Battle for the great bend AAR - Panzafahra71 vs BCGAMES

[panzafahra71]

I have played this scenario against the AI on both sides since I was able to win it on both sides on the first try, I accepted the challenge.
I will make one episode per day.

22 August 06:00

Turn_01_overview.png (2.66 MiB) Viewed 163 times

321 RD ( 3 x green infantry regiments, green AT batalion and arty regiment and a regular recon company) starts north of the Don. The bridge near Chernopolyansk is blocke by an AT batalion from the 376 ID. The bridge near Kremenskaya is free, so that one regiment can cross the Don to attack the German AT batalion from the east later. The 321 RD shall attack The Verkhowsky VH later (axis 2VP / allies 1VP per turn)

SF AG1 (2 green and 2 regular 152 mm arty regiments) move closer to support the actions around Verkhowsky.

41 GRD (same structure as the 321 RD but all troops regular with veteran recon company. They shall clear the room south of Verkhowsky and isolate the defending units. Since the Germans left some space i have to move the up.

23 RD (same structure as 321 RD) is located east of the Don an needs to be moved up to support the actions of the 41GRD.

Two Katyusha regiments of the SF AG5 are placed near the road to Perkoskaya to support 23 RD and 41 GRD.

38 GRD: One infanty regiment and the AT batalion defend the woods northwest of Yablonskiy while the other two regiment have to capture the southern pert of Yablonskiy before the Germans do so. They will be supported by the other tw Katyusha regiments of the SF AG5 and 2 green T34 batalions of the 1 GA. Thea are my only armoured troops.

39 GRD is located on the eastside of the Don and has to pass a ponton bridge before they can attack the ridge south of Yablonskiy.

40 GRD is located between the VH Shokin ( 2VP axis / 4 VP allies) and VH Sirotinskaya ( 2 VP axis / 1 VP allies). They have to keep the ground until 38 GRD and 39 GRD are in position. I start some limited attack to create room for maneuver.

1 GA AAG1 ( 2 x green 122 mm arty regiment and a veteran Katyusha regiment) will support the actions of 39 GRD, 38 GRD and 40 GRD.

22 August 10:00

Turn_02_overview.png (2.68 MiB) Viewed 163 times

German units south of Verkhowskiy withdraw and I can move up 41 GRD and 23 RD. 23 RD and 39 GRD successfully crossed the Don but still need some time to get in position.
38 GRD manged to win the meeting battle with 3 batalions from the 100 Jgr D and secured the southern part of Yablonskiy. They shall attack the ridge south of the town, where a further batalion of the 100 Jgr D is in position.
The two T34 batalions shall further push back the fleeing 100 Jgr. D batalions west of Yablonskiy with a limited attack.
40 GRD starts a limited attack west of Sirotinskaya.

22 August 14:00

Turn_03_overview.png (2.8 MiB) Viewed 163 times

321 RD shall attacks the AT batalion which blocks the bridge north of Verkhowskiy.
41 GRD and 23 RD attack towards south west.
The T34 batalions shall move to the forrest north west of Yablonskiy after successfully pushing back the units south west of Yablonskiy.
38 GRD shall continue attacking the ridge an the position north of Shokin, while 39 GRD continues getting in position.
40 GRD can now move up towards Sirotinskaya.

22 August 18:00

Turn_04_overview.png (2.76 MiB) Viewed 163 times

231 RD cleared the bridge an shall attack two batalions of the 376 ID an an AA east of Verkhowskiy. They are not succesfull and will hold position over the night.
41 GRD and 23 RD attack towards west where they face batalios of the 376 ID reinforced with AT and SP AT companies. They push back some of the positions but won't move up over night.
The T34 batalions move towards west to secure the flank of the 23 RD.
38 GRD and 39 GRD made no progress and have to attack again, but again with no success. So they will hold their postions over night.
40 GRD conducts another limited attack west of Sirotinskay. This time it is successfull, but I hesitate to move up over night.

