AAR: Balkans N. Africa Leg

[Imp]

Adolf seems to think we need a bit more space to grow so its off to Russia for us spearheading the advance once more.
The boat trip & subsequent train ride to our start point means we have had little time to get new equipment, however we have managed to upgrade our offboard troop from 10 to 11.4cm & have recieved 2 infantry AAMGs to provide some protection for the artillery.
Additionally we have been informed that while most of Ivans armour is no match for ours he does have a few formidable toys, in view of this 1 squad in each platoon has given up his SMG for a Brandflasche & some AT capability.
The Lufwaffe have 4x 110s & 2x Spotters on call should we need them though as we are going at first light visibility is limited 21.

Terrain is mainly level 1 with some depresions mainly 150-300m wide, there are half a dozen clusters of light woods & a road running roughly E>W about 4/5ths the way down our area of operations which is centred on a rail line running SW>NE. There are a few very small settlements along the line & a road of little use at the extreme North.
Our objective is to clear the area past the rail line so engineers can begin the task of converting it to our trains gauge for supply route purposes allowing us to continue the advance.
Sorry forgot to save map
Morale is high 95 as a few units made elite status.
Company A with 10 tanks a 231 & some transport will head of down the Southern road. The rest will push off roughly down the centre. There are a couple of limited depresions transport might be able to drive into undetected though they do not extend very far East.

Pre bombardment 2 batts of 122 & 76 some hits trucks still mobile but 2 squads routed with 4 men lost, also a flakwagen takes 2 damage but can still move, could have been worse.
Moving out
SF>Comp A sets of down the road, if enemy has deployed forward it will become visible as it enters one of the biggest depressions, trucks HTs then tanks with riders follow. Trucks reach a bottle neck after this it opens up, the road heading NE exiting the depresion in about 500m. There is a line of trees slightly closer running SE that we can use, here the depression carrys on for another 500m ending in woods. The road runs through the North end of the woods but if I move to level 1 without scouting tanks are open to flank shots. Turn2 troops unload behind tree line & lead tanks drop riders further back so free to support but will be moving quick if needed as catching up.

CF> Comp C Taxis enter a depresion it runs SE for about a kilo, at the most northern part a bit over 500m away there is about 500m of L1 before the start of another depresion. It is long E>W & probably worth a scout looking at whats in it. Generaly though probably better to spend a few turns moving along & exit heading towards woods, due to shape have to check area 3/4 of way there as contact is possible Tanks here are running in open & could come ito sight next turn.

NF>Comp B is heading down 2 depresions, one small one just N of CF scout is ready to exit & this is mainly just that a look in force.
Further N heading down a depresion is most of the force it meanders slightly SE ending near a few buildings on the rail line. The trouble is its very narrow in the mid part (50-100m) so may not provide much cover. Also next go we have to cross 50m of L1 to enter the next part. I am guessing eyes will be on it.
Turn2 It turns out high grass restricts view quite a bit, scout had a look then bike picks him up heading further along, 4 trucks make it over as well the rest stacked behind it in the dip.
Battery is in CB mode & AI finnishes its pre bombard then silence
Most of mine is still mobile deploying next turn but 6 tubes ready target the N+S depresions, remember I have spotter planes so sending for a probe in the South.
Armour is split from N>S Light, ave, heavy

[Imp]

Turn3
SF> Scout enters tree line, 3 squads at 200m if vehicles use the bit of depression to North should be safe from ATGs so 231 introduces Germany to the Soviets, 2 Hts & M3 join in all pinned or worse so sqaud moves to trees routes them all but recieves fire. HT risks fire & pinns before moving behind trees, MMGs move up another 2 & he loses a man. One of these squads is on L1, tanks further back manage to rout him. this means we have been seen for at least one turn possibly 2. Other vehicles move up & we have all 6 running. Perhaps foolishly scout & a squad leave trees squad recieves fire from a squad to S & a Maxim HMG in E woods, not worried about squad several vehicles will fire at but remaining vehicles risk ATGs to engage HMG routing it to, lucky really all but one was moving fast.
CF> One scout is in position to see if its safe to continue along the depresion the other exits on his way to the next depression, a MMG & ATG will follow him
NF> Scout is out of the small depresion others will follow.
in the big depresion scout is tentativly entering where it opens up & has buildings in sight. Platoon unloads behind some trees ready to follow, rest are playing catchup tanks now 500m back but 2 squads are ready to move to L1 so we have some eyes there.
AA has gone as far as it dare for the moment, holding position as cover MF & some of NF
AIT> The squad & maxim both fire squad losing a couple of men.
AI drops smoke well forward of my NF arty there could well have been for nought.
Spotters come in & despite vision do an exelent job, one recieves fire from DT AAMG but is fine.
Turns out there are 8 squads at L1 covering the road & the same again S & E of my present position, may be more in woods that they did not see.
4 of the original squads are running.

