Axis of Attack Ukraine: Game 3

Kent and I had another midwar game tonight, pitting his Guards Strelkovy vs my armoured panzer grenadiers.

Kent fielded:
HQ + sappers & 45mm guns
2x 2platoon companies (R/MG)
4x Zis 2
4x 122s
4x 120mm mortars

I fielded:
HQ
2x armoured PG platoons
2x apak 38s (combat attached out)
3x panzer IIIL
3x Marders
3x panzerwerfers.

The battle represented the guards surrounded in Busilov. I deployed my panzer grenadiers, recon and tanks so to avoid the ambushing Zis 2. I got lucky and rolled 5s and 6s for all platoons so deployed them where I wanted them- behind the hill and in the woods.


I used my mobility to attack where I wanted, ganging up on his Zis 2s. Luckily the panzerwerfers arrived on turn 1 and soon added their large template to proceedings. However, it was a battle where both of us failed our firepowers and so swung one way then the other. It wasn't until my marders came on that I finally managed to make some headway but the last Zis 2 and 45mm guns destroyed the marders in return.


In the end I lost the marders and a panzer III (but at one stage had the other two panzers bailed) before finally taking out the last gun- it was a bit touch and go but my dice rolling was better than Kent's as he failed his fire power tests.


Having two companies defending the objectives was not going to be easy to deal with so I decided to cut them off from their reinforcements (artillery, 120mm mortars and a small platoon of a 2iC + sapper). My reinforcements head for the newly arrived 122mm artillery battery.


My other platoon is hit but the 122s and although all are under the template only two vehicles are lost.


The last zis 2 trades shots with the panzer IIIs.


After dealing with the 122s my infantry redeploy to assault the village.


My panzer IIIs and pak 38s turn to deal with the Soviet mortars.


Kent decides its time to counter attack.


The Soviets creep forward to assualt the German guns (and protecting panzer grenadier teams). He destorys all my teams but I managed to kill several of his in return and thus the company is closer to breaking- the survivors in my platoon decide to stick around.


The final assaults are launched- I lost my platoon but Kent lost his company too and was below half and so failed his morale check at the start of the enxt turn.

4-3 to the Germans


Thoughts
Kent lacked a mobile reserve tonight. I will very, very rarely field a force without at least one mobile platoon/company that can come on from reserve and get stuck in. I was able to use my half tracks pretty much as I pleased and having been on the receiving end of them on numerous occasions from Dale know exactly how frustrating that can be. With his Zis 2s and infantry dug in in the town I went after the soft platoons that came on from reserve and were unable to be supported.

In campaign terms the Germans have captured Busilov and are pushing forward, their next objective being Radomyschi and so it might be time for a city fight...