Chain of Command Eastern Front Campaign - week 9

The last battle saw the Russians victorious and so they continued their counter-attack with another Attack vs Defence scenario. The battle took place through fairly heavily wooded countryside, with a narrow stream bisecting the table and a farm in a  central position.

It was slightly split strategies this week with the Russians reverting to a more traditional formation and using the KV-1, but retaining the scouts. The Axis forces opted for an entirely infantry force adding additional Fallschirmjäger squad and a Finnish Panzerscrekt as their reinforcements.



View from the Axis side

And from the Russian side

The Russians found themselves fairly comprehensively out-patrolled and so were largely pinned against their own baseline except for one Jump-off Point in a wood on the Axis' right flank.

The battle opened with the Russians fielding a senior commander and the KV-1. Neither move worked especially well though for the Russians. Realising he has entered the field at the wrong point the Russian officer tried to manoeuvre to a better position but was mowed-down by German MG fire. The KV-1 is dispatched by a Panzerscrekt team lurking in the farm. All-in-all not the start the Russians wanted. 

Ouch - man down

KV-1 brews-up and the wargames point makes a welcome return

After an early reverse the Russians gamely continued the attack though, pouring large numbers of infantry into their centre and against the Finns on the Axis right flank. In the centre the attack was slow-going as the Germans had adopted good blocking positions and the Russians were reluctant to attack. On the Axis right the Russian infantry tried to flank the Finnish position but were badly mauled by well emplaced Finnish infantry.  

The woods are heaving with Sovs - shame there was no artillery

Germans deploy to counter the threat

More Germans take to the field

Flanking Russians come under Finnish fire

In the end the Axis position was simply too strong and the Russians were forced to fall-back on the starting lines with the assault abandoned. So next week the Axis forces will resume their attack with rumours there might be a Tiger in the area.

Germans dig-in near the bridge

Soviets preparing to withdraw in the distance !