VotG CGII Drive to the Volga AAR Sept 17th part II

We plowed on through the end of turn 3 this weekend. Things are reaching critical mass.

The most interesting and savage fighting continues to be in the south, where the smoke has now cleared. The Russians have started to form a new line in the U46 building. The Germans have moved forward and are driving a wedge along the southern edge of the map, but at a very high cost.

The Germans have a few kill stacks, StuGs hammering away, but it has been a slow grind as the Russians give ground grudgingly. The Germans have already lost nearly 60 CVP of infantry in three turns.

During a H-T-H melee in the theatre, the Russians slipped a few squads in behind the Germans after a German boxcar infiltration roll. They don't pose a very large threat, but they will have to be dealt with, damaging the already desperate German schedule.

The Germans lost radio contact on the module in the above photo, or else the spotting round would be a FFE. It is critical to get contact and convert it in the next turn.

The 467 at the left of the photo is in a hex with a burning StuG killed by a MOL-P. I think that is the first result the Russians have had with one in the campaign.

A few blocks up the Russians are retaking ground in and around the Nail Factory. Although you can't see them in the photo, there are good order German squads in each ground level location of the K40 building. They have to stand up!!!

The Russians have collapsed "the knob" where the Germans had a major MG position. More captured MG's. I've lost count of how many German MG's have been captured.

Further north, the Germans are pulling back across Communisticheskya St, as the Russians have them locally over matched.

In the extreme north, the German reinforcements are taking back some ground. We got a StuG in behind the Russian infantry in an attempt to encircle and block rout paths. Unsupported however, the Russians were able to isolate and kill it in CC. (Joe never fails a PAATC. Never!!)

Things are getting to a point where the Germans have to make a breakthrough and drink from the Volga very soon, or give it up. If we can drive the wedge through in south, we have hope to continue. If the Russians hold, we may have to give it up, as the losses have been staggering.

Hoping to get back at it this weekend.

AAR VotG CGII - Drive to the Volga - Day 1 - Part II

Joe and I were able to plow through another 2-1/2 turns of CGII on Saturday. The battle began to take on more definition as the Germans moved to fully engage the Russians who had set up back from the west edge.

There formed up two distinct battles: one in the north around 9th Jan. square, and another in south in the block across the street form the children's home. There were scattered light skirmishes in between.

In the north, the attack ground forward as the Russians abandoned the L7 building, to fall back towards Pavlov's House, where there they are planning a barbecue (ha ha). I also discovered around turn four that Pavlov's house is an NKVD strong point.


The withdrawal from L7 is another interesting tough choice for the Russian. I understand fully that force preservation is Joe's strategy at this point. and in fact, he was able to get many of them out moving (or routing) along the "paths of shell holes". But at the same time, that building was becoming a real pain in the neck for me, and I was not unhappy to see the Russians heading out the back door. Kudos to Joe for sticking to his strategy. Joe revealed a mortar in the debris of S2 to lay smoke to facilitate the move.

Smoke on the square

I had a stack of 2 HMG's go on a rate tear rolling snakes twice in the same phase.(!) They broke the crew manning the 76L in the fortified upper floor of Pavlov's house despite firing through smoke, but not before it had taken out another StuG. The dug-in T34 in K5 was dealt with by a Stuka bomb. As we came to the end of turn 5, I was trying to figure out the best way to bypass the square to the north. I still would like to roll up that north edge to restrict his reinforcement options going forward.


There was sporadic light fighting in the center, including a local counterattack around the I16 building where the Russians had a numerical superiority. That did not go so well for them. Those conscript squads are frustrating for Joe, I'm sure. They break and disrupt so easily, then they just wait for someone to come and kill them.



After that little fiasco the Russians starting pulling back to the east in small groups. It looks like the next line of defense will be Smolenskaya St, where there are some reserve counters lined up. Doubtful there will be much more fighting in the center, as we are both fairly weak in that area.






A raging fire continued to spread through the rail yard, drawing even more ire from the Stalingrad Hobo Association






In the South, both sides have reason to cheer, and both sides have reason to fear.







The Germans were able to force a crossing of Communisticheskaya with the help of some kill stacks and cross-street flamethrower shots. The Russian revealed another dug-in tank, this one in the rubble of L40. The tank's fire was ineffective, and it was destroyed in close combat.


