Re: Long Campaign - German - Abrevated AAR
KG Gross Battle 7
Southern Russia, August 1943
Mission Delay.
Not the best place to try to delay, but I have my orders. I do have a strange feeling about this one. The VH are in groups again slanting diagonally with the terrain.
There is a east-west road in the north, a small crop of trees in the center where 2 of the VH's grouping is. and a wide open field in the south with the last group of VH's.
In the North I deployed my one experienced rifle company (Hpt. Bertram), with one rifle platoon (Kramer) behind the first VH grouping and then up a bit further I deployed in a
skirmish line the next rifle platoon (Ehrhardt) and then hidden in the adjacent the east-west northern road in some trees for ambush I placed the last rifle platoon (Krohner). Backing up this rifle company I deployed the Tiger platoon (Obrltnt Wiedemann - 31 kills) west of the skirmishing platoon and just a bit north of the first VH group spread out in small crop of trees I deployed Wisch's battery of StuG IIIg.
In the center I deployed the second rifle company (Hpt. Hollmichel) with one platoon (Karthaus) to the left and below of Kramer's platoon. I deployed Waldmuller's platoon adjacent to the center VH's, which is to the right and below Karthaus's platoon. And finally I deployed Witt's platoon again to the right and below of Waldmullers platoon so that they may cover not only the centers VH, but the further south VH's. Backing up this rifle company I deployed Major Stolze's StuG battery with one section (Scherrer) right behind Waldmuller's platoon and one section (Urbanitz) behind Witt's platoon.
Just south of Witt's and Urbanitz units hidden in some woods to protect the southern flank I deployed the Panthers of Osterloh's platoon.
In reserve I deployed in the central area hidden and loaded on the 251/1 half-tracks in the back end of the woods the pioneers of Frey's platoon.
Finally, I deployed my newly arrived mech mortars of Barnsdorf's platoon behind in the center by a small farm house and some woods. I have also cross-attached both tank platoons (earlier on Game 1) to Hpt. Bertram infantry company. I have also cross-attached the mech pioneers and the 2 mech flak units to Major Stolze's battery.
Also placed back here is the Artillery observer (Lt. Braun), and the KG commander Obrstlt Gross.
Plan is to hold the enemy for as long as possible.
Let the battle begin.
Okay, here we go, Russians launched some artillery, no damage.
First contact on turn 4 in the north on that road. So far Oblt. Wiedemann has knocked out 2 T-34/76 m42 in front of my ambush platoon (Krohner). The panthers have made contact in the south and knocked out 2 BA-64's.
Turn 7, begins with the StuG's from Urbanitz (Q0) engaging some more BA-64's and the north battle is proceeding as normal. Turn 9, things are getting really hot in the south! 4 x La-5N attacked my StuG platoon (Scherrer), they all survived! Massive T34's are everywhere, north, south center! Turn 10, well the last turn started to get hot, but now...Turns 10, 11 and 12, being attacked by a Cav/Mech unit. Inflicting lots of tank kills but they keep coming. Damn, just lost StuG IIIG Q2 no survivors. On turn 11 StuG Q1 got immobilized by 4 T-34's. On turn 12 I just lost Major Stolze in StuG IIIg (N0), no one made it out that tank alive! Turn 13, massive T-34's everywhere, my infantry got hit this time by the 4x La-5N and the Soviets have captured the southern VH (next to the Panthers).
Okay, I think I have the battle under control. Heavy Russian artillery attack in the center. I lost Panther I2 (Nauman) but his crew escaped! The center rifle company has been hit for turn turns by mortars, and are very suppressed. Turn 16 saw the La-5N attack my mortar tracks, one got immobilized and one got hit. The damn flak tracks can't hit [censored]. Urbanitz (StuG IIIg - Q0) is pretty pissed, snuck up a hex and blasted a retreating T-34m43 in the *** for his 8th kill. 122mm Arty really pins the German infantry. Voss is amazing! Voss has just been nominated for the Knights Cross, Voss in his mighty Panther D has 40 kills and a Star Rating! TUrn 20, HQ just got nailed by 122mm arty. Sitting too close to my mech mortars! HQ got hit a few times, but mostly just suppression and no casualties. Had to scatter my Mortar tracks except one pinned and one immobilized one. Scratch that, the 122mm Arty immobilized the other mortar track. The Pioneers I kept in reserve I moved through a friendly woods section and to the south with the panthers and now they are in the fight (really last mopping up), those guys gut 28cm Flammen Wefers! A lot of Russians are in retreat now, and mostly it's a mop up. I ain't going to be chasing them either! Lost a few good men but such is war (paper/electronic war). I love this game.
On turn 22 of 37. Lets see what happens now. Mostly just mopping up, the stupid La-5N came back on turn 28 and Lt. Mayer (251/17) shot finally shot one down. Status, 3 of my mortar tracks have lost their mortars and 2 of these are immobilized. Both 251/17 have lost their guns as well. 1 StuG IIIg got knocked out and 1 is immobilized. I lost one of the Pioneers 251/1 half-tracks (crew survived) and one got immobilized. The mortar platoon leader Oberlt. Barnstorf in the 250/8 got immobilized in rough terrain as well.
Anther DV, the battle reports shows 92 knocked out vehicles to my 3, and I lost about 63 men to his 544. At this point in the game Kampfgruppen Gross has lost 447 men, 1 artillery piece, 9 APCs, 18 AFV (4 catastrophic) and lost 2 Air Transports. While claiming at least 2966 casualties, 47 artillery pieces, 260 knocked out tanks, and 2 downed aircraft. 6 DV out of 7 battles, not bad.
Promotions:
OberLt. Wiedmann with 38 kills got his Star (now I have 2 a Panther and a Tiger with Stars)
Status:
Tigers (Wiedemann * in G0)
G0 Kills 38
G1 Kills 34
G2 Kills 22
G3 Kills 18
G4 Kills 13
-- ----- --
Totals 125
Panthers (Osterloh in I1)
I0 Kills 26
I1 Kills 32
I2 Kills 14
I3 Kills 26
I4 Kills 40 (Voss *)
-- ----- --
Totals 138
StuG IIIg Batterie (Fldwbl. Rittenhaus - Replacemnt for Major Stolze who was KIA on 8/30/1943)
StuG Btr (Rittenhaus)
N0 Kills 0
StuG Zug (Wisch)
O0 Kills 7
O1 Kills 7
O2 Kills 7
-- ----- -
Totals 21
StuG Zug (Scherrer)
P0 Kills 7
P1 Kills 6
P2 Kills 7
-- ----- -
Totals 20
StuG Zug (Urbanitz)
Q0 Kills 10
Q1 Kills 05
Q2 Kills 00
-- ----- --
Totals 15
Grand totals
Tiger's: 125
Panther's: 138
StuG's: 56
--------------
Grand Total: 319
Battle 8 will be next...
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