ASL Red Barricades : October 18th

CG Day 18/10 Set Up

The Germans brought up a new Sturm Company, supported by a platoon of PzIVF1 tanks and an 81mm mortar battery with an offboard observer.  They also invested heavily in fortifications, so as to run a trench line between their precarious toe-hold in the factory, and the wooden buildings on the other side of the railway embankment from where reinforcements would enter.  Their objectives were to broaden the bridgehead in the NW corner of the factory - so as to allow more on-board troops to deploy there on October 19th - and to take the Chemist's Shop (X9) and unlock the eastern side of the Red Barricades.

To put a stop to these nefarious schemes, the Russians took a Factory Militia company, placed an SMG company on reserve, and set to fortifying more buildings, putting up roadblocks and trying a bunker as a ploy.  They also took a Light Artillery battery and an AT battery with 4 guns, and brought their SAN number up to 5 [which I unfortunately forgot...].

All companies were at full strength, with normal levels of ammunition for the OBA.

CG Day 18/10 Combat

On the German left flank, the Russians chose to defend the last line of buildings in front of the Chemist's Shop with a half company of factory conscripts, which did not go well.  At the end of turn 1, most of them are dead or prisoners, as shown.  Nonetheless, it is testimony to the strength of the Russian position here, as well as the tireless work of Commissar Petrov in the Chemist's Shop, that the Germans basically got no further than this by turn 5.  The Russian strongpoint in BB9, just to the east of the Chemist's Shop, was also a thorn in their side, and the bunker (whose orientation shown in the picture is an error, it should be turned one vertex counterclockwise) made them hesitate in any approach on the factories.  Hence a whole German company was tied up.

The attackers did try to use the prisoners to clear the roadblock, the half-tracks waiting and revving up their engines in the hope of securing some ground, but nothing actually came of it (the Russian HMGs up on the factory roof unhesitatingly firing on their unarmed but treacherous comrades).

The units under 5/8" ? markers are actually HIP.  It is too much book-keeping whilst playing solo to write their positions down, so I place these large ? markers which I "ignore" when choosing German actions.

On the German right flank, the fight to expand the bridgehead would be slow but sure.

The PzIVs were thrown into the fight on turn 2, and their overrun attack on the Russian positions would ultimately allow Sturmtruppen through to take the strategic N5 building. A 1st floor position here will allow German MG to stop any movement between the two factory blocks...unless of course the Russians take to the sewers, which they will !

The other side of the battlefield, from Russian perspective.  The Russian posture went from feeling terribly spread out - which led to the evacuation of the N5 building, to reinforce the reserves - to having everything under control, alternating from one to the next about every fire phase.  They were also handicapped by the fact that their artillery battery successively drew two red chits, leaving them without any OBA support...at least it will be retained for October 19th.

At this point in the battle, the cameraman was shot by a Russian sniper, so there will be no more photographs of Stalingrad in the October 18th archives.  A more numerous film crew will be deployed on October 19th (and issued with body armour).

High points of the day were :

- a fierce hand-to-hand combat in B11 (visible on one of the previous photos), which the Germans ultimately won and, with the help of a DC, then took stone building B12 which is a major haul.

-  One of the PzIVs headed towards the Chemist's Shop, where it had the excellent idea of closing right up to the walls to bombard the enemy point blank with 75mm HE rounds, adding to the danger from the 81mm mortar battery now targetting here.  Unfortunately for it a 45L AT gun revealed, then scored a critical hit which blew the panzer into small burning pieces.  The 45L AT gun crew then wheeled their gun backwards out of LOS of advancing Sturmtruppen, despite incoming MG fire.

-  In the same corner of the map, advancing under cover of incoming OBA targetting the Chemist's Shop, the German infantry laid down an incredible number of smoke grenades, allowing two units to make their way down the gully, until they were challenged and overcome by a Berserk 4-4-7.

-  In the NW corner of the factory, another AT gun took out a second PzIV with its (one and only) APCR round.  Last up, a lucky Russian sniper shot wounded the senior German officer present, Hauptmann Praxa [10-2] who would have to be evacuated back to the Fatherland after the fighting.

-  An emprisoned Russian squad managed to overcome its guards and escape after the entire German stack it was with was broken by incoming fire

CG Day 18/10 Results

This was a German victory, the attackers having acquired another 28 stone locations.