Forced crossing under fire


Just as it seemed we were making progress, the Russian got his reinforcement DR at the start of Russian turn 5. We were ill prepared for that. As infantry and KV1's started streaming up from the south edge, we found a few StuGs had been over extended in that area. One was killed by a bounding fire KV1 shot. Another is in a very er...delicate position. The only reason that one is still alive is that multiple Russian squads failed PAATC's during the advance phase of turn 5.

StuG in a tight spot

Some of the reinforcing infantry appears to be head for the Univermag, which has been activated as a historical strongpoint.


The CC phase of turn 5 capped off a more successful local counterattack for the Russians in the K43 building, as they killed off a flamethrower toting engineer squad in CC, and kicked all the Germans out of that building.

The Germans had a CC victory on the south edge, although it was more of a moral triumph than an strategic one. The Russians advanced a concealed squad into CC with a CX 248 half squad (who had been tasked with sweeping up the south edge before Russian reinforcements came rolling on). The Russian got ambush*, and killed the German by rolling an eight but----- the Germans roll snakes, generating an 8-1 leader, changing the odds and reversing the outcome! The German troops live. The Russians......not so much.


One of the exciting and frustrating aspects of playing a fresh CG for the first time is that it is hard to know where you stand. My Germans currently have very little chance of satisfying the initial scenario VC, which I suppose means I am behind. But then --who the hell knows??.

Three turns remain. Soon I'll have to start figuring what locations to move through to best form my perimeter for the night attack I know is coming.

This has already been some of the most interesting and exciting ASL I've been involved with. Hopefully we'll be able to finish the first CG date soon. Stay tuned.


*Edit - Joe points out that the Russian did not get ambush, otherwise CC would have been sequential, meaning no attack back and more dead Germans. I must have been thinking of a different CC, in some other place....

AAR VotG CG II Drive to the Volga Sept 15th Part II

Joe and I got through the end of turn three on Saturday as the wonders of central air protected us from the sweltering New Jersey heat.

It was bad.

Everything is coming up Russian. Joe ONLY rolls threes. I ONLY roll nines. Turn three saw the loss of a StuG IIIB ,at least 9 German squads, an 8-1, and a 9-2 leader. It was truly one of the most incredible two way dice runs I've ever seen.

It all started in the CC phase of turn three. There was a H-T-H melee near the center of the map where two German 467 squads were grappling with two Russian 527s. I reinforced the melee with another 467 and an 8-1 leader to improve my odds.

Joe rolled a three. I rolled a nine. It's what we do.

Not far away, two German squads were broken by piddling small arms fire, then eliminated for FTR as the Russians moved in to cut off their retreat. Anger.

(Above) Here is the center of the map being held down by a lonely German crew after after massive casualties were inflicted in turn three.

(Above) Hex S25 was the scene of the melee that wiped out an entire German platoon and their 8-1 Lt. After we win the war, we'll have to build some kind of memorial here. It'll be very tasteful.

A little farther south, a major German MG position is in danger of being encircled, while a Russian AE squad waits for his chance to street fight a Stug.

Meanwhile, the big trouble is again on the northern flank. The heavy artillery I tried to bring down on the Voentorg was slightly off target, and caught a couple of my squads, breaking one of them. Of course, it also caught some Russian squads, but when I rolled 9s on the IFT DRs, I got mostly simple MC results. Since Joe rolls threes, he passed them all easily. (bitter? me ? Nah.)

The Russians launched another push up the extreme Northern edge with good success. There are a lot more German casualties waiting to happen unless i can make something happn quickly up there.

(Above) The Russians apply pressure with a strong local counter attack. The trench holds a broken German 75* INF gun. (When I said I roll nothing but nines, that wasn't really true. Sometime, I roll twelves!)

I bought an INF gun battery during the refit phase because I wanted some ordnance to fire on the fortifed buildings on the east end of the square, especially the 150mm. Unfortunately I rolled up a depleted battery. Instead of a 150mm and three 75s, I get two only 75s and NO 150. That's hard to swallow. Grrr!

(Above) The German push to flank the Voentorg is cut off and beaten back as the Russians cross back over Smolenskaya St.

Only in the deep south are the Germans holding their own, as they push the Russian line back. In the photo below, a German 7-0 stands atop a burning StuG flamed by a critical hit advancing fire shot form the KV-1, standing like a colossus. ( When I said that Joe only rolls threes, that wasn't really true. Sometimes he rolls twos!)

AAR VotG CGII Drive to the Volga Sept 14th Night Part II

We finished up the Russian night counter attack of Sept 14th this weekend. There were a few more surprises for Russians, a total German collapse in the North, followed by an unexpected reprieve.


