Look here for the Russian Purchases and Fortification placement for Day 2 (no fair peeking JR!)

Weather/EC: Overcast, Moist, No Wind

German Purchases (that we know of):

1x Sturm Company (apparently normal)

1x 100+ OBA with radio (normal)

Pregame thoughts

We expected a heavy push to take the Chemists shop this scenario since the Germans were so close so we bought the maximum amount of mines we could and basically surrounded the Shop with 6FP minefields. The minefields were covered by a HIP HMG on one side and a HIP MMG on the other. About half our available troops and a Reserve Rifle Company were defending from the factories to the Volga. The Chemists Shop was garrisoned with 7 squads, one in each cellar hex, ground level hex and the first level of X9. The Factories were garrisoned by all the available Militia, some First Line squads and the Reserve SMG company. On my side of the map, the line of fortified buildings was loaded down with half a Reserve Rifle company and real units up around the line of rubble and the cluster of stone buildings at I8. More real squads lined the buildings along the tracks and over to the B12 building with the other half of the Reserve Rifle Company below the B12 building. The portion of the M6 building that I still held contained dummies. My HIP OBA spotter was on the roof in L11, Jim’s was also on the roof in S11.

The Germans set up all along their line except north of the O6 factory. The tanks were all on the east side of the map again. It was looking like a general advance all along the line.

German Turn 1

The Germans start by dropping an SR on Jim’s side around BB10.

They started edging forward in M6, revealing the deception and capturing the building. A HS that tried to search into O6 found the minefields and two Russian defenders as well as some boobytraps that blew him up. They also moved forward in the wooden rubble towards the B12 building, revealing more dummies and some real units.

On Jim’s side of the map, two PzIII’s started down the Volga, revealing a few defenders and some reserves up on the cliffs. Some ATR fire from the cliff did little damage. The third PzIII moved up the V hexrow toward the Chemists Shop, possible looking for some VBM sleaze freeze. In the process it gave an ATG in U11 a nice side shot. Scratch one PzIII. Some more Germans are in the sunken road around AA9, waiting for the OBA to open a hole no doubt.
Reinforcements enter on both sides, what looks to be a half company each. The troops on my side gather in the wooden rubble, threatening B12. The troops on Jim’s side make a beeline for the Chemists Shop, both HIP MG’s open up but cause few breaks.

My spotter makes contact and access on the first try (I had the normal module) and my SR comes down wildly off target, almost right on the spotters head. Jim draws a red card for his access, not good.

Our defensive fire wasn’t very devastating, but a nice run of fire from one of my rooftop mortars double broke a 548 and our Sniper nailed a 7-0 that was skulking in the German backfield. Suddenly we were up 9-0 in CVP, not a bad start. The Germans struck back by killing a 447 on my side in CC. My defense of B12 suddenly looked very shaky with only 3 527’s left to hold up about a company of Germans. A scary moment on Jim’s side came when the Germans pinned the lone defender in X9 and got a HS into CC (the mines missed).

[Lesson 1 today: Pinned squads don’t deny access to Fortified buildings.]

Russian Turn 1

My OBA corrects back towards the F6 building where there is a large number of Germans waiting to attack down the east side of the tracks, its still not on target so I don’t convert it. Jim draws another red card and our scarce module goes home for the day.

We don’t prep much, we need to keep troops concealed. The ATR on Jim’s side bangs away at the PzIII’s uselessly. My mortars keep peppering things but get no results. In our move, I slip a militia squad into the sewers in P7, moving up to O5, and skulk everyone else in the O6 factory as a large group of Germans is now in the M6. I was wise to skulk as the Germans have Tim the Enchanter (Mr. 10-3 for you non-Monty Python fans) in M6 and he breaks the rooftop mortar squad in O9. Uh-oh, the factory defenses now look pitifully thin, even though there were 8.5 squads and an 8-0 there; only two squads are not Militia. My troops around B12 pull back into the stone building to hide from the Germans. A Militia HS re-mans the O9 mortar .

The Germans drop their OBA around BB10, a 100mm module, which trashes everything holding the line of buildings and sets fire to one wooden building. The rest of their fire is ineffective. Nothing else exciting this turn.

