01-19-2010, 04:48 AM,
(This post was last modified: 01-20-2010, 12:33 AM by Jim von Krieg.)
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Into the Valley of the Shadow at Ilovaysk (Counterstroke)
Along the valley's northern end, Colonel von Krieg strains to elevate himself just a bit further from the Mk-IV's hatch.. From just below the crest of the plateau he peers from his binoculars at the large formation of Ivan's armor... His reconnaissance elements have done an excellent job..
An outer screen of T-34s with the monster KV-1s in the middle moving south.. Damn... those big Red Army beasts are always difficult to deal with because of their thick armor plate..
Ivan's formation is moving slowly to the south along the road leading into the valley... Good, good... the troops are in position and Ivan is driving straight into our kill zone...
Just to the east of the road, a large convoy of trucks parallels the movement of Ivan's armor... It is creeping across the snow covered fields... Seemingly unconcerned about the danger they face... Unexpected... A slight smile emerges on the normally stoic von Krieg's face... their commander will regret his foolish choice not to march into the fight...
Behind Ivan's armored column, more tanks, SP Guns and trucks follow...
Across the radio net from von Krieg's reconnaissance elements screening the southern end of the valley, another large formation of Ivan's armor is reported moving in a southerly direction parallel to the valley...
One problem at a time... Colonel von Krieg takes a deep breath in a momentary pause as he mentally reviews his plan in his head... then he furiously barks out orders over the net... ALL elements move forward to engage...
Switching to internal comms... von Krieg focuses on the task at hand... Gunther sabot... Hans... bring us forward onto the plateau...
von Krieg's Mk-IV slowly crests the rise onto the plateau and it's panoramic view of the large enemy formation... Petrol engines all along the valley rim belch their large exhaust clouds as they push their panzers uphill and into battle...
As the panzers brake to a stop, the gunners across von Krieg's formation squeeze their triggers... the quiet morning is shattered by the cough of multiple gun tubes sending rounds downrange tearing into Ivan's formation...
In the distance, bright red flashes and plumes of oily black smoke erupt across the snowy white plateau... the peaceful winter morning is no more...
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01-19-2010, 05:13 AM,
(This post was last modified: 01-20-2010, 12:33 AM by Jim von Krieg.)
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Von Luck
Brigadier General
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Posts: 1,011
Joined: Jul 2002
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RE: Into the Valley of the Shadow at Ilovaysk (Counterstroke)
:) (01-19-2010, 04:48 AM)Jim von Krieg Wrote: Along the valley's northern end, Colonel von Krieg strains to elevate himself just a bit further from the Mk-IV's hatch.. From just below the crest of the plateau he peers from his binoculars at the large formation of Ivan's armor... His reconnaissance elements have done an excellent job..
An outer screen of T-34s with the monster KV-1s in the middle moving south.. Damn... those big Red Army beasts are always difficult to deal with because of their thick armor plate..
Ivan's formation is moving slowly to the south along the road leading into the valley... Good, good... the troops are in position and Ivan is driving straight into our kill zone...
Just to the east of the road, a large convoy of trucks parallels the movement of Ivan's armor... It is creeping across the snow covered fields... Seemingly unconcerned about the danger they face... Unexpected... A slight smile emerges on the normally stoic von Krieg's face... their commander will regret his foolish choice not to march into the fight...
Behind Ivan's armored column, more tanks, SP Guns and trucks follow...
Across the radio net from von Krieg's reconnaissance elements screening the southern end of the valley, another large formation of Ivan's armor is reported moving in a southerly direction parallel to the valley...
One problem at a time... Colonel von Krieg takes a deep breath in a momentary pause as he mentally reviews his plan in his head... then he furiously barks out orders over the net... ALL elements move forward to engage...
Switching to internal comms... von Krieg focuses on the task at hand... Gunther sabot... Hans... bring us forward onto the plateau...
von Krieg's Mk-IV slowly crests the rise onto the plateau and it's panoramic view of the large enemy formation... Petrol engines all along the valley rim belch their large exhaust clouds as they push their panzers uphill and into battle...