The first surprise was unveiling the HIP flamethrower squad the Germans had lurking in the cellar of M41. They assault move up to the ground level in German turn 2, maintaining concealment, then advanced into M42. They regained control of both hexes, and were ready to hose down the Russian MMG's firing from the upper level of M43. (Note: M43 does not actually have an upper level. Joe made an error and I did not catch it.)

Before they were able to, the MMG stack got a K/2 result, followed by a failed morale check. Then with ROF, they finished him off. The Russians moved a squad into the hex, and picked up the FT. That should have worked. It's so bitter.....

Situation in the block south of the Nail Factory, end of turn three.

Meanwhile......up by the 9th January Square..........

My other surprise for Joe was the two assault eng. squads I had HIP in the cellar of the Q10 building. In German turn three, one squad advanced concealed up to the ground level location of R9 which was full of CX Russians. It was the first time in the scenario that the Germans had an ambush advantage.

So, of course the Russian won the ambush. Went H-T-H and dispatched the invader.

The other squad moved from the cellar of Q10 to Q11 during movement phase, and fired upstairs in AFPh, breaking the two conscript squads in that location. They then advanced upstairs to gain control of the hex.

Even further north........the rout was on.

The Russians had two guards companies coming on the north edge where I was thinnest. Inside of three turns my left flank was wide open, when something very surprising happened: Joe asked me if I wanted to agree to end the scenario early. (!)

I think I said something like: "Yes".

My northern flank had been blown wide open and the door to Berlin laid out before the advancing Russian hordes....and they want to call it a day? Where do I sign?

Joe said that he felt he had reached a point of diminishing returns in that area (there weren't many Germans left to kill). He had already wrapped up the scenario victory being +14 on stone hexes. He thought in the south the momentum had swung my way.

Well.....that's all true, but the opportunity to shove two companies into the German backfield would not have been something I'd turn down.

Russians win the first two scenarios. German losses for the night:

467 x 12 548 x 1-1/2 838 x 2

8-1 x 1 7-0 x 1 8-0 x 2

Looking forward to sunrise, and getting back on the attack.

AAR VotG CG II Drive to the Volga Sept 14th Night Part 1

After more than two hours of setting up, we got through the first 1-1/2 turns of the Russian night counter attack of 9/14


In preparing for the counterattack, I was overwhelmed at the number of dummies I would receive as the scenario defender. With all those dummies (and all those real troops!) I thought I was going to present a very solid and deep line to the hated Russian. And then, I started putting them on the map, and realized I was much thinner than expected.


Like any good ASL, this scenario forced me to make decisions. Can't be strong everywhere. So I decided to bulk up in the area that had seen some of the heaviest fighting in the daytime: the block south of the Nail Factory, and east of the Children's Home.


I bought one Rifle Coy as reinforcements. Being unsure how long my on board forces would be stuck on No Move counters, I thought it would be good to have troops with immediate freedom of movement. They too would come on in the south.


So, of course, Joe appears to have bought two infantry companies (at least one guards coy), and they are all coming on .....you guessed it, in the north. Trying to hold them back with a handful of squads, a few 50mm mtrs, and a single StuG does not seem to be going well.


Look at all those cloaked counters brazenly crossing the square. They have to be dummies! I mean, don't they??? (Gulp)



The Russians have all but ignored the center of the map, where my strategy of controlling street crossings with a few well placed machine gun nests for laying fire lanes has gone unchallenged

" No Move for you!!!" - The Move Nazi

Near the Univermag strongpoint, I took a gamble and got burned. I tried for the 'perfect placement' of my OBA when correcting and converting. I was trying to get both a KV-1 that was prancing around the square, and the .50 cal stack in the same drop.


The fire was off target, drifted towards my HIP Observer, and revealed him by forcing a 1MC. At least he passed it. The shot was also possibly effective as it got a Shock result on the heavily armored KV.

The radio man is revealed as a KV-1 is Shocked, SHOCKED! to find artillery raining down on him.

Further towards the SW corner we've had a success with a Set DC, and a fiasco with another.


In turn 1, we brought the center hex of building K44 down killing a Russian squad. Had hoped for a "chain reaction" of falling rubble, but no luck. Still pretty happy.


When it came time to blow up my other Set DC in hex M42, I gleefully announced that his Commissar and 2 squads were in big trouble there, and then proceeded to fail the NTC that would allow the detonating squad to complete the Big Boom.

Not sure what the convention here is, but pretty sure I didn't have to tell him where the DC was until after the NTC had been passed.(?) Couldn't contain my joy. Stupid. The Russians suddenly, strangely, began to vacate that hex.

