The Road to Stalingrad – Turn 6

The next game was to be a truly monumental battle that spanned two games nights.

Turn  6 (Map 4, afternoon 19th August 1942)

For the second attack we were expecting the Germans to try to push on our left flank. Hence we began the patrol phase more to our left than previously. At the end the German had the expected jump off point on our left table edge but we had countered this with a line of jump off points on our left flank – including the all-important anti-tank gun position.

Both sides rolled low Force Morale, for this game, both starting on eight. The Chain of Command dice were going to be important to negate morale tests in this battle.

All in all we were happy with our starting position but the bad news, for us, was that the Germans had instigated a pregame barrage which would make it difficult for us to deploy when we wanted. So on to our first command roll…….

Three sixes! More importantly the Turn end and the end of the barrage – phew!

Over to the Germans and once more they established a base of fire in the farmyard.

This was followed up by the appearance of a Panzer IV on the road.

As before, our anti-tank gun crew put in a heroic effort and after several phases of firing forced the tank to retreat off board.

After this set back the Germans changed tactics and advanced a recon half-track through the ploughed field. We deployed our anti-tank rifle team behind the hedge and took pot shots at the speeding half-track.  This was decidedly ineffective but it did encourage the Germans to move flat out – with the inevitable consequence i.e. one bogged down half-track. Unfortunately, the anti-tank gun team were not to survive the onslaught of return fire from the Panzergrenadiers in the farm but we had forced the recon team to debus.

The unfortunate recon team were now in the open and broke under the weight of fire from the Russian defence.

With yet another attack stymied, the German brought on another half-track only to fall victim to our ant-tank gun – first killing the driver and then blowing up the vehicle. Fortunately for the Germans, the crew escaped and took shelter behind the farm.

In a last ditch effort the Germans brought on yet another half-track and advanced across the ploughed field. This time they had learnt their lesson and advanced at a cautious pace to avoid bogging.

There was little that we could do to prevent its advance and remained hidden behind the hedge. We did consider waiting until close range and attempting to drive it off with LMG fire. However, the Germans had built up a truly awesome base of fire in the farm opposite. This now contained the original garrison, the Panzergrenadier squad from the destroyed half-track, a light mortar team and the rallied recon team. With five LMGs and a light mortar, all on overwatch, sticking a head over the hedge was not an appealing prospect. Instead we let the half-track advance as close as we dared and lobbed grenades at it. They all missed but it was a tense moment for the Germans - their commander was even seen to loosen his tie!

Although, the grenade attack had failed the Germans were encouraged to debus and advanced to the hedgeline. Faced by the massive amount of firepower amassed in the farm there was no way we were going to engage in a fire fight. I reckoned the best thing to do was withdraw into the woods and make them come to us. I also reasoned that an apparent withdrawal on our behalf would encourage the German to do something rash.

Sure enough the Germans began a general advance across the field. We then ordered our left most squad back to the hedgeline and with a combination of LMG fire, grenade attacks, a fortunate double phase and extra shooting, gained by spending an interrupt dice; we broke several of the opposing teams.

 At this point the Germans once again conceded defeat. So another win for the Russians. We took some casualties this time but are still in fairly good shape. Will that be enough to throw back a third attack on the same ground though?