The perimeters are as follows :

German losses are :

4 x 5-4-8; 2 x 4-6-8; 0,5 x 4-6-7; 1 x HMG; 1 x used DC; 1 x LMG (captured); 8-1 Leader; 2 x PzIV F1s with their crew [27 VPs for the Russians]

ELR Loss and Battle Hardening : 1 x 4-6-7 -> 4-6-8; 1 x 4-6-7 -> 4-4-7

Russian losses are :

3 x 5-2-7; 8 x 4-4-7; 5,5 x 4-2-6; 1 x MMG; 2 x 50mm mortars; 1 x LMG [33 VPs for the Germans]

ELR Loss and Battle Hardening : 4 x 5-2-7 -> 4-2-6 / 3 x 4-4-7 -> 4-2-6

CG Day 18/10 Wrap-up

Germans :

Wounded 10-2 and 7-0 Leaders evacuated

Battle Harden : 1 x 4-6-7 -> 1 x 4-6-8; 8-0 -> 8-1

Russians

Wounded 8-0 Leader evacuated

Battle Harden : 1 x 4-4-7 -> 1 x 4-5-8; 8-0 -> 8-1

CG Day 18/10 Retained

Germans :

9-2 / 9-1 / 8-1 /  8-1 / 8-1 / 8-0 / 7-0

15 x 5-4-8

7 x 4-6-8

7 x 4-6-7

1 x 2-4-7

2 x 4-4-7

1 x HMG / 4 x MMG / 5 x LMG / 2 x 50mm Mrtr / 2 x ATR / 3 x DC

1 x Med Arty 100mm OBA

3 x SPW 251/1

1 x PzIVF1

Russians :

10-0 Comm / 9-1 / 9-1 / 8-1 / 8-0 / 8-0 / 7-0 / 7-0 / 7-0

1 x 4-5-8

13 x 4-4-7

1 x 2-3-7

9 x 5-2-7

1 x 2-2-7

16 x 4-2-6

2 x HMG / 1 x MMG / 3 x LMG / 1 x LMG (captured) / 2 x 50mm Mrtr / 2 x ATR

1 x Lt Arty 70mm OBA

2 x 45L AT / 2 x 45LL AT 

5 x 2-2-8 crews

CG Day 18/10 Map Changes :

I realised when re-reading the rules that upper floors cannot be fortified if lower floors are not, so at the end of the CG Day, I applied that to all existing fortifications.

 

Stone Rubble : F5, F6

Wooden Rubble : X0, X2

Fortified Buildings [Lvl] : F11[0,1], F13[0,1], H8[0], I8[0], L5[0], N5[0,1], W10[0,1], X9[0], Z1[0,1], BB9[0]

Trenches : V3, V5, V7, U2, E13, D13, C6, D6, E6

Bunker : 2+3+5 Wooden in S7 pointing to R7/S8 hexside

Roadblock : Y8, GG12

Burnt Out Wreck : W2, V8

Wreck : S3, K7

Post-battle musings

Russians :

Russian MMGs are too heavy to rout with, so they are best used at medium range, close enough so that the infantry using them can also fire at half effect.

Russian HMGs can either set up on Factory Rooftops, which makes them Fanatic and therefore avoids any Cowering; but they are then an easy target for German "Death Stars" (MG stacks with a 9-2 or better leader).  Or they can seek out fortified Level 2 Stone locations (such as the Power Station or the Commissar's House).

Russians are Fanatic in factories (or on rooftops) which make Factory Militia far more interesting.

Purchasing infantry companies as Reserves is a very interesting option, but remember they only activate (except for incoming fire) if the enemy moves within three hexes and in LOS.  In any case they make a good second line, although on days when the Russians can only purchase 2 RGs it is a tough choice to make.

Sewer movement is not very risky, and is a great way to recloak.

Germans :

The AFPh capacites of 5-4-8 Sturm units are amazing (basically, 4 FP at normal range)

AFVs should be used aggressively without overly worrying about possible losses.  Uses are then : point-blank fire into buildings without Street Fighting risks; overruns of strategic locations; "AFV freeze", as infantry with a target in their hex (even invulnerable to their shooting) may not engage any other, obtained either by VBM or overrun.

For this same reason, AFVs lead well in factory assaults; for this task MG capacities (which are the key element of overruns) are more important than MA.

AFVs are also useful at laying down Smoke; check the S number of the vehicle.

The Germans need to seek some height, so as to get more LOS opportunities, and avoid recloaking.  They can more easily exploit Level 2 Rooftops than the Russians, due to the lower ranges of Russian MGs.

Encirclement is a powerful means of attack, as broken Encircled units will surrender to adjacent enemies.