[Imp]

SF> Scout enters tree line, 3 squads at 200m if vehicles use the bit of depression to North should be safe from ATGs so 231 introduces Germany to the Soviets, 2 Hts & M3 join in all pinned or worse so sqaud moves to trees routes them all but recieves fire. HT risks fire & pinns before moving behind trees, MMGs move up another 2 sighted, lose a man. One of these squads is on L1, tanks further back manage to rout him. this means we have been seen for at least one turn possibly 2. Other vehicles move up & we have all 6 running. Perhaps foolishly scout & a squad leave trees squad recieves fire from a squad to S & a Maxim HMG in E woods, not worried about squad several vehicles will fire at but remaining vehicles risk ATGs to engage HMG routing it to, lucky really all but one was moving fast.
CF> One scout is in position to see if its safe to continue along the depresion the other exits on his way to the next depression, a MMG & ATG will follow him.
NF> Scout is out of the small depresion others will follow.
in the big depresion scout is tentativly entering where it opens up & has buildings in sight. Platoon unloads behind some trees ready to follow, rest are playing catchup tanks now 500m back but 2 squads are ready to move to L1 so we have some eyes there.
AA has gone as far as it dare for the moment, holding position as cover CF & some of NF
AIT> The squad & maxim both fire squad losing a couple of men.
AI drops smoke well forward of my NF arty there could well have been for nought.
Spotters come in & despite vision do an exelent job, one recieves fire from DT AAMG but is fine.
Turns out there are 8 squads at L1 covering the road & the same again S & E of my present position, may be more in woods that they did not see.
4 of the original squads are running.

[Imp]

NF> Alls quite the depression is about 500m across with trees splitting, if the other side is empty will take up positions to exit across its width, if AI smoke is any indication may be enemy towards N end of.
CF> Scout can see part of next depression & is by it, a few units are taging along for the ride & 231s are exploring a line of trees as an aproach, slightly risky but high grass restricts view.
Scout at South end getsin place & a squad goes recieving fire, 233Fu routes him. Hes on L1 & we have some woods we can use, rest move up but will not be in position properly till following turn, my armour is closing fast to provide support.
SF> To many targets vehicles have to work some magic here or we will take loses, as it looks like no ATGs cover the depression concentrate fire here & once rout everyone troops move to see outcome. This produces another 3 squads one in the woods who by the end of the turn is the only ready unit.
Scout moves to level 1, big smile as discover grass & earth restrict nearly all view to 500m, order given & tanks roll up the road. My glea dies slightly when I realise half of the 8 squads here are using it as cover but we route2 & pinn 2. 4 tanks + same number of sqauds are at level 1 & we have taken no loses.
It is becoming obvious these Russians were not expecting this, no onslaught of fire is required they are folding easily especialy if we cast our minds back to the Greeks & how dogedly they continued to fight on. I am sure several will rally but they are only needing a little prompting to get their heads down.
spotters are flying NE this time for a look at if anythings heading for the smoke.
AIT> 1 squad loses 2 men but Russians lose there first squad

[Imp]

