Letters from Stalin's City

[Lt. Ketch]

Background: I'm curretly test driving a 10 mission campaign from Sept 1942 to Feb 1943 on the Eastern Front. This has (and hopefully continue) placed my first four battles in Stalingrad. The map size is 20X30, my force will be described below. After I finish I intend to construct a much larger campaign based on a similar ideal, but with particlar preferences that will suit the situation. The basis for this experimental campaign and the forthcomming larger one is on two main ideas, the first is the phrase "knife fight in a phone booth" (which I have found and used multiple times in the forum) and second is a soviet commander seperated from support and friendly lines trying to survive and fight the fascists in the City of Stalin.

Son,

I hope this letter finds you, whether you are in good health or not. I simply pray that it finds you. As you know, I was redeployed to the southern front while you remained fighting the Japanesse in the east. We were rushed to Stalingrad to stage for the defence of the Rostov Oblasst, but sadely the Germans beat us there. I had just taken command of my rifle company and were on the train out of Stalingrad when our locomotive was hit by Stuckas. I ordered my men out and to take cover in the buildings nearby. Sadly, we were the only survivers as the stuckas bombed and strafed the remaining troops. We have sinced learned that during the raid on our train, the German war machine has moved up and cut us off from our lines. I am currently in command of a rifle company with 3 platoons, a duel Maxim gun and a 50 mm mortar team.

We set off to try to reunite with our lines. As we were entering one neighborhood a local who has been hiding in the basement told us of a german force in the area, equal in size. This information was bought at the price of one of my luitenit's dinner. The officer shared it willingly, knowing that good information is worth it's weight in gold. We decided that we could not go around and must go through this force. We employed a gradually advancing defensive starategy, with each platoon moving in groups of two, often occuping the same building or cover, moving up to a cross road and upon engaging the enemy, covering down and holding the posisition until their comrades could flack and surpress. Our mortar team and Maxim guns also provided direct fire against german squads attempting to flank our troops. I am disapointed in one of my luiteniets who, after taking some fire left the battle, but returned afterwards. He should have been shot, but I need him and his men to return to lines. I am commending the men of Sargent Gustav and Sargent Kunizt. Sarg Gustav engaged a german squad started them so badly that the enemy fled right into the guns of Sarg Kunizt. When Kunizt's men fired, they ran back into Gustav. The germans made that curcit about 6 times and were elimanated in a matter of minutes. Our loses in this action were about 1 in 5. Too high, but necessary to rejoin our lines.

After clearing the neighborhood, we were able to find supplies and ammunition in the Germans camp. We also had the happy occurance of freeing enough soviet comrades to replace our loses in the ranks. In addition to the troops replenishing our fighting strengh a sniper, who had be cut off from his station, joined us. We proceeded again towards our lines, but after sending out a scout, found that another german company was between us and our goal. Again, we employed the house to house defensive advance. Our loses this time were closer to 1 in 6 or 7. I'm very gratefull for the sniper who, with the help of Lt. Cournal Krasnov, our Maxim and Mortar teams were able to keep an entire german platoon at bay, despite heavy mortar bombardment, until One of our own platoons were able to flank them and relieve the pressure. Again, we were able to find supplies and men amongh the german camp and surounding area to replenish our loses.