[panzafahra71]

Day 2

During the night the Germans moves up the 113 IDwhich was obviously freed since I bombarded them with arty, to the road to Perkopka.
The 100 Jgr. D an d the 44 ID used the night to close the gaps which were opened by the attacks of the 39 GRD and the 40 GRD the day before.
I used the night to move up some of the higher HQ and bring the recon companies to the frontline.

Turn_06_overview.png (2.47 MiB) Viewed 158 times

41 GRD and 23 RD pushing back the 376 ID and their supporting SP AT companies further to the west.
39 GRD, 38 GRD and 40 GRD repeat their attack towards the ridge Shokin and Sirotinskaya but cannot gain ground.

Turn_07_overview.png (2.7 MiB) Viewed 158 times

321 RD uses the gap which was opened by 41 GRD to encircle the position west of Vherkowskiy.
Parts of the 22 PD show up south ofVeherkowskiy and prevent the defending unts from beeing cut of.
This time 39 GRD and 38 GRD can push back the Germans north of Shokin but cannot follow up.
41 GRD conducts another limited attack west of Sirotinskaya with no success.

Turn_08_overview.png (2.55 MiB) Viewed 158 times

321 RD again attacks the position west of Vherkowsky without success, while the defenders of the town withdraw. Further parts of 22 PD including the tanks appear south of Vherkowskiy. I decide to move up my T34 battalions to reinforce the postions of the 41 GRD against German breakthrough.
The units in front of 23 RD and 41 GRD (376 ID and 22 PD) whithdraw 1 hex.
38 GRD and 39 GRD moving up towards the positions they opened before. 38 GRD cannot set their feet on the ridge since the 100 Jgr. D is successfull in a meeting engagement. 39 GRD can close op to Shokin. 40 GRD again conducts a limited attack against the position west of Sirotinskaya.

Turn_09_overview.png (2.64 MiB) Viewed 158 times

321 RD attacks the postion east of Vherkowskiy again which holds the ground again and have will be attacked during the night again. 321 can set their feet into Vherkowskiy which was abandoded before.
39 GRD and 40 GRD attack the positions east of Shokin, while 38 GRD still attempts to get their feet on the ridge.
39 GRD is succesful and is now in position to attack Shokin the next day.
I use the night to move up 23 RD to the German positions again. Furthermore the 38 GRD will again attack the ridge.

[panzafahra71]

Day 3
The attack of the 231 RD east of Vherkowskiy killed the enemy infantry but the AA batalion still holds the ground.
22 PD is massed south of Vherkowskiy and I fear a counterattack against the 41 GRD.
The 100 Jgr D on the ridge south of Yablonskiy was pushed back over night but the 38 GRD was not able to follow up.
The Germans are interdicting me constantly and since turn 6 my ammo is near zero.
I fear I cannot make much progress without additional ammo supplies.
At least over night I'am not interdicted.
Since turn 6 I started destroying enemy units and get some points.
I must conquer Shokin to get 4 points per turn in order to win this battle.

Turn_11_overview.png (2.78 MiB) Viewed 154 times

321 RD attacks again the AA batalion east of Vherkin. This time they are successfull!
22 PD retreats southwards to Perekopka. I decide to move my T34 battalions to Yablonskiy since I fear the 22 PD will use the gap in my lines north of Yablonskiy.
39 GRD attacks Shokin and can capture the town.

Turn_12_overview.png (2.54 MiB) Viewed 154 times

321 RD uses the room which was left by the 22 PD and moves up in direction Perekopskaya.
41 GRD and 23 RD move up towards Perekopka.
The T34 batallions reach their position northwest of Yablonskiy.
39 GRD tries to capture further parts of the ridge west of Shokin while parts of the 22 PD appear west of the ridge.
39 GRD can withstand a counterattack against Shokin and can push back the 100 Jgr D south of Shokin.
40 GRD tries to pushback an infantry batalion and an AT company southeast of Shokin without succes.

Turn_13_overview.png (2.22 MiB) Viewed 154 times

321 RD slowly moves up to Perekopskaya. 41 GRD can push back two batallions of the 376 ID.
39 GRD can capture the next part of the ridge and is now in front of the 22 PD which masses west of the ridge.
40 GRD can not push back the infantrybattalion reinforced with 1 SP AT company an 1 AT company southeast of Shokin.

