4  x LMG's, a flamethrower and 4 x DC's. Armored support would consist of 4 x MKIII L's with a 9-1 Armor Leader. A very substantial attack force. To twin the game the scenario, Dan's Germans would have to control 20 or more building locations of out 29 in the combat area. It would be a tall order to be sure.

As the Russian force, I would be the scenario defender tasked with keeping Dan's grenadiers from controlling the 20 building hex locations. I would command elements of the 1st Mechanized Brigade, 3rd Mechanized Corps. My force would consist of 3 x 4-5-8's,  3 x 5-2-7's, 6 x 4-4-7's, and 2 x 2-3-7's led by a 9-1, 8-1 and 7-0 with 2 x MMG's, 3 x LMG's, 2 x ATR's, 2 x 50 MTR's with 2 x 76L Arty's for support. My fortifications would include 6 x trenches, 6 x wire, 2 x Pillboxes and 36 factors of mines. I would convert the mines to 12 factors of AT mines with 4 x 2 Factor AT Minefields and 1 x 4 Factor AT Minefield. 

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Analysis:

"This scenario is a good example of the tactic of Schwerpunkt (or heavy point).  Concentrating the hitting power at one point of the defense allows the attacker to avoid a portion of the enemy defenses.  In this case it also allows you to get across the open ground.  The Germans have little lasting smoke, only the smoke grenades of the assault engineers and the smoke dispensers of the tanks.  So they will have to use armored assault to cross the open ground.  This is difficult since the tanks are vulnerable to the AT mines and 76mm guns.  I will set my Schwerpunkt on board DW-3a and use the brush gully as cover.  On the west side will be the 9-1 leading the assault engineers, then the 7-0 stack with extra 4-6-7squads which he will try to deploy and use to exploit gaps in the line.  Then the first 8-1 group with two 4-6-8 with a MMG/LMG combo.  A 16 FP base.  This group will assault with a tank and have a 2-4-7 HS to search for mines.  The two 8-0 groups each with a tank.  The 8-0 will carry a DC and have a 4-6-8 with LMG a 4-6-7 and a 2-4-7 HS to search for mines.  The will also try to deploy the 4-6-7.  Finally the other 8-1 base stack with the last tank who has the 9-1 AL.  The units will attack straight north across the gully.  Hopefully they will take minimal losses crossing the open ground and then move into the ville, clear the first half of the village then cross over the north part of the board and attack the other side from the rear.  Hopefully avoiding the defenses...especially the minefields.  The tanks will try to get into the rear of the enemy and cut route paths and find HIP units.  They must keep close to the infantry because they are susceptible to the tank hunter units and even close range attacks of ATRs.  Hopefully, the Schwerpunkt will be able to get through the defense and roll up the Russian defense one fort after another piecemeal. "

The Grumble Jones staff photographer would once again be imbedded with the Germans for this scenario. The photographer with the Soviet forces could not be located at the end of this scenario and is presumed lost. 

NOTE TO ALL READERS: Dan and I misplayed the scenario setup instructions. Dan incorrectly set up his attacking force in Hexes numbered 1-6, when in fact, he could only set up on/south/east of F0-F16-N20 in hexes numbered >= 8. So please take note of the picture below and the succeeding pictures which clearly show Dan's force setup incorrectly. As with any scenario, always read and reread the setup instructions to ensure that you are doing it correctly. Our apologies for this error. 

I had set up my defense to cover the breadth of Dan's possible entry along the south and/or east board edges. I placed both 76L Arty's inside the pillboxes and faced them to control as much area as possible. At the angle of my "L" shaped defense, I had no gun coverage, but placed all my wire, mines, and both ATR's to cover that area. I had convinced myself that Dan would come at me through the grainfield...so my defense was geared towards that and both guns positioned to prevent Dan's Tanks from flanking me. But Dan had different plans and put a Schwerpunkt to go directly at my west flank.

A quick look at Dan's Schwerpunkt plan of attack. I had hoped that the bog terrain potential of my trench line would dissuade Dan from coming at me...but noooo...Dan was coming full steam ahead.

"Prepare for Ramming Speed!!!"

 Turn 1 - Dan leads with a bunch of  2-4-7 half-squads. I quickly fire at them and lay down fire lanes. The brush covered gully hinders some of my firing, but overall, my initial D-Fire is very productive. My 76L Arty manages to destroy one of the MKIII's.

 Dan's assault continued despite the wall of residual fire and fire lanes that criss-crossed the attack path. I poured fire from all my units in an effort to knock back the attack. For the most part, I was able to stagger Dan's initial push forward.

 Dan's 9-1 Armor leader would move into the gully and have to expend ESB to exit. He would boxcar the ESB roll and immobilize another of his MKIII's. Dan would have a terrible initial movement phase.

 In my part of Turn 2, I would destroy a second MKIII with my 76L Arty. Dan's armor was down to one operational tank.

My 76L was doing a great job!