NF> Looks like the depresion is mine so squads are back in taxis to get to its edge.
The scouting party which is now headed by CF scout who is working his way along the lip of the depresion headout for it including 4 M3s. The 231s discovered the high grass offers good cover & move in to the depresion to hide behind a tiny outcrop.
This depresion is long & reaches naerly to central flags so plot 2 smoke drops 3/4 way down near a row of trees just in case, AA here moves up behind the grass to extend their cover for minimal risk.
The 2 Mtrs here that provided early support head for the depression moving up as they are at max range already.
CF> Scout risks moving to L1 near the squad & discovers he can see naff all, grass blocks LOS South towards the squad & his likely freinds so the best option is to go a bit further along the depresion as the grass is about 300m wide. 2 units & scout shoot at the squad & he vanishes.
There are woods in the depresion so sqd moves along but nothing & I need to know if its clear so another tries in the open drawing fire from another squad on the edge of the depresion. 233Fu & HTs fire at then squads unload & he retreats out of LOS. Sniper & squad join scout & find original squad again, he to runs till out of LOS but is nearly done for. AA her trusts these guys eyes & moves up
SF> Mk2+ Mk3 route everyone in the depresion then more Mk3s head down the depresion to get a LOS on units at L1, they manage to route another.
We have LOS to another squad on level 1 & route that then 4 tanks there move onto grass to fire at the rest. This is fairly safe as fire at can only come from one direction NE, in fact if we can get troops here to position CF is going for is about 3/4 kilo away so eyes will help & may well get some long rangefire from.
Tanks take quite a bit of fire from rifle grenades so look after M2 but only 2 squads are left in a fighting state so its time for the troops to do there bit.
The first unit to try takes fire from another 2 units so the last couple of vehicles try to engage none to succesfully as only manage to get a LOS on one & it was moving flat out to do it. Squads can engage at range by moving NE onto earth so do so then rest move up & engage closer, MMG catches a lift onto L1 to cover the area CF is going for.
This is my vehicle heavy force & its showing at turn end only 2 of 18 squads are not routed, 2 or 3 squads died several are unwell & we did not lose a man.
Also we are in a position to support CF, & are predominantly now heading for the road. The idea chase runners down the road through the woods then cut off through rather than chasing everyone through the woods as we are likely to run into the arms of thier friends.
AIT> Consistent we lose 2 men they lose about 4 times that & 3 squads vanish down the road which is straight for abot a Km before swerving round some trees& possibly a gun. One of those moments you wish you could get a message to your pilots NF guys spot a couple of units but spoters come in right on top of & promptly die, intel next go. No arty yet, Russian slow response time maybe?

[Imp]

NF> Spoters saw 2 37AA & 2 T-26 NW of N flags, further along that path & NE of depresion we are in 2 T-26 a platoon of infantry & a fairly nasty ATG were spied. 76obr pen 12 more than capable of saying goodbye to my armour. We are currently nearly a Km away in the South part of the depresion but it runs to within 500m before a bootleneck that then opens into about a 300m wide triangular depresion. From here the T-26s are 200m North & 1 AA gun is about 300m to the East & will be visible. It can probably see into the bottle neck. Sniper has a look & spots another AA closer to the bottle neck then climbs back into the depresion jumps on his bike & drives most of the way round to it. Taxis manage to get adjacent to N slope exiting with rest following befroe I have what one can only call a major error in judgement. Truck takes a shortcut as plane wreckage blocks LOS only to discover 500m ahead of seen units is a Maxim HMG, luck holds one man down its mobile & 2 squads at L1 spot it. Now 2 tanks have to engage it using plane for cover. Its sent running but the jigs up Ivan knows I am here now.
CF> Inc Scout party here as both going for same objective, Scout moves out down the depresion 231s drive 400m to the next outcrop recieving no fire. Thats as far as they can go without ending turn exposed. The rest here throw caution to the wind troops are on tanks & heading for 231s last position, an ATG & FOO just arrived there & a MMG is on the way.
Further South the scout gets on the high grass there is a platoon here s 233Fu does his thing supported by M3 & Ram, troops move up & finnish the job leaving 3 running squads. Everybody is going to make the 400m dash to the woods here chasing the soviets so vehicles start mounting the rise & picking up some passengers. If fires going to come it will be from the NE.
SF> One squad is hard to get at & a cock up with LOS means I lose 2 men getting to him, a scout & squad are chasing 4 units down the road, the rest are now in the woods though may be able to get a few where it rises, slowly reducing there numbers.
Having to relocate more mortars due to rapid advance, lots of arty this turn all single guns mortars but only one falls nearby. Stopping CB once his batts fires hes getting nothing to hit.

[Imp]

NF> The 2 squads on L1 act as pathfinders for tanks checking LOS, then the 2 tanks move to just out of range of ATG & destroy a T-26.
Infantry exits the depresion & take long range shots at squads. 2 more & a Maxim chip in so a MkII roles up & takes on the maxim routing before the sniper makes sure. Maxim is killed the other is not far off & 2 of 3 squads in range are running. A couple of squads are ready for a look East towards other T-26s AA guns, M3 & Ram ready to engage next go. Hope is can take on T-26 while copse of trees covers from AA but want infantry as eyes in case an ATG opens up.
CF> Everyone jumps forward a location a couple of squads making a double jump to 231 location. A lone M3 ends turn in view, smoke has come down so any fire will be from in the depresion.
The other force kill the 3 squads & run for the woods the scout will have a view into the depresion next turn, we are poised for an attack on C Flags shortly.
Rough picture of situation depresion is a slanting T
Each symbol is about 3 hexes
0=Depresion
X=woods - they extend into the depresion in the South. Also line of trees in just before splits off North
F= North & centre Flags
S= Both scouts lower one with force following
2+3= Scout force position of 231 & M3s

