Our Saturday Game - ASL Scenario 133 Block Busting in Bokruisk

For our Saturday game, Dan Best and I returned to the Eastern Front at the time of Operation Bagration. We also looked to Beyond Valor 3rd Edition for our selected scenario. ASL Scenario 133 Block Busting in Bokruisk would be the night's battle. Dan had played this scenario once before as the defending Germans and was beaten by an excellent use of smoke and combined arms attack by the Russian forces. I had not played this one since it had been updated to ASL. Previously it was SL Scenario 108. It would  show up initially in ASL as Scenario J8 before becoming 133. There are not too  many significant changes between the SL and ASL versions. The Germans trade an armored car for a Marder III and the Russians are given elite status which raises their smoke exponents and special ammunition rolls. Overall, the changes are more beneficial to the Russians.

Unfortunately, my memory was pretty faded on how I had previously played this scenario. Odds are that I last played it in 1980 or 1981, so it was deep in the memory hard drive.

It has been a lot of fun to replay many of the Beyond Valor scenarios. There is a lot to be said for playing these great legacy scenarios. The Beyond Valor scenarios are in particular very easy to replay and certainly some of the most balanced scenarios produced by MMP.

ROAR has ASL 133 with 13 German Wins and 9 Russian Wins. The ASL Archive has 133 with 9  German wins and 7 Russian wins. ROAR has J8 with 48 German wins and 61 Russian wins. The Archive has no history for J8. The most recent stats are for 133 and seem to show the scenario favors the Germans.

The scenario takes place on June 29th, 1944 during the end of the first week of Operation Bagration. At this stage, the Germans had not yet totally collapsed. The action depicts the fighting for Bokruisk in what is today Belarus.

The Germans in Bokruisk had been told to fight to the last and were not permitted to retreat. The city would of course fall to the sheer weight and power of the Soviet offensive regardless of the tenacious defense by the Germans. 

Bokruisk would be a foreshadowing of every other "Fortress City" declared by the German OKW...and all would suffer similar fates.

There are two books, which I would highly recommend for learning more about this period of the Eastern Front. The first is Ostfront 1944 by Alex Buchner, himself a veteran of the Wehrmacht. The other is Osprey Publishing's Bagration 1944 - The Destruction of Army Group Centre by Steven Zalonga. The Osprey volume provides a more rounded account of the action and includes force tables, maps and pictures. Buchner's book is more narrowly focused on the trials of the Wehrmacht as it suffers its greatest defeat in the East.

I personally think the two volumes compliment one another and give both the operational level activities and the very personal experiences of the men involved in that terrible fighting.

After rolling for sides, Dan would be the attacking Russians. Dan loves to play the Russians and I personally think he is at his best in a Russian Front City Fight.

Dan would command elements of the Soviet Third Army, First Belorussian Front. His force would consist of 3 x 6-2-8's, 8 x 4-4-7's, a 2-2-8, led by a 9-2, 9-1, and 8-0 with an HMG, 2 x  LMG's, a Flamethrower, and 2 x DC's with an SU-152, 2 x SU-85's and a 76* ARTY with Truck. This force would have a high smoke making capability.

On  Turn 2, Dan would receive the following reinforcements: 2 x 6-2-8's, 6 x 4-4-7's led by a 9-1 and 8-0 with 2 x MMG's, 2 x LMG's with 4 Trucks and 2 x KV-1/76L's.

A formidable force to say the least.

As the defending Germans, I would command elements of the Panzergrenadier 20. By SSR, I would have to set up my forces in specific zones on Board 1. This would force me to thin my forces and have a defense in depth. 

My force would consist of 11 x 4-6-7's, a 2-4-7, 2 x 2-2-8's with an HMG, an MMG, and 4 x LMG's and a Panzerschreck. For support I would have a 50L AT Gun, a 76L AT Gun, a Marder III, a Stug III and 3 x Wire.

Not a great force...but not a bad force. The ROAR stats also show that the Germans should have the edge. Of course the stats didn't count on me playing the Germans.

