Today's game was the first scenario in a short campaign in the Battlegroup Spring Awakening supplement. It represents the 1st SS Panzer Divisions drive along the Sarviz canal towards the Sio canal at the town of Simontornya, between the 6th and 10th of March.
To get to this objective they must battle the elements as well as the Soviets. Holding the area and village of Kaloz and it's bridge over the Sarviz is the 68th Guards Rifle division.
March 6th. The Kaloz Road
The first attack along the road to Kaloz, the outlying Soviet strong point must fight to delay the Germans.
The German advance began across country to avoid the Soviet dug in anti-tank guns and infantry which were covering the small wood where they expected the German advance to come.
This got off to a bad start with the Tiger II platoon commanders vehicle becoming mired in the mud.
Meanwhile German infantry began their advance through the wood to counter any Soviet advance onto the flank.
As expected the Soviets sent three squads forward, a fierce firefight for control of the wood began. Meanwhile the German advance on the open flank began to struggle with the Tigers making slow progress in the quagmire. Calling in supporting mortar fire was also problematic.
This gave time for the Soviet reinforcements to arrive.
A second Tiger broke down and a fire started forcing the crew to abandon it. In the wood both sides continued their private battle with neither side giving way.
The third Tiger runs low on fuel and grinds to a halt. The combined fire from the SU76 battery and IS2 resulted in the third Tiger being abandoned by their crew.
The Stuh42 was then hit by the fire from the IS2 and once again the resulting damage forced the crew to abandon. Over in the woods the German advance bought them within sight of the dug in Soviets with no armoured support any advance would be fatal, the German advance had been halted, for now.....
A cracking game lasting until the eighth turn when the Germans Battle Rating of 33 was exceeded the Soviets were seven away off exceeding theirs.
The scenario can be played again with the Germans having extra support, we shall see what transpires perhaps.
TTFN & KBO
A thought provoking game with many twists and turns maintaining tension for both sides I felt. As ever a joy to game with your outstanding WWII collections.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it, maybe a rematch at some point in the year.
DeleteInteresting looking game there Phil, once again... fabulous looking collection with which to play it out. Once you move the Tiger IIs off-road, there's always a high risk of bogging down!
ReplyDeleteThank you Paul. Perhaps I should have had more faith in the Krupp steel and stormed up the road from the get go?
DeleteI'd have took a chance with Dave's dice rolls, and the Krupp steel! 😉
DeleteThe Germans had a tough time with their armor in this contest. Great looking game.
ReplyDeleteIndeed not an easy one for the Germans, I was just not able to capitalize on the Soviet deployment and the late arrival of their reserves a poor tactical choice not sticking to the road.
DeleteSplendid looking game Phil and close as well 👍
ReplyDeleteThank you Matt. It was indeed, the Battle Rating system is a fine way of keeping the tension going throughout. Together with the BA Order Dice and the CoC Patrol Phase/Command Dice three of the fine rules "innovationS" for WWII gaming in recent times?
DeleteA lovely looking game Phil…
ReplyDeleteYou could always do a follow up scenario where the Germans try to get all of their abandoned armour back…
All the best. Aly
Thank you Aly. Now there is a thought, a prompt to get that Famo built and painted too.
DeleteAn interesting game Phil. I have a Helion book on the fighting around Budapest and always wanted to game it but it is still in the queue.
ReplyDeleteCertainly a tough one, I thought my luck was in when the Soviet reinforcements wouldn't appear until turn seven. I was soon disabused of that in turn one🙄
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