East Front 1943 Salkov Campaign, Mission 01. 6mm WW2 on a small table

Introduction

I am planning to run a small campaign to get in some 6mm WW2 games with my own rules.  I am using a variant of Platoon Forward to generate the missions and opposing forces.  I will start with a Russian green company and follow it through as many missions as I feel I want/need to do.  Anywhere from 4-10 I feel at this stage.  Some of the Force and mission status may seem a little dry as I am using a spreadsheet to keep track of the Company and also to generate the missions automatically.

Company status at Campaign start

Leader Salkov, morale Green, experience 0.

1st Plt Ldr: Formin, morale Green, experience 0.

1st Plt 1st Section: Leader Amelin, morale Green, experience 0.

1st Plt 2nd Section: Leader Vetrov, morale Green, experience 0.

1st Plt 3rd Section: Leader Yeltsin, morale Green, experience 0.

2nd Plt Ldr: Shulgin, morale Green, experience 0.

2nd Plt 1st Section: Leader Zimkov, morale Green, experience 0.

2nd Plt 2nd Section: Leader Klimov, morale Green, experience 0.

2nd Plt 3rd Section: Leader Letov, morale Green, experience 0.

3rd Plt Ldr: Tokarev, morale Green, experience 0.

3rd Plt 1st Section: Leader Milyokhin, morale Green, experience 0.

3rd Plt 2nd Section: Leader Perov, morale Green, experience 0.

3rd Plt 3rd Section: Leader Slobozhanin, morale Green, experience 0.

Mission 01

Generated scenario

It is 1943 and a USSR infantry force is attacking a German infantry force. The USSR mission is a raid on listening post.

The force is ordered to raid into enemy territory to silence a listening post.

The terrain is woods, with 3x3 terrain:

Marsh | Woods |Hill

Light woods | Light woods |1-3 buildings

Crops | Light woods |Open

Victory is to spend at least 4 turns engaged in combat and cause several enemy casualties. Lose if do not capture a prisoner or listening post or inflict casualties in the 4 turns of combat.

Major Victory is achieved if capture a prisoner or listening post without sustaining significant casualties. Minor Victory if spend at least 4 turns engaged in combat without receiving major casualties and cause several enemy casualties.

The USSR force enters in zones 7-9. The German force deploys in zones 1-6.

Note: The defender will withdraw once shooting starts. Listening post zone 2?

The USSR has green morale for its seven sections and two leaders. Support includes 2xMMG.

Preparatory artillery consists of 2x82mm. Available indirect support is 3x82mm.

The German has green morale for its four sections and two leaders. They start dug in. Support includes MMG 2x50mm.

 

USSR Forces

USSR force

Seven sections and two leaders

CoHQ Ldr (Salkov) (on table as a leader),

1st Plt Ldr (Formin) (Formin on table as a leader), 1st Plt 1st Section (Amelin), 1st Plt 2nd Section (Vetrov), 1st Plt 3rd Section (Yeltsin),

2nd Plt Ldr (Shulgin), 2nd Plt 1st Section (Zimkov), 2nd Plt 2nd Section (Klimov),

3rd Plt Ldr (Tokarev), 3rd Plt 1st Section (Milyokhin), 3rd Plt 2nd Section (Perov).

2 x MMG teams

Indirect support:

Preparatory bombardment of 2x82mm mortars

Available support: 3x82mm mortars

 

German Forces

German force

1 Company HQ leader

1 Platoon Leader

4 Gruppe

1 MMG team

2 x 50mm mortars

All green

All dug in

 

Battlefield

View of the battlefield.

 Deployment

German deployment and Russian entry zone.

German listening post in the woods (mandatory) which is a Gruppe with Zug leader, and a supporting Gruppe and 50mm mortar.  MMG on the hill and the remaining forces in the farm buildings.

Woods cover a lot of the table.  Maximum visibility in woods is 12cm (table is 48cmx48cm)

The Russian, post pre-artillery bombardment, will thrust up the centre towards the woods.  2nd platoon (with MG) will provide flank resistance against any attacks from the farm while 3^rd platoon will guard the left flank.  The 1^st platoon, with MG and Company Leader, is tasked with finding the listening post.

Game

The pre-bombardment mortars supress the listening post!