Set DC hex : Hey! Where'd everybody go?

Further south, my Rifle Coy came on and helped to stabilize the map edge against a Russian push up the gully.

Overall, casualties for both sides have been a bit lighter than expected. Most of the casualties have been in CC situations, unsurprisingly. The cloaked and mostly Stealthy Russians have huge ambush advantage over the Lax Germans. Joe has yet to decline a H-T-H CC opportunity. The Russians have been burned a few times by that strategy, but it has been mostly successful.

So, after 1/-1/2 turns the situation in the North is approaching dire. Further south, the Russians have crossed Ostrowskaya St with mostly cloaked units and encountered very light resistance. They will probably gobble up stone locations by the bucket fulls there.


Only in the extreme south is it more or less an even fight right now.

Nevertheless, with lots of time left, I may still have a surprise or two in store for Joe. Should be fun.

AAR VotG CGII Drive to the Volga Sept 15th day Part One

Joe and I plowed through a turn and a half of our VotG campaign on Saturday. While it's still far too early to make judgements, my Germans have generated some momentum (Germentum?)

The most personally satisfying moment of the campaign so far came in my first movement phase. After I had pulled two set DC attacks on Joe during the previous Russian night assault, I expected him to return the favor. My suspicions were only raised more when I saw that his setup left several front line hexes abandoned in the block south of the Nail Factory.

So...risking search casualties, a brave 2nd line half squad moved forward and revealed a set DC in M42. No search casualties resulted. Woo-hoo!

Next, a concealed unit advanced into the DC hex, and Joe announce that he would detonate. His boys passed the NTC and rubbled the building right down on top of my........wait for it........dummies! I think I then did something that could best be described as a "touchdown dance"

After a lot of slugging it out in that block, the Russians are finally on their heels and falling back to the east.

Pushing east as reinforcements cross Communisticheskya St.

At one point in turn two, I assault moved two concealed 548 squads into a building location in that block which had 12RFP sitting in it. Did you know that residual is NOT halved against concealed units? I didn't. I'm not sure how it's possible that I didn't know that, yet the fact remains.

So, here I was violating some the most fundamental rules of good ASL play (stacking, taking big resid), and the 12+3 attack resulted in no effect!

"Fortune favors the bold"

- Virgil, The Aeneid

Further south my reinforced strength Rifle Coy entered the battle and started pushing up the south edge. I decided that with pretty good local superiority of numbers, I would just push hard at him, and let him try to shoot everyone. When we left it, the strategy looked to be working. (The "German Wave", I call it)

German Wave

Across form the Univermag, the Russians went to work on an 8-1 and HMG squad. The Germans burned a KV-1 that was trying to sleaze-freeze them, but later broke under withering fire. Then things got worse. The German leader went berserk, took the now reduced half-squad with him, and charged off into oblivion.........

This. Is. Not. Going. To. Go. Well.

Up north....things are getting really interesting.....

A StuG G bogs in a bad spot, but has a chance thanks to his infantry support.

To make up for the failed set DC trap in the south, Joe took out two elite squads I had started out in the Voentorg building with a successful one. (Voentorg?? Is this Russian or Klingon?? ) I wasn't wary for it there, as he had a half squad in the cellar of that hex. Nice shot.

In my purchases for this scenario, I discarded the "rotating stukas" RG which had been only marginally effective on day one, in favor of some heavy artillery. I was tired of playing around with the fortified fanatics in Pavlovs house and the surrounding area, and wanted to grab the right tool for the job.

I got it down on the square, burning a KV-1 that was getting a bit aggressive. (PIC)

While Russians were having some success with a small counter-attack up the extreme northern edge, the Germans may be close to a real breakthrough near the Voentorg.

By pushing some squads up through the rubble and debris south of the building, I was able to get into CC with the Russians and take some ground that has almost no Russian troops between them and the Volga. Now, if we get that 150mm arty down on the Voentorg, we could do some serious damage. Come on black cards.....keep coming.......

Still lots of fun ahead. Hope to be back to it soon.

AAR VotG CGII - Drive to the Volga -Day 1 -Part 1

Joe and I have previously played three ASL campaigns: Primosole Bridge (the long one), Operation Watchtower, and KGP IV, prayers in the dark. When Valor of the Guards was released, it was a natural that we would take a shot this one. We settled on CGII. It's a little larger than our previous games, but I think we will be able to see it through.

Since Joe had been the attacker in our last CG, he volunteered to take the defending Russians.

