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23/05/06 Soviets Vs Jez Germans
Bust" campaign supplement, written and available from Too Fat Lardies for their WW2 rules, "I Ain't
Been Shot Mum".
After failing to successfully control the highway and capture the village of Izdeshkovo in game 1 the
action moves to Belyj.
Jez's Germans this time essentially had to cut their way through my Soviets and exit the southern
table edge. My Soviets were tasked with engaging the Germans and ensuring their unit Commisar
ended up at the farm on the northern table edge.
Terrain consisted largely of the lightly wooded, gentle rolling variety with patches of scrub and a
few low loose hedges and fences.
along the table. Two Infantry Platoons each of three 10-man sections, plus two 8-man scout
sections and a truck-mounted weapons Platoon of two Maxims and two 50mm Mortars were to
enter on the main dirt road, whilst a supporting Platoon of five BT-7's were to enter on the adjacent
dirt track. The scenario called in actuality for T-26's but I don't own any so I changed to BT-7's.
As I had proof read the scenario supplement for Rob, I was only too aware that the scenario was a
bit different from the norm. I decided that to ensure that I was fixated with attacking the enemy,
rather than sitting and defending the southern table edge, I would be forced to spend the first two
initiative dice, per unspotted blind, or first die when the units were actually deployed on table, on
movement towards the enemy. This would mean that my Soviets would keep to their briefing of
pushing on against all odds. Once the enemy were at close range I was free to do any action.
terrain, when the Soviet forces appearred on blinds, the intervening features prevented any
effective spotting. By using their first two dice for movement only, my blinds raced forward with
very little opportunity to do any spotting. Usually I would have advanced quite cautiously until the
enemy were spotted but my hands were tied....
I sent the scout platoon up the centre of the table,
supported on either flank by the two other infantry
platoons. The weapons platoon were in reserve with
the tanks entering via the dirt track and covering the
woods to the east of the centre.
The Germans were spread to the west with a strong
concentration of blinds coming down the road from
the farm located on the north table edge.
Spotting effectively Jez managed to identify most of
my infantry heading in his direction. My AT rifle was
spotted hiding in the woods to the east, but my tanks
were as yet unspotted, though I informed him of the
sound of many tank engines!
My support Platoon was still on blinds and hadn't yet
cleared the village, but things didn't bode well as the
majority of my infantry had failed to reach any cover
and were caught in the open ground south of the
woods.
occupied the woods to the west also.
The German blinds advanced until they were so close that it was evident that at 'Tea Break' they
would become automatically spotted.
An SdKfz 222 was heading south down the road leading a Panzerjager I . Infantry platoons were
found behind the woods to the east and occupying the hill to the west of the main road.
stream of casualties upon the hapless Soviets who continued to advance with their first initiative die
each turn.
Disconcertingly the Panzerjager I's Czech 4.7cm gun, with its accompanying Big Man, proved to be
incredibly accurate in an anti-personnel role. The scout platoon in particular picking up many
'wounds'.
The German infantry managed to occupy the woods to the east just in time. My infantry platoon
suffered greatly from the close range small arms fire and decided to hit the dirt.
My Support Platoon was spotted by the Germans as it moved from the village. Consisting of two
light mortars and two HMGs, with a Big Man and proving to be a magnet for the attentions of the
armoured car and Panzerjager.
de-bussed; two sections of infantry lead by a Big Man
with an accompanying MG34 and an AT rifle. The
infantry occupied the central woods and began to
advance towards the scout platoon whose last few
men were grimly hanging on to the woods, determined
to sell their lives dearly to the invading fascist vipers.
The MG34 set up behind a low hedge and fired upon
the Soviet Maxims and mortars whilst the AT rifle crew
headed to the eastern woods to support the infantry
platoon.
I decided that now was the time to spring my tanks on
the Germans who seemed to have grabbed the
initiative. The BT-7's used their MGs to hose down the
woods infront of them containing the German infantry.
'Uhraieee' sounded from the throats of the Soviet
infantry as, lead by their Big Man, a platoon assaulted
the woods. Unfortunately they were already down to
two inititive dice and only two reduced sections
managed to get into close combat with the Germans.
A furious but short melee ensued. Sharpened
entrenching tools, knives, bare hands and teeth were
all brought into play, as the Germans threw back the
enemy leaving the BT-7's dangerously exposed.
fire from Jez had despached the Soviet Big Man in this section of the table However, the relevant
chips were failing to be drawn each successive turn and the with the forces not being at close
range, there was not even any fire at 'Tea Break'.
This changed however when Jez launched a textbook effective attack on the Soviet held woods.
Using one section to provide a base of fire support, thereby pinning my valiant troops, he close
assaulted wiping out my defending section. With the remaining section he advanced into the
woods and fired close range into another Soviet section which was hanging onto the extreme
southern edge of the wood, pinning it and inflicting many 'wounds'.
In the centre, the remaining German blinds had advanced and were sitting behind the armoured car
and Panzerjager I
cohesion. Unable to remove them without a 'Rally' chip and with limited Big Men, my movement
and firing were badly affected. Killing in IABSM is not always as important as causing the negative
cohesion reflected in the 'wounds' system. The Soviets in particular display this Achilles heel of
loss in command and control.
The Germans now had occupied all the significant cover across the table, whilst my forces were
largely hugging the earth and trying to find some cover hiding in the folds in the ground.
My tanks were the only positive aspect of my play so far. Their MG fire had halted the German
infantry opposite them but now the BT-7's exposed position, without infantry support was their
downfall.
Jez's Germans used their grenades to permanently disable one vehicle and cause engine damage
to another. He then revealed a Panzer II and an Panzer IV supporting them, which fired albeit
ineffectively at the BT-7's. I was actually forced to withdraw the tanks to preserve them, something
I seldom do lightly...
from its crew, and hit another BT-7. The crew burst into loud cheers as the Panzerjagers 4.7cm
shell detonated the ammunition of the Soviet tank. Burning chunks of metal were still descending
as the German AT rifle crew disabled a fourth BT-7!
Once again, as in our first game the 'Tea Break' chip came up very quickly for several turns
imposing something of a lull on the action. As both sides were within close range of each other
however, the fire was unstinting the Soviet suffered heavy casualties. It was now a case of
mopping up for the Germans and getting their Artillery HQ unit of a Horsch, Radio vehicle and truck
off the southern table edge.
My last BT-7 managed to hit the Panzerjager twice, causing an engine fire and its gun to be
disabled, before it withdrew with its last dice. As my other Tank chips appeared the crews wisely
decided to abandon their vehicles and leg it.
Jez's MG34 and his HQ sections continued to pour forth a hail of fire toward the Soviet lines. Both
Maxim crews were finally wiped out.
the ensuing chaos by advancing along the road, his Panzerjager I wisely decided to withrdaw from
the action trailing smoke as the Big Man screamed at the crew to turn round to no avail.
Jez's infantry in the eastern woods now tried to mop up the Soviets but upon leaving the woods
one section was badly shot up by Soviet infantry and all but wiped out. The eastern woods proved
to be a graveyard for German infantry. Only seven survivors, in two sections, were all that remained
of the twenty six men that had entered the woods.
