DAR - The Cauldron Of Fire

[Cole]

Turn 26 -
The Russians are definitely back on the defensive in the Shirokoe Bilota sector and this time the Russian tankers have no problems in obeying orders to retreat.
Sasha's company is devastated and his tank (highlighted) is the only surviving one in 1st Platoon. Unfortunately the Russian tanks are still in German LOS and still in range of the Ferdinands. We'll see if Sasha survives the German turn.



During this turn the Russians have yet again repulsed the Germans from around the 500 vp hex in the State Farm. The Germans heavy artillery helps clear the way for their infantry supported by the heavy assault guns. The German infantry while preparing for the final assault get pounded by the Russian artillery and are mostly disrupted and quickly retreat in the face of the Russian close assault counter attacks. The Germans have enough units rally to repeat the process again.

I have a screen shot of the State Farm melee but will probably wait a turn or so to post it. Our forces are so close and mixed up that it's impossible to take a screen shot without showing the Russian reserves.

[Cole]

Turn 26
Here's a screen shot of the Russian counterattacks in the State Farm area. A lone platoon was able to rush in right after an artillery barrage and clear the trench lines in the hex just to the NE of the VP hex. These past few turns the Germans have been trying to gain the heights overlooking the valley and the Russians have been successful in denying them this but now there are a few German spotters off to the NW that can call in artillery into the valley.
Another platoon has cleared the fields on the west side of the steam and the hope was to be able to locate German panzers for the T-34s to engage. A German engineer platoon has stopped any further advance and the German panzers remain unmolested.

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Turn 27
German infantry rushes forward in force everywhere. Dismayed to see quite a few platoons still at full strength. The Germans have re-taken the State Farm 500 VP hex and the 500 VP hex and surrounding bunkers in North Ponyri.

The Russian tankers fleeing with Sasha have survived but a horde of German infantry will probably soon overrun the 500 vp hex out there.

Screen shot of the renewed advance on Hill 253.5 displays the general flavor of this turn and the deteriorating Russian situation. HQ does note that it is probably good news that the Germans are reduced to sending their MG platoons in the assault wave. Still it is a formidable sight to behold to the Russian defenders:

[Cole]

Turn 28

The German assault of Hill 253.5 is now turning into a toe to toe brawl between isolated groups. In some areas the assault has been pushed back but in others a few German platoons have cleared the Russian fortifications and are pressing on. In a turn or so they may threaten the VP hex.

The fight in North Ponyri is living up to it's name of the Stalingrad of Kursk. The VP hex has now changed hands for the 4th time. The Russians counterattack but supporting German infantry behind the VP hex are concealed in captured bunkers making it almost impossible for the tired Russian infantry to keep their counterattacks going.

In the western sector the Russian forces are in full flight and the VP hex captured. Sasha and his tank have survived and hopefully will survive the remaining 5 turns or I'll have to employ some creative writing as I've already described how he tells the story of this battle to his grand children.

The score is tied. The loss of the 500 VP hex in North Ponyri gives the Germans a minor victory. If I lose the 500 VP hex on the hill then any chance of a victory or even a draw is gone.

[Larry Reese]

If Sasha's track gets knocked out, he can still jump or be thrown clear and either picked up by friendly infantry or armor, or captured (and escapes?). No need to have him killed off. :-)

I was hoping those fresh platoons might throw the Russians off a little. Those were carefully husbanded and rushed forward to try and stem the tide. We'll see what happens - this one has been a barn burner for sure.

LR

LR

[Cole]

Turn 29

Probably no more screen shots until the game is over (4 more turns) as the game will be won or lost around two VP hexes and both forces fighting toe to toe and back and forth over the same ground. Once the situation changes in any sector I'll post relevant screen shots. Nail biting stuff now for the Russians and I think the Germans too.

Russian artillery accounted for almost 20 SP's of German troops during my replay. Unfortunately friendly fire killed five of my own but that's what happens when the forces are so close. I've been trying to whittle down the German lead in points for casualties but can't break the -100 mark. Right now the Germans have killed 1083 or so SPs of Russian losses and I've killed around 936. I think at the end of my turn I had closed that by about 20 points or so.

West Sector - Russians in full withdrawal mode and will make a stand in the forest.

N. Ponyri - VP hex has now changed hands for the 6th time. When the Germans advanced last turn they bought in a Ferdinand platoon to accompany the infantry. Fortunately the infantry was separated from the tanks by Russian artillery fire and the Russian counterattack easily pushed them back. Cannot consolidate beyond the VP hex as more Ferdinands occupy the heights to the north of town and engage any Russian unit in sight.

Hill 253.5 - The German infantry rallies and this turn is accompanied by assault guns. A good portion of the German infantry is pushed back but the Russian defenders are getting tired and running out of ammo.

[Cole]

Turn 30 End of German turn

West Sector - Russians holding their new positions. Germans cautiously advance and consolidate their newly won objective.