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Commentary:

"For the Russians the attack for this scenario will be around the 1C1 woods and into building 1G3.  The best weapon the Russians have is smoke.  With the 76mm INF having a S8 (increased to S9 due to being elite) and the two SU-85 having a S7 (also increased to S8), the Russians should be able to box in one or two positions.  The gun will set up in 3W6 on second level and smoke targets and one of the SU-85 will do the same from 3DD2 second level.  The Russians will attack as a Schwerpunkt into building 1G3.with the remaining SU-85 and the ISU-152 going around the 1C1 woods by bypass.  The ISU-152 will go first since it is more heavily armored.  The Russians still must watch out for panzerfausts, which have a range of 2.  Once in building 1G3 the Russians will expand to attack the 1F6 and 1K4 building hopefully with some smoke from the SU-85s.  The reinforcement will follow the southern path of the Schwerpunkt.  With a little smoke and some good tank combat, the Russian infantry should be able to clear the buildings.  We will take prisoners.  Mostly for the ability to mop up the buildings."

My defense tried to cover the major approaches. I had an AT Gun covering each flank and my STUG III and Marder III were positioned so that they could not be seen by the Russians on the hill. My MMG and HMG were both leader directed and placed in level 2 locations to cover the approaches to the first wood line. I placed the wire in the gaps to create bog opportunities for the Russian tanks.  But Dan would put his Schwerpunkt on the west edge and perform a board edge bypass, which would completely catch me by surprise and undo my whole defense. This would be the second time that an opponent would use a board edge bypass to flank my defense. I continue to have a tactical blind spot for this particular maneuver and will have to be more diligent in the future.

"about sums it up..."

Dan's 76 ARTY would begin its smoke making odyssey. It would successfully blind my two front MG positions. Dan's 76 ARTY would never lose it ability to make smoke...much to my sadness...Dan's attack would move ahead full steam. I would cower my only LMG on this side of the map and suffer accordingly. Cowering...good grief I hate that rule. Just one more way for your own die rolls to hurt you. Honestly, there are times, when I just don't even want to roll the dice. Between cowering, malfing, and snipers...you have a 30-50% change of causing yourself harm with every roll. (Yes...I'm whining.)

HERE THEY COME!!!

Dan's SU-152 rumbled around my flank in bypass. Just like that...I was smoked and flanked. Good grief...I was literally beaten in the Turn 1 movement phase. It was just an awesome series of moves by Dan. His plan was firing on all pistons...but one surprise did await...My 50L AT Gun waited patiently for the SU-152 to turn and show me its rear as it moved to fire at my boys from behind. I was succeed in immobilizing it. But it was still active and would impede the ability of my boys to rout.

Dan's SU-152 would get into my head as a threat to be eliminated. As you will see, I would expend valuable resources to destroy it...when I didn't need to.

 Dan would send one of the SU-85's around the flank as well. My line was compromised.

Time to get away...if we could...

 A look at Dan's penetration into the city on Turn 1. 

In my part of Turn 1, I fired my 50L AT Gun once more at the SU-152, but my shots just bounced. I failed to get a Panzerfaust and so decided to send squads and my Marder III to deal with the Russian breakthrough. Now...running a Marder III point blank behind an immobilized SU-152 doesn't seem all that risky...right...except for the SU-85 on the hill that I completely forgot about...

"Hey Uwe...what's that on the hill...is that an SU-85...oh Scheisse!!!"

 The SU-85 would miss with its D-Fire Shot...but it was just a stay of execution.

 Turn 2 - Dan's reinforcements arrive. Oh joy...more Russians...

Dan's infantry would exit their trucks behind the hill. The two KV-1's raced ahead with their 6-2-8 riders to get into the fight ASAP. Meanwhile the SU-85 would turn my Marder III into a burning wreck.

A consequence of a poor decision on my part.

 My SU-152 obsession would now take an even darker turn. Now...I rarely if ever fire a Panzerfaust from inside a building. It just doesn't turn out good. But what did I do...yep...I fired my Panzerfaust at the SU-152 and destroyed it...but the crew survived. Now they were free to assist the Russian assault. And I made that possible. But the really BAD NEWS was that I broke my 8-0 and two 4-6-7's. Yep...a huge part of my force was DM and they would never participate in the battle again. My reckless obsession with the SU-152 would cost me a Marder III, an 8-0 and two invaluable 4-6-7's.