I have never beaten Joe. In the three campaigns, and at least a dozen scenarios. I'm starting to get a complex. I'm the Mets, he's the Phillies, and it's September, 2007. Anyway I certainly won't be underestimating him .

Sept 14th.

Joe and I got through 2 -1/2 turns of the first scenario of the CG last week. Joe sent me a few cool pix I'll post with this AAR.

The were two pregame bombardments. One given by the OB, plus one more that I purchased. The pre-reg hexes that I selected were both towards the eastern edge of the railyards, as I had planned to make a thust through there. Joe double-crossed me by not setting up ANY units in that area. But I had the last laugh, as neither bombardment fell on target. One fell two hexes east, breaking a few militia squads. The other fell one hex to the west, wrecking some rail cars, and starting a fire.

Because Joe setup almost all of his units back - east of Communistcheskaya St - the first few turns saw more manuever than fire. I was somewhat surpised to see that he chose not defend the Central Rail Station. It would be tough to hold through the day with all the firepower the Germans are bringing, but as a strongpoint it could be very costly for the Germans to take. Time will tell.

The Germans are making two thrusts: one in the north to try to sweep up the northern edge, the other in the center around and through the rail station. I bought an infantry coy of the 518th (one of only two allotted) to assist in the north. I was fortunate to get a reinforcement dr of '1' and get these troops and the OB given northern edge troops on the map quickly.

The main northern defense positions discover thus far are a dug-in T-34 in the K5 rubble (He has already bagged a StuG), and a 76L ART gun in the 2nd level of Pavlov's house (it's hard to believe his wife went along with that. "Honey, I'm gonna put huge gun in the spare bedroom okay?" "Oh, Pavlov!").

Other notable events on the northen flank:

• The Germans called in for some rocket artillery, which missed it's target (the K8 building), but still did some damage falling a few hexes to the south.

• A leader went berserk in the hex next to the dug-in T-34, but failed to convince the broken squad he was moving with to 'go crazy' with him. The broken squad routed away. leaving the crazed leader hoping he remembered to pack his ATMM

• A StuG got bogged on some debris en route to assisting the northern assault.
  

A dug-in T-34 greets a StuG while a berzerk leader checks his pack for an ATMM.

An ART gun crew covers 9th January square and the watches over the T-34. Their main protection is the AA gun in the trench a few steps north.

Meanwhile........down by the Rail Station......

The thrust around the rail station moved quickly, as very little resistance was put up in the area. Joe is obviously concentrating on force preservation, as he looks forward to a night counter-attack. Some resistance was put up in and around the Children's Home, but those troops quickly headed for the rear, leaving behind a MMG.

I used the 6 "support CPP" to buy the upgraded stuka RG. So far, Joe's T-34's have survived two stuka attacks. (Hopefully the score will change soon.) He has had bad luck with the MA's on the things, though. In the first turn he broke a squad manned MMG in the north, and the MA on a T-34 in the south. In a turn two rally phase he rolled a 6 on the MMG repair attempt and took it off the map. He then declared "Well, I couldn't possibly roll another '6', so I guess I'll try to fix this one too." I don't have to tell you what happened.

As I moved three StuGs through the area near south edge on turn two, a HIP ATR toting half squad popped up in the rear missing his shot. However, as all three StugS turned to show them front armor, it gave a rear shot chance to a different ATR team, who didn't miss. Joe used this diversion to get a T-34 into position to block my advance. I move up a StuG outside of his CA for a bounding shot which missed. Joe held fire.

In his DF phase he spun the turret for reasonable shot, but.....another 12. Will he try to fix this one? We'll see......

The German horde approaches Communistcheskaya Street.

Lead German squad tries to cross the street in the shadow of friendly artillery fire.

Oops.

.

The bombardment wrecks some rail cars and starts a fire in the yard. Local hobo population is outraged!

Humiliated T-34 sulks toward the rear, while two stuka pilots circle, laughing at him.

Hopefully, we'll be able to get back at it within a few weeks.

Catching Up

Well, it's been a while.

A combination of real life workload and general blog-laziness have conspired to keep Blind Hex dark for the last few months, but I'll try to breath some life back in.

First of all, The ABTF CG is over, ending in the British concession predicted by absolutely everyone.

At the end of the second CG date my British were holding only block H. We had about 27 squads (nearly half of which were walking wounded), ELR had dropped and the ammo shortage had gotten worse. The worst blow was the attrition in the leadership ranks.