N. Ponyri - Russians able to hold on to the VP hex this turn. Germans spend the turn rallying disrupted units and moving up armor and more infantry for the final push. The Germans have almost cleared the valley to the south of the State Farm and will soon be able to advance on N. Ponyri from another direction.



Hill 253.5 - Russian artillery saves the day again. German infantry slowly pushes forward and more panzers are assigned to this sector but the Russian artillery keeps the majority of the enemy infantry unorganized in their assault. Germans using more smoke this turn to cover their advance.



Artillery disable results against armor - Lot's of disable results against the German panzers for the past few turns. I know a lot of folks dislike the new odds for a disable but after reviewing the replay the thought came upon me that if a commander wants to mass his armor in a zone that is constantly under artillery barrage he has to be willing to suffer some losses. I'm think that armor would quickly try to vacate an area if they found themselves under sustained and accurate artillery fire. Obviously Larry has a strong reason to keep his armor in these dangerous positions as his armor commands all below it but I'm glad for the price he has to pay and really do think that this is not out of the historical boundaries.

[Cole]

Turn 31

A nice replay and more German super tanks are disabled by accurate Russian artillery fire. I just love seeing Ferdinands go up in smoke. Those tanks control all the landscape that they overlook so it is nice that they do have to pay a price.



West Sector - Seems that the Germans are happy to consolidate and the Russians hold the forest unmolested.

N. Ponyri - The German assault has pushed 250 meters beyond the VP hex taking all of the northern suburbs of Ponyri. The Russians have expected this and artillery is able to disrupt some of the German units. The Russian counter attack (after about 8 different close assaults) has cleared two of the hexes just south of the VP hex but one brave German platoon has held on to the last remaining hex south of the victory points, even disrupted they held off SMG platoons and T-34s. They will now call down some devastating German artillery on the Russian forces.

The Germans are also sending scouts south of the State Farm to call in artillery behind on the Russian mustering areas.



Hill 253.5 The German infantry and panzers had surrounded the bunker guarding the 500 VP hex. The Russian commander anticipated that his troops could not hold onto the bunkers and tree lines forward of the VP hex and fell back right before a devastating Russian artillery barrage was called in on the German troops rushing in. On group of German infantry was surrounded and overrun and the Germans occupying the bunkers just north of the VP hex were also overwhelmed. I don't think the Germans have enough infantry left in this sector to take the bunker. I'm still worried about the big assault guns but fortunately the Russians have stationed a 152mm battery in the bunker complex and that should be able to give any panzer commander a headache.



Unless I'm unlucky the battle will be a draw if I can recapture the N. Ponyri VP hex or a minor loss if I don't. If the Germans take Hill 253.5's VP hex then a major loss is a possibility.

[Cole]

Turn 32

Screen shots below showing the situation in N. Ponyri and on the hill just after the Russian artillery fire has ended. I will also go back to Turn 29 and add screen shots I've been holding on to. Game is pretty much over. I only give myself about 25% chance of retaking the VP hex in N. Ponyri and being able to retake it next turn. The VP hex on the hill is pretty much gone.


Hill 253.5
The Germans were able to counterattack and retake the bunkers and woods. The Russian defenders are now in a difficult position. My 152mm battery in the VP hex is out of ammo and I have nothing else nearby that can do much against the panzers. The Germans are sure to target the VP hex with overwhelming artillery fire and hold the hex with panzers on their last turn.

For some reason any size image I post of the hill comes up too big and text is cut off. Click the image below if you want more detail.



N. Ponyri

I might have a chance to retake the VP hex but the panzers protected by smoke are worrisome. I suspect there are more heavy tanks behind the lines that will be used to take and hold the ground.

The MG gun platoons in the bunker complex (under the N. Ponyri label) are another worry. Along with the Ferdinands on the hill they control all they see.

[Crossroads]

Great job, Cole! Keep'em comin'! :) :) :)

[Cole]

Turn 33 Last Turn

The Germans have taken both VP hexes and are now sitting at a major victory.
The good news for the Russians is that I have guessed correctly where the defensive German lines would be and have plotted my artillery accordingly.

I tried to hold onto the VP hex on Hill 253.5 but (without telling the poor Battalion Commander posted there) have assigned over 20 different artillery batteries fire missions on this vital hex.



For Hill 253.5 it all depends if my artillery can cause enough disruptions and hopefully disable a couple of panzers. Fortunately it seems that most of my infantry preparing for the counterattack have been left unmolested by German fire and are not disrupted.

The N.Ponyri VP hex is a much more difficult nut to crack. The screen shot shows how some German infantry have already retreated from the German lines but the two main hexes protecting the VP hex are garrisoned by heavy German tanks and one hex is protected by smoke. The VP hex is also covered by smoke and who knows how many troops are in there. My hope is that the artillery does much damage on the front lines but that any retreat results sends them into the VP hex to be over stacked.

I forgot to add that I'm in the middle of a Q&A session with Von E concerning his scenario. After I play and post my last turn and give my thoughts I'll post Earl's thoughts and answers.