I was well on my way to winning an ASL Darwin Award.

Additionally...my other 8-0 had moved into the street to get into the action...but Dan threw a 2-3-7 into Close Combat with them. Since, I really suck at Close Combat, Dan was able to tie down my other 8-0 and a 4-6-7. This would not end well for me.

 Turn 3 - more smoke...yeah....

Well...there is smoke...trust me you'll see the smoke...

As I stated earlier...Dan and Russians in an urban fight are one awesome combination. Dan's 6-2-8's rushed me and set DC's on my only unbroken team in the building and also on the Melee in the street. Dan will always shoot into a melee...ALWAYS!!!

The DC would kill everyone in the Melee except the 8-0 and he would be broken...and surrender in Rout Phase. He'd had enough...and who could blame him.

Unfortunately, the 8-0 and his captors would all perish later in the battle.

 The dice played havoc with me throughout the game and a Boxcars on an Intensive Fire shot from my STUG III ended its participation in this battle.

 Dan's 76* ARTY took a break from smoking to direct fire on targets of opportunity.

Dan's ARTY did a great job in this scenario!

 As Dan's SU-85's pressed me in the center, my 76L AT Gun was able to SHOCK the lead SU-85. Despite the struggles of my infantry, my AT Guns were both doing great jobs.

Turn 4 - Dan's boys begin making their breakout into the city. I was on the way to losing two of the 5 buildings. Dan only needed to control 4 at game end to get the victory. And he was nearly half-way there! My 50L AT Gun had a KV-1 charge it along with supporting infantry. I would finally knock it out with Intensive Fire...but that would be the last gasp of my venerable 50L AT Gun. 

 As Turn 4 ended, Dan was sweeping into the city.

In the center, my STUG III had been destroyed...but my 76L AT Gun would destroy the shocked SU-85. And my Sniper would show up and wound one of Dan's officers.

Yep...my center had officially collapsed.

3 Close Combats...oh good grief...you know how I hate Close Combat...and yes...I would lose all three.

Dan's boys were in control of the battlefield!

 On the west board edge, my 50L AT Gun crew went down fighting in close combat.

 Turn 5 - the Russians had two buildings and had pushed my forces back hard.

Dan's Turn 5 assault came on hard. Only my 76L AT Gun held on and dealt the Russians some serious damage.

Dan's remaining tanks went around both flanks. I managed to destroy the SU-85 on the east flank with a Panzerfaust, but broke more squads with the back blast. Woohoo...and meanwhile the last remaining Russian Tank, a KV-1 took the crew from the other KV-1 right into my backfield to quickly grab Building# 3 for the Russians.

"Sergei...our next tank will be a JS-II...no more SU class...we need to get bumped up to luxury tank!"

Turn 6 -  and yes...It was probably time for me to concede...but I still held two buildings and Dan needed one more for the win. I kept fighting!!!

Yeah...I knew how it was going to end...

Turn 7...yes...I had survived until Turn 7...but on his last shot Dan rolled snakes and a critical hit on my last position...which killed everyone. Game over...and my boys had died hard.

Dan's Russians had won the day and secured 4 of the 4 buildings they needed. All the Germans were KIA'd. My entire force had been destroyed. Dan had only one tank left and his infantry had been bloodied...but they had achieved the win!  Congrats to Dan on a great win.

And now for Dan's Post-Game Commentary:

"The plan worked better than expected.  The gun kept smoke the entire game and the Russians were able to get into the buildings to engage the German in CC.  The Schwerpunkt avoided the 76mm AT gun which was effective when engaged, killing a SU-85 and three squads.  Good initial smoke placement and effective CC led to the Germans being completely eliminated in turn 7.  With the German 8-1 and HS being KIAed by a critical hit from the last tank.  A fun game and unique for the Russians with good use of smoke...including infantry smoke from the Russian assault engineers.  My thanks to Grumble Jones for another good game.  Good scenario and fun match."

So that's a wrap on Block Busting in Bokruisk. Dan and I will be back next Saturday for a playing of Winter Offensive Scenario WO30 As Luck Would Have It. 

See you then!