FOW Mission critical; Valsoft 1944

Background;

Eastern front mid 1944 The Russian operation Bagration is going into effect the town of Valsoft and its road junction have been identified as a key strategic target. An exploitation force has been dispatched to try an turn the flank of the defence while a shock assault force is on route to capture the town.  The area in defended by elements of the 14^th regiment of the 78^th division they lack mobility but are well equipped.

The terrain;

as per map.  The main features are the town of Valsoft and the river on its right.  The river is impassable except at certain points (see special rules).  The town is defended by minefields and barded wire.

Terrain viewed from the north

 

Russian view of Valsoft

Deployment;

The defender deploys force. Before setting up the defending force must be divided into three groups, the town garrison, the river defenders and the reserve  platoons must be split evenly between the groups.. After determining the river crossing, in the special rules the defender must then deploy the town garrison any where with unit coherence of a town building and the river force deploys within coherence of a river section. The reserve stay in reserve until the Russian assault force arrive after which roll for reserves as normal. The reserves arrive on the western road.   The Russian exploitation force arrives on turn one at the eastern road. The assault force arrives from reserve as a single force and starts rolling for reserves on turn six. The assault force arrives on the eastern road.

 

 German Garrison preparing for an assault.

 

While the river defenders provide flanking cover

Russian exploitation force arrives

German force;

• 3^rd Sturmkompanie 1^st battalion, 14^th regiment
• Company HQ with two attached Panzershreik sections
• 1st platoon three grenadier sections with command smg/panzerfaust
• 2nd platoon three grenadier sections with command smg/panzerfaust
• 3rd platoon three grenadier sections with command smg/panzerfaustC
• 4th platoon command with smg/panzerfaust, HMG section, mortar section with observer
• 5th platoon 2 anti-guns, command with smg/panzerfaust
• Heavy mortar platoon with two sections
• Artillery battery with three guns
• Heavy tank company, I tiger
• Veteran antitank platoon, two guns on RSOs
• Stug platoon, 3 stugs

 

Exploitation forces starts taking casualties approaching the river.

T

Unsurprisingly the armoured car platoon did not do well against the tiger.

Russian force

The Russian force in broken into two main groups a exploitation force and a shock assault force

Exploitation force;  3^rd company 4^th cavalry regiment

• Company HQ with attached anti-aircraft platoon
• 1^st platoon with four rifle squads
• 2^nd platoon with four rifle squads
• Light armoured car platoon with seven BA-64
• Tank company with five Shermans

Taking heavy casualties the exploitation force crosses the first river

 

And begin to knock out German observer teams.

 

Assault force; 1^st battalion 12^th Guards rifle regiment

• Battalion HQ with attached anti-tank platoon, sapper platoon and anti-tank rifle platoon
• 1st Udarny strelkovy company with Komissar and HMG
• 2nd Udarny strelkovy company with Komissar and HMG
• Udarny mortar company with two platoons
• Udarny heavy mortar company with two platoons
• Udarny SMG company
• Guards heavy assault gun company with five ISU-122

Even at long range the Tiger has no problems destroying Sherman tanks.

Special rules;

River crossings;

Before deploying any models the defender secretly rolls D6 for each 6” section of river if  six is rolled for that section then the river is crossable and counts as very difficult terrain. If a Russian models with coherence distance of a section of river they must take a skill check in the shooting phase instead of shooting. If they pass the Defender must reveal if the river section if fordable. Bridges can be crossed as normal.

The Russian assault force arrives and begins to put pressure on the defenders

 The assault force makes it to the village but not without losing all the shermans in the process.

Victory conditions;

The game last for 20 turns.  The Russian win if they capture an objective within 20 turns or the German defenders break and other results is German win.