The Man Cave

 

Belov Escape To Victory Mission 2

A Chain of Command V2 Game report.

Russian forces to the East are pressing hard against the German 221^st Security Division forces using the heavy forest as cover to infiltrate close the German positions with the aim of breaching the wire and minefields. Later this day the German field commander will hear that the green troops were no match for the veteran Russian Urragh charge.

However this is news to come. In a small village east of Roslavl a German platoon under the command of the Company Captain have a much better defensive position. The troops here are a seasoned Regular platoon with MG34s instead of the second rate MG26t, they are supported by two Pak 36 AT guns and have a bunker in a commanding position.

The Situation So Far

It is May 1942 and forces under the Russian General Pavel Belov are desperate to break out of a German encirclement. The Soviets have divided into two columns, with the first, under General Kazankin, striking with a first echelon led by the 1st and 3rd Guards Cavalry Regiments; the second column under Belov led by the 5th and 6th Guards Cavalry regiments are attacking a little to the North East. If both attempts are not successful there will be a third attempt again near Roslavl.

A village somewhere near Roslavl…

An aerial view of the battlefield. A typical Russian farming village with crops yet to be harvested and open fields to the East.

 The German Commander has a position very favourable to defence with open fields of fire to a flank and buildings that will channel any enemy advance ideal for the Germans to ambush from.

As the Russian commander conducts his recon he is concerned about navigating the tight street through the village. His Guards Cavalry will need to dismount his troops leaving the horses to be mounted again later if required as the squads try to infiltrate using the woods as cover.

The Russians push a squad forward to the edge of the village with the T60 moving cautiously through the woods on the track. To the left flank a 75mm field gun has deployed and a sniper team that has moved forward has identified an enemy bunker and dug in infantry. The Germans open fire and wound the guns commander!

Wary of German ambushes the first squad cautiously advance to the village.

 The T60 has advanced to the edge of the woods to engage the German bunker but takes fire from a carefully positioned Pak36! The first shot damages the T60s engine and in retaliation a Russian sniper team hiding in the wheat fields lays down effective fire killing one crew member and causing shock!

 

The Russian infantry move forward on the flank using the farm houses to stay out of sight of any German defenders but unfortunately they are seen through a gap between two buildings and take effective fire from a German squad positioned near to Pak36! Heartened by the arrival of the infantry squad the Pak 36 fires at the T60 this time scoring a direct hit resulting in a very impressive explosion.

On the Germans right flank the bunker is taking a lot of fire from the Russian sniper team in the fields near the edge of the woods and the 75mm field gun but so far have taken no casualties.

 

The Russian Platoon Commander pushes another squad up to the village to support the troops taking fire from the German MG34 and accompanies them to keep momentum and prevent them bogging down!

The Russian field gun continues to fire on the German bunker but return fire as well as HE shells from the Pak 36 start causing casualties!

The Russian Commanders decides to throw caution to the wind and orders his platoon to mount up and sprint past the German Defenders who have left a flank apparently unguarded! A faire maiden was never won by a faint heart!

Unfortunately for the Russians the German Company Captain, an experienced officer from battles in Poland, France and now in Russia has two more squads in reserve and with deft co-ordination of the MG34 and two rifle squads catches the Russian cavalry in a deadly enfilade!

The first cavalry squad is wiped out! The second cavalry squad following also takes heavy casualties including the squad leader and the platoon commander!

 

While the Russian Guard Cavalry fought heroically the weight of fire of the German Machinegewher was too much for them. Seeing all their leaders killed or wounded, the supporting T60 destroyed and one squad completely wiped out broke their resolve. The German platoon held this salient and now wait to see General Belov’s next desperate move.

 Campaign summary to date.

The first mission was a resounding victory for the Russians who overwhelmed a Green German Platoon, easily breaching the wire defences. A terrifying Urragh charge by 3 squads against two already depleted green squads wiped them out! Surging with success they carried on to assault a third squad rushing to plug the gap but they were ultimately also swept away. The Pak36 was unable to dent the Russian T34s armour and German morale quickly plummeted.

This second mission was fought very differently with the Russians attempting to bypass the German defences. Unfortunately the T60 did not fare so well as the T34 in the other battle and two shots from the Pak36 resulted in a spectacular explosion. The last straw came when the cavalry tried a desperate sprint to escape.

 The scene is now set for the third and final battle!

Here is a preview of the battlefield. The road has a slight embankment offering some cover and the scrubby area will also offer some cover but the tangled low bushes impede foot and cavalry movement. The Russians will have plenty of concealment to deploy behind the farmsteads.