As the panzers brake to a stop, the gunners across von Krieg's formation squeeze their triggers... the quiet morning is shattered by the cough of multiple gun tubes sending rounds downrange tearing into Ivan's formation...
In the distance, bright red flashes and plumes of oily black smoke erupt across the snowy white plateau... the peaceful winter morning is no more...
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01-19-2010, 12:21 PM,
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RE: Into the Valley of the Shadow at Ilovaysk (Counterstroke)
A firestorm erupts along Ivan's avenue of advance... Shot and Thunder echoes across the plateau...
After the throaty crack of the 75's... T-34's and KV-1's erupt in flame... In the distance, large explosions and turrets slowly tumble through the air... the 75's on the Mk-IVs are cutting into the flanks of the Red armor along the road... large fireballs and flames dot the once pristine white fields... the enemy formation grinds forward as if on parade...
Ivan's once orderly formation is descending into chaos... STuG's, Marders, and Mk-III's tear into the chaotic formation... more explosions... more burning tanks littering the landscape... all semblance of the once orderly formation on parade is gone...
As the Red Army spearhead undergoes its trial by fire.. the pain is not over... SP Arty over open sights pump round after round into the motorized column... Steel shrapnel shatters the once pristine columns... Infantry crowded in the back of the vehicles bouncing across the open fields is shredded in agony...
Scanning towards the heavens.... von Krieg observes the Luftwaffe circling overhead... Stuka's wheel over and plummet towards the earth... extremely large explosions create towering plumes of earth mushrooming towards the sky...
Over the radio net... scouts report that the other large enemy formation has stopped it's move south.... and is backtracking towards the ongoing battle...
Colonel von Krieg does a quick calculation of distance and speed... their move is probably not going to arrive in time to save their comrades... the large spearhead of the enemy formation is shattered by the still potent Panzertruppen...
von Krieg's driver Hans softly hums the Panzer Lied over the internal comms...
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Big Ivan... My steady opponent picked the scenario... It was the last scenario I played several times just prior to my 08/09 deployment...
I think it is an excellent scenario... it is hard on the Red Army as they struggle to close on the German positions... I just made it tad bit harder...
Regards,
Jim
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01-19-2010, 04:48 PM,
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RE: Into the Valley of the Shadow at Ilovaysk (Counterstroke)
(01-19-2010, 04:48 AM)Jim von Krieg Wrote: von Krieg's Mk-IV slowly crests the rise onto the plateau and it's panoramic view of the large enemy formation... diesel engines all along the valley rim belch their large exhaust clouds as they push their panzers uphill and into battle...
Just for the sake of accuracy, the IV was powered by the Maybach HL 120 TRM, which was a gasoline engine, not a diesel... :-)
LR
If you run, you'll only die tired.
One hand on the wheel, and one in the flame,
One foot on the gas, and one in the grave.
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01-20-2010, 12:32 AM,
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RE: Into the Valley of the Shadow at Ilovaysk (Counterstroke)
I stand corrected... Petrol... not diesel...
though it gives my opponent little comfort as the burning T-34's and KV-1's litter the battlefield... I caught them in the flanks from long range... they'd retreat and expose their back side... which was hammered home by ALL my other armor...
I was actually pretty shocked in how quickly it was over... I almost didn't send my Mk-IV's to the position on the wing... I had originally planned to lay back so I could catch him as he came down into the valley...
It would have been a head on slugfest... a tough nut because of the T34s and KV1s, but the unscreened flanks just screamed for me to push my unseen long range killers quickly to his flanks...
It was the large recon element that Ilovaysk gives the German player which allowed me to quickly ID and adjust my plan to my opponent's attack...
Regards,
Jim
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Into the Valley of the Shadow at Ilovaysk (Counterstroke)
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