German Turn 2

The German OBA keeps hammering the area around the burning building, Tim the Enchanter breaks some of my factory defenders, and the Germans continue creeping forward. A 548 in M6 places a DC against O6 and three more 548’s huddle next to the factory, ready to go in after the DC blows. They grab I8 and move up to the rubble line as well as closing in on B12. Some squads from the reinforcements on my side move east to the tracks to support the attack there. One of the PzIII’s decided to go back up the sunken road and spins around, offering a rear shot to the ATR, which fails to have any effect at all. Other than the PzIII moving, not much happens on Jim’s side as JR seems content to wait for the OBA to do its work.

Seeing the LARGE number of Germans around F7, I move my OBA there and convert it, unfortunately it catches one of my squads too, a risk I felt was worth it. This would be the first time I was burned by this today. My squad ELR’d and the Germans came through unscathed. The unbroken factory defenders open up but cause little damage to the squads waiting to move in for CC. Heavy fire from my troops along the tracks pins down the attack there.

The DC goes off, breaking the defending Militia squad and the Germans move into the factory at O6 and O7. I foolishly leave a Militia squad in O7 were it can be CC’d by two 548’s thinking it can give as good as it gets. Wrong, my squad gets captured in CC! Now the Germans have a foothold in the factory and Tim is lurking outside.

[Lesson 2 today: mines don’t attack when placing a DC, why? Got me; they don’t attack someone bumping the concealment off a squad in a minefield either.]

[Lesson 3 today: don’t leave Militia where it can be CC’d by two 548’s and captured.]

Russian Turn 2

My OBA finally works and succeeds in breaking most everyone in the blast zone around F7. My factory defenders apologize to their captured comrades and open up. Every German in the factory breaks! The prisoners also die but what can you do? Things continue to be quiet on Jim’s side with not much fire being exchanged. The troops along the tracks continue to suppress the Germans west of them and the rubble defenders skulk. Sewer boy moves to L4.
The German OBA loses contact and the FFE lifts. Tim zaps another of my squads but the Germans have little to fire at this time except high TEM targets.

I don’t reoccupy the Factory hexes yet, not with Tim hanging around next door. A ?527 moves into CC with a 548 in I8, ambushes him and gacks the HtH CC roll (a 10).

German Turn 3

The German OBA fails to regain contact. The Germans in the sunken road move out, trying to get the stone location before it goes up in flames. One squad even scales the cliff face from the Volga banks! The PzIII moves down the orchard lined road slowly. Jim’s defenders try to put up a fight but don’t have much luck.

On my side the Germans push forward, trying to get into the F9 stone rubble. A large number of Germans are closing in on my defenders in B12 which are reduced to two squads when a third got hit with a long shot NMC (something like a 5+3) and boxcars it. A ROF shot takes care the Militia HS. The Germans are catching up quickly in the area of CVP. Rob also moves two 548’s up to reinforce the HtH melee and advancing fires into the hex, pinning my squad but missing his squad totally. My 527 dies without spilling any German blood. The Germans in B12 are piling up higher and higher but my OBA SR comes down nearly on target. Next turn I should have plenty of targets. Also, the Germans manage to activate 6 reserve squads south of B12. With a small foothold still in the building (2x 527’s in B13), my counterattack will be kicking off shortly. The Germans manage to grab F9 and have occupied the three buildings around I8, activating the rest of my reserves, another 6 squads.

Russian Turn 3

Now for my wondrous counterattack! My OBA SR comes down on B12 and I convert it to an FFE. True, I have two squads in the blast area but I have 6 Germans squads and 2 leaders in there too, I figure its worth the risk. The net result of the attacks on the Germans is one broken squad, damn. I prepare to throw the dice for the shot on my own squads and say, "Watch me snake my own guys."

I should have kept my bloody mouth shut. Snake-eyes. Ok, maybe it won’t be THAT bad, the CH only hits one level (I have a squad each on the ground and first level). Roll for rubble, a 1 means rubble. I throw… a 1. Sigh. Random selection for location. I yahtzee it. Double sigh, so much for my foothold. Falling rubble… need a 6… get a 6. Come on, direction 1!!! Gimme some payback here! Direction 6. I suck. I have to say I just about failed my PMC after this. It probably wouldn’t have been so bad if I hadn’t called the snakes. But, its the Barricades, plenty more Russians where those two came from.

The counterattack into B12 never materialized as the OBA continued to pound the building but caused no further damage. I did counterattack in F9 and picked off another 548 and get the chance to capture a German LMG. Sewer boy goes to I5 but I forget to bring him up in the shellholes, too much else going on.

The German OBA finally regains contact and the SR comes down near the Chemists Shop. Jim continues to have bad luck trying to hurt the Germans attacking south of the sunken road.

