Random chatter...

[Jim von Krieg]

Battle opens on another front.

As Kampfgruppe Schulze advances without orders to stem the Russian onslaught, there are sporadic clashes all along the front. Large number of T34s are swarming across the battlefield.

One company of T34s slam into my forces consolidating their position in the center and to my amazement stands fast. With panzergrenadiers swarming all around them and Mk-IVs in close support all the T34s blaze brightly in the village square unable to withstand the concentrated German firepower at close range.

To the south, our scouts report enemy movement in front of our blocking position. T34s swoop in, shoot (to no effect) and slide away. In the distance, a large convoy of trucks appears.

After some discussion, the scouts in coordination with the blocking force commander decide to attempt to close with and destroy the enemy column. Half-tracks race forward only to take enemy fire from the flank.

Several half-tracks are destroyed, but the platoon continues forward. Close behind, the scout cars move up and begin a close assault on the closely spaced trucks. Russian trucks explode under the scout cars 20mm cannons at close range. As a result of the assault, there is nowhere to go but deeper into the enemy lines. When the decision was made, they all understood it was a suicide mission.

After ravaging the Russian convoy, the two units sweep through the center of the village. Rolling through the eerily silent streets, the scout cars and remaining half-tracks move expecting contact, but the village appears empty.

Yet, the quiet is short lived as a company of T34s come racing in behind them. Absorbing the fury of the attack, the remaining half-tracks burn from the impact of multiple 76mm rounds. Additional rounds burst all around the scout cars, but amazingly the recon commander is able to rally his men.

With his fate hanging in the balance, what will he decide? Should he return to more friendly lines or should he move deeper into the unknown that is reportedly swarming with more Red Army units? He needs to leave the village and leave fast as enemy tanks swarm through the area.

All his options appear to range from bad to worse. After taking a deep breath to steady is nerves, the young Leutnant, decides to take the quickest route back to friendly lines. Maybe audacity will catch the Russians by surprise.

We are leaving and we are leaving as fast as we can. As military leaders through history have done, he signals to his other scouts, follow me. Engines scream as they are red-lined as the scouts accelerate past the burning wrecks that were moments before the vehicles of their friends.

As the scouts move to the outskirts of the village, apparent disaster ensues. Looking to his left the young Leutnant sees the turrets of several T34s swivel and lock on him. In slow motion, the young officer observes the flash from the muzzles pointed in his direction. He curses his fate to die in this God forsaken land and instinctively ducks down into his turret. This won't protect him from the effects of the 76mm rounds ripping the turret off his scout car, but he can't control his reflexes.

An eternity goes by, the supersonic crack of the shells passing overhead startles him as he holds his breath. Am I dead yet? No... Realizing they missed, he regains his composure, pops back up in the turret and yells into his throat microphone for his driver to punch it.

As the column of PSW-231s move forward towards other German units, he sees more T34s and trucks blocking the advance. Calmer now, he tells his driver to bear to the right. In unison, the other scout cars follow. Dust plumes form as the vehicles leave the hard ball at high speed. Damn, more enemy trucks blocking our movement.

He quickly assesses the situation. With no open path to safety, they are going to have to fight their way out. He signals the other vehicles to engage the enemy trucks at close range.

Racing straight at the very surprised Russian convoy, the scout cars 20mm cannons bark loud with the rounds slicing into the unsuspecting Russians. As the German vehicles rapidly approach, the trucks explode one after another. With no time to think about it, the Germans move past the destroyed convoy towards the safety of the blocking position where the half-tracks had emerged at the beginning of this wild ride.

It looks like they just may live to fight another day. As his unit barrels towards the friendly positions, the young officer signals his unit to move off the road and stop once they pass through the lines.

As they approach the village, lumbering in front of him, Panthers appear. They come to a stop, the turrets swivel towards the PSW-231s, then the barrels rise. Are they going to fire on us? NO! This can't be. Are we going to die from friendly fire? Oh, the irony of it.

Bright flashes appear from the muzzle brakes of the Panthers followed by dust slightly obscuring the large tanks. A large crack reverberates over the Leutnant's head as the rounds pass a few feet above him. He quickly looks over his shoulder to observe the T34s that had blocked their retreat explode. Slowly, their turrets separated from their hulls tumble through the air.

Apparently, this moment is not our moment to die. Yet, there is no time to contemplate just how close death road by the young man's side just minutes before. There is still a large enemy force to our front and the mission must continue.

[Cats]

The other side of the story!

The Russian commander stands, sweat dripping from his furrowed brow as the lowly private is brought before him, "Vell, tell me vhat has happened and vhy did ve get our arses kicked?" Looking down and shifting from side to side, he mumbles something that was unable to be heard.

"Speak Up you fool!" shouts the commander..

"The men were drunk, as well as their leaders! They found a stash of potato mash (vodka) in the village of Rylovka and got completely blitzed (no pun intended)" states the private

"Vell private, you are now a corporal, go and die for the mother land! Dismissed"

With that the commander went back and picked up his latest copy of "Military Tactics for Dummies"

Maybe someday I will get this he mutters to himself.........................
Now lets see, page 42, How to Stop the German Advance while being Completely Surrounded

[Jim von Krieg]

The other side of the story!

The Russian commander stands, sweat dripping from his furrowed brow as the lowly private is brought before him, "Vell, tell me vhat has happened and vhy did ve get our arses kicked?" Looking down and shifting from side to side, he mumbles something that was unable to be heard.

"Speak Up you fool!" shouts the commander..

"The men were drunk, as well as their leaders! They found a stash of potato mash (vodka) in the village of Rylovka and got completely blitzed (no pun intended)" states the private

"Vell private, you are now a corporal, go and die for the mother land! Dismissed"

With that the commander went back and picked up his latest copy of "Military Tactics for Dummies"

Maybe someday I will get this he mutters to himself.........................
Now lets see, page 42, How to Stop the German Advance while being Completely Surrounded

That made my day... ROTFLMAO... And now you know the rest of the story...