Son, Next I'll tell you of the good and bad luck that we had the just recently. As we proceeded through the wreckage we came across the remains of a failed counter attack. Our Soviet comrades had tried to break out of the pocket that the germans are forcing them into. All that was left of the force was the artillary spotter. He being a stalwart soldier, he requested that we aid in releaving the presure of the pocket, even though the Germans had not only repelled the assualt but had pushed even further into the city. He was still in contact with a 107mm battery and could provide us with the artillary supported needed to attack the reserves and fortifications left by the germans. As we were dicussing this, a scout reported that a platoon of marians that had been fighting its way inland said that they would join us, knowing that strength in numbers was the only way to return to the lines. We agreed to the assult, hoping to weaken the forward elements by destroying the reserves and supplies, allowing us to punch through and return to the river. The assualt on the defenses was basic. The line was to advance through the neighborhood. The marians and the snipter would take the north flank and the spotter would provide artillary support for the south flank. Our Maxim and Mortar teams would support the middle by shotting anything that tried to navagate the main road. While things did not go accourding to plan, we were victorious. The north and south platoons were able to navage the flanks and penitrate in to the reserves area, past the mine fields and forward elements, the sniper singlehandedly taking destroying a 81mm mortar with one shot and killing the crew with two more (if I can find some Vodka, it's his!). The other platoons, after discovering that the germans were embedded deep in the buildings between blocks decided to lead a charge down the center road after we shelled the ever loving tar out of them. After regrouping and proceeding several minutes of shelling by both our mortar team and the spotters 107mms. Two full platoons launched themselves through the gap, routing the squads left defending the road. Miracle of Miracles we didn't lose any men to the mined terrain. Once through, the men were pinned down for a few minutes by an AAMG that the germans had positioned unseen on the road. Or Maxim and all squads returned fire untill it was destroyed. Two more German squads were routed from the gap, but we lost a squad when they followed too close to the retreating germans who suddely turned and killed many of them and dispersed the rest. While the gap was being charged, the south platoon discovered that the germans had constructed fortification in their own rear area. Luckly, the men approched them from behind and after many, many, many assualts with handgernades, were able to destroy both of them. No men were lost in these assults. We did suffer heavy causlties, however when a the marians stumbled into a heavly armed squad dug in a supply building. We lost at least 10 men to that position, but were able to ambush them when they came to reclaim the other supply stores. We also lost too many men to the reserves commanding officer's staff, despite many attempts to kill or capture them. The dead by the hands of those radio oppurators was at least 12. However, we were able to eleminate the forward elements that we bypassed by setting up a defence immediatly after coming through the gap. Three platoons were able to ambush and destroy the germans as them came back to report in. Over all, too many lost to my liking, but the supplies gained will help in the return.

As I write this, we are preparing agian to advance on the germans that lie between us and our comrades. I again pray that you will recieve this somehow. Someday. If you do, and I am dead, know that I have done my all to preserve the lives of my men and reunite them with their comrades.

[PanzerBob]

Excellent delivery!!

Bob out

[Lt. Ketch]

Son,

I write this to you after some gruelly experiences. Praise be to my troops for fighting so hard and so well. They have all displayed extraordinary courage and stamina.

As I last wrote, we were preparing for an advance into a German pocket to try to break through to our own lines. We were successful in routing them with only 8 men lost on our side. Unfortunatly, our activities have brought attention on ourselves. No sooner had we re-established ranks then we were set upon in force and had to withdraw to a position more suited for delaying the enemy. One thing that made this position desireable was a couple of 57mm ATGs that had been abandoned. I deployed the men and hunkered down as 81mm mortars and 10cm shells started to fall. Son, I tell you how proud of my men I am. Many of them sustained multiple bombardments from the 10cm, while they were engaging the enemy and would remain and fight instead of fleeing. The posistion we took was centered around a crossroad where five streets connected. We planned on using the open ground as a killing zone for the facists and any armor they might have. We were fortunate in that we anticipated their route of attack. Praise be the the mariens, who I stationed in the North. German tanks tried to break through the buildings there and Sargent Matrosov and his men were able to destroy all of them (5 total). I hoped that all of their tanks were together, but sadly we lost quite a few men to a Pz IIIm that was supporting some infantry advancing up one of the roads. Due to an ill placed smoke gernade, we were not able to bring our 57mm ATGs to bare until it had done some damage. It was finally destroyed and the infantry routed. Again, the men did an incredible job repelling platoon after platoon of German soldiers, despite the Iron Rain that kept falling. When the enemy fanially withdrew, we counted our losses and discovered that for every man of ours they killed, we killed four of theirs. Many men were commended for their strength that day.