German Turn 5

I try to pick up the LMG in F9 and roll a 6! No captured weapons today.

The German OBA corrects to the Chemists Shop but doesn’t convert as there are a number of Germans north of the Shop that could have been hit if the SR wasn’t on target. The Germans fighting south of the sunken road continue moving forward and activate a large number of Jim’s reserves. The other PzIII moves from the Volga to help the first PzIII which tries unsuccessfully to overrun a Russian in BB11. The Germans try to flank the Chemists Shop and find a minefield in V9. Defensive fire removes this annoyance but the Chemists Shop defenders will get hammered next time by the OBA.

The Germans in B12 hunker down in the cellar to avoid my OBA which continues to hit the building, hoping for more rubble. My local counterattack in F9 is broken and encircled, fortunately, due to No Quarter, they won’t surrender. Rob seems very reluctant to move from around I8 considering the masses of Russians now guarding the western side of the factories and I’m still strong in the rubble and along the tracks. Rob threatens to advance into the O6 factory again but I self break the Militia that he could have CC’d so he stays put outside in the shellholes and debris. The fire on the other side of the map has now consumed BB9, BB10 and CC10 though the Germans did gain control of CC10 due to having control of the surrounding hexes.

Russian Turn 5

My OBA gets access again! (three times for this module). I decide to continue it where it is so the Germans can’t get the rest of B12 without risking casualties. My guys in the rubble and around the factories stay put and dish out a lot of firepower with little result. My factory defenders skulk again to stay away from Tim, who has been quiet for the last turn or so as he rallies the Germans that were broken on their first incursion into the O6 factory and spends time shooting at rooftop locations looking for my HIP spotter. My rooftop mortars haven’t done a whole lot yet this game, especially as one in J13 keeps getting shot at and the manning squad broken, but I have to mention this one phase of fire by the Militia manned mortar in O9. He had a DC toting 548 lined in D9 from the previous turn and started firing again. He got ROF 12 times! Achieved a CH twice and actually hit the hex 7 times… and didn’t hurt the damn squad. At least he didn’t break the mortar.

Sewer boy goes to F4 and emerges successfully, coming up behind a couple German squads, one of which gets broken by a sniper attack. He might actually steal away a stone location! If the game doesn’t end this turn that is.

The German OBA finally comes down on the Chemists Shop and breaks almost every defender, in fortified locations and cellars no less. After my abysmal attacks on B12 this is absolutely sickening. Fortunately for us, the OBA is hitting the street in front of the Shop also so his squads would have to go through the OBA to get into the building or go around the side and through the minefields.

The wakened reserves on Jim’s side trade fire with the Germans coming south of the sunken road and one of the PzIII’s breaks its MA trying to kill the squad that was overrun last turn.
I re-occupy the German controlled hexes in the O6 factory in case the game ends, which is doesn’t. The End of Turn dr is a 3.

German Turn 6

The German OBA continues to hammer the Chemists Shop and breaks everything that wasn’t and reduces some squads. There isn’t much movement this time after a German moves into U10 trying to get around the minefield and finds another minefield! He also wakes up 4 or 5 squads of reserves in the big factory and is wiped out after several shots. This seems to crush JR’s desire to continue attacking.

Rob sits tight everywhere except for grabbing the H9 rubble with a HS and advancing another squad into the O6 factory. His B12 troops continue to hide in the basement from my OBA and the mortar target moves into better defensive terrain.

Russian Turn 6

I finally lose access to my OBA module and the FFE lifts. My Prep in the O6 factory scores a K/3 on the 548. The rest of our fire has limited results as does the Germans.

I retake the H9 rubble by successfully ambushing the 238 with a 527 and eliminating it in HtH CC. All of O6 is retaken. I forget to move my sewer boy into CC with a German in F5.

The game ends on a dr 3.

[Lesson 4 today: Its hard to remember to move everything in a game this size, but at least remember the sewer guys.]

We tallied up the stone locations and the Germans came up short with only 20 new locations captured. The CVP came out almost dead even, 29 for the Germans and 28 for the Russians. The Russians win Day 2, how about that?

End of CG Day activities:

Sewer boy escapes successfully…
We get to battle harden 4 squads…
One of the ATG’s was broken but gets repaired…
One of our 9-1’s becomes a 9-2…
SAN and ELR stay the same…

Click here to see the full size picture of the perimeter.