Introduction
This is mission 2 in a small campaign I am doing to get in
some 6mm WW2 games. I am using a variant
of Platoon Forward to generate the missions and opposing forces. I started with a Russian green company and they
are still all green. While the game narrative is all handcrafted, the 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.
Second game in and I change from my own rules to give the recently
released Rapid Fire Reloaded a go.
Scenario
It is 1943 and a USSR infantry force is attacking a German
infantry force. The USSR mission is a hasty attack.
The advancing forces have come up against an enemy position
that needs to be cleared.
The terrain is mixed, with some wire deployed:
Key building | Woods |Light woods
Hill | Light woods |Light woods
Open, road | Orchard |Key building
Primary Objective (1) - Key Building
Victory is to capture the primary objective. Lose if do not
capture the objective.
Major Victory is achieved if capture objectives with minimal
casualties. Minor Victory if capture objective but take major casualties.
The USSR force enters in zones 7-9. The German force deploys
in zones 1-6.
The USSR has green morale for its nine sections and four
leaders. Support includes MMG, 2x75mm gun.
Available indirect support is 2x82mm.
The German has regular morale for its five sections and one
leader. They start dugin. Support includes MMG + tank hunters + Heavy Tank .
The battlefield |
Note: I am treating Light Woods as soft cover but visibility
is 24 into Light Woods for moving units.
USSR Forces
Russians |
1 full Company.
CoHQ Ldr (Salkov)
1st Plt Ldr (Formin), 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 (Bogrov), 2nd Plt 3rd Section (Letov)
3rd Plt Ldr (Tokarev), 3rd Plt 1st Section (Milyokhin), 3rd
Plt 2nd Section (Perov), 3rd Plt 3rd Section (Slobozhanin)
1xMMG
2x75mm AT Gun + tows
2x82mm mortar in indirect support.
German Forces
Germans |
1 Zug HQ
5 Gruppe
1 MMG
1 tank hunter team
1 Tiger I
All regular morale
Deployment
Where to defensively deploy the Germans? I usually just set most of them up and then
for a few have an occasional die roll to choose between some likely spots. I may need to go think more on a plan more
along the lines of Platoon Forward of allocating units to cards and allocating
cards to locations. Not for this game
though – I want to play and not spend even more time tinkering.
The Germans have ended up with a defence centred around the
building. There is not really a reserve
– the units of the hill could be a reserve if the Russians attack through the
heavy woods, and if attacking via the hill the woods is the reserve. The Tiger is a sort of reserve – will depend
on the Russian line of attack.
German deployment |
The Russians have it really hard in this game. While they have a 2:1 advantage, they are
green and so not great with morale tests.
They do have indirect support and in this game will need to use it to be
able to win. I think they will come around
the right flank using the buildings and woods as cover.
Rules used (a change)
I have been playing using my own rules for quite a few
years. For this game I am playing using Rapid Fire Reloaded (RFR). I have
already had one game with 20mm forces and hopefully can use RFR rules for the
campaign. For this game I am using 1
base = 1 squad = 2 RFR figures (so a base needs two casualties to be
routed. RFR is similar to rules I used
10-20 years ago - Take Cover!! - and my rules are derived from Take Cover!! So
hopefully RFR can be the ruleset I can use, with only minor tinkering I am sure
will be coming! And converting inches to
centimetres.
Game
The Russians move on the table. It is weird - playing games for so long that
are limited activation and now going straight to an IGO-YGO with no limits on the
number of units that can move!
The Russians have moved 1st platoon (Formin) to
in front of the orchards, 2nd platoon (Shulgin) leading; 3rd
platoon (Tokarev) and Salkov (Company
HQ) are in front of the buildings. The MMG
is currently amongst the buildings but will move forwards as the infantry advances. The AT guns are heading for the edge of the orchards, once Formin
has scouted in front to see that it is OK.
Russian entry. |
The German MMG opens up on Formin’s platoon and Amelin’s
section routs.
MMG opens fire! |
Vetrov and Yeltsin move their two remaining 1st platoon sections in a race for the woods – smack bang into the Gruppe at the edge of the words! Well, there goes the plan of stopping at the woods to call in the mortars. The Gruppe is eliminated at the cost of Vetrov’s section. Formin’s platoon is down to one section but they pass their morale test.
Russians 1st platoon runs into a Gruppe |
The ATguns have unlimbered and the 2nd and 3rd platoons continue to the far side of the woods.
Rest of company continues advances on the right flank |
The German pour fire from the hill into the remnants of the Formin’s platoon – Yeltsin’s section - but do no damage whatsoever.