Turn_14_overview.png (2.67 MiB) Viewed 154 times

41 GRD moves towards Yablonskiy to support against the 22 PD which moved almost completely west of the ridge between Yablonskiy and Shokin.
321 RD and 23 RD have to handle the situation north of Perekoskaya and Perekopka. They close up to the enmy positions.
Now I fear a large counterattack against 38 GRD and 39 GRD. I must hold Shokin and mitigate loosing own units to win this game. Since I have very few supply I have to defend my positions and try to destroy further German units if there is a good opportunity.
I will use the night to complete the repositioning of the 41 GRD.

[panzafahra71]

Day 4
Since turn 12 I have more points than the Germans due to destroyed germans and constant 5 VP per turn for holding Shokin and Vherkowskiy. I have very few ammo since my support was interdicted during the daylight.
Over the night I reenforced the position in Shokin whith AT guns an the recon company. I plan to launch an offensive from the north whith the 41 GRD and the two T34 battalions against the 22 PD, which is massing west of Shokin.

Turn_16_overview.png (2.37 MiB) Viewed 151 times

41 GRD manage to push back the battalions of the 100 Jgr D whis secures the north flank of the 22 PD, but they cannot follow up.
The 39 GRD can hold Shokin against a massive arty supported battalion sized attack of the 44 ID.
The tanks of the 22 PD move southwest of Shokin. I fear the Germans want to attck east of Shokin and decide to move my tanks to reinforce this positions.
321 RD and 23 RD cannot get good odds and I decide to conduct some massive arty bombardments to wear down the enemy and hopefully get a chance to attack towards Perekopka again later.

Turn_17_overview.png (2.3 MiB) Viewed 151 times

Repositioning of my tanks was succesfull. One battalion is located in Shokin an the supports the position west of the town.
The attack of 41 GRD is successfull and I can punch a whole through the north flank of the 22 PD.
321 RD and 23 RD don't make any progress.

Turn_18_overview.png (2.28 MiB) Viewed 151 times

41 GRD can further push back the north flank of the 22 PD. While the tanks of the 22 PD are now adjacent to Shokin. Will they try an attack next turn?
40 GRD makes no progress.
321 RD and 23 RD also cannot advance. The arty bombardment causes only small losses and the enemy positions north of Perekopka remain stable.

Turn_19_overview.png (2.5 MiB) Viewed 151 times

No attack on Shokin. 41 GRD can advance further towards the north flank of the 22 PD.

[panzafahra71]

Victory!

Victory.png (2.08 MiB) Viewed 147 times

Finally I could achieve a tactical victory.

Victory points.png (138.89 KiB) Viewed 147 times

After day 1 I did not expected this, since I already spent nearly all of my ammo and was permanently interdicted during daylight.

Allied ammo.png (116.74 KiB) Viewed 147 times

On day two I started to get points from destroying German units and I captured Vherkovskiy which slowed down the German VP increase,

Eliminated units.png (85.83 KiB) Viewed 147 times

As th 22 PD showed up south of Vherkowskiy during day 2, I was convinced they will anhilate my infantry and my VP shortfall will increase since I had not gained any VP until turn 6.
As I managed to conquer Shokin in turn 3, I got more confident but still feared a massive counterattack of the 22 PD with destroyed units on my side. But the 22 PD relocated from Vherkowskiy. So first my tanks and then the 41 GRD moved to the next possible location for a counterattack. During day 3 and day 4 I was always strong enough at the right spot and so I managed to save my VP advance over time. I think this was a very close victory. Only two or three anhilated units on my side and BCGAMES would have been the winner.
This was a very exciting game from the beginning to the end and I have learned a lot during the game.

I am looking forward for more challenges

[bcgames]

Great AAR. Loved the game. Congrats on your win! Well played.

[panzafahra71]

Great AAR. Loved the game. Congrats on your win! Well played.

Thank You!
You played very good as well.

T34 85 Russian - German Museum Berlin Karlshorst.

T34 85 im Profil.jpg (576.9 KiB) Viewed 122 times