--------------------------F
---------------------0
--------------------000000
-------------------000
----------------0 0
0000S000000
--------3 2 000F
------------000XXX
-----------00XX
----------SXX

SF> Move as far along the the road as posssible without AAMG getting targets, nothing responds, a few units enter woods. Might miss a couple in woods but have a little killing spree 3 sqds & Maxim left.
AIT> As use force to depict my units will use Group G to depict what facing sometimes.
NG seem a bit hardier a maxim opens up at range then the rest gang up on 1 squad killing 5 before he runs. Group transiting to woods in centre got hit by arty.
Immobile M3 81mtr destroyed & MMG lose a man. I droped a bit on AAguns & ATG pinning all.

[Imp]

NF> Sniper routes nearest 2 squads then MMG loses 2 men attacking MaximHMG but its running & another squad is found. 2 troops near tanks discover crater seems to have blocked view to ATG, we are going to risk it & they saw another T-26.
2 M3s & M2 move forward spraying squads & killing T-26 they can see, all squads & HT crest the rise & push the Russians back further. Most are presently screened from the others by a woods hex & its max range to them.
2 squads, Ram & the other M3 move slightly East killing a T-26 & AAgun, the other loses 2 crew & sniper now covers it to just in case. The other AAgun is behind a row of trees though kinda expecting an unseen ATG to chirp up soon.
CF> well I am slightly stumped have a fairly good view of depresion excluding North part, will see all next turn. 3 Tanks & several troops now in the open.
231s ran across to get a diffrent viewpoint & still not a thing, thinking a FOO is a posibility but hes not likely to be on his tod. Any guns may be waiting I have noticed it does that on occasion, false sense of security saves fire till its turn so you can't move to safety.
SF> Bit reckless here its pretty open East of woods but 5 tanks & 231 bust out attacking AAMG, 3 more tanks & some troops in transport are in position to exit woods from the North into a depresion that runs to within about 600m of S flags. A few units charge headlong into woods & several cut across. 1 close call but he is pinned & fails to spot me. About 4 killed & remains of the same on the run.
AIT> Arty missed several 122 batts this time to. NF 45mmATG fired at M3 near AAgun, no real threat but another 76ATG further back but near the other got a halftrack so Ruskies claim there first vehicle & they were the first country to kill an arty piece.

T9
NF> We have hit a few snags here drifting smoke from destroyed T-26s is protecting the 3rd one & providing some cover for most of the force 7 squads & both 76ATG. Trying to move towards this another 5 squads & a maximHMG are discovered to our North obscured by 2 wood hexes.
Lost a couple of men finding this out & we need to neutralise them, but vehicles cannot attack without taking a big risk so trying to get troops there to see whats on the other side as its a line of trees that continues a bit further on. MMG & AAMG manage to get 76ATG in there sights route & damage one but lose 4 men in the process, have to place smoke to protect them. In fact out of respect for the Maxim end up placing a fair bit as some units have ended up in poor locations. Exchange of men was about equal this go & I was in a position to lose quite a few, most of my arty is targeting here so should be able to keep them unhappy
CF> Got a lucky break here ATG being moved East down the depresion was fired on by 76ATG it missed & I am fairly sure there is nothing in the depresion this side of the tree line. This line blocks sight to L1 north of flags & position it was in fire could only have come from a few hexes. Scout poped some smoke trying to get to tree line for a look especialy troops & we are exposed to any fire from woods to SE but did drop 2 tubes on last go. FOO has LOS so I can move them to guns likely position.
AA wagens have run for cover as threat seems unlikely.
The force that entered depresion from the South send a couple of squads out as eyes but rest are using cover to head for the woods. This could turn into a race against arty falling.
SF> Kill AAMG & everyone we can see in the woods then move NE into the depresion, we really need to regroup a bit but risking running with passengers continuing to a line of trees about 200m away. Only 1 squad is on the ground, risky but arty is chasing me down here.
Its all go suddenly.
I need to move up some mortars again but its to dangerous the way arty is falling & I would like to send planes in over centre flags but can't see a path without hitting a likely hostile enviroment, plot 2 coming in from the East with the hopes I will have a chance to cancel if required.
AIT> Only 2 mtrs fire this turn but despite placing smoke up north we lose the exchange, turns out though managed to fluke one of the few elite squads into being involved & he kept loses down by taking out a man with every shot.