We had little restbit. We were just able to restock our stores and find volunteers to fill our ranks (granted, some of the deserters we founded needed "persuation") when one of our scouts returned with news that the Germans were massing for another attack on our pocket. When I first planned our return to friendly lines, I had thought that a battle capable force would be more likely to succeed. I am beginning to think that stealth would have been better as our success at staying alive and moving about the enemy's rear as attracted Jerry's attention. I'd just as soon not have that. Despite these personal thoughts, I ordered the men to redeloy facing the enemy's advance and that the 57mms draged into place. We covered a double wide street with apartment blocks on either side. Antisipating that the enemy would try a similar tactic of bring any armor they had to bare on our flanks, I deployed the men to make sure that those squads that carried the anti-tank mines were position in likely routes. Alas, the enemy never does what you want. 5 Pz IVF1s charged up the main road. We held our fire until they within 50 meters of the troops and less then 300 meters of the ATGs. We opened fired and destroyed each one as it reached that line. We were fortunate that the Mortar dropped smoke didn't fall until the 57mms were able to destroy two tanks. Unfortunatly one tank vered into an ally to avoid the ATGs and was proptly imobalized by several handgernades. Regettably it was not destroyed. Its activites for the next little while were bad enough to scatter the platoon of men that tried to destroy it. I really must find some more anti-tank gernades. 2 per platoon is not enough for situations like this. The platoon quickly regrouped, but not without one squad being cut off from the rest. In the mean time, the northern infantry came under 81mm mortar bombardment and the ATGs were strafed by BF 109s. The one good thing about the smoke dropped earlier was that the pilot mistook his own tank for our men (or the pilot had enjoyed some "little water" before he took off). Sadly the tank survived. In the north, wave after wave of infantry assualted our position. One squad was able to sneak around our picket, but our sniper was dispached and with the help of an ATG sent him packing back into the fray were he was dispersed by the marian's flame throwers. The Bf 109s returned multiple times, strafing infantry positions with uncommon accuracy. but despite that, the men held firm. In fact, that same luitentent that ran after taking light fire in our first engagment advanced his squad through numerous enemy encounters to support his platoon and rallied them in the face of overwhelming odds and constant aircraft attacks. During a respit in the battle we amassed a few squads for an assault on the imobalized panzer, we were finally successful in destorying it, the killing blow coming from the squad who had been cut off from the rest of his platoon. I felt this to be justice at work. It often appears to be so little of it in this war. We finally succeed in routing the enemy and when the final count came in. We had lost 38 men while they had lost over 240! I consider this a great achivement, but I still regret not getting those 38 men home.

Spirits are high and feet are sore as we bed down tonight. I think on how I had heard some much of the City of Stalin before the war and had longed to see it. But now, I wish I had never laid eyes on this forsaken city. I pray to the God who has listened to me and spared my life so often that he will do so again tomorrow. Again, I hope you will recieve this somehow. Someday. When you do, if we are dead, tell our story to those to whom it will matter.

[Lt. Ketch]