The Germans on the other hand had lost the vast majority of their AVF's, and also had about 27 or so squads. However, the majority of them were elite. Most importantly there were a lot more of them available for CPP purchase, while the Brits of course can not get ANY additional infantry at all.

As I considered my strategy for the next CG date, the only thing to do would be to max-out on fortifications and dummies, and bump up the sniper. I would try to keep him shooting at ghosts and try to get some open ground shots.

As my scheduling problem drew on, and I considered the travel time between Joe's place and mine, I decided that I had to call it. I would have loved to have played one more CG date to see how it would go. As I told Joe, if we lived 10 minutes apart I would certainly not concede yet.

In the end, it just seemed like the chance for victory was so slight, that calling it a day was best the course.


I also left the SP101 Jura Juggernaut AAR hanging.

I've been unable to find my notes, but the Russians won. Here is the endgame photo:




Jim got his exit points pretty easily by the appointed time, and the game continued. My Russians were able to work the shrinking perimeter defense around the southern bridge as the Germans pressed in.

In the last turn, Russian squads at either end of the bridge were in place as roadblocks to prevent any German infantry from getting on the bridge (without some kind of miracle). However, Jim still had some vehicles that could drive through get onto the bridge.

He tried to get there from both directions. As a tank from the eastern bank was rushing through, it was engaged in CC reaction fire which eliminated it.

Another vehicle from the west rolled right through the squad guarding on that side. I thought I had lost as the tank would easily move through both bridge hexes and gain control, right? Wrong.

As Jim correctly pointed out, a vehicle can only control the location it is in. Once it leaves, control reverts to it's previous status: enemy or uncontrolled (A 26.12). Woo-hoo, Russians win!!

I'm certainly not the first to say that this is a terrific scenario. It's very spread out, there are lots of options for both sides, and there is a lot going on. I would take either side.

SP101 Jura Juggernaut gets the Blind Hex stamp of approval.

Will be posting a bunch more often hopefully in the near future as my schedule starts to settle back down.

VotG AAR CGII Drive to the Volga Sept 17th Part I

After a fairly large setup, we squeezed in the first turn of the 9/17 CG Day this weekend.

My infantry having been decimated on 9/15, I went idle on 9/16, and fortunately so did Joe. Desperately in need of manpower I purchased three "code blue" rifle coys in reserve, plus a Stosstruppe pltn.

For 9/17 I purchased my last "code green" rifle coy to enter in the north. I purchased a heavy weapons platoon to replace a few of the dozens of German MG's captured or destroyed so far. I purchased a pltn of StuG B's, which along with two other StuGs and a FlaK halftrack platoon returning from redeployment would actually give me some decent AFV capability for the first time since the opening day.

With my six "support cpp" I eschewed the rotating stukas in favor of two Bltn Mtr modules with pre-reg'd hexes. My plan was to bury the southern edge in smoke and rush forward, trying to achieve a breakthrough.

Joe (Russian side) had cleverly anticipated that I would be attacking on 9/17, and drew an attack chit himself to make it a duel attack. The dice gave me the first setup, which forced me to give away my planned "big push" up the southern edge. A little free intel for the Russians, nice move.

Jump Street



The dice also gave the Russians first move. With the first WC DR Joe rolled up civilian interrogation revealing my HIP stack on the second level of K45. (Two 8-0's with radios). Already things .....well you get the idea.

In the Russian half of the turn there was sporadic prep fire and some cautious forward movement. The Russians broke a squad in the center and got him to die for FTR. They also got a few melees going, but nothing too dramatic.

Sporadic light skirmishing through the center

In the German half of the turn, we maintained contact on both modules and let fly the smoke. We also got four smoke rounds from a Mtr on the south edge. There is a lot of smoke. When it drifted northwest in the advance fire phase the counter density became -- spectacular.

Stalingrad in the artificial fog

When my concealed 2 x HMG + 9-2 stack assault moved out of the Nail Factory into N39, Joe revealed a set DC. Although he did not rubble the building, it did break all three units. I was just thinking that I had cheated death and was starting to breath again. when Joe opened up with a stack of three 4-5-8 manned HMG's and a 10-3(!) leader from across the street. 3 KIA.

A broken HMG is all that remains

I brought my reinforcement rifle coy on in the north to find very few Russians in the area. I had planned to mostly just play defense in the north as all my major resources were diverted to the southern assault. Ironically, the real opportunity for this day may lie in the north, where the Russians are looking suddenly a bit overextended.

Northern Exposure?

Hope to be back at it within a few weeks.