MAIN EVENT VII! Ratzki vs Joonny....

[Der Kuenstler]

Now to update Ratzki's efforts in taking the Southern church. We can see that the combination of German SMG troops defending the church backed up by area firing Panthers and stugs is just getting to be too much for the regular quality Russian rifle squads. They are wilting and dying at quite a high rate. There's hardly anything Russian out there without a warning label over them.



To make things even worse for Ratzki, Joonny's flanking rifle platoon has arrived in the cliffs from the South and can now shoot at the Russians from the side and even in some cases from behind, giving them an added loss of morale...



Here is a shot in the North in the Seatown looking West. We see Ratzki's smoke has about petered out and he has a significant bunch of men at the edge of town, but not close enough yet to contest the flags. Ratzki's six T34/85s were able to zip in behind the outer buildings with no losses despite almost every German AFV picking them up in their sights at one time or another - the Russian speedsters were just going too quick to get a clear shot off at them. But look at all the struggling Russian infantry still in the open with warning labels over them...it's hard to call the attack a success right now...



From Joonny's side, we see one of his Jager squads has a cover arc out and is preparing to try to stem the coming Russian tide. The German line in town is thin but in good condition and backed up by Panthers and Stugs.



Now some words from commander Ratzki:

"Well that went off better then expected. Problem is that I have too many troops and too little cover. I hope that Jonny starts to sweat a little now and runs around a bit so I can catch a couple breaks, maybe plunk off a couple of his many tanks and do some damage to some of his few and far between infantry. I am gonna take this turn and blast away at infantry only. Did I not just write something about playing to one's strengths, so I will fight my strength against his weakness, his infantry. I will try to avoid taking on his armor where I can and just start blasting away at the ground pounders.
On my left, I might get a shot at one of his tanks with my 122mm but position and timing have to be right. I see that he has moved up a couple more of his sqauds, this is good news for my guys, I should be able to out number his guys as they are a little spread out over here. Will have to wait and see. I am gonna be brave as well and make a run at the church and get into some hand to hand combat. If by some stroke of good fortune, I take this church, I will have to exit about as quickly as I figure that he will open up with all his big gub that he has and flatten the thing. It was a good eye opener when he did so earlier on the other church as I know he can accomplish this within a turn.
In the centre, I want to get him thinking on moving in reverse with his men, this is why I am firing everything that I have at his infantry, I want him moving. I need to know where he is, and one at a time deal with his infantry while I move froward. I will be really pressed for time, I am cursing this map every turn as without the huge delay in getting my FO into position, I feel that this would have been a within my grasp to win this game. Now, I am not so sure, he will get a bloody nose, and know that he was in a scrap no matter what.
I have 2 T-34's that will be able to target him if he comes down off that hill at his startup position. I suspect he will come off there fast if he does move, That might get me a couple good shots, maybe get lucky."



Hmmmm...Ratzki seems pretty upbeat at this stage, although the owner of the town store doesn't seem to share in his optimism...