[Crossroads]

lol... Cats, I am afraid you are looking at the wrong section of the manual. Stopping German Advance While Being Completely Surrounded does not cover all the steps necessary.

Based on your situation report, the proper scenario is actually covered a bit later, in page 57:

How To Stop The German Advance While Being Completely Surrounded And Drunk As A Cuckoo

[Cats]

lol... Cats, I am afraid you are looking at the wrong section of the manual. Stopping German Advance While Being Completely Surrounded does not cover all the steps necessary.

Based on your situation report, the proper scenario is actually covered a bit later, in page 57:

How To Stop The German Advance While Being Completely Surrounded And Drunk As A Cuckoo

FOUND IT!!!

[Jim von Krieg]

Earlier, I picked up a game with Fubar1 on the Western Front... Jim chose a Don Fox scenario based on the battle of Stavelot. We'll see how this goes as I've never played this one before.

I'm dug in with a nice assortment of infantry, armor and artillery. Looks like a tough fight for the Amis, but they are dug in with good tactical positions.

One bad point, a few of the Germans are on the same side of the river. That can't bode well as they can cut in behind my position for the VP hexes and I have little to stop that. I'll have to do a balancing act to keep the baddies from seizing the VP hexes behind me while controlling the bridge head.

Duh, just had tactical epiphany as to what to do. VP hexes are key, but there is another technique that will help as well. This is one of the reasons I like to "share" my battles. It helps me systematically review my battle plans. Just had to issue a FRAGO to the troops. It's an obvious item, but I hadn't even considered it until now.

German also have a nice assortment of infantry and armor with Panthers, King Tigers and Mk-IVs. As this Amis, I get to do the shoot and scoot with no elaborate plan to attack. I'm behind a river overlooking the enemy approach and the fight seems to be all about VP Hexes. As long as he pays a high price for taking one, then I have a chance.

First few turns are mostly the Germans moving around. My MGs are disrupting his advance. I drop artillery all around where I think he's going to "appear". As long as I keep my guns supplied, I can dish out lots of punishment.

Also, my M10s are getting the best of the fight with the Panthers and gun tracks. Two Panthers burn on the far side of the river. I slide out pop the Panther and run away behind cover.

Also, good things occur as my AT guns OPFIRE his loaded halftrack attempting to race for the bridges. I love the smell of burning halftracks in the morning. LOL...

Looks like the initial surge is broken up with a good segment of Fubar's far bank assault force disrupted. I've stripped away his cannon carrying halftracks as well as one of the halftrack troop carriers. My Shermans are zapping the infantry moving in the open on the far bank. My MGs OPFIRE is also slicing and dicing his infantry moving forward.

I'm taking casualties from the German arty, but nothing major so far. All my guys are dug in and I dart around a bit to escape the impact hex. However, I have to hold the defense so I am getting hit by his guns.

I caught a glimpse of his second assault force moving up. Mk-IVs with infantry. I slide out of LOS. Don't want his tanks pounding my poor line doggies from afar.

I'm feeling good so far, but that can vaporize in an instant with this.

So far, issue remains in doubt.

Jim

German units moving up on the far side of the river have taken a pounding... My Jumbos and M4/105s steadily blasted approaching infantry... As they get close, machine guns chatter... artillery falls all around the confused and shattered German units... two more Panthers burn on the far side... the M10's with senior leader direction have left the German armor blazing on the far bank... Engineers destroy the bridge across the river, thereby limiting the opportunity for any enemy forces to rapidly cross...

On my right flank on my side of the river, the German push was devastated by concentrated artillery barrages.. Yet, the immovable King Tigers sits there intimidating the GIs hunkered down in their foxholes..

Meanwhile, my infantry attacks down the hill to the VP hex... driving back the Germans in the area... these troops now standfast waiting for the next German surge... An enemy scout car moves up to harass my MG unit that pushed past the VP hex... tracers strike all around the approaching German scout... the scout car's cannon shoots wildly to suppress the GIs... then to the amazement of the American gunners the enemy vehicle begins to burn...

Further down the hill a German SP mortar conducts a direct fire mission on the troops sitting on the VP hex... A nearby platoon observing the attack rushes forward to break up the attack... those Krauts won't be doing that again as smoke rises from the burning German half-tracks...

So far, it looks like the Americans will hold Stavelot...

[Cats]

Update on Fire brigade Schultz:

The Russians have enjoyed a great amount of vodka

The Germans have killed a great amount of Russians

The Russian Commander has learned a lot

The German Commander was unrelenting!

Bottom line..........................."Got my butt whooped, but learned a lot" Thanks!

[Jim von Krieg]

Update on Fire brigade Schultz:

The Russians have enjoyed a great amount of vodka

The Germans have killed a great amount of Russians

The Russian Commander has learned a lot

The German Commander was unrelenting!

Bottom line..........................."Got my butt whooped, but learned a lot" Thanks!

Drunken Russian commanders and political officers race for the rear as the big bad Huns advance to the last Russian fighting positions under a tremendous artillery barrage... Leaving their troops to fend for themselves... the Officers thought they had escaped the impending disaster...

For some unexplained reason the headquarter trucks come to a halt just north of the village... there is an enemy blocking force and they are close... all around the fleeing headquarter troops chaos reigns and explosions rock the strung out convoy... racing among the trucks are enemy reconnaissance vehicles and Jagdpanzers...

Just to the south, the end is quick as unlike their cowardly commanders, the Red Army Soldiers fight hand to hand as Kampfgruppe Schulze crushes their heroic last stand in this sector..