DAR: USSR vs. Germany - Tikuin, USSR

[RERomine]

Turn 9

Line of sight on targets up north getting scarce. Only destroyed five tanks and one armored car. Some infantry tried to push out of the smoke, but caught fire as soon as they did. Mortars fired a little smoke in addition to HE rounds this turn. No damage, but some suppression. I've got mortars firing at the hill just south of the road to return the favor and make life difficult for any infantry that gets dismounted.

The enemy tried to hit the south flank group with 150mm artillery, but was short by about 250m. Lead tank on south slope of hill between them and the enemy north of the hill. It won't be long before they contribute to the battle near the road.

Enemy mortars still hitting the infantry line, but no damage.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: 2xPzKw 38b(t), 1xPzKw IIIh and 2xPzKw IIc tanks, 1xSdKfz 231(8) armored car destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 10

I finally lost my first tank, but not to enemy tanks or infantry. One ME-109 came in and destroyed it. I'm going to see that plane until the battle ends or he makes a mistake. My tanks have no AAMGs and I don't have anything mobile to send forward. The enemy tried pushing tanks through the smoke but my line is solid on the other side. Scratch 15 more enemy tanks. They tried to support with rockets and artillery, but were roughly 500m long. I had been there, but not any longer. Two tanks have pushed forward along the north edge to cover my flank there and the rest of that company are swinging around the back side of the smoke. They were able to cap a couple of running tanks and are chewing on infantry as well.

Lead tank of south group crested the center hill and got a few shots on the enemy armored car camped in the mines in front of my infantry line. I also dropped some light mortar fire on it as well. He should be history soon. More tanks will be cresting the hill this turn.

The enemy is throwing a little heavier stuff at my infantry line, but it was short. My mortars are still continuing to rattle the enemy on the hill south of the road. One JPz I took some damage.

Casualties

Friendly: 1xT-34/76B tank destroyed.

Enemy: 7xPzKw 38b(t), 5xPzKw IIIh and 3xPzKw IIc tanks destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 11

I had a second tank destroyed. The enemy is getting into knife fighting range with the company near the infantry line and I'm starting to run out of AP ammo there. The crew survived, but I have to try to get them out, which might be difficut. Otherwise, I was able to destroy six more tanks, one tank destroyer and one half-track. My mortars got the tank destroyer. Because of the ammo problem, I'm starting to shift my line in that direction to get more tanks with AP in the area. On the other side of the line, two flame tanks were capped.

South group is pushing more tanks over the hill now. They are engaging from 1000m without much success. The enemy armored car was damaged, but that is about it. It won't take long before the enemy can't deal with the pincer attacks from both flanks.

Enemy artillery still hitting different areas, most of them empty. More smoke came in up north as well.

Casualties

Friendly: 1xT-34/76A tank destroyed.

Enemy: 2xPzKw 38b(t), 2xPzKw Ib and 2xFlammpanzer I tanks, 1xJPz I tank destroyer destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 12

Between fire from the north and south flank groups, the enemy lost another 10 tanks. Most of the destruction came from the north, but the south is starting to score. Chalk one up for the mine field as well, but I don't know what got destroyed. It is very difficult to tell what they have left. There is a lot of smoke from buring vehicles and the enemy tossed more smoke out there with artillery.

Enemy artillery is hitting the infantry line with some big stuff near my HQ and FO. I might have them duck into a nearby bunker. Countery battery fire is also targeting on of my mortars as well. It is about time they got to it.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: 6xPzKw 38b(t), 2xPzKw IIIh, 2xPzKw Ib and 1xPzKw IIf tanks destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 13

The enemy has lost seven more tanks. Slowly, the south group is closing the gap with the north. The enemy tossed more smoke in the gap between north and south, so I can't tell what is in there. I'm not going to push into the smoke. It isn't worth the risk. I might pull my north group back from the smoke ling. The enemy is stopped in that area. No sense risking infantry pushing through and getting an easy kill. I've got most of one tank company lined up covering the flank inside enemy territory. I'm not willing to push forward any further for risk of running into enemy antitank guns. I've still got mortar rounds falling in smoke areas I can't see into. The thought is if there is infantry or tanks in there, it will suppress them before they push out. It will give me an edge in any encounters that occur if they do. I've also got light mortar fire dropping on the armored car in the mines. When the enemy vehicle destroyed itself in the mines it blocked my line of sight from the south.

More incoming mail in the north center section of my infantry line. No real problems here, because I control the ground out in front of the line here with my south tank group. Counter battery still falling near one of my mortars, but it didn't stop it from firing. I pulled back my ammo truck, just in case. Also had an ME-109 come in, targeting one of the two tanks containing the two armored cars. No damage.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: 4xPzKw 38b(t), 2xPzKw IIIh and 1xPzKw Ib tanks destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 14

Only three kills this turn. Targets are really getting scarce. I'm sure the enemy doesn't have much left but it could be hiding in the smoke as well. I pulled the north line back slightly. Here, all they need to do is seal off the flank, which is done. The south group is pushing north. One company is maintaining one flank close to the infantry line. The trailining company is starting to swing around their left to see what is behind the smoke. Light mortar fire still dropping on the armored car in the mines. I am going to see if I can get some infantry up there to light him up.

Indirect fire on both sides is starting to cut back. I'm letting fire missions stop once they complete. The enemy had a couple of batteries fire, but they hit nothing.

On a side note, my tank with the disabled main gun ran back up and rescued the crew from one of the destroyed tanks.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: 2xPzKw 38b(t) and 1xPzKw IIIh tanks destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 15

Capped one enemy tank this turn. Only two others are visible at the moment. One is disabled and the other is a Mk Ib. My south force did take fire from a tank destroyer. I fired smoke to cover the lone tank being shot at. The 47mm on that thing can be dangerous. Mortars have been plotted on the location if it decide to hang there for a while. Enemy infantry starting to push out of the woods near my south tanks. I'm going to pull them back and form a line in front of my infantry. The tanks can deal with the enemy infantry while my infantry spots them.

Enemy artillery dropping near trucks I have along the back edge. I'm just going to retreat them off. My plan doesn't involve moving anything with trucks.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: 1xPzKw IIIh tank destroyed. Estimated 10 casualties.