Son,

I write to you from friendly lines, but not how I would prefer to be writing you. My last letter was full of hope and victory, but we have suffered much in the little time since I have written. We repelled the German advance multiple times, but it was not enough to deter them from attacking again. No sooner had I finished my letter to you then one of the picketts came running into camp with a report that the Germans were moving against us in that instant. We fell back to a position I deemed more defensible, two blocks of buildings seperated by a wide bulavard with good cover for our "borrowed" 57mms, mortar and MMG team. We didn't have time to resupply from the last conflict and I longed for the 38 men we had lost in the last fight. Our status was by company commander with the mortars and MMGs under him, 12 squads of rifle men, a sniper and three squads of Marains. Losses were heavier in the third platoon of rifles, but every platoon had at least one squad with around 50% losses. We set up in the buildings for close quarters fighting and positioned a few squads overlooking the bolavard which was to be a "kill zone" were we could bring our guns and mmgs to bear. They enemy led with a 5 Pz IVEs, but I felt confidant in our ATGs as they have been able to knock out everything we've come across. Sadly, regrettably, stuipidly, I ordered them to hold fire too long. By the time I gave the command, German smoke had abscured the targets (expect for one, which was destroyed) and in the next minute 10.5cm iron rain started to fall on the guns. both were put out of commission, one destroyed and one crew routed. My squads that boardered the street accounted for one more tank, but were soon pinned and unable to do anything from the masses of infantry advnacing behind the tanks. Again, the MMG was unable to fire due to smoke and the Mortar crew was routed by the artilary. The men in the buildings also came under heavy fire from wave upon wave of infantry. It was when artilary started to fall on the positions in the buildings that I desided that we had to withdraw and save as many lives as we could. I ordered a fighting retreat until I could be sure that any pursuit would be slow and cautions. The squads in the northern block were able to do this fairly successfully, but were delayed at a cross road by a Pz IVE which was soon immobalized and later destroyed, based on the desition that if it wasn't, it would not only slow us up but kill a lot of men in the proccess. The southern retreat was less organized and more costly as two of the Pzs. chased our men from building to building, leaving a pathway of ruind buildings in their wake. My own staff gave supporting fire for several squads who were crossing the road for the cover of the buildings on our side. We lost many, many men. I was awed during this terrifying experiences when one squad of 4 men left of 10 were chased for 300+ yards by the two remaining Pz IVEs and returned fire at every opportunity. This action allowed his fellow squad escape. The four men were killed in action, but our forces in the area were no longer pursued. I will make sure that they are awared the Order of Lenin for their actions. In the north, there were many times that artilary fell, stalling the advance and the germans came up to engage our troops. It became my policy that every squad that was not able to withdraw in an orderly fashion was supported by a squad that could have. The rescuers would return fire if necessary and make sure that the pinned squad was masked my cover so that they might have a chance to regroup and withdraw. In the end, we lost 82 men. This with the prvious 38, makes for 120 of our total 180 men. Yalki Palki! Such a force could not accomplish our origanal plan! We did not know what to do, since we could not fight in force, nor were we small enough to hide. We were spared only, by an advance of our own troops relieving pressure on us. We had accomplished one goal in joining our own lines, but we lost far, far to many men. When I was debriefed, our actions came to the attention of the general staff and they were impressed with our actions in destorying and delaying the German reserves. I have since been put in charge of special infantry company that is to do more of this. All of my origanial men have been kept in the company, but most have recieved attentional training. We shall see if the belly of the beast is any more inviting when we go into it willingly. I'll write more. Until then, at least I have been able to mail my other letters by military post. I'll write more later.

[Background - I couldn't figure out a way for our Commander here to replace such loses in his forces from "volunteers" he stumbles across. For the sake of the story, I have given it this twist. The experiment is running to a close with only three battles left. At this point, I don't believe I will run a longer campaign on the same size map, simply because once you've fought one guy in a phone booth, the next guy is pretty similar. The small space makes manuvering restricted and everything depends on how many squads you have stacked together. I'm looking for a more tactical challenge and so will probably continue playing the USSR, but do it on a larger map with more of a combined arms force. I will most likely post another letter or two here, but we will probaby leave it at that.

If anyone is courious about doing a simpilar situation (behind enemy lines), I would reccomend turning off Tank Heavy, Dropping the supply/repair points to 10%-20%, and figure out some way to incorperate using stolen equipment. (I'd love to have to equipt my infantry squads with german kit (since they would end up running out of their own ammunition), but I couldn't figure out how. The only way I could think of is to replace destroyed squads with "captured" squads in the exapand menu)]

[Imp]

Nice style Sir look forward to your next slightly larger scale battle.
In campaigns you cannot uscaptured stuff in your core only your support can use captured equip

[Lt. Ketch]

Son,

This is my last letter from the city of Stalin as I have been transfered to help in the push from Moskva. My last three actions have been more than interesting. I am pleased with the support that my company has recieved since returning to friendly lines, but the replacements for our loses and the additional training has wreck havoc with the exicution of our missions. My riflemen have been "up-graded," although only in equipment in some cases. My command now consists a guards squad in sub command, with a 12.5mm thripel HMG and a three tube 107mm mortar team. Both of these have proven very helpful in our missions. One platoon was equipt with SMGs and I isisted that all squads had a weapon that could distroy a tank if necessary. (I've had enough with squads attacking tanks with hand gernades.) The other two squads have recieved training in the desant (para) and mountain combat. They also allowed me to keep the marian platoon.

