DAR: USSR vs. Germany - Tikuin, USSR

[RERomine]

Turn 6

I hit the enemy hard again, but the damage wasn't as bad this turn. Between artillery slinging smoke and burning wrecks to my front, it is hard to get line of sight to many targets. My force did dispatch 13 more tanks. Enemy armored cars are snuggled up to my line of mines, trying to skirt around the flank. Two friendly tanks pushed close and took out three of them, but one was able to destroy a bunker. Enemy infantry is trying to push forward to my tanks, but aren't making it very close. Most of my tanks didn't fire, so moving infantry is a choice target. One area of concern is a large number of tanks just south of the road. I can't put fire there. My forces are pushing forward toward the road to sweep the infantry front of units, but this must be done with care.

No new enemy tanks down south. There was one left, but it was taken care of quickly. I'm shifting my line around since I expect to be targeted by air or artillery eventually.

Two ME-109s came in. All the enemy aircraft have been targeting one of my AA guns and they finally got it. One of the 109s will have to RTB to patch bullet holes.

The AI is slinging to much smoke right now and not enough steel. Most of the smoke is being deployed in the woods behind my tanks anyhow. I mean way behind my tanks; something like 500m or more.

Casualties

Friendly: 1xBunker and 1x37mm AA gun destroyed.

Enemy: 4xPzKw 38b(t), 7xPzKw IIIh, 1xPzKw IVc, 2xPzKw IIf tanks, 1xSdKfz 231(8), 1xSdKfz 231(6) and 1xSdKfz 221 armored cars destroyed.

[RERomine]

Turn 7

Scratch 24 more tanks up north. My tanks are shifting around looking for shots and trying to put some artillery smoke behind them. A few of the enemy batteries did get smoke around my units, but not a significant amount. More smoke was fired this turn and I'll have to shift around this as well. The enemy did hole one of my tanks, disabling his main gun, so I pulled him off the line. There are a few enemy armored cars next to the mines, but getting to them isn't safe. That 20mm gun with SABOT rounds can kill at 100m. I'm willing to let them come to me if they want to try to get around the flank. I've got two tanks covering that area and two scouts with satchel charges if they actually get around the end. If the get past the scouts, there are two 50mm ATGs to deal with.

Still no enemy tanks down south, so that group is moving north. Aside from one squad, I don't see any enemy units further south than 200m from the road. There is smoke about 400m out in front of the left of my infantry line, so it would block line of sight of anything behind it for now.

Two more ME-109s came in, but these won't be coming back ever. One succeeded dropping a bomb on my infantry line, causing some casualties. The other was targeting my AA guns again.

Artillery still isn't having any impact on this battle. I have accounted for some nebelwerfers firing smoke, so the enemy does have at least three battalions of one sort or another. Yet, with all that fire power, it hasn't had any influence on the battle aside from making my tanks move around smoke some. Burning tanks are accomplishing that already.

So far, I can account for 91 destroyed enemy AFVs. To show for this, one of my tanks has a disabled main gun. The main force behind their armor has to be destroyed. I should have a numerical edge by now. With no effort to even breach my line yet, I believe this battle is won. I'm not saying there won't still be hard fighting and that I won't lose tanks, but I won't lose enough to cost me the battle.

Casualties

Friendly: Estimated 10 casualties.

Enemy: 13xPzKw 38b(t), 9xPzKw IIIh and 2xPzKw IIf tanks and 2xME-109 fighters destroyed.

I've attached a screen print of the entire front as it stands now. Unfortunately, it is kind of small in the thumbnail view, but might be larger if downloaded. Toward the bottom, my south flank column can be seen heading north. More to the north a mass of enemy tanks can be seen on the eastern hill just south of the road. North of the road can be seen the carnage my tanks have inflicted on the enemy thus far. I've pried them off the north edge and have their flank in the air.

[RERomine]

Turn 8

The enemy lost 17 more tanks up north. There are still a lot of tanks up there, but not really enough. With all the smoke, I'm being more cautious. Infantry, even without AT capability can kill a reckless tank. Most of my line is holding, but I'm pushing a few tanks forward to get better shots. Two tanks are holding close to the infantry line and it has kept two enemy armored cars in check. They don't move and I don't move. In this case a stalemate helps me since my objective is to keep them from rounding my flank. I did push one machine gun team on my infantry line forward to take the place of the destroyed bunker. It spotted an armored car sitting in the mines on the road. Other infantry popped smoke to protect him. The AC can't get through the dragon's teeth. Tanks without tanks to shoot at pounded on enemy infantry, doing some good damage.

South flank group still moving north. Heavy tanks covering their flank, just in case enemy tanks pop out of the trees. It will take 3-4 turns before the lead tank is even in position to fire and many more turns for trailing tanks. The only enemy unit down south is one squad. My column moved and would fire at it, but not diverting anyone to deal with him.

Some enemy mortars are hitting my infantry line, but nothing of concern coming out of it. Mortars are also dropping on center of my north tank group. All those heavy guns and the AI fires at real targets with 81mm mortars. Instead, the enemy is using the heavy guns to fire smoke and blast the far side of the hill my infantry is deployed on. Even with this, the enemy still has heavies that aren't firing.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: 10xPzKw 38b(t), 6xPzKw IIIh and 1xPzKw IIc tanks destroyed. Estimated 30 casualties.

[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.