Dog Fight - Ostkreig Tournament Round 1

[Dog Soldier]

Russian turn 7.
18:00 PM July 9, 1941
Dusk
Visibility 1km.


Victory points after the Russian turn seven.



The 10th MD attack is slowed to give me time to reinforce the city hex defenders. Most of my units are now released with a few key exceptions; the 38th Tank Division and the Army artillery on the main road north of the city. These large artillery pieces will take two moves to limber and get out of the way of the troops trying to come south. They make effective road blocks for the large Russian infantry formations trying to march quickly down the main road. The 3rd battalion of the 38th tank creates another road block by remaining fixed next to the railroad bridge southeast of the city. This effectively prevented my Russian units east of the city from escaping across the river on that bridge. (Road movement stacking limits.) They will have try for the highway bridge to the west. I do not want to leave them in the open terrain north of the railroad bridge. The Axis might reach those hexes next turn and if disrupted, the retreating Russian infantry will be stuck in transport ("T") mode on the south side of the bridge. There, they will most likely be shot up becoming a liability the rest of the game.
Units from the 187th division are moving up from the south. They will try to shore up the southern flank and extend the Axis lines as they drive east. I inadvertently targeted the wrong hex on a drag and drop move causing the recon battalion from the 187th from exiting the city properly. They came in contact with the Germans in the outskirts who disrupted them in transport mode with heavy casualties. Rats! One has to be careful and lead a unit one hex at a time when the space is narrow.
I concentrated my return fire this turn on only two Axis units trying to fatigue them enough to make them less useful next turn. With the QFM optional rule, this may not work. As a general rule when facing enemy units of higher quality, concentrating your fire on a few key units is better than trying to hit everyone.
Even facing horrendous losses in the 172nd rifle division as they try to exit the city, I hope any units sacrificed during the night achieve two objectives.

• Prevent the link up of 10th pz and 10th mot.
• Prevent 10th pz from laying a bridge during the night east of Mogilev.

If I can accomplish those two things by dawn, I think my chances to win will improve a lot in this battle. The Axis has 195 VP at this point, 100 VP coming from a VP hex. I am pleased with the loss ratios so far. I will lose a lot of troops during the night due to being surrounded. The loss of rest for the Axis troops and preventing an Axis link up will be worth it. The second day of fighting will tell the tale.

Retrospective.
von Nev is performing the text book example of a pincer attack on the Russian 172nd RD in Mogilev. This is what it looks like to be caught between two powerful Axis divisions. Russian players of S41 have to accept that this will happen to many of their units. There are always more Russian troops.

Dog Soldier