Our first assignment in our new capacity was to intercept a German probing attack. I sent the Mountain troops with their rifles through the more suburbian area in the north while the SMG platoon went south trough the tightly packed buildings. The desant were charged with protecting the road and keeping German troops from advancing into our rear. If it weren't for the thriple HMG and the mortar laying smoke, they would have failed at this task. I should have realized that that platoon was one of the hardest hit, so not only did it have new recruits, but new recruits with new training. Ultimately, with help from the marains, they were able to hold the line and eventually push forward. Sadely, we had more casualties in this battle than any battle previously, 58! I will always be more wary whenever I'm offered an "up-grade!" We evetually secured all of our objectives, even routing the enemy commander.

After we had returned to friendly lines and recieved replacements and supplies, we were thrown out on the flank to repell an enemy advance into our territory. I requested that I have access to a couple of 57mms. My time spent with these very effective ATGs has made them a necessity for repelling possible armour. I was also give the option, and accepted, of a KV tank for support. Remembering my last experience, I figured that something that I could use to chase down the enemy would be very satisfying. In the end, it was. The enemy deployed Pz IVE and halftracks (but only four of each.) We deployed around a area were a wide bulavard narrored into a single road. I deployed the Desant and SMGs in the blocks where their short range would be more effective The Marians had the northern flank as there was easy access for enemy tanks (they would only have to go through two buildings) to a side road that would lead behind our line. I positioned the guns close to narrow gap with the mountain troops in support, as their rifles could cover more ground down the bulavard. The Mortar and Thriple HMG set up behind the gap for support and to take out anybody that made it through. In the end, we lost both ATG to closerange tank fire (the first being destroyed by one shot after it had destroyed one of the PZ IVs, the second on another lucky shot.) Close assults with satchel charges and anti-tank mines accounted for the rest. The KV I originally deployed behind the line, thinking that I could put him where I needed him. After a little debate on my part, he ended up pluging the gap with his bulk for most of the battle. The enemy artillary was fairly constant, but was mostly 7.5 cm and 81mm mortar. The Marians were able to rack up an impressive kill score in the north, getting not only two tanks, but numberous infantry squads. The battle ended with us as the victors and with an average loss of life (on our part anyway, the enemy was not so.

As my men were resupplied after this last action, I was able to hear some of the scuttlebutt and learned that your division was recalled from the East and was on it's way west to cut the German line in half. In consiquene our commanding officers have told us to engage more aggrisively so as to bring more enemy troops into the city so that this severing manuver can be more successful. Because of that, we were given the option of some additional firepower for our next interpection action. We were offered and accepted a platoon of three flamethrower equipted KVs. While they have the smaller 45mm gun, I feel that the thicker armor and the flamethrower would be more effective, as we have not run into any enemy armour in these actions. I was wrong on one account in this, but not fataly wrong, fortunatly. They enemy fielded two Pz IVf1s and four Pz IIIms. I used the mountain troops as support for the tanks, in addition to the rear support of the triple HMG and mortar. The Marains joined the Desant in the North where I suspected there to be more troops (as it was more open), while the SMG took the to buildings to the south of the road, provided flank support for our tanks. While the 45mm of the tanks was ineffective at over a couple hundred meters, the enemy guns were ineffective at 50 meters or less. Four tanks were dispacthed by my three, the Desant came upon the other two and they were quickly dispached, one destroyed the other immobalized and their crew routed and killed. The 107mm mortar was very iffective in disrupting enemy formations with direct fire, which then allowed the tanks to move in close with their Flamethrowers. We succeeded in routing the enemy completely and destroyed and killed every man we could, with only 8 loses on our side. If that doesn't get Franz's attention, I don't know what will. It was also a satisfiying way to end my tour here in the City of Satlin.

Son, I wish you luck in the actions that you have left to play in this conflict. If all is successful, not only will we meet again, but we will do it in Berlin!

Your father,

P.Polkov Ketch.

[Thus ends this campaign, ending results, 9 decisive victories, 1 marginal defeat. ~300 men, 7 guns lost for the USSR. ~1500 men, 17 guns, 3 APCs, and ~20 AFV for Germany. This also marks my first ever Completed campaign . I usaully get discouraged and stop playing. I am very happy about this and have plans to start my first long campaign as the USSR on a 100X100 map. Wich me luck! - Ketch]