Formin calls in the mortars that hit their target and rout
the Gruppe supporting the MMG. They also
suppress the MMG (this rule borrowed from
Rapid Fire for infantry under indirect fire). The AT guns open up on the
MMG with HE but for no effect.
Gruppe gone, MMG suppressed. |
The Russians continue to pour fire into the MMG but (amazingly poor dice rolls) fail to inflict anything. The MMG is unsuppressed and fires at Formin and Yeltsin’s section and they rout. 1st platoon is no longer in the battle.
The 1st platoon, just before routing. |
Shulgin’s 2nd platoon make it to the edge of the woods to the right of the building. They are spotted by the Germans who open fire on them from the building, the MMG and the Tiger.
Advancing Russians, the lead elements are spotted. |
Only one of Sulgin’s platoon section’s is routed (Zimkov’s), and the entire platoon is pinned. Shulgin calls in the mortars but no effect. Tokarev and his third platoon moves to the edge of the wood. As does Salkov with the Company HQ.
The second and third platoon at the edge of the wood. |
The Russians pour fire into the building – mortars, ATguns, Shulgin’s 2nd platoon, Tokarev’s 3rd platoon and Salkov. They manage to eliminate two Gruppe and the Zug commanding officer. The Germans check morale and out off the table. The Russians have reached their objective!
The last German Gruppe in the building |
Post battle
The mission resulted in a major victory.
Company HQ Salkov survived the battle.
1st Platoon Leader Formin bailed with others during the
battle.
1st section OK, leader Amelin OK.
2nd section OK,
leader Vetrov OK.
3rd section lost
many and is full of replacements, leader Yeltsin OK.
2nd Platoon Shulgin survived the battle.
1st section lost
many and is full of replacements, leader Zimkov OK.
2nd section OK,
leader Bogrov OK.
3rd
section OK, leader Letov OK.
3rd Platoon Tokarev survived the battle.
1st section OK, leader Milyokhin OK.
2nd section OK, leader Perov OK.
3rd section OK, leader Slobozhanin OK.
Company status
Zimkov: Leader Salkov, morale Green, experience 4.
1st Plt Ldr: Formin, morale Green, experience 4.
1st Plt 1st Section: Leader Amelin, morale Green, experience
4.
1st Plt 2nd Section: Leader Vetrov, morale Green, experience
5.
1st Plt 3rd Section: Leader Yeltsin, morale Green,
experience 0.
2nd Plt Ldr: Shulgin, morale Green, experience 4.
2nd Plt 1st Section: Leader Zimkov, morale Green, experience
0.
2nd Plt 2nd Section: Leader Bogrov, morale Green, experience
5.
2nd Plt 3rd Section: Leader Letov, morale Green, experience
4.
3rd Plt Ldr: Tokarev, morale Green, experience 4.
3rd Plt 1st Section: Leader Milyokhin, morale Green,
experience 4.
3rd Plt 2nd Section: Leader Perov, morale Green, experience
4.
3rd Plt 3rd Section: Leader Slobozhanin, morale Green,
experience 4.
Verdict
The Rapid Fire Reloaded rules worked really well. There was only one gap on whether the
Panzerfaust could fire on infantry (it has 4xd6 HE). I don’t normally and checking the Rapid Fire
rules they can only be fired on infantry in hard cover.
The Russian MMG never got line of sight to any unit to
participate. In hindsight they should
have setup with the ATguns.
A nice game Shaun and certainly a comprehensive Soviet victory. I think using the cards to decide activation is a wise move when playing solo, or even with a gaming chum. Keep up the good work:)
ReplyDeleteThank Steve. I miss random activation for solo play too much and so will be using it for the next game :-)
DeleteNice Batrep. This makes 6mm infantry tempting...
ReplyDeleteFollowing up on your comments over on my blog, I'm torn between 10mm and 6mm. I prefer the greater detail at 10mm, but making terrain seems easier at 6mm (or is it?). And I'm going to need that 6mm terrain for my microarmor games anyways. Decisions...
Thanks.
DeleteYou have an interesting dilemma. !0mm is so nice. I do not think 10mm terrain would be any harder than 6mm. Mine is mostly homemade but I did it quickly to get a game in about 2014 but have never really updated it! It you have both 6mm and 10mm then you have a tough decision. But focus! Super Force and TTT first :-)
Nice looking game, Shaun.
ReplyDeleteThank Aaron.
DeleteA very nice little game. Great report too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jim!
Delete