Fools Errand

Again it is bridges and assaults. This time the attack is across two girder bridges, one blocked by a derailed train, the other critical for its Panzers to cross. In this scenario. The German armoured car company CV is supported by  a Brandenburger platoon FV from Burning Empires with enemy disguises. They must attempt a coup de main. Waiting in concealment suppurating this attack are German Recon elements including pioneers, with boats if it fails, and kradschutzen. 8 and 6 rads with the 1IC in a parhard are heavily camouflaged on the table in case this attack fails.

The German plan is to drive across the bridge and then attack the demolition command pit. It was unknown by the Germans how many turns of demolition the Russian engineers had and could detonate immediately if they had been prepared so this was a very risky gambit. The German force for phase I was a recon company with no tank support of approximately 2250 points from Eastern Front. The Russians had two companies an Engineer Battalion CC of about 750 points with two companies of engineers, off table mortars, five amphib tanks and scouts CT supported by approx 1500 points of motorised Russians CC in reserves from turn one.

The Brandenburgers approached the check point but were spotted  and were  compelled to open fire and assault. They were thwarted but the pioneer flame thrower pinned the Russians. Soviet Defensive fire on fives due to the engineers use of smoke ( we allow all engineers to 1) use a 2 inch smoke pod and 2)  lay up to  2 improvised mines any one game). Pinned the Brandenburgers fell back and the German Recon commander froze but soon composed himself after the initiative passed to the Russians in the first turn. The soviet engineers unpinned and we waited but no demolition ...(Turn three as it turned out) but the Germans didn't know. Then a massive fight with the Russian engineers counter attacking and immediate reserves of armoured cars supporting them. Time and again the Me109s dived, screaming death from above but failed to destroy the armoured cars and tankets and desperate attacks by the Germans for the bridge prevailed conscious of the demolition clock but the soviet engineers with red banner, two Single-man teams SMTS and a heroic One IC thwarted the kradshutzen.

 The bridge which was to suffer a hailstorm of mortar fire in this game became littered with the dead and dying but the German commander drove his armoured cars and kradshutzen onto the bridge and unleashed hell. The Soviets were killed to a man just before the plunger could be depressed with the last man slumping dead next to the detonator...knicker gripping stuff..The last two Brandenburg teams  ran back into the mortar fire and made two skill checks with re-rolls and removed the demolition charges tossing them into the river before making their way to the rear.

The bridge was secure but with a fragile bridgehead because the soviets launched armoured cars and the amphibious tankettes against the bridge whilst the motorised began arriving in force. However the German armoured cars were magnificent, only one being lost in an attempt to costs a minefield and this attack was eventually stopped turn nine and the German pioneers abandoning their boats pushing through mortars and establishing a more robust bridgehead but losing four stands to mortar and mg fire. Meanwhile in the industrial complex adjacent to which all the German scattered reserves seemed to arrive at, sustained fire drove back the second engineers and the off table mortar eventually killed by door knocker fire.

On the left German flank two Geb guns and CT  schutzen  reduced the scouts, assaulted at the ford but were repulsed eventually taking the ford and breaking out towards the hill,  a critical position which T26 tanks are now moving too albeit that german armoured cars crossing the minefield are trying to secure this also.

12 turns of historical challenges and at present the Germans have the hill and the bridge for three VPS (there being six in all so it is 3:3 at the moment) and need one other for victory.Game two which follows in a day or so, sees the German Panzers with 2000 points now try to exploit this bridgehead in WHEElS OF STEEL. The Russians will get 2000 points of Strelkovy Infantry and it is rumoured
heavy tanks which the Germans have still no 88s to combat but they have a very skilful commander who has heavy off table artillery, Stukas and more pioneers..Will the Germans take this critical bridgehead and breakout. Stay tuned and another story for you to put your imagination to.

As a note. We use white smoke for bailed vehicles now and units turned towards the camera are running / broken generally...we are really enjoying this even sell and hope you are and as usual you guys need only ask.

Hengist