Listening post suppressed.

1^st (Formin) platoon + Salkov and an MMG enter up the centre.

(harsh activation rules means to move more than 3 adjacent units requires to activations and only have 2 activations in first move)

Main centre forces enter

3^rd platoon (under Tokarev) enters on the left flank.

3^rd platoon (under Tokarev) enters on the left flank.

Listening post rallies (needed a 5+ so good rolling).

Tokarev’s 3rd platoon continue to advance

Tokarev’s  platoon on the left flank.

After a little while, all Russian units on the table – mortars on the left, 2^nd Platoon heading up the right of the centre woods and the leading Formin’s 1^st platoon ready to probe the listening post.

Overview

Formin’s 1st platoon moves to edge of the heavier wooed area and does not spot the listening post (needed a 6) but they are spotted in return by the listening post that opens fire!  They pin two sections – Amelin and Vetrov.

Shulgin advances to protect the right flank of the centre advance.

The 2^nd platoon moves forward.

The listening post continue to fire, suppressing  Ameliv’s section that was previously only pinned.

A centre section is pinned.

And then the German MMG opens up.  With excellent accuracy they take out all of Shulgin’s 2^nd platoon that rout.

MMG routs the entire 2^nd platoon under Shulgin.

The Russian MG opens up on the listening post – pinning one Gruppe and suppressing the other.

Russian MG fires

An event – a plane enters from the south and routs Amelin’s  supressed sections from 1^st platoon.

A plane – who know which side? – routs a centre section

Tokarev sees a chance and the 3^rd platoon (two sections) races into close combat with the listening post!

Tokarev charges the listening post

And routs the Gruppe on the listening  post! It is captured, although Perov and his section are casualties of the battle.

Flush with the win, Tokarev inspires his men to continue forwards into the other Gruppe.

Tokarev continues the charge!

And wins!

The Germans are all at a loss, having over 40% losses already.  The Russians have achieved their goal and retire.  The Germans do not pursue.

End game.

Post battle

The mission resulted in a minor victory.

Company HQ Salkov survived the battle.

1st Platoon Formin leader survived the battle. 1st section OK, leader Amelin OK. 2nd section OK, leader Vetrov OK. 3rd section OK, leader Yeltsin OK.

2nd Platoon Shulgin leader routed during the battle but OK. 1st section gone, leader Zimkov OK. 2nd section OK, leader Klimov gone.

3rd Platoon Tokarev survived the battle. 1st section OK, leader Milyokhin OK. 2nd section gone, leader Perov OK.

Section gone = suffered sufficient casualties to need enough new recruits to be green again.

Section leader gone – killed or incapacitated.  Sections drops a morale level (unless green - then stay green).

Company status

0: Leader Salkov, morale Green, experience 2.

1st Plt Ldr: Formin, morale Green, experience 2.

1st Plt 1st Section: Leader Amelin, morale Green, experience 2.

1st Plt 2nd Section: Leader Vetrov, morale Green, experience 2.

1st Plt 3rd Section: Leader Yeltsin, morale Green, experience 2.

2nd Plt Ldr: Shulgin, morale Green, experience 2.

2nd Plt 1st Section (replacement soldiers): Leader Zimkov, morale Green, experience 0.

2nd Plt 2nd Section (replacement leader): Leader Bogrov, morale Green, experience 0.

2nd Plt 3rd Section: Leader Letov, morale Green, experience 0.

3rd Plt Ldr: Tokarev, morale Green, experience 2.

3rd Plt 1st Section: Leader Milyokhin, morale Green, experience 3.

3rd Plt 2nd Section (replacement soldiers): Leader Perov, morale Green, experience 0.

3rd Plt 3rd Section: Leader Slobozhanin, morale Green, experience 0.

(note: at Experience 8 a squad will become regular)

Verdict

Using slightly revised rules form my other 6mm WW2 games where it is all 1d6 rather than 1-4 dice with 4+ a hit and varying the dice rolled.  The campaign system seems to go Ok after one battle.  Certainly generated a battle I would not have thought of myself.  And luckily relatively easy for the Green company.  Due to the close quarters melees and quickness of the battle I got to use the rally rules once, and not much firing or artillery rules either!