 But my flank was already in peril. Dan's 3 x 8-3-8's with the help of the 4-6-8's managed to rout my boys on the end. The way into my backfield was open.

Turn 2 - Dan's Grenadiers...having passed their personal ELR rolls moved forward. In another stroke of bad luck, Dan's last operational MKIII bogged while trying to cross my trench line. But Dan's 8-3-8's with a flamethrower were in the trench. I was in big trouble.

 But Dan's bad luck wasn't through with him yet. In Advancing Fire, Dan's 8-0 tried to toss a DC into my trench. It didn't fall into the trench and instead broke the Germans.

 Turn 2 had gone much better for the Germans. And a tip of the hat to Dan for passing his personal ELR after the rough Turn 1. His boys were once again moving forward and I was having to realign my defense on the east to await Dan's attack from my rear....which didn't have quite as many fortified buildings facing the new threat.

 Turn 3 - Dan's breakout was moving ahead nearly unchecked.

A look at the German line following Turn 3.  

 Turn 4 - The Germans come at me again in full force. I manage to KIA a 4-6-8 in the south that didn't think my 1-2-8 in the gully was a real unit. A lucky result for me. I had inflicted a lot of damage on Dan's force...but he was still pushing me back in the village.

 My ATR in the village would shock Dan's last tank. It would however, recover.

The German line continued to move inexorably eastward. My 76L still had one target left. A single wounded 8-0 Officer hobbled towards the east...determined to enter the village. I would fail to stop him. He would be one of the bravest units in the battle.

 Meanwhile the fighting raged in the village. Dan's flamethrower was forcing my boys out of their fortified locations and my ATR managed to get a critical hit on the last of Dan's MKIII's. The tank threat had been eliminated.

One of the best snake eyes I have rolled in a long time.

 Despite my successes, there was no stopping Dan's attack. I was struggling to rally the survivors from the trench line fight and I was losing the fight at the west edge of the village.

 In the center, I was depending on my two MMG's, but quickly broke one at a critical moment in the battle. My defense was crumbling.

 Turn 5, I was breathing my last.

 Dan only needed three more buildings to get the 20 for the win. 

 Turn 6 - Dan's Germans moved in for the final kill.

 Turn 6 - three Melees in action!

 Dan had pushed hard into my last positions. He now had 22 building hexes under his control. Somehow I would have to find a way to take three hexes away from him.

 In my part of Turn 6, I would launch my last desperate attempts to dislodge Dan from the village. I would be thrown back and offer my concession. The Germans had the victory!

My boys would charge into oblivion.

 A final look at what had been a very intense battle. Dan and I both experienced highs and lows. In Turn 1, I thought my boys were going to hold out for the duration...but it was not to be. Dan shook off the blows and plowed ahead with great determination and ultimately success. My defense simply wasn't strong enough where it counted and Dan's Schwerpunkt punched through for the win.

Congrats to Dan on a really great win!!!

My thanks to Dan for one of the great games in our series!

And now for Dan's Post-Game Analysis:

"Well the plan worked...but was much harder than I expected.  The tanks were in the field of fire of a pillbox with a 76mm gun.  They had to spend two movements turns crossing the gully and the gun killed two tanks.  The 9-1 AL moved around the gun and went for ESB to exit the gully.  Big fail on the ESB left them in the gully and basically mission killed since they could not see anything.  Losing three tanks crossing the gully was hard.  The fourth bogged for a turn in the trench line.  However, the infantry did get through the residual fire and into the trenches.  Once the engineers were in the trenches the flamethrower did its work and began rolling up the defense.  Other units captured buildings.  As the attack progressed we came at the Russians from the rear and were able to keep them from reforming a defense and attack their positions.  The other tank was killed by a tank hunter ATR which got a critical hit.  But the infantry were mostly kept in good shape and the flamethrower kept fuel enough to clear the trench line and 4 fortified buildings.  While the Russians were able to route away they had difficulty rallying and the Germans kept up the pressure.  The scenario was hard fought by both sides and fun to play.  But I did have to pass a personal morale check when losing the tanks in rapid succession.  Great game.  My thanks to Grumble Jones for another great match."

POSTSCRIPT:

Well as the comments below indicate, Dan and I gakked the setup. We both failed to realize that the Germans had to set up on Hexes numbered 8 or greater. So Dan's entire Schwerpunkt was set up in error. While, I have absolutely no issue with this simple mistake and still assign the win to Dan, we both agreed that for ROAR and for the ASL Archive to list this game as a TIE. The value of the data in ROAR and the ASL Archive is too important to tarnish it with a battle fought incorrectly. So we have both agreed to nullify the game as a tie to ensure the integrity of ROAR and the Archive. That said, Dan won a great game. The LA Rams are still going to the Super Bowl...but Dan and I will take a Tie. Thanks to our readers for noticing the error. Your inputs make this blog better!

Dan and I will back next Saturday for a playing of Fanatic Enterprises Scenario FE16 Where the Bullet meets the Bone!